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Pentax K-5

Based on 31 reviews

Excellent:

19
Good:

10
Average:

0
Bad:

2

Pros

Tight, no-nonsense design and construction, Magnesium alloy exterior (except plastic panel around LCD), Piezoelectric dust removal technology.
Great image quality, weathersealed design, superfast continuous shooting.
Superior image quality, Fast continuous shooting and AF, Nice build and ergonomics.
Robust and light, Superb colour, Quality of lenses, Ergonomic design, Value for money, Backwards Compatibility with lenses.
This device can capture full HD video at 25 frames per second.
Good detail and dynamic range (even better in RAW), Exceptionally low shadow noise in RAW files at low ISOs, One of the best APS-C DSLRs in terms of high ISO image quality, Very good build quality and handling, Maximum ISO of 51,200 at full resolution.

Cons

Complicated interface, easy to get lost if you're not familiar with the camera, Camera strap D-rings make noise, Flash sync socket cap isn't attached to the camera, and is easily lost if not screwed in tightly.
Underwhelming 1855mm kit lens, limited buffer (incapable of 7fps burst in Raw mode), no AF in movie mode, MotionJPEG only movie files.
No movie record button, Lacks manual video controls, Expensive.
Fiddly SD card removal, Limited range of Pentax telephoto lenses.
The electronic leveler can only be used in Live View mode.
AF system not as versatile as Nikon D7000 (which is a cheaper camera), Lockable exposure mode dial can be annoying, No dedicated movie shooting button. Poorly implemented live histogram in live view/manual exposure mode.

By Photo Answers on March 07, 2012

The Pentax K-5 was designed as an update to Pentaxs enthusiast model, the Pentax K7....

80
By PC Mag on February 27, 2012

The weather-sealed Pentax K-5 is a fast-shooting digital SLR with in-body stabilization and fast burst shooting, but it's hampered by an underperforming kit lens, poor high ISO performance, and some other issues....

60
By Macworld on November 14, 2011

The Pentax K-5 DSLR is engineered for serious enthusiast photographers who want a weatherproof camera with excellent image quality, but in a smaller package than most in its class. The K-5’s solid magnesium alloy/stainless steel chassis feels good...

80
By Shutterbug on November 11, 2011

Pentax has a long history of innovation as well as a rabid fan base that loves the company’s tradition of optical excellence and originality. In fact, this fan base is the reason I’m writing this review. If you’re not already a...

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By Macworld UK on September 20, 2011

As an alternative to the Canon and Nikon cameras there’s the Pentax K-5, which has the advantage of in-body image stabilisation, which Pentax refers to as Shake Reduction (SR). Though announced last year, the 16.2-megapixel K-5 is Pentax’s...

80
By T3 Magazine on August 09, 2011

Anyone with older Pentax lenses looking to switch to digital will find the K-5 a staunch ally. Not quite as good as the Canon and Nikon but a robust and reliable nonetheless. A solid choice but perhaps not the obvious...

80
By DigitalCameraInfo on June 09, 2011

Much of the K-5’s pre-release hype focused on the brand new 16.2 effective megapixel sensor. In our tests, we found the excitement to be justified. This Pentax matches or exceeds comparable models from Nikon and Canon, especially in the areas of...

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By Photo Review Australia on May 01, 2011

The K-5 replaces the K-7 (from which it has evolved) at the top of Pentax's DLSR range. Little has changed as far as the camera's body is concerned but beneath the surface lie some significant improvements. The most notable being a new...

90
By Sydney Morning Herald on April 26, 2011

Pentax calls this 16-megapixel camera its professional APS-C model. The chunky, rugged body feels tough and incorporates features such as a 100 per cent viewfinder, high-resolution LCD, fast seven frames-per-second burst mode, DNG and PEF RAW...

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By DPexpert on April 20, 2011

This is an outstanding camera and anyone with a bag full of Pentax lenses should put it high on the shopping list. Just about all old bayonet mount Pentax glass will fit, even if some of the lenses are manual focus. The camera comes with a 375 page...

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