Pentax K-5 II – A Digital SLRS

Weatherproofed flagship DSLR comes with semi-pro features at a mid-range price

Seeking a digital SLR with a semi-pro build and specification, but not a $1,500+ price tag? At $1,200, the Pentax K-5 II (body only) could be up your street. The ‘II’ upgrades the old K-5 from 2010 but, while cheaper, the changes are few – resolution is still 16 megapixels from a large APS-C sensor. Its real selling point is its weatherproofed stainless steel and magnesium alloy body.

The upgrade of the Pentax K-5 comes with faster auto focus and a wider exposure metering range

Auto focus (AF) is one of the improved features, with the AF sensor purporting to be able to cope with a wider variety of shooting conditions. Exposure metering settings have also been expanded from -3EV to +18EV, making it one of the best low light DSLRs available.

Auto focus (AF) is one of the improved features, with the AF sensor purporting to be able to cope with a wider variety of shooting conditions.

The large and bright eye-level optical viewfinder offers 100 per cent field of view; so what you see is what you get. Alternatively, you can use the 3in, 921k dot resolution LCD screen by pressing the Live View button (essential for shooting video). A second screen displays shooting information such as the number of shots remaining, and allows you to enable ISO and adjust exposure, without accessing the menus.

Aside from a slightly improved LCD screen and an allegedly revamped sensor, the most notable development is the K-5 II's new SAFOX X autofocus system

Pentax provided us with a wide 18-270mm zoom, rather than the standard 18-55mm lens. In our tests, we found the sensor and lens maintained detail right into the corners of frame at maximum wide angle. Colors looked vivid, too.

Pentax provided us with a wide 18-270mm zoom, rather than the standard 18-55mm lens

Buying Advice

In short, even the fussiest of photo enthusiasts might want to consider this as a viable alternative to the ‘big two’.

Specifications §  Product Type: Digital SLR Camera §  Battery Size Supported: Proprietary Battery Size §  Maximum Video Resolution: 1920 x 1080 §  Touchscreen: No §  Effective Camera Resolution: 16.3 Megapixel §  USB: Yes §  Image Stabilization: Optical §  Color: Black §  Digital Zoom: No §  Brand Name: Pentax §  Durability: Weather Resistant, Dust Resistant §  Features: Live View, Serial Shot Mode, Self-timer, Face Detection, External Flash Shoe, Orientation Sensor, Time Lapse Function §  Screen Size: 7.6 cm (3") §  Video Formats: Motion JPEG (AVI) §  Viewfinder Type: SLR §  Weight (Approximate): 660.5 g §  Maximum Image Resolution: 4928 x 3264 §  Maximum Frame Rate: 30 fps §  Number of Batteries Supported: 1 §  Battery Built-in: No §  Battery Rechargeable: Yes §  Battery Included: Yes §  Display Screen Type: LCD §  Image Sensor Type: CMOS §  Total Camera Resolution: 16.9 Megapixel §  HDMI: Yes §  Camera Assembly: Body Only §  Battery Model Supported: D-LI90 §  Memory Card Supported: Secure Digital (SD) Card, Secure Digital Extended Capacity (SDXC), Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC) Card §  Height: 96.5 mm §  Width: 132.1 mm §  Depth: 73.7 mm §  Autofocus Points: 11 §  Image Formats: RAW, JPEG §  Flash Modes: Auto Flash, Flash OFF, Flash ON, Slow Sync, High Speed Sync, Rear Curtain Sync, Red-eye Reduction, Flash Exposure Compensation, Wireless Sync §  Focus Modes: Auto, Manual §  Manufacturer: PENTAX Ricoh Imaging Company §  Product Model: K-5 II §  Product Name: K-5 II Digital SLR Camera §  Aspect Ratio: 16:9 §  Manufacturer Part Number: 12015 §  Manufacturer Website Address: www.pentax.com §  Battery Life: 980 Shot/25 Minute Video §  Display Resolution: 921000 Pixel