[Rupert]

I realize that I am pretty much out of my league most anywhere on PF....maybe I fit better in the Newbie section...but I am out to have fun more than I am to do serious work. It is just a fact, I'm not ashamed of it, and sometimes I get lucky...but my goal is to enjoy my photography, not as a chore or a business venture, but for my own satisfaction and pleasure.

Are there other like me ( in the camera respect) that are mainly interested in their personal shooting pleasure and sharing with friends, family, etc that find the K5 has more than doubled their 'Fun Factor"? It is just so easy to use and increases the chances of a decent shot you were previously not even trying to get with lesser abilities in previous cameras.

There are some very fine shooters here, and I admire their work...very excellent! But...we are not all going to shine in the same kind of light, and for them the K5 must be as magnificent for their needs as it is for mine.....but for the Fun Factor...this camera is a beauty!

This thought came to me today as I spent a little time with a shooter of another brand, and although it had nothing to do with brands, she found her DSLR had taken some fun out of her shooting over her precious cameras.......where I find the K5 has increased my interest and enthusiasm vastly.

What about you...where do you stand?

Best Regards!

Today, just milling around at the bank...having fun! ISO 12,800 made sure I did have fun! Plenty of speed, and no flash, very fast AF, and just a few fun snaps!
[IMG] [/IMG]

[JinDesu]

I don't have a k-5, but whenever I stop by my local camera store, i got to the k-5 on display, put into drive, and hold down the shutter button for that awesome loving~

fine, i'm weird

[NicoleAu]

That's a lovely shot for such a high ISO Rupert. I too, love photography for the sake of it. I love the whole process. Not so sure I ever want to be a paid professional as that means I would lose some control over the process. But I definitely want to get to a level where I could compete on quality

I'm so torn about getting a K5 right now. I would love to, but I can only afford grey and I''m worried about the issues they have :/

[adr1an]

I'm so torn about getting a K5 right now. I would love to, but I can only afford grey and I''m worried about the issues they have :/

Lifes a gamble.. but...
According to the last Hoya report we'll probably see, Pentax is moving about 25,000 units a Quarter of 'stuff'... http://www.hoya.co.jp/english/investor/d0h4dj00000014ze-att/d0h4dj0000001e6m.pdf

If we assume K-5's are as low as 10% of that (although, ancedotally, it would appear to be about 20% of it...) thats still 2500 units every quarter.
But you don't see 2500 people post here a quarter about their faulty K-5's... You see at most .. 125 people a quarter.. which is 5% of total quarterly shipments.... which is the same failure rate that Nikon/Canon have in their current lineup

So whilst you might read lots of horror stories - you aren't reading the 2350 Success stories each quarter. Worldwide.

If the failure rate was up at 20% or something, giving a 1-in-5 chance of getting a dud - sure - be reserved. But given its actually closer to a 1-in-20 chance.... I myself wouldn't be so reserved. There is literally many more thing statistically that could occur compared to getting a dodgy Pentax... heres just a few of them: statistically you are more likely to contract Cancer (ranges from 1-in-3 through to 1-in-9 depending on specific cancer...), suffer Arthritis so crippling you can't use a camera (1-in-7), die from heart disease (1-in-3!!!) or have a stroke (1-in-6!!)....

Does that maybe put it all in a different context? You are more likely to have a stroke tomorrow or die from heart disease after contracting cancer than you are to get a dodgy K-5....

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Last edited by adr1an; 07-22-2011 at 10:04 PM.

[JeffJS]

Pentax A 35 - 105 f3.5


Not nearly as pretty as your example Rupert, but at ISO 25600, and able to catch a photo like this, in a darkened room, through glass, is amazing enough to vastly increase the fun factor for me.

The most amazing part of this camera is the Dynamic Range. Maybe I've just become better at it but I've never been able to capture the roses this way..

Voigtlander 58mm f1:1.4

[Rupert]

I don't have a k-5, but whenever I stop by my local camera store, i got to the k-5 on display, put into drive, and hold down the shutter button for that awesome loving~

fine, i'm weird

Not weird at all...makes perfect sense to me. Mrs Rupert almost caught me taking a shower with my K5 the other night...it was a close call.....is that weird?

We have all kinds of shooters here (Excellent serpent shot Jeff!) and they all have different needs, goals, ambitions, and skills. For fun shooters like me, the K5 has sparked a new wave of enthusiasm that I was missing in the past. Not that I was unhappy...I just needed a little more confidence, and the K5 will give that to you.
I could take aim at the lovely lady in my opening of this post and know that I would get a usable shot.....without flash and without a tripod...just a fun casual shot of no real importance, other than to capture a moment in time. Not possible with my previous cameras......just wouldn't have happened and if I had tried it, I would have been on edge, knowing the results would not be pretty.

