K-30 Vs. K-5I

<p>Hi People. been a while since I have been here, hope you all have been well.<br /><br />its that time pf year again when I get the bug and I start shooting again. Still have and love my 100D.<br /><br />Looking at a K-30 or a K-5 ( the k-01 is a third option now that they have fixed the auto focus problem) I really liked the Ko1 when it first came out. <br /><br />The K-5II seems like a lot more than what I "need". what are the significant differences between the two.<br /><br />does the K30 have the metal frame underneath the plastic outer shell like the K5?<br /><br />thanks for your input</p>

 

<p>I could be wrong but I don't think it does. That said it still has a very solid feel and weight to it</p>

<p>If you go to the PentaxForums site, they have a good side-by side technical comparison, as well as some reviews.<br>

<a href="http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-cameras-compared/">http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-cameras-compared/</a><br>

It really is a personal choice based upon current and future use, budget, ergonomics, and feature preference. Both are excellent cameras, and I was facing a similar dilemma coming from a K-x. I chose the K-5 ii for the ergonomics, slightly better RAW dynamic range, magnesium alloy body, and easy access to settings on the body. I am working on acquiring some of the excellent Pentax Limited glass in order to take advantage of some of the K-5 ii subtle benefits. <br>

However, the K-30 poly carbonate body is still very sturdy (my K-x is excellent), it has a newer processing engine than the K-5 ii and is faster in review, and it also has focus peeking, which I really wish the K-5 had for macro work. The K-30's video is better as well if that matters to you. The images the K-30 can take are really nice, and it is weather sealed just like the K-5's and the old K200D. </p>

<p>K30 have the metal frame underneath the plastic outer shell like the K5?<br>

Even with the K5 you have to be careful in saying that it has a metal frame under the out frame as the connection between the lens mount and chassis is still plastic.</p>

 

<p>I love my K-01. It gets more use than my K5. If the K-01 had a proper EVF, I would have almost no need for the K5 at all. I even prefer the output of the K-01 over the K5.</p>

<p>Ross, <br />Thanks<br /><br />I dont know why but I'd prefer the magnesium body like my K100D has but its not a definitive have to have. its not like I knock it around or anything and the RAW feature is not a selling point for me as I just shoot jpeg anyway. <br />its a step up from the K100D and not nearly as pricey foir body only as the K5</p>

 

<p>David,<br /><br />I liked a lot of what the K01 had to offer also except for the auto focus problem. as far as the EVF....who cares with that awesome live view screen!</p>

<p>The K-5 is fairly heavy. I've not compared it to a K-30, but I used my daughter's K-r before I bought the K-5, and the K-r is sure a lot lighter. Weight can keep you from having the camera on your person.<br>

The K-30 and K-5 both have pentaprisms, which is a good thing. The K-r has a penta-mirror, which is why I didn't want one for myself. (I wanted a camera that was usable with manual focus lenses.)<br>

Having the adapter available to use 4AA batteries is a big plus for the K-30. You can always get AA batteries, even if all your Li-ion batteries are discharged.</p>

<p>I think you have answered your question for yourself Christopher :-) If you have been happy with the K100D, and primarily shoot JPG, then you will find all the aforementioned features of the K30 a major upgrade and a pleasure to use. Size wise, the K30 is a little bigger than the K-x/K-r but not as big or as heavy as the K-5's (which isn't too bad itself). If you have a medium to larger hand, the ergonomics of the K-30 might be a bit better than the K-x/K-r, although that form-factor is nice on vacation. I myself find the K-5 to be the proverbial "glove" for my anatomy. John's comment on the pentaprism, along with the weather sealing, really give the K-30 some high-end features. </p>

<p>Both bodies are weather-sealed and are probably more solid than your K100D. K-30 loses the top-panel LCD, flash PC socket, battery grip option, and a few hard controls (metering mode, AF point mode) vs. the K-5. Not sure if the shutter is the same or not, but K5 has an especially slick and quiet shutter. K-5 also has separate buttons for AF and AE-L, while there's only one configurable button for these on the K30. </p>

