Fun with the Pentax K5

[scho]

Jim,

Here is a side by side snap of the K5 with 18-135 and 5D2 with 24-105.

and here is the little Domke F-5XB walkabout kit bag, loaded with the K5 (21mm f/3.2 mounted) in center compartment, 18-135 zoom to left, and 70mm f/2.4 in lens pouch on the right. The 35 could be easily stacked above the 70. Front pocket holds battery, extra SD card, phone, etc. A very compact light weight travel bag.

 

[scho]

Couple of tweety bird shots with the K5 and DA 55-300.

Female cardinal

White breasted nuthatch

 

[m3photo]

Re: Pentax K5 Kit

and here is the little Domke F-5XB walkabout kit bag, loaded with the K5 (21mm f/3.2 mounted) in center compartment, 18-135 zoom to left, and 70mm f/2.4 in lens pouch on the right. The 35 could be easily stacked above the 70. Front pocket holds battery, extra SD card, phone, etc. A very compact light weight travel bag.

Anyone around here green with envy?

 

[jonoslack]

Thank you for the nice welcome. I don’t have a K-5; until recently, the 67II has been my “serious” camera. I do have some shots from a DS, with the much maligned kit lens, which I think is very good.. Here are a few:

Hey - these are great - I especially like the first two (the flowers, and the guy with the tripod with those BIG bamboos - and the last one with the monk fish.

Excellent . . . as for the dissing of the kit lens, maybe I had a bad one, or maybe it just came at that critical buyers remorse moment!

Carl - I love the Cardinal . . . Michael, not green . . you just need to go out and bite the bullet (after all, it's not like a leica S2 bullet!).
all the best

 

[JMaher]

Carl,

Thanks for the shot with the camera and lenses in the bag. It make a nice tidy kit.

Jim

 

[MPK2010]

Well the weatherproofing definitely lives up to its billing!






Both with the 18-135. 45 minutes in heavy snow without any issue. I am pretty happy with the lens, especially from about 24mm through 50mm. While a few of the limiteds I tried offered various advantages, for me there was not enough of an IQ advantage over the 18-135 to make it worth it, so I sold them. I do see a clear advantage with the 31 ltd, so I've kept that one, but overall the 18-135 is pretty solid, at least at normal focal lengths.

A more general observation -- while the high ISO is great, for me the more pleasant surprise is low ISO. At 80 or 100, with the 31 ltd set at around 4.0 to 5.6, I am getting shots in good light that are in the ballpark of the A850 and 24-70.

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

Wow... cool photos, MPK.

I suppose there's some kind of art filter on the K5 that makes it look like there's white stuff all over the photos :ROTFL:

 

[MPK2010]

I suppose there's some kind of art filter on the K5 that makes it look like there's white stuff all over the photos :ROTFL:

Indeed there is! Unfortunately I cannot seem to get it to engage except in the middle of a blizzard! :banghead:

 

[jonoslack]

Well the weatherproofing definitely lives up to its billing!


Both with the 18-135. 45 minutes in heavy snow without any issue. I am pretty happy with the lens, especially from about 24mm through 50mm. While a few of the limiteds I tried offered various advantages, for me there was not enough of an IQ advantage over the 18-135 to make it worth it, so I sold them. I do see a clear advantage with the 31 ltd, so I've kept that one, but overall the 18-135 is pretty solid, at least at normal focal lengths.

A more general observation -- while the high ISO is great, for me the more pleasant surprise is low ISO. At 80 or 100, with the 31 ltd set at around 4.0 to 5.6, I am getting shots in good light that are in the ballpark of the A850 and 24-70.

Great shots MPK. Your observations are pretty much the same as mine: the limiters are fine, but the real joy is to have a small, flexible, tough kit, and the 18-135 really fits the bill. Jorgen, unless you really need the wide end, the IS and crazy ISO 6400 makes the 16-50 seem rather unnecessary.

I particularly like that second shot!

 

[scho]

Well the weatherproofing definitely lives up to its billing!
Both with the 18-135. 45 minutes in heavy snow without any issue. I am pretty happy with the lens, especially from about 24mm through 50mm. While a few of the limiteds I tried offered various advantages, for me there was not enough of an IQ advantage over the 18-135 to make it worth it, so I sold them. I do see a clear advantage with the 31 ltd, so I've kept that one, but overall the 18-135 is pretty solid, at least at normal focal lengths.

A more general observation -- while the high ISO is great, for me the more pleasant surprise is low ISO. At 80 or 100, with the 31 ltd set at around 4.0 to 5.6, I am getting shots in good light that are in the ballpark of the A850 and 24-70.

Nice shots MPK. You have certainly been getting more than enough snow down in the city this year.

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

Great shots MPK. Your observations are pretty much the same as mine: the limiters are fine, but the real joy is to have a small, flexible, tough kit, and the 18-135 really fits the bill. Jorgen, unless you really need the wide end, the IS and crazy ISO 6400 makes the 16-50 seem rather unnecessary.

I particularly like that second shot!

You know, I don't really like standard zooms, but I have to admit that they are very convenient. But I like them sharp, and that is my problem. In many ways, you can say that a big part of my "next camera" decision boils down to that lens.

The large aperture isn't just to keep ISO down, but to have some chance of isolating the subject now and then, when I'm to lazy to cough up a prime, or when there's simply no time available.

Still, I have kept the door open for the K5, so I went to a camera shop today that sells that sells Pentax as well as Olympus. The E-5 is on its way, but not out in the shops yet. The K5... fasten your seat-belts... hasn't even been ordered by the distributor! Actually, if you go into www.pentax-thai.com, you will see that they list the following models as current: K10D, K7, K-X, K200D, I10 (don't ask me) and *istdl (chrome version). All camera shops that sells Pentax also has the K20D in stock. This would be fun if they were selling them for cheap, but most of those cameras are sold for prices that are almost at the same level as they were when they were launched. Thailand in a nutshell

Sad, isn't it? Should I move to Malaysia?

