[Ezio49]

Dear friends,
I just bought a K-5 and I am new for both digital refles and Pentax. In the past years I used a fully manual Rollei SL35 then I used low entry level compact digital camera in the last 15 years. I cannot ask you if I made a good choice because the answer shall be yes.
I am reading the instruction manual, which is something like a big book.
I should like that some one of the forum suggest me the right way to start to take pictures (i.e. start with green dot, then pass to P, the step by step to the other camera capabilities or is it better to make experience alternating the selections?).
I have used for few time a Canon 500D and it has a selector for portrait, landscape, macro, night landscapes, etc. If I am correct K-5 doesn't have a similar possibility. May you explain me what is the procedure to obtain similar results?
Any suggestion on any argument is welcome.
Thanks for the assistance.
Sorry for my terrific english.
Ciao

[Adam]

The k5 isn't an entry level camera, so it doesn't have any scene modes like the lower end models. You need to adjust the shutter speed and/or aperture to get the desired result. If you don't know the basics of exposure yet, I'd recommend reading up on it in our articles section and on Wikipedia, and then post a thread if you still have questions. Good luck!

[SpecialK]

There are no "scene" modes such as portrait, landscape. etc with the K-5. Those are general terms and not everyone wants to use the same settings for them.

With landscape you "usually" want a lot of depth of focus, so you might use f8 or f11, but not always :-) For portraits, you "usually" want a blurry background by using something like f2.8 - but not always :-) You get to choose what is important to you.

The Av, TV and M modes are straightforward.
M mode is if you want to make both the shutter and aperture settings, and perhaps manually focus as well. It is not my style, so I hardly ever use it.
P mode has flexibility and also is easy to go to Av or Tv just using a wheel. The green button gets you back to program. You must be ready to use some EV correction from time to time.

The K-5 has the top and rear LCD, so I only use the viewfinder for composition, not reading values (I also wear dark glasses over regular glasses, so I rarely see the edge of the viewfinder...)

[VoiceOfReason]

I would also recommend a book called Understanding Exposure, then when reviewing the pics you like the best from using green mode remember what the aperture, shutter speed, and ISO were along with the ambient conditions and then try that in manual mode.

[SpecialK]

Oh, I would not use Green Mode as that disables some important features (see the manual). P is a better choice for that style of shooting.

[derekkite]

You got a very good camera that will do exactly what you tell it to do. That can be good or it can be bad. My experience was not too different from you, and after a couple great shots the first day I had it, it seemed I couldn't get anything worth even looking at for a few months. Then the learning started kicking in, and gradually what I told the camera to do started looking not too bad.

There are some good basic guides out there for exposure and settings. I would just start taking shots, look at them afterwards. Some shots will show promise, and some investigation and helpful hints from places like this will help you do better.

The magic of digital is the immediate feedback and the very low cost of shooting. With film you would never consider throwing away thousands of exposures unless you were National Geographic. That opportunity is open to you, and no one will know of all the mistakes you make.

[Ezio49]

The k5 isn't an entry level camera, so it doesn't have any scene modes like the lower end models. You need to adjust the shutter speed and/or aperture to get the desired result. If you don't know the basics of exposure yet, I'd recommend reading up on it in our articles section and on Wikipedia, and then post a thread if you still have questions. Good luck!

I made photos from 1974 to 2000 with a Rollri SL35 fully manual. The only electronic device was the index of the light meter on the right side of the mirror. I hope to remember something, even if the increasing age is not an help.
Ciao
Ezio

[Ezio49]

You got a very good camera that will do exactly what you tell it to do. That can be good or it can be bad. My experience was not too different from you, and after a couple great shots the first day I had it, it seemed I couldn't get anything worth even looking at for a few months. Then the learning started kicking in, and gradually what I told the camera to do started looking not too bad.

There are some good basic guides out there for exposure and settings. I would just start taking shots, look at them afterwards. Some shots will show promise, and some investigation and helpful hints from places like this will help you do better.

The magic of digital is the immediate feedback and the very low cost of shooting. With film you would never consider throwing away thousands of exposures unless you were National Geographic. That opportunity is open to you, and no one will know of all the mistakes you make.

Derrek, you are right.
The fact that I can set parameters was why I selected this camera. I do not like very much the pre-programmed. I saw pictures taken by my son with a Canon 500D and in landscape mode it automatically selected times of 0,8 secs. So the result was bad. Below 1/100 secs (sometimes 1/60) in my experience it is very difficult to avoid blurry pictures.
I started this morning to take some pics, using the infemous green dot, and I must admitt that the results are not bed. Also the times/diaphragm auto selected by the green program is not bad.
I made also few macro with the zoom at 55 and they are acceptable. The minimum focus distance of 25cm (0,8 ft) seems acceptable. If I take pics to little animal they shaal fly away before I reach this distance )
Tnaks for the suggestions.

[TER-OR]

I think you'll get a lot of use out of TAv mode. The wheels control Aperture and Shutter speed, so you can keep the ISO in an acceptable range. Essentially you're balancing your exposure vs. your acceptable noise level. Don't be afraid to let the K5 float to higher ISO in cloudy or indoor conditions. 6400 can still result in good pictures.

Usually in TAv I select the Aperture I want - say f8 for compromise between sharpness and light on a bright day, and then dial the shutter speed up until I get into ISO 400ish or lower range. The camera show ISO blinking at 100 or 80 if there's a danger of overexposure.

Treat it like your manual camera and you'll do well. Remember you can also dial in some exposure compensation with the +/- button and front wheel. That's good on cloudy days or bright snowy days which really can mess with a camera.

[Ezio49]

Thanks Ter-or,
i was a little afraid about the use of high ISO, but yesterday night I made some test pictures from my window, the camera autoset at 3200, 1/8, f4,2. The camera leaned on the window sill. Whwn I look at the picture I was very surprise by the image quality, it's very good. The set was on the green.
Another think that surprised me very much is the capability to focus with very few light, practically in dark condition (there were only few reflexes of the street light and I live at 4th floor). The camera was able to detect a zone of contrast and to perfectly focus.
I'm quite sure that the only limit are my capabilities and that shall be my final camera (consider I am 64).
Ciao
Ezio

[TER-OR]

Hey, Ezio. Put your camera on a little tripod or something secure and do some longer exposure low-light images at night. Play around, you're going to LOVE this capability.

Look at what Lauren is doing:
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/general-photography-industry/234145-penta...und-today.html

I keep saying I'll go to the river in town and do some night photography, too...

[Ezio49]

Ter-Or,
I looked at LaurenOE night photos. They are fantastic. For sure I shall try.
The result he obtained is noy only a camera's merit; he is an artist. A simple fwncw becomes a artwork.
He does not specify diaphragm and times and ISO. Looking to the photo is could be a very long exposure time (made on B potion I suppose) with very low ISO and very close diphragm. Do you agree?
Ciao
Ezio

[TER-OR]

You're correct about that, I think. You should be able to view her EXIF data. If not, just ask her, she's very open about technique.

[Ezio49]

Terry,
I try the TAV you suggested. The results are very good.
Thanks.
I continue to made test in home because outside is still raining. Even if I live in Italy, also here there are bad weather days.
Ciao
Ezio

[Ezio49]

Whwn I have all the mirror parameter blinking it means that the exposition is totallu wrong. Am I correct?
I made some pictures in that condition and the result was not so bad. Why?
Thanks