Pentax K-5 Digital Camera Review

Introduction

Front

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

Back

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

Sides

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

Bottom

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

Top

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

Size Comparisons

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

In the Box

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

• Pentax K-5 Digital Single-Lens Reflex Camera
• Weather Resistant 18-55mm Kit Lens
• Lens Hood
• D-LI90 Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Battery
• Neck Strap
• Micro-USB Cable
• AV Cable (Micro-USB)
• Operating Manual
• Pentax Digital Camera Utility 4 (CD-ROM)
• AC Plug Cord
• D-BC90 Battery Charger

Sharpness

With its default lens, the K-5’s sharpness rating stood way out from the rest of our comparison group. At similar focal lengths and apertures the K-5 often outperformed Nikon’s D7000 by approximately 30%, and was able to outperform Pentax’s own K-x by more than double. More on how we test sharpness.

https://reviewed.usatoday.com/cameras/content/How-we-test-digital-cameras-20069.htm#resolution

Image Stabilization

The K-5’s shake reduction performed poorly, particularly during low shake scenarios such as shooting from the hand.

When subjected to our low intensity shake test, the K-5 actually worsened the sharpness of images more often than it improved them, at times by more than 40%. Meaning that for everyday two-handed shooting it is actually advantageous to turn off shake reduction completely.

In our high shake test, which is analogous to shooting inside a moving vehicle for example, the K-5 did not fare quite as poorly. At some shutter speeds the camera was able to improve sharpness by as much as 34%, though at other speeds again detracted from sharpness, this time by as much as 15%.

Sony’s A55 and Canon’s 7D were the top performers in this category, producing results that nearly doubled the K-5’s. In fact Pentax’s older K-x fared better than the K-5 in our stabilization test. Only the Nikon D7000 produced a worse stabilization average, but not even the D7000 showed such unusual trends. Due to the K-5’s puzzling tendency to perform worse at typically less challenging shutter speeds and shake intensity, the rule of thumb is clear: if you plan to utilize the K-5’s stabilizer, you’d better be shaking it pretty hard.

Color Accuracy

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

The K-5's Sony-built APS-C sensor is capable of strong color accuracy across most of the spectrum, though it does lose some warmth in the brightest yellows and blues. At the most accurate settings, greens and reds are particularly faithful. Saturation was also nearly spot on, averaging 102.1% in our test.

Click here for more on how we test color

The results are excellent, but they should be given this camera's price point. The K-5 easily bests Pentax's own K-x model from 2009. We measured the K-5's "Natural" color mode to be the most accurate, and used this mode in all other tests.

NOTE: Because of the way computer monitors reproduce colors, the images above do not exactly match the originals found on the chart or in the captured images. The chart should be used to judge the relative color shift, not the absolute captured colors.

The K-5 scores well in our comparison group, easily surpassing Samsung's NX10 and Canon's 7D, in addition to the K-r. However our results do place this camera slightly behind the Nikon D7000, a close competitor. While the D7000 also struggles with cyan, the Nikon's superior processing of bright yellows is largely to thank here.

{{comparison_bars title="Color Score Comparison", attribute="Color Score", xLabel="Color Score"}}

Color Modes

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

Nine color modes are available in total, and while Natural is the most accurate, the others have their uses too. Portrait enhances all colors evenly across the gamut. Landscape is suited to nature shots, with accentuated yellows and blues. Vibrant increases the intensity of shots, at the expense of color accuracy (particularly magentas and greens). On the other hand, Muted reduces the saturation of all colors for an intentionally washed out look. Other modes are Bright, Bleach Bypass, Reversal Film, and Monochrome.

NOTE: Because of the way computer monitors reproduce colors, the images above do not exactly match the originals found on the chart or in the captured images. The chart should be used to judge the relative color shift, not the absolute captured colors.

Long Exposure

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

The K-5's noise and accuracy during long exposures is consistent with the K-x. Both sets of scores tend to remain fairly constant from 1 to 30 seconds of exposure. Activating noise reduction degraded color accuracy enough for our tests to detect the difference, however these are miniscule variations we're talking about here.

Click here for more on how we test long exposure.

Color error results ranged from 3.88 to 4.00 without noise reduction. Decent scores, but clearly thrown off by high oversaturation, which averaged 107% across all exposure times. This oversaturation is identical to the K-x's performance, however the detriment to color accuracy is not nearly as severe in the K-5.

{{image_chart attachment="Long Exposure Color Error"}}

Noise scores at long exposures were disappointing. With reduction off results ranged from 1.84% at worst to 1.41% at best, though 1.41% is hardly a great performance anyway. Noise reduction did little to help, instead exacerbating the problem in many cases. Red noise was the most prevalent in our tests, which is common. The K-5 seems to have a long exposure "sweet spot" of around 10-15 seconds, this exposure time yielded the best results in all cases.

{{image_chart attachment="Long Exposure Noise"}}

As is evident in the graph below, noise performance scores are grouped cleanly into two groups. The Nikon D7000, despite drastically undersaturated long exposures, earns first place in our comparison by keeping noise below 0.7% at all times. The Canon 7D posts good scores in both metrics for a close second. The rest of the field cannot compete. Sony's A55 and both Pentax cameras receive similar, significantly worse scores.

{{comparison_bars title="Long Exposure Score Comparison", attribute="Long Exposure Score", xLabel="Long Exposure Score"}}

Noise

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

Initially, the K-5's performance here surprised and disappointed, returning a full 1% noise even at ISO 100, then quickly worsening to artifacted, but still printable images as early as ISO 800. At the highest ISOs, noise actually drops a bit, which of course makes no sense, and suggests that some form of noise reduction must be present even at the "off" setting. However, at ideal settings with noise reduction enabled, the test results turn around, and the K-5 returns noise levels as low as 1.4% even at ISO 25600.

Click here for more on how we test noise.

Six settings are available for high ISO noise reduction: off, low, medium, high, auto, and custom. The custom setting allows the user to manually specify noise reduction settings for each ISO individually. This is a helpful feature, ideal for for balancing the strong effect of this camera's noise reduction algorithm, against the tendency to lose sharpness with reduction enabled. We recommend medium settings up to ISO 200, and high for 400 and above.

This customization will be more effective than auto, which results in noise levels well above 1% at nearly every ISO setting. Or, in other words, the equivalent of low noise reduction at ISOs below 1600, and the equivalent of medium noise reduction at 1600 and above.

