K-5

**dougieazar** · 01-30-2021, 03:03 AM - **13 Likes**

This is just a rave and general comment. I recently purchased a Pentax K-5 and wow. It was manufactured Sep. 19, 2010 and I did a check and the shutter count is 10,367. I would say that is pretty good. Did some math and that is only averaging 85 shots/month over 10+ years. The quality of my photos is very good and since I am not blowing them up to 24" x 26" I am good. One of the things which I love is having all the buttons. It saves going through the most common items, i.e. searching the menu with the up-down-right-left button guys, I might want to adjust while shooting. It is like sitting down to the dinner table and asking someone to pass the potatoes. They are already on the table and you don't have to go into the kitchen and hunt for them. 16mp is fine with me and to go to the k-3 for more pixels at this point was not worth the cost as all the features on my k-5 are good enough for now and I have money in the bank for other lenses and obviously can go to the k-3 later. IN closing I am one happy camper with my k-5.............Doug

jgnfld · 01-30-2021, 07:17 AM - **3 Likes**

Originally posted by dougieazar

This is just a rave and general comment. I recently purchased a Pentax K-5 and wow. It was manufactured Sep. 19, 2010 and I did a check and the shutter count is 10,367. I would say that is pretty good. Did some math and that is only averaging 85 shots/month over 10+ years. The quality of my photos is very good and since I am not blowing them up to 24" x 26" I am good. One of the things which I love is having all the buttons. It saves going through the most common items, i.e. searching the menu with the up-down-right-left button guys, I might want to adjust while shooting. It is like sitting down to the dinner table and asking someone to pass the potatoes. They are already on the table and you don't have to go into the kitchen and hunt for them. 16mp is fine with me and to go to the k-3 for more pixels at this point was not worth the cost as all the features on my k-5 are good enough for now and I have money in the bank for other lenses and obviously can go to the k-3 later. IN closing I am one happy camper with my k-5.............Doug

But, but, but...it's OLD!!! Who CARES if it's good???

I think you just sent some influencers and marketers into early graves! How can they make money from freeloaders on the past like you?!

**ToddK** · 01-30-2021, 07:22 AM - **1 Like**

Hi Doug, welcome to Pentax Forums and congratulations on your recently acquired K-5! It is a great camera and should bring you many years of great service and enjoyment. I have both the K-5 and the K-3II, and I don't hesitate to use my K-5. In fact, on long trips I like to bring them both and leave my two favorite travel lenses mounted on them, the HD DA16-85 on the K-5 and the HD DA55-300 PLM on the K-3II. I have actually printed 16"x24" images taken with my K-5 and they look great to me. Warmest regards, Todd

**pepperberry farm** · 01-30-2021, 07:41 AM - **2 Likes**

there's absolutely NOTHING wrong with the K-5 series...

I recently bought/unboxed/started using a NIB K-5 IIs - and it is wondrous!

**aslyfox** · 01-30-2021, 08:39 AM - **1 Like**

old is old and good is good

there is nothing wrong with old Pentax gear if it does what you want and desire

congrats

mtgmansf · 01-30-2021, 11:02 AM

My K5IIs have significantly lower noise than my Nikon D7200 after 200iso, but I do like the extra resolution when and if cropping, K3II was no longer in production for a new purchase and the KP was not the camera I was looking for, considering I like big cameras for my big hands, so I moved back to Nikon. I have also made some nice, printed 14x28"' Panos for friends with the K5II...

JJ-eire · 01-30-2021, 02:38 PM - **1 Like**

The K5 is a great camera, I bought one back in 2013 and it has been very reliable and durable (I left it out in the snow all night, no probs), I also love the ergonomics. However having used a few different cameras since then, mainly a Nikon D750 and Fuji Xh1. It really is showing its age. I found the D750 to be significantly faster regarding the processor and it focuses in and handles low light situations a lot better. The XH1 has handy ISO and SS dials and the modern Fuji lenses still have aperture rings, I really like the focus peaking for manual lenses and the compability with instax instant printers. I mainly use the Xh1 with a tiny Laowa 9mm lens and the 16-55mm but from time to time I do take out the K5 with the DA 35mm, DA 40mm Xs, DA 50mm and DFA 100mm, great primes for the money. Nowadays I choose a camera based on the feeling and experience, instead of the specs and the K5 has remained whereas many other cameras I had, got the boot.

