The k5iis is a famous camera for astrophotography. Noise is very low in low iso long exposure shots. It's sensor was still sold few years ago in specific astro cameras that weren't cheap. One guy explains it verx well on the french speaking forum chasseur d'images, with datas.
Great video! We Pentaxians enjoy our quirky cameras, but know the quality of the images we can get paired with the right lens. So happy to see these gems get some love. I owned a MX4, K10D, I-10, Q and now a KP....just love them for all their weirdness, but great images! Looking forward to more Pentax related video! Thanks for sharing your passion!
Love from Ontario, Canada! Thank you for putting a video on K-5 iis. My wife and I watched this video earlier in the morning and I came here to leave this comment on behalf of both of us. I have a K-5iis since 2013. It acted as my prime camera till 2019 when I got KP. We are hikers and take shots while on the go. My wife and I carry the two cameras in pairing with Pentax 15 mm, 18-135 mm, and 55-300 mm PLM. We cover a wide range of photography genres while on the go. Thank you again!
I have one since a long time now, and although I moved to K1, I always keep it as a very gifted backup for fast action photography. The case is a bit too small, my pinky litterally hangs, but with an extra battery grip, the problem is fixed. I've had long happy hours with it, and these times are still not over.
The removal of the anti-aliasing filter I think was really enabled by imager resolution increase (decreased sensor site area). The moire is caused by scene detail, projected onto the imager at over half of the linear sensor site density. It's really the same physics as why CD sampling rate is at 44.1kHz, because human hearing is limited to about half that at 20kHz. This is also why CD players (any audio player actually) is fronted by anti-aliasing filters as well. I suspect also that for photography now, the sensor resolution (linear sensor site density) is sufficiently high that with most lenses the imaging pipeline is diffraction limited at f5.6 and wider. For practical purposes, the lens on the camera itself is the AA filter.
Yes, this is certainly true for a 24 or 28 megapixel APS-C sensor. According to optical theory, for a circular aperture, and green light (λ=0.55 µm) the resolution at the focal plane is very approximately 4f/3 µm, where f is the focal ratio of the lens. Thus, Nyquist-Shannon sampling theorem implies 2f/3 µm for the pixel pitch is sufficient. Also note that lens aberrations usually dominate over diffraction for ratios below f/8 or f/5.6.
*Pentax* was my love and I have used almost every model of *Pentax* in film's days. After the transition to digital I had to switch over to Canon. But deep down in my heart I still have lots of love for *Pentax* and wish it comes up with some superior model in Mirrorless segment so that many like me will come back to its love again.
Great video. I am a professional photographer and I have used a plethora of camera systems for assignment work. Without a doubt the K5IIs is phenomenal. I like the ergonomics and the colors (straight out of camera JPGs) are just perfect. Grab one if you can find one with a low shutter count. It’s in the same league as the Nikon D700. It has that “special something” that you have to feel, see, and experience for yourself.
It's a very nice camera. I'll usually recommend it to those that want the best image quality that they can get out of an older Pentax body & for those that are not too concerned with getting the latest KAF4 lenses. This camera with a set of DA Limited primes that have been AF fine tuned will get you lots of nice photos. It's definitely not a camera for action, but you can shoot some if you anticipate where the action will be. This camera is meant for "slowly take your time" photography.
I started out in 1970 with my first Pentax, a Spotmatic. Then, before digital, I switched to Nikon where I stayed into the digital era. But, always had a soft spot for Pentax and picked up a K-5. Loved it so much that now I have two K-1 bodies, a K-3, K-5iis, K-7, K-r, and K-x and a K-S2. Had and sold a K-70 and KP, not sure why I got rid of them. All great cameras.
My first camera, absolutely love it! Only switched to Canon because wildlife was a huge struggle with the limited and expensive lenses for Pentax, but i miss it dearly. IBIS, Weather sealing, tiny compared to Canons pro models. Only thing missing is a proper Auto ISO implementation.
I have the regular k5ii, and it's still fantastic. Ive shot more recent cameras as well, and in my opinion the only noticeable difference is video and low light performance. This thing is a tank, never really took much care of it but this thing just will never break.
James I was about to ask you for the AF capabilities but you ended up with it. I was so so so told to buy one of those for my motorsport photography but those cameras as were rare, were expensive. So never bought one. And even in the past years I was wondering if trying to find one, I never did that. I guess i'm quite happy with my K3 and K3-II and whenever a K3-III will appear at a special price, then maybe i'll move there. But, since then, my K3's will keep going and if any of them prone to fail i still have my K5 original for holidays or special days. The lower Iso it has and the way it works with shadows is something I miss in newer bodies. Thanks for the vid! I had doubts with this camera you just solved.
You're favorite Pentax is the K3, mine is the K5II/s (both of them). K3 is my second favorite Pentax. There is something special about that 16mp sensor, quite a few cameras used it, and all of them blew me away. Nikon's D7000 is another gem, although I actually prefer the K5II more. The draw with Nikon are it's lenses, more AF lenses to choose from, while still offering just as many MF lenses as Pentax from back in the day. The K5II also has a gapless LCD screen, a big improvement over previous Pentax DSLR's, and its autofocus is superb, even compared to the K3 Mark III (for every subject that isn't moving, its very much comparable). My second favorite Pentax is the K3, much like the K5 series but slightly larger with a bit different handling points, yet the sensor isn't quite as good as the K5II/s when pushing the raws around in post. To me that 16mp sensor was the pinnacle of APS-C sensors and still hold's its own against the newest- of any brand.
I got my K-5 used and had it until the K-1 released and bought my first BRAND NEW camera. I kept it as a back up...as I had the K-20 when I acquired the K-5, and the K10 when I acquired the.....you get the point. I still have all of them. By the time I was done with them it wasn't really worth selling a tool that had worked great for me, and still did for what they went for. I ended up getting a second K-1 body and sort of forgot about the K-5. That is, until My first K-1 died after 6 years of abuse that came in many forms... from shooting in the rain with Takumar lenses attached, to shooting the gambler 500 in Oregon and being engulfed in pumice dusk out shooting for several days. The K-5 was ready to spring into action when I forgot I had a 12 second timer on my K-1 and it was too bight to see the led flashing so I panicked and......Well, the images from the K-5 are great. Most people would never know the difference if I had to shoot with the K-5 to complete a job.
