[Fluegel]

Upgraded from K20d to K5, yes I am rather slow. Like to see what others got for experience.

Pro's:

AF is faster.
Picture quality has improved with the new sensor.
Noise at higher ISO seems less.

Cons:
Have not found any yet.

My K5 is a bit stuborn, the controlwheel to chose M etc does not turn easy.
The +/- button was sticking, I solved that.
I suppose these points are just concerning my K5.

Getting used to the new layout and slightly different accesabilty of the menu goes fast.


Very happy with my new toy.
It will be useful for the way I work with manual focus older "A" lenses.

The K20d will find a new owner together with the 18-55 standard zoom lens.
Looking for a faster standard zoom lens with more wide angle range.

Glad to avoid some of the problems the K50 and the K70 cameras suffer from.


Paul

[othar]

Glad you are happy with your new toy.

Wider and faster than your 18-55mm kit lens? This will be a little tricky.
The usual suspects are the 18-135mm or the newer 16-85mm lenses but they are either not faster or not wider

[sundown]

I like stories like this, I made a jump from k10d to k-5. I was so happy to when not so wealthy at... 26. 16mp and the limiteds are a match made in heaven. I miss both bodies now but I would buy a k-5iis if I were considering it seriously

[kiwi_jono]

Congratulations! Doing it at this stage you getting maximum value!

I went from a K-x to a second hand K-5 and it was bit step up (even though K-x has pretty good high ISO performance). Then in more recent times got a K-1 (a bigger step up!). Still have K-5 though.

[normhead]

My last K-20D shots were in 2012. After that I was using a K-5. One which my wife still uses. Honestly, we've compared images from the K-5 with both my K-3 and my K-1, and the images are indistinguishable at any viewing size I can afford. The K-5 is simply ageless in terms being a useful photography tool.

[ismaelg]

I went from K20 to K5-II over 5 years ago and I like it so much I'm still there. Still have the K20 and use it occasionally when traveling or walkaround.

K5II: Impressions after a year - PentaxForums.com

[AstroDave]

Looking for a faster standard zoom lens with more wide angle range.

Not much wider, but rather faster: SMC Pentax-DA* 16-50mm F2.8 ED AL [IF] SDM

or the almost equivalent Sigma 17-50mm F2.8 EX DC OS HSM or Tamron 17-50mm F2.8 SP AF XR LD Aspherical IF Di II

I have both the Pentax and the Sigma. I rather prefer the Sigma.

Check the lens review section for even more options.

[normhead]

The current standards are the DA 16-85, and for wider the newly released 11-18 which by all accounts is a fantastic lens.

[Fluegel]

This response is far more than I did expect.
Thanks for the information on lenses and similar stories about your experience.

For the first time I am tempted to look outside the Pentax range to fill my wish for a faster more wide angle zoom lens.
I will give the Sigma lens a try.
The K5 has found a spot on the Tripod I use.
A good opportunity to let you know what an excellent ball head Leitz engineers developed long time ago.
It is a one knob ball head that controls both rotation, angle and vertical movement.
Clever little thing designed by the makers of Leica cameras.
Used ones demand quite a few euro's, these ball heads are worth it.

Paul

[robgski]

Another vote for the 18-135 WR, great all spring lens, and the K-5 performs very well even at ISO 3200, so it is a good match for most lighting conditions

[aslyfox]

glad you are happy with the K 5

did you get the e book?

by increasing your support of PF you can get a free one, follow link for all details on supporting PF

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/donations/

________________________________

how wide is wide

and what range to the long end ?

not Pentax how about a Sigma 10-20mm

Sigma 10-20mm F3.5 EX DC HSM Lens Reviews - Sigma Lenses - Pentax Lens Review Database

F3.5 throughout it's range so it is slower than the Pentax 11-18 but I expect the price would be lower if that is a concern

[normhead]

Another vote for the 18-135 WR, great all spring lens, and the K-5 performs very well even at ISO 3200, so it is a good match for most lighting conditions

If I'm just taking one body and one lens the 18-135 is it. At 18mm it's ƒ3.5, only a half stop slower than a 2.8 lens. Thinking K20D to K-5, you can boost the ISO a stop and shoot in lower light than you could with the K20D and a 2.8 lens. The lenses you mention are only marginally better than the 18-135 in some areas. The 18-135 is better from 50mm to 135mm. I have many family gathering pictures taken in doors in existing light with the K-5 and 18-135.

If I'm taking two lenses the 18-135 and DA 55-300 PLM are the ones.

[Apet-Sure]

My K5 is a bit stuborn, the controlwheel to chose M etc does not turn easy.

When I transitioned from my K10D to my K-5IIs, I was a little surprised that I needed to push down the lock button in the middle of the mode control wheel to change shooting modes. This is a feature that was added to help prevent accidentally changing the shooting mode. Could this be your problem?

Another really cool feature on the K-5 is the ability to change several camera settings without digging into the menus. While looking at the rear screen, press the info button twice, and use the 4-way control buttons to highlight a setting you want to change. Then use the e-dials to change the setting. Very convenient.


+1 on aslyfox's suggestion to get the K-5 e-book; well worth it.

[Fluegel]

Again many useful tips about lenses.
I understand the users that decided to choose the 18-135 mm lens.
It is a good lens but it is not wider only faster than the 18-55 kit lens.
The lens I am looking for would be 16 to 40 mm with F4.
The 16-50 is not my choice. Too soft at 2.8.
The Sigma lens that starts at 17 mm with 2.8 could be my choice.
Most of my work is done in a small studio using mono blocks and manual Pentax a series macro lenses, the 50 mm and the 100 mm. They give excellent results certainly not less than more recent.AF macro lenses.
The zoom I am looking for is a waik around lens.

Paul

[normhead]

The lens I am looking for would be 16 to 40 mm with F4.

DA 16-85 is your only option, but it's not ƒ4. Where are you walking around? The sharpest setting and the most useful DoF settings for these lenses are ƒ5.6 to ƒ8 if you're walking out doors. You can shoot up to 400 ISO without noise reduction, and 800 and 1600 ISO in a crunch, with minimal noise reduction. I'd suggest you rethink that.

Insisting on ƒ4 is kind of odd, unless you really want constant aperture, which is a thing for studio photographers, however, you indicated this is not a lens for studio use.