[VdMeer]

Hi everyone,

I currently own the Pentax K5 with a tamron 17-50, pentax K 28mm f3.5, pentax A 50mm f1.7. I love shooting my K5, however I do notice some downsides and I feel it's getting a bit outdated/older. There is a bit of a struggle here, because there are several options and I thought all of them and they all have downsides and upsides. I would love to hear your 2cnts and what your experience was with upgrading or changing. Below is what I find troublesome with my current K5.

- My pentax K5 is missing the lens release button (I release it with a bobby pin, yes no joke. It works fine in most circumstances but it's less than ideal as you can imagine).
- I find the overall package of a K5 with the tamron quite heavy, because I backpack a lot and this takes up a lot of space and some weight.
- I find AF is relatively slow and sometimes it's just off or hunts in low light. However I'm not sure whether that's just the camera or it's a combination of camera + tamron


Last week my dad showed up with his fresh and new Olympus Om-d e-m10 mark ii (can you believe the length of this name..), focusing with his camera made my camera feel like a slow dinosaur. However I thought that his camera was nice in size, but felt a bit plastic and if I wanted to adjust the iso I had to go into a menu. It felt like I lost the ability to control the photo with his camera, but it got me intrigued with mirror less camera's. I also held the sony a6000 and a7 last week in my and both felt much better. However I love the quality of pentax, the image quality (especially DR) but also the ergonomics.

- If I want to upgrade the first thing that comes to mind is the K3(ii). However it's even bigger than the K5 which is for me a big downside. I also read some negative things about noise and DR, however coming from K5 I'm sure it's better than what I had.
- I can also get a cheap K5iis, I enjoy my K5, it's an upgrade and it leave a little room for maybe some new glass.
- I can sell the tamron, even though I love sharpness and the f2.8 and find a lens with better af and build quality in the same range .
- I can switch to sony a7 or a6000, keep my older pentax glass, having much less weight. But scared too compromise on ergonomics and image quality (although I think IQ is great, not so sure about low light situations).


To summarize, below is what I find important in a camera. I mainly shoot while I travel. People's portrait (low light market/souq scenes, inside churches, mosques and some scenery).
+ works great in low light situations
+ Good results in higher ISO, I do print my photographs on A2 or A1 but never bigger.
+ fast(er) AF, I do not need to catch a cheetah, however playing children on the street would be nice
+ being able to control my camera easily, especially ISO, shutter speed and aperture is something I want to adapt without having to deep dive into a menu
+ Image quality
+ Being able to use my old pentax glass (even though I use my tamron the most, the build quality is poor and if I change gear. I would be more devastated not being able to use my old primes than my tamron).
+ whole combination doesn't weigh a ton to carry with me during my travels.

Am I asking for the impossible?

[Adam]

Sounds like the new KP would be perfect for you. It's more customizable than any other Pentax, and it's got better image quality than the K-3 II. The AF system should also feel quite a bit more modern than the one in the K-5 (though it's got the same sensitivity as the K-5 II, which was probably the biggest jump). Finally, the camera is built to be relatively compact, but also durable.

[VdMeer]

Sounds like the new KP would be perfect for you. It's more customizable than any other Pentax, and it's got better image quality than the K-3 II. The AF system should also feel quite a bit more modern than the one in the K-5 (though it's got the same sensitivity as the K-5 II, which was probably the biggest jump). Finally, the camera is built to be relatively compact, but also durable.

Hi Adam,

Thanks for your reply, I thought about the KP. Although its above budget at this point, it looks phenomenal and it's worth considering saving up to or waiting until the price drops a bit/people sell them. I'll definitely keep the KP in mind. I'm especially interested in how people compare it (in terms of weight and holding the camera) with the k3ii. It doesn't look that big of a difference in height and length when you see a shot of them next to each other, however neither does the K5 with the K3 and people think it's significantly bigger.

[ChristianRock]

I would consider first upgrading the lens to a Pentax 20-40 Limited to get the weight down. Then the KP would be ideal. Some in this forum have said the AF is faster than the K3II which would already be a big step up from the K5.

