A well-specified bridge camera that
won’t break the bank
The chief selling point of the X-5,
alongside its relatively affordable price tag, is the large focal range. The
model features a 26>: optical zoom with an impressive wide angle of 22.3mm.
The zoom benefits from Pentax's dual shake-reduction system and a minimum focal
length of just 1cm.
The 26x optical zoom lens is paired with a
1/2.33in BSI CMOS sensor that features an effective resolution of 16
megapixels. The sensor also supports full HD video capture at a resolution of
1080o although unfortunately the X-5 docs not offer Raw capture.
On the rear of the X-5 sits a 3in LCD
screen with a resolution of 460k dots. A major selling point with the LCD
screen that it's tiltable, although unfortunately the hinge of the LCD screen
is poorly implemented and restrictive. Accompanying the vari-angle LCD screen
is an electronic viewfinder with a resolution of 230k dots and, although it is
lacking in eye-sensor technology, it does offer dioptre adjustment if
necessary.
Pentax
X-5
Despite not offering Raw capture, the X-5
does cater well for the advanced photographer. The model features a program
shooting mode as well as full manual control. One final point of note regarding
the X-5's specification is the way in which the camera is powered. The model
necessitates four AA batteries, rather than the standard Li-ion rechargeable
unit, meaning replacement units are readily available on the go.
Design
The Pentax X-5 bears a lot of similarities
to the manufacturer’s DSLRs in terms of design, albeit an understandably
smaller version. The lens forms a large part of the front of the camera’s body
with a rubberized grip around its exterior. There is an issue here - the
combination of the green flash around the lens and the rubberized grip section
has such a feeling of a lens on a Pentax DSLR that your first instinct is to
turn it to zoom or focus Unfortunately Pentax has missed a trick as the lens
itself is fixed and is lacking in any kind of control wheel functionality so,
while it sits well in the hand, that's the extent of its usefulness.
The
lens forms a large part of the front of the camera’s body with a rubberized
grip around its exterior.
Another markedly DSLR feature of the X-5 is
the large and protruding handgrip. The combination of this rubberized handgrip
and rubberized lens means both offer a firm grip on the camera and ensure it
feels safe in the hand whatever the conditions.
While on the whole the X-5 impresses
regarding design, unfortunately the menu system is something of a letdown. All
of the functionality that one might want to access quickly is deeply rooted and
rather than being able to quickly flick between the various menu layers, it
necessitates superfluous scrolling.
Performance
Despite being towards the more affordable
end of the scale, the Pentax X-5 delivers generally decent levels of
performance. The model’s focus system offers a prompt enough focus, while
accuracy is also respectable. Although Pentax quotes some fairly impressive
burst mode speeds in the X-5’s specification, unfortunately the two top-end
rates are only available in reduced resolution shooting modes. The burst speed
at full resolution is fairly pedestrian, although as a result once the images are
captured there is little or no delay in the buffer clearing. Another
disappointing factor with regards to speed is the model's start-up speed, which
is sluggish.
There are signs of the camera’s more
affordable nature found around the body - it feels a touch plastic KY and not
particularly durable. This is most acutely felt around the model’s battery
door.
Although the LCD screen is not the lowest
resolution on the market, it suffers from softening and a low level of quality,
while the same is true of the electronic viewfinder.
Although
the X-5’s lens generally performs well, there are signs of softening at the
frame edges.
Image Quality
On the whole, images produced by the X-5
are of a respectable level, although there are certain issues that are worth highlighting.
The model’s white balance is generally
reliable, although it does have a slight tendency to produce images to the
warmer side of the scale. There are issues with the camera’s dynamic range with
a slight clipping seen in highlights.
The 26x optical zoom generally performs
well. There are some signs of distortion at the wide end of the zoom and a
slight softening at frame edges, although chromatic aberration Is noticeably
well controlled.
The
X-5 has a slight tendency to underexpose as seen here, although this does
prevent blown highlights.
Verdict
The good news is that the X-5 is certainly
a capable camera, and one which handles well and offers a decent level of
performance in a generally well-designed package. There are drawbacks - the LCD
screen is poor, as is the EVF, while there are some image quality issues. So
although it’s a capable model, it just falls short of a full recommendation.
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Specifications
§ Manufacturer:
Pentax
§ Max
Aperture: f/3.1 - f/5.9
§ 35mm
equivalent: 22.3mm - 580mm
§ Optical
Zoom: 26x
§ CCD
pixels: 16Mp (Megapixels)
§ Pixels
(W): 4608
§ Pixels
(H): 3456
§ Sensor
Type: CMOS
§ Sensor
Size: 1/2.33 inch
§ Sensor
Size (width): No Data
§ Sensor
Size (height): No Data
§ Aspect
Ratio: 4:3, 16:9, 1:1
§ LCD
Monitor: 3in
§ Screen
resolution: 460000
§ Touch
Screen: No
§ Min
Focus: 1cm
§ Focusing
modes: Autofocus, Manual, Spot, AF Tracking
§ Shutter
speeds shortest: 1/1500sec
§ Shutter
speeds longest: 4sec
§ Exp
modes: Program, Scene modes, Manual,
§ Metering:
Centre-weighted – Average, Multi Pattern, Spot, ISO sensitivity 100 -
6400
§ Weight:
599g
§ Width:
120mm
§ Height:
86.5mm
§ Depth:
106.5mm
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