{{image_chart title="Noise Reduction Level Comparison", attachment="Noise Reduction Level Comparison"}}

Noise is spread evenly across all color channels, except for a very slight lean toward red noise compared to others. With noise reduction set to off, luma noise is perceptible at all ISO levels, even 100, and begins to spike at 800 which is not uncommon.

{{image_chart title="Color & Luma Noise", attachment="Color & Luma Noise"}}

With noise reduction turned off, the K-5 lagged way behind at low ISOs, but excelled at the highest settings. Nikon's D7000 registered only half the noise of the K-5 at ISO 100, but three times the noise at ISO 25600. Sony's A55 also subjects images to less than half the K-5's noise level at ISO 100, but posted strong numbers at high ISOs as well. This isn't a perfect comparison however, since the A55's noise reduction has no "off" setting.

{{image_chart title="Noise Reduction Off Comparison", attachment="Noise Reduction Off Comparison"}}

At maximum noise reduction, the K-5 is the strongest performer of the entire group. Each of these cameras, with the exception of the K-x, posted excellent scores at low ISOs. But above 6400 the K-5 runs away with it, offering results at 25600 better than competitor's results two or three stops below.

{{image_chart title="Noise Reduction Maximum Comparison", attachment="Noise Reduction Maximum Comparison"}}

The Nikon D7000 does edge out our K-5 in overall noise performance. Given the identical sensor, this suggests Nikon's method of noise reduction is slightly more effective. The gap is thinner than it would've been in years past however. In fact the numbers do show a relatively vast improvement between Pentax's K-5 and its K-x from only a year before.

{{comparison_bars title="Noise Score Comparison", attribute="Noise Score", xLabel="Noise Score"}}

ISO

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

Offering a range of ISO settings extending from 80 to the rare 51200, it's clear Pentax hopes ISO range will be a major selling point of this camera. And to an extent, it is.

Don't be fooled, these aren't "extended ISO" levels. 80, 12800, 25600, and even 51200 are all full-resolution and available from default settings. Moreover, the camera's Sensitivity Priority mode will meter and adjust ISO settings automatically and, via a menu setting, may be set to operate between any combination of minimum and maximum ISOs the user prefers, including the full 80-51200 range.

NOTE: The images above are not used in our testing or scoring, but are included here to show real-world examples of the differences between cameras at the various ISO settings.

Resolution

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

An excellent 18-55mm weather resistant lens was provided for review. This is the K-5's default lens and the one most commonly paired, especially for first-time DSLR owners. Scores for distortion and chromatic aberration were on par with our comparison group, but a phenomenal sharpness rating rocketed the K-5's overall resolution score to the front of the pack.

Click here for more on how we test resolution.

Distortion

Tests at the 18mm focal length revealed barrel distortion in excess of 2.6% which, unfortunately, is common. At the 35mm medium range however, the figure dropped down to an excellent 0.16% pincushion distortion. At the full 55mm zoom: a still respectable 0.73%. Together this equals an overall score that is commensurate with other models in the class.

Chromatic Aberration ({{product.raw_scores['Chromatic Aberration Score']}})

Very little fringing is present in our sample photos, never enough to distract. The score is in line with other models in this price range and lens configuration. Chromatic aberration results are slightly worse than the older Pentax K-x.

Sharpness ({{product.raw_scores['Sharpness Score']}})

With its default lens, the K-5's sharpness rating stood way out from the rest of our comparison group. At similar focal lengths and apertures the K-5 often outperformed Nikon's D7000 by approximately 30%, and was able to outperform Pentax's own K-x by more than double.

Sharpness was also consistent across varying focal lengths. At 18mm, sharpness was excellent at low and especially medium apertures, and still solid all the way up to f/22.

35mm continued the trend, medium apertures like f/11 were once again a sweet spot for sharpness, surpassing wider settings like f/4.5, before dropping off at f/32.

Finally, at 55mm, wide aperture scores were high with medium apertures scoring even better. This time performance dropped considerably at the smallest apertures. The camera was only able to resolve half the detail at f/38.

The K-5 leads our comparison group in overall resolution with its closest competition coming from the Sony A55. Other than that, the margin is wide. Scores for distortion and chromatic aberration were basically consistent across all five cameras, with results varying no more than 10% between them. Sharpness however, is another story entirely. The K-5 essentially blows away all the other models in this field. The A55 is the closest competition here, but in all other cases the performance gap is 30% or more.

{{comparison_bars title="Resolution Score Comparison", attribute="Resolution Score", xLabel="Resolution Score"}}

Picture Quality & Size Options

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

The K-5's range of options for outputted images files is robust. While most of your shooting will be done at the sensor's 16.2 megapixel maximum resolution, menu settings also allow for images at 10-, 6-, and 2-megapixel capture. Intuitively, the same screen displays the exact horizontal and vertical resolution of each setting, and also extrapolates how many exposures remain at each setting given the capacity and current occupancy of the memory card.

Aside from resolution, the quality of the JPEG encoding may be adjusted from one to four "stars," which can also help save memory. In addition to JPEG, images may be stored as raw data in either DNG or PEF formats. There's also an option to shoot a full resolution JPEG and raw image simultaneously.

Dynamic Range

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

At ISO 80, the K-5 achieves over seven stops of dynamic range in our test. A solid result, but unfortunately these numbers will drop off quickly. As early as ISO 100, the sensor can no longer pull the full seven stops, by ISO 800, not even a full five. At ISOs above 3200 the K-5 scores relatively well, achieving three full stops and most of the fourth at 6400 and 12800. Remarkably, the camera still manages a dynamic range just shy of three stops even at the sky-high ISO 51200.

Highlight correction and three levels of shadow correction are available in the menus, however these modes were not a part of our test.

Click here for more on how we test dynamic range.

Canon's 7D was the top performer in our comparison group for this metric, capturing almost eight stops of range at ISO 100 and a full seven stops even at ISO 400, whereas the K-5 had already dropped down into the fives. The K-5 was also outperformed--albeit only slightly--by the older K-x, which captured one stop more at ISO 400 and 800.

