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Pentax K-5 II and K-5 IIs topic
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    Specifications:

    • 16.3 MP CMOS Sensor *•An all-new 11 Point SAFOX X Autofocus System
    • 3.0" Air-Gap-Free LCD w/ 921k Dots
    • 1080p HD Video w/ External Mic Jack
    • High Sensitivity 80-51200 ISO Range
    • Body-based Shake Reduction (SR) System
    • Steel Chassis with Magnesium Alloy Cover
    • Fully Weather Sealed and Coldproof
    • 7 FPS and 1/8000 Maximum Shutter Speed
    • HDMI Output for Stills, Video and Sound

    Video: 1920 x 1080 (25 fps), 1280 x 720 (25, 30 fps), 640 x 480 (25, 30 fps) MJPEG only.

    The K-5 IIs is just like the K-5 II, but it does not have the anti-aliasing filter that's normally in front of the sensor. This allows for a higher effective image resultion at the cost of risking seeing more distortion.

    Price: $1,199.95 for body only, $1,349.95 for the K-5 II kit including the DA 18-55mm WR zoom lens and $1,549.95 for the K-5 II kit including the DA 18-135mm WR zoom lens. The K-5 IIs suggested retail price - $1,299.95 for body only.

    Available at:


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  • 24 Replies sorted by
  • wow, I was in the market for a good still camera and I was going back and forth between the K-5 and nikon D7000. I will definitely be keeping my eyes on this new K-5 II.

  • The 80 Iso is very very welcome! I wish more cameras had this feature.

  • body based shake reduction and high iso, that sounds sweet for my old manual lenses :)

  • Sorry this is not really 'news'. This camera is effectively two years old. The only difference between this and the original K5 is improved AF and a different LCD.

    I have a K5 MK1. Yes it's a great DSLR for stills but its paltry video performance (ie no manual control, overheating sensor etc) was the very reason I ended up with a GH2 for shooting video.

    If the AF is much better on the K5-II then will be amongst the best APS-C DSLR's on the market. However in the current climate it is lacking a number of features that Pentax really should have addressed. The K5-II still has no manual video control etc.

    The talk is a new flagship Pentax DSLR is not too far away. We shall see.

  • @pundit

    You fogot another thing - version without AA filter :-)

    It is really good still camera, and they specifically worked on AF.

    It can be that full manual movie mode can be available also.

  • @Vitaliy_Kiselev Yes the K5-IIs has no AA filter.

    For me the upgrade to a K5-II is not compelling enough. I'm not going to spend $1300 for a new AF system that the first K5 should have had anyway. I will buy the next Pentax DSLR (K3 or whatever it is called) when it is finally released providing it addresses several issues which it should hopefully do.

    According to a Pentax representative the video mode is unchanged from the K5 MK1 which means no manual mode and the same overheating sensor issues. You can lock the video exposure but the method is awkward and time consuming especially when trying to maintain 1/50th shutter speed.

  • @pundit

    Good thing here is that prices of used and remaining new K5 will drop.

    It is very good body, especially if you have set of Pentax mount Samyangs (as it works in all auto with them, except, AF, of course) :-)

  • @Vitaliy_Kiselev The K5 is probably the best build quality of any APS-C camera ever made. Also the body ergonomics are very good. Most of my friends Canons and Nikons feel like cheap plastic crap in comparison to the K5.

    I remember most of them laughed when they first saw I had a Pentax. Then when they picked up the K5 they were shocked. They think because it is small it is cheap until they hold it in their hands and feel the weight and the quality. I can also shoot in the rain (the K5 has 77 weather seals) if using my DA*16-50 zoom which is weather resistant.

    I have the Rokinon 85mm F1.4 in 'K' mount which is very good and use it to shoot low light concerts etc but generally using LiveView.

    I also have the Pentax FA31, FA43 and FA77 Limiteds which are very nice and also work well on the GH2.

