Is K5 the "real deal" ?

slip · 12-23-2010, 09:54 AM

I would like to say I love my K10. My wife loves her K100. The controls are exactly what I want and are in all the right places. when I bought the K10 is was supposted to be the break threw that was to take pentax on par with the other big names. I hate to say it, but when it came to ISO noise and speed of autofocus, I don't think it was as strong as others. Then came the K7 and seems to be better level of performance but the others got better and stay slighty ahead of the game.
Is the K5 finally the real deal? take away your bias and could you say that it is as good if not better as far as high ISO and autofocus speed?

thanks for you opinion

slip

Artesia Aggie · 12-23-2010, 10:01 AM - **1 Like**

I think so. We looked at the K-5, the Canon 60D and the Nikon D7000. This was our first DSLR so we weren't invested in any particular system.

To me the K-5 was the best choice for us. The size, ergonomics and performance are outstanding.

elho_cid · 12-23-2010, 11:11 AM

I was frustrated with the K10D after trying 1D and D3 earlier this year. I looked hard at 7D at that time and decided to wait until Photokina to see if Pentax can keep me.
The K-5 is the real deal, for sure. Ideal camera for me (the friend with 1D still keeps his EOS 400D for walks as the 1D is painfully heavy - I now have performance close to 1D, better ergonomics and small&light body)

joelovotti · 12-23-2010, 01:33 PM - **1 Like**

I just retired my K10 for a new K5 and it's like a new world.

Some of the life changes so far:

I took photos of my daughter diving in competition the other day a 7FPS and the results were fantastic.
With K10 I would not be able to take even one photo since I would have needed a flash and there are no flashes allowed at starts.
I was in San Juan two weeks ago and took a photo inside the cathedral in nothing but candlelight that is beautiful.
I was at a concert last week and took a photo a 200mm with a back focus corrected lens that is now as sharp as a tack.
I can't fully quantify the autofocus but I have not had trouble with focus yet.
The detail in the shadows is amazing
A sharp photo with a good lens now has as much detail as i could possibly want.

Don't get me wrong I loved my K10 but I was well aware of it's limitations. But I wasn't going to upgrade until I got everything I wanted. That's why I passed on the K20 and the K7.

Long story short, the best upgrade I ever did.

Cost is the only possible reason not to pull the trigger. I'm sure you'll be able to save a few hundred if you wait a few months but if you have the cash,buy.

Good luck,
Joe

jolepp · 12-23-2010, 01:48 PM

I would say waiting just a bit now might be a good idea with the K-5: some units have permanent sensor stains and there seems to be a low/artificial light AF issue. Resolution for both would seem to be on the event horizon so a bit waiting now might save one from suffering from these as well as sending the thing in for replacement / fix.

JeffJS · 12-23-2010, 05:25 PM

Having owned all of the WR models (K10/20/7/5) I can definitely say that each was an improvement on the last. I really can't comment on how it compares with other brands and whether it's the canikon prosumer killer. Probably not. Each has features that should be on the other depending on what you really want to do with it. What each upgrade has given me however, is options. Apparently Pentax IS listening when it comes to newer models and as long as they do, I'll continue with them.

There were two reasons I chose the K10d over the other brands. The K mount, and the way the camera felt in my hands. This was before I owned Any Pentax lenses. The Nikon and Canon options of the day were nice and they probably still are. I won't take away from them but they felt to me, like holding bricks, especially the Nikon. I chose the K10d over the K100d because of the way it felt in hand. I continue to choose the flagships for the same reasons.

Todd Adamson · 12-23-2010, 05:41 PM - **3 Likes**

I've shot a D3 for the last 3-ish years, and I am very fussy about IQ. It's still going to be my go-to body for planned sessions when I am OK using or bringing the heavy gear. But I never had a backup body which I felt I thought I depend on (if I didn't have my D3 available) to deliver raw files in the same range of IQ as my D3. The D300 didn't even come close. Sold it within weeks. The D2x was there, but not if I went above 200 ISO.

With the K-5, I now have that body, and I am thrilled. I still think the D3 files are a bit nicer, but only in very subtle ways. I bought a K-5 instead of a D7000 because of a few Pentax lenses I had been hearing a lot about, and I am very happy with my purchase. It's also a better choice than my D3 in some situations, due to its quiet shutter and diminutive size. I can fit my whole kit in a damn shoebox.