{{image_chart title="Dynamic Range", attachment="Dynamic Range Chart"}}

This of course places the K-5 close to the bottom of the pack in our dynamic range test, surpassing only the Nikon D7000 and even then by only a small margin. What does impress us is the Pentax's handling of high ISO dynamic range, which is relatively strong, though not strong enough to outweigh the poor results below ISO 6400.

{{image_chart title="Dynamic Range Comparison", attachment="Dynamic Range Comparison Chart"}}

{{comparison_bars title="Dynamic Range Score Comparison", attribute="Dynamic Range Score", xLabel="Dynamic Range Score"}}

Image Stabilization

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

The K-5's shake reduction performed poorly, particularly during low shake scenarios such as shooting from the hand. Click here for more on how we test image stabilization.

When subjected to our low intensity shake test, the K-5 actually worsened the sharpness of images more often than it improved them, at times by more than 40%. Meaning that for everyday two-handed shooting it is actually advantageous to turn off shake reduction completely.

In our high shake test, which is analogous to shooting inside a moving vehicle for example, the K-5 did not fare quite as poorly. At some shutter speeds the camera was able to improve sharpness by as much as 34%, though at other speeds again detracted from sharpness, this time by as much as 15%.

product:manufacturer:name/product:manufacturer:name product:model/product:model Image Stabilization

Sony's A55 and Canon's 7D were the top performers in this category, producing results that nearly doubled the K-5's. In fact Pentax's older K-x fared better than the K-5 in our stabilization test. Only the Nikon D7000 produced a worse stabilization average, but not even the D7000 showed such unusual trends. Due to the K-5's puzzling tendency to perform worse at typically less challenging shutter speeds and shake intensity, the rule of thumb is clear: if you plan to utilize the K-5's stabilizer, you'd better be shaking it pretty hard.

{{comparison_bars title="Image Stabilization Score Comparison", attribute="Stabilization Score", xLabel="Image Stabilization Score"}}

NOTE: As of May 2010 we have revised our image stabilization testing procedure to consider only horizontal stabilization. The scores shown here are up to date.

White Balance

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

The K-5's white balance is close to what we'd expect, and does improve upon the K-x. Performance is just as strong as the competition. In fact, the most troublesome aspect here is a clunky and confusing white balance interface.

Click here for more on how we test white balance.

Automatic White Balance ({{product.raw_scores['Auto White Balance Score']}})

Automatic white balancing scored low versus our comparison group, surpassing only the Nikon D7000 and falling way behind the Canon 7D, which boasts an excellent automatic mode. Like many cameras, this one has a tendency to arrive at color temperatures that are a bit cooler than the ideal. In fact, almost no white balance result, auto or custom, was too warm.

{{image_chart title="Auto White Balance", attachment="Auto White Balance"}}

In natural daylight, the K-5 returns some of the most accurate results of any white balance test, auto or custom. On average, the camera's calculations were only off by 89 degrees Kelvin. This is a major selling point for everyday use, assuming most of your shooting will take place outside. In daylight, auto white balance actually outperformed custom, and by a decent margin too.

{{image_chart title="Auto Daylight White Balance Performance Comparison", attachment="Auto Daylight WB Performance Comp"}}

On the other hand, indoor incandescent light tends to give digital cameras a lot of trouble. The K-5 fares just as poorly here as the rest of the field. Images averaged 2200 degrees too cool.

{{image_chart title="Auto Incandescent White Balance Performance Comparison", attachment="Auto Incandescent WB Peformance Comp"}}

Under compact fluorescent light, the K-5's scores are consistent with competitors. Color casts averaged 276 degrees on the cool side.

{{image_chart title="Auto Flourescent White Balance Performance Comparison", attachment="Auto Fluorescent WB Peformance Comp"}}

Custom White Balance ({{product.raw_scores['Custom White Balance Score']}})

Custom white balance was a bit of a shock for the K-5. First of all, as mentioned, automatic white balance during daylight actually functions better than custom settings, which take longer to establish and ruins spontaneity. This is an important metric. Often the process of buying a camera can be purely a numbers game, but the effectiveness of this camera's automatic white balance in daylight speaks directly to the "fun factor" of shooting with the K-5.

Then there's the compact fluorescent performance, which is better in custom mode, but not by much. Certainly not enough to necessitate manual adjustment for every set of shots. And finally, most surprisingly, custom white balance performance under tricky incandescent light actually edged out automatic daylight for the best overall scores, off by only 88 degrees.

So, bottom line: take a custom white balance indoors, otherwise there's no need.

{{image_chart attachment="Custom White Balance"}}

In our comparison group, the Canon 7D has an easy lead thanks to fantastic scores in automatic mode, averaging only a 38 degree difference from ideal in daylight. The K-5 can't compete with numbers like these, but solid marks in both auto and custom land this camera near the group's average score.

{{comparison_bars title="White Balance Score Comparison", attribute="White Balance Score", xLabel="White Balance Score"}}

White Balance Settings

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

Available white balance adjustment settings are robust. Relegated to its own key on the rear control panel's directional pad, the white balance menu allows users to select automatic, daylight, shade, cloudy, four variations of fluorescent light, tungsten light, or a setting designed for use with flash. Three additional settings are a bit more in depth. "Color Temperature Enhancement" allows the user to keep and strengthen a specified color tone. Manual allows the user to capture an image and select a region that the camera will consider "white," with memory for three presets. A final mode allows the user to manually input a desired color temperature in degrees Kelvin, again with memory for three presets.

Via a sub-menu all modes, including auto, may be fine tuned with a set of two axes. The Y-axis adjusts between green and magenta, the x-axis between blue and amber. The interface is a little complex at first, but owners should get used to it pretty quickly.

Playback Mode

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

The K-5's playback interface is designed to both inform the user about their pictures and empower the user with complete control over the memory card. Using the rear dial, images may be viewed at full size, magnified to 32x zoom, or minimized to be viewed along with other shots in a grid of 2x2, 3x3, 4x4, 5x5, or 6x6. Images may also be viewed according to the folders in which they appear on the memory card and if necessary, deleted individually or in batches. Pressing the "info" button while adjusting the grid size activates an additional viewing method in which images are grouped according to the date and time they were shot.