I'm a huge fan of the K-5iis as I had a K-5 and preferred the button layout over my K-3. Regarding AA filters, you stated that all cameras have done away with AA filters, but I do not think that that is true. The majority of cameras do have AA filters, but some brands or models may be stronger or weaker and it depends on an individual basis. The Fuji X-trans line up is supposed to be AA filterless because X-trans pixel layout is supposed to resist moire. So when a camera is AA filterless then the manufacturer tends to use it in their marketing. My first "other brand" DSLR had a super strong AA filter which was why I moved to Pentax because the K-5 appeared to my eyes as having a weak AA filter at the time when they were in stores. I would rate 3 levels of AA filter strength as Strong, medium and weak, so typically entry level cameras in other brands (X-trans excluded) tend to be strong or medium, and their higher end enthusiast or pro apsc camera tend to have weak AA filters. Their full frame camera tend to have weak AA filters to create the disparity between models and make people crave to buy the more expensive models........... The AA filter is one of the greatest cons in digital photography............ A piece of glass that is there to limit a product as a CRIPPLE HAMMER. So when you switch to full frame you are BLOWN AWAY at how much better full frame is over apsc. If the manufacturer states that their camera is AA filterless, then it will be AA filterless. Otherwise its got an AA filter on it. The sheer fact that Pentax IBIS was able to do an AA simulation at the subpixel level, shows us that Pentax has a way to mitigate moire in images if the need arises. As for other brands, Pentax holds the patent on AA simulation so they don't have a way to prevent moire, so they have no choice but install AA filters. Now the "Fujifilm effect" was akin to Canikon apsc users who switched to full frame and were blown away. People who switch from canikon apsc to Fujifilm are so much more pleased with Fuji apsc over canikon because of the loss of AA filters, sharpness and fuji color science (which is a massive myth IMO) - the fujifilm hype. As the rap song goes from Public Enemy "Don't believe the hype" Yeah!
What a great camera, always was my 'go to' body until I finally sold mine 2 years ago. It was tough to let it go and if I hadn't been buying a K-1, I never would have sold it.
watchin this while holdin my k-5ii that is still my backup cam for the case if something is wrong with my k-1. beautiful cam, built like a tank, reliable like a workhorse.
Love this review. I bought it when I came out, but not without first having to agonize over whether to take what seemed like a risk at the time of going without a low-pass filter with this or take the "safer" route of choosing the K5II. Never looked back. It was my first 'serious digital camera' purchase (I went with Pentax for digital because I'd been given a K1000 as a high school graduation present and loved the thing) and it gave me a marvelous start. It's everything you describe. Picture quality has held up for me all these years, despite branching out into Canon, Nikon and Leica, and its ergonomics is a timeless value. Its controls and options grow with you as a photographer. I soon got all the FA Limiteds but it's really with the lovely little DA Limiteds that this and any Pentax APS-C camera shines as a compact, fun-to-shoot package for lovers of prime lenses. E.g. The 15 f/4 that you also reviewed. Pentaxians hankered for a full frame camera before the K1 came out, but looking back from a supposedly post DSLR era, Pentax had already begun making the case from the K5II/s onward for APS-C dslr's that could hold their own.
As a happy Pentax K5 iis owner i really appreciate this review. Coming from my previous K5 i could benefit from the iis's better AF mainly in low light, and much better sharpness any time. The only main advantage of recent mirrorless cameras is an incredible autofocus with subject, face and eyes tracking, but for most of situations you can do a great job with the K5 iis. I am looking for a 300 F4 lens for wild life photography, my actual Pentax 55-300 HD does a decent job and i love it, but i would like to go one step further. And i would like to find a Pentax K1 ( mark 1 or 2) for its global quality and the Full Frame experience. Thank you for your agreable pace and this honest review.
I came across your channel the other day and it's a delight. Your down to earth nature is really honest and refreshing. Nice to see you reminding folks that older camera's are perfectly capable of producing fantastic images and that you shouldn't get caught up in trying to acquire the latest gear. I've subbed. Oh and greetings from the Emerald Isle.
Cool video. Great to see this camera still getting some love. I bought one about a year ago in very gently used condition. Fells almost new. This is my main camera for everything but street photography or travel. For that I have my Olympus EM5 and EM 10 mark II. I bought the Pentax when Olympus got out of the camera game. I shot Pentax years before and really liked their cameras and I also like having access to 50 years of glass. I shoot film too so it was great to be able to use all the same lenses.
I have a K5iis and it does have a couple of problems. One are vertical black streaks that show up on the back screen it is typically worse when the camera is used in cold weather. I'm not the only one who has this issue. Anther us that it seems to randomly zoom in when I use the screen very annoying. I shoot nature so the missing filter is a boon for me but I have on occasion shot buildings with brick or windows that come out pretty awful. I've dedicated those body to m42 lenses
Ive had this camera since it came out and it is still my main shooter. I have the 16-50 2.8 and a 50-135 2.8 that are my main go to lenses. It is definitely one of my favorite cameras when you can nail focus.
I'd recommend an F/FA 50mm f1.7 or f1.4. Personally I love using the film-era 'K' and 'M' series lenses, the M 50mm f4 Macro being my all-time favorite.
It's Saturday night, 10.20pm. I'm supposed to be finishing a project, but TH-cam just recommended a brand new Snappiness video. Oh dear. Edited to add: I've sometimes thought of getting a Pentax DSLR, as they tend to have lovely colours, good handling, and there's something nostalgically charming about having a Pentax. A K1 would be amazing, but a rabbit hole of lenses for which I have neither the budget nor time.
Chopped in my K-3 for a K-1 but because of having to change all my lenses - of which I had a few, after 6 months of not much use, I traded it in for a K-3 II and not looked back!