<p>IMO the K-5/K-7 hard controls for AF point selection and metering mode are rather mediocre (hard to operate) so using the info screen to control them isn't the biggest loss.</p>

<p>Not sure about the details but suspect the K30 might have a slightly more feature-rich movie mode but lacks the K-5's external mike socket if you're into this.</p>

<p>As others mentioned any of these will feel like a big upgrade over a K100D.</p>

<p>Amazing roundup of accurate responses :)<br>

Andrew, the K30 shutter sound is much louder than the K-5 sadly</p>

<p>Your K100D has a metal frame under its plastic shell, as do all the Pentax DSLRs not of metal body construction. The K-5 is of metal body contruction- magnesium alloy. The K100D is still a nice little camera, and built exceptionally well for its price point, but the two models you are considering are superior in virtually every way... build quality, features, and image quality.</p>

<p>There are a couple of downsides, however. The newer models have dispensed with an on-body SR on/off switch. I rather like having that convenience on my older camera bodies. I have the K-r, which has no top LCD display. Although I accept this lack being necessary in order to have the exceptional compactness and light weight I bought it for, along with its fine low light performance, it took some getting used to as far as having to tilt the camera downward to access the readout. It is still slightly annoying compared to my models having a top LCD.</p>

<p>The K30, however, is not quite as compact or as light as the K-r. It is in fact identical in size and weight to your K100D, which I have as well. The top LCD had to go in order to provide more camera at the same weight and size, with weather sealing and all the features. Aside from the SR switch, the K30 offers a much better control set than your K100D. Formost is the thumb and finger 2-dial setup. Not only for more convenience, but now the complete Pentax Hyper System is available in a body of amateur oriented design. This is a first. Dpreview raved about the system when they discovered it in testing the K10D. The K-5 is only about 2 oz heavier than the K30, and only about 2/10 of an inch wider. With the K30, AA lithium batteries can be used instead of the normal dedicated rechargeable one, but requires the optional holder, which is inserted into the body's battery door. The K-5 can use AA's, but only as an option for the battery grip. The grip aint cheap, but very good for handling under certain conditions, like shooting lots of vertical shots for a period of time. It transforms the compact K-5 into a beefy, very gripable brick!</p>

<p>In choosing between the K30 and K-5, one question to ask yourself is do you want or need the amateur oriented design setup? Or do you look forward to an advanced pro-type controls and features design? For instance, do you often like to use the scene mode dial for various shooting situations? I rarely use them, as I generally know what adjustments to make in dealing with those types of scenes. But occasionally switching to a scene mode can be quick and convenient for an on the fly situation, when I don't need more precise control. Of course, my K-5 has no scene mode dial, but its superior set of accessable on body controls, with its superior speed of precise adjustments, more than makes up for a dial I hardly ever use.<br />Although the K30 supposedly has an updated AF system over the K-5 for better accuracy, the K-5 did rate well for AF accuracy, and actually tested faster than the K30 in terms of measured milliseconds by Pop Photography. Both Pop and dpreview gave the K-5 a slightly better rating for IQ, especially for JPEG shots, over the K30. The K30 has its sharpening set to a higher standard, while sharpening in the K-5 is set more conservatively. Likewise with contrast. This has led some to conclude falsely, that the K30 produces sharper mages. In reality, the K30 seems a bit more likely to blow out highlights in JPEGS, and the K-5's sharpening can simply be increased over default for equal sharpness to the K30. I usually have mine set a notch or so higher and use the "fine" setting.</p>

<p>The only quibble I have with the K-5 is the flash metering seems not always right on. I have found it sometimes requires a bit more didling to get it right compared with my other models. I have not tried it enough since the latest firmware update- maybe that has been improved along with the firmware update's main goals.</p>