While viewing only a single image, the "info" button provides more options. Pressing it will cycle different levels of information displayed: no information (image only), minimal information (file format, shutter, f-number, ISO, and file name), an RGB histogram overlayed on top of the image, and full information. This last click reduces the image to a thumbnail and displays all shooting information: priority mode, shake reduction, file number, timing setting, focal length, focus area, color mode and tweaks, shutter speed, f-number, exposure compensation, ISO, white balance setting, file format, image resolution, encoding quality, color space, and the date and time.

Software

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

The K-5 ships with Pentax Digital Camera Utility 4, a decent piece of software with basic and mid-level editing tools. For the most part, the utility matches the menu options of the camera itself. There are tweaks for white balance, custom color settings, distortion compensation, etc.; and all these options can be applied to multiple pictures via a handy batch-editing mode. Basics like crop, resize, and rotation are here too.

It's no Photoshop, and the controls can be sluggish and slow to respond at times, but new owners may actually get some legitimate use out of this utility, which is more than can be said for most pack-ins.

Direct Print Options

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

DPOF settings for use with printers and print stores can be found in the in-camera editing menu. Users may specify the number of copies and toggle date stamping for either individual images or all of them at once. Note that Pentax cameras do not support the widely adopted "PictBridge" standard.

Sensor

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

The K-5 was the first application of Sony's newest 16.3 megapixel APS-C sensor, which was since also used in the Nikon D7000 and most likely the Sony Alpha A55. The sensor's performance set off a firestorm in the community as it met or even exceeded the abilities of professional grade DSLRs (though admittedly, the professional lineup hasn't been updated for some time).

Convergence areas of different sensor sizes compared

Our findings are consistent with the praise, especially when it comes to resolution. 16.3 megapixels is plenty, and while not quite the absolute maximum resolution found in today's consumer level cameras, this is some of the finest detail available in the class. Most decent shots can be blown up to living room portraits without a noticeable loss of quality.

Viewfinder

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

The K-5's viewfinder boasts a full 100% field of view with a diopter adjustment range of -2.5 to +1.5 m^-1. If that's not strong enough, corrective eyepieces may be purchased to match your prescription. The eye cup is comfortable without straining or squinting, but the diopter adjuster is too rigid and may only be adjusted properly after the eye cup has been slid off completely. Pentax also opted not to mark the available focal points here, however the active point is highlighted during autofocus.

LCD

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

The back panel is dominated by the K-5's gorgeous 3-inch LCD screen clocking in at approximately 921,000 dots. The display's color temperature was accurate and well calibrated out of the box.

A swiveling panel design would have been nice here, especially for shooting video. But as it is, the fixed LCD does well with what it has. The viewing angle is wide enough for lining up the trickiest of shots, while the backlight is bright enough to preview images at noon on a sunny day.

Tweaking adjustments for both brightness and color can be found in the main options menu, but again, the default settings for both a fine. Brightness is adjustable in seven steps up or down. Color adjustment is identical to the color modes screen, a set of two axes leans color reproduction toward green or magenta, and blue or amber.

Flash

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

The K-5's built-in flash appears identical to the K-7 from 2009. Like most, this built-in flash is really for emergencies only, with a tendency to wash out color and darken backgrounds. The flash's distance guide number is 13 meters or 43 feet, and the K-5's circuitry has the ability to sync flash at shutter speeds of up to one 180th of a second. This is lower than some peers but remains competitive with our comparison group.

This flash meters through the lens and offers red-eye reduction, trailing curtain sync, and wireless sync. Flash exposure compensation can be edited painlessly in the flash menu, and extends from -2.0 to +1.0EV.

Lens Mount

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

All Pentax "K mount" lenses are compatible with the K-5, that's about 90 lenses as of this writing. Pentax's catalog is strongest at the extremes, with plenty of solid entry-level options and plenty of excellent high-end options. Some won't autofocus, but all current digital lenses (DA, DA L, D FA, and FA J configurations) will work fine. When exchanging lenses, the release button is actually a bit of a pain, especially for those who exchange frequently.

The absence of an auto/manual mode switch built into this kit lens is noteworthy, so manual mode is essentially always available. Also, the front of the lens does not rotate while focusing, which is desirable for use with filters.

Battery

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

The K-7's D-LI90 lithium battery makes a return for the K-5 and is the only compatible battery type. Performance is rated at 980 recorded shots without flash at seventy-three degrees Fahrenheit. This sounds about right, the K-5 withstands all our tests on just one or two charges. Charging time is rated at a maximum of 390 minutes, and we found only an hour or so was necessary to return to shooting after fully depleting the charge.

Memory

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

SD and SDHC memory cards are supported and no maximum storage capacity is specified. High speed SD cards are suggested when filming video, otherwise write speed will not be able to keep up with recording speed. Memory card access is underneath the right hand grip, concealed by a hinged plastic cover.

Jacks, Ports & Plugs

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

As mentioned, the plastic memory card cover takes up the majority of the right grip. Below that, a rubber port cover conceals the remote control input slot. On the left side of the body, three more ports are housed underneath a large rubber cover: a DC power input, a micro-USB port, and a mini-HDMI port. Above these is a separate, 3.5mm plug for use with an optional external microphone.

Shooting Modes

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

The mode dial is pretty standard for DSLRs, with the addition of a few Pentax-only features. The very useful "Shutter and Aperture Priority" allows full manual adjustment of shutter and aperture via the front and rear dials respectively, while the camera dynamically adjusts ISO based on shooting conditions. "User" mode stores up to five sets of options across all modes and menus, for easily switching between totally different shooting styles. "X-sync" locks shutter speed at 1/180, the camera's maximum flash sync speed, for external flash that does not support automatic syncing.

On top of the mode dial is a lock button that must be depressed in order to rotate the dial. It requires a little bit more finger work, but getting accustomed to this is relatively painless. Design wise this does seem like a strange decision, since the mode dial is sufficiently out of the way, and was really never in danger of accidental adjustment anyway.

Live View

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

Live view is pretty capable on the K-5 thanks mostly to the high resolution, wide viewing angle LCD. Three crosshair or grid overlay options are available, as well as three more options for information overlay: basic shooting information, a histogram, and finally under- or overexposed region highlighting.

The downside of this live view mode, along with most live views, is the autofocus system. With the mirror up, the camera relies on the slower contrast-based focus detection system. The K-5's contrast detection is actually quite fast compared to others in the market, but considerably slower than the superior phase detection system used with the viewfinder.