Last edited by JJ-eire; 01-30-2021 at 02:45 PM.

Boydmaine · 01-30-2021, 06:15 PM

Originally posted by dougieazar

This is just a rave and general comment. I recently purchased a Pentax K-5 and wow. It was manufactured Sep. 19, 2010 and I did a check and the shutter count is 10,367. I would say that is pretty good. Did some math and that is only averaging 85 shots/month over 10+ years. The quality of my photos is very good and since I am not blowing them up to 24" x 26" I am good. One of the things which I love is having all the buttons. It saves going through the most common items, i.e. searching the menu with the up-down-right-left button guys, I might want to adjust while shooting. It is like sitting down to the dinner table and asking someone to pass the potatoes. They are already on the table and you don't have to go into the kitchen and hunt for them. 16mp is fine with me and to go to the k-3 for more pixels at this point was not worth the cost as all the features on my k-5 are good enough for now and I have money in the bank for other lenses and obviously can go to the k-3 later. IN closing I am one happy camper with my k-5.............Doug

I am with you. You have a wonderful, reliable camera.

**JimD** · 02-01-2021, 09:58 AM

I've just 'loaned' mine to my daughter. Along with a DA 16-45 f4 and DA 55-300 f4-5.8 ED. She was asking me about cameras and photography in general a week or two ago so I foolishly offered it to her to try. With lockdown restrictions here, working from home, etc she hasn't had chance to get to grips with it yet but when she does I can kiss it goodbye.
Still a brilliant camera.

Wheatfield · 02-02-2021, 12:41 PM

Originally posted by pepperberry farm

there's absolutely NOTHING wrong with the K-5 series...

His would be from the first production run, which makes him a lucky, as well as a happy camper. The early K5 bodies were something of a nightmare.

angerdan · 02-06-2021, 02:35 PM

Originally posted by dougieazar

IN closing I am one happy camper with my k-5.............Doug

You can find more K-5 related thougs and ideas in this Subforum:
Pentax K-5 - PentaxForums.com

ZombieArmy · 02-07-2021, 07:29 AM - **2 Likes**

The K-5 IIs is still one of the highest DR APSC cameras ever made, matching many full frame cameras of the era.

Arguably the K-3 series was actually a downgrade in a lot of ways.

wem59 · 02-08-2021, 01:07 PM

Originally posted by dougieazar

This is just a rave and general comment. I recently purchased a Pentax K-5 and wow. It was manufactured Sep. 19, 2010 and I did a check and the shutter count is 10,367. I would say that is pretty good. Did some math and that is only averaging 85 shots/month over 10+ years. The quality of my photos is very good and since I am not blowing them up to 24" x 26" I am good. One of the things which I love is having all the buttons. It saves going through the most common items, i.e. searching the menu with the up-down-right-left button guys, I might want to adjust while shooting. It is like sitting down to the dinner table and asking someone to pass the potatoes. They are already on the table and you don't have to go into the kitchen and hunt for them. 16mp is fine with me and to go to the k-3 for more pixels at this point was not worth the cost as all the features on my k-5 are good enough for now and I have money in the bank for other lenses and obviously can go to the k-3 later. IN closing I am one happy camper with my k-5.............Doug

Thats great to hear! I have a line on a used K5 right now.....as long as there are no issues, I may spring for it!

noblepa · 02-14-2021, 07:52 PM

I bought a used K5 from KEH about a year and a half ago. So far, it has served me perfectly. No problems, whatsoever.

It replaced a K10d that I had had for ten years. I loved the K10d, and I still read the "K10d Club" thread in this forum, even though I gave the K10d to my son.

The biggest difference that I see is the vastly improved high-ISO performance. The K10d got very noisy above ISO 400 and 1600 was almost unusable. By contrast I get acceptable (to me) results at the extremes of ISO setting (ISO 51,200). I haven't really used that high of an ISO setting, except for testing, but it was less noisy than the K10d was at 1,600.

All that being said, I have gotten very acceptable 16 x 20 prints from the K10d, using 90 percent of the image size. I don't shoot birds in flight or anything that requires cropping a very small portion of the image and blowing it up to that large a print, but it is nice to have the extra 4 megapixels in the K5.

In short, I am very happy with my K5 and see no real need to "upgrade" to a newer camera. I am hardly using the full capability of the one I have.

