[65535]

First impressions, positive:

1- Nice feel, like all my prior Pentax cameras (*ist DL, K100D, K20D). Only this one is a notch above all those.

2- Size, slapped on the DA40 and boy do those two go together. Nice and compact, yet still comfortable.

3- AF.... holy cow boys, it rules. It really, really kicks ass and that's no bulldust. AF illuminator is nice too and freaked me out the first time it turned on

4- Shutter sound.... smooth. But I always liked a solid mechanical sounding shutter/mirror. Still..... smooooooth... niiiiiice.

5- Battery charger Green LED. I like green. Much more than red, or obnoxious blue and bright orange. Also acceptable: yellowish amber.


Negatives:

1- Mode switch lock button - very annoying. Wow, I hate it. I suppose you get used to it but there's no anatomically correct way to press and turn. (any tips?)

2- SD card door - I liked the metal turn switch, but this works fine. It's not really a bad thing but I just preferred the feel of the other one.

3- Size - Just like my *ist and K100d, my pinky has nowhere to go. Grumble. Another 250 bucks for the grip dammit.



WIll have more when the battery is charged. So far... I like!

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Last edited by Unregistered User 8; 10-31-2017 at 10:27 PM. Reason: remove swearing

[JohnBee]

Great feedback!
I think I'm going to share your experience coming from a K20D.
But... the features and performance of the camera will make-up for the little niggles that come along with it.

[Cannikin]

1- Mode switch lock button - very annoying. Wow, I hate it. I suppose you get used to it but there's no anatomically correct way to press and turn. (any tips?)

I find it quite easy to just press down lightly with my index finger and turn it with both my middle finger and thumb (don't twist or turn your hand, just spin it with the two fingers). Keep your index finger steady and just let the wheel slide under. Works for me even with gloves on (though obviously a little more awkward as I can't actually see the dial). And just to be sure, make sure you're using your left hand, heh.

The wheel lock is actually one of my favorite features, as it got really annoying when I kept accidentally switching modes on my K-x just by pulling it out of my bag. It's happened many times to me, and switching to Sv mode and shooting at ISO 3200 on a sunlit landscape doesn't exactly do wonders for IQ.

3- Size - Just like my *ist and K100d, my pinky has nowhere to go. Grumble. Another 250 bucks for the grip dammit.

Yep that was one of the few things I ever had to complain about my K200. Too dang small. I didn't feel like spending even more money on my next slr to be able to hold it right.

Other than that K-5 sounds like a champ in most regards.

[65535]

Yep that was one of the few things I ever had to complain about my K200. Too dang small. I didn't feel like spending even more money on my next slr to be able to hold it right.

Other than that K-5 sounds like a champ in most regards.

Honestly it's not so bad. It's slightly uncomfortable but in a weird way it gives more stability

i'm not sure i'll even bother with the grip

[Ex Finn.]

Get the grip, pinky will be happy.

[imtheguy]

Honestly it's not so bad. It's slightly uncomfortable but in a weird way it gives more stability

i'm not sure i'll even bother with the grip

\

Its about damned time you picked up the K-5. Its been out for 17 days!

I agree with all your first points after my 17 days as an owner. Well, except I really dont care about the color of the battery charger light. The memory slot door you get used to quickly but seems slightly less Bank Vault-like than the K20D right?

It takes more than 17 days of daily use to get used to the Info screen for making changes then remembering to turn it off before using the view finder.

Other than the fact that the grip does not hold a remote like the K20D does, it feels good to my (large) hands and in fact I found one a great price months ago and bought knowing I would like it. Ability to use AA batteries is a plus if you have a drawer full of eneloops.

Have lots of fun with it!

[rparmar]

Glad you are enjoying it! Me, I am happy for that mode dial lock -- my K-x positively sucks for changing settings off its own bat. K20D has a more solid detent, however.

As for size, the smaller the better. These cameras are still monsters compared to film days.

[rjm]

I've owned five different dSLRs, none with lockable mode dials. Ok, one did not have a mode dial, and another had the mode dial located on the opposite side of the viewfinder, but for the other three I never once accidentally switched the mode dial on any of them.

A mode lock is unnecessarily fussy, just like the little twist lock latch on the K10D's card and battery doors was unnecessarily fussy. Not a big deal ... until the day comes when you want to use the camera with gloved hands.

[Cannikin]

A mode lock is unnecessarily fussy, just like the little twist lock latch on the K10D's card and battery doors was unnecessarily fussy. Not a big deal ... until the day comes when you want to use the camera with gloved hands.

I can operate the lock and wheel without too much difficulty with very heavy gloves (fingers about 3 times the diameter of my own), which are thick enough that it is virtually impossible to operate the focus point switch, the focus mode lever or the metering mode.

With my lightweight gloves, it's barely more difficult than using my bare hands.

[JeffJS]

First impressions, positive:

1- Nice feel, like all my prior Pentax cameras (*ist DL, K100D, K20D). Only this one is a notch above all those.

2- Size, slapped on the DA40 and boy do those two go together. Nice and compact, yet still comfortable.

3- AF.... holy cow boys, it rules. It really, really kicks ass and that's no bulldust. AF illuminator is nice too and freaked me out the first time it turned on

4- Shutter sound.... smooth. But I always liked a solid mechanical sounding shutter/mirror. Still..... smooooooth... niiiiiice.

5- Battery charger Green LED. I like green. Much more than red, or obnoxious blue and bright orange. Also acceptable: yellowish amber.


Negatives:

1- Mode switch lock button - very annoying. Wow, I hate it. I suppose you get used to it but there's no anatomically correct way to press and turn. (any tips?)

2- SD card door - I liked the metal turn switch, but this works fine. It's not really a bad thing but I just preferred the feel of the other one.

3- Size - Just like my *ist and K100d, my pinky has nowhere to go. Grumble. Another 250 bucks for the grip dammit.



WIll have more when the battery is charged. So far... I like!

So in other words, you're a happy camper? Your Negatives are all something we K7 users are all too familiar with, and I agree with every one of them. Shop the grip out however, with a little patience, you can find them for much less (I paid $175 for mine). There are also aftermarket options available for around $60. Adorama and B&H are listing it at $183.

[asp1880]

5- Battery charger Green LED. I like green. Much more than red, or obnoxious blue and bright orange. Also acceptable: yellowish amber.

I hear Pentax is coming out with a new suite of fashionable charger LED colours like olive, fuchsia and emerald

Regards,
--Anders.

[Rondec]

Definitely get a grip. I use my K7 all the time with the grip in place and its perfect. The camera doesn't feel just right without it.

[Steelski]

I can honestly say that it is far more annoying that sometimes the mode dial slips because of something you never knew you did. It has happened to me.
I was shooting at a wedding, and then bam. wait a second. I though I left it in TAV, not M. It seems to happen a lot. It can save a few pictures.

[dgaies]

I can honestly say that it is far more annoying that sometimes the mode dial slips because of something you never knew you did. It has happened to me.
I was shooting at a wedding, and then bam. wait a second. I though I left it in TAV, not M. It seems to happen a lot. It can save a few pictures.

I have to agree. I've never had an issue being able to switch the mode dial fairly easily when needed. On the other hand, on my Kx, I've had it slip into a different mode several times which did end up costing me a few pictures here and there.