Edit: Just received a mail from my biggest client. They want larger files. Sounds like I need one of those Walkmen...

 

[Sapphie]

Hi all

Some interesting comments. My first digital cameras were the Minolta Dimage 7i and A1 which, at the time, I thought were technological marvels. Only 5MP of course but small, WYSIWYG EVF, 28-200mm equivalent zoom range. I took lots and lots of photos with those.

Since then, I have oscillated back and forth between Pentax bodies and other EVF cameras. I thought I wanted an istDS, and I got one and enjoyed it. Then I missed the 'all in one solution' that my Minoltas offered, at a relatively low cost and the Sony R1 appeared. A legendary camera with a superb 24-120mm equivalent Zeiss lens.

Then, somehow I was lured by the K20D and the magic of coming back to Pentax. Bear in mind that I already had some older Pentax glass, including the 43mm LTD. I didn't get on with the K20D, could never seem to get accurate exposure, and I couldn't 'see' what I was going to get though the OVF. I then went m4/3 with the Panasonic G1 and have been happy with that ... until just before Christmas, when I dusted off my K20D, put the 43mm LTD on it and went out to take some snow shots. I loved it, the OVF seemed clear, I was even able to manual focus easier than on the G1.

Then the fuss with the K5 broke but the Panasonic GH2 was also available. It made more 'sense' to go for the latter but I was tempted by the K5. The cashback offer helped. I got one and it seemed a revelation. The OVF was clear and somehow drew me in to want to take photos, the pictures were better exposed than on the K20D. In fact the pictures just looked like the scene as I remembered it. The pictures displayed much more clearly on the LCD panel, ergonomically it just felt *right* ... etc. I was very impressed. Except many of my pictures were out of focus. So I exchanged it and went this time for the 18-135 lens, though I was still tempted by the GH2 and was changing my mind on which way to go several times a day!

So, now I have had the K5 + 18-135 for just over a week and barely had chance to use it. Assuming it works out, maybe I now have my ideal all-in-one solution again, with the added benefit of being able to use the other lenses too if need be. With the 18-135 it doesn't feel as compact and is a little heavier than with the 18-55 but I didn't really notice it when I was out on a dreary day last Saturday.

Out of curiosity I got my Sony R1 out and placed it side by side with the K5. Physically almost identical size, with zooms both at wide and extended ends. If anything the R1 isslightly larger because the viewfinder extends further at the back.

This ramble doesn't prove anything much except perhaps that, at last, Pentax have a compact body with a good range compact zoom in a combination that may possibly give me the best image quality so far with the only comment being that the R1 does produce some great shots too!

If I want to travel really 'light', perhaps I'll put the 43mm on, or maybe get the 21mm pancake in due course.

I have yet to prove that this is my ideal camera of the moment in practice but I sure am looking forward to it!

Thanks for all the great images and positive vibes in this thread!

Lee

 

[JMaher]

All the convincing reasons and all the great photos have proven too much for me. I have a K5, 18-135 and a 43 Ltd on order. I probably won't have much time to take many pictures until next week but I hope to contribute to this thread at that time.

Thanks for all your photos and comparisons. I look forward to having a lighter, tougher, fun kit to take with me.

Jim

 

[MPK2010]

I particularly like that second shot!

Thanks! Those shots with the 100 look great, both at close range and otherwise (the cold dog photo in particular).

Nice shots MPK. You have certainly been getting more than enough snow down in the city this year.

Indeed we have. Since I do not have to deal with the roads or shoveling, I must say it has been pretty fun.

Edit: Just received a mail from my biggest client. They want larger files. Sounds like I need one of those Walkmen...

You will not be disappointed, especially if your priority is a sharp standard zoom. I was looking for something quite a bit smaller, but when I look back at some of the photos I took with the Sony . . . great camera. :salute:

This ramble doesn't prove anything much except perhaps that, at last, Pentax have a compact body with a good range compact zoom in a combination that may possibly give me the best image quality so far with the only comment being that the R1 does produce some great shots too!

It's a solid combination. For me the key feature is the weatherproofing. If compact plus high IQ is your priority, the next year or two should be fun as the options only multiply.

 

[scho]

Two walkabout shots with the K5+18-135

Reflection

Sharp

One with the K5+55-300

Birdwatching cat

 

[jonoslack]

HI There Carl
There's nothing like a teasel! Nice shots - the cat shot is good as well - how are you getting on with the 50-300? Impressions?

all the best

 

[scho]

HI There Carl
There's nothing like a teasel! Nice shots - the cat shot is good as well - how are you getting on with the 50-300? Impressions?

all the best

Thanks Jono. The optics in the 55-300 seem to be quite good and zooming is smooth (no creep or wobble when extended). Auto focus is a bit slow and loud, but accurate. Mostly plastic construction, so not as solid feeling as the 18-135. I use the lens primarily for backyard birding and wildlife shots and it has performed well so far.

 

[JMaher]

Rec'd my Camera

The good - most of the photos are great. The camera fits in my hand beautifully and I love the small zoom (18-135) and the 43 Ltd is just fantastic. It's small it's sharp and looks like a work of art compared to my Canon lenses.

Unfortunately, the bad will follow in another thread.

I have attached a few quick snapshots. I am very impressed with the overall picture quality.

Jim

 

[Sapphie]

Bad?

!!!

 

[tom in mpls]

Bad?

Here is his "bad" thread.