One of these days I want to make an affordable lenses for K-1 video. Now that the K-1 is getting cheaper and cheaper (buddy just picked up one for $700 the other day...). If you're creative there's some nice glass for cheap, and you can always hunt the more expensive stuff later :)
Nearly went back for this one a couple times.... I skipped the 5 almost entirely. Had the K-5 for only about 2 months, long after the ii and iiS were out, but only because my battle-worn round-the-world K-7 had some serious issues. But I then sold the K-5 almost immediately and bought a K-3 .... which I still have. :)
Thank you for the video. K5iis is a great camera, produces great pictures, done with love and brains. I will keep it forever together with kp and k1-ii.........
So strange... bought my K-5 IIs back in what, 2016? And I still think of it as a 'new' camera. Time goes by... bought a K-70 as a low cost backup a year ago. Both are excellent. Either is all you need, really. The ergonomics, and all those Pentax lenses. Amazing value, particularly the K-5 IIs when bought used!
I just bought a Pentax 35mm F2.8 Macro lens for APSC. It is the best, sharpest lens I have ever used in my life. I ordered it from Amazon though and they delivered the lens inside a brown paper envelope, with no padding at all. The box was crushed, but the lens seems OK. I feel so disrespected to have spent hundreds of dollars and not received even a box during delivery. Should I return it, or should I keep it? The optics seem great, but will I have issues down the road? Should I take the risk of returning it, considering the next lens might have optical flaws inherent amongst differently produced lenses, as not every lens is manufactuered exactly the same way? Gosh, I wish Amazon didn't put everything in an 'environmentally friendly' paper bag. Even if you order a $2,000 camera from Amazon, they will package it in the most insecure, unprotected manner and they will claim they are doing so in order to save the environmnet. No wonder Amazon gets 16% of all their orders returned by customers.
Yeah Amazon packaging is terrible. Somehow their process finds it cheaper to package quick and terrible and have more returns than packing slower and better. Weird how that works. Anyway, I hear great things about that lens but still have yet to try it out!
I have sony and Fuji cameras... Pentax is always my favorite. Thy this one as monochrome, you would be surprised... better than the Leica monochrome camera for only $300 bucks.
I've been on the lookout for one for years. I see bargain K-5 and K-5 II examples quite often, but very few of the IIs. Based on the images quality as far as I could see from sample shots, I think if it had the AF engine of the K-3, it would be a clear winner. AFAIR, it has noticeably more DR. Oh, and if only it supported PLM lenses :)
I still have yet to try a PLM lens, so I always forget to throw out that disclaimer to would-be buyers xD That's an important note, however. If you're seriously interested in trying a k5iis, email me about this one :)
@@snappiness at the moment, it's specifically just the 55-300 PLM I want because the older screw-drive AF variants were already great walkabout teles, so having a faster (and silent) focusing version seems to be a clear win. The 16-50 f/2.8 PLM is something like €1300 (?), and I'm way too cheap to buy expensive new lenses like that, but in 5+ years from now? Maybe :D But anyways, I've strayed far enough off topic, so yeah, I definitely would be interested in a K-5iis (and I'm excited to see what this project you bought it for is all about :)
I think the K-5 II(s) is Pentax’s best DSLR ever. In absolute terms, more modern cameras are of course better, but I think they don’t make as much sense. Both within the market and where Pentax’s strengths lie. The K-3 added tracking AF but it didn’t really work that well. Plus it was a bit larger and heavier. And it added SR based features like the AA filter that I set once and never touched again. The K-3 III, although reviewed favorably, finds itself in tough competition.
The Pentax K5IIs is on my to get list. I just have to find the right deal on one. In the mean time I found a deal on a K5 and bought it for myself as a Christmas gift.
Agreed! Owned a K5 for a little while and really enjoyed it. Ergonomics are awesome. Unfortunately I couldn't justify holding onto it as a significant part of my work is video.
K5iis is my love also, I still keep it! I had k5ii (non "s") before, but immage quality of "s" is more interesting for me, moreover I have my lovely k-01 which has the same sensor as K5ii.
I went from the K10D (my first DSLR) to the K-5II. I just love the ergonomics of this camera. The grip fits great in my hand and so does the battery grip I added. It's got some weight to it especially when you add a good chunk of lens on it. I really like the low light performance of it. So much better then the ol' K10D. I don't remember why I didn't go with the IIs. Guess I wanted to save the extra $100. Either that or I didn't fully understand the benefit of it.
I think at the time no one quite understood what it meant and if it was worth it. K5ii is still a great camera, no doubt about that. More money for lenses :)
Well, I have k5iis, k3ii and kp and would say that k5iis&k3ii have fantastic ergonomics of their body. I believe it is comparable with K1 and K3iii, but never had it
I miss my Pentax DSLRs but I use a wheelchair and I struggle with size and weight these days. If all things were equal I'd still have my K3 and perhaps waiting for the K3iii to come down in price.
Trust me on this,... Put an FA* in front of a K-5. The K-5's also had class leading sensor-shift-stabilisation, which Pentax then disabled in video until the K-3-3.
Still in love with my K5 after 10 Years. Even if the signs of the times and the abuse on my trips to Africa are slowly paying their price. A few buttons get stuck and the software hangs from time to time. If it dies, I think I would replace it with a K5-II or K5-IIs. Whatever I can get then for a good price.
Nice to see this! I would love to try the K5iis. I got the original K5 brand new, as soon as it was released, in late 2010 (just had to check the date of some photos!) Shot with it until early 2014 when I got a K3. I think I prefer the K3 to the K5, but the iis is one I had always wanted to compare it to.
Nice video and pictures as always! Loved mine but sold it because the KP is better in every way except the battery life. Plus the K-1 on crop mode has the same if not better IQ.
@@AndrewSowerby I kinda like KP's compactness. It handles like a mirrorless camera but with an optical viewfinder. :) I have the D-BG7 which can take bigger batteries if I ever needed extra battery life.
That makes sense. The KP is going to be sought after for a long time. What a wonderful camera. I do prefer the ergo of the K-5, but towards the end of my time with the KP I became fond of it's different approach. Less sporty feeling, but really just as comfy once you got used to it.
