K-5 Images and Impressions

Rite · 11-10-2010, 07:29 PM

Originally posted by RonHendriks1966

And it's in da house, the wonderful K-5. First impressions are simply fenomenal next to my K-7.

----------------------------------------------

On your next shot, can it either be a pretty girl or a good landscape?

sebberry · 11-11-2010, 12:24 AM

I really like the images out of the K-5. Smooth colour and great depth (not DOF, but an almost 3D like quality).

However I will not be buying one - I cannot stand the small bodies Pentax went to after the K20D. The fiddly mode selector button and lack of K20D style bracketing function are deal-breakers.

**Rondec** · 11-11-2010, 05:32 AM

Isn't the RAW button now assignable to be a bracket function button? I don't own a K5, but my understanding was that that button could be assigned to a variety of different functions, including that one. As for size, I feel like ergonomics on the K7/5 body are about perfect with the grip (although a lot of people shoot without one). K20 with the grip is a little bulky.

ManWithCamera · 11-11-2010, 08:12 AM

Originally posted by sebberry

I really like the images out of the K-5. Smooth colour and great depth (not DOF, but an almost 3D like quality).

However I will not be buying one - I cannot stand the small bodies Pentax went to after the K20D. The fiddly mode selector button and lack of K20D style bracketing function are deal-breakers.

I own both a K10D and a K-7. I thought the K10D/D20D was too small, until I added the grip. Then the K-7 came out, and everyone but me was excited that they made it smaller. Again, I just added the grip, and it fits my hand nicely. This is one big reason that I didn't buy the K-x -- there was no grip available. I was afraid it would be too small and difficult to balance. I found the K10D was off balance with the 50-135mm attached, until I added the grip (that was actually what justified the cost of the grip for me).

So, if the size is putting you off, just add the grip (though I realize this adds almost another $200 USD to the price).

I miss that little bracketing button, too. But it really isn't a big deal. Changing to/from bracketing, is the same process as changing from single-shot to continuous or a timed mode. I don't know if the D20D had this feature, but with my K10D, there was no way to tell the camera to shoot all 5 bracketed exposures at once. If it was in the auto-bracketing mode, I'd still need to press the shutter button (or remote button) once for each shot. The K-7, lets me choose the number of exposures and then fires all of them with one press of the shutter button. I'd rather have that then a dedicated bracketing button, personally.

Rite · 11-11-2010, 08:20 AM

Originally posted by sebberry

I really like the images out of the K-5. Smooth colour and great depth (not DOF, but an almost 3D like quality).

However I will not be buying one - I cannot stand the small bodies Pentax went to after the K20D. The fiddly mode selector button and lack of K20D style bracketing function are deal-breakers.

====================================

Won't the K-5 do the same bracketing as the K20 /10D?

aleonx3 · 11-11-2010, 08:22 AM

Originally posted by sebberry

I really like the images out of the K-5. Smooth colour and great depth (not DOF, but an almost 3D like quality).

However I will not be buying one - I cannot stand the small bodies Pentax went to after the K20D. The fiddly mode selector button and lack of K20D style bracketing function are deal-breakers.

Would be nice if the camera makers can come out with products like K-5 (S,M,L and XL) sizes just like buying shoes? Hehe...

Rite · 11-11-2010, 08:23 AM

Originally posted by ManWithCamera

So, if the size is putting you off, just add the grip (though I realize this adds almost another $200 USD to the price).

==========================

After market grips are already available for the K-7 that should also work with the K-5. With two batteries, they are under $70 USD.

Staffan · 11-11-2010, 08:36 AM

Originally posted by kittykat46

That's exactly the sort of effect I would go for a "last light" shot.
If you try to expose for the fore ground, you would end up with an overexposed sky, and the lovely evening colours would be missing.

Of course, if you shot RAW, I dare say you can actually bring out a lot of detail from the deep shadows.

