Pentax K-5 In-depth Review

 
Review based on a production Pentax K-5 with firmware 1.0.1

In terms of operation and design the new K5 is all but identical to the K-7. For this reason, to gain a '360' view of the K-5's body design and operation we therefore recommend you not only read this review, but also the relevant sections in our full review of the Pentax K-7.

When the K10D was released in Sept 2006 it was Pentax's first venture into the 'enthusiast' DSLR industry, aggressive at enough time with opponents such as the Cannon EOS 30D and the Nikon D200. Four decades later truly the fanatic industry of the industry is as aggressive as ever and the K-5, Pentax' newest providing to the 'serious beginner photographer', will have to battle for customers' interest with companies the Cannon 7D, Nikon D7000 and D300S, and the Olympus E-5. At a release RRP of $1600 (body only) the K-5 is currently at a identical cost as its primary opponents but we would anticipate the road cost to go down earlier rather than later.

At first vision the K-5 is almost indistinguishable from the K-7 (in some marketplaces the K-7 will stay in the Pentax range together with the K-5). Apart from an additional 'Fx' (which appears for 'flex') brand on the personalized RAW option and a simple update of the AF change on its back there are no easily considerable variations between the K-5 and its forerunner the K-7. However, there is more unique to be discovered under the cover - the K-5's most considerable new element is a 16.3 mega-pixel CMOS indicator, which is probably carefully relevant to the receptors within the Nikon D7000 and Panasonic SLT-A55. The new indicator delivers with it an improved maximum possible understanding (ISO 51200 in extended function, the greatest on any APS-C electronic camera to date), quicker ongoing capturing (7.0 fps vs the K-7's 5.2fps) and a 1080p complete HD movie function (the K-7 provided a rather non-standard 1536 x 1024 p maximum possible movie resolution).

Other upgrades consist of an enhanced SAFOX IX+ AF program, passed down from the lately revealed medium-format 645D, which functions color-detection, broader protection of the AF factors and enhanced rate. Also new is a dual-axis electronic skyline (now with message as well as move indication) and a few additional electronic filtration and customized picture ways. Despite the changes, however, current K-7 customers will no question need very little modification time if they choose to update to the new design.

The K-5 has exactly the same dimensions as its predecessor, the K-7. Its magnesium alloy and stainless steel body is chunkier than Pentax's new upper entry-level DSLR the K-r (pictured here on the left) but still relatively compact for a camera in its class.

Key Features

Although it might appear to be a near-clone of the K-7, the K-5 offers some significant improvements in specification. Here is a rundown of the key features:

• 16.3Mp CMOS sensor
• ISO sensitivity span of 80-51,200 (equivalent)
• 1080p HD movie mode
• Limited in-camera movie editing functionality
• Socket for external microphone input
• Triple-axis sensor-based shake reduction (horizontal, vertical and rotational correction)
• New SAFOX IX+ 11-point AF system (improved over the K-7)
• Support for older Pentax lenses with manual aperture rings
• Magnesium alloy body shell
• Improved handheld HDR function (JPEG mode only)
• Continuous shooting up to 7fps
• 100% viewfinder coverage (0.92x magnification)
• Choice of PEF or DNG RAW files
• 3in, 921k pixel LCD screen
  

Model line history

Model	Announced	Effective pixels	Continuous shooting	Movie mode	LCD monitor
K10D	Sep 2006	10.2 mp	3.0 fps	n/a	2.5" 210K pixels
K20D	Jan 2008	14.6 mp	3.0 fps	n/a	2.7" 230K pixels
K-7	May 2009	14.6 mp	5.2 fps	1536 x 1024 30fps	3.0" 920K pixels + Live View
K-5	Sep 2010	16.3 mp	7.0 fps	1080p 25fps	3.0" 921K pixels + Live View

Pentax K-5 compared to K-7 and K-r

The table below shows the specification differences between the K-5's predecessor, the K-7, and the recently released K-r. Apart from the new sensor, the differences between the K-5 and the older K-7 are quite subtle. It is clear that Pentax has opted for selective improvements rather than a complete overhaul.

	K-7	K-5	K-r
Image sensor	14.6Mp CMOS	16.3Mp CMOS	12.4Mp CMOS
Imaging engine	Prime II	Prime II	Prime II
Sensitivity	100-3200 (6400 with expansion)	100-12800 (51200 with expansion)	200-12800 (100 and 25600 with expansion)
Continuous shooting speed	5.2 fps (40 frames)	7.0 fps (40 frames)	6.0 fps (25 frames)
AF	SAFOX VIII+ 11-points (selectable)	SAFOX IX+ 11-points (selectable)	SAFOX IX 11-points (selectable)
AE	77-segment	77-segment	16-segment
Viewfinder	Pentaprism Coverage: 100% Magnification: 0.92x	Pentaprism Coverage: 100% Magnification: 0.92x	Pentamirror Coverage: 96% Magnification: 0.85x
LCD screen	3.0 in, 920k pixels	3.0 in, 921k pixels	3.0 in, 921k pixels
Movies	1536 x 1024 30fps	1080p 25 fps	720p 24fps
Microphone	Mono internal or stereo external	Mono internal or stereo external	Mono internal
HDMI output	Yes	Yes	No
IR simple	No	No	Yes
Cross process mode	No	Yes	Yes
Night Scene HDR	No	Yes	Yes
Movie custom images modes	No	Yes	Yes
Battery	Rechargeable Lithium Ion battery	Rechargeable Lithium Ion battery	Rechargeable battery or four AA batteries (with adapter)
Cold resistant to -10deg	Yes	Yes	No
Weather resistant	Yes	Yes	No
Weight (body only)	670g	670g	544g

Original Article:www.dpreview.com

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