@@ShutterKnack good point regarding the battery grip. With my mirrorless cameras, I do often find that I need to add a grip to make them more comfortable and secure in the hand, but that's just my preference (and the great thing is that you _can_ take it off if you want the compactness - so again, good point!)
Glad I found this. My first 35mm camera was the K1000 back in 2006/7. Always have had a soft spot for Pentax. Thanks for selling me on the K-5IIs. Just purchased one. Excited to test it out.
K-5 is great ( I have the regular K-5 ), but for me K-10 is the best. I love the looks and ergonomics of it more than the K-5. I also think that the CCD sensor brings some magic. But it might be just me as I’m a loser with a soft spot for CCD sensors. Would still like to try the K-5 without the AA filter though…
The K10D is magic :) I love it and still have mine. Won't sell it. I'm impressed with how well the images look right out of the camera, no editing required most of the time.
I'll have to keep an eye out for the K-10 if it's CCD - I have the Ist-D*, and with Takumar M42 lenses, the CCD is just perfect for Shoot-And-Post - no resize or post required.
I was told the Pentax K5's all used the award winning 16mp Sony Exmor sensor. The K5 and K5ii/s both used this sensor. Not sure if this is true but the K5's have some magic to them.
Great channel and content, like a video version of my blog! I review a lot of older cameras as well. One of the best recent finds on youtube, great job!
Read you blog recently and loved it. It was the reason went out I bought a K-5ii cheaply on the second hand market to replace my K-r, but also a K-5iis so I could compare with and without the filter. But also purchased a K-3 so it could take a PLM 55-300. I think I'm done now...lol... and can't wait for them all to arrive to test out. Now I have watched this great video which confirms my belief I've made the right choice for the type of photography I want to do.
I had one and miss it dearly :D I used it with three lenses, the DA70ltd, 43 and 21, and I agree, probably the crispest pictures one could get :D That 100mm lens you have on it looks wicked, that’s one I really would like to try.
@@markscott4059 IQ? It is a pretty small lens, almost pancakelike, and I thought the camera was pretty balanced and easy to handle. The performance was top notch but the autofocus is not the best.
Pentax is legendary for atrociously bad AF! I gave my K5 to my brother and still own a K3 but hardly use it. Left Pentax years ago and glad I did. There's a whole new generation of better cameras and lenses out there.
Out of those three, the D80 for sure! Also look at the d200, which is the same era but an even more pro body. I've been seeing those for under $100 no problem, which is a great deal.
Not entirely true that “we have not looked back”. Pretty much all 24MP fullframe cameras still come with an AA filter on the sensor, because the risk of moire at that resolution is just too great on a fullframe camera.
This camera ruined DSLRs I loved the build quality, but the jpeg colors were pretty bad (personal opinion) and it was heavy. I bought a Panasonic GX7 for a street shooter and then sold the Pentax and have stayed with Olympus and Panasonic since. It was the camera that drove me to mirrorless, I still have a soft spot in my heart for Pentax
Purchased one today. Can't wait for it to arrive in order to try it out but also hoping to convert my slowly dying SDM AF of my 50-135* into screwdrive AF. That's the last Pentax cam you could do the conversion. Hope I like it.
I hate your video's so much. Everytime I watch a digital Pentax video, it makes me want one... I mean, I have 6 Pentax film cameras, but no digital. You make me want to get a digital Pentax, and I hate you for that (because I'm heavily invested in Lumix M43). Lol
Well, if it makes you feel better I have a few Pentax film videos in the pipeline. That oughta do it for ya. :) I'm also investing more in m43. For video, but then also maybe some other fun stuff down the road. We'll see.
AF too slow even for 2012 standard. Sold my k5 last year because it wouldn't turn on and bought a second hand fuji xt2, af is so much faster and people are saying fuji xt5 AF speed is not as fast. I think it is good enough
Whole slew of Pentax videos coming to the channel in the next month. Cool stuff. Stay tuned. 👍
-james
Looking forward to all of them!!
I'll be watching.
Can't wait! Bring it ooooonnnnnn!
The k5iis is a famous camera for astrophotography. Noise is very low in low iso long exposure shots. It's sensor was still sold few years ago in specific astro cameras that weren't cheap. One guy explains it verx well on the french speaking forum chasseur d'images, with datas.
Great video! We Pentaxians enjoy our quirky cameras, but know the quality of the images we can get paired with the right lens. So happy to see these gems get some love. I owned a MX4, K10D, I-10, Q and now a KP....just love them for all their weirdness, but great images! Looking forward to more Pentax related video! Thanks for sharing your passion!
And thanks for always stopping by and supporting me :)
Love from Ontario, Canada! Thank you for putting a video on K-5 iis. My wife and I watched this video earlier in the morning and I came here to leave this comment on behalf of both of us. I have a K-5iis since 2013. It acted as my prime camera till 2019 when I got KP. We are hikers and take shots while on the go. My wife and I carry the two cameras in pairing with Pentax 15 mm, 18-135 mm, and 55-300 mm PLM. We cover a wide range of photography genres while on the go.
Thank you again!
I didn't think he 55-300mm PLM worked with the k-5IIs, only with later models. Something about everything shoots at the same aperture or something.
@@waynecampbell8110 No it does perfectly well.
I've had this camera for 10 years, still produces great images!
I have one since a long time now, and although I moved to K1, I always keep it as a very gifted backup for fast action photography. The case is a bit too small, my pinky litterally hangs, but with an extra battery grip, the problem is fixed. I've had long happy hours with it, and these times are still not over.
As far as I am concerned the battery grip is a must have for any good sized DSLR. It makes portrait oriented photos so much easier.
The removal of the anti-aliasing filter I think was really enabled by imager resolution increase (decreased sensor site area). The moire is caused by scene detail, projected onto the imager at over half of the linear sensor site density. It's really the same physics as why CD sampling rate is at 44.1kHz, because human hearing is limited to about half that at 20kHz. This is also why CD players (any audio player actually) is fronted by anti-aliasing filters as well.
I suspect also that for photography now, the sensor resolution (linear sensor site density) is sufficiently high that with most lenses the imaging pipeline is diffraction limited at f5.6 and wider. For practical purposes, the lens on the camera itself is the AA filter.