Yeah, the aforementioned issues are out there, and something to think about, but it depends on your shooting style. I was lucky to get a stain-free sensor, but honestly I wouldn't have cared, since I never shoot smaller than about f/4. I also don't typically shoot in light low enough for the AF problem to manifest, and I prefer manual focus anyway. So for me, the K-5 is ideal, and very much the real deal.

PixleFish · 12-24-2010, 10:56 AM

Slipchuck I'm in the exact same position as you. I'm a proud K10 owner, that loved what the camera had to offer, but was frustrated by the slow auto focus and sub-par ISO performance. I too passed on the K7 because I felt that before I invested in pentax further (at this time only had a few consumer primes) I wanted to see them truly compete with cannon and Nikon in the performance category.

I have been absorbing as much information on the K5 as I possibly can (to the point that I'm starting to look like I have a k5 addiction problem) and I can honestly say it SOUNDS like its the real deal! The only issue that give me pause is the purple fringing problem. This is one of the quirks of the k10 that drove me insane, and I'm not excited to hear that the k5 may have the same ... issue.

For me I'm going to wait and see how the PF debate settles before I jump in and buy a K5, but either way I don't think you can go wrong with this camera

Here is a link discussing the purple fringing issue:
Field Review: The Pentax K-5 (Day 3) The Phoblographer

And there is a posting on this forum called:
"PF/CF evaluation..."

Mike.P® · 12-24-2010, 11:32 AM

Having borrowed a 7D for a week and owning a K-5 for a month (before sending it back due to sensor stain) I have to say the Pentax is better in everything bar autofocus speed.

The 7D AF is slicker, faster and more accurate, the extra points are handy and the tracking is far superior.

All I would like to go with with the K-5 is something like Canon's 100-400mm

amoringello · 12-24-2010, 11:51 AM

Upgraded from the K10 to the K7, pretty much disappointed.
The K5 is the real deal.
Unless you have little or no need for low light photos, I would not hesitate to suggest upgrading even from the K7...

Sadly, there are quality control issues with sensor stains and until these get resolved I would not suggest getting a K5 at this time.

Although, mine has a very small spot that just will not come off... I did not notice until I had the camera for almost two months. So in some instances the problem is not the end of the world. It may only be noticed in special cases.
Probably not worth the gamble right now.

Chwisch87 · 12-26-2010, 03:12 PM

The K-5 is a high end APS-C DSLR that is basically on par with entry level full frame DSLRs. It has been pretty much universally rated better than the D7000 and the 60D. (much to the discontent of a few nikon fanboys on youtube lolz). I'll be getting one in a few months once the street price drops.

FullertonImages · 12-26-2010, 03:35 PM

Originally posted by Mike.P®

Having borrowed a 7D for a week and owning a K-5 for a month (before sending it back due to sensor stain) I have to say the Pentax is better in everything bar autofocus speed.

The 7D AF is slicker, faster and more accurate, the extra points are handy and the tracking is far superior.

All I would like to go with with the K-5 is something like Canon's 100-400mm

I would take a serious look at the DA* 60-250 f/4. It's roughly the same focal length as the 100-400 would be on an FF body, and has the advantage of being constant at f/4 (vs f/4.5-5.6) and I believe is a good bit smaller. I don't own it, but I've used it a fair bi, and it's a very good performer. Great IQ, it feels a touch chunky if you're coming from the Pentax camp and are used to lenses like the 50-135, but would never feel big to a pro canikon shooter. Very hand-holdable. Obviously great sealing, and I think the collar mount that is on this and the 300/f is the best design out there. I really wish they had put it on the 200/2.8...

FullertonImages · 12-26-2010, 03:41 PM - **1 Like**

The K-5 is very much the real deal. I've been shooting professionally with it since the end of October, and pretty much have nothing bad to say about it. It is a phenomenal camera, and every bit as worth the price it commands as any other camera out there. There are other cameras out there in it's calss that edge it out in one feature of another, like AF system or manual video controls, but I think as a whole, the K-5 is hands the down best in it's class.