Pentax has come up with a tricky way around this design obstacle. In the live view menu, an option for phase detection does exist. Upon pressing the shutter button halfway down, the camera quickly switches off live view, establishes focus via phase detection, and quickly switches back to live view, at which point the user can finally snap their picture. All in all, the whole process is noticeably faster than contrast detection, though still not nearly as fast as viewfinder shooting. To improve this even further, it would've been nice if Pentax didn't force the user back into live view after establishing focus, which would've sped things up even further at the risk of losing a fast-moving subject.

Scene Modes

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

The K-5 has no individually defined "scene modes," instead the program line functions in a similar way, outlining certain characteristics used in the Program mode. Normal, for basic exposures, Hi-speed, which prioritizes high shutter speeds, DOF deep, which closes the aperture as much as possible, DOF shallow, with opens the aperture as much as possible, MTF, for use which certain attached lenses, and automatic.

Picture Effects

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

Eight digital picture filters are available in the main menu, most are silly. Extract Color is the most valuable and really the only one with legitimate artistic value. This mode extracts one or two colors and renders the rest of the image black and white. Toy Camera makes images appear they were taken with a tiny camera, Retro makes images look old, High Contrast and Soften are pretty self-explanatory, Starburst shapes highlights, Fish-eye simulates a fish-eye lens, and finally the Custom Filter allows the user to design and save their own filter.

Focus

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

The K-5 uses an 11 point (9 cross-type) autofocus system with an option to use 5 points instead. In the overwhelming majority of shooting scenarios the phase detection method was very fast and accurate, and--relatively speaking--so was the contrast detection.

Autofocus is further controlled by a radial thumb dial located to the left of the right thumb rest on the back panel. This dial chooses between full autofocus, selective autofocus which allows the user to specify which of the eleven points to focus on, and center focus which always gives focus to the center of the frame. In the center of the dial, a large "AF" button can be depressed while shooting to temporarily disable autofocus entirely.

The dial itself is rigid to a fault, far too strong to be tripped accidentally, but still tricky when used intentionally.

Exposure

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

The K-5 is capable of +/- 5 stops of exposure compensation for a single shot. The camera also features exposure bracketing in two, three, or five shots, with a maximum of +/- 2 stops for the bracket. Exposure bracketing may also be used in conjunction which can create brackets for other settings. White balance, saturation, hue, high and low key adjustment, contrast, and sharpness are all supported in extended bracketing.

Speed and Timing

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

Continuous shooting performance is consistent with numbers advertised by Pentax. This is limited by a buffer however, and slightly more so in RAW encoding mode.

Shot to Shot ({{product.raw_scores['Shot to Shot Score']}})

Our K-5 tests between 6.3 and 7.5 frames per second at maximum settings, and can sustain that speed for approximately 22 shots at maximum resolution. In RAW mode the buffer lasts approximately 19 shots before reducing speed. This is actually contrary--strangely--to the user manual's claim of only 8 full speed RAW shots.

{{image_chart title="Shot to Shot Time Comparison", attachment="Shot To Shot Time Comparison"}}

Drive/Burst Mode ({{product.raw_scores['Drive and Burst Modes Score']}})

Continuous shooting can be set to the full burst or a "low" mode that shoots 1.6 shots per second until the memory card is full. Interval shooting is fully customizable for time-lapse photography.

Metering

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

The K-5 features multi-segmented metering in 77 zones, this is the default and recommended setting for most shooting conditions. Center-weighted metering prioritizes zones in and surrounding the center of the frame, while spot metering measures only the brightness at the center of the viewfinder. Spot metering can be used in conjunction with the AE Lock button for subjects that are small and difficult to expose correctly.

Metering is adjusted via a radial thumb dial directly underneath the mode dial. The dial is small, stiff, and difficult to operate, usually requiring a fingernail to move. Metering performance however, was very accurate in all cases.

Shutter Speed

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

Shutter speeds are adjustable from thirty seconds to 1/8000th of a second, a little bit faster than most other cameras of this class. A full-manual Bulb mode is also available. Flash sync operates at speeds slower than 1/180. The K-5 uses an electronically controlled vertical-run focal-plane shutter.

Self-Timer

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

Self-timer settings are lacking on the K-5. Countdown timers come in only two flavors: two second and twelve second delays. Remote control shooting is fully supported however, offering a standard remote control drive mode, remote with three second delay, and remote continuous shooting.

Handling

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

The K-5 has a reassuring heft and solidity thanks to its magnesium alloy shell surrounding a stainless steel chassis. Some shifting of internal parts is detectable, but only if you're seeking it out specifically and even then the effect is barely noticeable.

Minus the lack of an articulating LCD, handling is phenomenal. The right hand grip features a recession for the index finger which, when coupled with the protruding rear thumb grip on the back, provides extra leverage for a stable and confident grip. Cupping the zoom ring with the left hand only adds to the K-5's outstanding control. This camera is a joy to shoot with.

Controls

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

Controls are laid out very intelligently for the most part, though buttons themselves can be hit or miss. For example, keys found on the directional pad protrude slightly, have a shallow but clear stroke, and an audible click. Then again the AF button is recessed, making thumb striking a challenge, with barely an audible click. The metering dial also remains puzzling for its extremely difficult and even painful operation.

Control mechanisms have far more ups than downs however. The shutter button has a soft focus phase, which leads predictably and intuitively to the release click. Behind it, enlarged ISO and and exposure compensation buttons are placed conveniently in reach of the index finger, freeing up the right thumb to operate the rear dial or AF button. Speaking of dials, both the front and rear have excellent grip and just enough stiffness.

Button layout is designed around the directional pad, helping to ease menu navigation. Live view gets its own large button this time around, while exposure lock holds prime real estate directly above the thumb grip. The only misstep is the autofocus dial, which has a very low profile that is far too shallow to operate with gloves and is still very difficult without. I do understand the desire to prevent accidental adjustment here, but this seems like overkill.

Menu

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

The K-5's menu layout is consistent with other models in this class. The main menu is divided into four tabs, with each tab further subdivided into numbered menus. Each tab is color coded to help with memorization. The interface is operated via a combination of the directional pad, and the front and rear dials. The front dial navigates through entire tabs, the rear dial through each numbered menu, and the directional pad through each individual option. All options are clearly legible at their default size, with an option to increase text size even more.

