Pentax K-5 II review

The popular APS-C camera gets an upgrade

Pentax K-5 II
The Pentax K-5 II has a new screen, sensor and more

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Pentax K-5 II review

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The Pentax K-5 II's low light ability can produce excellent results with minimal image noise.

Pentax K-5 II review

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The viewfinder's 100% field of view makes it easy to compose shots correctly.

Pentax K-5 II review

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Taken under relatively harsh sunlight, dynamic range is pretty good...

Pentax K-5 II review

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...But activate the multi-shot HDR function and dynamic range is boosted even more.

Pentax K-5 II review

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Good detail here from the 16.3MP sensor.

Pentax K-5 II review

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Despite the dull lighting, the Pentax K-5 II has kept some colour vibrancy to lift this image.

Pentax K-5 II review

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This shot required -0.3 EV to keep the highlight details in check.

Pentax K-5 II review

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Detail and colour reproduction are decent, even at ISO 640.

Pentax K-5 II review

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Again that accurate viewfinder makes life much easier. Look closely and you'll also spot the photographer making a fool of himself!

Pentax K-5 II review

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Accurately exposed by matrix metering with highly resolved detail.

Pentax K-5 II review

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Although the conditions for this shot were fairly undemanding, matrix metering consistently overexposed, necessitating -0.7EV of manual exposure compensation.

Pentax K-5 II review

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Fabulous detail and colour depth.

Pentax K-5 II review

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Exposure metering has done a good job here.

Pentax K-5 II review

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Captured at ISO 1000, there's impressively low image noise, even in the shadow areas.

Pentax K-5 II review

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Here the exposure metering badly overexposed the highlights in this shot. -1.0EV was needed to bring them back, and they're still slightly blown.

Pentax K-5 II review

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This time, -2.0EV had to be used to prevent highlight burnout from the automatic matrix metering.

Pentax K-5 II review

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Shot at ISO 800, there's bags of detail and almost no visible image noise.

Pentax K-5 II review

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This is one of very few occasions where automatic white balance was confused, since the image shouldn't have such a yellow colour cast.

Pentax K-5 II review

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Another ISO 800 night shot, and again the sensor produces excellent results.