Delgado · 12-26-2010, 05:11 PM

I have never been so impressed by a DSLR as the K5. I am so impressed that I am now on the verge of retiring my K7 as supporting body, and running two K5s - something I have never done with a DSLR. For the first time I have been able to use AF-C with real confidence on a Pentax body, and can use ISO 25,600 routinely (with post-production in Adobe Camera Raw, paying special attention to the luminance controls). With the K7 and K20 I was always on the ragged edge at 3200 - 6400.

The K5's burst frame rates in DNG are good provided you are not trying to squeeze off 20 at a time every few seconds, as the buffer takes a long time to clear.

The only "funnies" I have noted with the K5 are that mine has an auto-white balance that appears slightly over-sensitive (i.e. erratic with very small changes in camera position, but easily remedied by using a white balance reference card), and the shutter becomes slightly noisier at high shutter speeds, making a louder "clacking" sound than at lower speeds (neither of which matters to me).

enoxatnep · 12-26-2010, 11:44 PM

I had a brief (few minute) hands-on with the K-5 for my first time a few days ago, and in particular I was interested in continuous focus mode (AF.C), auto-focus speed and accuracy, and burst mode seeing how these to me are the main points of frustration as a K20D owner. So the retailer slapped on the kit lens for me and I held that shutter button down and had that thing focus on near and far subjects as quickly as I could move the camera, firing away as I went.

All I could say was "Wow!!" In particular, I was thinking, 'If it's this good with the kit lens, I can't imagine how it would be with my quality DA and FA lenses!'

The camera didn't vibrate as the shutter fired and was pleasantly quiet, and the AF was lightning fast and totally accurate (and confident, i.e. not hunting) under the fluorescent lighting. In these areas, a quantum leap IMO from the K20D.

Now that was only concerning these areas; I didn't take the time to dig through menus and such, but I was still impressed in a blown-away sort of fashion. I'll take peoples' word for it about the low noise at higher ISOs and so forth - the evidence has been enough for me. I'm saving up for this "real deal", because it is surely that.

12-23-2010, 09:54 AM	#1
slip Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: 2 hours north of toronto ontario canada Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,535	Is K5 the "real deal" ? I would like to say I love my K10. My wife loves her K100. The controls are exactly what I want and are in all the right places. when I bought the K10 is was supposted to be the break threw that was to take pentax on par with the other big names. I hate to say it, but when it came to ISO noise and speed of autofocus, I don't think it was as strong as others. Then came the K7 and seems to be better level of performance but the others got better and stay slighty ahead of the game. Is the K5 finally the real deal? take away your bias and could you say that it is as good if not better as far as high ISO and autofocus speed? thanks for you opinion slip

12-26-2010, 05:11 PM	#14
Delgado Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: London Posts: 71	I have never been so impressed by a DSLR as the K5 I have never been so impressed by a DSLR as the K5. I am so impressed that I am now on the verge of retiring my K7 as supporting body, and running two K5s - something I have never done with a DSLR. For the first time I have been able to use AF-C with real confidence on a Pentax body, and can use ISO 25,600 routinely (with post-production in Adobe Camera Raw, paying special attention to the luminance controls). With the K7 and K20 I was always on the ragged edge at 3200 - 6400. The K5's burst frame rates in DNG are good provided you are not trying to squeeze off 20 at a time every few seconds, as the buffer takes a long time to clear. The only "funnies" I have noted with the K5 are that mine has an auto-white balance that appears slightly over-sensitive (i.e. erratic with very small changes in camera position, but easily remedied by using a white balance reference card), and the shutter becomes slightly noisier at high shutter speeds, making a louder "clacking" sound than at lower speeds (neither of which matters to me).

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12-23-2010, 10:01 AM - 1 Like	#2
Artesia Aggie Inactive Account Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 16	I think so. We looked at the K-5, the Canon 60D and the Nikon D7000. This was our first DSLR so we weren't invested in any particular system. To me the K-5 was the best choice for us. The size, ergonomics and performance are outstanding.

