K5 or Kr

I'm looking at getting another camera to use alongside my K200D and a bit of advice wouldn't go amiss.

I love the idea of a K5 but I wonder if I'd be better off with the Kr and this is where I'm stuck.

Is the K5 so far ahead of the Kr to make it the better choice or will the Kr be enough for me at the moment.

I print up to A3 and my picture taking includes weddings, landsacpes and general photography.

The reason I want the extra camera is I'm fed up having to keep changing the lenses....I'm lazy that way.

The new camera will be paired with a Sigma 70-200 f2.8 lens.

Please, any advice would be great. Thanks all

Lee, I've been thinking on those lines myself.

I could get 2 Kr bodies or one body and the Sigma 70-200 f2.8 for the price of a K5.

I would be interested in a comparison of speed and accuracy of AF

Hi

I am sure there will be may different opinions on this one - for what ot is worth - here is mine.

I used to be the proud owner of a K200D which I upgraded to a K20D. No regrets and love the K20D. However, in some respects - there were aspects of the K200D that I prefered to the K20D

I then decided - like you - that I wanted a second body - for similar reasons.

I decided on a K-5 but for various reasons - including financial ones - ended up buying a K-r which I intended to upgrade later this year to a K5.

I have now changed my mind and you would need a crowbar to get the K-r off me. I still intend getting a K-5 but now as a replacement for the K20D.

The K-r is a fantastic little camera and a joy to use. IMHO If you are happy with the K200D - you will be over the moon with the K-r. It is like getting back all of the things I liked about the K200D that I missed with the K20D - but much much better

To me - the K-r is the evolution of the K200D - a couple of generations on. Whereas the K-5 is the evoloution of the K20D and K7 - in many ways a completely different animal.

I loved my K200D and K20D for different reasons - and suspect when I get the 5 - history will repeat itself - but for now - I can only say how impressed i have been with the K-r

Carl

There are different evolution lines of Pentax DSLRs and the K-r more naturally fits the same profile as your K200D.

What the K-5 has is sturdier construction, weatherproofing, faster shooting, more pixels and the lowest noise levels.

I thought the kr was a match if not better at noise control than the k5?

The K-r isn't quite up with the K-5 for noise control. Only 135 frame cameras match or beat the K-5. It really is something else.

Thank you, all, very much for your input.

I see that John says the K5 has better noise control, but how much better? Is it so much better at, for arguments sake, 1600 iso than the Kr or just a bit better?

Questions....so many questions!

From playing with RAW samples from DPReview and DXOMark I'd say 1/2 to one stop better noise control on the K-5. Which is quite touch to achieve. So ISO1600 shots on the K-5 should look like ISO800 on the K-r.

Where the K-5 really shines though is with the dynamic range on top of the low noise and ability to bring back shadow detail with minimal noise.

Thanks Dan. This is a tough one. When I first posted the question I was leaning way over to the Kr as I thought the main difference would be the build quality; and seeing I'm not going to Afghanistan on assignment (only 'cos The Wife won't let me!) I couldn't see a probelm.
Also, seeing the two cameras are pretty new I'd have thought they would have given roughly the same final image; now I'm really not sure.

I'm being made redundant and I have about £2,000 to spend on new gear.
This will be the camera body, larger bag (for 2 bodies, 5 lenses & a flashgun). Obviously, the K5 would restrict what else I buy whilst the Kr would allow me to get a wee bit more for my money.

Lee

Why not go for the K-r and if you are not bowled over by it - trade up at a later date when money may be less of an issue and they have probably come down in price a bit as well? After all £500 difference is a big difference

Just to throw a cat amongst the pogeons - there is of course a 3rd option - K7s are now available at a very good price and a huge leap forward from the K200D!!

Or you could buy 2 x Kr bodies and sell the K200D and have 2 bodies that are bang up to date!

Sorry that probably did not help

Carl

I had to make the same choice a while back. Do not for a minute regret buying the kr.... if money permits later, may very well sell off two k10's and buy 2 k5's, but for the time being, that kr is getting a lot of use.

Same with me Don - K20 hardly gets used now

Another satisfied K-r owner here. With your f2.8 lens it will be very nice! Also, in my mind when someone says the image quality on the K-5 is better (as it should be), it's no indictment on the K-r.

No Carl, that did not help!

I've noticed that the K5 has dropped to £878 at Warehouse Express, so it is looking better! But the Kr does sound pretty good.

Also I've been looking at the Pentax 50-135mm f2.8 DA* ED SDM Lens as an alternative to the Sigma 70-200mm f2.8; any thoughts on that idea?

Oh Heck! Why not throw in the a flashgun as well? I've not really used flash a lot and the cheap Jessop one I had a while back died a death, probably due to boredom and lack of use! I'm now in the market to add a flashgun to the body and lens....so any thoughts on that?

I'm really grateful for all the help (even Carls 'helpful' addition of the K7 to the mix!!) and I hope I'm not stretching your patience too much with my questions....my many questions!

A fantastic lens, one of the forum favourites.
I owned one for 3 months, used it twice, then sold it. Build quality A++, IQ A++, internal zoom and focussing A++, but SDM ? B-, slow and there will always be a doubt about it sticking.
Go for the Sigma 70-200, I think there is a good one on the classified atm.

Davex.