I have the battery grip for the K5. I also had one for the K10d. I highly recommend it. I know that some people like a smaller camera in their hands, but I feel the opposite. I like the extra size and even the extra weight of the battery grip. I have fairly large hands. I also like the shutter button on the bottom corner of the grip, which falls nicely under my right index finger when I hold the camera in the portrait orientation. I find it a little awkward wrapping my hand over the top of the camera to reach the normal shutter button when not using the grip.

The extra battery and SD card in the grip is a plus, although I really miss being able to store the Pentax remote control in the grip, as I could in the K10d. I don't know why Pentax dropped that feature.

R.Miller · 02-15-2021, 09:15 AM

Originally posted by dougieazar

This is just a rave and general comment. I recently purchased a Pentax K-5 and wow. It was manufactured Sep. 19, 2010 and I did a check and the shutter count is 10,367. I would say that is pretty good. Did some math and that is only averaging 85 shots/month over 10+ years. The quality of my photos is very good and since I am not blowing them up to 24" x 26" I am good. One of the things which I love is having all the buttons. It saves going through the most common items, i.e. searching the menu with the up-down-right-left button guys, I might want to adjust while shooting. It is like sitting down to the dinner table and asking someone to pass the potatoes. They are already on the table and you don't have to go into the kitchen and hunt for them. 16mp is fine with me and to go to the k-3 for more pixels at this point was not worth the cost as all the features on my k-5 are good enough for now and I have money in the bank for other lenses and obviously can go to the k-3 later. IN closing I am one happy camper with my k-5.............Doug

The K-5 is an excellent choice. The K-5 series hits all the right notes in size weight and performance. I have both the K-5 and K5iis and have not hit any limits in my usage. It's a well built and very capable camera and should serve you well for years to come.

01-30-2021, 03:03 AM - 13 Likes	#1
dougieazar Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2020 Photos: Gallery Posts: 103	K-5 This is just a rave and general comment. I recently purchased a Pentax K-5 and wow. It was manufactured Sep. 19, 2010 and I did a check and the shutter count is 10,367. I would say that is pretty good. Did some math and that is only averaging 85 shots/month over 10+ years. The quality of my photos is very good and since I am not blowing them up to 24" x 26" I am good. One of the things which I love is having all the buttons. It saves going through the most common items, i.e. searching the menu with the up-down-right-left button guys, I might want to adjust while shooting. It is like sitting down to the dinner table and asking someone to pass the potatoes. They are already on the table and you don't have to go into the kitchen and hunt for them. 16mp is fine with me and to go to the k-3 for more pixels at this point was not worth the cost as all the features on my k-5 are good enough for now and I have money in the bank for other lenses and obviously can go to the k-3 later. IN closing I am one happy camper with my k-5.............Doug

01-30-2021, 07:17 AM - 3 Likes	#2
jgnfld Moderator Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Avalon Peninsula, Newfoundland Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,789	Originally posted by dougieazar This is just a rave and general comment. I recently purchased a Pentax K-5 and wow. It was manufactured Sep. 19, 2010 and I did a check and the shutter count is 10,367. I would say that is pretty good. Did some math and that is only averaging 85 shots/month over 10+ years. The quality of my photos is very good and since I am not blowing them up to 24" x 26" I am good. One of the things which I love is having all the buttons. It saves going through the most common items, i.e. searching the menu with the up-down-right-left button guys, I might want to adjust while shooting. It is like sitting down to the dinner table and asking someone to pass the potatoes. They are already on the table and you don't have to go into the kitchen and hunt for them. 16mp is fine with me and to go to the k-3 for more pixels at this point was not worth the cost as all the features on my k-5 are good enough for now and I have money in the bank for other lenses and obviously can go to the k-3 later. IN closing I am one happy camper with my k-5.............Doug But, but, but...it's OLD!!! Who CARES if it's good??? I think you just sent some influencers and marketers into early graves! How can they make money from freeloaders on the past like you?! Last edited by jgnfld; 01-30-2021 at 07:37 AM.

02-07-2021, 07:29 AM - 2 Likes	#12
ZombieArmy Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Florida Posts: 3,210	The K-5 IIs is still one of the highest DR APSC cameras ever made, matching many full frame cameras of the era. Arguably the K-3 series was actually a downgrade in a lot of ways. Last edited by ZombieArmy; 02-07-2021 at 07:38 AM.

