Отзывы о Фотоаппарат Pentax K-1 Mark II Kit

I'm really enjoying my K-5. As much as I loved my K-7, I felt it lacked a bit in low light shooting. Still, I contemplated not upgrading as I liked just about everything from the K-7 except for a few things. Well, after buying the K-5, I'm really glad I went ahead and did so.I've noticed several people reviewing the K-5 mention it's a K-7 with different guts, but I somewhat disagree. It feels different. I mean, being familiar with the 7 makes handling the 5 a snap, but ergonomically, the body feels even more compact (if that's even possible), which I really like. My pinky hangs over the grip thanks to the neat and tidy handle design, but I quickly got used to it.The new Sony sensor really shows off its capabilities in this camera. DP Review said the K-5 is one of the best APS-C cameras currently on the market, and I have no reason to dispute that remark. While the K-7's picture making was good, the K-5 is great. Not only is the low light performance an improvement, but there are subtleties in nearly every phase that add up into making the K-5 a significant upgrade over the K-7. And please don't misunderstand me. I still think the K-7 is a very good camera. It's just the K-5 is better. Much better.Now, after reading a few reviews from folks with defective cameras, I will be honest and write I nearly switched camera systems completely. From the problematic DA* 16-50 2.8 to the rampant reports of sensor spots, mirror freeze, auto-focusing issues, and a partridge in a pear tree, I wondered if my allegiance to Pentax was coming to an end. However, I noticed most of the issues were very early on, and while it's very frustrating to get a brand new camera (especially after paying the premium Pentax was originally selling this guy for), it's not surprising for me to see a company release a new product before they really should.Thankfully, the troubles seem to be far and few, and it's great we live in a world of firmware updates. Now that the bugs are worked out, the overwhelming reviews do not lie, and the K-5's impressive functionality and performance has long since outweighed any initial quality control issues.So, to make a long story longer, I'll conclude with what I like and what I dislike about the K-5:What I like: EverythingWhat I dislike: NothingOkay, maybe I would enjoy having more lenses available for my Pentax other than the usual suspects, but I knew this prior to investing in a Pentax system, so what can you do? This is a bit nitpicky, but in both my K-7 and K-5, the focusing screens aren't perfectly set, which makes looking through them remind me of the 60's Batman series where the floors were all sideways....It's not that bad, but like the game of Operation, I guess it takes a steady hand.Lastly, I purchased my K-5 through Amazon via Emmy Photo. I'm mentioning this so you'll know I actually own the K-5, and I'm not some dork trying to make the company I own or work for look good. I've seen obviously fake reviews going the other way too, so I think it's nice when I'm reading remarks from actual owners of the products being represented. I don't think fondling it for a month or reading a spec sheet is good enough to warrant a review, but since I'm not J.P. Amazon, all I can do is say what I think after having owned the product long enough to make an honest review.In long, I've dug into my K-5 much more than I did with my K-7. The 7 was very nice, but the 5 is hard for me to put down, and has actually improved my photographic skills thanks to the sheer joy of taking pictures with it. It's light, compact, easy to use, and most importantly, it takes excellent pictures.There are so many great dslr's out there, it's really hard to make a poor choice when buying a new one. However, I'm very happy with my K-5 and would highly recommend one to anybody wanting to get serious about photography, or even someone simply wanting a sophisticated looking camera that even takes great photos set on auto.

K-5 is not a bad camera. In fact, Pentax has come a long way in catching up with the big two. I am sure that many of the Pentax users will say that in some aspects they have surpassed that of Nikon and Canon. What would be most mentioned in this regard is the improved quality of the new sensor. While I do agree about the improvement and so on, at the end of the day this is an aspect of the camera that Pentax has essentially had no control, as the new sensors were being manufactured by Sony. Therefore, I feel that this is something that ought to be dealt with separately from the discussion of its true worth, (or lack there of). But I do agree; the sensor is a good one. Very good dynamic range, if you are into that sort of thing. Pictures are very sharp and clear, and JPEG outputs made me wonder very much about what kind AA filter this thing has. I know that 645D went without it (good choice), and here look as though they almost went exactly opposite. This is an easy way to please the majority, which translate to sales. But, aesthetically, I am not that fond of this sensor very much. Rather, I found K-7's sensor much more tasteful and sensual, especially with FA limiteds, especially for the kind of work I do.AF felt much more decisive, as it seemed to wonder less. I am in no mood to conduct any types of testing to compare to previous model such as K-7. It is just that AF is not something I use that frequently. I do think that when one mounts a FA limited lens with a screw drive, the difference between K-7 and 5 becomes to me even less of a big deal. To me they are both fast enough, and perhaps one slightly faster than the other.There have been many reports of K-5 AF not performing correctly in various lighting conditions, most notably tungsten of all things. It has been rumored that the latest version of the firmware had attempted to solve this problem, but at it appears that this has not been resolved.High ISO quality is another one of those things Sony improved on, not Pentax. Having said that, there is one important aspect of High ISO that not many talk about. Great high ISO on LCD monitors do not necessarily mean great output in prints. While noise may well be dramatically reduced, I still don't like how they look printed. I would rather that I shoot in as low of an ISO as I can, maximizing lighting and using a tripod. When pics are taken in low ISO (100-400), I really don't see a whole lot of improvement there. I think that this is to me a very significant factor considering its MSRP.I think that this camera at near $1,600 is too expensive. By the time of this review, the price has come down to near $1,300 mark. In hindsight, this was the price range that Pentax should have set in the beginning. Then, this would have been a sensational buy, even for those who have invested in K-7. But, Pentax chose to go the other way, and priced themselves just a bit out of the comfort zone of many consumers. I believe this was an opportunity to lure even more users of other brands.Handling is unchanged from K-7, which was a significant leap from K20D. If one had not upgraded from K20D, handling alone is a good enough reason to upgrade. Compared to other brands, what Pentax set them apart is not the arrangement of buttons, but the size of the camera. It is somewhat smaller than its counterparts, but not significant enough leap to contribute to superior handling. Some may not even like its small size if one had big set of hands. For me it is almost too small. I do think that the viewfinder is very generous, but a bit too dark for my taste.Imaging stabilization is in the camera, not in the lens, allowing nearly all previously issued lenses to be compatible - something that Pentax is known for. You have got to give them that though. At least they don't screw their customers in that department like Canon does. The mechanism itself seems to work ok.Stains - There were stains on the sensors, and something like 60% of them in the early part of production. Sony really screwed them, or that Pentax screwed themselves when installing them. It is maybe the latter, because if the sensors were defective, I would sue Sony. No?? I also do not understand why Nikon sensors which are also made by Sony, do not have stains . . . .So Conclusion:The thing is alright. I give it a 6.5 out of 10.Very expensive at $1,600. At $1,300, much more reasonable.K-7 owners who shoot in low ISO - Do not bother. Not worth it.K20D and earlier model owners - at $1,300 this is a good buy, except that you will now have to deal with the hoopla of the next model, which is probably not that far away. Mirrorless, perhaps.Other brand owners - I don't know about you guys. Probably not worth it. Pentax lenses, especially ones worth buying, are not inexpensive any more. Their lens selection is a bit odd to say the least. This brand Pentax very much own its existence on what is perceived by some to be a "cult" following w

