Anybody with experience of both K-5 AND GH2?

[emr]

I'm a Pentax user with a couple of camera bodies (K-x with so-so AF and too plasticky build, K20D with so-so AF and not so hot high ISO) and I'm lusting for an upgrade. Since I have some OKish lenses (incl. DA 15mm ltd, DA 40mm ltd, DA 70mm ltd, DFA 100mm WR, FA 50mm) and I'm very bad in selling old stuff, the K-5 would be the obvious choice. However, I've lost some faith in the brand for things like the recent problems with the K-5, the denial of the SDM focus motor problems that way too many people seem to experience and so on. Also, proper video capability would be nice since I don't have an HD video camera. So I'm considering other brands on the side or instead.

What has caught my eye is the new Panasonic GH2, which seems to be fantastic regarding video and probably good enough with stills too although probably nowhere near K-5. It's also somewhat smaller and a lot lighter and would make a very nice travel setup with the 14-140mm lens to be taken on holiday trips and so on. That would cost 1400€ incl. the lens while K-5 body goes for about 1150€ and 1750€ with the 18-135mm WR lens, though that zoom is still not readily available over here.

So I wonder how much better the K-5 really is in stills and how much better the GH2 in video? Also, there do not seem to be very many tests of the lenses, so how do they compare size-wise and quality-wise? Which would YOU choose?

 

[clay stewart]

I got the K5 first and had it a couple of days, but had problems with the AF, so I sent it back. I now have the GH2 - had the GH1 before that. I think the K5 has better DR, at least according to the DXO deal and it probably has better high ISO performance. However, I really like the GH2. It seems like Panasonic really pulled things together with this body. The stills at lower ISO's were never a problem with the GH1 and are still very good with the GH2, but I can now easily use ISO 3200 and even 6400 or 12800 in a pinch. I got the 14 2.5 as well and although it doesn't seem to be really sharp wide open - all the time (haven't figured that out yet), it's a great walk around lens, stopped down a little. The 20 1.7 is a great little lens too. I also have the 14-140 and overall it's a pretty decent lens, but to be honest I'm not much of a zoom guy, so I don't use it much.

I don't think you will see a significant difference in image quality between the K5 and the GH2 in everyday shooting, but the video difference is pretty significant, in favor of the GH2. The GH2 with pancakes is noticeably smaller than the K5 with 21 or 43 lenses. As far as lenses go, the Pentax 43 seemed like it was very good optically, but then so is the Pany 20. The Pany 14 and the Pentax 21, seem like a wash to me. Those are the only lenses I have experience with.

I tried both and have the Gh2 now - no regrets so far. I like the button layout on the Panasonic better too - easier to use one handed. Hope that helps, but remember, it's just my opinion.