<p>As to the Limited lenses, the DA 21mm f/3.2 is a delightful lens I recommend for its versatile focal length and compact design. Dpreview has done an in-depth review of both the K-5 and K30.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>John,<br /><br />"Having the adapter available to use 4AA batteries is a big plus for the K-30."<br /><br />A major consideration for me and a big plus with the K30. I have 8 or 12 Elope's that I have been using for years with my K100D. They are great and last all day and I have back ups with me at all times.<br /><br />Ross.....I think so. lol<br /><br />Thanks Andrew</p>

<p>Michael,<br /><br />Thank you for the detailed response.<br /><br />I am disappointed that the top mount LCD is gone but seems like a small issue. The only thing I used that for is speed and Fstop adjustments.<br /><br />"one question to ask yourself is do you want or need the amateur oriented design setup?"<br /><br />Yes ...as I am just an Amateur...<br /><br />I dont really use the scene modes, like you I make my own adjustments depending on what and where I am shooting.<br />I usually just keep the K100D in manual mode and shoot it like its my K1000....Seems to work well for me although I have cheated and used the Auto mode and let the camera decide but thats usually for comparison shooting. I would shoot in auto and see what it selects to see if I chose similar setting and or which shot was better, my manual or its auto but even that was many years ago when I first got the K100.<br /><br />Thank you all, you have as always been a big help<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></p>

<p>By amateur-oriented I was primarily addressing the scene dial setup and other controls design, not the usage status of the camera's owner. According to your description of your shooting style, you do NOT shoot in the manner most typical of most amateurs, that is typical casual camera users. Typically, these are people who do not have a clue on how to operate a DSLR in manual mode, or do much else other than shooting in a "green" or program mode, with the built-in flash set for auto popup. For them, having a DSLR is about having a superior larger sensor with better results in low light situations, and interchangeable lens capablilty.</p>

<p>A pro-style design with more on-body dedicated controls allows photographers who know what they are doing the capabillty to make changes and initiate applications much more quickly and efficiently. This holds true regardless of whether they make money from from photography or do it for personal uses. For instance, I sometimes use the spot meter to do readings in certain scenes having tricky lighting, especially likely in circumstances where the manual mode is truly needed. Having the metering category selected instantly by using the on-body lever is better for my needs than having to go into a menu. Sometimes I need to do spot metering quickly. Whether it is that, the top LCD, or other controls, I know from experience that the K-5 is a significantly more convenient and efficient camera to use than other models having the scene dial with amateur-oriented controls, because I own both styles. I mean more convenient and efficient for people who know how to use a camera. I get by fine with my K100, K200D (very well built with weather sealing- one of my favorites) and even the K-r with no top LCD, but the K-5 is simply a superior instrument for handling and advanced photography. Going from a K100D you will also be very aware when handling the K-5, with its design and exceedlingly well-built body, that you are in a different league. With its advanced design and metal contruction, along with its unique compactness for such a camera, it makes an especially suitable, even beautiful matchup for one of Pentax' uniquely compact, and superbly crafted Limited lenses.</p>

<p>The AA battery option is a nice thing to have- I have that with my K-r, which normally operates with its dedicated rechargeable battery. A nice thing in case the dedicated battey should get low at an inconvenient time, and the secondary backup is low too. One can pick up a set of lithium AA's at most stores, or you could go to your eneloops. Using AA's all the time would increase weight, making the K30 heft virtually identical to the K-5. I have the grip for the K-5 and pack it along on trips in case of a low battery crisis. I have found the K-5's dedicated battery yields a whole lot more shooting than the smaller one in the K-r. The K30 is probably more like the K-r.</p>

<p>There are, no doubt, a number of tweeks in the upgraded K-5II, maybe improved flash metering being one. The upgrade I do know of is improved AF performance in very low light. The K-5II is reputed to AF in lower light than where the K-5 AF will no longer function at all. This might also mean faster AF in moderately dim light.</p>

<p><br />I highly recommend giving the dpreview reviews of the K-5 and K30 a good going over. Among other things, the control layout and function differences are shown pretty well, even though actually using is the only way to experience these differences. </p>