[VoiceOfReason]

An interim upgrade may be the KS2 if the KP isn't in the budget right now.

[TER-OR]

I upgraded from K5 to K3II. It is an upgrade. Screwdrive is faster and focus more confident. That said, it's not a miracle worker on par with the $3K sports-oriented cameras.
If you don't need the on-board GPS, look for the K3 instead of the K3II. I use GPS and a ring flash in the field, so it's worth it to me. I also use the top LCD a lot, it is easier to review in the sun than looking through the VF - so I wouldn't give that up. The K3 isn't significantly larger than the K5, though buttons are in different places. I've been easier on my K3II than on my K5, which really took a beating but suffered no performance troubles.

A lens is a good call - 16-85 would be something to look at, or the 18-135 for hiking. The focus motor on those is really nice and seems to be more confident. They're relatively light, too. I know the 18-135 works well on the K5. It's the lens I use at the dog park, to track huskies chasing each other like maniacs. (they are maniacs)

Yes, Pentax does a great job with controls on the body and giving a quick menu for standard settings options. You don't need to take your eye from the VF to adjust settings, and a DSLR is generally faster than a mirrorless.

So, there's your dilemma. I think the K3Ii is a class-leader. The K5 is capable and durable. You could benefit from lenses or a new body, but I think you'll want to evaluate your lens selection. A modern prime like a DA21mm would be a lot of fun and extremely responsive, though the motorized zooms are a pleasure to use.

[TheNewcomer]

What about the k-70 ?

it's a compact camera, better sensor than k-5 and most bell & whistles of recent cameras (wifi, pixel shift, articulated screen...). It also has a sturdy construction and is slightly lighter than the k-5.
I use it a lot for day hiking and it even went with me to the top of Kilimandjaro, it is not too heavy/cumbersome that I could carry it by hand while walking.

The one downside would be battery life which is shorter than k-5 although if you don't use the LCD too much it is definitely manageable to take 1,000 pic on a single charge. And maybe the shutter speed that max out at 1/6000 vs 1/8000 for your K-5. but remember that by going the K-3ii path you will loose the built-in flash

Budget wise it is currently quite cheap

[W.j.christy]

What about the k-70 ?

it's a compact camera, better sensor than k-5 and most bell & whistles of recent cameras (wifi, pixel shift, articulated screen...). It also has a sturdy construction and is slightly lighter than the k-5.
I use it a lot for day hiking and it even went with me to the top of Kilimandjaro, it is not too heavy/cumbersome that I could carry it by hand while walking.

The one downside would be battery life which is shorter than k-5 although if you don't use the LCD too much it is definitely manageable to take 1,000 pic on a single charge. And maybe the shutter speed that max out at 1/6000 vs 1/8000 for your K-5. but remember that by going the K-3ii path you will loose the built-in flash

Budget wise it is currently quite cheap

^^^^ This. Its not a flagship but hold many of the same features as one and would be lighter. The additional savings may also allow you invest in some other lighter/different glass.

[Pixelhdr]

You may want to consider K-70 and Sigma 17-50 f/2.8. I don't have K-70 but do have K-3II. There are reports suggesting that K-70 has a slightly better sensor than K-3. K-70 has an articulating screen which K-3II does not. Sigma 17-50 has HSM drive which is fast and silent. IQ wise, the Sigma is better than Tamron. I had both at one point, but I kept the Sigma. I never have any concern with Pentax dSLR build quality. The only consideration is louder shutter/mirror mechanism on the K-70. I had a K-S2, but was not bordered by the noise. YMMV however. FWIW, I am considering a K-70 as a backup for the K-3II. K-P is also a candidate but I cannot justify the cost difference, not at this point anyway.

[VdMeer]

Thanks a lot for all the comments!

I would consider first upgrading the lens to a Pentax 20-40 Limited to get the weight down. Then the KP would be ideal. Some in this forum have said the AF is faster than the K3II which would already be a big step up from the K5.