I had to replace my Pentax K20d, which I liked a lot, because of a thief who broke into my car. I really wouldn't have considered spending the money to upgrade to the K5 without this prodding, but although I would gladly consign the thief to jail, I admit to feeling like I wound up winning with the new K5! This camera is so much more of an upgrade to the K20d than I expected.First, the CCD sensor is getting a lot of praise for its high ISO capabilities, which was one of the K20d weaknesses. I would do everything that I could to avoid going beyond ISO 800 on the K20, but I have taken shots at 6400 on the K5 that easily rival 800 on the K20d! Why is this important? Because I can shoot in low light conditions that I couldn't have even imagined trying with the K20d. A lens that was marginal in low light now becomes remarkably useful, so a wider range of lenses can be considered, including some lower priced lenses that I might have skipped over because they were not fast enough. A definite win!Then there is the output quality. I really liked the K20d, but the color saturation seemed a bit dull at times and needed to be pushed either in camera or via software later. Not so with the K5 and using the same lens. Colors are crisper and more vibrant, which means less tweaking needed later.On the K20d, I found the 'Live View' function to be of very limited use. But with the resolution of the 3" screen on the camera and the ease of switching into Live View with just a push of a button, I use Live View routinely. Want to shoot with the camera held above your head? Touch the live view button and do it!Others have commented on the focusing improvement and I can confirm that with the same lens, the focus seems a bit faster but more importantly, hunts far less and locks onto targets the first time almost all of the time. Focusing in low light is remarkably improved. So shots that I may have missed before are more likely to be captured.I really loved how the K20d felt in my hand so I was a bit worried that the K5 would be a letdown since it is smaller, but the K5 feels solid and yet comfortable because of the grip ergonomics and the textured finish. I recently picked up a used Pentax 60-250mm lens that is over 6"long and 2 1/2 lbs, but while it is a heavy combo, it feels balanced and is remarkably comfortable for such a big lens. It is easy to hold the K5 in one hand and reach all of the important functions. With the 60-250mm lens you would definitely want to use two hands after a while - the lens is great but it definitely adds a lot of weight - but taking one handed shots is possible because of the ergonomics of the K5, especially with the in-camera stabilization function.Speaking of the anti-shake function, there are pros and cons to in-camera vs. in-lens stabilization, but I have to say that I prefer the in-camera version for three key reasons: First, every lens you mount on the camera becomes a stabilized lens; second, non-stabilized lenses are less expensive to purchase than stabilized lenses, and third, a stabilized lens more rapidly uses the battery charge than the in-camera stabilization because you are moving glass lens elements instead of a light CCD sensor. So while you cannot see the stabilization working via the viewfinder, I will sacrifice this slight advantage for better battery life, cheaper lens cost and always-available stabilization regardless of the lens you are using!There is so much more I love about the K5, but I will highlight just one more thing. The menu system on the K20d was kludgy and a bit hard to work with. The menu on the k5 is much cleaner and easier to use. I can find what I am looking for more easily (and there is a ton of stuff you can do in the menus!)and making adjustments is fast and sure. More importantly, the things I use the most are directly accessed by the wealth of buttons on the camera, but for those occasions where I need to use a menu the K5 is a definite step up. And just for the fun of it, here are a few things in the menus that you can do, many of which you cannot do with the 'big name' brands:* Fine tune focus adjustment for each lens you own. I checked and my 60-250 front focused just a little bit, but with about 20 minutes of work (using Live View), I was able to adjust this myself and lock in that adjustment for that particular lens. Mount another lens and this adjustment does not apply because the setting is saved as lens specific!* In camera HDR capability, even hand held, lens correction (based upon the specific lens you are using!), dynamic range enhancement, etc.! (I haven't played with much of this yet, but there are some good comments on this on Pentax forums. And just the ability to have this at your fingertips gives you a lot more creativity to play with.)* Shooting sports today and landscapes tomorrow? You can set up the camera to 'favor' speed or depth of field. Or you can set the camera to use the MTF scores of the specific lens

I've shot with the K-5 for a month now, and I'd like to share my viewpoints on it. First, the noise level in the high-ISO images really is as excellent as the technical reviews say it is. This means that you can use a higher ISO number and get results equivalent to other cameras at lower ISO numbers. You can take your shot with either a faster shutter time (better motion freezing) or smaller aperture (better sharpness, etc) or just enjoy the reduced noise. This puts the camera at an advantage over all other APS-C cameras and a few of the full frame cameras. Next, the movie mode is a mixed bag. It has the 1920x1080 at 25fps setting, as well as 1280x720 at 30fps settings, and lower settings too. The 25fps setting is often quoted as a major problem, with videographers wanting to shoot 23.976fps as a "cinema" mode, but it takes only a bit of video conversion to change the frame rate to 23.976 and resample the 32k s/s stereo signal to match. So, if you're desperate you can manage, but even then it is clear that this is not a camera for someone who wants video as a major use. The biggest problem is the inability to autofocus while shooting. The worst-case test of this is shooting a 2-year old running around in a house. Being indoors with available light, the aperture is open and depth of field is short; as soon as the child runs towards you the focus is way out. The camera is simply not usable in this kind of situation. On the other hand, with available light and a subject which is not in wild motion, the results are acceptable, but even then, a much less expensive camcorder often gives superior results. The only place where the K-5 shines in video is if you are outdoors, and you have a 500mm telephoto mounted, and you want video of distant wildlife - then, you have a system giving nice results. However, again, if you want a camera with great video capability and very good but not quite great still capability, go for the Panasonic-DMC-GH2. Next, color gradient linearity. A partly subjective criteria, not an easy item to quantify, but not too hard for a professional photographer to see. This is the quality of a color image which makes it as lifelike and genuine-looking in the shadows and highlights as in the midranges. A face is a good choice, especially a baby's face - a fair skinned baby should have subtle colorations in the midranges perceivable because their skin is so thin it is nearly transparent. The shadows should look like skin in shadow, not various types of dirty brown, and the highlights should look like brightly illuminated skin not just brightly-colored areas. Being able to set the K-5 with 14-bit linearity may be the key to its terrific color gradient linearity. The K-5 has a wonderfully realistic treatment of living things, and subtle colors which extend from bright to dark look authentic in a way which the eye can see but which are hard to describe - to put a phrase on it, the beauty of the image is deep. The genuineness of the color gradients give a realistic sense of depth which stay in the image even after you have blown it up and put it on your wall. Again, this is hard to quantify, but you won't see this much in the Panasonic GH-2. Or even the Canon Rebel 550D. Pentax has gotten this just so right. I've seen Nikon D7000 shots with similar qualities, but I'd have to still give the K-5 the advantage here. To me, this is one of the deciding features of the K-5, and it has nothing to do with all the technical tests at which it has excelled. Let me say a few words about the image stabilization, which unlike most cameras is in the camera body. You can put any lens on the camera, including old classics, and get modern image stabilization. If you try this with Canon, you will end up stuck on your tripod. Why don't other manufacturers do this? And yes, it works extremely well. Even for long lenses. Now, auto-focus. I have to say, when shooting a still subject the K-5 is near perfection. It is fast and positive in bright light, slower but certain in fairly dim light. If it fails to find a focus in autofocus mode, it will not acknowledge the shutter press. The focus-assist LED is excellent and works well for darkened rooms, but only for distances less than about 5 feet, above that it gets a little less reliable. I sometimes take flash shots in absolute darkness of subjects over 5 feet away, and I've gotten good results using a small hand held flashlight to get a temporary focus, then hold it and turn off the flashlight, and take the shot. This gives you the ability to get dramatic shots like an animal in water at night, splashing, with every drop suspended in air. On the other hand - the situation with a baby running around in circles in front of you, the test I gave for the video mode focus problem, remains a worst case. Moving to continuous focus mode, you get excellent sharp shots, but the timing may be awkward - for instance, with the child running in circle

I bought this camera on the 10th, and got it today (the 12th) so this review may be a bit premature. In short. I am in love with this camera. I haven't seen the images on my computer yet, but from the on camera display, this thing takes really stunning images. As an upgrade from my Pentax K10D (which is also a fantastic camera) this camera truly is the best DSLR I have ever used, many of my friends own Canon and Nikon's, and they spend literally thousands of dollars on a single camera body, but so far, they do not even compare. I really like the high ISO range, and very low noise, on my K10d I am afraid to go above 400, with the K5 I have been shooting at 3200+ and still getting crisp, clear images. But much like any camera, this one has it's pros and cons. A few things I really like about this, is the fast (or what is fast compared to other cameras I have used) auto focus system, it's fast, but slow compared to Canon or Nikon, but as a bonus with Pentax's AF system, is that the trade off of ultra high speed is ultra accuracy. However one thing I am finding really hard to get use to is the ever so slightly smaller size. This may not be a problem for everyone, but I am use to being able to fit all four of my fingers on the camera body, and having one hang off the K5 to me is just uncomfortable, this can also be corrected by using the battery grip for it. I also really like some of the features they have packed into this little guy, such as the built in level, which I think is very useful if you are shooting from a tripod on uneven ground, and you are unable to perfectly level your tripod. Another thing I am finding odd to adjust to is button placement. While convenient, it's just simply different to what I have been using for the past four years. Over all though, this is an amazing camera, with stunning image capture, that is true to life, this thing is built like a tank (much like all other Pentax cameras) it isn't too heavy, if anything compared to what I am use to it is a bit too light, but that will just take some adjustment. This is a really, really great camera if you are just a beginner, or if you are a pro, it's not only inexpensive, but the quality is all there. Compared to Nikon or Canon, the price to product ratio is much higher, and frankly I am not too impressed with Nikon, Canon, or really any other camera maker out there. If only Pentax made a full frame format camera (other than the 640d) In other words, if you are looking for a new DSLR, buy this, you will not be disappointed. I only highlighted a new nice things about this camera, order it, and you too will find out all the amazing features this camera holds!