Talking about shadows, I have to tell about the Nik Software Viveza plug-in for PS and other picture editing programs! It is a phantastic tool for making dark or dim areas brighter and clearer, respectively. It works with JPEG and I have used it much. So instead of worrying about the large contrasts in a scene, I just avoid overexposing the bright parts too much and then rely on the plug-in. That is freedom in picture production! Secondly we have the special function for highlights and shadows in both the K-7 and K-5, and thirdly HDR (also in the camera) so there are many possibilities nowadays.

ManWithCamera · 11-11-2010, 08:42 AM

Originally posted by Rite

==========================

After market grips are already available for the K-7 that should also work with the K-5. With two batteries, they are under $70 USD.

That is good news! Although, I don't think I'd trust the batteries that come with it, personally.

narichey81 · 11-11-2010, 09:02 AM

Originally posted by Rite

====================================

Won't the K-5 do the same bracketing as the K20 /10D?

Yes. You can assign the RAW/FX button to one of several options, including exposure bracketing. I will probably set my k5 to this when I get it, as I always shoot raw, or if i do shoot a jpeg its much rarer than using bracketing. Although with all that DR i probably wont be doing so many hdrs. There does not seem to be much noise penalty for pushing shadows, and it seems to record the colors in deep shadow remarkably well (at least thats what it looks like from the limited playing ive done with some of the RAW files out on dpreview).

Rite · 11-11-2010, 11:21 AM

Originally posted by narichey81

Yes. You can assign the RAW/FX button to one of several options, including exposure bracketing. I will probably set my k5 to this when I get it, as I always shoot raw, or if i do shoot a jpeg its much rarer than using bracketing. Although with all that DR i probably wont be doing so many hdrs. There does not seem to be much noise penalty for pushing shadows, and it seems to record the colors in deep shadow remarkably well (at least thats what it looks like from the limited playing ive done with some of the RAW files out on dpreview).

===============================

Thank you!

I quite enjoy bracketing up to five jpegs on my K10D and merging them into HDR.

The K10D won't bracket RAW. Does the K-5 bracket in RAW, and up to five consecutive ISOs?

ManWithCamera · 11-11-2010, 11:42 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by Rite

===============================

Thank you!

I quite enjoy bracketing up to five jpegs on my K10D and merging them into HDR.

The K10D won't bracket RAW. Does the K-5 bracket in RAW, and up to five consecutive ISOs?

What?! The K10D will absolutely bracket in RAW mode. I've done it plenty of times. It's only the "Extended Bracket" setting that only works in JPG mode, and that's because it is "bracketing" silly things like white balance, saturation, and contrast -- all things you can easily due in post to a RAW file (or even to a JPG, so long as you start with nominal settings). Those aren't the things you would want to bracket in order to make an HDR anyway.

Just put your camera in RAW mode and then use the bracketing button next to the viewfinder to put the camera into bracketing mode. There is no restriction to JPG files for bracketing on the K10D. (I just grabbed mine and double-checked.)

Oh, and if you're going to make an HDR, you shouldn't be bracketing the ISO (I didn't even know you could). Leave the ISO and aperture constant. Only the shutter speed should change between shots. Make sure the camera is in Av mode, too, because even in M mode, the K10D will change the aperture while bracketing!

Rite · 11-11-2010, 12:19 PM

Originally posted by ManWithCamera

What?! The K10D will absolutely bracket in RAW mode. I've done it plenty of times. It's only the "Extended Bracket" setting that only works in JPG mode, and that's because it is "bracketing" silly things like white balance, saturation, and contrast -- all things you can easily due in post to a RAW file (or even to a JPG, so long as you start with nominal settings).

================================

I need to post some HDR I did last year in Alaska. (That's where my K10D is right now, with my son.)

It was the 'extended bracketing' that I was talking about on the K10D ~vs~ K-5D.

Thanks again.

ManWithCamera · 11-11-2010, 01:10 PM

Originally posted by Rite

================================

I need to post some HDR I did last year in Alaska. (That's where my K10D is right now, with my son.)