12-23-2010, 11:11 AM	#3
elho_cid Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Prague Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,199	I was frustrated with the K10D after trying 1D and D3 earlier this year. I looked hard at 7D at that time and decided to wait until Photokina to see if Pentax can keep me. The K-5 is the real deal, for sure. Ideal camera for me (the friend with 1D still keeps his EOS 400D for walks as the 1D is painfully heavy - I now have performance close to 1D, better ergonomics and small&light body)

12-23-2010, 01:33 PM - 1 Like	#4
joelovotti Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: US Photos: Albums Posts: 393	I just retired my K10 for a new K5 and it's like a new world. Some of the life changes so far: I took photos of my daughter diving in competition the other day a 7FPS and the results were fantastic. With K10 I would not be able to take even one photo since I would have needed a flash and there are no flashes allowed at starts. I was in San Juan two weeks ago and took a photo inside the cathedral in nothing but candlelight that is beautiful. I was at a concert last week and took a photo a 200mm with a back focus corrected lens that is now as sharp as a tack. I can't fully quantify the autofocus but I have not had trouble with focus yet. The detail in the shadows is amazing A sharp photo with a good lens now has as much detail as i could possibly want. Don't get me wrong I loved my K10 but I was well aware of it's limitations. But I wasn't going to upgrade until I got everything I wanted. That's why I passed on the K20 and the K7. Long story short, the best upgrade I ever did. Cost is the only possible reason not to pull the trigger. I'm sure you'll be able to save a few hundred if you wait a few months but if you have the cash,buy. Good luck, Joe

12-23-2010, 01:48 PM	#5
jolepp Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Finland Photos: Albums Posts: 3,196	I would say waiting just a bit now might be a good idea with the K-5: some units have permanent sensor stains and there seems to be a low/artificial light AF issue. Resolution for both would seem to be on the event horizon so a bit waiting now might save one from suffering from these as well as sending the thing in for replacement / fix.

12-23-2010, 05:25 PM	#6
JeffJS Inactive Account Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Michigan, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,484	Having owned all of the WR models (K10/20/7/5) I can definitely say that each was an improvement on the last. I really can't comment on how it compares with other brands and whether it's the canikon prosumer killer. Probably not. Each has features that should be on the other depending on what you really want to do with it. What each upgrade has given me however, is options. Apparently Pentax IS listening when it comes to newer models and as long as they do, I'll continue with them. There were two reasons I chose the K10d over the other brands. The K mount, and the way the camera felt in my hands. This was before I owned Any Pentax lenses. The Nikon and Canon options of the day were nice and they probably still are. I won't take away from them but they felt to me, like holding bricks, especially the Nikon. I chose the K10d over the K100d because of the way it felt in hand. I continue to choose the flagships for the same reasons.

12-23-2010, 05:41 PM - 3 Likes	#7
Todd Adamson Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Iowa Posts: 722	I've shot a D3 for the last 3-ish years, and I am very fussy about IQ. It's still going to be my go-to body for planned sessions when I am OK using or bringing the heavy gear. But I never had a backup body which I felt I thought I depend on (if I didn't have my D3 available) to deliver raw files in the same range of IQ as my D3. The D300 didn't even come close. Sold it within weeks. The D2x was there, but not if I went above 200 ISO. With the K-5, I now have that body, and I am thrilled. I still think the D3 files are a bit nicer, but only in very subtle ways. I bought a K-5 instead of a D7000 because of a few Pentax lenses I had been hearing a lot about, and I am very happy with my purchase. It's also a better choice than my D3 in some situations, due to its quiet shutter and diminutive size. I can fit my whole kit in a damn shoebox. Yeah, the aforementioned issues are out there, and something to think about, but it depends on your shooting style. I was lucky to get a stain-free sensor, but honestly I wouldn't have cared, since I never shoot smaller than about f/4. I also don't typically shoot in light low enough for the AF problem to manifest, and I prefer manual focus anyway. So for me, the K-5 is ideal, and very much the real deal.

12-24-2010, 10:56 AM	#8
PixleFish Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Oregon Posts: 44	Slipchuck I'm in the exact same position as you. I'm a proud K10 owner, that loved what the camera had to offer, but was frustrated by the slow auto focus and sub-par ISO performance. I too passed on the K7 because I felt that before I invested in pentax further (at this time only had a few consumer primes) I wanted to see them truly compete with cannon and Nikon in the performance category. I have been absorbing as much information on the K5 as I possibly can (to the point that I'm starting to look like I have a k5 addiction problem) and I can honestly say it SOUNDS like its the real deal! The only issue that give me pause is the purple fringing problem. This is one of the quirks of the k10 that drove me insane, and I'm not excited to hear that the k5 may have the same ... issue. For me I'm going to wait and see how the PF debate settles before I jump in and buy a K5, but either way I don't think you can go wrong with this camera Here is a link discussing the purple fringing issue: Field Review: The Pentax K-5 (Day 3) The Phoblographer And there is a posting on this forum called: "PF/CF evaluation..."