While there are some areas that I think the Pentax K-5 could use some improvement... it is absolutely top-notch in the area that matters above everything else, and that is photo quality.I really think that if you are not really interested in video, don't have any particular allegiance to Canon or Nikon and simply want a tough, rugged, sub-$1,500 DSLR which will stand up to all the elements and take absolutely top-notch photos (even with the kit lens), then the K-5 is for you.The camera itself is very well-made and surprisingly compact next to its competitors in its price range. It is basically like a little tank. The hand-grip is nice but only accomodates three fingers with your index finger resting on the dial wheel above the hand-grip. In practice, it doesn't feel uncomfortable but I do think this is one area where the Canon 60d and Nikon D7000 do a bit of a better job (but of course they are also larger). But overall it's not too bad.As expected for a camera in this price range, there are many direct access controls for adjusting setting such as the ISO and other nice things like a RAW button for switching to raw from jpeg. Your thumb is positioned very comfortably on the back of the DSLR, making access to most buttons a breeze.The menu system is the same as most Pentax's of late. It's main menu system is pretty similar to Canon's with respect to how you navigate through it and how everything is laid out. I like Canon's menu system a lot, so this is a good thing. As would be expected, this DSLR is jam packed with features, so a read-through of the manual is highly encouraged.Photo quality, as I said before, is top notch. What strikes me is the level of detail that is captured in my shots with the K-5, even with the lowly kit lens. Even high-sun shots look pretty decent (well, about as good as you could expect given the conditions). I have experienced excellent noise performance up to ISO1600 but even ISO3200 is pretty respectable. One trademark Pentax trait is very vibrant and saturated colors. In most instances, this works out quite well. Although there maybe some shooting conditions where you might want to dial back the saturation just a little.If you order it with the 18-55 WR kit lens, you will find that its a pretty decent performer. As well as the 50-200 WR kit lens. There is also the 18-135 WR lens as well, which is alright too. Pentax deserves tons of credit for offering a line of a very reasonably-priced, decent-performing weather-sealed kit lenses. The 18-55 WR (weather-resistant) kit lens is around $150 and the 50-200 WR kit lens is about $210. However, as with a lot of DSLRs, it takes some top-notch glass to bring out the K-5's full potential. So it's worthwhile to invest in at least one lens from Pentax's DA* line.Now, onto to some annoyances. I think the autofocus system is good but not as decent as it could/should be. It is just a hair slower than the 60d and the D7000 in most instances. But certainly not subpar though. However, I think this is an area where some improvement should be made. Another major irritant is how much time it takes for the camera to display a picture you just took on screen. It is noticeably slower than some other DSLRs and this is also something Pentax needs to work on. Also, the viewfinder is 100% coverage, which is nice. And while it's perfectly decent, it is not as good of a magnification as the 60d's (although the 60d has only 96% coverage) and while it is good, it could be better. I was also non-plussed by the LCD quality. I think its ok, and certainly the resolution number is competitive, but it doesn't hold a candle to the ones found on the Canons.The video mode is not really great on this DSLR. Still-shooting performance is my top priority so I honestly could care less about the video mode, as I only will need it on rare occaisions. But this is one area where both Canon and Nikon have an advtange.But, overall, I still give this camera 5 stars due to its photo quality and its ability to take superb photos in just about any condition you throw at it. Something that can't really be said about any of the other DSLRs in this price range. Despite my criticisms, the camera's performance is overall good, but needs improvement in some areas. But if you are shopping in the $1,500 range, this deserves as much consideration (or perhaps even more depending on what you're shooting in) as Canon's and Nikon's competing DSLRs.

I love everything about this camera and, having switched from Olympus, find the low-light capabilities to be extraordinarily. The real technical details may be found in other reviews and consider using [...] to see how it compares to other DSLR choices.BUT...and this is a very big but, there is a problem with the mirror locking up that is pervasive and Pentax refuses to acknowledge and remedy this fatal flaw either with firmware or fix/replacement options. You will be right in the middle of a shoot and the camera locks up, forcing you to pull the battery, replace it and sometimes, give it a little hit on the side. Search the web and you will see the magnitude of this concern. I even bought a battery grip, hoping it would fix the problem but to no avail. It seems most frequent in the Tv mode but can occur in any mode of shooting, including manual.So if you are shooting a wedding or happen on the Loch Ness monster you may be be very frustrated. Even during casual shooting, this is a major pain for a flagship camera.So caveat emptor and save all your receipts and warranty cards. Mine started doing this about 14 months after I bought it through Amazon and I thought it was a fluke until I read up on the problem, now widely reported on the net.This issue aside, it is a great camera and for the current price (about half of what I paid shortly after release) it is a lot of bang for the buck. I would just get the body and consider the Pentax 16-45mm and the 55-300 WR lenses for starters. I've added several in addition to these but find I use these lenses most with the 16-45 clearly a cut above the very decent 18-55 kit lens. You can get very good lenses at reasonable prices. I scored a 50mm 1.7f manual lens on Ebay for $55 and it is the sharpest lens in my kit.And besides...it is pretty cool to not have what everyone else has dangling from your neck and produce images that often blow Canon and Nikon shots out of the water. Just try the in-camera HDR function when you are out with some friends on a shoot and listen to the ooohs, ahhhs and "what are your settings?" Heh, heh, heh.

I saw all the rave reviews from both buyers and camera review sites on the K5 so I just had to have it. I recently sold my Nikon D90 and was in need of an upgrade.The ergonomics of the K5 are JUST great. It makes you want to pick it up and use it. The weight, the solid build, LCD, and all the buttons seem to be in the right place REALLY great. A sort of non issue, out of the box I had two hot pixels. Thanks though to the in camera pixel mapping a BIG advantage over the Nikon D7000, I had a perfect camera in seconds after just clicking pixel remap.My problems with the K5 are I had way too many pictures where it focused behind what I wanted IT to focus on, OR focused REALLY on nothing. Despite the fact it LOOKED focused in either the viewfinder and or live view. I set it to one point certainly not multi. (I shot a lot of People shots) Unless I was very close to the subject(s) OR "if the subject didn't have a lot of things close by behind" like trees etc.,over and over the K5 had really focused behind my target.I tend to shoot a lot in places of nature like Arboretums etc..so it's then when I noticed the most out of focus shots, when the background was sort of busy. If I was shooting a portrait shot, say by the Ocean, I always had PERFECT sharp focus as there was nothing CLOSE behind my subject like a tree obviously.Another thing that bothered me on the K5 was it's OVERALL rendition of skin tones. I know certain settings are out of the box too saturated with too much contrast but most pictures no matter what I did, had unrealistic skin tones.In raw I was usually able to get VERY good skin tone but I hated to ALWAYS have to manipulate nearly every picture I took in order to get realistic looking skin tones.Fast Forward, I was getting frustrated with the focus and COLOR accuracy. I picked up a Nikon D7000 and without doing a whole review, without question the D7000 had way better accurate auto focus in most situations, and much better looking ACCURATE color, especially skin tones. (This was MY experience don't shoot the messenger :))Long story short without a doubt I enjoyed the overall feel and customization level much more on the K5 vs the Nikon. Also high ISO goes to the K5. As to grain or Chroma noise my tests showed the K5 was the winner over the D7000 which was close.However due to the focus and skin tone issues I sadly returned my K5 and will be keeping the D7000. There is no doubt the Pentax is a SUPER great camera. I suppose if you enjoy a ton of post processing it will reward you big time. The auto focus issue? I don't know..I missed far too many shots that should have been in focus..and that's probably the main reason I chose the D7000 over the Pentax.This is just my opinion, and from what I've read the K5 usually comes up the winner. However due to the issues I listed at least in my case, the D7000 was the better camera for ME though not ergonomically. Also as far as the initial kit lenses go, if you buy these cameras with the kit lens..the K5'S lens will show MUCH more purple fringing, The D7000 wins again on the kit lens. Not an issue if you plan to buy some good glass as they say with your camera. All said though, the K5 is a great camera, but you may want to try a D7000 and see if it may not be the better camera in the REAL WORLD..Not dxo charts, shooting manikins in a studio, and all that sort of thing.I know there are some die hard Pentax people out there I can see why, as Pentax seems riddled with QUALITY and is a bit DIFFERENT than the same old boring? Nikon/ Canons. I am actually the type who PREFERS to be different, (I have an X100 LOVE IT!! I won't even go there now). I WANTED to choose the K5 over the D7000 but my pictures wouldn't let me do that..JUST my eyes and opinion.

