Pentax K-5: Poor Man's Leica? 

This is one of the reviews that convinced me to buy my K-5 ten years ago. I still have it, and need nothing more.

I am really enjoying my K-5 and truly appreciate your videos. It's hard to imagine that the Pentax products are not more widely used.

Thanks for your reviews! Few days ago, I bought Pentax K-5. Very nice camera! At the work, I use Canon 5Dm3 and Sony A7s2, and since 1998, I'm a Canon user. But 1 year ago I got Pentax MX, and with love with Pentax))

I've got the K5 101 series, & it's an absolute marvel and gem of a camera. It allows a natural and continual progression of learning by understanding via it's very intuitively designed user interface. A friend of mine got a Nikon 700D and has fallen down a mineshaft of in-house jargon that he's having genuine trouble understanding and putting into practice even though he's been into Nikon & photographics for 40+ years.

Great tutorial vids ! And finally music that doesn't make my eyes pop out of my skull. Thanks and God bless !

just got myself the 21mm for street photography and the 35mm macro for general walk around (the 35 i got for only $250 second hand) my other primes are the 55 DA* and my 100mm macro. but these are my first limited lenses, cant wait to give them a go! for them range's i normally shoot on a good copy of the sigma 18-35 f1.8 which is great and has its place but feels too big to be walking round a busy town centre or a quick day out. my dream prime tho has to be the pentax 85mm f1.4! i wish they would bring it back now they have the K1 :)

If you haven't already got a prime lens in the 30mm range, there's a lot to be said for the 35mm 2.8 Limited macro. I just bought one to go on my new K5 (it was that or the K30), and I'm very impressed with both. It's equivalent to a 52mm, so practically the same as an old Standard 50mm, and while at 2.8 it's not blisteringly fast, it's still nobody's slowpoke.

As a fellow Pentax user, both the K10d and now this year the K5, I really enjoyed your video! Especially the end credits! Since I am a believer too!! Love my K5.. its got so many features I can't remember them all! Know of any good youtube channels that teach features on the K5? You can never learn too much right!? Thanks again.. oh and, God Bless! lol

just bought my K5 on Sunday with 18-55 weather sealed kit lens after seeing your videos about Pentax K5 and the Limited lenses and other videos. I'm an absolute beginner and couldn't make awesome photos yet but I like the feel I get holding my K5 . :D Much happier now that you are comparing K5 to Leica M9. :D But I got to learn a lot more using my kit lens before I buy the limited prime lenses. Please upload a lot more videos on how to make good photo & share your experiences :)

@SuperKotoa 1. noise = that's a screwdrive lens you're using, most probably. it will generate a lot of noise. 2. stupid switch= oh,switches can be stupid? i wouldn't like menu diving just to get to those 3. grainy viewfinder? Are you sure it's a K-5 you got? grain in the VF only happens to EVF's not OVFs, with the latter it's usually vignetting 4. tried shooting at 1/4 with the SR off yet? 5. subjective. simpler is better for me. the more complex a GUI looks like, the more distracting it is

I like this video, really nice. It's interesting that many Leica pro users, like the pentax cameras and specially pentax prime lens. The best reviews about pentax cameras and lens in the last 5 years have been from Leica pros and Leica veterans, interesting.

The Pentax 31mm Limited is an amazing lense but there is a certain wobbling of the barrel, a slight fail in built construction that is difficult to understand because of the high cost of the lense. For the rest, Pentax is the best brand in terms of quality/price, period.

I understand the point you're making in this video and agree with it to a degree. However, I'd like to point out that Leica isn't made for budget D-SLR shooters, and the people buying them aren't going to have the same priorities in a camera as you are. My two cents.

That is great! Film have a very special quality to it. I'm still a novice to manual focus photography. I've been shooting with my old 6megapixel K100D for 5 years now and until earlier this year was stuck with the cheap kit zoom. The past year or so I hardly touched my camera anymore... Then I got a Pentax-M 50mm f1.7 for $12 and fell in love all over again with photography :) Enjoy your MX! One day if I can muster enough courage I'll try out an old K1000 that I got with some other primes.