I've considered this one, as it is of course a limited and I'm curious about the "pixie dust" image quality and the build quality looks define. I think it will be a beautiful combination on the KP (as they sell it now as a sort of kit combination). The price was always a bit on the high end to justify the fact that I give up an extra 10mm, but it's a lens that is always in the back of my mind. If a great deal comes along, I might take the plunge.

What about the k-70 ?

it's a compact camera, better sensor than k-5 and most bell & whistles of recent cameras (wifi, pixel shift, articulated screen...). It also has a sturdy construction and is slightly lighter than the k-5.
I use it a lot for day hiking and it even went with me to the top of Kilimandjaro, it is not too heavy/cumbersome that I could carry it by hand while walking.

The one downside would be battery life which is shorter than k-5 although if you don't use the LCD too much it is definitely manageable to take 1,000 pic on a single charge. And maybe the shutter speed that max out at 1/6000 vs 1/8000 for your K-5. but remember that by going the K-3ii path you will loose the built-in flash

Budget wise it is currently quite cheap

Tot tell you the truth, I've never considered the k-70, generally because of the lacking Lcd on top which I use quite often on my K5. Do you look through your viewfinder when you change your settings or can you see it on your back lcd screen? Considering weight and features it does tick a lot of boxes.

---------- Post added 03-02-17 at 08:24 AM ----------

It is interesting that no one thinks mirror less is the way to go. Is it because lack of quality? Lack of availability of lenses or because ergonomics are not on par with Pentax (or all three of them)

[bobbotron]

An interim upgrade may be the KS2 if the KP isn't in the budget right now.

I was going to suggest this as well, or the KP. I'd probably go for the KP, good size and IQ, and it will probably be future proof for a reasonable amount of time.

[TheNewcomer]

I mainly look through the viewfinder, but everything is duplicated on the LCD if you need it. Also you mentioned good ISO performance and that's definitely a strength of the K-70.
Regarding mirrorless, the only one that would allow you to continue using your lenses is the K-01 but it is a body from 2012. it has also only one dial so less flexibility compared to your K-5

[ChristianRock]

[/COLOR]It is interesting that no one thinks mirror less is the way to go. Is it because lack of quality? Lack of availability of lenses or because ergonomics are not on par with Pentax (or all three of them)

It could be that mirrorless is the way to go for you. But then you're switching to a new system, and there's advantages and disadvantages to that.

Olympus and Panasonic are probably not the way to go because you value DR a lot, and the smaller sensor isn't going to give you that.

Fuji? The price considering the whole system is going to be higher than Pentax, and you said you're on a budget where even the KP is out of reach, let alone buying a new upper end camera with a good lens. That will cost you even more in Fuji-land. And I'm not sure their 16-55 2.8 is that small... Fuji is a better option (at least a more lightweight option while still having great IQ) I think if you go with primes.

The Canon M10 doesn't even have a higher quality/relatively fast walkaround zoom to go with it.

That leaves Sony, which is an option if you can find what you want in their lens lineup. An A6500 with the Zeiss 16-70 is an attractive and lightweight combo. But it will cost you a bit... You could get the a6000 instead of the a6500 to save a bit. But while some people are excited about that 16-70, I'm not sure what I've seen from it has any kind of "pixie dust", but of course it could just be me being biased. And my boss has an A6000 which I get to play with from time to time, and I definitely like the Pentax ergonomic/user experience better. Your mileage may vary, of course.

[W.j.christy]

can you see it on your back lcd screen

One of the really nice things about the K70 is it has an lcd screen that can be rotated 180°. If you need a screen that can be read when the view finder can't, you would have the option of flipping the lcd out and rotating it 90° to view it directly from above. Of course this does have its limitations especially in bright sunlight.

[gm4life]

Honestly any of the current APS-C crop cameras will work. I mean the KP was the first one that came to mind, have it and just adore it. Awesome piece of equipment. The K3II is great too have that as well. However given your budget the K70 might be a good fit, still has improved focusing, better ISO performance and is more moderately sized along with a more affordable price. It is not really a typical entry level model as with Pentax you get a lot of bang for you buck. I would look to that or obviously the new KP could work. Heck even though not any smaller you may like K3II with a smaller lens like the 20-40. It is a great lens on both my KP and K3II.