Options and tabs are arranged from left to right generally in the order of most common to least common adjustments, starting with shooting options and features, and finishing off with detailed customizations like LCD panel illumination, etc. This layout means no scrolling down is ever necessary, allowing the user to dial through the menus efficiently.

Manual & Learning

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

A substantial, helpful manual comes with the K-5. Clocking in at over 375 pages, the guide encompasses everything from basic photography techniques to specifics for each switch and setting. Beginners could easily start at page one and tackle the manual like a book, while experts hoping to acclimate quickly will find the detailed index and table of contents very helpful.

Unfortunately the camera itself is not quite as beginner-friendly. There is no help button to describe the function of this camera's countless options. Menu items are also abbreviated frequently. This is an oversight. In-camera help would've been nice since, after all, nobody brings their manual along when out shooting. The omission is particularly harmful considering Pentax's positioning as an beginner/enthusiast manufacturer.

Video: Color Performance

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

When shooting video in normal light, the K-5 under-performs. The gamut exhibits a tendency to pull toward the magenta range, with greens especially inaccurate and flesh tones much darker. This is the worst video color accuracy of our entire comparison group by a wide margin.

Unfortunately, saturation was also a problem. Under normal lighting, videos were undersaturated at only 89.65%. When combined, these scores equal a fairly dismal rating for overall video color performance at normal light levels.

Click here for more on how CamcorderInfo.com tests color performance.

Available color modes for video are identical to still shooting, including bleach bypass, reversal film, and monochrome. Just as with still shooting, each mode can be further adjusted via a simple slider menu.

Here again, "Natural" is the most accurate color mode and the one used for all our tests. "Bright" and "Landscape" emphasize yellows and blues, "Portrait" increases saturation of all colors, "Vibrant" enhances almost all colors, especially magenta and green, and "Muted" undersaturates all colors.

Against the likes of the Sony A55, as well as the rest of the field for that matter, the K-5 cannot compete. Sony's camera leads this field with much better color accuracy and almost perfect saturation. The K-5's results are also considerably worse than the K-x (not shown here), which again posted near-perfect saturation and superior accuracy.

{{comparison_bars title="Video: Color Score Comparison", attribute="Video Color Score", comps="video", xLabel="Video Color Score"}}

Video: Noise Performance

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

The K-5 was a very strong performer for noise levels under normal light, measuring only 0.3% noise in our test. This is an excellent score, likely thanks to the camera's huge APS-C sensor.

Click here for more on how CamcorderInfo.com tests noise performance.

All the cameras in our comparison group scored very well on this test, in fact none of them registered above 0.5% noise. But by the smallest of margins, the K-5 is the winner here, surpassing the Canon 7D by only five thousandths of a percent.

{{comparison_bars title="Video: Noise Score Comparison", attribute="Video Noise Score", comps="video", xLabel="Video Noise Performance Score"}}

Video: Motion Performance

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

Overall, the K-5 improves on its predecessors. We noticed much better smoothness this time around, as well as slightly less artifacting. Though, it should be noted neither the K-5 nor the K-x can be criticized for visible artifacts of any degree, both had stellar results. Smoothness however was a big problem for the K-x and we're happy to see this resolved in the K-5.

Click here for more on how CamcorderInfo.com tests motion.

Video: Sharpness

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

The K-5 also scored very well in our video sharpness test, outperformed only by the Sony A55, our overall video leader. This makes sense, given the K-5's capable new sensor, which it most likely shares with the Nikon D7000. Interestingly, we scored the K-5 higher than the D7000 in this test.

Sharpness is measured in line widths / picture height. We found this camera achieved 675 lw/ph while panning both horizontally and vertically. For reference, the mighty A55 is only 25-50 lw/ph ahead, averaging 700 and 725 for horizontal and vertical panning respectively.

Click here for more on how CamcorderInfo.com tests video sharpness.

{{comparison_bars title="Video: Sharpness Score Comparison", attribute="Video Sharpness Rating", comps="video", xLabel="Video Sharpness Score"}}

Video: Low Light Sensitivity

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

Only ten lux of illumination on our lab's chart was necessary for the K-5 to reproduce an image accurate enough to return 50 IRE on a waveform monitor. Such an image, while still dark, would be visible with an acceptable level of detail.

Click here for more on how CamcorderInfo.com tests low light sensitivity.

{{image_chart attachment="Video Required Illumination Comparison"}}

Video: Low Light Color Performance

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

In low light, the K-5 actually posted a much stronger relative performance. Saturation remained constant compared to average light test: approximately 89%. Color accuracy did drop, as is to be expected. Again the entire spectrum is pulled toward magenta, this time with some inaccuracies in light blues and oranges, in addition to the greens which are still way off.

Click here for more on how CamcorderInfo.com tests low light color performance.

{{comparison_bars title="Video: Low Light Color Score Comparison", attribute="Video Low Light Color Score", comps="video", xLabel="Video Low Light Color Score"}}

Video: Low Light Noise Performance

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

In low light, the K-5 produced only 0.87% noise. This is an excellent score, surpassing the K-x by almost a full 1%. Despite the improvement, the K-5 still lags behind the Sony A55 and Canon 7D, though not by much.

Click here for more on how CamcorderInfo.com tests low light noise performance.

The race here is between our K-5, the Sony A55, and the Canon 7D, all of which posted similarly excellent low light noise results. The Nikon D7000 trails way behind with over 1.4% noise. The worst performer is the K-x, with over 1.8% noise at a relatively high 23 lux.

{{comparison_bars title="Video: Low Light Noise Score Comparison", attribute="Video Low Light Noise Score", comps="video", xLabel="Video Low Light Noise Score"}}

Video: Compression

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

Video encoding is restricted to Motion-JPEG compressed .AVI files, with no options for AVCHD or H.264 video compression, techniques which could've allowed for smaller file sizes. Video is recorded at a maximum resolution of 1920x1080 at 25 frames per second. The signal may also be downsampled to 1280x720 at 30 or 25 frames per second, or further downsampled to a sub-HD 640x480 at 30 or 25 frames per second. At any resolution, encoding quality can be set from one to three "stars" depending on the desired level of compression.

Video: Manual Controls

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

Control is very limited during video shooting. The K-5 does not allow control over shutter, aperture, ISO, or auto-focus while a recording is active. Focus adjustments must be made manually with the lens' focus ring, while the camera's metering system does its best to automatically adjust other settings for the proper exposure.

