Anyone have a KSII yet?

<p>Seems like a neat little camera. I've seen complaints about its weight, which is around that of the K200D, but more than the KSI or K-r. It is easy to understand the extra 3 oz or so. The weather sealing plus the added frame for the articulating LCD, and the two dial control wheels design. But it is compact for all that it offers. The new super compact kit lens WR is neat too.</p>

<p>I haven't posted on PN for a long, long time. But lately I've been on the hunt for my next camera and PN has always been my go-to source for good information regarding cameras. (especially for Pentax) I've been shooting my K20d for what seems like forever now, and truth be told the only times I feel the need for anything else is when I need video or in extreme low light when I can't use flash. </p>

<p>I have been debating a K3 vs saving some money and going with the K5IIs. For my needs, all I really require is something marginally better at high ISO than the K20d, and which also offers video. As silly as it sounds, the KSII's articulating LCD might be the deciding factor which trumps either of the other two contenders. Looking at the specs, if the camera lives up to them (which I fully expect that it does), this camera pretty much satisfies my needs. </p>

<p>I too have a K20D, a fine camera, and K-5, IIs. The K20D has its own virtues, such as superior exposure metering consistency, exceptional color accuracy, excellent flash metering, superior handling with larger lenses, on-body controls for bracketing and SR, but higher ISO low noise is not one of them.</p>

<p>My K-5 and IIs are great for that and overall superb IQ. I am merely looking to replace my old K200D as being my lightest weather sealed body. I sometimes want to travel as light and small as I can, still having aDSLR. The K-5II might be even a tad better for low noise. Reason being that the extra tad of fine detail from the IIs not having the AA filter might show up noise grains a little more- maybe. But either model would blow the K20D out of the water for low noise. The K-3 does a fine job of noise reduction, but its noise program has to be much more aggressive to compensate for the noise from its big 23mp sensor, so it loses detail resolution below that of the K-5 above ISO 800 or so. Check out dpreview reviews carefully. The K-5II or K-5IIs are hard to beat overall.</p>

<p>The latest issue of Pop Photo has a review of the KS2. Fine for shooting jpegs but noise may be more of an issue for RAW processing. Check out the compare images on imaging resource which are jpegs. Both K-5IIs and KS2 look great at ISO 1600.</p>

<p>BTW I agree about the new articulating LCD on the KS2, great for getting down low for closeup work, if you do that a lot, and other special features too. And it has the 2-wheel system for the full Pentax Hyper system and smoother operation. If you shoot mainly jpegs, the built-in camera noise reduction appears to do a fine job. It would make a good small sidekick for your K20D. But for me I'd rather have the more pro build quality of the K-5II(s) and top LCD panel if I had to pick between them. </p>

<p>I'm happy to hear your feedback on this as a sanity check. I like the K5IIs for all the reasons you listed. It seems to still be the high water mark for low noise at high ISO. From all I've ever read, that camera can nearly see in the dark. I missed the part of the KS2 not having a top LCD panel. That's a problem. Still, it looks like one heck of a great camera. Looks like I have some research to do yet.</p>

<p>The great prices now available for the K-5IIs are because of being an outgoing model. Possibly no longer in production. Which makes it a great time to pick one up. I'm sure as time passes, the KS2 will come down, though its price bundled with the neat little kit zoom lens is pretty good. When I go bike riding it would fit into my belt pouch even better than the K-r. It is a bit heavier, but even with its superior glass pentaprism VF it is actually not as high and about the same width.<br>

POP PHOTO uses a DOX (?) machine for noise and some other factors, as does Photozone for lenses, which is good information to a point, but I always like to compare test images. To me that is what reveals reality best. Dpreview is especially slow when it comes to Pentax. Who knows when we might get a KS2 report. </p>

<p>As you no doubt realize, John, the K20D's meter consistently underexposes by 1/2 stop or so. Using Imaging Resource's comparometer, you can include older models by clicking on "all cameras" at the top of the column. </p>

<p>I think it looks pretty good too. When it comes to weight, Pentax bodies sometimes weigh a bit more than competitors bodies, In addition to weather-sealing, I attribute this to in-body SR and AF motor, plus in some more recent examples, Pentax offers a brighter pentaprism rather than the competitors' pentamirror viewfinder. </p>

<p>I think KSII might lack a portrait/battery grip so if you like that sort of improved handling for heavier lenses, that might be a factor that favors a K-3 or K-5-series body.</p>

<p>I haven't handled the KSII yet but one annoyance I've found on the sub-K-3/5/7-series bodies is that ergnomics for adjusting ISO aren't nearly as good for changing ISO with viewfinder at eye-level. With K-3/5/7/10D/20D you could hit the ISO button and adjust manual ISO with an e-dial, or press the green button to enable auto-ISO. This could easily be done with the camera at eye-level. With more recent more entry-to-mid-level Pentax models (including K-01, Q-series, K30/50 etc.) the ISO button is on the 4-way controller, and once you press it, you then use up/down on the same 4-way controller to switch between auto and manual ISO. You don't really have good view of this operation in the viewfinder, so it forces you to use the rear LCD for this. IMO Pentax under-uses the green-button-for-auto/reset paradigm in their rear-LCD menus...there are a few places they could use it sensibly but neglected to. Another place that comes to mind is having green button reset drive mode to single frame.</p>

<p>Michael, agreed on all points. I've been dreaming of a K5 since it came out, but I've been 95% satisfied with the K20d all this time. Honestly, I don't need a new camera at all. I just want better low light performance and video. I also would love a great little compact, but I want SLR quality out of the photos. There are platforms for each, but the compact versions which match my expectations don't take Pentax K mount. (not to beat a dead horse) So, if I had to pick between the two the SLR wins with me every time. And with the K5 on the way out, this is the time to get one. </p>

<p>The underexposure on the K20d has never been an issue to me. It's very consistent even though it varies lens to lens. I know what my EV comp needs to be and if I'm shooting on the fly a quick peek at the histogram, a click or two on the dial, and we're off to the races. So long as any machine is consistent it isn't hard for us to compensate. That's why I find camera review sites so tedious to wade through. "the new xxxxxx comes in heavier by 3oz.... we found significant differences in noise, that although imperceptible in an actual print..." It's like reviewing a new car by reading the owner's manual instead of driving it.</p>

<p>Thank you for the tip on Imaging Resource. That's a great tool.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>I think it looks like it would be a great adventure camera. Cycling, skiing, hiking, climbing or whatever where weight and size are big factors. I could see having a KSII and a full frame to cover different kinds of work environments. I'm holding out for now but when it's time for another camera I'd give it strong consideration. </p>

<p>I would buy one, just waiting for (positive) experiences</p>