Time for conclusions after one month of K-5 (and comparison to D3s)

[tcom]

Hi

I picked up my K-5 on the 1st November and it is now time for some conclusions.

This summer, as I was taking more and more photos of sport events, I needed a faster AF and finally took the plunge and bought a Nikon D700 and D3s with AFS 24-70/2.8 and AFS 70-200/2.8 VR2. These cameras, especially the D3s, do not play in the same league as the K-5, but beside the K-7, they are my only point of comparison. So, I do compare here camera in different price categories and APS-C against FF, but that's the only comparison I can do.

In October, I went to Uganda and needed a camera with high iso capabilities, as the K-5 was not available at that time, I took the Nikon equipment in addition to a K-7 with DA*300. Another reason for taking both systems is to be able to compare the performance in the fields of both systems.

Traveling with two systems is not ideal, additional weight for chargers and batteries, swapping lens involving swapping body as well, not ideal. I came to the conclusions that further trips will be done with only one system. When I came home, I was nearly ready to leave Pentax for Nikon. The main thing refraining me from switching to Nikon was that for wildlife photography, the Nikon equipment does neither offer what I want (there is no 200/2.8, but a much heavier 200/2, the 300/4 is neither weather sealed nor stabilized) nor offer something within budget and weight (200-400 or 300/2.. Thankfully, the first user feedback having received the K-5 looked promising. I decided to get a K-5 and check it out. It may not reach the performance of the D3s, but be good enough for most of my photography.

Well, as said, I received that K-5 on the 1st November and after nearly 1000, time to take time to come to the conclusions.

AF

The autofocus of the K-5 has been greatly improved compared to the K-7. The raw speed when using SDM lenses did not change, but there is much less hunting in low light. The raw speed with traditional AF lenses improved as well, making lenses such as the FA*85/1.4 fast enough to follow running people.

That said, the AF is still behind the Nikon system. Both D700 and D3s do clearly play in a different league. There is especially one thing I am missing from the Nikon system, it is the focus tracking with lock-on.

For sports photography, I will stay with the D3s/D700 combo, but for the other applications, the AF of the K-5 is good enough for me.

IQ

I am happy to find again the great color rendition and richness of the Pentax DSLRs until the K10D before they changed to the Samsung sensor. The enhanced DR is really helpful to get back details in the darker area of the frame without getting just noise (like it was the case with the K-7).

In regards of noise, the K-5 is a great enhancement to the K-7. The K-5 is still around a stop behind the D700 and even more compared to the D3s, but it is a great performance for an APS-C camera.

In regards of white balance, the K-5 gives a little cold balance by default which I prefer compared to the yellow cast of the D700/D3s.

Exposure metering

The K-5 does, like all Pentax DSLRs, prefer to underexpose a little bit, while the Nikon's do prefer to overexpose. Apart from this difference, I find the exposure metering of the K-5 a bit more accurate and consistent than the one of the K-7.

In tricky situations, for example a bright red flower in front of a dark background, the metering of the K-5 is fooled as well as the one of the D3s. In such situations, I need to check the histograms by channels to make sure none is clipped. D3s and K-5 are pretty similar in such situations. The D700 shows its age in this regards, it is fooled, but needs much more exposure correction to avoid clipping.

Handling

The base K-5, as the K-7, is a bit too small for my hands, especially when using larger lenses. The grip does greatly improve the handling. In regards of weight, the K-5/K-7 do win over the Nikon.

In regards of menus, the menus of the K-5 has been slightly changed compared to the K-7, but I quickly found all I wanted. Comparing the menus of the K-5/K-7 and D700/D3s is unfair as I am much more used to the Pentax menus. I am still terribly lost in the menus of the D700/D3s. Some choices of Nikon do not look logical to me.

The manual setting of the WB is a major plus on Pentax. You take a photo, go into the menu and go either through the presets, or go manually and change the values while seeing the result immediately on the back LCD screen. On Nikon, it is a matter of trial and error, you take a photo, check the result, change the setting and start again until you have the right settings.

I have been corrected, there is a way to set the WB on Nikon in a very similar way than on Pentax. With Pentax, the camera shows the last photo taken and you can go through presets and see the results immediately on the screen, while on Nikon, you go into Liveview and change the WB until you get the result you want.

Out in the field

I do not get much attention when using the Pentax DSLRs out in the streets. The shutter of the K-5 is even quieter than the one of the K-7 and the camera is pretty small. I do only get attention when using the camera in bad weather, such as on Saturday when I took photos while it was snowing.