The world of SLR video has come a long way since the days of say, the K-7. In the past, these failings would've been glossed over, but today they stand out.

Auto Mode

Automatic Mode is therefore the only mode for shooting video. For what it's worth, the light metering system does a fine job keeping subjects properly exposed. Automatic white balance also reacts fairly quickly. But without an automatic focus, we can hardly call this an "auto mode" at all.

Zoom Controls and Zoom Ratio

Digital zoom controls are not available at all during video shooting, the lens' zoom ring is your only option. Before recording, the camera's contrast detection system does use a 6x digital zoom to achieve focus and, even more puzzling, a manual 6x digital zoom is available by pressing the "info" button, but again only before recording--not during.

Focus

Again, focus is limited--rather pathetically--to the manual focus ring. Meaning that for everything except stationary shots, pulling focus by hand will require the skills of a professional videographer which, we dare say, lie outside the target audience of this camera.

Exposure, Aperture and Shutter Speed

None, none, and... yes none. At least not while shooting. Before pressing record, the K-5 does allow for manual adjustment of the aperture only, where it will remain locked during recording. Otherwise, a menu option allows for fully automatic aperture adjustment too. None of these settings can be altered or manually adjusted after beginning a recording.

ISO and Other Controls

Manual ISO control is also missing. A shame considering the K-5's strong low light performance. Shake reduction can be turned on or off in the movie menu, and this preference will remain independent of your still shooting selection, but that's pretty much it in terms of video control. This camera is no slouch when it comes to actual video performance, and it's a shame to see this paired with a feature set capable of little more than YouTube schlock.

Audio Features

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

The K-5 features a built-in monoaural microphone, which is functional in a pinch but for clean sound you'll need to take advantage of the external stereo microphone terminal, located under a rubber flap below the mode dial. Here again, control is extremely limited. Sound recording may either be set to on or off, no other customization or level metering is available.

Video: Handling

{{section_header}}{{section.name}}{{/section_header}}

The K-5's handling for still shooting is rock-steady but, like many DSLRs, this design doesn't lend itself well to video shooting. Stabilization helps quite a bit while shooting video from the hand, but an articulating LCD screen would've been nice, especially for shooting at odd angles. However, given the lack of attention paid to other video features, we're not surprised to find this expensive upgrade equally absent.

For a camera of this caliber, the K-5 is relatively light, and this is especially valuable during video shoots. The bright LCD and its wide viewing angle also come in handy here, in lieu of an articulating screen. Because the manual-only zoom and focus implementation, you'll need to keep the left hand free to pull the rings. Thankfully, the right hand grip is totally stable and at least make the process slightly less arduous.

Canon EOS 7D Comparison

Color and long exposure handling are the main selling points of the D7000 against the K-5, and while the color scores are relatively close, the long exposure race is a blowout. If exposures beyond one second are important to your shooting style, the D7000 easily surpasses the K-5 and all other cameras in our group.

Then again, resolution scores show the opposite effect. The K-5 far surpasses the D7000 in all our sharpness tests, likely by virtue of its excellent kit lens.

Performance:

Accuracy versus sharpness. Here we have the two comparison group leaders in each category: the D7000 boasts the best color accuracy, and the K-5 has the best sharpness. Noise, dynamic range, stabilization, and white balance are even or too close to call. The question is, are you the kind of photographer who values faithful reproduction of varying types of scenes, or the kind who values enlarging images and retaining the smallest details.

Components:

Similarities exist at the hardware level as well. LCD screens with identical specs, solid chassis, long-lasting batteries. However the D7000 offers some extras, the most obvious being available lenses. While the K-5 supports over 90 lenses as of this writing, Pentax cannot compete with the breadth of Nikon's selection. Also, more robust memory features exist on the D7000, including dual ports, support for SDXC cards, and memory overflow.

Handling:

Grip and handling is an absolute dream with the K-5 and, while we certainly can't fault the D7000, this one goes to Pentax by a mile. The D7000 has plenty of grip, and the fingers do fall naturally into place, but the leverage and stability afforded to K-5 users is too great. Beyond that, both have a reassuring heft and solidity, both have comfortable eye cups, and both shutter releases are in the perfect location.

Controls:

Pentax took some risks with its rear control panel. Some elements are successful, some fail spectacularly. In particular, the autofocus and metering dials often require fingernail operation. This is enough to place the K-5 behind Nikon's expertly crafted control panel, which splits buttons between the left and right side of the LCD. Menu operation is therefore accomplished more quickly, with two thumbs rather than one.

NOTE: The images above are not used in our testing or scoring, but are included here to show real-world examples of the differences between cameras at the various ISO settings.

Sony Alpha SLT-A55V Comparison

In the "big three" scores: color accuracy, noise, and resolution, the K-5 easily bests the 7D. Color accuracy is particularly surprising, certainly not the best we've seen from Canon. The same goes for resolution. Remember, Canon has a 2 megapixel advantage over Pentax here, yet the K-5 is sharper.

In other ways however, the 7D excels. Of our comparison group, it posted the best dynamic range, the best white balance, and among the best long exposure and image stabilization scores.

Performance:

The 7D is therefore truly a mixed bag when it comes to performance. With inferior accuracy, noise, and resolution, it's hard to recommend the 7D over the K-5. Then again, dynamic range and white balance can have a profound impact on real world shooting. If you're deciding between these two models, we recommend a direct comparison of our sample photos to determine which qualities appeal to you the most.

Components:

Hardware components are not likely to be a deciding factor between these two cameras. The biggest difference here is a rotary rear control dial that can make menu navigation slightly easier on the 7D.

Handling:

Another aspect that will not be a deciding factor. Though the K-5's stability and handling approaches perfection, the 7D is probably its closest competition. The Canon is 80 grams heavier than the Pentax however.

Controls:

Like the D7000, buttons straddle the rear LCD screen for quickly navigating menus with both thumbs. Customization is robust on the 7D, ten buttons can be set to operate with custom functions. The defining landmark of the rear panel is Canon's rotary dial. It's certainly fancier than the K-5's directional pad, but whether or not this choice is more functional is up for debate.

NOTE: The images above are not used in our testing or scoring, but are included here to show real-world examples of the differences between cameras at the various ISO settings.

