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Reviews Pentax K-5 II/IIs
- Thread starter Knorp
- Start date
I don't care for the extra resolution. But I care about better AF. If they haven't fixed that, I am keeping my K-5 and waiting for K-5 next. Either that or Olympus gets their act together, makes a reasonably good ergonomics camera that can use the 4/3rd lenses fast and I go back to them.
- Raist
- Raist
I fear that an Olympus 4/3 camera with the same feature set as the K5, coupled with the ergonomics and sensible menu layout, might cost twice as much - the lenses too.
The DA Limiteds are also a huge drawing factor for me (and dare I mention K-01 as a companion?)
My Q is also a lot more useable now I have IS for manual lenses, focus peaking, and a good K to Q adapter.
I like Pentax (and I like Ricoh too - nothing but good can come of this marriage, and we are seeing slow signs of that already)
Keith
The review at the top of this thread provides a decent answer to that.
It's terrible weather here because of Sandy - but here is a first test shot. F4, 1/30s, ISO 800, Hand held. Raw processed in LR.
K5lls with Pentax 15mm DA Ltd. 100% crop. Sensor is just what you would expect it to be. Sharp with lot's of DR and very forgiving in PP
Keith
ecsh
New member
This paragraph kills it for me;
So, what's the bottom line? Pentax promised us an AF system that works when it's dark, and they delivered one. In low light under EV 0, the K-5 II outperforms its predecessor as well as its Canon and Nikon rivals, the 7D and D7000. However, overall, the autofocus in the K-5 II is not the big upgrade that Pentax K-5 users have been waiting for. We think that the next step for Pentax is to add more focus points and implement a more powerful motor (perhaps one that is brushless) in order to make their cameras more versatile in everyday shooting conditions, and for shooting fast moving subjects. The Canon and Nikon bodies excel in these areas compared to the Pentax K-5 II.
More Pentax news at: Pentax K-5 II / IIs Review - Introduction - PentaxForums.com
So, what's the bottom line? Pentax promised us an AF system that works when it's dark, and they delivered one. In low light under EV 0, the K-5 II outperforms its predecessor as well as its Canon and Nikon rivals, the 7D and D7000. However, overall, the autofocus in the K-5 II is not the big upgrade that Pentax K-5 users have been waiting for. We think that the next step for Pentax is to add more focus points and implement a more powerful motor (perhaps one that is brushless) in order to make their cameras more versatile in everyday shooting conditions, and for shooting fast moving subjects. The Canon and Nikon bodies excel in these areas compared to the Pentax K-5 II.
More Pentax news at: Pentax K-5 II / IIs Review - Introduction - PentaxForums.com
Knorp
Well-known member
Wow - Keith, you got one ! Boy, you're an early adaptor ! That's übercool :toocool:
Hope the weather will improve soon enough so you can get out for some serious photography.
Do keep us posted on how you're getting along with this new puppy !
All the best.
Got my K-5 IIs yesterday and it's going back already.
In my opinion it's a very minor/incremental upgrade to my K-5 and not worth the money.
I am basing my decision on the final print. I took two photos of the same scene, one with my K-5, one with the K-5 IIs, both with my Zeiss 50mm f2 MP. Printed at 12"x18", and viewing from three feet away there is zero difference to my eyes. On screen, at 100% you can see more detail but I don't often share my photography via 100% crops.
I'll wait (and hope) for the rumoured FF K-3. :deadhorse:
In my opinion it's a very minor/incremental upgrade to my K-5 and not worth the money.
I am basing my decision on the final print. I took two photos of the same scene, one with my K-5, one with the K-5 IIs, both with my Zeiss 50mm f2 MP. Printed at 12"x18", and viewing from three feet away there is zero difference to my eyes. On screen, at 100% you can see more detail but I don't often share my photography via 100% crops.
I'll wait (and hope) for the rumoured FF K-3. :deadhorse:
Knorp
Well-known member
Hi Neil,Got my K-5 IIs yesterday and it's going back already.
In my opinion it's a very minor/incremental upgrade to my K-5 and not worth the money.
I am basing my decision on the final print. I took two photos of the same scene, one with my K-5, one with the K-5 IIs, both with my Zeiss 50mm f2 MP. Printed at 12"x18", and viewing from three feet away there is zero difference to my eyes. On screen, at 100% you can see more detail but I don't often share my photography via 100% crops.
I'll wait (and hope) for the rumoured FF K-3. :deadhorse:
I'm sorry you're not happy with the IIs' performance.
Now you've got me disappointed because I had some high hopes for it.
But perhaps you should try again from 2 feet away ?
Yes ?
And of course a FF K3 anytime !
All the best.
Thanks for encouraging me to have another look. I feel like a complete bonehead. I just realized I hadn't sharpened the K-5 IIs files before printing (a sharpened K-5 file looks almost as good as a K-5 IIs file unsharpened). The amount of detail presented when sharpened for screen display and for prints is astounding.