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01-30-2021, 07:22 AM - 1 Like	#3
ToddK Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Texas Hill Country Photos: Gallery Posts: 11,532	Hi Doug, welcome to Pentax Forums and congratulations on your recently acquired K-5! It is a great camera and should bring you many years of great service and enjoyment. I have both the K-5 and the K-3II, and I don't hesitate to use my K-5. In fact, on long trips I like to bring them both and leave my two favorite travel lenses mounted on them, the HD DA16-85 on the K-5 and the HD DA55-300 PLM on the K-3II. I have actually printed 16"x24" images taken with my K-5 and they look great to me. Warmest regards, Todd

01-30-2021, 07:41 AM - 2 Likes	#4
pepperberry farm amateur dirt farmer Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: probably out in a field somewhere... Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 41,678	there's absolutely NOTHING wrong with the K-5 series... I recently bought/unboxed/started using a NIB K-5 IIs - and it is wondrous!

01-30-2021, 08:39 AM - 1 Like	#5
aslyfox Seeker of Knowledge Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Topeka, Kansas Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 24,581	old is old and good is good there is nothing wrong with old Pentax gear if it does what you want and desire congrats

01-30-2021, 11:02 AM	#6
mtgmansf Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 321	My K5IIs have significantly lower noise than my Nikon D7200 after 200iso, but I do like the extra resolution when and if cropping, K3II was no longer in production for a new purchase and the KP was not the camera I was looking for, considering I like big cameras for my big hands, so I moved back to Nikon. I have also made some nice, printed 14x28"' Panos for friends with the K5II...

01-30-2021, 02:38 PM - 1 Like	#7
JJ-eire New Member Join Date: Jan 2021 Location: Catalunya Posts: 22	The K5 is a great camera, I bought one back in 2013 and it has been very reliable and durable (I left it out in the snow all night, no probs), I also love the ergonomics. However having used a few different cameras since then, mainly a Nikon D750 and Fuji Xh1. It really is showing its age. I found the D750 to be significantly faster regarding the processor and it focuses in and handles low light situations a lot better. The XH1 has handy ISO and SS dials and the modern Fuji lenses still have aperture rings, I really like the focus peaking for manual lenses and the compability with instax instant printers. I mainly use the Xh1 with a tiny Laowa 9mm lens and the 16-55mm but from time to time I do take out the K5 with the DA 35mm, DA 40mm Xs, DA 50mm and DFA 100mm, great primes for the money. Nowadays I choose a camera based on the feeling and experience, instead of the specs and the K5 has remained whereas many other cameras I had, got the boot. Last edited by JJ-eire; 01-30-2021 at 02:45 PM.

01-30-2021, 06:15 PM	#8
Boydmaine Forum Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Maine Posts: 80	Originally posted by dougieazar This is just a rave and general comment. I recently purchased a Pentax K-5 and wow. It was manufactured Sep. 19, 2010 and I did a check and the shutter count is 10,367. I would say that is pretty good. Did some math and that is only averaging 85 shots/month over 10+ years. The quality of my photos is very good and since I am not blowing them up to 24" x 26" I am good. One of the things which I love is having all the buttons. It saves going through the most common items, i.e. searching the menu with the up-down-right-left button guys, I might want to adjust while shooting. It is like sitting down to the dinner table and asking someone to pass the potatoes. They are already on the table and you don't have to go into the kitchen and hunt for them. 16mp is fine with me and to go to the k-3 for more pixels at this point was not worth the cost as all the features on my k-5 are good enough for now and I have money in the bank for other lenses and obviously can go to the k-3 later. IN closing I am one happy camper with my k-5.............Doug I am with you. You have a wonderful, reliable camera.

02-01-2021, 09:58 AM	#9
JimD Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Newport, South Wales Posts: 187	I've just 'loaned' mine to my daughter. Along with a DA 16-45 f4 and DA 55-300 f4-5.8 ED. She was asking me about cameras and photography in general a week or two ago so I foolishly offered it to her to try. With lockdown restrictions here, working from home, etc she hasn't had chance to get to grips with it yet but when she does I can kiss it goodbye. Still a brilliant camera.

02-02-2021, 12:41 PM	#10
Wheatfield Moderator Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: The wheatfields of Canada Posts: 15,981	Originally posted by pepperberry farm there's absolutely NOTHING wrong with the K-5 series... His would be from the first production run, which makes him a lucky, as well as a happy camper. The early K5 bodies were something of a nightmare.