The D700/D3s do draw much more attention. The shutter is terribly loud, when trying to make candids in the streets, you do have just one single attempt. Then, there are frequently people approaching and asking which camera I am using, which lenses is on the camera and if I am happy with the camera, or they list me all the Nikon equipment they have. I already missed a few shots.

Conclusions

K-5

Well, this K-5 is a great improvement over the K-7, especially in color rendition, AF and high iso capabilities. While it does not reach the levels of the D3s, it is good enough for most of my photographic purposes. The advantage of size and weight compared to Nikon does make it my main camera and an excellent camera for travel photography.

D3s

The AF system is, especially with the AFS70-200/2.8, a very fast performer coupled with a frame rate of 9 images/sec and a buffer of over 40 RAW files, the ideal camera for serious sports photography. It will remain my main camera for sports photography.

The Nikon does also offer a huge variety of lenses, but then, Nikon really draws a large line to clearly separate the "amateur" lenses from the "pro" lenses. Weather sealing and image stabilizer are reserved for pro lenses.

The D3s is a marvelous camera, a big heavy workhorse up to any job, long and fast action, very high iso capabilities, blindingly fast, but as said, extremely heavy. The camera provides little fun when carried around a whole day on a mountain walk. The K-5 is well behind the performance of the D3s, but it is good enough for what I do, except sports photography

Reason for editing: setting WB on Nikon and Pentax is similar, I have been corrected on another forum.

[blackcloudbrew]

An excellent and informative review. Thanks. (+1)

[Mike Pearson]

Dominique,

Thanks for the comparitive review which I am sure will answer a lot of questions for our members 

Mike

[spyglass]

Dominique, I like that you did make reference to the K-7 in your review of the K-5. This brought a familiar perspective to the review that might otherwise have been missed if only Nikon models were referenced. I tend to be a bit of a "leap frog" buyer (where I tend to skip models / generations). I have a K20, skipped the K7, and have been considering the K5. Quality user experience is very valuable in helping to understand the K5 and what advantages it offers. When you string all the features that each Pentax model has offered (starting from the *ist  up to the present K5) you get a sense of where Pentax may be heading.  At this point, I will probably wait to pick up the "K3" when it comes out. I am stilling waiting for a major improvement in the AF system, and would like to see a faster processor.



Spyglass

[blackcloudbrew]

Spy - some good points there. Last year I really wanted the k-7 and at some level still want one but as this past year and a half have unfolded, I've been glad that I didn't just go there on the k-7. The best review I read was that the differences between the k-20 and k-7 weren't great enough to justify the purchase. Everything I've read now, is the opposite. For me it's time to upgrade, although it won't be until well into 2011 at this point. Actually, the reason for the upgrade is that I'm finally seeing the short comings of my k-10 and while I'll keep my k-20, the difference between it and the k-5 are too significant now to ignore. So unless I win the lotto (I guess I'd better start playing first) and get two 645D's I'll be putting my LBA on hold for CBA next year.

[Ron Kruger]

I'm with Tim. K5 is a serious upgrade over the K20D in every respect.
But I'm going to start playing the lottery as well. On dpreview, a proud owner of the 645D posted some scenic shots. Have you seen them, Tim?
For a poor hillbilly like me, owning a 645D would be like living in a trailer and driving a Proche.

[blackcloudbrew]

I don't know if I've seen them or not but I've seen enough 645D images to make me want to get it. As I've been playing with the original 645, I can really see using one of them for landscape work. But seriously, Ron I'd think you'd also have a garage with that trailer and Porsche.

[Ron Kruger]

No, I'd just stretch a tarp between couple of trees and attach it with duct tape.

[JIMBO]

Intertesting review and very informative. Thank you and it does get one thinking. JIM

[digitalfinch]

I agree with all of you  

[blackcloudbrew]

I agree with all of you   

You do? Are you getting a trailer too?

[digitalfinch]

Well, we have the original (!) "Sinterklaas" now, so who knows ? Well, I'd rather have a K5, but you can't have them all, can you ?

[philstaff]

http://www.pentaxuser.co....rum/topic/k5-owners-24316
New K5 owners there seems to be a problem with some modeles of the k5 link above will explain all.
Ian

[PeteD]

http://www.pentaxuser.co....rum/topic/k5-owners-24316
New K5 owners there seems to be a problem with some modeles of the k5 link above will explain all.
Ian

Looks like there is a fault in some of the glass covering the sensor, mine is fine but it is from a later batch.

Cheers.

Pete

[tcom]

My two K-5 are affected by the sensor stains. I have been in contact with Pentax during the last two weeks about this. At the moment, my K-5 are on the way back to Pentax to be replaced. According to Pentax, all cameras they are delivering now are checked for the sensor stains.