Yes, this is certainly true for a 24 or 28 megapixel APS-C sensor. According to optical theory, for a circular aperture, and green light (λ=0.55 µm) the resolution at the focal plane is very approximately 4f/3 µm, where f is the focal ratio of the lens. Thus, Nyquist-Shannon sampling theorem implies 2f/3 µm for the pixel pitch is sufficient. Also note that lens aberrations usually dominate over diffraction for ratios below f/8 or f/5.6.
Autofocus is much improved from the K5 to K5ii, especially in low light😊
*Pentax* was my love and I have used almost every model of *Pentax* in film's days. After the transition to digital I had to switch over to Canon. But deep down in my heart I still have lots of love for *Pentax* and wish it comes up with some superior model in Mirrorless segment so that many like me will come back to its love again.
Great video. I am a professional photographer and I have used a plethora of camera systems for assignment work. Without a doubt the K5IIs is phenomenal. I like the ergonomics and the colors (straight out of camera JPGs) are just perfect. Grab one if you can find one with a low shutter count. It’s in the same league as the Nikon D700. It has that “special something” that you have to feel, see, and experience for yourself.
Looking to get into the Pentax system. Looking at the K5iis or the KP. Any thoughts on the two body’s?
It's a very nice camera. I'll usually recommend it to those that want the best image quality that they can get out of an older Pentax body & for those that are not too concerned with getting the latest KAF4 lenses. This camera with a set of DA Limited primes that have been AF fine tuned will get you lots of nice photos. It's definitely not a camera for action, but you can shoot some if you anticipate where the action will be. This camera is meant for "slowly take your time" photography.
I started out in 1970 with my first Pentax, a Spotmatic. Then, before digital, I switched to Nikon where I stayed into the digital era. But, always had a soft spot for Pentax and picked up a K-5. Loved it so much that now I have two K-1 bodies, a K-3, K-5iis, K-7, K-r, and K-x and a K-S2. Had and sold a K-70 and KP, not sure why I got rid of them. All great cameras.
Great watching your video to realize I’ve watched and commented previously.
Still shooting mine
I got a K-5 as my first digital camera back in 2018. It's been through it all! I can't imagine not having it.
My first camera, absolutely love it! Only switched to Canon because wildlife was a huge struggle with the limited and expensive lenses for Pentax, but i miss it dearly. IBIS, Weather sealing, tiny compared to Canons pro models. Only thing missing is a proper Auto ISO implementation.
Oh how I wish we had the vast selection of wildlife lenses on Pentax side, thirdparty and Pentax :( It is a downside to the system for sure.
I have the regular k5ii, and it's still fantastic. Ive shot more recent cameras as well, and in my opinion the only noticeable difference is video and low light performance.
This thing is a tank, never really took much care of it but this thing just will never break.
It really is such a fantastic camera! the 16mp sensor really performs even today.
James I was about to ask you for the AF capabilities but you ended up with it.
I was so so so told to buy one of those for my motorsport photography but those cameras as were rare, were expensive. So never bought one. And even in the past years I was wondering if trying to find one, I never did that. I guess i'm quite happy with my K3 and K3-II and whenever a K3-III will appear at a special price, then maybe i'll move there. But, since then, my K3's will keep going and if any of them prone to fail i still have my K5 original for holidays or special days. The lower Iso it has and the way it works with shadows is something I miss in newer bodies.
Thanks for the vid! I had doubts with this camera you just solved.
The filterless sensor of the K-5IIs could also be found in both the Ricoh GR and GRII as well as in Nikon's Coolpix A
So glad you made another K-5 (yes, a different model this time, the IIs) video. Lovely camera. 😍
You're favorite Pentax is the K3, mine is the K5II/s (both of them). K3 is my second favorite Pentax. There is something special about that 16mp sensor, quite a few cameras used it, and all of them blew me away. Nikon's D7000 is another gem, although I actually prefer the K5II more. The draw with Nikon are it's lenses, more AF lenses to choose from, while still offering just as many MF lenses as Pentax from back in the day. The K5II also has a gapless LCD screen, a big improvement over previous Pentax DSLR's, and its autofocus is superb, even compared to the K3 Mark III (for every subject that isn't moving, its very much comparable). My second favorite Pentax is the K3, much like the K5 series but slightly larger with a bit different handling points, yet the sensor isn't quite as good as the K5II/s when pushing the raws around in post. To me that 16mp sensor was the pinnacle of APS-C sensors and still hold's its own against the newest- of any brand.
I got my K-5 used and had it until the K-1 released and bought my first BRAND NEW camera. I kept it as a back up...as I had the K-20 when I acquired the K-5, and the K10 when I acquired the.....you get the point. I still have all of them. By the time I was done with them it wasn't really worth selling a tool that had worked great for me, and still did for what they went for. I ended up getting a second K-1 body and sort of forgot about the K-5. That is, until My first K-1 died after 6 years of abuse that came in many forms... from shooting in the rain with Takumar lenses attached, to shooting the gambler 500 in Oregon and being engulfed in pumice dusk out shooting for several days. The K-5 was ready to spring into action when I forgot I had a 12 second timer on my K-1 and it was too bight to see the led flashing so I panicked and......Well, the images from the K-5 are great. Most people would never know the difference if I had to shoot with the K-5 to complete a job.
I'm a huge fan of the K-5iis as I had a K-5 and preferred the button layout over my K-3. Regarding AA filters, you stated that all cameras have done away with AA filters, but I do not think that that is true. The majority of cameras do have AA filters, but some brands or models may be stronger or weaker and it depends on an individual basis. The Fuji X-trans line up is supposed to be AA filterless because X-trans pixel layout is supposed to resist moire. So when a camera is AA filterless then the manufacturer tends to use it in their marketing. My first "other brand" DSLR had a super strong AA filter which was why I moved to Pentax because the K-5 appeared to my eyes as having a weak AA filter at the time when they were in stores. I would rate 3 levels of AA filter strength as Strong, medium and weak, so typically entry level cameras in other brands (X-trans excluded) tend to be strong or medium, and their higher end enthusiast or pro apsc camera tend to have weak AA filters. Their full frame camera tend to have weak AA filters to create the disparity between models and make people crave to buy the more expensive models...........
