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06-14-2013, 11:11 AM   #1
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K-50 or K5-2? pro's and con's?

Was just about to buy a K5ii but now I am thinking the K50 is a cheaper option. Spec is very similar as far as I can see other than the magnesium alloy casing, 7fps vs 6, and 14 bit Raw vs 12 bit. Can anyone suggest other reasons to buy a K5ii over the K50?

06-14-2013, 11:23 AM   #2
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There are lots of threads where users try to decide between the K-5 and the K-30, and since the K-50 is virtually identical to the K-30, so I would start by looking at those threads. You've pretty much summed it up, though. The K-50 has better live view and better video performance (minus the external mic), while the K-5 has better dynamic range thanks to the 14-bit raw.

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06-14-2013, 11:36 AM   #3
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I went from a used K-20 to a used K-5 and it was money well spent.

My *istD has seen more service since then than the the K-20. Something about ttl flash . . .
06-14-2013, 12:43 PM   #4
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Agreed, read up about the K30. I think you look at whether you're going to beat it about at all. The body is stronger on the K5. Do you need a grip? Don't think K50 offers that. The dynamic range and continuous shooting speed are really splitting hairs.

Wow, you can't go wrong if you're a general enthusiast/hobbyist. It'll come down to how well you take the photos. I wouldn't sweat it too much. How much do you want to spend? Heck, that K500 has a Pentaprism finder!!! I wouldn't overlook that. How much do you really shoot in hard rain using only WR lenses?

Some really nice things said in this preview.

06-14-2013, 09:01 PM   #5
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I have been researching which DSLR to buy. Picking the brand was the easy part. Now the hard part which model.All Pentax models are great values.
06-15-2013, 03:28 AM   #6
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I would say the reasons to go with the K5 II are if you will want a grip, or if you want/need extra buttons controls. I do think the K5 II is probably a little better as a still photography tool, but the K50 is no slouch.
06-15-2013, 03:34 AM   #7
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QuoteOriginally posted by Shall Quote
Was just about to buy a K5ii but now I am thinking the K50 is a cheaper option. Spec is very similar as far as I can see other than the magnesium alloy casing, 7fps vs 6, and 14 bit Raw vs 12 bit. Can anyone suggest other reasons to buy a K5ii over the K50?
You get what you pay for. The raw bit depth is everything when it comes to the final image quality.

06-20-2013, 02:39 AM   #8
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I also interested to know more about these two cameras.
Do you know when k-50 will be on European market? I ask myself what will be the price.
In Bulgaria the difference between k-5iis and k-30 is around 450 euro, for body only. The difference is too big...
07-09-2013, 04:46 AM - 1 Like   #9
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The big one to me is the improved auto focus system of the k5ii/s. The K50 has an updated AF system but not as advanced as the k5ii/s. If I were you, it would be between k5iis and k30. The k30 is the best deal in photography for someone not needing top of the line AF and quiet shutter.
07-09-2013, 11:15 PM   #10
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You mean k-30 is better than k-50? I tough k-50 is upgrade of k-30.
07-09-2013, 11:56 PM   #11
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QuoteOriginally posted by miroshi Quote
You mean k-30 is better than k-50? I tough k-50 is upgrade of k-30.
It's essentially the K-30 with new mag-wheels

Bear in mind I don't have the K-5/II/IIs
The two things I would like from the K5IIs that my K-30 (and K-50) lacks.
1: Exposure bracketing on K-30 is limited to 3. But manual bracketing really is pretty simple
2: From all the sample shots I've seen from the IIs, the absence of AA filter does produce a certain image sharpness that IMHO is a greater difference than the 14 vs 12 bit debate.

That said, I love my K-30, it has really lifted my photography many levels and I don't plan to trade-up any time soon. You won't regret it. If I were buying now, the deals on the K-30 really outweigh the minor updates made to the K-50.
07-11-2013, 09:08 PM   #12
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QuoteOriginally posted by WerTicus Quote
You get what you pay for. The raw bit depth is everything when it comes to the final image quality.
Are you sure about that? 12bit vs 14bit RAW and compressed vs uncompressed… Does it matter? | francoisMalan

Looks like the extra depth is mostly visible on the ends (highlights and shadows) thus largely negligible UNLESS you are shooting in tough conditions (bright light and dark shadows in the same scene) or are under/over exposing by large margins.

Actually the only things that would steer me towards a K-5 mk2 would be if I needed the mag alloy body, the mic jack, or the battery grip.. from a 'real world' point of view. I have a K-30 and would benefit from the battery grip largely and perhaps the mic jack lightly.

I guess the burst mode is technically faster too by a frame per second on the K-5 series and the low light focusing is supposedly improved. So take those into consideration as well.


Ok I also left out the feel of the camera. This is important as you will be taking most of your photos (likely) with your camera firmly in your hands. This means the camera needs to feel right in your hands!

Therefore, If you have the ability to handle each, I'd recommend you do just that.

Oh, and the K-5 mk 3 will likely be out a couple of months after you buy whatever you buy.. thus 'obsoleting' it's newness to the product lineup... enjoy.
07-12-2013, 09:04 AM   #13
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I'd really like to see how the low light AF compares between these (and the K-30, K-5).
07-14-2013, 01:25 PM   #14
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A couple other relatively minor things:
the k5 family has a quieter shutter so if being stealthy is important (shooting weddings in churches, doing school plays, etc), this is worth consideration. The k30/50 are not loud, but they are louder...
The k5 uses a larger lithium battery which would require less battery changes. But the k30/50 can take AA batteries while the k5's can't unless you get the battery grip.
The k5 has a top lcd screen and the k30/50 does not. If you haven't had one before, you probably don't need it as all this info is on the back lcd screen, and most of this info can be seen through the viewfinder.
The k5 will have a bit deeper RAW buffer so if you're taking a lot of shots in a row, like for sports, the k30 (and I assume the k50 is similar) will shoot 9 raws and then its fps will slow down. The k5 according to imaging resource has a raw buffer depth of 23 DNG's before slowing down.
The k50 has focus peaking so if you do a lot of macro, studio, or other work with manual focus lenses, this is a feature that is worth having.
07-21-2013, 05:48 AM   #15
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It might be that your link proves that the two stops is not a result of the bit depth but another factor.

However two stops of DR is a huge difference between the sensors!
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