Pentax K-x Comparison

The A55 and K-5 posted similar scores across the board, though Sony's image stabilization was superior by a wide margin. The only area in which the A55 truly distinguished itself was during video testing, where it utterly dominated. If video is an important part of your DSLR purchase decision, look no further than the A55.

Performance:

For still shooting, the K-5 takes the lead in resolution and really nothing else. Scores are a dead heat save for sharpness. Color accuracy, noise, and long exposure scores were remarkably similar. The A55's only saving grace is a relatively strong dynamic range result. What's remarkable here is the price, the A55 is roughly half the price of the K-5 and offers very similar performance.

Components:

The most noteworthy component is of course the A55's optional GPS module. We don't find it entirely necessary, but the option is there if you're willing to shell out the extra cash. The flip-out LCD screen is also a nice touch, and seems rugged enough to withstand a little bit of punishment. We're not surprised to find such a screen on this camera, given its attention to video performance.

Handling:

The A55's chassis is not as sturdy as the K-5, but feels comfortable in the hand. The smaller frame leaves little real estate on which the rest the right thumb, but this also means easy access to the shutter, exposure compensation, and AE-L buttons.

Controls:

The A55's buttons are relatively non-standard for a modern SLR, but the layout is designed with frequency of use in mind, and the most important functions can be accessed without looking away from the viewfinder. Still, the K-5's layout is a bit more intuitive, minus its stiff AF dial.

NOTE: The images above are not used in our testing or scoring, but are included here to show real-world examples of the differences between cameras at the various ISO settings.

COMP 4

Our little K-x is predictably trounced in almost every category, but some tests are anomalous. Dynamic range scores actually surpass the K-5, which stings all the more due to the K-5 sensor's widely publicized dynamic range proficiency. Stabilization was another one, perhaps due to the K-x's lighter weight or simply the K-5's downright awful stabilization scores. Automatic white balance was also more accurate in the K-x.

Performance:

No comparison here, the K-5 is the stronger camera by a mile. Still, at almost $1000 less, the K-x does represent a significant value. Because of that, this might be another one of those times to check the sample photos and see if you can live with the results. Just in case. I mean we're in a recession here.

Components:

There are some major differences in components between the two. The K-x sports an unimpressive 2.7-inch 230k dot LCD. Pentax also opted for AA batteries rather than the ubiquitous rechargeable lithium pack. Pop-up flash is also quite a bit smaller and illuminates less evenly.

Handling:

The K-x sports the same right index finger recession and substantial thumb rest that make handling the K-5 such a breeze. No cheap plastic here either, the body is relatively solid for such an inexpensive model.

Controls:

In many ways the K-x's rear control panel is like a simplified K-5, and considering the K-5's awful metering and AF dials, that could be a good thing. Unfortunately the result is better on paper than in practice. The K-x's button layout is too simple and the options they represent aren't nearly as robust as the K-5. While the K-5 offers options for almost every conceivable detail, that sort of control is simply not present in the K-x.

NOTE: The images above are not used in our testing or scoring, but are included here to show real-world examples of the differences between cameras at the various ISO settings.

Conclusion

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 sharpness and color accuracy. Even though there are plenty of hardware, design, and feature similarities to the K-x, the K-r, and especially the K-7; current owners may still want to give the K-5 a look as the upgrade is significant.

In addition to the sensor, Pentax's selection of an excellent weather-resistant lens also boosted scores quite a bit. This is evidenced by the Nikon D7000 and Canon 7D comparisons. The K-5's overall sharpness was significantly better than both the D7000, which uses an identical sensor, and the 7D, which has a two megapixel head start.

But the K-5's faults arise in the underlying features and specifications that provide the foundation of image quality in real-life shooting scenarios. "Supporting" elements like image stabilization, dynamic range, and white balance were all a little disappointing. Independently we might be able to overlook these, but in combination--and depending on your shooting style of course--they begin to detract.

Finally, we can't help but feel like the K-5 suffers from a slight identity crisis. For a camera of this quality and capability, the pricing is aggressive, which seems to indicate a target audience of DSLR first-timers or early enthusiasts. Yet the omission of in-camera help is boggling. In terms of sheer power, the K-5 is a fine choice for budding photographers, as long as there's an expert nearby to help out. For everyone else, the K-5 is an accurate, sharp camera with phenomenal handling and strong low light performance.

Performance

Good color accuracy and excellent sharpness define the K-5's still performance. Even in tough shooting conditions, photos were clean, flattering, and victim only to unnoticeable levels of aberration. Dynamic range is capable but average here, a disappointment considering the hype. The same is true for white balancing. Image stabilization was poor at this price range, meaning that my summertime water skiing shots will have to wait. The K-5 is best suited to high color, high contrast subjects that are still or moving, both in daylight and low light, so long as the user's footing is secure.

Video Performance

This model's video capture was just fine, great even. But video features and control are basically absent, rendering the K-5 almost entirely unsuitable for shooting video. Manual focus, manual zoom, manual everything. Unless you happen to own a complex SLR video production apparatus, rule out everything but the simplest YouTube clips when purchasing the K-5.

Components

All "K-mount" lenses are supported, that's over 90 choices as of this writing. If you're not quite there yet, the included kit lens is excellent. We also like the 3-inch, 921k dot LCD screen, and found it to be bright and accurate out of the box. The external stereo mic port is nice, however the absence of other video-specific features is both disappointing and unsurprising. At the very least, a swiveling LCD panel would've been a helpful addition.

Handling:

The K-5 retains a similar body style to its predecessors and as a result handles extremely well. Shooting is fun and confident thanks to a smart recession for the right index finger, as well as an oversized thumb rest. The pointer finger falls right into place over the shutter release and the extra long on/off switch. The body has a reassuring heft and solidity, but you will not be dropping it accidentally.

Controls:

Front and rear dials are out of the way when looking through the viewfinder, and large ISO and EV buttons are placed in front of the top control panel. This means all four key shooting variables--shutter, aperture, ISO, and exposure compensation--may be adjusted painlessly while looking down the viewfinder. Other controls can be head-scratchers though. The rear AF dial is stiff as a bone, while the metering dial will probably takes its toll on your fingernail. The mode dial features a lock button on top to prevent accidental adjustment, but we're not sure this was ever necessary in the first place.