It was the 'extended bracketing' that I was talking about on the K10D ~vs~ K-5D.

Thanks again.

Yes, but you can't do "extended bracketing" in RAW mode anyway, because "extended bracketing" only affects how the files are processed when converting them to JPGs. Of course, the K10D allows you to convert your RAW files to JPGs in camera, so you could actually do these things in post, in-camera if you really want to.

If you just shoot in RAW mode, you can easily process your RAW file a dozen different ways in post. So, like I said, you can't really do this "extended bracketing" in RAW anyway, because you'd still end up with RAW files and none of these bracketed contrast adjustments would have an effect.

So, for HDRs: yes, the K10D will bracket in RAW mode, but make sure you're on Av mode or the camera will change the aperture between exposures (which is not something you want when making an HDR). The K-7, and presumably the K-5, make this even easier because they give you the option of firing off all 5 exposures with one press of the shutter button.

I hope that was helpful.....

sebberry · 11-11-2010, 02:29 PM

Originally posted by ManWithCamera

I don't know if the D20D had this feature, but with my K10D, there was no way to tell the camera to shoot all 5 bracketed exposures at once. If it was in the auto-bracketing mode, I'd still need to press the shutter button (or remote button) once for each shot. The K-7, lets me choose the number of exposures and then fires all of them with one press of the shutter button. I'd rather have that then a dedicated bracketing button, personally.

You don't have to press the shutter button for each shot, but you do have to press and hold it to take all 3 (or 5) on the K10D.

As for size, I prefer the wider body on the K10D, height isn't so much an issue and that's all you get with the grip. In fact, I prefer the K10D without the grip.

11-11-2010, 09:02 AM	#115
narichey81 Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Vancouver, WA Posts: 58	bracketing Originally posted by Rite ==================================== Won't the K-5 do the same bracketing as the K20 /10D? Yes. You can assign the RAW/FX button to one of several options, including exposure bracketing. I will probably set my k5 to this when I get it, as I always shoot raw, or if i do shoot a jpeg its much rarer than using bracketing. Although with all that DR i probably wont be doing so many hdrs. There does not seem to be much noise penalty for pushing shadows, and it seems to record the colors in deep shadow remarkably well (at least thats what it looks like from the limited playing ive done with some of the RAW files out on dpreview).

11-11-2010, 11:42 AM - 1 Like	#117
ManWithCamera Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Auburn, CA Posts: 87	Originally posted by Rite =============================== Thank you! I quite enjoy bracketing up to five jpegs on my K10D and merging them into HDR. The K10D won't bracket RAW. Does the K-5 bracket in RAW, and up to five consecutive ISOs? What?! The K10D will absolutely bracket in RAW mode. I've done it plenty of times. It's only the "Extended Bracket" setting that only works in JPG mode, and that's because it is "bracketing" silly things like white balance, saturation, and contrast -- all things you can easily due in post to a RAW file (or even to a JPG, so long as you start with nominal settings). Those aren't the things you would want to bracket in order to make an HDR anyway. Just put your camera in RAW mode and then use the bracketing button next to the viewfinder to put the camera into bracketing mode. There is no restriction to JPG files for bracketing on the K10D. (I just grabbed mine and double-checked.) Oh, and if you're going to make an HDR, you shouldn't be bracketing the ISO (I didn't even know you could). Leave the ISO and aperture constant. Only the shutter speed should change between shots. Make sure the camera is in Av mode, too, because even in M mode, the K10D will change the aperture while bracketing! Last edited by ManWithCamera; 11-11-2010 at 11:47 AM. Reason: just noticed what he said about bracketing ISOs

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11-10-2010, 07:29 PM	#106
Rite Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Photos: Albums Posts: 337	Originally posted by RonHendriks1966 And it's in da house, the wonderful K-5. First impressions are simply fenomenal next to my K-7. ---------------------------------------------- On your next shot, can it either be a pretty girl or a good landscape?

