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11-06-2012, 10:17 PM   #1
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K5II or K5IIs for birding?

Hi thinking of the K5II for birding use,with a sigma 150-500mm lens,but wonder if the K5IIs would be better? Right now in Denmark the K5II($1160 with 25% tax) is only $80 more than the K5,but the K5IIs is $240 more! At 1st I thought of the K5 but now the price to the II is so close,its a no brainer.I just wonder if the lack of an AA filter will make some lenses work better than others? I need at least a 600mm(effective) reach or more for birds/wildlife .Also would the chance for moire be a problem with birds/feathers or patterns of fur on animals.
Thanks for any help

11-06-2012, 10:31 PM   #2
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At fast apertures and low ISOs, you'll see a difference when using the IIs.

Take a look at these comparison:
Pentax K-5 II / IIs Review - Aperture vs Resolution - PentaxForums.com

Notice how the IIs has the biggest advantage at F2.8, while at F13 they are about the same.

Adam
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11-06-2012, 11:03 PM   #3
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so the IIs would be better,even if I use F8 on a F6,3 or F4.0 lens then,as the Sigma maybe is not so sharp wide open, but if I have to use 1600 ISO or more would that decrease the advantage of the IIs?as lighting is not so strong at sunrise/sunset when I plan to shoot alot...
11-07-2012, 07:00 AM   #4
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QuoteOriginally posted by Shanti Quote
so the IIs would be better,even if I use F8 on a F6,3 or F4.0 lens then,as the Sigma maybe is not so sharp wide open, but if I have to use 1600 ISO or more would that decrease the advantage of the IIs?as lighting is not so strong at sunrise/sunset when I plan to shoot a lot...
The AF works with the maximum aperture and the lens only stops down when you take the shot, so what aperture you set doesn't matter.

11-07-2012, 07:49 AM   #5
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As I understand it, the difference between the II and the IIs, the ommision on the latter of the anti-aliasing filter, should manifest in two ways; the advantage of potentially sharper (better resolution) IQ, and the increased likelihood of interference phenomena (like moire patterns). In many uses I'd think the advantage of the former would outweigh the disadvantage of the latter, but in bird photography I, like Shanti, wonder about interference patterns in sharp close-ups, for example, of birds' plumage. I think we'll only know after comprehensive real-life testing looks at this specific question, but I also suspect that we'll get to read many opinions as to what the results for bird photography should be.

There are, though, types of shooting in which the likelihood of interference patterns is not great, I think that's true for much landscape photography, and for which any increase in resolution would be very desireable. Making a choice difficult for bird photographers is the fact that many of us like to shoot landscapes too.

-Avi (flickr.com/photos/avipix)
11-07-2012, 08:21 AM   #6
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An additional thought...

I had one more thought after re-reading the K-5 II/IIs review here, and that's the question as to whether, with K-5s still available at much bargain basement prices, the II/IIs is really worth the very big price premium it's currently commanding. For my type of shooting improved auto focus was what I was hoping for in the new models. Unfortunately, from what the review reports, if I read it correctly, the advantages are less than anticipated; some better low-light focusing ability, and some faster focus locking, albeit without an increase accuracy, but only at some (lower) light levels. So, again, the question is whether the II/IIs is enough better than the original K-5 to justify the very much higher price, at least while stocks of the original are still available so inexpensively?

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11-07-2012, 10:27 AM   #7
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K-5 IIs with Sigma 500mm handheld.

Here's one with the K-5 IIs and Sigma 500mm f4.5

Attached Images
 
11-07-2012, 10:49 AM   #8
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Hi rags..here the K5 and K5II are about the same price,but the K5IIs is alot more..as with you I also do landscapes,so the extra resolution would be nice..just wonder as its said 'man made' patterns are more likely to have moire,but natural patterns can also have similar textures.....

QuoteOriginally posted by rags Quote
I had one more thought after re-reading the K-5 II/IIs review here, and that's the question as to whether, with K-5s still available at much bargain basement prices, the II/IIs is really worth the very big price premium it's currently commanding. For my type of shooting improved auto focus was what I was hoping for in the new models. Unfortunately, from what the review reports, if I read it correctly, the advantages are less than anticipated; some better low-light focusing ability, and some faster focus locking, albeit without an increase accuracy, but only at some (lower) light levels. So, again, the question is whether the II/IIs is enough better than the original K-5 to justify the very much higher price, at least while stocks of the original are still available so inexpensively?

-Avi (flickr.com/photos/avipix)
11-07-2012, 10:56 AM   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by jonk Quote
Here's one with the K-5 IIs and Sigma 500mm f4.5
Hi do you have the full size you can send? any experience with Sigma 150-500,50-500, or 120-400 as they are what I think to get with the K5IIs
11-07-2012, 02:10 PM   #10
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This is full size. No cropping. I had the 150-500 and couldn't get a sharp shot on my K-5 so I sold it and committed to the 500. Very happy now with the IIs attached.
11-07-2012, 02:13 PM   #11
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Cropped IIs/500mm BIF

Here's a cropped shot with the IIs on the 500mm handheld.
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11-07-2012, 02:17 PM   #12
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I would think some birds feathers could show moire. I would pick the just the K5 2 for that reason
11-07-2012, 02:27 PM   #13
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QuoteOriginally posted by jonk Quote
This is full size. No cropping. I had the 150-500 and couldn't get a sharp shot on my K-5 so I sold it and committed to the 500. Very happy now with the IIs attached.
Could have been the focus being slightly off on the k-5 vs the k-5IIs.
11-07-2012, 02:33 PM   #14
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QuoteOriginally posted by Adam Quote
At fast apertures and low ISOs, you'll see a difference when using the IIs.

Take a look at these comparison:
Pentax K-5 II / IIs Review - Aperture vs Resolution - PentaxForums.com

Notice how the IIs has the biggest advantage at F2.8, while at F13 they are about the same.
One other difference is that the IIs seems have a lot less purple fringing.
11-07-2012, 04:16 PM   #15
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@jonk - Killer shot of the adult and young Redtails interacting. Argh - I thought I would avoid the K5IIs buying blues....

Jack
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