The K-5 is a Game Changer

[shots worth sharing]

<p>I know: I said I was going to wait for the price to come down but I caved to the insistent prodding of an earlier adopter and bought a K-5 (from an almost-local brick & mortar Pentax retailer in Virginia.) </p>

<p>I've skimmed (skipping competitor comparisons for the most part) the reviews from more or less respected sources and they seem generally positive but, after less than a dozen shots and drawing on my unimpressive photographic experience and knowledge, I've reached a verdict: the K-5 is a game-changer for marginally competent enthusiasts like myself. </p>

<p>Regulars here have witnessed my struggles with noise in underexposed photos: birds with speckles that no ornithologist would recognize and power forwards that look like something from a wax museum. So here's the original of a K-5 shot of my latest challenge (Cutness Alert) a kitten in a gloomy corner of the living room (1/200s, f7.1, ISO3200)<br>

<img src="http://dadipentak.smugmug.com/photos/1112535567_jtvrn-M.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p>and here's what emerged after I lightened shadows in PSE--<strong><em>no NR or sharpening</em></strong>:</p>

<p><img src="http://dadipentak.smugmug.com/photos/1112533824_Kd2xi-M.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p>Sure, there is a fair bit of chroma noise in the lighter areas (it is, after all, a very bad capture) but it's very fine. What's really remarkable are the shadows: no blotches, no banding. Bottom Line (and it's heresy, I know): Dave Hollander with a K-5 is going to <em>appear</em> to be a much better photographer than Dave Hollander with a K20D or K-7. </p>

<p>It's not unequivocally good news for everyone--Uncle Fred with a K-5 is going to get some decent wedding shots, too. </p>

<p>Addendum: Extracting media cards is just as much a pita as it was in the K-7.</p>

[MattB.Net]

<p>Ugh. This isn't helping me. I'm trying to resist!</p>

<p>But a weatherproof body might be nice this winter...</p>

[johnw436]

<p>That is pretty doggone amazing, Dave.</p>

[darelo_xavier]

<p>That is one cool shot, no fancy PS sharpening or NR but just brighten it up. There is no way the other camps can emulate K-5's new found capability (with their aging tech ) without using the same exmor sensor from sony.<br>

Thanks for sharing. _____darell</p>

<p> </p>

[audun_sjoeseth1]

<p>Thank you, Dave! :)</p>

[will_daniel1]

Dave, where in Virginia is that retailer?

[shots worth sharing]

<p><a href="http://acephoto.net/Default.aspx">Ace Photo</a> in Ashburn, Will.</p>

[jemal.yarbrough]

<p>You are not helping me Dave.</p>

[kfrog]

<p>I'm feeling a pain in my wallet...</p>

[will_daniel1]

Thanks!

[shots worth sharing]

<p>@ Jemal & Douglas: I just decided that the K-5 was a fiscally responsible alternative to the <em></em>645D ;~) </p>

[paulo_fonseca1]

Seems really impressive indeed. This body with those pankake lenses... I almost envy you... Almost, I said... ;-)

- A 7d owner

[revolver]

<p>you are not helping me either!</p>

<p>lol</p>

<p>I like to read unbiased reviews too but having something in hand is the best way to find out if you like it.<br>

I am currently debating over buying a Panasonic G10 or another Pentax DSLR.<br>

in anycase other than DPreview, Cnet and a few others I stumbled upon this site yesterday. If you have already seen it...great. if not check it out, I found it very good <br>

<a href="http://www.whatdigitalcamera.com/">http://www.whatdigitalcamera.com/</a></p>

[revolver]

<p>Dave, what Camera Pentax retailer in VA? I was down there in September and couldnt find a "Pentax" dealer</p>

[shots worth sharing]

<p>Ace Photo Christopher--see the link I posted for Will on P.1. </p>

<p>By way of an early adopter/beta tester update, I should mention that some copies of the K-5 (mine included) seem to have an issue with some sort of foreign substance on the sensor assembly. We''ll see how that develops. </p>

[14mm 2.8l]

<p>BUMMER Dave !</p>

<p>Hopefully Pentax will offer a real fix, & not return your camera saying it is "in spec", as they I've read they do with shutter blurring Pentax K-7 & K-x sent in for needed repairs. Well, "they" meaning CRIS in Arizona as Pentax no longer services themselves what they sell in USA marketplace.</p>

<p>I've read a poll elsewhere saying 70% of K-5 owners polled are seing the stains & even posting pix of the defects:</p>

<p>Usually clustered in the middle of the sensor,& non removable, & oily in appearence.<br />So far no one I've read of has succesfully removed the stains, & some report more stains appear over time.<br>

Earliest adopters of Pentax K-5 are already outside the typical defective return period.<br />Maybe the camera store can work with you special & make you whole ?</p>

<p>Maybe your local shop can give your money back & then return the defective sensor K-5 to Pentax themselves ???</p>

<p> </p>

[shots worth sharing]

<p>Thanks, Lindy. I'm not freakin' about this--in part because the issue is relatively mild in my case and it seems only to show at all distinctly pretty small apertures (>f11) where I rarely shoot. Also, I'm generally not freak-out prone.</p>

