[JimmyDranox]

I have a K-5. And I can say that sometimes, the focus is not perfect. Depending on the lens you use. And I'm frequently using fast lenses f 1.4-f2.8, at widest aperture possible. So, in my opinion, this camera is very usable, especially if you close the lens to f8-f11. And their is no camera to focus 100% shots perfectly, AFAIK.

[Gray]

Well, alas, I can't afford a K5II let alone a K3 so I guess I'm just going to have to get either a K5 or a K-30 and settle for sucky AF? ARRGH. This thread drove me about crazy. I was thisclose to buying one or the other and now I'm second guessing myself again! I really don't like the K3 though anyway. The way it's laid out I just like the K5 better but AF and WR are why I need to upgrade so this thread is....frustrating....

Adam's posted news of a one day special - $697 for a new K-5IIs at Adorama. That's a great price for a great camera.
I'm sure we see more of these specials. Means that prices of good used K-5II/s will come down too if $697 is still too pricey.

[jtkratzer]

Adam's posted news of a one day special - $697 for a new K-5IIs at Adorama. That's a great price for a great camera.
I'm sure we see more of these specials. Means that prices of good used K-5II/s will come down too if $697 is still too pricey.

Great, now I'm probably going to drop $700 today I wasn't planning on...or do I continue to shoot the K-5 and wait for Black Friday deals? Or both? Is the improvement in autofocus and what reviews say is a very marginal improvement in image quality worth it?

[MSL]

Great, now I'm probably going to drop $700 today I wasn't planning on...or do I continue to shoot the K-5 and wait for Black Friday deals? Or both?

It is a long time until black Friday. I think it really depends on how much the quirks of the AF system are hurting your photography and whether the K5 II fixes enough of the problems to warrant the purchase. Not an easy call for most who might have the money to spend. Definitely an issue I'm watching with some interest, although I don't use my K5 enough to justify any sort of upgrading.

[jtkratzer]

It is a long time until black Friday. I think it really depends on how much the quirks of the AF system are hurting your photography and whether the K5 II fixes enough of the problems to warrant the purchase. Not an easy call for most who might have the money to spend. Definitely an issue I'm watching with some interest, although I don't use my K5 enough to justify any sort of upgrading.

K-5 is my first and currently only DSLR. I don't make a living with photography (yet?). I won't fool myself into thinking I'll ever pay my bills with photography, but it's something I really enjoy. I bought the DSLR and got away from film being my primary when my wife and I started having kids and the number of moments you can catch (and delete bad images) with immediate feedback was the drive to the digital world beyond P&S. The question is what's $300? That's the difference between the K-3 on Amazon and the Adorama deal for the K-5 IIs. And with that thought, it's NOT as if it goes on credit and not paid off, but there's no rush as there is with a one-day sale if the K-3 is really the way to go for another $300.


I did this with cell phones back when the changes in iPhones was dramatic if you waited a couple models, like going from my first smart phone in the 3G to the 4S. I feel like the K-5 IIs might disappoint if it's really just an autofocus improvement. I fight the autofocus not having fast focusing lenses as it is with a daughter who will be 4 next month and a 19 month old.


Does the K-3 improve focus speed with the FA Limiteds and F-series lenses?

[mikemike]

The price of the K-3 will come down eventually and 12-18 months from now and even more amazing camera will be released that knocks its socks off. Practice with what you have got and upgrade to what you can afford when you can afford it.

[danny09]

K-5 is my first and currently only DSLR. I don't make a living with photography (yet?). I won't fool myself into thinking I'll ever pay my bills with photography, but it's something I really enjoy. I bought the DSLR and got away from film being my primary when my wife and I started having kids and the number of moments you can catch (and delete bad images) with immediate feedback was the drive to the digital world beyond P&S. The question is what's $300? That's the difference between the K-3 on Amazon and the Adorama deal for the K-5 IIs. And with that thought, it's as if it goes on credit and not paid off, but there's no rush as there is with a one-day sale if the K-3 is really the way to go for another $300.