The AA filter is one of the greatest cons in digital photography............
A piece of glass that is there to limit a product as a CRIPPLE HAMMER. So when you switch to full frame you are BLOWN AWAY at how much better full frame is over apsc.
If the manufacturer states that their camera is AA filterless, then it will be AA filterless. Otherwise its got an AA filter on it. The sheer fact that Pentax IBIS was able to do an AA simulation at the subpixel level, shows us that Pentax has a way to mitigate moire in images if the need arises. As for other brands, Pentax holds the patent on AA simulation so they don't have a way to prevent moire, so they have no choice but install AA filters.
Now the "Fujifilm effect" was akin to Canikon apsc users who switched to full frame and were blown away. People who switch from canikon apsc to Fujifilm are so much more pleased with Fuji apsc over canikon because of the loss of AA filters, sharpness and fuji color science (which is a massive myth IMO) - the fujifilm hype. As the rap song goes from Public Enemy "Don't believe the hype" Yeah!
What a great camera, always was my 'go to' body until I finally sold mine 2 years ago. It was tough to let it go and if I hadn't been buying a K-1, I never would have sold it.
watchin this while holdin my k-5ii that is still my backup cam for the case if something is wrong with my k-1. beautiful cam, built like a tank, reliable like a workhorse.
Love this review. I bought it when I came out, but not without first having to agonize over whether to take what seemed like a risk at the time of going without a low-pass filter with this or take the "safer" route of choosing the K5II. Never looked back. It was my first 'serious digital camera' purchase (I went with Pentax for digital because I'd been given a K1000 as a high school graduation present and loved the thing) and it gave me a marvelous start. It's everything you describe. Picture quality has held up for me all these years, despite branching out into Canon, Nikon and Leica, and its ergonomics is a timeless value. Its controls and options grow with you as a photographer. I soon got all the FA Limiteds but it's really with the lovely little DA Limiteds that this and any Pentax APS-C camera shines as a compact, fun-to-shoot package for lovers of prime lenses. E.g. The 15 f/4 that you also reviewed. Pentaxians hankered for a full frame camera before the K1 came out, but looking back from a supposedly post DSLR era, Pentax had already begun making the case from the K5II/s onward for APS-C dslr's that could hold their own.
I believe its the same sensor used on the Nikon D7000 also. I had one of those Nikons, but i greatly prefer the images of my Pentax K5iis
Still got mine. Never selling it!
Such a good camera :)
Bought it new back in 2013 and still using it now with shutter count of over 150K
As a happy Pentax K5 iis owner i really appreciate this review.
Coming from my previous K5 i could benefit from the iis's better AF mainly in low light, and much better sharpness any time.
The only main advantage of recent mirrorless cameras is an incredible autofocus with subject, face and eyes tracking, but for most of situations you can do a great job with the K5 iis.
I am looking for a 300 F4 lens for wild life photography, my actual Pentax 55-300 HD does a decent job and i love it, but i would like to go one step further.
And i would like to find a Pentax K1 ( mark 1 or 2) for its global quality and the Full Frame experience.
Thank you for your agreable pace and this honest review.
I came across your channel the other day and it's a delight. Your down to earth nature is really honest and refreshing. Nice to see you reminding folks that older camera's are perfectly capable of producing fantastic images and that you shouldn't get caught up in trying to acquire the latest gear. I've subbed. Oh and greetings from the Emerald Isle.
Cool video. Great to see this camera still getting some love. I bought one about a year ago in very gently used condition. Fells almost new. This is my main camera for everything but street photography or travel. For that I have my Olympus EM5 and EM 10 mark II.
I bought the Pentax when Olympus got out of the camera game. I shot Pentax years before and really liked their cameras and I also like having access to 50 years of glass. I shoot film too so it was great to be able to use all the same lenses.
I have a K5iis and it does have a couple of problems. One are vertical black streaks that show up on the back screen it is typically worse when the camera is used in cold weather. I'm not the only one who has this issue. Anther us that it seems to randomly zoom in when I use the screen very annoying. I shoot nature so the missing filter is a boon for me but I have on occasion shot buildings with brick or windows that come out pretty awful. I've dedicated those body to m42 lenses
Ive had this camera since it came out and it is still my main shooter. I have the 16-50 2.8 and a 50-135 2.8 that are my main go to lenses. It is definitely one of my favorite cameras when you can nail focus.
Wonderful setup. I passed my 16-50 onto someone else, preferring my primes in that range, but I have the 50-135 still and really love it
What to try this camera… what Pentax lens would you recommend to go with it? Not familiar with Pentax other than I love the image quality…
I'd recommend an F/FA 50mm f1.7 or f1.4. Personally I love using the film-era 'K' and 'M' series lenses, the M 50mm f4 Macro being my all-time favorite.
After I dropped another Pentax DSLR, this is the camera we purchased. Love it in my hands. It just feels so solid and fits so well.
Never heard about this legend over all these years
It's Saturday night, 10.20pm. I'm supposed to be finishing a project, but TH-cam just recommended a brand new Snappiness video. Oh dear.
Edited to add: I've sometimes thought of getting a Pentax DSLR, as they tend to have lovely colours, good handling, and there's something nostalgically charming about having a Pentax. A K1 would be amazing, but a rabbit hole of lenses for which I have neither the budget nor time.
Chopped in my K-3 for a K-1 but because of having to change all my lenses - of which I had a few, after 6 months of not much use, I traded it in for a K-3 II and not looked back!
One of these days I want to make an affordable lenses for K-1 video. Now that the K-1 is getting cheaper and cheaper (buddy just picked up one for $700 the other day...). If you're creative there's some nice glass for cheap, and you can always hunt the more expensive stuff later :)
Nearly went back for this one a couple times.... I skipped the 5 almost entirely. Had the K-5 for only about 2 months, long after the ii and iiS were out, but only because my battle-worn round-the-world K-7 had some serious issues. But I then sold the K-5 almost immediately and bought a K-3 .... which I still have. :)
Thank you for the video. K5iis is a great camera, produces great pictures, done with love and brains. I will keep it forever together with kp and k1-ii.........
