K-X to K-5 upgrade worthwhile?

I have now done this here - would be grateful for feedback.

thanks folks

I have read all of the posts here and would comment as follows:
I have owned the K10D, K20D and still own the K-7 and now the K-5. I have had a problem with the K-5's electronic horizon which is out of alighnment with the viewfinder by about three degrees of rotation. This is enough to make it totally useless. The camera has been back to Johnsons twice now to have this rectified. The second time it came back and looked to be OK, but after a day's shooting it reverted to out of alignment.

The body build quality is first class, the waterproofing is also top notch, I have used it in the pouring rain with no problems. I take all of my images in RAW (DNG) and process in ACR with CS4 and have no complaints at all about image quality. BUT I must say to get the best out of the camera you need good quality lenses. I have several Pentax film lenses, the 28-105 f/4-5.6 power zoom, the 70-210 f/4 one touch zoom and the 50mm f/1.7 autofocus lens and also the 100mm f/4 Macro. The IQ using these lenses outshines all of the other cameras.

I also have the Sigma 17-70 f/2.8-4.5, which is OK but not as good. The Sigma 10-20 (original) is top notch too.

Apart from the above problem, which is annoying but can be lived with, I also am concerned about the sloppy lens release button that some had had fall off (read the reports).

The higher pixel count does mean I can print a full size A3 at 300dpi and crop to print at 260 with excellent results, much better than the K-7.

All in all, a worthwhile upgrade, but I would suggest you but from the SRS shop if at all possible and check the alignment of the Electronic Horizon, as several others have had this problem, but not all. Mine will be going back yet again until it is resolved.

I have owned the k-x & now own the k-5.

Whilst the k-x is a good little body compared to the k-5 it is a very primitive body.

Picking up the k-5 you appreciate just how fast it is, everything just feels instant. Get one in your hands & play with the k-5, the difference is a 1000 miles, even the k-r is way more responsive than the k-x.

Images on the k-x always looked plasticcy to me, but that is just my opinion

All the chat about:
- "Buy now - Pentax will be folded in a few months" or
- "Don't buy now - prices will be cheaper in a few months", or even
- "Don't buy another Pentax, they won't be around for much longer"
seems to miss one point:
Why did Pentax re-locate their EU Headquarters to France?
Could it be because the French buy more Pentax cameras than the UK, I wonder?
If that is the case, speculating about the UK economy seems a bit pointless, if it is the French market that they want to protect..

As for the bodies, get the one that will do what you want it to do. Don't buy for a feature that you will never use - that's a bit like buying a new car 'cos it has a built-in Sat-nav, when you never go more that 20 miles from home, and have plenty of maps.
Geoff

These comments have been being made since before I bought my Ist Ds. I was told I was mad to want to by one since Pentax would be gone within months.

Both Pentax USA and Pentax Europe will be at PMA this month - so maybe there is something good coming?
As for Pentax Europe being HQ'd in France there all sorts of reason why a company chooses a particular country for their HQ. Tax reasons are the usual one, government incentives, in or out of the Eurozone etc.

Each to his own, I suppose, but on that site the K-5 images look more detailed, more vibrant and more three dimensional to my eye. In other words better in every respect.

The difference is at its most striking when I look at some of the lettering on the Martini or Baileys bottles, or for three dimensionality, the mickey mouse figure.

K-5?

Go for it.

I did.

It's great!

No more cashback, over £700 in the UK right now, better invest in lenses instead now.