[pxpaulx]

Others have said it...but I'd wait. To me, the K30 says that K5 type specs are only the entry point to the new Ricoh/Pentax offerings.

Part of me kind of agrees with you. If the K30, parked squarely in the middle of the line- up (if you consider the k-01 the entry level, despite the close price) is only the mid-level, the K-5 replacement will HAVE to be another monumental leap forward...almost as much as the K-5 was itself. Not that I care about it...but the only way to monumentally leap the K-5 is Fx2 (as in FF). If the K-5n rumor is true, that will receive enough incremental upgrades to keep competitive (larger MP count to keep that race going, a few tweaks here and there, not much else), while whatever comes in above it will probably be pretty big (at least for the users around here).

[boriscleto]

you can wait 2 months for the reviews on the k30, then it will be only 2 more months for the k-5 replacement....then 2 more months for the reviews....and so on
or you can buy something...now

I got sick of waiting for the K30 announcement and bought a K-5 in April. I have not regretted it at all.

[Barnster]

Thanks guys.All your comments have valid points.I think at the end of the day,we all will be trying to keep up with the constant upgrades,which seem to happening at a rate of knots.And we could keep buying the next new Pentax if we could afford too.The next K5 version will probably (you would think)a better camera.The K30 looks tempting.The K100D has been a fine camera for the last 6 years,so I suppose whichever way I go,either K5 or K30,I can't really loose in the chose I make because it will be a enormous improvement over the K100D reguardless.And yes the K5 is at a sensational price at the moment.Around the $900 mark.

[Franky2step]

Focus on lenses, your own skills and projects, then the body. Bodies are changing constantly, it's a "keeping up with the Jones's thing.

[Alizarine]

Focus on lenses, your own skills and projects, then the body. Bodies are changing constantly, it's a "keeping up with the Jones's thing.

Good suggestion there also! Though if I were to order the items... it would perhaps go this way:
Projects > Skills > Lenses > Lighting equipment > Body > Miscellaneous accessories (straps, bags, cleaning kits, etc)

The only time I'd worry about the body first is when I'm moving up from cellphone cam/P&S...

[Barnster]

Focus on lenses, your own skills and projects, then the body. Bodies are changing constantly, it's a "keeping up with the Jones's thing.

I understand what you are saying,but my newest Pentax is a 6 year old K100D,which has been a good camera.I think waiting this long between Pentax's has been a good thing,not keeping up with the Jones's so to speak and a camera like the K5 or the K30 would be a good time to update especially with the prices the way they are at the moment.

[Franky2step]

You can pick up a new K5 for under $900...that is $600 lower than the launch price, and it's available now!

[Sandy Hancock]

I see the K-30 as a kick-arse replacement for my K10D. Mmmm, silver.
The K-5 is safe for now.

[interested_observer]

Morning,

The K100 was my first digital SLR when it first came out, and I only moved off of it because of a number of items to the K20 a bit over 3 years ago. I have a K5 now, so the difference is going to be extraordinarily large, but positive. The question of now or later, and K5 or K30 is a fair number of options to have - really all good. I would think that the answer lies in how you use the camera or how you plan to use the camera....

• Do you use a tripod? The reason for the question is based on the differences between the k30 and k5. If you use a tripod, then live view will be very useful, and potentially focus peaking (on the K30 but not on the K5). Also do you use a wired remote shutter release (on the K5 but only the IR on the K30). So, if you want everything, then you probably need to wait for the K5 replacement - in order to get live view, with focus peaking and with a wired remote shutter capability.

• Does low ISO (largest possible dynamic range) matter to you? K5 has the ISO 80 option, while the K30 only goes down to ISO 100. Also, low noise and dynamic range - the K5 has the 14 bit sensor interface, while the K30 only has the 12 bit interface. The difference would show up in the dynamic range of the images (shadows, etc.). If you use RAW you will see the difference, as if you use JPG you are limited to 8 bits anyway, and you would probably not see a difference.

• Is cost an issue? Both the K5 and K30 are under $1K now. The K5 replacement will probably match the K5's introductory price of $1,700. The K5 has been out 18 months now, so if you are leaning towards price and something with all the bells and whistles of the K5, with the replacement - then it will be about another 2 years.

• AutoFocus? If you do a lot of action type photography needing fast focus, the K5 will be tremendously better. The K30 appears to have potential capabilities beyond the K5 - but not a whole lot is known on this point. So, the K5 will be a large update, and the K30 might offer even more.

[Barnster]

I have decided to go for the K5.Hopefully it should be here by the end of the week.There are quite a few points made by interested observer on the + side and the -side of both cameras.The K30 looks like a taste tester to what is to come pretty soon.And I see on the forum that there is a lot of happy K5 users with not much negative responses.By the time the K5 replacement gets below $1000,we could be looking at roughly the same time frame as the K5 anyway,then another replacement etc etc.

[Franky2step]

Congratulations, you won't regret it!

[Alizarine]

Good choice, Barnster. Actually I think now is the best time to get a brand-new K-5 - lots of discounts!

[Jean Poitiers]

Good choice, Barnster. Actually I think now is the best time to get a brand-new K-5 - lots of discounts!

I would agree ... prices are declining (a lot) in Europe IMO. Congratulations, John

[madbrain]

K30 definitely .
The K-5 requires a grip to use AA batteries, making it bigger.

Lion batteries really need to go the way of the dodo.

Latest experience with Lion : I have a Canon T3i with 3 Lion batteries, one original Canon and two after-market. They were all fully charged a month ago. The Canon camera was used sparingly during the last month. As of monday, all 3 Lion batteries were fully discharged, the camera would not power up with any of them. This keeps happening over and over. Yes, I hate Lion batteries.

Eneloops all the way.

[bobmaxja]

I dont have these problem with the LIon of Pentax. The keep charge pretty good