Pentax K-5 II

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K-5 II Overview
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Basic Specifications
Resolution:	16.30 Megapixels
Kit Lens:	3.00x zoom 18-55mm (27-83mm eq.)
Viewfinder:	Optical / LCD
LCD Size:	3.0 inch
ISO:	80-51200
Shutter:	30-1/8000
Max Aperture:	3.5
Dimensions:	5.2 x 3.8 x 2.9 in. (131 x 97 x 73 mm)
Weight:	26.1 oz (740 g) includes batteries
MSRP:	$1,350
Availability:	10/2012

16.30 Megapixels	PENTAX KAF2 (KAF2, KAF, KA)	3.0 inch LCD

Pentax K-5 II Preview

by Mike Tomkins
Posted 09/10/2012

For the third straight generation, Pentax Ricoh Imaging has retained almost exactly the same body for its new Pentax K-5 II digital SLR. That's not surprising: we weren't alone in heaping praise on the body it shares with the earlier K-7 and K-5 models. What is rather surprising, though, is just how much else the K-5 II shares with its immediate predecessor. The two cameras are as near-indistinguishable under the skin as they are on the outside, with only a couple of key differences. One of these, though, aims to answer a common criticism of the company's recent SLRs. In the process, it vaults the company to the top of the tables in terms of low-light autofocusing capabilities--on paper at least.

Along with the refreshed autofocus system, Pentax has also gifted the K-5 II with an updated LCD display whose tougher surface better-matches the rest of the K-5's rugged, weather-sealed body. Better still, the new display should provide a clearer image when shooting outdoors, with glare presenting less of an issue. The Pentax K-5 II also bests its predecessor by a significant margin in terms of launch pricing, although it still lists a fair bit above the current street pricing for that camera. And it retains everything else that made its predecessor so popular, albeit accompanied by a few things we find ourselves wishing the company had changed.

Back in late 2010, the Pentax K-5's image quality was unrivaled among APS-C SLRs, thanks in no small part to the Sony image sensor at the heart of the design. That same sensor now appears in several competitors, but the K-5 is still right around the top of the pack in terms of dynamic range and sensitivity / noise performance. With the sensor and processor unchanged, the K-5 II should provide that same great image quality and wide sensitivity range as its predecessor. It also retain the same swift seven frames-per-second burst shooting, and useful features such as in-body stabilization with the rare ability to correct for rotation. Unfortunately, it also retains a movie mode that rather lags the field, with inefficient Motion JPEG storage, no full-time autofocus, and no control over shutter speed.

Available from October 2012, the Pentax K-5 II will carry list pricing of around US$1,200 body-only, a full US$400 less than the price at which its predecessor originally launched. As it did with the earlier camera, Pentax will also offer two kit versions bundling weather-sealed lenses. The 18-55mm kit will list at around US$1,350, while the 18-135mm kit will sell for about US$1,550

Cover the logo with a fingertip, and from the front there's simply no way to tell the Pentax K-5 II apart from its predecessor. That's no bad thing: the K-5 had great ergonomics, and was absolutely packed with external controls that mean less time hunting for options in the menu system. A small red window in the base of the comfortably-profiled handgrip marks the location of the front infrared remote receiver, with a second placed on the rear of the body. As you'd expect from a camera aimed at enthusiasts, the K-5 also has a twin-dial layout. Just to the right of the front dial and shutter button is a small green AF assist lamp. Also worth noting from this view are the flash release button, PC sync terminal, Raw / Fx button, and focus mode lever that cascade down the left side of the body behind the lens mount.

There's no change on the top of the K-5 II either. All the controls are positioned as they were, including the locking Mode dial with its central release button, sitting above the lever used to select the camera's metering mode. The large, backlit top-deck LCD info panel makes it easy to confirm settings without wasting power--or ruining your night vision--by running the main LCD panel.

The only real difference from the K-5's body is found on the rear panel, and even here you'll need to be paying attention to spot it. Give up? The main LCD panel is now recessed just slightly, where that on the K-5 was flush-mounted. (The Pentax logo has to move onto the body itself to accommodate this change.) The polycarbonate cover over the LCD panel from the standard version of the K-5 has been replaced with tempered glass for the K-5 II, which should make for better resistance to scratches. Pentax has also switched to a new LCD panel that has the same size and resolution as in the earlier camera, but now has no air gap between the panel and the cover glass. That should translate to better visibility under strong ambient light, with less glare and better contrast.

The other main difference between the Pentax K-5 II and its predecessor is found beneath the surface: there's a brand-new SAFOX X phase-detection autofocus sensor assembly, replacing the SAFOX IX+ sensor from the K-5. It's likely still fairly closely-related to the earlier design, as the number and type of focus points is unchanged: there are still eleven points, of which nine are cross-types sensitive to both horizontal and vertical detail.

So how does SAFOX X best the earlier SAFOX IX+? Pentax tells us that the new sensor assembly provides best-in-class low-light sensitivity, with a working range of -3 to +18 EV at ISO 100. By way of comparison, the earlier K-5 offered a working range of -1 to +18 EV. Of course, low-light focusing performance is only one metric, and even with its new sensor, the Pentax K-5 still lags some competitors. The Nikon D7000, for example, offers a much more generous 39 autofocus points, versus Pentax's 11--although admittedly, none of the extra points are cross types.

All things considered, the Pentax K-5 II looks to be a relatively modest update, although it's easy to argue that's no bad thing. Even with a much higher launch price, the Pentax K-5 seems to have been something of a hit for the company, and the Pentax K-5 II retains everything that made its predecessor popular at a significantly lower list price, while including a couple of worthwhile advantages. With the K-5 now selling for even less than the K-5 II's list price, it will be interesting to see whether those tweaks are enough to persuade Pentaxians to reach deeper into their pockets for their new flagship.

Similar to the K-5 II but smaller lighter larger sensor cheaper But ...