I did this with cell phones back when the changes in iPhones was dramatic if you waited a couple models, like going from my first smart phone in the 3G to the 4S. I feel like the K-5 IIs might disappoint if it's really just an autofocus improvement. I fight the autofocus not having fast focusing lenses as it is with a daughter who will be 4 next month and a 19 month old.


Does the K-3 improve focus speed with the FA Limiteds and F-series lenses?

For a current k5 owner the k5iis doesnt sound like an upgrade unless you make a living with the photo gear.
In the end $300 difference doesnt seem too much considering even on a black friday k3 will still sell for 700 bucks

[jtkratzer]

The price of the K-3 will come down eventually and 12-18 months from now and even more amazing camera will be released that knocks its socks off. Practice with what you have got and upgrade to what you can afford when you can afford it.

Affording it isn't the issue - I see I missed a word in my previous post. It wouldn't go on credit - either of them, but either way, I'm just going to wait. K-3 continues to drop and the K-5 is more than capable of meeting my needs right now. I don't see the point in spending 70% of the cost of the latest camera on something that's already pushing 2 years old. 9 months isn't that long to wait to see what deals Black Friday brings.

---------- Post added 02-17-14 at 09:15 PM ----------

For a current k5 owner the k5iis doesnt sound like an upgrade unless you make a living with the photo gear.
In the end $300 difference doesnt seem too much considering even on a black friday k3 will still sell for 700 bucks

The K-5 IIs is certainly upgrade, even if the IQ is only minor, but the autofocus is significant. I'm curious if I would see the benefits of the improved autofocus system with the lenses I use most - FA31, F50/1.7, and FA77. I only use the 18-55 kit lens when I need the WR or wider than 31 or my K28/3.5. That's an area I'm lacking, but I keep holding back on the 15 or 21 since I can't use them on any of my film bodies. Is that improvement to the accuracy of the system and the speed where focus is achieved and would the AF lenses I mentioned result in faster and more accurate results?

[nicoprod]

Does the K-3 improve focus speed with the FA Limiteds and F-series lenses?

Yes, by 40%.

---------- Post added 02-17-14 at 09:08 PM ----------

Don't forget that if the K-3 price will drop, so will the value of the K-5 you'll then have for sale. Today you can sell a K-5 from $375 to $500 depending on condition. In one year, probably half of that.

[Matt]

For those k10 users out there thinking about upgrading. I made the move to a k5iis. Ridiculous difference. I keep oohing and awwing. My wife thinks I'm 'different'

To the point of the original post. I had bought a used 16-45 for my k10d. It was having back focus issues...consistently. Bought the new/used k5iis and it is consistently catching the right focus. With the k10d, I was upset with my purchase and the lens underperformance. With the k5iis, I now know why people speak highly of the lens.

I loved my k10d. It was my first dslr. Won't forget it but I also won't be looking back. ....technology is unbelievable.

[cbope]

I was just checking AF fine adjust with my new DA* 16-50 on my K-5, and too am noticing this AF "float". Some shots it just completely misses the focus. It really makes performing the AF fine adjust a real chore, you go +1 and need a little more, then +2 and it overshoots, it's just nearly impossible to get the AF repeatable from shot to shot. I'm really starting to wonder if a K-5IIs might be in my future, or a K-3.

[RonHendriks1966]

Well the trick is to do the adjustment on the K-5 and have sharp images.

[cbope]

Agree Ron, but not being able to get repeatable results makes performing the AF fine adjustment very frustrating. It's two steps forward, one step back...

[nicoprod]

Agree Ron, but not being able to get repeatable results makes performing the AF fine adjustment very frustrating. It's two steps forward, one step back...

This is true, float +2 or float -5 still is float.

[nomadkng]

for those of you stressing over the K5ii(s), don't... the AF still isn't worth the price of admission.

if I had unlimited HD space and weren't so pissed off every time it happens, I could post at least a dozen examples of my K5iis PDAF missing, no make that completely ignoring what I wanted it to focus on using single center point AF. Instead the camera decided a sharp edge as much as 50%!!!! of the image away was more to its liking.

headshots suddenly become blurry but an object in the background along the edge is sharp...wtf?

so far I can think of 3 "once in a lifetime" shots I have lost because of this. when you have one chance to get the shot, the K5 AF is not very comforting