Best camera I've ever owned. Not too long after purchasing, I caught the full-frame bug and moved to Canon 5dmkII. NOT a better camera. L series lenses not better than DA* or Limited glass. Best image quality you'll get for under $2,000. Best ergonomics, period. Best weather resistant camera, period. Lowest overall system cost, period. Cons: AF system needs some improvement. Sourcing lenses, peripherals in person is nearly impossible unless you live in NY, LA or Chicago. If you're worried about impressing people by the name brand of your gear, this isn't for you either.A last thought to ponder: Pentax is the manufacturer of the bestselling SLR of ALL TIME, The K-1000. For good reason--simple design, reliable and inexpensive.

I switched from Nikon D40 to the Pentax system, because I now consider myself an enthusiast up from an amateur. Alas in these difficult economic time I can't afford $2000.00 for a weather resistant Nikon with a better sensor, but I can afford the Pentax which has the aforementioned qualities I'm looking for. Pentax is such an easy to operate camera, it has all the switches and dials on the camera, no more diving into the menu to adjust ISO or to get continuous focus or metering. And the lenses are affordable, even for the fast primes as compared to Nikon fast lenses. Backwards compatibility you got it, K mount is a popular mount, this allows for purchasing high quality glass affordably, ebay has thousands of quality lenses. Also it seems that Pentax has enthusiastic fan base with helpful forums, which comes in handy from time to time. For such a powerful camera it's tiny, as small as my D40, and the lenes are small, which is cool for carrying around all day. The down side of being small is my pinky finger drops off the camera, so I ordered a battery grip, and I bet it's still going to be compact. Speaking of ergonomics the camera is easy to hold, due to its deep grip, and the switches and dials have a quality feel. The fit and finish is superb. I'm glad I made the switch, I like being a "rebel", in the world of cameras anyway!

So,I will not reinvent the wheel. Read the glowing reviews of this camera and take everyone's word for it. This camera rocks. I bought this camera for three reasons. 1) It's a Pentax and I have been happy with Pentax since I bought a Spotmatic in the early seventies. 2) Some of the forum reviews thought the K-5ii feature set wasn't worth the higher price vs. this camera, 3) I was going to the Burning Man festival and I wanted a weather-sealed high end camera to use in one of the harshest environments on the planet. All I can say is that I have not been disappointed. The camera worked like a dream. I am totally happy with my photos and despite heat and ferocious dust that thoroughly coated the outside of the camera (aka Playafied) it never quit. Indeed I have not been able to detect any dust getting inside the camera at all (don't take off the WR lens though). BTW: I bought mine from Beach Camera and was totally satisfied unlike another recent reviewer.

This is quite simple the best camera I've ever owned. It takes great photos and is very well built. I wasn't going to upgrade yet. I'm the type to wait until a new electronics product has been out for a while and dropped in price, but the reports I've seen about this camera triggered my choice to take a chance.The first thing I noticed is how petite the K-5 looks, though looks are deceiving. This baby is dense and weighs much more than you'd expect from the size. I'm sure that the magnesium body and extensive weather seals have a lot to do with that. This is one solid piece of kit. The camera has plenty of external controls, about what you'd expect from a body in this price range. I've shot with my sealed K20D in the Pacific Northwest rain a lot with no problems. My two shoots with the K-5 in the wet show it to be as least as good. Though Pentax has dropped the multiple exposure button. You can program the custom program button to duplicate that feature. As far a programming, the K-5 has the extensive customizability I came to love with my K20D. The feature list is extensive and way too long to go over in a short review.And the photos! This camera has a huge dynamic range, over 14 stops! Even at ISO 800 it has the same exposure range of my K20D at 100 ISO. The tonality you can get from a print is beautiful. Another nice feature is the ability to choose 14 bit as opposed to 12 bit RAW files. It's a small thing but brings the camera in line with Nikon's offerings. I can't comment on the many shooting modes and effects available. They only apply to JPEG images. I don't understand why anyone would buy a camera this costly and capable and throw away so much potential image quality by shooting JPEG. That's not to say that the JPEGs from the K-5 aren't perfectly fine. They are. It's just that RAW files from this camera hold so much more information than a JPEG can. And that information translates into a very real difference in what you can print if you take the time and care to. My experience seems to mirror the incredible sensor abilities that DXO Labs has published for the K-5.One other huge advance is the focus speed. This is the fastest and most accurately focusing camera Pentax has ever built, easily in line with Canon and Nikon's offerings in the price range. One small disappointment is that the fast focus and 7 fps capture rate makes the camera suitable for sports and wildlife photography, but the camera has a somewhat limited buffer. The 40 frames of JPEG is reasonable but the 15 image RAW buffer is a bit cramped. But then Pentax doesn't make the long lenses for that kind of photography anyway. Though Sigma does make some with Pentax mounts. With the few ballgame or bird photos I take, I haven't found the buffer limit to be a problem.Looking at my histograms shows that the K-5 has a tendency to underexpose about a third of a stop. That's really no problem as I've pulled usable photos out of totally black portions of the initial image, great reason to shoot RAW. Another is the great low ISO capability of the K-5. the quality of my 6400 ISO photos is slightly better than what I get with the K20D at 1600 ISO, easily 2 1/2-3 stops improvement depending on situation. And the camera focuses much faster in low light, too.If I were a video shooter I might find a problem with the lack of autofocus in video mode. The newest Canon and Nikon cameras have that ability, though the autofocus is slow on both during video capture. That's the nature of phase detection focusing that true DSLRs use in Live View or Video. The couple of videos I've shot look great. It's enough for me. And the camera does allow for an external microphone.P.S.It was commented that this review is to impersonal and that I use terms that people don't understand. To make this more clear:14 stops of DR means in the real world is that my photos look better than any I've ever taken. Color gradations are smoother and more subtle. It means that I'm able to pull usable details out of parts of the image that I would have given up on before because they were too dark. It means that I can take single shots in situations where before I would have used HDR or exposure blending to pull in detail in both bright and dark areas of a scene. It means that I can the same tonal range at ISO 800 that I get with a K20D at ISO 100. It means that this is a terrific camera. I guess I'm a bit excited that a Pentax camera finally gets great press. I'm a bit tired of having equipment that I very much like ignored by most photographers.

I was very happy with the fast service. There are no complaints, thank you. I will be ordering more as you make it so convenient and have a fantastic selection. L Bearss

The K-5 is really something special. I tried our Nikon, Cannon, and Sony before landing on a K-5. Now granted, Nikon, Cannon and Sony all make great cameras - so I am not going to go into a fanboy war between all the brands - I'll just focus on why I chose the K-5, even though it is about 2 year old technology at the moment (May 2012)Feel - The K-5 is solid, rock solid. It feels like it could survive the Zombie Apocalypse, and we'll need someone taking photos - right? In all seriousness, this is a tight, weather sealed camera that is built like a tank. It is also much smaller than most DSLRs out there - almost compact (well for a DSLR) It just feels good in the hand and is an absolute pleasure to take photos with. Some have compared it to Leica Ms - but I won't go that far - however, this is a great DSLR for street photography - you wont' be scaring your subject away, especially if you use one of the Pentax wonderful limited primes (the 40mm looks like there is not even a lens in the camera)Image quality - this baby just takes great pictures. The 16.3 MP sensor is a Sony and it produces great results. Low light performance is very good. Frankly, I don't blow up my shots to life size, so I don't need 24 or 36 MP - more megapixels does not always equate to better photos - that is really up to the photographer. When paired up with a quality lens - the images a stunning. When paired up with an ok lens (kit lenses) - the images are pretty darn good.Lens selection - some will argue that Nikon and Cannon just offer more lenses - and that is correct. They offer A LOT of lenses, most of which, honestly, you will never use. Pentax offers a great number of lenses and have these absolutely amazing limited primes that exude quality. They are awesome and make the experience just all that much better while giving you wonderful image quality.But it's Pentax! - Pentax is a quirky company and they have been going through a lot of issues. With the recent acquisition of Pentax by Ricoh, I think the future is bright. And Pentax really focuses (no pun intended) on the photographic experience. Yeah - they may be the underdog, but I can tell you I get just as good, if not better, images with the K-5 and some of the prime lenses than my colleagues with their expensive and heavy Canikon gear.All in all - this is a great value DSLR. There are better out there - but I have yet to find one that has the feel of the K-5. Cameras are very subjective - so your opinion may vary.

