Pentax K 5 is the flagship APS-C digital SLR model for Pentax. Externally, it’s quite identical to its predecessor K-7. ItÃ’s the changes under the hood which mainly distinguish K-5 from K-7, which effectively works on the shortcomings of the previous model. The latest Pentax model is aimed at enthusiasts who are looking for top notch image quality along with rugged weather proof design. Let’s figure out what makes this top of the line DSLR from Pentax a worthy competitor and whether its a significant upgrade from its predecessor K-7.
From the outside
K-5 comes packed in a very strong, magnesium clad, stainless steel body, just like the K-7. The rugged design makes it a durable companion. Also, the design is fully weather sealed and cold proof, which means it can resist water, snow, fog, sand, dust etc to deliver best performance in extreme field conditions, and not just in studio.
Despite relatively smaller size, K-5 features a lot of physical controls. The camera sports a 3 inch screen at the rear with 921,000 dots of resolution for detailed image review. The various types of ports (HDMI, AV, remote release, DC power) are on the sides protected by rubber covers. For storage, the camera uses Secure Digital (SD) memory cards (including SDHC and SDXC types. One of the big advantages of somebody upgrading from the previous model (K-7) to K-5 is that all its accessories are compatible with K-5 as well.
What lies beneath?
The K-5 includes a high resolution 16.3 Megapixel CMOS sensor, 7fps burst rate and a wide ISO sensitivity range of 80 to 51,200 equivalents. The K-5 comes with latest generation of company’s SAFOX phase detection auto-focus module (SAFOX IX+). The 11 point SAFOX IX+ auto-focus system sports a dedicated AF lamp and a light wavelength sensor. The module intends to yield enhanced low-light focusing along with accurate and more stable Auto Focus. The ISO range is vastly improved with the new sensor. The standard range is 100-12800, which can expanded to 80-51200 with an increase mode.
Both the sensor and auto-focus system ensure a speedy and solid performance. The high-speed burst mode is quite amazing with 7 frames per second. It’s an improvement over 5.2 frames per second burst mode of K-7. The maximum shutter speed of 1/8000 second lets you capture the fastest action without motion blur.
Image and video quality:
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Pentax K-5 16.3 MP Digital SLR with 18-55mm Lens and 3-Inch LCD (Black) 67 total customer reviews... |
Pentax K-5 has excellent image quality throughout the ISO range to 3200 with outstanding detail and great dynamic range. The camera comes with a wide range of custom image modes and digital filters for special effects, which will let you be creative while capturing images.
While the video quality of the K-5 is quite good, the options are quite limited and flexibility is absent. However, k-5 has improved a bit from k-7 in this department. The video modes are easy to use, and the resolution and frame rates can be changed easily from the settings menus. But, while various choices for resolution are there, frame rate options are quite limited. Sadly, continuous video auto-focus is also missing. The camera can record videos at resolution like 640 X 480 (25/30 FPS), 1280 X 720 (25/30 FPS) and 1920 X 1080 at 25 FPS only. Pentax K-5 supports use of some of its filter effect functions while recording a video, which will put your creativity to work.
Final thoughts…
K-5 is an extremely well designed and rugged DSLR with excellent image and video quality, high resolution, good low-light performance and expanded ISO range. The camera offers a great option for outdoor photographers who need a weather proof and rugged camera to survive the tough conditions. However, the limited digital lens selection would be something to consider while purchasing K-5. The camera is not cheap and is comparable to equivalent Canon and Nikon models, which would make the competition difficult for Pentax K 5.
Following is a summary of pros and cons of the camera, which will help you in your buying decision:
Pros:
- Weather-sealed, rugged magnesium/stainless steel body
- Superior image quality at wide ISO range
- Speedy 7 fps burst rate
- Excellent battery life
- Native support for both Adobe DNG and Pentax PEF RAW files
- Wide range of in-camera image processing and special effects filters
- 3-inch screen has high resolution and gives a detailed view
Cons:
- Limited choices of lens
- Zoom lens is bit noisy
- Video setting options are quite limited
- Price is slightly on the higher side
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