Pentax K-5 better than any Canon?

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DaydreamJay

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Are there any Canons that are better than a K-5? There are arguably some Nikons that may be but the K-5 has a better dynamic range than even a D3X. There certainly doesn't seem to be any Canons that come anywhere close in raw ability to take a picture.

Which Canon could compete with a K-5?
 
Well as the K5 is not Full frame, so you could argue that any of the Pro canons are better in that respect same with the Nikon versions.
 
The dynamic range of that sony sensor the K-5 uses is wider than the top model full frame canons at low isos, so in that sense the FF canons aren't better but that is only the one measure of image quality. It will be equal to the Nikons that use the same sensor and the sonys that do. D7000 should be an equal if not slightly better as Nikon noise reduction and high iso performance seems to be better than canon equivalents.

It's the camera operator that makes the biggest difference.
 
as said realy the k5 is in the same cat as the 7d d300,
the k5 is really a lovely bit of kit, the build is top quality the weather sealing is probably the best on the market, af speed is very good and is as good as the d300(all comes down to whos using it)
the high iso is very good as is the dm, the only downside is the size(to small for me)
 
the k5 produces awsome pictures and i have tested it aainst the d700 and it really impresed me the d700(full frame produced cleaner images about probably about 1 stop of noise difference) and at higher isos the d700 held the colours better than the k5 (only just)
but i will still be waiting for the nikon d400 to come out before replacing my d300, i might buy a k5 to replace my gx20 at somepoint.
 
manualfocus-g said:
The K-5 is really good, but look how much detail is lost at high ISO compared to the D700. There's some serious noise reduction going on there.
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your right thats why i have a d700, but i take them pics with a pinch of salt when i tested the k5 it really is very good, compared to the d300 image qulity is defo a step up, and im hoping the d400 can better it.
 
I love my K-5 and wouldn't swap it for any current Canon crop camera (have tried most incl the 7D).

Having just bought the lens I have always wanted though (MP-E65) I will have to say no because I am having to buy a Canon body to use it on as it won't fit my K-5. :)
 
One of the problems with Pentax in general is the limited range of lenses. More than you could shake a stick at up to 100mm, a few 100-300mm and none greater than 300mm. I also believe the AF does not get near the 7D in speed or sophistication.
 
Mike.P said:
I love my K-5 and wouldn't swap it for any current Canon crop camera (have tried most incl the 7D).

Having just bought the lens I have always wanted though (MP-E65) I will have to say no because I am having to buy a Canon body to use it on as it won't fit my K-5. :)
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what lens is that mike.
 
Oggy said:
One of the problems with Pentax in general is the limited range of lenses. More than you could shake a stick at up to 100mm, a few 100-300mm and none greater than 300mm. I also believe the AF does not get near the 7D in speed or sophistication.
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so your saying the k5 is not as fast as the 7d.
 
I love arguments like this seeing people get sucked in ;)

To me what makes a camera the right camera is not only the body but the complete system. The shallow DOF that is easier to get with full frame makes my life much easier when shooting portraits/weddings. Combined with that I like to work with fast primes that have fast AF.

Is dynamic range the be all and end all? To me, no, it is just something that can help. However do I ever think about it when taking a photo? Nope, I think about the light, the subject, the pose, the background, composition etc. A basic dSLR in the hands of someone who knows how to use it will do better than the 'best' dSLR. Sure having the a better performing sensor can help but most people will get better photos with good training, lenses and practise.

Oh, I'm not bashing the K-5, it's a great camera and does put other manufacturers to shame when it comes to crop body performance, just saying that the body is a small portion of the bigger picture.
 
Seems to me you're confusing differences in sensor performance with "raw ability to take a picture".

My mate's got a K-5, and if you looked through both our pictures from when we went out shooting last weekend (i.e vs. my 40D), I highly doubt you'd be able to pick out which was taken with the pentax without reading exif or taking comparable photos and bumping them up 4 stops to check the dynamic range.

The K-5 is a superb piece of kit, don't get me wrong. Class leading sensor performance, weather sealing and build quality. In my opinion, the K-5 is the best value higher end crop sensor camera available at the moment. But any canon DSLR (pretty much any DSLR full stop!) comes close or betters it for "raw ability to take a picture".


I feel ashamed for replying to this thread actually, it feels a lot like feeding a troll :gag:
Just taken a closer look and it seems the OP has been deleted, so my reply is somewhat pointless...
 
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scottthehat said:
so your saying the k5 is not as fast as the 7d.
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Yes Scott. I had a feel of the K5 but it was too small for my hands. The AF did not feel as fast or accurate. The 7D really is very quick, and when panning through a tree for example, there is no perceptible delay in changing focus from one point to another.
 
DaydreamJay said:
Which Canon could compete with a K-5?
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Anything with an EF 85mm f/1.2L, 135mm f/2.0L TSE 17mm f/4L, EF 200mm f/2.0, etc., etc. on the front of it

:)

As mentioned above, you're buying into a photographic system, not a tool for measuring dynamic range.
 
looked at another way, the Canon S95 would win hands down versus with the K5 for something you could slip into your pocket and have with you all the time for when a great opportunity for a picture arises. ;)
 
Musicman said:
Anything with an EF 85mm f/1.2L, 135mm f/2.0L TSE 17mm f/4L, EF 200mm f/2.0, etc., etc. on the front of it

:)

As mentioned above, you're buying into a photographic system, not a tool for measuring dynamic range.
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Better than the Pentax 'Limited' lenses do you think?
 
mark1616 said:
Is dynamic range the be all and end all? To me, no, it is just something that can help. However do I ever think about it when taking a photo? Nope, I think about the light, the subject, the pose, the background, composition etc. A basic dSLR in the hands of someone who knows how to use it will do better than the 'best' dSLR. Sure having the a better performing sensor can help but most people will get better photos with good training, lenses and practise.