I just got my k-5, and it is pretty much exactly what I was looking for. I upgraded from the k20d, in the k-5 surpasses that excellent camera in every respect.The AF is so much faster than previous pentax models. It can still struggle sometimes in very low light when pointed at low contrast area, but so does pretty much any camera ever made. Liveview AF if very fast as well, even faster with the new 1.02 firmware.The dynamic range is astounding, and equals or beats pretty much any digital camera up to this point (and probably equals the exposure latitude of negative film). I can pretty much dispense with multiple exposures for HDR, because i can now just expose for the highlights and then bring the shadows up in photoshop with almost no added noise. This is probably the most revolutionary feature.High ISO is fantastic, getting pretty close to the performance of the best FF cameras of the current generation. It is at least 2 stops better than my k20d, and probably closer to 3 when you factor in that you pretty much cant make it produce banding noise at any iso, which makes the files much easier to clean up. I can use iso 6400 at A3 size and it looks great, just a quick pass with noise ninja or topaz. The ISO performance of this camera was unimaginable a few years ago when talking about aps-c sensors.The build quality is awesome, and it just feels great in the hand (i have average sized hands). Its very compact for a camera in this class (compared to nikon d300s. canon 7d, etc..), but is very solid feeling due to the magnesium alloy shell and steel frame. It is fully weather sealed and very rugged. Try doing this with any other camera besides the olympus e-5 [...] . It somehow manages to squeeze a remarkable number of manual controls in without feeling cramped.Ergonomics is a particular strong point for Pentax in general, and specifically the k-5 is probably the best pentax yet camera in this regard. All the major controls fall easily under your fingers, with no need to take your eye away to change aperture, shutter speed, iso, metering pattern, af mode, etc.. The great high iso performance makes the pentax TAV mode truly useful finally (lets you set aperture and shutter speed, and changes the iso to get proper exposure within your set auto iso range). More than any other company it seems like the pentax engineers are also photographers, and everything is laid out in a way that is logical and well conceived. Also there is the pentax unique hyper program and hyper manual modes. Hyper program lets you easily switch from your set program mode to AV or SV mode by just turning the control wheel of each. Turn the back wheel and you are in aperture priority, turn the front and you are in shutter priority, hit the green button and you are back to your program mode. In manual mode you can make your adjustments to shutter and aperture, and the green button will take a meter reading and make an exposure suggestion for you, which quickly gets you in the ballpark. Its great.The shutter/mirror sound is whisper quite, a very nice change from the loud thwack of my k20d. When i shoot with my flash, the flashbulb pop is the loudest sound coming from the camera. Its very refined and unobtrusive. The max continuous speed is an impressive 7 frames per second, and mine can go for an equally impressive 25 frames before the buffer fills. This is all pretty much class leading.This camera pairs exceptionally well with the tiny Limited primes, making it possible to have exceptional IQ with very small size, yet retaining all the control of a pro camera. Street photographers should seriously consider this combo.I can recommend this camera to anyone without reservation. It is the best camera I have ever used, and it makes the other cameras in its class feel gigantic and clunky.Pros:Fast AF14 stops of DRClean High ISO, usable ISO 6400Compact, rugged buildErgonomicsGreat color, tonal gradationsVery customizableCons:AF tracking not that great, but pretty good for all but the most demanding circumstances.Needs high quality lenses to shine, but why put crap glass on a camera like this anyway?

I bought this camera for the following features: weather/dust seals, quality of sensor for price, interoperability with my old lenses. I was a K1000 shooter for years, and after reading many reviews, decided to give this camera a shot as my main digital. I have used it extensively for shooting car races in heat, dust and rain, usually with a 50-200 zoom. The image stabilization (in the camera, not the lenses!) has meant I could also use my old glass and get decent results. I have also shot from the bow of a sailboat in a small squall, and was pleased that the weather seals did their job (warning, your results may vary! Water resistant is NOT waterproof!).This camera is light, and fairly small compared to it's competitors, but it feels solid. Battery life is good, speed is also good for the price point. Auto focus takes some adjusting to, but it generally competent. The 18-55mm lens that came with it is very useful for general shooting, especially with 18mm being basically a wide angle substitute. Low light capability with this lens is good, and low light with some of my older manual glass is great.There are about one billion settings you can fool around with on this camera if that's your thing, but the "green" mode (point and shoot), and a couple of pre-programmed settings hold me pretty well.My only real knock is that Pentax doesn't make enough lenses, and lenses from third party suppliers range from great to really not worth the money. I would like to see a wider range of weather-resistent lenses, but am otherwise very happy.

Pros: I waited through the Pentax K-7 for the K-5 because I felt the K-7 was too similar to my K20D. Well, it was worth the two year wait for me--I love the K-5 in virtually every way. The AF is SO much better than either the K20 or the K7, it's unbelievable. It of course, like most other cameras, does a little hunting in VERY low lighting conditions, but that is to be expected. The high ISO ability is incredible to me, after shooting with the K20D, which wasn't anywhere close to the noise quality of the K-5. In fact, with the K-5, I can do ultra long exposures and capture star trails now, with such low noise that I almost don't need to de-noise, and yet it doesn't reduce the quality of the image. In trying star trails with both the K10 and K20, what I received for an output image after a 30 minute to an hour exposure was a picture FILLED with mostly noise of the most foul, ugly, wormy-looking type--impossible to de-noise at all. The K-5 does star trails and ultra long exposures effortlessly.I am also amazed by the wonderful resolution of the K-5's sensor--it provides razor sharp images, beautiful saturation and a lovely rendering of anything I photograph.I love the new system of having only enough items on each menu in-camera that fit on one "page" of the screen, allowing one not to have to endlessly scroll through up to 20 items before finding what one is looking for--way to go, Pentax!Video capability is GREAT! I am very impressed with the quality, and despite the fact that it only has a mono sound unless you attach a stereo microphone, which is very easy to do, it has very good sound and rendering. The videos are beautiful. The one thing you have to be careful of is the setting you record on--I made the mistake of recording in vivid mode, and it is basically like taking a jpeg in whatever color mode you are shooting in: you are stuck with whatever color mode you film in. Don't make this mistake--I had brilliantly emerald green trees, and unrealistically blue ocean water--my bad here, truly. From then on, I have filmed in landscape mode outdoors, and whatever mode is indicated for interior filming. . . I have also handheld many times while filming, which many magazines indicate one should never do because one will experience blurring. In daylight, I have had no trouble with blurring and even in lower light (not nighttime certainly).Cons: I am not a big fan of the new dynamic range feature that is within one of the menus. It seems to slow the camera down and it looks a bit more like an HDR image when all is said and done. Although I have been told that some people just use one or two points of high dynamic range adjustment, instead of all, as I tried, so I may go back and experiment. There is nothing wrong with this feature, but for some reason, just not my favorite of all the new features.Final thoughts: Thinking about the price of the K-5 as compared with other cameras of its kind and what it can do/provide for a photographer, I am amazed by the amount of quality, weather-sealing, lightness of the body, ease of use in camera and in the menus. I think Pentax did a fabulous job designing and marketing the Pentax K-5!

