programming4us
programming4us
CAMERA

Pentax K5 II - A Fast And Elegant Prosumer DSLR

6/24/2013 5:18:49 PM

We go crazy with Pentax’s latest DSLR prosumer design.

Before this review causes next week’s Your Letters page to overflow, let us explain why we’re covering a $1510 + camera. Simply put, we’ve included this specific item to put in perspective why this it better than any camera you’ll find on a phone, or in compact form. We understand that price of its will put most people off, but it’s worth understanding what spending this sort of money returns, mostly in terms of picture quality.

Pentax K5 II

Pentax K5 II

At first glance, the Pentax K-5 II isn’t a huge change from the original 2011 model. The exterior is almost identical, though this one does sport a better rear LCD panel.

When there are very few changes on the outside you pin your hopes that the inside of nay new product has been upgraded, and that the ‘upgrade’ i isn’t just another branding exercise. Those hoping for a sensor resolution upgrade in this case are out of luck, though the K-5 II uses the same Sony 16.28MP APS-C sensor as the original. It has been adjusted a little, for noticeably less grain in low-light conditions and a marginally greater dynamic range- but it’s a subtle improvement, at best.

At first glance, the Pentax K-5 II isn’t a huge change from the original 2011 model. The exterior is almost identical, though this one does sport a better rear LCD panel.

At first glance, the Pentax K-5 II isn’t a huge change from the original 2011 model. The exterior is almost identical, though this one does sport a better rear LCD panel.

Here, Pentax is flying its flag atop a pole planted in the solid ground provided by its new SAFOX X autofocus system. The firm claims it is much quicker and more accurate than previously possible, and in operation this certainly feels the case. However, the real star of the K-5 II’s features for me was the camera-based sensor-shift shake reduction. This is rated to 3EV, and is compatible with all modern Pentax lenses, irrespective of their features.

“I wanted to love this camera more, because it exudes the legendary Pentax build quality”

The review model came with a Pentax DA 18-135mm WR Zoom lens, which is one of the more expensive kit options. The K-5 II can be purchased as just a body, but you can also get it with more modest 18-55mm and 50-200mm lens options. The camera uses the KAF2 mount, allowing KAF3, KAF2 and even original K-Mount lenses to be used with it. The only limitation, like the Nikon D5200 it competes with, is that it can’t power those lenses designed to be driven by a professional camera body mechanism.

The review model came with a Pentax DA 18-135mm WR Zoom lens, which is one of the more expensive kit options.

The review model came with a Pentax DA 18-135mm WR Zoom lens, which is one of the more expensive kit options.

If one feature disappointed me most it was the HDR mode, even though I did use it to produce some good images. HDR only works in JPEG mode, and the time taken to process the images into the finished image is long. Long enough, in fact, to put you off using it entirely. I’d rather do bracket shooting (also available) and post process on the PC than be made to await that long between shots.

What seems to make this worse, perversely, is that in most other operations the K-5 II is lighting quick, especially when focusing – it’s blindingly fast at locking onto the focus target, even in poor light conditions- which means you’re more likely to capture that important image than miss it. The exception to this wonderful rapidity is the LiveView mode, which slows everything down to a crawl. Both these situations strongly hint that Pentax didn’t use a fast enough processor in this camera, probably as a tactical choice to preserve battery life. Whatever the reason through camera focusing is fast, LiveView isn’t.

The K-5 II is an excellent design with many strong features that nudge you towards taking better pictures than your skills might normally allow.

The K-5 II is an excellent design with many strong features that nudge you towards taking better pictures than your skills might normally allow.

I wanted to love this camera more, because it exudes the legendary Pentax build quality. It is comfortable to hold for long periods, and produces excellent results, but in the current market, it is up against the much cheaper Nikon D5200, and its monster 24MP sensor- and the bigger advantage that the Nikon offers is a greater selection of lenses.

The Pentax betters he Nikon in terms of it weather-resistant design, and its more compact form. The scales of the K-5 II makes it the ideal camera to take on exotic holiday, where you’ll be less burdened by your desire to take high quality images.

The K-5 II is an excellent design with many strong features that nudge you towards taking better pictures than your skills might normally allow. The upgrade from the K-5 probably isn’t worth it for those that have one, though it could make that model a bargain price pretty soon.

Most people would baulk at a camera costing $1208 just for the body, and not without good reason. If you’re serious about photography and haven’t already committed to either Nikon or Canon, though, the K5 II is certainly worth checking out.

A fast and elegant prosumer DSLR, for those that can afford it.

Details

·         Price: K-5 II body - $1,207.98, K-5 II + 18-55mm WR - $1313.69, K-5 II + 18-55mm + 50-200mm WR - $1540.19, K-5 II + 18-135mm WR - $1691.19.

·         Manufacturer: Pentax

·         Website: www.pentax.co.uk

·         Required Spec: A passion for photography

Key features

·         16.28 megapixel APS-C sensor

·         Pentax KAF2 bayonet mount

·         In-body Shake Reduction

·         Glass Pentaprism with 100% field of view

·         3” LCD monitor with 921,000 dots

·         Live View with Contrast Detection and Phase Matching AF

·         SAFFOX X AF module sentitive to – 3EV

·         Weather Reasistant construction

·         Magnesium alloy shell

·         7fps maximum frame rate

·         ISO range 100 to 12,800, expandable to 80 to 51,200

·         Full HD Movie Mode

·         177 Digital filters PEF and DNG RAW formats

·         Premium JPEG Quality level

Ratings

·         Features: 7/10

·         Value: 6/10

·         Overall: 7/10

 

 

 

 

 

Other  
 
Video
PS4 game trailer XBox One game trailer
WiiU game trailer 3ds game trailer
Top 10 Video Game
-   When a Mouse Jacks Your Truck in GTA V
-   Pig Riding a Motorbike in GTA V
-   Using an Uzi While Driving in GTA V
-   PlayStation 4 Ultimate Player 1TB Edition | Reveal Announcement
-   Dreamfall Chapters Book Three: Realms [PC] Zoe Trailer
-   Street Fighter V Trailer
-   Beyond Flesh and Blood | Beetham Folly Gameplay 1
-   Uncharted 4: A Thief's End | E3 2015 Gameplay Demo PS4
-   World of Warcraft | Patch 6.2 Survival Guide
-   Whispering Willows | Launch Trailer
-   Tales from the Borderlands | Episode 3 'Catch a Ride' Trailer
-   Batman: Arkham Knight [PS4/XOne/PC] Launch Trailer
-   Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Wildlands | E3 Tralier
-   Blade & Soul [PC] Follow My Blade Trailer
-   Heroes Charge - Trio VW + EB + SIL vs WC FD CW EB Com
Game of War | Kate Upton Commercial
programming4us
 
 
programming4us