[paullamb]

Obligatory, I just got my k-5 today too post. After nearly a month of pouring over posts and forums and looking at sample pics, I decided I could try out something new. I've absolutely loved my Nikon D300 and my incredible 24-70 f/2.8 lens but I found myself really wanting to try those gorgeous little limited lenses. So after collecting on a commission job yesterday, I pulled the trigger on a k-5 and the limited 40mm. So far, my expectations have been exceeded by a mile.

Now I might just have to ebay the 24-70 and get some more Pentax lenses.

For those thinking about making a change, here's my day one thoughts:

1) the build quality seems as good as the d300
2) the ergonomics are as good as people talk about, it's smaller and lighter but feels solid in your hand
3) there's a lot of buttons on the right side but when shooting they seem nicely laid out
4) the image quality is great (things like auto white balance seem different than the nikon and it does considerably more in camera sharpening and colors are a bit more saturated)
5) very low light auto-focus is not as good but for me that's not that important
6) autofocus speed on the 40mm lens seems about the same as the 35mm f/1.8 DX on the D300
7) ISO 6400 pics are very usable

I'll update my thoughts as I use it a bit more this weekend and add pics.

[Adam]

Nice! The only thing that you might be disappointed about in the long run is the AF and movie mode- but the IQ remains best-in-class

[pentup]

One odd fringe benefit of moving from Nikon to Pentax, for some users anyway:

Some of your (old) Nikon lenses may be more convenient to use on the Pentax body than on most Nikon bodies! (apart from the major inconvenience of their only staying on the camera with friction. )
My lovely Nikkor 20 mm won't even meter manually on most Nikon bodies; on the K-7 it works beautifully. That deterred me for quite a while from buying the DA 21 ltd, but I finally decided I wanted AF, and worrying about the Nikkor falling off the camera got to be a strain....)

[aleonx3]

I know you absolutely love your 24-70 f2.8 which I think is quite a heavy lens (for me anyway). I am sure you will love the three amigos (FA43, FA77 and FA31 limited) if you ever try them as those are my go-to lens for shots that I can not miss. Enjoy your k-5...

[elho_cid]

the image quality is great (things like auto white balance seem different than the nikon and it does considerably more in camera sharpening and colors are a bit more saturated)

You can adjust the jpeg appearance a lot. I always liked the way Nikon§s jpg looks when I had the K10D. Now with K-5 I can get a processing that pleases my eye even more.

[paullamb]

Day 2
-100% happy
-loving the size and amazed at how incredibly quiet it is compared to D300
-I'm a raw shooter and do all sorts of nasty things to my pics in lightroom and color/silver efex. The images from the pentax seem to handle my custom presets and recipes very similar to the nikon raws (less workflow change makes me happy)
-have had some focus hunt but they have been situations the nikon would have had issues with too

Todays daily pic to Google+ is from k-5 and 40mm: https://plus.google.com/116915389609964980297/posts/4a9a6XjVkCJ

And a few more sample pics: https://plus.google.com/photos/116915389609964980297/albums/5676938877534567313

[Adam]

Hey if you're into google plus, check out our new page!
https://plus.google.com/b/117272637655921398282/

Adam
PentaxForums.com Webmaster (Site Usage Guide | Site Help | My Photography)



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[paullamb]

Day 4
Just a few more thoughts. The camera is certainly a keeper and I'm really getting picky here...
--With the d300 I thought about white balance once or twice a year, with the k-5 it seems to either get it completely right or just completely wrong. I shoot raw so it's easy to correct.
--Overall the raw files are very vivid in lightroom, to the point that I sometimes actually de-saturate (particularly red)
--The four way toggle switch is in the wrong spot, really should have been put up where the af and green dot button are
--k-5 seems to handle shadow details on the far left of the histogram much better than d300, I'm kinda amazed at what I can pull out during post-processing
--my experience with the DA40 auto-focus is that it has completely nailed focus on every shot, which I could never say with the 35mm DX f/1.8 from Nikon (cheap prime lens that I love to joke about how awful it does on focus)
--compared to the d300 iso 3200 is beautiful and 6400 is usable

[cali92rs]

I do love my K-5, and I am also a reformed Nikon user
However, the K-5 is a newer design and the D300 is a few years old. A more appropriate comparison with the K-5 would probably be the D7000, especially since they share a sensor.

The things i miss about Nikon are availability at every store big and small and autofocus. The K-5 doesnt AF as accurately nor as quickly as my D90 did, and the D90 is a dinosaur.

[Verglace]

What are your thoughts on the viewfinder? When I borrow my friend's Nikons/Canons I always feel so jealous of their viewfinders which seem much more advanced and bright compared to my K-5. Sometimes I think its just me cause no one else seems to notice.

[Nuff]

The viewfinder is most likely you lens. Do you have any fast lenses? My viewfinder is very bright, but then I have fast lenses.


http://jarek.smugmug.com

[Verglace]

My lenses are the ones in my sig so 2.4 are the fastest lenses. I'm not saying the k-5 isnt bright its definately bright and brighter than the k-r i used to own. I'm just saying when I borrowed my friends they seemed brighter and they had fancy stuff in their view finders (even with their kit lenses). Like I said maybe its just a grass is greener thing for me and its about the only thing I wish my k-5 had compared to nikon.

[RonHendriks1966]

Well the Da40mm is the fastest lens when it comes to AF and that is a fine jewel. Have fun with your small combo.

[aleonx3]

What are your thoughts on the viewfinder? When I borrow my friend's Nikons/Canons I always feel so jealous of their viewfinders which seem much more advanced and bright compared to my K-5. Sometimes I think its just me cause no one else seems to notice.

The difference could be due to the penta-prism (brighter) vs penta-mirror (dimmer), 2) magnification/frame coverage or 3) FF vs APS-C, and 4) lens. If your friends Nikon/Canons are brighter, it could be due to one or more of the reasons.

[vrrattko]

Obligatory, I just got my k-5 today too post. After nearly a month of pouring over posts and forums and looking at sample pics, I decided I could try out something new. I've absolutely loved my Nikon D300 and my incredible 24-70 f/2.8 lens but I found myself really wanting to try those gorgeous little limited lenses. So after collecting on a commission job yesterday, I pulled the trigger on a k-5 and the limited 40mm. So far, my expectations have been exceeded by a mile.
I'll update my thoughts as I use it a bit more this weekend and add pics.

reformed nikonists are welcomed here ......i also came from nikon, namely Nikon F90x, which was really great, but I'm happy with Pentax. Limiteds are really cool, I have DA70 and FA43, both pancakes...both nice. However have you ever tried Nikon's own pancake - Nikkor 45mm? Photozone praised one they tested, and I think it is the only pancake for SLR made by anybody else than Pentax.