Well, there doesn't seem to be a whole lot that I can add to all the reviews already submitted. This is a great tool, no wait, maybe a better word would be to describe the Pentax K-5 is that it is a WEAPON. Why do I say that? Mainly because you can take it in the toughest environments, and it can tackle any of them, and have you looking like the hero in whatever photo assignment you find yourself in.I have been shooting professionally since the days of film when film was king. I have used what are considered top of the line cameras in my career in both the film and digital age. After a period of semi-retirement from the photography business, I decided to give this Pentax K-5 a try. Wow, what a camera. It is packed with several ways to customize it for your shooting taste and tendencies. It is as solid as they get, very easy to handle (I do use the battery grip that you can get for it) and have used it in the rain with a weather resistant lens, and it just keeps going; producing great results. You can buy a Canon or a Nikon and pay more but not gain any real huge advantage over the Pentax K-5. Sure you can get one that will shoot at a higher frame rate, but for most, the ability to shoot a seven frames per second is more than adequate. You can also, maybe, choose a Nikon or Canon for higher ISO capability, but honestly, the noise level at higher ISO's is very good and on par with the competition.I currently use four lenses with the Pentax K-5: Pentax DA 18-135mm WR f3.5-5.6 lens (a nice sharp, all around lens), Pentax FA 50mm f/1.4 lens (I use this lens quite a bit, beautiful bokeh, great portrait lens), Pentax DA 35mm f2.4 lens (Very inexpensive, but surprisingly sharp with good contrast and color rendition), and finally, the Pentax DA 14mm f/2.8 lens (it amazing how close up you can focus on something with this lens. It helps you get some real neat perspectives on the subject your shooting). What is great about Pentax is that you can use any k-mount lens with this camera, so the possibilities seem endless.Do I recommend this camera, you betcha. What is even better is that it is affordable. So if you want to spend a lot dough so you can be in the status quo, go ahead, but it won't make you a better photographer. But if you think of the camera as a tool, or as I call the Pentax K-5, a weapon, then when you learn how to use it for what it was intended for (a camera for taking great moments in time), the Pentax K-5 then becomes a mighty weapon in the hand indeed.

This is the first DSLR that I have owned so I don't really have any experiences with other cameras but the features and settings are easy to access and use. I've had this camera for about 3-4 weeks now and I'm still Learning about the capabilities of this camera.

This camera is the best pro-sumer camera out there. It is full of features that are relatively easy to use. It takes stunning low light photos.

The short:This is an excellent camera that, like all quality tools, steps completely out of my way and lets me experience pure photography with quality results and minimal hassle.Longer:I've been shooting with the K-5 for a little over 6 months now and have taken over 10,000 photos with it. I think I'm in now a good position to share my impressions of the camera.Like: - Very responsive with excellent ergonomics. Every mode is well thought out and it's easy to quickly change settings in a given mode with only my right hand and no visual cues. - The sensor is amazing. Excellent high ISO performance, excellent low ISO performance, excellent dynamic range. Very low noise. - Large collection of older, optically-excellent lenses available second-hand. The build quality of many of these lenses is much higher than you will find today (outside of the pro market). You often lose auto-focus or other features, but a competent shooter can get amazing output and they are fun to shoot with! - In-body stabilization gives these older lenses image stabilization! - Excellent prime and zooms available for fair prices. I recommend checking out the Pentax 50mm 1.4 prime, and the Tamron 17-50mm 2.8 zoom as a start. - The compact, magnesium alloy body gives an immediate (and lasting) impression of quality. - Weather sealed body, which can be combined with a WR lens for a great outdoor kit. - Has a full compliment of high-end modes and featuresCould Be Better: - The video mode is high-quality, but basic. Only Motion JPEG is offered, the camera will not refocus automatically, no dedicated video button. - The availability of high-quality lenses that support quiet SDM focusing is limited. - Some excellent 300m lenses are available, such as the Pentax 300mm f/4 prime, but not as many as Nikon or Canon - No current Pentax offerings over 300m, you'll have to go third party or used and this is not the ideal system for those extreme focal lengths.For my particular situation, nothing in the "could be better" category is relevant to my needs. There is no camera currently available for under $2,500 that I would trade my K-5 for.

The K-5 packs a great deal into the price and size. Built around the same Sony sensor as the Nikon D7000, it nearly destroys the Nikon in the following ways:1) smaller (about the size of a Nikon D40 or D3100)2) lighter (less than D90)3) better built (weather proof)4) built-in VR in the body (this makes all your lenses perform much better handheld, priceless)5) auto WB is much more accurate indoors and in artificial lighting (crucial because what good is high ISO if the WB is crap)6) has the ability to retrieve RAW even if you shoot in jpg from the latest internal buffer7) high FPS8) better high ISO performance than D7000 (not sure how Nikon managed to degrade it)Weakness:1) jpg size is rather large at the *** level (6 MB) and no quick shortcut to change file sizes2) movie size is huge per minute recorded3) lens selection is limitedOverall this product is the king of crop sensor bodies (except for the K5II at double the price right now).

I upgraded from a K-X and boy this is a HUGE upgrade! I never use my k-x anymore and love everything I can tweak with this camera. The only thing I am not too fond of would be the auto-focusing system. It really doesn't focus all that well in lower light. For this reason.. if you are upgrading or just thinking about purchasing into the Pentax system.. go for the K-5 II. I heard they fixed the auto-focusing system and would LOVE to have that fix. If you are just thinking about Pentax.. DO IT. It is a great system and lenses are so much cheaper. I find myself with plenty of older manual lenses where the quality is amazing! I have personally bought 6 manual primes for under $100. They are some of my go-to lenses even though they are manual focus lenses.

I would consider myself an enthusiast photographer. Really started getting into photography in the past couple of years and slowly climbed the ladder to where I was comfortable buying a dSLR. After many, many, many hours of research I kept coming back to the K-5 for my first serious camera. I also researched the Nikon D7000, the Canon 60d, the Nikon D90, Nikon D3100, and Canon T2i. I wasn't invested in Canon or Nikon yet, so it wasn't going to be too brash of a move to go with the underdog - Pentax.I received my first K-5 and it had "the stain" on the sensor, so it went back. The replacement was an even older serial number and also suffered from the stain. I was still committed to the camera, so I tried for a third time. The third body did not have the dreaded stain, but did have a couple of dust motes on the sensor that could not be removed. As I write this, the body is on it's way to Pentax Repair to try and clean the sensor. This may not sound great for Pentax quality control (QC), but the camera itself is great enough to warrant putting up with these frustrations.Before sending in for repair, I was able to spend a few days with it during the holidays, mostly taking portraits and such. The first thing that will jump out at you about the K-5 is its intuitiveness. It is incredibly easy to set up the menus and adjust settings. I previously owned two Canon's, including the S90, and separating myself from the Canon menu style was no problem at all. The button layout is very simple and easily accessible, even when shooting.The other immediately apparent perk of the K-5 is the way it feels in your hands. You can tell right away that this thing was constructed for toughness. No squeaks, no rattles, no loose hinges. There is a "clunk" when you rotate it, but that just the image stabilization system (I believe). It's just built very well. I have very large hands (usually wear an XL in gloves or XXL) so the "compact" size of the K-5 was an initial concern. This isn't a problem because the ergonomics are so well done. The grip is almost like a pistol grip and just fits like a glove.Pros:- Great ergonomics- Very good high ISO performance. Noise is noticeable at 3200, but not bad- Very fast autofocus. Rode as a passenger around the city snapping pictures and the system was incredibly fast locking on and getting a true focus.- Metering system is very true. Haven't tweaked this much, but haven't had to. Light looks very natural- Solid Build- Quiet. The shutter is exceptionally quiet.- Image quality. Really looking forward to getting the body back to try out more.Cons:- Autofocus can be a little slow in poor light- The digital preview button is slightly confusing- Does not come with a screen protector (surprising for a camera intending for brutal conditions)- Kit lens is okay, but not the best.- The shooting mode wheel lock is a little annoyingIn conclusion, the fact that I'm still praising this camera after two returns and a repair pretty much says it all. This is a very capable camera, that I'm dying to delve into and explore. I would recommend this to anyone, but especially those you haven't invested in Canon or Nikon yet.Also, I can't say enough about Amazon's customer service. My hat is off to them.

The K5 is a great upgrade from my K10. Smaller, lighter, quieter, faster burst, faster autofocus, great results at high ISO, built in HDR, etc. Lots of bang for the buck, and built like a tank

I just received my camera and I'm not sure about the quality of the pictures, they mostly noisy blurry, The lens would probably be the problem since it is just a basic cheap 55mm lens. Not sure if I need to return it or not , Though I've read good reviews about this camera

So I've had the Pentax K-5 nearly 2 years now. I've done a ton of art shows displaying work across the Midwest and after people spend time in my booth, the question seems to always come up...Nikon or Canon... When I tell them these images where taken with a Pentax K-5, the response is always the same.. Pentax?? I just smile and say ya it's a Pentax:) The sensor brings light to the image that Canon or Nikon misses. Granted, the auto focus is slow, and maybe the lens selection lacks some, but the images are really good. I've gone as big as 24X36 with no problem and the images are tack sharp. Shooting DA* glass may help. I think for the photographer that wants the most features for the $, Pentax is the brand to look at!