As Adrian pointed out, the excuses for depriving yourself of a K5 are very weak....there may be some very legitimate reasons, but fear of a defective camera is not one of them. I do understand the financial reasons, it is not an inexpensive camera in a slow and uncertain world economy that has many on a tight budget. If I could buy everyone in need a K5, you can bet I would. Been there done that, lived from edge to edge and day to day,week to week....Economics is a very legitimate reason and I always fed my kids first and did other things second, if I could at all. It is not fun, and it is not easy to have desires for your passion that are difficult to obtain. Hang in there, every day brings new opportunity....I have been dirt poor......but I never quit or gave up. There is more often than not a way to reach your goals...and if your goal is a K5, you will most likely have one sooner than later.

Fun! Life is so short, sadness an misery surround us in our personal lives and in our world all to often. Whenever you can tap out a little nectar of joy, don't miss out on doing so. For me, I look for joy like it is gold....and it has much more real value than gold.......if the K5 has helped you in that respect as it has me, then it has been a great investment for you too.

Best Regards
Long Winded Rupert!

Damn....we have passion don't we! I never wrote Mrs Rupert love letters with this kind of passion.....You know JinDesu, after a little consideration, we may in fact be weird people! Love letters to a camera......I would never have imagined such insanity....reckon hanging around Squirrels for so long is a legitimate defense?

[Qwntm]

Well, July of 2010 I sold off my Nikon gear (D300/D700) and bought Canon. I've had the 5DII and 7D since then. For the past 2-3 years i have been totally unimpressed with taking any photos. I used to shoot a lot of weddings, and have been making a living at photography since 1985... These days I do landscapes and anything I have a desire to shoot. It's the desire part that's been lacking.

Something about the K-5 has sparked my passion again. I feel like a photographer again instead of a computer programmer. I look forward to using it. $10,000 worth of Canon gear and I'm BORED TO DEATH. A K-5 and the kit lens and I'm off to the races!

The only disclosure I have to make is that back in the 90's I was one of the few pro wedding photographers who shot with the Pentax 645, so for me, Pentax is how a camera should work... Even so, the K-5 is a brilliant bit of kit, even for Pentax.

Here's a few from my first day out.

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Last edited by Qwntm; 11-06-2016 at 03:50 PM.

[hcc]

I realize that I am pretty much out of my league most anywhere on PF....maybe I fit better in the Newbie section...but I am out to have fun more than I am to do serious work. [/IMG]

PF includes both professionals and individuals who are there for fun. My job is totally unrelated to photography, but I love to document in pictures. A picture is worth 1,000 words, is it not! Hence I started to use privately a camera....

You are not out of your league in PF. If you are, we are all. That is the beauty of PF. A great place to exchange and discuss with great folks, a great group of members, moderators and administrators.

Let us continue to have fun Newbie, or not...

[Rupert]

Well, July of 2010 I sold off my Nikon gear (D300/D700) and bought Canon. I've had the 5DII and 7D since then. For the past 2-3 years i have been totally unimpressed with taking any photos. I used to shoot a lot of weddings, and have been making a living at photography since 1985... These days I do landscapes and anything I have a desire to shoot. It's the desire part that's been lacking.

Something about the K-5 has sparked my passion again. I feel like a photographer again instead of a computer programmer. I look forward to using it. $10,000 worth of Canon gear and I'm BORED TO DEATH. A K-5 and the kit lens and I'm off to the races!

The only disclosure I have to make is that back in the 90's I was one of the few pro wedding photographers who shot with the Pentax 645, so for me, Pentax is how a camera should work... Even so, the K-5 is a brilliant bit of kit, even for Pentax.

Here's a few from my first day out.

That is an interesting story, and as a K5 shooter, fully understandable...the K5 puts Fun in shooting like nothing else I have used.
Those are fantastic shots, and it is obvious you speak from a lot of experience. Like I said though, we all shine in a different light, and while I am just an old Squirrel shooter......my fun is equal to that of fine shooters like you....it's just that my photos are not....

Best Regards & Thanks for taking the time to make your reply, it should inspire those that may be on the fence to hit the Order Now button and get in on the fun we are having!