I love it :)
So strange... bought my K-5 IIs back in what, 2016? And I still think of it as a 'new' camera. Time goes by... bought a K-70 as a low cost backup a year ago. Both are excellent. Either is all you need, really. The ergonomics, and all those Pentax lenses. Amazing value, particularly the K-5 IIs when bought used!
I just bought a Pentax 35mm F2.8 Macro lens for APSC. It is the best, sharpest lens I have ever used in my life. I ordered it from Amazon though and they delivered the lens inside a brown paper envelope, with no padding at all. The box was crushed, but the lens seems OK. I feel so disrespected to have spent hundreds of dollars and not received even a box during delivery. Should I return it, or should I keep it? The optics seem great, but will I have issues down the road? Should I take the risk of returning it, considering the next lens might have optical flaws inherent amongst differently produced lenses, as not every lens is manufactuered exactly the same way? Gosh, I wish Amazon didn't put everything in an 'environmentally friendly' paper bag. Even if you order a $2,000 camera from Amazon, they will package it in the most insecure, unprotected manner and they will claim they are doing so in order to save the environmnet. No wonder Amazon gets 16% of all their orders returned by customers.
Yeah Amazon packaging is terrible. Somehow their process finds it cheaper to package quick and terrible and have more returns than packing slower and better. Weird how that works. Anyway, I hear great things about that lens but still have yet to try it out!
I bought this new and still own it. Nice picture quality and great companion to my K-3ll
Fantastic! Nice to have them both. The OG K-3 is my all-time favorite camera :)
So few older Penax Cameras floating around here in Australia sadly
I have sony and Fuji cameras... Pentax is always my favorite. Thy this one as monochrome, you would be surprised... better than the Leica monochrome camera for only $300 bucks.
I was wondering how good the monochrome was on the k5iis. Still recommending it for bnw ?
I own a K5IIs. You nailed in every commentary you did.
Awesome, great camera! You may be interested in the camera I will compare it to in a future video. A very special camera indeed...
@@snappiness If you have not trying one yet, get a Nikon D700. Those raw files are something special.
I've been on the lookout for one for years. I see bargain K-5 and K-5 II examples quite often, but very few of the IIs. Based on the images quality as far as I could see from sample shots, I think if it had the AF engine of the K-3, it would be a clear winner. AFAIR, it has noticeably more DR.
Oh, and if only it supported PLM lenses :)
I still have yet to try a PLM lens, so I always forget to throw out that disclaimer to would-be buyers xD That's an important note, however. If you're seriously interested in trying a k5iis, email me about this one :)
@@snappiness at the moment, it's specifically just the 55-300 PLM I want because the older screw-drive AF variants were already great walkabout teles, so having a faster (and silent) focusing version seems to be a clear win. The 16-50 f/2.8 PLM is something like €1300 (?), and I'm way too cheap to buy expensive new lenses like that, but in 5+ years from now? Maybe :D
But anyways, I've strayed far enough off topic, so yeah, I definitely would be interested in a K-5iis (and I'm excited to see what this project you bought it for is all about :)
I think the K-5 II(s) is Pentax’s best DSLR ever. In absolute terms, more modern cameras are of course better, but I think they don’t make as much sense. Both within the market and where Pentax’s strengths lie. The K-3 added tracking AF but it didn’t really work that well. Plus it was a bit larger and heavier. And it added SR based features like the AA filter that I set once and never touched again. The K-3 III, although reviewed favorably, finds itself in tough competition.
The Pentax K5IIs is on my to get list. I just have to find the right deal on one. In the mean time I found a deal on a K5 and bought it for myself as a Christmas gift.
There is something special about the images this camera produces in the right hands.
Agreed! Owned a K5 for a little while and really enjoyed it. Ergonomics are awesome. Unfortunately I couldn't justify holding onto it as a significant part of my work is video.
Ah yes, video, the bane of pentaxians :( always need another camera with you for that...
K5iis is my love also, I still keep it! I had k5ii (non "s") before, but immage quality of "s" is more interesting for me, moreover I have my lovely k-01 which has the same sensor as K5ii.
I was really impressed with the K01 IQ when I used it, so that makes sense. Didn't much else about that camera though, haha!
I went from the K10D (my first DSLR) to the K-5II. I just love the ergonomics of this camera. The grip fits great in my hand and so does the battery grip I added. It's got some weight to it especially when you add a good chunk of lens on it. I really like the low light performance of it. So much better then the ol' K10D. I don't remember why I didn't go with the IIs. Guess I wanted to save the extra $100. Either that or I didn't fully understand the benefit of it.
I think at the time no one quite understood what it meant and if it was worth it. K5ii is still a great camera, no doubt about that. More money for lenses :)
Brilliant camera. Between the K5 & K3 series are there any better feeling cameras to shoot with?
Well, I have k5iis, k3ii and kp and would say that k5iis&k3ii have fantastic ergonomics of their body. I believe it is comparable with K1 and K3iii, but never had it
Lovin my k5iis.
No :)
@@snappiness Agree with you:))
I miss my Pentax DSLRs but I use a wheelchair and I struggle with size and weight these days. If all things were equal I'd still have my K3 and perhaps waiting for the K3iii to come down in price.
My K5-IIs is my favourite landscape camera.
One of my favorites!
Trust me on this,... Put an FA* in front of a K-5.
The K-5's also had class leading sensor-shift-stabilisation, which Pentax then disabled in video until the K-3-3.
Still in love with my K5 after 10 Years. Even if the signs of the times and the abuse on my trips to Africa are slowly paying their price. A few buttons get stuck and the software hangs from time to time. If it dies, I think I would replace it with a K5-II or K5-IIs. Whatever I can get then for a good price.
It's such a nice camera. I could shoot the rest of my life with one if I had to and think I'd be satisfied.
eBay around £260 if you can find one.
Need suggestion on cheap pentax AF prime lens for this camera body. 💜💜
Best camera ever!