I have gone through various SLR and DSLR in my life, and just upgraded from my Pentax K10D (DSLR) to this model, and do not regret it at all.... I am wondering, what took me so long! It has all the great functions and characteristics I have come to learn and get used to on my old DSLR (Pentax K10D), such as the weather seals, which have got me through some dire straits and breath-holding moments when it fell into a metro deep snow in the Alps, operated over 4 thousand metres altitude and dewy fog in the Andes, and water spray from boating in the Amazon - all without a second of functionality loss or memory/capture loss. Just wipe it clean, and back to business. This new model has the same concept, but some great new features: much faster AF, with precise and crispy clear images, allied to a much higher ISO operating band: the camera boasts ISO 51200, however, if you use 1600 and have perfect pictures, that is already positive point very difficult to beat. The shutter is much quieter, allowing you to make pictures inside a museum or church, or during a classical performance, without making yourself unduly noticed, unlike my previous camera. The additional grip also allows you to use standard AA batteries, which you can find from the Amazon to India without worries, especially when "on the move". It also allows you to register movies in HD, and use "live view" when making your pictures, with on-line histogram readout, helping you with focus and lighting before you even click. All in all: if you are adventurous and a traveler, and need a resistant, all-rounder, that will be ready at your fingertips for any situation, this is the camera! It is like a Land Rover, or Swiss Army knife: not the fastest, not the most luxurious, but will get the job done in any condition! I highly recommend it, unless you are into studio, or any very specific field of photography! With the robustness of the Pentax K family, and the brains of the digital medium format (drivers, engines and electronic perks), it might look expensive at first, but when you pick it out of the snow or brush off the water spray and dust, and it is business as usual, the price becomes a bargain!Pentax K-5 16.3 MP Digital SLR with 3-Inch LCD (Black Body Only)

I had a K20D prior to buying the K5 as an upgrade. The K5 is really a high performance camera. The higher ISO with minimal image noise is exceptional and is a very valuable part of this camera. The image quality is excellent, including great color and sharpness. This camera is very well constructed, user friendly, and renders excellent results. Significant quality for the price. Pentax has made an excellent tool by producing this camera. I am very satisfied. As an addition to my review I just wanted to make this comment about unloading SD cards from the camera. When you go to get your SD card out of the slot, hold down on the card with your finger, then sort of let it go quick to allow it to spring out more than it would otherwise. It pops up enough for you to grab it.

I have had my K-5 for about 2 months now, and I love it. This is my fifth DSLR. I used to hang around in the beginner type DSLR cameras, but finally decided I need a semi-pro to achieve the type of pictures I wanted. I had a Pentax K-X prior to this one, and it doesn't even compare with the quality of pictures I get from the K-5. I take some of the best low light shots with this camera with literally no noise at ISOs of 1200 and 1600. The pictures of my son playing football and my daughter cheering come out looking great with the fast shutter speed. I highly recommend this camera!!! I have since purchased 5 lens and the image quality I get is beyond amazing. I am no where near pro, but I get a lot of compliments on my sports pictures since getting this camera. It is totally worth the money. Way to go Pentax!

Pentax K-5 is among the top semi-professional DCs, from my personal use.The quality and design of the camera body is just perfect. But the lens quality (FA 50mm and 18-135mm) is on average compared with Canon and Nikon, I would say. The good thing is that you can use the lens correction function in the K-5 to make the photos better for some of its recently developed lenses (such as 18-135mm).I also like the weather sealed body and its most lens series.As a reminder, once you get the new camera, go to their website to update the firmware. The new firmware can increase the camera performance tremendously.By the way, Amazon's service is just great (except for the tax now they collect)!

I upgraded my Pentax body from K20D to K5. What an improvement from the K20D design and performance. I did my research on Amazon, DxOMark, DPReviews and this piece of fine craftsmanship has more bang for your buck than any other camera I've seen.For those looking to buy an entry or mid-level DSLR, you simply cannot get this performance with Canon or Nikon without spending twice as much. The K-5 body makes the other brand cameras feel like they're made by Fisher Price. No offense FP. Fantastic performance in low light ISO!!!

There is very little I can't say positive about this camera. That says a LOT about a product as I'm usually pretty critical. The low noise levels even at very high ISO's are a huge plus compared to my K10D and *istD. The *istD (besides being the worst named product ever) was probably my second favorite of the three and the K10D was a decent camera and an upgrade in many respects, but its larger body size and mediocre low light capabilities didn't outweigh the increased pixel count and feature set.Back to the K-5, it does everything well. It's blindingly fast. The build quality is excellent. I love being able to shoot in the rain with its weather-proof casing. The image quality with a decent lens is stunning even at higher ISO levels (especially if you shoot RAW).The only minor quibbles I have are once in awhile the selective autofocus mode stops being controlled by the 4 way toggle and you have to deselect it and go back or it thinks you want to use the arrows to be in menu mode. The movie mode isn't quite up to snuff compared to some of the other DSLR's. No autofocus or autoaperture during movie mode. I'd love to see a full frame sensor and the price is a touch high compared to some of its competitors. But, for that price you really do get a lot of camera.If you're looking for a semi-pro DSLR, you can't go wrong here. If you have an existing investment in Pentax lenses, it's also difficult to go wrong.

I have another Pentax camera and this K-5 beats the other one hands down. Pictures are great camera is easy to use even for someone like me who is just learning how to do photography. This camera lets me do the work that I really want to do. For me this is a great product.

Pentax K-5 is a great camera and should be definitely considered as a good alternative to mainstream brands. If you consider buying a DSLR give this camera a chance. Do not listen to those who say that you'll be stuck with limited choice of lenses or worse shooting range. With quite a few Pentax lenses and an array of Sigma/Tokina ones every possible range is covered. With new specs you'll be fine shooting in various conditions. With weather sealing and strong build you don't have to worry much about your camera and just keep on pressing that button - the guaranteed number of shutter releases is said to be about 100,000.Still, there are some flaws, but on the design side. I also own Samsung GX-10 and no camera has been better from the point of view of back panel design. GX-10 has better buttons, better placed. Besides, GX-10 feels great in big hands like mine and I always feel like it's born with my hands. Pentax lacks this, but since Samsung left the DSLR market and Pentax doesn't suspect about their design errors we are stuck with no choice. If you're ready to throw 200 dollars on top of it, get a battery grip that helps for bigger hands.Anyway, I guess all modern prosumer cameras have some design flaws. This does not shade the fact that Pentax K-5 produces great results. Its LCD-screen is magic - I love my pictures in it even more than on a big screen. The number of effects is impressive - HDR, extended dynamic range, cross-processing. The video is very good too.I would definitely recommend Pentax K-5 both for those who want to try the world of big cameras, and for those who consider changing the camera system. You'll be pleasantly surprised. Be sure to buy high-capacity memory cards though, as files are big: typical JPEG (good quality setting, not the top one) is 5-7MB, while typical DNG RAW is 16-20MB. If you shoot a lot, add an additional battery. I recommend buying the body with weather-sealed Pentax 18-135mm lens - you would rarely want to change it as it covers most needs of a casual photographer, of those on vacation or travelling, and is good in most other situations.

My friend recommended to buy this product instead of Canon or Nikon. The photographs which were taken with K5 are very smooth and clear even though with 18-55 standard Pentax lens. I liked them. K5 is very ergonomic and user friendly. Its software also so easy to use.

I bought this camera after reading a lot of reviews. The brand it self is reputed for its awesome products but will little or no advertising. I'm very pleased with the performance of the camera.

Had to return the first camera because the LCD display started flickering, making the camera really annoying to use. This wasn't like an occasional flicker either, more like a strobe light, on/off cycles very rapidly. Have already ordered replacement, hopefully it will function correctly, probably just bad luck with this one. However, Amazon also did not pay for shipping for the return, which I think they should since the product was defective. I'll change this review if the replacement turns out ok, so here's hoping!