11-11-2010, 12:24 AM	#107
sebberry Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Frozen white North Photos: Albums Posts: 1,135	I really like the images out of the K-5. Smooth colour and great depth (not DOF, but an almost 3D like quality). However I will not be buying one - I cannot stand the small bodies Pentax went to after the K20D. The fiddly mode selector button and lack of K20D style bracketing function are deal-breakers.

11-11-2010, 05:32 AM	#108
Rondec Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Gladys, Virginia Photos: Gallery Posts: 27,653	Isn't the RAW button now assignable to be a bracket function button? I don't own a K5, but my understanding was that that button could be assigned to a variety of different functions, including that one. As for size, I feel like ergonomics on the K7/5 body are about perfect with the grip (although a lot of people shoot without one). K20 with the grip is a little bulky.

11-11-2010, 08:12 AM	#109
ManWithCamera Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Auburn, CA Posts: 87	Originally posted by sebberry I really like the images out of the K-5. Smooth colour and great depth (not DOF, but an almost 3D like quality). However I will not be buying one - I cannot stand the small bodies Pentax went to after the K20D. The fiddly mode selector button and lack of K20D style bracketing function are deal-breakers. I own both a K10D and a K-7. I thought the K10D/D20D was too small, until I added the grip. Then the K-7 came out, and everyone but me was excited that they made it smaller. Again, I just added the grip, and it fits my hand nicely. This is one big reason that I didn't buy the K-x -- there was no grip available. I was afraid it would be too small and difficult to balance. I found the K10D was off balance with the 50-135mm attached, until I added the grip (that was actually what justified the cost of the grip for me). So, if the size is putting you off, just add the grip (though I realize this adds almost another $200 USD to the price). I miss that little bracketing button, too. But it really isn't a big deal. Changing to/from bracketing, is the same process as changing from single-shot to continuous or a timed mode. I don't know if the D20D had this feature, but with my K10D, there was no way to tell the camera to shoot all 5 bracketed exposures at once. If it was in the auto-bracketing mode, I'd still need to press the shutter button (or remote button) once for each shot. The K-7, lets me choose the number of exposures and then fires all of them with one press of the shutter button. I'd rather have that then a dedicated bracketing button, personally.

11-11-2010, 08:20 AM	#110
Rite Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Photos: Albums Posts: 337	Originally posted by sebberry I really like the images out of the K-5. Smooth colour and great depth (not DOF, but an almost 3D like quality). However I will not be buying one - I cannot stand the small bodies Pentax went to after the K20D. The fiddly mode selector button and lack of K20D style bracketing function are deal-breakers. ==================================== Won't the K-5 do the same bracketing as the K20 /10D?

11-11-2010, 08:22 AM	#111
aleonx3 Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Brampton, Ontario Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,996	Originally posted by sebberry I really like the images out of the K-5. Smooth colour and great depth (not DOF, but an almost 3D like quality). However I will not be buying one - I cannot stand the small bodies Pentax went to after the K20D. The fiddly mode selector button and lack of K20D style bracketing function are deal-breakers. Would be nice if the camera makers can come out with products like K-5 (S,M,L and XL) sizes just like buying shoes? Hehe...

11-11-2010, 08:23 AM	#112
Rite Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Photos: Albums Posts: 337	Originally posted by ManWithCamera So, if the size is putting you off, just add the grip (though I realize this adds almost another $200 USD to the price). ========================== After market grips are already available for the K-7 that should also work with the K-5. With two batteries, they are under $70 USD.

11-11-2010, 08:36 AM	#113
Staffan Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Stockholm, Sweden Posts: 36	Originally posted by kittykat46 That's exactly the sort of effect I would go for a "last light" shot. If you try to expose for the fore ground, you would end up with an overexposed sky, and the lovely evening colours would be missing. Of course, if you shot RAW, I dare say you can actually bring out a lot of detail from the deep shadows. Talking about shadows, I have to tell about the Nik Software Viveza plug-in for PS and other picture editing programs! It is a phantastic tool for making dark or dim areas brighter and clearer, respectively. It works with JPEG and I have used it much. So instead of worrying about the large contrasts in a scene, I just avoid overexposing the bright parts too much and then rely on the plug-in. That is freedom in picture production! Secondly we have the special function for highlights and shadows in both the K-7 and K-5, and thirdly HDR (also in the camera) so there are many possibilities nowadays.