Thanks for this video! I have 3 cameras: k10d, k7 and K5iis. Lovely cams! I'm sure they are very interesting than my Canon cameras ( T3, T3i and 60d).
Nice to see this! I would love to try the K5iis. I got the original K5 brand new, as soon as it was released, in late 2010 (just had to check the date of some photos!)
Shot with it until early 2014 when I got a K3. I think I prefer the K3 to the K5, but the iis is one I had always wanted to compare it to.
Nice video and pictures as always! Loved mine but sold it because the KP is better in every way except the battery life. Plus the K-1 on crop mode has the same if not better IQ.
If we could have the grip of the K-5 (or K-3) on the KP, then it would be *perfect* (the bigger battery would also fit then too :)
@@AndrewSowerby I kinda like KP's compactness. It handles like a mirrorless camera but with an optical viewfinder. :)
I have the D-BG7 which can take bigger batteries if I ever needed extra battery life.
That makes sense. The KP is going to be sought after for a long time. What a wonderful camera. I do prefer the ergo of the K-5, but towards the end of my time with the KP I became fond of it's different approach. Less sporty feeling, but really just as comfy once you got used to it.
@@ShutterKnack good point regarding the battery grip. With my mirrorless cameras, I do often find that I need to add a grip to make them more comfortable and secure in the hand, but that's just my preference (and the great thing is that you _can_ take it off if you want the compactness - so again, good point!)
Glad I found this. My first 35mm camera was the K1000 back in 2006/7. Always have had a soft spot for Pentax. Thanks for selling me on the K-5IIs. Just purchased one. Excited to test it out.
How has the k5iis been? Looking to get one also.
K-5 is great ( I have the regular K-5 ), but for me K-10 is the best. I love the looks and ergonomics of it more than the K-5. I also think that the CCD sensor brings some magic. But it might be just me as I’m a loser with a soft spot for CCD sensors. Would still like to try the K-5 without the AA filter though…
The K10D is magic :) I love it and still have mine. Won't sell it. I'm impressed with how well the images look right out of the camera, no editing required most of the time.
I'll have to keep an eye out for the K-10 if it's CCD - I have the Ist-D*, and with Takumar M42 lenses, the CCD is just perfect for Shoot-And-Post - no resize or post required.
I was told the Pentax K5's all used the award winning 16mp Sony Exmor sensor. The K5 and K5ii/s both used this sensor. Not sure if this is true but the K5's have some magic to them.
What lense are you recommending for this specific semsor?
Does the K5iis have focus peaking for old Pentax manual lens?
Great channel and content, like a video version of my blog! I review a lot of older cameras as well. One of the best recent finds on youtube, great job!
Thanks! Share your blog if you don't mind, I'm interested!
You're welcome! www.Photographic-Central.blogspot.com
Read you blog recently and loved it. It was the reason went out I bought a K-5ii cheaply on the second hand market to replace my K-r, but also a K-5iis so I could compare with and without the filter. But also purchased a K-3 so it could take a PLM 55-300. I think I'm done now...lol... and can't wait for them all to arrive to test out. Now I have watched this great video which confirms my belief I've made the right choice for the type of photography I want to do.
Own it. Great camera.
I loved mine. I just wish Pentax had have kept making lenses and had aftermarket lenses like they used to. I ended up switching to Canon.
I had one and miss it dearly :D I used it with three lenses, the DA70ltd, 43 and 21, and I agree, probably the crispest pictures one could get :D That 100mm lens you have on it looks wicked, that’s one I really would like to try.
Looking to get the K5iis. Picking up the 20-40mm. And also the 43mm. How was the IQ with the 43mm?
@@markscott4059 IQ? It is a pretty small lens, almost pancakelike, and I thought the camera was pretty balanced and easy to handle. The performance was top notch but the autofocus is not the best.
What do you recommend a lens for it for travel
has this camera the same identical sensor as the ricoh GRII??
Wow didn’t realize this shared the GR sensor. Excited to hear more about your project.
I'm excited to share more about it :) Just need more time, never enough time... *sigh*
@@snappiness story of my life. Time is sadly not my friend 😛
Great video
Pentax is legendary for atrociously bad AF! I gave my K5 to my brother and still own a K3 but hardly use it. Left Pentax years ago and glad I did. There's a whole new generation of better cameras and lenses out there.
Which one should i buy, nikon d80, canon 20d or canon xt.
Out of those three, the D80 for sure! Also look at the d200, which is the same era but an even more pro body. I've been seeing those for under $100 no problem, which is a great deal.
@@snappiness thanks
Not entirely true that “we have not looked back”. Pretty much all 24MP fullframe cameras still come with an AA filter on the sensor, because the risk of moire at that resolution is just too great on a fullframe camera.
This camera ruined DSLRs I loved the build quality, but the jpeg colors were pretty bad (personal opinion) and it was heavy. I bought a Panasonic GX7 for a street shooter and then sold the Pentax and have stayed with Olympus and Panasonic since. It was the camera that drove me to mirrorless, I still have a soft spot in my heart for Pentax
Do a tutorial on this camera please
Purchased one today. Can't wait for it to arrive in order to try it out but also hoping to convert my slowly dying SDM AF of my 50-135* into screwdrive AF. That's the last Pentax cam you could do the conversion.
Hope I like it.
❤ Pentax
Ever think of rreviewing the K-S1 ...
I don't know if I'll ever get around to it, but it looks fun.
Karate Chop for Squirrels
Had this camera. The K3 is way better.
I hate your video's so much. Everytime I watch a digital Pentax video, it makes me want one... I mean, I have 6 Pentax film cameras, but no digital. You make me want to get a digital Pentax, and I hate you for that (because I'm heavily invested in Lumix M43). Lol
Well, if it makes you feel better I have a few Pentax film videos in the pipeline. That oughta do it for ya. :) I'm also investing more in m43. For video, but then also maybe some other fun stuff down the road. We'll see.
X-Trans.
AF too slow even for 2012 standard. Sold my k5 last year because it wouldn't turn on and bought a second hand fuji xt2, af is so much faster and people are saying fuji xt5 AF speed is not as fast. I think it is good enough