    GH2 ungraded frame capture with Pentax FA31 Limited (Cluster V6)

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    Photo made by Igor Drozdovsky

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  • @Vitaliy_Kiselev Not sure what the above photos are trying to suggest except you cannot record via HDMI on the Pentax K5. Nothing above 480 is available from the HDMI port during recording. Higher HDMI resolutions such as 720 and 1080 are for playback only.

    Also lack of manual video controls, typical moire and sensor overheating are the reasons I ended up buying a GH2. According to a Pentax representative all the video specs for the K5-II are the same as the original K5.

  • Wonder if they got rid of the forced high ISO NR. It was applied even in RAW previously.

  • One of my favorite camera is the old full frame Kodak SLR/n. It was the first DSLR to omit an AA filter. I particularly like the extended ISO 6 to ISO 25.

  • One more Pentax K-5 II review

    The K-5 II’s ergonomics are top-notch. We dubbed them our gold standard when we reviewed the K-5 back in 2011, and the same holds true today. Build quality is as good as you can get, with a reassuring solidity and pleasing density.

    http://www.digitalcamerainfo.com/content/Pentax-K-5-II-Digital-Camera-Review.htm

  • Another review

    The Pentax K-5 II and K-5 IIs are aimed directly at serious photographers. These models are outfitted with a 16-megapixel CMOS image sensor, a rugged weather-resistant body, high light sensitivity (up to ISO 51200), and top shutter speed of 1/8000 second. The IIs is aimed at professionals who would prefer not to have the anti-aliasing filter, which smooths out fine details by decreasing high frequencies and distortion.

    The K-5 II is a serious piece of gear for serious photographers and pros. The wealth of customizable button and dial options make quick settings changes an easy affair. The deep adjustments you can make to color settings and the easily launched Custom Image modes are very handy.

    http://www.steves-digicams.com/camera-reviews/pentax/k-5-ii-and-k-5-iis/pentax-k-5-ii-and-k-5-iis-review.html

  • Review:

    The K-5 IIs' image quality is outstanding, producing noise-free images all the way from from ISO 80-800. Noise starts to become apparent at ISO 1600, with a little more noise and smearing of fine detail at the higher settings of 3200 and 6400, while the fastest speeds of 12800, 25600 are suitable for smaller prints.

    http://www.photographyblog.com/reviews/pentax_k5_iis_review/

  • The Pentax K-5 II and IIs felt very comfortable in my hands (if a bit small) and I could tell it was a solid, quality product. When I started shooting with them, I began to really appreciate the soft, quiet release of the shutter over the incredibly loud CLUNK of my 5DmkII bodies (they’re loud, but lovable). They also felt very responsive with minimal shutter lag and an overall “snappy” operational speed.

    http://www.thephoblographer.com/2013/05/21/review-pentax-k-5ii-k-5iis/

  • As usual DPreview is late with their Pentax review

    Regardless of whether you pick the K-5 II or K-5 IIS, we think you're likely to enjoy the camera and the images you make with it. Though it's been a little more than two years since the K-5 was introduced, the K-5 II is still relevant to today's market. Its sensor at the time broke new ground, but it's easy to argue that its 16 million high-quality pixels still make great images two years later. We don't find ourselves at all disappointed, especially considering the K-5 II's wide dynamic range and ample tools to extend it even further. Pentax took a great camera and upgraded it with a faster autofocus system, an improved LCD, and largely left the rest alone - save for the effective removal of the low-pass filter in the K-5 IIS.

    http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/pentax-k-5-ii-k-5-ii-s/

  • Hmm, time for K-II reviews, I guess.

    K-5 II represents a very worthwhile upgrade, and it's really a no-brainer purchase unless you can find a K-5 body for significantly less. For those currently shooting with an entry-level or mid-range Pentax DSLR, or perhaps even a compact camera, the Pentax K-5 II may prove intimidating at first, but it will offer you much more room to grow. And if you're considering jumping ship from another system, the K-5 II offers a lot of bang for the buck, so long as maximum resolution, AF sophistication, tethered shooting, and advanced movie capabilities aren't your primary goals.

    http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/pentax-k5-ii/pentax-k5-iiA.HTM