So after redoing everything I can say that the final print definitely has more POP to it... :thumbup:
Knorp
Well-known member
Good man, Neil :thumbs:
I'm determined to stay optimistic about the K511s untill proven wrong and so far so good.We seem to have better AF and although Canikon multi point tracking seems to be missing it does appear to have decent (perhaps best in class) low light AF.More detail without limiting high iso performance, infact possibly slightly improving it, another plus for me personally.It does seem as if its shaping up to be one of, if not the leading crop sensor dslr's on the market.Just as the k5m1 was/is.
FF,,yes that could be great,for some!.I'll look at that when/if it arrives but for now so far so good as far as I can tell from reviews and Keith's impresive detailed crop.Happy days
Malc
FF,,yes that could be great,for some!.I'll look at that when/if it arrives but for now so far so good as far as I can tell from reviews and Keith's impresive detailed crop.Happy days
Malc
Jono - I'm here. I've been hunkered down while Sandy blows itself out in Canada.
Maybe we get sun today, and for the next week. I can test the K5ll sensor on better subjects.
I was a late adopter of the K5, so was not around for the period when people had focusing problems. I took a look at around 500 images I've taken with the K5 and maybe there are 3 bad focus shots in there. That may be the photographer though.
So far no issues with either the K5 (sold now) or the K5lls at all. The sensor is the reason I made the switch, and that is just as I thought it would be. It is noticeably sharper than the K5 and this can be seen in low rez images. I would bet that Sean Reid will test this camera and will be more definitive about the sensor - he is a great fan of the Ricoh A16, which should be more or less the same.
Here is another test shot with the 15mm ltd. I'm putting the non-test stuff into the K5 thread.
Keith
15mm, 1/30s,f4, ISO 400
Maybe we get sun today, and for the next week. I can test the K5ll sensor on better subjects.
I was a late adopter of the K5, so was not around for the period when people had focusing problems. I took a look at around 500 images I've taken with the K5 and maybe there are 3 bad focus shots in there. That may be the photographer though.
So far no issues with either the K5 (sold now) or the K5lls at all. The sensor is the reason I made the switch, and that is just as I thought it would be. It is noticeably sharper than the K5 and this can be seen in low rez images. I would bet that Sean Reid will test this camera and will be more definitive about the sensor - he is a great fan of the Ricoh A16, which should be more or less the same.
Here is another test shot with the 15mm ltd. I'm putting the non-test stuff into the K5 thread.
Keith
15mm, 1/30s,f4, ISO 400
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Sorry Jono, I can't tell you if the AF accuracy has improved. I used AF very little with my K-5 and have only tried it once with my IIs to make sure it works. I only have one AF lens (100mm WR) so it's not very good to determine speed/accuracy with anyway. I suppose it could be used to determine accuracy but I just prefer focusing manually and I apologize, but I can't get myself to do any sort of 'testing'. I just use my cameras for taking photos...
That being said, here are a few from today (the weather here has been horrible all week, so dark and wet).
All with K-5 IIs & Zeiss 50mm f2 MP, captured in Raw (.PEF) and converted to 16-bit TIFF's with DXO Optics Pro 8, tweaked in CS6.
and a 100% crop from the image above for those that like to view things at 100%...
That being said, here are a few from today (the weather here has been horrible all week, so dark and wet).
All with K-5 IIs & Zeiss 50mm f2 MP, captured in Raw (.PEF) and converted to 16-bit TIFF's with DXO Optics Pro 8, tweaked in CS6.
and a 100% crop from the image above for those that like to view things at 100%...
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Knorp
Well-known member
Pentax K-5 II and K-5 IIs studio test images
:watch:
I'd like a silver body, pleazzz ... :grin:
All the best.
:watch:
I'd like a silver body, pleazzz ... :grin:
All the best.
Jim Radcliffe
Member
Well, I can't decide whether it would be worth it for me to "Upgrade" to the K5 IIs at this time or not. My logic says no... wait for more samples, wait for price drop, wait for any "undcoumented features" to show themselves.
My biggest complaint about the K5 I own is the accuracy of the AF. My eyes are to old to manual focus all the time and unless the AF is improved on the new camera then I doubt the increased sharpness will be of any benefit.
On another note, all of my Ltd lenses have required micro-adjustment to obtain critical focus. Both of my DA* lenses have had to have +10 dialed in to boot. Makes me wonder about the quality control of the Pentax lens production line.
For now, I'll keep the K5 and use it in conjunction with the Fuji X-Pro1 and my trusty GH2... but as I said, the AF on my K5 has not lived up to expectations.
My biggest complaint about the K5 I own is the accuracy of the AF. My eyes are to old to manual focus all the time and unless the AF is improved on the new camera then I doubt the increased sharpness will be of any benefit.
On another note, all of my Ltd lenses have required micro-adjustment to obtain critical focus. Both of my DA* lenses have had to have +10 dialed in to boot. Makes me wonder about the quality control of the Pentax lens production line.
For now, I'll keep the K5 and use it in conjunction with the Fuji X-Pro1 and my trusty GH2... but as I said, the AF on my K5 has not lived up to expectations.