12-24-2010, 11:32 AM	#9
Mike.P® Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: New Milton, Hampshire, UK Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,154	Having borrowed a 7D for a week and owning a K-5 for a month (before sending it back due to sensor stain) I have to say the Pentax is better in everything bar autofocus speed. The 7D AF is slicker, faster and more accurate, the extra points are handy and the tracking is far superior. All I would like to go with with the K-5 is something like Canon's 100-400mm

12-24-2010, 11:51 AM	#10
amoringello Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Virginia, USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,562	Upgraded from the K10 to the K7, pretty much disappointed. The K5 is the real deal. Unless you have little or no need for low light photos, I would not hesitate to suggest upgrading even from the K7... Sadly, there are quality control issues with sensor stains and until these get resolved I would not suggest getting a K5 at this time. Although, mine has a very small spot that just will not come off... I did not notice until I had the camera for almost two months. So in some instances the problem is not the end of the world. It may only be noticed in special cases. Probably not worth the gamble right now.

12-26-2010, 03:12 PM	#11
Chwisch87 Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Atlanta, GA Photos: Gallery Posts: 317	The K-5 is a high end APS-C DSLR that is basically on par with entry level full frame DSLRs. It has been pretty much universally rated better than the D7000 and the 60D. (much to the discontent of a few nikon fanboys on youtube lolz). I'll be getting one in a few months once the street price drops.

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12-26-2010, 03:35 PM	#12
FullertonImages Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 883	Originally posted by Mike.P® Having borrowed a 7D for a week and owning a K-5 for a month (before sending it back due to sensor stain) I have to say the Pentax is better in everything bar autofocus speed. The 7D AF is slicker, faster and more accurate, the extra points are handy and the tracking is far superior. All I would like to go with with the K-5 is something like Canon's 100-400mm I would take a serious look at the DA* 60-250 f/4. It's roughly the same focal length as the 100-400 would be on an FF body, and has the advantage of being constant at f/4 (vs f/4.5-5.6) and I believe is a good bit smaller. I don't own it, but I've used it a fair bi, and it's a very good performer. Great IQ, it feels a touch chunky if you're coming from the Pentax camp and are used to lenses like the 50-135, but would never feel big to a pro canikon shooter. Very hand-holdable. Obviously great sealing, and I think the collar mount that is on this and the 300/f is the best design out there. I really wish they had put it on the 200/2.8...

12-26-2010, 03:41 PM - 1 Like	#13
FullertonImages Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 883	The K-5 is very much the real deal. I've been shooting professionally with it since the end of October, and pretty much have nothing bad to say about it. It is a phenomenal camera, and every bit as worth the price it commands as any other camera out there. There are other cameras out there in it's calss that edge it out in one feature of another, like AF system or manual video controls, but I think as a whole, the K-5 is hands the down best in it's class.

12-26-2010, 11:44 PM	#15
enoxatnep Closed Account Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: The edge of nowhere, Alberta, Canada Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 467	I had a brief (few minute) hands-on with the K-5 for my first time a few days ago, and in particular I was interested in continuous focus mode (AF.C), auto-focus speed and accuracy, and burst mode seeing how these to me are the main points of frustration as a K20D owner. So the retailer slapped on the kit lens for me and I held that shutter button down and had that thing focus on near and far subjects as quickly as I could move the camera, firing away as I went. All I could say was "Wow!!" In particular, I was thinking, 'If it's this good with the kit lens, I can't imagine how it would be with my quality DA and FA lenses!' The camera didn't vibrate as the shutter fired and was pleasantly quiet, and the AF was lightning fast and totally accurate (and confident, i.e. not hunting) under the fluorescent lighting. In these areas, a quantum leap IMO from the K20D. Now that was only concerning these areas; I didn't take the time to dig through menus and such, but I was still impressed in a blown-away sort of fashion. I'll take peoples' word for it about the low noise at higher ISOs and so forth - the evidence has been enough for me. I'm saving up for this "real deal", because it is surely that.