About 2 months ago, i bought a T4i... TODAY... I just ordered a K-5 body.. thanks for your video i really like it and now must decide on lenses... i appreciate the time you put into this video.. helped with my decision.. i'll probably sell my Canon.

Just upgraded from my K10 with 17~70 lens, to a K5IIs with DA 15/35 & 70, last week from B&H for $2100.

How can I get Pentax lenses in my country not available

Hey...just wanted to say that I love Pentax cameras..they have been part of my life since school and the ME super SLR's that they use to send us out with on field trips..happy days in the processing lab!!..The build quality on the Pentax kit is second to none...great equipment producing great images..and if you buy second hand...very affordable :-)

Excellent review. opened my eyes to the quality lenses that are available for my K5.

would you please make more video on how to make good photo & share your experience?

Best credits I've seen in a youtube video, actually.

Well stated. Put a top of the line Nikon system in the hands of a novice versus a trained photographer with equivalent Pentax gear and compare results. Enough said.

Love using my K-5 with my 50mm 1.4 FA

proud owner of Pentax cameras since the film era: SV, MX (2 bodies) Spotmatic and some lenses. now, K-5, K-7 K-x (white) ;-) love them all and have great regret i didn't take care of my old Pentax film cameras! still have a broken MX body as well as its working power winder though and plan to find and buy more Pentax film cameras later when i can afford it. did you mention certain items you can find on the K-5 (the electronic level for example) as Pentax 1sts!? does Leica have that too? ;-)

I always wanted a Leica M, but can't even afford a cheap used one. .. I got my K-5 II, And most those prines. .. Now I want to passive my Pentax silver and put a big red fit in it! I never made this connection. Thanks for the vids! Keep them coming!

I like your videos - up until the end credits.

K5 is a great camera, but I'll stick with my D7000. Lot more support for Nikon/Cannon lenses and things. Again, no hate for Pentax, just my opinion. That being said I have no desire for a Leica because of the pricing, so you may just be right.

As an atheist I applaud you photouniverse. You go boy!

hi pentax fans i got my k5 two years ago and its never missed a beat now i have the pentax 300 f4 the 200 2.8 the 50 to 135 2.8 and the 55 i,4 all god dam beautiful lens, ill never change brands i use to run 2 pentax LX 35mm cameras,pentax lenses r so underrated keep on clicking

Love the K-5....too bad most of the Caninonites will never even consider it....it's a great camera.

It's way past being rich or poor. It also comes down to hobbyists and pros. Plus throw in the economy right now. 18 grand is just an insane amount of money to spend on a camera and a few lenses considering the choice there is out there.

Do you think the K-5 is worth the price or should I just go for the k-5 II-s? I love your videos by the way I am a Canon shooter but I had some old Pentax lenses and that got me looking at switching systems you have me right on the edge. Thanks for the vids!

I'm a Pentax owner and enthusiast, and I agree that Limiteds offer exceptional image and built quality, BUT comparing them to Leica lenses really is a bit over the top. A limited cannot beat a Noctilux/Summicron etc. and the K5 and M9 are too different to make a sensible comparison. Small, mirrorless FF rangefinder without AF vs. APS-C DSLR.

Silver is nice and all, but it will never be as beautiful as the K20D titanium version... mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm,,,,

Pentax K-01 - poor man's K5. (And, size wise, K-01 is closer to being a poor man's Leica.)

And to add insult to injury Pentax K5IIs delivers equally sharp images as , for example , Nikon D3x ( x5 the cost of the body ) and much sharper than Sony A99 ( x2.5 the cost of the body ) , google : "Just posted Pentax K 5II and K 5IIs studio test images" and judge with your own eyes .

All Leica must be photographed with cold hard cash. Which I do not have so I photograph my K5 with it instead!

This is why people should be buying the Pentax K-5 more than shoddy Nikon D7000s and Canon 60D cameras

You wouldn't catch me dead buying a Leica.