02-06-2021, 02:35 PM	#11
angerdan Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2015 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,639	Originally posted by dougieazar IN closing I am one happy camper with my k-5.............Doug You can find more K-5 related thougs and ideas in this Subforum: Pentax K-5 - PentaxForums.com

02-08-2021, 01:07 PM	#13
wem59 New Member Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 21	Originally posted by dougieazar This is just a rave and general comment. I recently purchased a Pentax K-5 and wow. It was manufactured Sep. 19, 2010 and I did a check and the shutter count is 10,367. I would say that is pretty good. Did some math and that is only averaging 85 shots/month over 10+ years. The quality of my photos is very good and since I am not blowing them up to 24" x 26" I am good. One of the things which I love is having all the buttons. It saves going through the most common items, i.e. searching the menu with the up-down-right-left button guys, I might want to adjust while shooting. It is like sitting down to the dinner table and asking someone to pass the potatoes. They are already on the table and you don't have to go into the kitchen and hunt for them. 16mp is fine with me and to go to the k-3 for more pixels at this point was not worth the cost as all the features on my k-5 are good enough for now and I have money in the bank for other lenses and obviously can go to the k-3 later. IN closing I am one happy camper with my k-5.............Doug Thats great to hear! I have a line on a used K5 right now.....as long as there are no issues, I may spring for it!

02-14-2021, 07:52 PM	#14
noblepa Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Bay Village, Ohio USA Posts: 1,142	I bought a used K5 from KEH about a year and a half ago. So far, it has served me perfectly. No problems, whatsoever. It replaced a K10d that I had had for ten years. I loved the K10d, and I still read the "K10d Club" thread in this forum, even though I gave the K10d to my son. The biggest difference that I see is the vastly improved high-ISO performance. The K10d got very noisy above ISO 400 and 1600 was almost unusable. By contrast I get acceptable (to me) results at the extremes of ISO setting (ISO 51,200). I haven't really used that high of an ISO setting, except for testing, but it was less noisy than the K10d was at 1,600. All that being said, I have gotten very acceptable 16 x 20 prints from the K10d, using 90 percent of the image size. I don't shoot birds in flight or anything that requires cropping a very small portion of the image and blowing it up to that large a print, but it is nice to have the extra 4 megapixels in the K5. In short, I am very happy with my K5 and see no real need to "upgrade" to a newer camera. I am hardly using the full capability of the one I have. I have the battery grip for the K5. I also had one for the K10d. I highly recommend it. I know that some people like a smaller camera in their hands, but I feel the opposite. I like the extra size and even the extra weight of the battery grip. I have fairly large hands. I also like the shutter button on the bottom corner of the grip, which falls nicely under my right index finger when I hold the camera in the portrait orientation. I find it a little awkward wrapping my hand over the top of the camera to reach the normal shutter button when not using the grip. The extra battery and SD card in the grip is a plus, although I really miss being able to store the Pentax remote control in the grip, as I could in the K10d. I don't know why Pentax dropped that feature.

02-15-2021, 09:15 AM	#15
R.Miller Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Midwest Coastal Region USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 426	Originally posted by dougieazar This is just a rave and general comment. I recently purchased a Pentax K-5 and wow. It was manufactured Sep. 19, 2010 and I did a check and the shutter count is 10,367. I would say that is pretty good. Did some math and that is only averaging 85 shots/month over 10+ years. The quality of my photos is very good and since I am not blowing them up to 24" x 26" I am good. One of the things which I love is having all the buttons. It saves going through the most common items, i.e. searching the menu with the up-down-right-left button guys, I might want to adjust while shooting. It is like sitting down to the dinner table and asking someone to pass the potatoes. They are already on the table and you don't have to go into the kitchen and hunt for them. 16mp is fine with me and to go to the k-3 for more pixels at this point was not worth the cost as all the features on my k-5 are good enough for now and I have money in the bank for other lenses and obviously can go to the k-3 later. IN closing I am one happy camper with my k-5.............Doug The K-5 is an excellent choice. The K-5 series hits all the right notes in size weight and performance. I have both the K-5 and K5iis and have not hit any limits in my usage. It's a well built and very capable camera and should serve you well for years to come.