<p>Just to put things in perspective, here's what we're talking about:<br /> 70 x 875 crop (FA 50mm f/2.8 Macro [1/125s, f32, iso 6400])<br /> <img src="http://dadipentak.smugmug.com/photos/1115434154_BWDxq-XL.jpg" alt="" /> <br /> Just for the fun of it, I'll try a similar test with my K20D (and it would be interesting to apply the same test to canikon gear.)</p>

<p>Ace has offered to clean the sensor and I'm going to take them up on that. Although I'm doubtful that will resolve the problem, it's certainly worth a try if only as a prelude to next steps. Can I say I'm glad I made this purchase through a <em>real</em> store?</p>

<p>I may have to sent the body to CO eventually but suspect they're not geared up right now (in terms of staffing or parts inventory) to address this issue expeditiously in the face of a short-term deluge of panic demand. Anyway, we're in the middle of the dim-gym basketball season and the holiday low-light casual portrait opportunities are on the horizon so, if it comes to that, I figure I'd wait a bit in any case.</p>

<p> </p>

[celasun]

<p>I had such a "stain" on my very first DSLR (a K100D). I did not realize that this was a big problem at the beginning, as I was a novice as far as DSLRs were concerned, and had tried to clean it (using a wet kit). I had never succeeded. Then, I had examined the sensor surface using a stereomicroscope and discovered that the dirt (or whatever) was not on the sensor surface; it was under it. To be precise, it was under the "protective" layer. In the meantime, my cleaning attempts caused more problems on the sensor surface. The local Pentax service agreed with my diagnosis and the camera was sent to Germany. They had just ignored the dust "within" the sensor and claimed the sensor was damaged by the user (which was correct, but...). I got my camera back. Obviously, my capabilities are still well below the level where I can put dust particles underneath the very first layer of the sensor!<br>

In short; I suggest you should never try to clean the sensor of a new DSLR. The potential damage that could be caused by your attempt can nullify the possibility of a replacement.</p>

 

[shots worth sharing]

<p>Thanks for the warning, Bulent. Given my abysmal D.I.Y. track record, I'd never try anything beyond a rocket blower myself. </p>

[jgredline]

<p>I wonder if D7000 owners are having the same problem?</p>

[shots worth sharing]

<blockquote>I wonder if D7000 owners are having the same problem?</blockquote>

<p>Me too.</p>

[jgredline]

<p>Dave, I picked up a D7000 on my way home from work today (I can't believe I bought another DSLR) but there is no such issue with the their sensors. The Nikon rep was at Samys today and even they are well aware of the issues with the K-5. He thinks it came down to the assembly process. He also said what everyone knows. It will end up with long term affects and the only fix is to replace the sensor. What a shame. My battery is charging right now, so I am anxious to see what the high ISO performance is like.</p>

[jgredline]

<p>Dave, As I was thinking about this issue, I am going to encourage you to return the K-5 for a full refund, lest what happened to Justin and Kari does not happen to you. It should not be like this, but it is what it is. Now having said this, I am not encouraging you to make a switch, but to ''wait'' maybe 6 months or so to make sure you get a good copy of the K-5. I know high ISO is a requirement for you with those long lenses. So wait and get a good copy.</p>

[shots worth sharing]

<p>Well I took the camera into Ace and they gave the sensor a complimentary sensor cleaning but the little dots are still there so it looks like it really is a defect in the sensor assembly. </p>

<p>I hear you, Javier, but I've decided not to return it. For one thing, it's rather a crap-shoot at this point and there's a fair chance a replacement might be worse. But the real reason is that I'm just enjoying the camera too much. I may kick myself when I get to the point where those minuscule blemishes are the only thing standing between me and photographic perfection but I'm guessing that's pretty far down the road. </p>

<p>What I will do--before the warranty expires--is have a couple of my better photos printed very large to see whether the dots are at all discernible: if so I may send it to Colorado. </p>

<p>I'd like to think that Pentax is on top of this issue and taking extraordinary measures to ensure that in very short order all cameras shipped to consumers will be defect-free. Because the K-5 has received a great deal of very positive attention, I think it would be wise of them to make those efforts public--it would be a shame if nagging doubts about this issue held the K-5 back. </p>

[mountainvisions]

<p>Javier,</p>

<p>the D7000 has an issue with video. But the sensor dust issue is a Pentax QC issue. I'm going to assume that they didn't produce all the K-5s they intend to produce in the first run, and like many first run QC issues this will be fixed. <br /><br />Remember the K10D first run flash failure? Probably not, because it was a first run issue only that was fixed in subsequent batches. Assuming Pentax realizes there is an issue, I expect they'll fix it, as this seems like something that is simple to fix.</p>

<p>Dave,</p>

<p>I agree, a spot or two of dust at 500% magnification isn't going to probably be what kills your pullitizer prize winning shot. </p>

<p>As far as Colorado? Good luck, Pentax doesn't have a repair center in Colorado...I suppose you mean to the office of Ned Bunnell to use as a paper weight in protest of a defective product along with the first gen SDM lenses many people have reported failures with?</p>