[RonHendriks1966]

According to the last Hoya report we'll probably see, Pentax is moving about 25,000 units a Quarter of 'stuff'... http://www.hoya.co.jp/english/investor/d0h4dj00000014ze-att/d0h4dj0000001e6m.pdf

Well are you refurring to the number 25.920? I think that is about money and not sales numbers in units.

[txborn]

I got mine Thursday, replacing a Sony Cyber Shot DSC-HX100 I recentky bought and sold to get the K5. I took some identical pics with it using the 18 - 135mm lens and the quality of the K5 shots are amazing over the Sony (as they should be) and I haven't even tried the FA31 Limited yet!

I mainly got it for HDR photography as the Sony wouldn't do but -1, 0, +1 and that just wasn't enough for some of the shots. I still do enjoy single shot/general shooting a lot more too! It IS fun! Love the feel of the camera as well. I used an SLR many years ago so that helped but what a challenge learning about all this camera can do!

[Rupert]

I got mine Thursday, replacing a Sony Cyber Shot DSC-HX100 I recentky bought and sold to get the K5. I took some identical pics with it using the 18 - 135mm lens and the quality of the K5 shots are amazing over the Sony (as they should be) and I haven't even tried the FA31 Limited yet!

I mainly got it for HDR photography as the Sony wouldn't do but -1, 0, +1 and that just wasn't enough for some of the shots. I still do enjoy single shot/general shooting a lot more too! It IS fun! Love the feel of the camera as well. I used an SLR many years ago so that helped but what a challenge learning about all this camera can do!

You had better sit down when you view the 31 Ltd results....stunning on the K5 from all I have seen. I have a 43Ltd and it is simply amazing on the K5, however I am mostly a zoom shooter...too lazy to move about for composition.

Fun....yes you will have a lot of fun if you are inclined in that direction...the K5 just makes you want to shoot more and more. Most of what I shoot is pure nonsense,but even that is fun with the K5. Fast, quiet, accurate, and amazingly versatile in changing light conditions.
You mentioned HDR...I have developed an interest in HDR lately....Ilook forward to seeing your work with the K5. If you happen to think of it, drop me a PM here when you post some so I don't miss them.

Best Regards! .....Remember, today will never come again.....let your K5 enjoy it and post what you get.

[txborn]

You had better sit down when you view the 31 Ltd results....stunning on the K5 from all I have seen. I have a 43Ltd and it is simply amazing on the K5, however I am mostly a zoom shooter...too lazy to move about for composition.

Fun....yes you will have a lot of fun if you are inclined in that direction...the K5 just makes you want to shoot more and more. Most of what I shoot is pure nonsense,but even that is fun with the K5. Fast, quiet, accurate, and amazingly versatile in changing light conditions.
You mentioned HDR...I have developed an interest in HDR lately....Ilook forward to seeing your work with the K5. If you happen to think of it, drop me a PM here when you post some so I don't miss them.

Best Regards! .....Remember, today will never come again.....let your K5 enjoy it and post what you get.

Thanks Rupert!

I have just recently developed an interest in HDR. Some think it is heresy but many like the numerous variations that tone mapping renders - from natural to surreal. I have found a market for images that represent impressionistic to surreal effects then printing on canvas then framing (Giclee printing) on an Epson Stylus Pro 10 color inkjet printer. Fun stuff for me! Even printing a more traditionaly processed HDR image and printing it on fine art paper works very well too. The quality is absolutely stunning with that printer.

LOL, I will make sure I am sitting down when viewing the results of the 31!

[walter]

Yeah, I completely agree. The K-5, with a small prime is just a lot more fun to use than anything else I've tried, and having fun is my primary goal with photography. The size, controls, ergonomics, etc make it fun to use on the photo taking side, and the quality of the files makes it fun on the post processing side. The K-5 also opens up some new options that weren't interesting before, like night time lapses (the only time I'm likely to be patient enough to do a time lapse is when I'm asleep).

Vimeo

[philbaum]

Hey, let's face it, men (and women too) enjoy their favorite tools. After all, where would we be without tools, shivering in some cave with a smokey fire? And some versions of some tools are just poetry.

The K5 is like that. And I appreciate Rupert for stating the obvious, a lot of us are using the K5 because it is a lot of fun, but we (I ) don't like to admit it. Somehow, doing anything is more "manly" if we have sweat, bruises, and a few abrasions to show for it.

But any camera that motivates you to use it, is going to be used a lot more than one that's "less fun". What makes a camera "fun". I'm not quite sure, but i think it may be the camera that gets out of the way between you and the image, e.g. doesn't require a manual to use, lightweight, you can see the image easily thru the viewfinder, flexible in terms of the shooting environment, etc.