Oh, I'm not bashing the K-5, it's a great camera and does put other manufacturers to shame when it comes to crop body performance, just saying that the body is a small portion of the bigger picture.
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If dynamic range is unimportant to you I presume you shoot in jpeg?
 
DaydreamJay said:
I have been lead to believe that this is irrelevant with the latest line up of APS-C cameras.
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Size of the image you capture will NEVER be irrelevant. Comparing APS sensors to full frame Canon is like comparing onions and oranges - there isn't one. The Canon 1Ds range are wonderful imaging machines.

That said, the K5 seems to be an excellent camera with very good low light capability and I am considering getting a K5 kit if and when I have the money.
 
DaydreamJay said:
So how do you go about correctly exposing (in one shot) the whole of a landscape shot on a sunny day? Witchcraft?
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No need for the stroppiness, my reply had a winky ;) To answer your question though, I just use an ND grad filter. Although the 5D has more than enough dynamic range anyway.

As previously stated the K-5 is a great camera, but it won't tempt me away from the lovely full frame viewfinder, sensor and lens compatibility of my 5D. Depth of field at f1.2 on ff is incredible :cool:
 
Size of the image is relevant when processing film of course, but sensor size has become less important. I'll try find the reference to it, it was something I was reading a few days ago.
 
DaydreamJay said:
So how do you go about correctly exposing (in one shot) the whole of a landscape shot on a sunny day? Witchcraft?
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Multiple exposures are usually far more effective. I usually auto-bracket at 6fps and delete the +2EV one, meaning I can manually align and blend 0EV and -2EV in PS afterwards.
 
manualfocus-g said:
No need for the stroppiness, my reply had a winky ;) To answer your question though, I just use an ND grad filter. Although the 5D has more than enough dynamic range anyway.

As previously stated the K-5 is a great camera, but it won't tempt me away from the lovely full frame viewfinder, sensor and lens compatibility of my 5D. Depth of field at f1.2 on ff is incredible :cool:
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Sorry, I always sound stroppy in writing, probably because I'm from Yorkshire.

ND grads are great when the horizon is level...
 
DaydreamJay said:
Size of the image is relevant when processing film of course, but sensor size has become less important. I'll try find the reference to it, it was something I was reading a few days ago.
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Well imagine the sensor technology from the K-5 put into a full frame camera.

The dynamic range then will be (I say will because I would imagine we'll see this in the next/future nikon and sony full frames) even better.

Full frame will always have advantages when the sensor technology is the same (and FF will sometimes be behind crops because FF cameras are released less frequently).
 
squishy said:
Well imagine the sensor technology from the K-5 put into a full frame camera.

The dynamic range then will be (I say will because I would imagine we'll see this in the next/future nikon and sony full frames) even better.

Full frame will always have advantages when the sensor technology is the same (and FF will sometimes be behind crops because FF cameras are released less frequently).
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I disagree that it will always have an advantage and I am not sure there is still an advantage.
 
DaydreamJay said:
Better than the Pentax 'Limited' lenses do you think?
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I've not used any of them myself, but unless I'm much mistaken, if you need a tilt shift, certainly ;)

If you want f/1.2 at portrait length (and on a crop it would have to be something like a 55mm f/0.8 to achieve similar DoF to the EF 85L) or f/2.8 at 200mm equivalent [a 135mm f/1.8] similarly, you're out of luck.

TBH, while wide DR is a useful thing to have, people successfully shot slide film with only around 6 stops of latitude for many, many years. I still do.

Kodachrome was relatively generous and went to 8 stops. Fuji Velvia 50 will get you about 3.5 to 4 stops of usable range; you treat its exposure with kid gloves, but get it right and the results are worth it.

Load up a Hasselblad or Canon F1 with Velvia and it's hardly an awful camera just because of the limited DR.
 
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Musicman said:
I've not used any of them myself, but unless I'm much mistaken, if you need a tilt shift, certainly ;)


TBH, while wide DR is a useful thing to have, people successfully shot slide film with only around 6 stops of latitude for many, many years. I still do.

Kodachrome was relatively generous and went to 8 stops. Fuji Velvia 50 will get you about 3.5 to 4 stops of usable range; you treat its exposure with kid gloves, but get it right and the results are worth it.

Load up a Hasselblad or Canon F1 with Velvia and it's hardly an awful camera just because of the limited DR.
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I agree but Ansel Adams went to great lengths to get an extra stop out of his workflow.

I think DR is very important especially as I hate the look of the majority of HDR shots out there done with bracketing.
 
DaydreamJay said:
I disagree that it will always have an advantage and I am not sure there is still an advantage.
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So you'd rather have a K-5 than a D3S for shooting low light sports?
 
Exposure blending is fine for still subjects but for fast moving one eg speed boat racing on a sunny day then it is not so good. I'd rather have a camera I can hit the shutter button once and get as close as possible to the scene in front of me than have to spend a while in photoshop diddling around. Some people enjoy the diddling process. I don't :)

Also if you have better dynamic range your camera will last longer as you won't have to bracket as much ;)
 
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