I am very happy with this camera, as a photographer i already have nikon and canon but pentax K5 is just one of the best camera that has image stabilization it self and HDR, this has big sensor that gives me a outstanding Dept of field. I will suggest to you all especially for those who wants to buy a camera, Pentax K5 will not let you down.

Pros:Image quality is amazing.FeaturesCons:Price.AF system still lacking, albeit improved *UPDATE: Download the 1.03 Firmware and reset your camera to fix low light front focus *Purple fringingBottom line:This camera is what the K-7 should have been 1.5 years ago. This is a superb Pentax, definitely the best APS-C Pentax to date. However, I can't help feel that the camera is overpriced, even though the image quality does make it almost worth the asking price alone. Again, if this camera were released 1.5 years ago instead of the K-7, I would have given it 5 stars. The market has changed since then.Review:The first thing I did with the camera was shoot a fund raising gala in a moderately lit banquet hall. The first thing I noticed is how little improvement there was in focus for this situation. The lenses were still slow to lock on and had trouble with the differing light (Sigma 30mm f/1.4, SMCP FA 77 f/1.8, and SMCP 60-250mm f/4). The flash exposure was about the same as the K-7 (P-TTL doesn't work well for bounce flash at any sort of distance), so the first thing I did was change the flash to "A" mode (auto thyristor where the flash sets exposure) and got much better results.When I reviewed the pictures I was shocked at how noise free they were. Even the ISO 6400 shot from the 60-250mm was relatively clean, probably about like ISO 1600 on my K-7. I could even recover underexposed ISO 1600 shots, something I would never dream of doing on the K-7.The shutter is like the K-7, and it might even be quieter. Definitely the quietest APS-C sensor camera I have used (quieter than a D300s or 7d), and also refined feeling. Not the squeaky sounding shutter in some of the older Pentax's.The next thing I noticed when shooting in bright high contrast situations was how much purple fringing it shows. Doing side by side comparisons between it and my K-7, I noticed the K-7 was relatively purple fringe free, where this camera fringed quite noticeably. Think the difference between the K10d and K20d (K20d had almost no purple fringing where K10d had a lot). This shouldn't be a deal breaker for most, but be aware of it. Proper RAW developing can take care of much of it.Recommendation:This is certainly the best Pentax to date. The image quality is amazing, the feature set of the K-5 is excellent, and the camera is certainly a step up. If it is worth the asking price is a decision each individual has to make. I think with a better AF system it would easily be worth the asking price.

It has been nearly four months since I bought K5. I find K5 have fantastic IQ and performs great at high ISO. I mainly use K5 for my little son, where the lights are really dark but K5 has very good IQ and little noise at high ISO!! I have no issues with the mirror and oil spot sensor. I hope the mirror problem won't happen!!!As others said, K5 is the best APS-C camera by now!

wow!!!! what a camera (well i said the same thing when i first held my k-7) but then again its the same body. images taken were excellent. when ppl say "get a k-5 and feed your photography obsession" its true. more obsessed now than ever. i have a k-x & a k-7. k-x was alreay very good in low light. i was very confident using it in low light situations k-7 very good in daylight but the k-5 just blows those 2 away. so far have only tested ISO1600 -> ISO6400. its like NOTHING! the body is solid. the shutter is butter!!!! but the menu's should have been changed in my opinion. this shouldve been changed to a more pro-look. too simple, lets complicate it a lil bit so we can use the manual. this is gona be good for street photography although a bit heavier but smaller than my d300 (excellent camera too by the way). now will save up for THE LIMITEDS.

I'm sure all the reviews about the actual K-5 which say it is excellent are true but I purchased this from marketplace seller Big Value and I want to point out that the body is weather resistant but the included lens is the standard version - not weather resistant. It's a good price and shipping was quick but they should make that clear in the listing as what's the point of a weatherproof camera without a weather proof lens! I would email any Amazon seller first and have them verify which lens you are getting. Also check around because there is another well known vendor that is selling this camera WITH the weatherproof lens for just a few dollars more and free shipping.Edit: Big Value did allow a return of the camera.

I absolutely love this camera. I had the K10D and loved that too, but this is a much finer piece of craftsmanship. I won't bother reviewing the details of the camera because others have done it much better.There is just one thing to be aware of.. the LCD screen seems to have a poor seal and lets in dust and/or sand. I returned my first body due to this problem and they gave me a new one, but it seems this body also has that problem. I have been careful and always have it around my neck, don't leave it on the ground or anything like that. I thought that maybe the first time it was because I was at some sand dunes, however I have not been to one with the new camera. I do live in New Mexico which is more dusty than most places so that may explain it.I put a piece of static plastic over it to see if that helps keep out the dust. It's still usable of course but the sand does make it a bit hard to see the screen in the sun.I hope you don't have this problem too but I'd be curious if anyone does. I am still giving it 5 stars because it deserves it. It's so much nicer to me than a big old fancy Canon.

m2YLVKLTJ4NCJ0 / mo271X5HEB46NIF Length:: 2:26 MinsPentax K-5 and Pentax K-7 with DA* lenses face sand/mud/water durability test.

If the old saying "you get what you pay for," is true then the Pentax K5 is worth every penny. It is not an inexpensive camera. It is an excellent camera with the highest resolution in it's class. It also takes excellent hd video.What blows me away is the high iso quality. Usable pictures through iso 6400. You can take quality pictures that you never could before. I really can't say enough about how good this camera is at higher iso settings. It is amazing.I debated between the K5, the nikon d7000, and several other cameras. I have owned quite a few dslr's in the past few years. The K5 is the best at taking quality pictures.The video does not have autofocus. Which to a photographer is not an issue. Don't buy a dslr to take video. You should buy a dedicated video camera for that. That being said it is nice to take some short videos when needed. The K5 has awesome video quality. I previously used the Sony a55. It took good pictures and great video - because of it's autofocus ability. I sold the a55 because the photos lacked the depth I needed.I bought a dslr to take photographs. The K5 is the best non full frame dslr on the market. If you are serious about photography and are willing to make the investment, the Pentax K5 is a great choice. This is a pro grade camera with pro quality image quality. You would have to pay more than double the cost to get a full frame camera that beats it (not counting the lenses).

When the Kx arrived, K7 owners who were more than content with their current bodies coveted the superior high-ISO (low light performance) capability of the Kx. At least I did. And while the K7 was a capable tool, I often found myself compensating for its weaknesses (which were limited to high ISO and autofocus continuous (AF.C) performance). Not so with the K5.I won't go into the specifications since those can be found elsewhere but I'll give my overall impression - what I like and what could be better:+ Great ergonomics. Love the compact, solid body which is identical to the K7 save for a heightened knob and elongated AF lever. I was even able to use the same split prism focus screen I had purchased for the K7.+ Fantastic high-ISO performance - clean and offering far more flexibility than the K7. I'd try never to breach ISO 800 on the K7 whereas the K5 is routinely pushed past ISO 3200. While I wouldn't give it equal footing to a full frame camera, it's arguably the best APS-C out there in this application.+ Outstanding dynamic range -- shoot in RAW and leave your graduated ND filters at home.-+ Improved auto-focus, especially AF-C compared to the K7, but not quite on par with either the D300s or 7D in AF-C.+ User-friendly, easy to navigate menu system - white balance adjustments are a breeze.+ Good WB and JPEGs "out of the box"-+ Yes, 1080p video but at 25FPS vs. 24 -- surely a firmware update in the future- Audio records at 32KHz sample rate- Only has a single SD/SDHC slot - would prefer dual with Compact Flash- Limited to 1/180 X-Sync speed - but this is ample in most scenarios- Images shot in portrait don't autorotate on playback - but did on the K7(?) - again, a likely firmware update+ Blissful near-silent shutter+ Compatibility with all those great manual K-mount lenses of yore.Although I'm a long time Pentax user, I considered and evaluated both the Canon 7D and Nikon D300s without bias. While both are outstanding DSLRs, I preferred the Pentax K5.An all-around excellent camera and a joy to use. A noteworthy upgrade.

Very good camera, very solid build and weather proof. Good ergonomics fit my hand nicely, good button layout easy to reach when shooting. Image quality is excellent, I've had it for about a month, shot a wedding last week with it. Was very pleased with the quality and color of the images. Very good in low light situations with out flash. Did some test shots at ISO 3200, they look like shot I them at ISO 400 very little noise.Great camera, upgraded from K10, well worth the money.