11-11-2010, 08:42 AM	#114
ManWithCamera Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Auburn, CA Posts: 87	Originally posted by Rite ========================== After market grips are already available for the K-7 that should also work with the K-5. With two batteries, they are under $70 USD. That is good news! Although, I don't think I'd trust the batteries that come with it, personally.

11-11-2010, 11:21 AM	#116
Rite Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Photos: Albums Posts: 337	Originally posted by narichey81 Yes. You can assign the RAW/FX button to one of several options, including exposure bracketing. I will probably set my k5 to this when I get it, as I always shoot raw, or if i do shoot a jpeg its much rarer than using bracketing. Although with all that DR i probably wont be doing so many hdrs. There does not seem to be much noise penalty for pushing shadows, and it seems to record the colors in deep shadow remarkably well (at least thats what it looks like from the limited playing ive done with some of the RAW files out on dpreview). =============================== Thank you! I quite enjoy bracketing up to five jpegs on my K10D and merging them into HDR. The K10D won't bracket RAW. Does the K-5 bracket in RAW, and up to five consecutive ISOs?

11-11-2010, 12:19 PM	#118
Rite Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Photos: Albums Posts: 337	Originally posted by ManWithCamera What?! The K10D will absolutely bracket in RAW mode. I've done it plenty of times. It's only the "Extended Bracket" setting that only works in JPG mode, and that's because it is "bracketing" silly things like white balance, saturation, and contrast -- all things you can easily due in post to a RAW file (or even to a JPG, so long as you start with nominal settings). ================================ I need to post some HDR I did last year in Alaska. (That's where my K10D is right now, with my son.) It was the 'extended bracketing' that I was talking about on the K10D ~vs~ K-5D. Thanks again.

11-11-2010, 01:10 PM	#119
ManWithCamera Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Auburn, CA Posts: 87	Originally posted by Rite ================================ I need to post some HDR I did last year in Alaska. (That's where my K10D is right now, with my son.) It was the 'extended bracketing' that I was talking about on the K10D ~vs~ K-5D. Thanks again. Yes, but you can't do "extended bracketing" in RAW mode anyway, because "extended bracketing" only affects how the files are processed when converting them to JPGs. Of course, the K10D allows you to convert your RAW files to JPGs in camera, so you could actually do these things in post, in-camera if you really want to. If you just shoot in RAW mode, you can easily process your RAW file a dozen different ways in post. So, like I said, you can't really do this "extended bracketing" in RAW anyway, because you'd still end up with RAW files and none of these bracketed contrast adjustments would have an effect. So, for HDRs: yes, the K10D will bracket in RAW mode, but make sure you're on Av mode or the camera will change the aperture between exposures (which is not something you want when making an HDR). The K-7, and presumably the K-5, make this even easier because they give you the option of firing off all 5 exposures with one press of the shutter button. I hope that was helpful.....

11-11-2010, 02:29 PM	#120
sebberry Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Frozen white North Photos: Albums Posts: 1,135	Originally posted by ManWithCamera I don't know if the D20D had this feature, but with my K10D, there was no way to tell the camera to shoot all 5 bracketed exposures at once. If it was in the auto-bracketing mode, I'd still need to press the shutter button (or remote button) once for each shot. The K-7, lets me choose the number of exposures and then fires all of them with one press of the shutter button. I'd rather have that then a dedicated bracketing button, personally. You don't have to press the shutter button for each shot, but you do have to press and hold it to take all 3 (or 5) on the K10D. As for size, I prefer the wider body on the K10D, height isn't so much an issue and that's all you get with the grip. In fact, I prefer the K10D without the grip.