Pentax K-5

performance, usability, portability, price, image quality

storage

99% of the reviews on Amazon.co.uk give this product a positive rating.

performance, usability, portability, image quality, price

94% of the reviews on Amazon.com give this product a positive rating.

usability, image quality, sensor, performance, color

100% of the reviews on Amazon.ca give this product a positive rating.

Weather sealed. Fast continuous shooting. In-body stabilization. Pentaprism viewfinder. Quiet.

Pricey. So-so kit lens. No autofocus during video recording. Subpar high ISO performance.

The user interface is pretty straightforward. The eye-level viewfinder displays the current shutter speed, aperture, ISO, and other crucial shooting information so you can change settings without dropping the camera from your eye. You can also view...

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...

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 No AF during movie shooting Poorly implemented live histogram in live view/manual exposure mode...

We liked the older Pentax K-7 a lot, and our only significant criticism was its relatively poor high ISO performance. The new K-5 brings all the things that we liked about the K-7 - the compact, solid body, and generally well thought-out ergonomics,...

Though the K-5 posts solid scores, what we don’t see in these results are factors like control and usability. It is there that the K-5's video capabilities dip into the realm of “unusable.”

The Pentax K-5 combines the proven design of the K-7 with an exciting new 16.3 megapixel APS-C sensor to create an appealingly well-specified, intuitive and customisable DSLR with few real drawbacks. Virtually identical to the K-7, Pentax haven't taken...

Extremely wide ISO range, excellent high ISO performance, one of the best APS-C sensors yet ; Very detailed images and very good dynamic range, especially from RAW ; 6.5 fps burst mode has very good buffer depths regardless of file type(s) ; Unusually...

Steep learning curve (but intuitive once familiar) ; Default saturation and contrast a bit high, auto white balance too warm in tungsten light ; 18-55mm kit lens isn't on par with the camera body (but not bad for a sub-$150 lens) ; No middle ground...

With the launch of the K-7 two years ago, Pentax played to its strengths by creating a digital SLR that was not only feature-rich, but also surprisingly compact for a weather-sealed, magnesium alloy-bodied camera. The K-7 was an important product for...

Good resolution scores with the kit lens; Handles noise well

Mediocre long-exposure; So-so white balance

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...

Improved image quality and low-light performance, 1080p high-definition video at 25 fps, includes mic jack and HDMI port, customizable settings

Not as good in dim light as full-frame cameras, no autofocus while shooting video, no one-touch video button, expensive