I love the Pentax k-5! i dont' know why people are getting so upset about the credits. so he's religious, so what? you don't have to get all angry that he has his opinion. people get offended by the silliest things. if you're atheist you can just ignore it and save yourself a headache.

I bought my Pentax K-5 last weekend, been fooling around with it... I went in to buy a Canon EOS 60D, and came out with the Pentax, as I wasn't really interested in spending 5K in good stabilized lenses. And the K-5 is stabilized in the body, so any biginner is comfy with it, as well as the pro. Your vid was one of the ones that sold me on it. I was reborn a Pentax-guy... hahaha

I have a different Pentax digital SLR and swear by it. I got it after having gone through FOUR Leicas. Pentax is very reliable and sturdy. I sold cameras for years and can't remember a Pentax ever coming back for repair. (Remember the Pentax Spotmatic?) Leica had a splendid reputation for their 35mm cameras but their digitals leave a lot to be desired. And, they have undoubtedly the worst customer (repair) service around. Take my advice and stick with Pentax.

I love my K5, I had the 77 and it made my canikon friends look weak with their kit lenses.

how could you compare a k-5 to a m9?

No problem with the credits, and I'm a atheist.

hahah i just realized i wrote this last month. Just posted a new comment today, saying i ordered the K-5. woot woot!

are you nick from new girl?

I was with you up until the stuff about fairytales at the end

love my k5 and my ltds! ;)

What do you think of this same setup with the K-3?

LOL I'm poor and I'd love Leica too

Is the leica water resistance and can you get water resistance lens for it like you can with the k-5 . Are people really that stupid that they spend that kind of money on a camera that you can't even take out on a rainy day . From what I have read about the Leica it doesn't have any kind of water protection or they just don't talk about it if it does .

While I enjoyed the video I just think that the K-5 and the M9 are 2 totally different cameras that cannot be compared. The K-5 is a dSLR and it is big bulky and if you are doing street photography then this isn't the camera to take along with you. Its also a crop sensor camera which is pointless for street photographers as many do shoot in low light. The lenses and camera cost a lot because of what you get. Leicas are specialty cameras and K-5s are more mainstream. Just MHO

Do it

There's more to a camera than build quality.

And why is that? There is nothing the K-5 isn't any better than the D7K it just all depends on what you are shooting and what sort of camera you need to get your photos. People need to stop being so concerned about gear and learn to shoot properly. Learn composition and lighting before buying a camera. If you don't want to learn then don't but don't bash the camera or camera maker for your lack of skill.

I hated the video but loved the end credits- just kidding- the vid was great too-

So you get a $100 discount if you buy the Leica with all 4 lenses?!! :D

the Leica is overrated

Pentax K-5 is totally CRAP! got one today and its going back tomorrow. problems are as follows:- 1) horrible noise similar to radio static, when in live view and video mode. 2) stupid exposure selector switch (really fiddly and cheap). 3) Grainy viewfinder 4) Shake reduction is useless, absolutely no difference with it switches on or off. 5) 1980's style interface. Seen better graphics from an atari! Now I know why Pentax isn't popular. Now going to check out Canon, Nikon and Sony.

Leica lens = expensive, get more value in the long term. Pentax lens = less expensive, get no value in the long term and if pentax goes bankrupt, they'll be zero value. Also, you compare the same fstop between full frame and APS-C, you need to compare about 1 stop less in full frame due to the less shallower DOF, e.g. 31/1.8=47/2,8

It's time you looked into the mirror

ah, one of those christian types that conflates his belief with his political views - how 'murcan of you. K5 is a great tool, on that we agree. Amen!

Uh, no! Sorry

lol :D

More like a practical mans Leica lol

What is it with judgemental little twits like you? Nothing wrong with atheism, but you're taking it to militant extremes. You're as bad as the people you despise.

Superkotaa is such a BS. People are all laughing at your BS.

Socialist censorship? You don't have a clue, do you?

What a fucking loser. I rarely use this F word but it just suits you. It's the first time ever that someone videos a camera review and rants at a white board listing the lens prices for 10 mins. What... a... fucking... loser. Maybe you should be an Accountant... there is no way you can make it to photography.

Leitax.