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K5 questions

CPM1
Posted 25/03/2012 - 14:24 Link
Hi everyone, I bought a K5 yesterday and have a couple of questions that I could not find an answer to in the forum -the answers are probably on the forum but I cant find them.

1. How do I confirm what firmware my K5 has?
2. Having had a K10(10MP) for a long time I was used to getting approx 1500 JPEGS on a 8GB card. Obviously the number is greatly reduduced on the K5(16MP) due to file sizes. Most of the photos I have previously printed out have been A3 and the IQ has been great.

Considering I only print A3 is there any real benefit to setting the K5 to 16mp, ****JPEG or should I set it to 10mp ****JPEG. (General photography)

What would be best for photos you know in advance that you are going to have to heavily crop even when using a 300* or 100-300 with a matching 1.4 TC (Sports photography)

Finally if you are wondering why I am posting on a sunny afternoon instead of being outdoors using my new K5 - I had a freak accident last night and broke my right foot and toes. I'm now confined to the house!!!
Frogfish
Posted 25/03/2012 - 14:32 Link
Congrats again on your K5 !

1. Hold down the MENU button whilst you switch on your camera.
2. Shoot in RAW for better IQ and you can crop more than you can with jpgs. If you don't want RAW then shoot 16mp jpgs !

Sorry to hear about your foot - at least it gives you plenty of time to read the K5 manual from front to back and back to front at least twice (I'm not joking) ! If you download the pdf you can also mark those areas of most interest / importance.
http://frogfish.smugmug.com/ Pentax. Pentax DA*300/4, Cosina 55/1.2, Lens Baby Composer Pro & Edge 80, AFA x1.7, Metz 50 af1.
Nikon. D800. D600. Sigma 500/4.5, Nikon 300/2.8 VRII, Sigma 120-300/2.8, Zeiss Distagon ZF2 21/2.8, Zeiss Distagon ZF2 35/2.0, Sigma 50/1.4, Nikkor 85/1.8, Nikon TC20EIII, Nikon TC14EII, Kenko x1.4, Sigma 2.0
Edited by Frogfish: 25/03/2012 - 14:34
vic cross
Posted 25/03/2012 - 14:37 Link
Hi CPM1. Sorry to hear about the foot.
No. 1. Press and keep pressed the menu button whilst switching the camera on. Best done without a card in the camera. The latest is VER 1.13
CHEERS Vic.
Born again biker with lots of Pentax bits. Every day I wake up is a good day. I'm so old I don't even buy green bananas.
CPM1
Posted 25/03/2012 - 15:24 Link
Thank you both. I have version 1.01. I'll now upload the latest version.

Ta.
Transit
Posted 25/03/2012 - 21:26 Link
Make sure the battery is fully charged for firmware update
Hope the foot heals fast !
Pete
K-1 K-01 Q-7
some len

Close to the Edge
Down by the River
JAK
Posted 26/03/2012 - 01:16 Link
Regarding your query no. 2, take a few shots at both sizes and compare your A3 prints. I'd expect the larger file size to be better. While taking raw images will eat up your memory cards even faster, from them you can create a jpeg at any size with the best possible picture fidelity - or even 16 bit images (eg TIFFS) which would print even better than 16megapixel jpegs.

At the end of the day, it really depends on what is best for what you want to achieve. Sometimes just a 2MP pixel images is sufficient (a screenshot for ebay for instance.)

John
John K
johnha
Posted 26/03/2012 - 02:08 Link
JAK wrote:
At the end of the day, it really depends on what is best for what you want to achieve. Sometimes just a 2MP pixel images is sufficient (a screenshot for ebay for instance.)

I shoot in RAW+ 16MP DNG and a 2MP ** JPEG and the camera suggests about 500 shots on a 16Gb card. The 2MP JPEGs are handy as quick 'web friendly' files without having to spend time cutting them down later.
CPM1
Posted 27/03/2012 - 01:38 Link
Thank you all for your advice. I've downloaded the firmware update and I'll try the other suggestions in the near future,

Ta.
dfryman
Posted 27/03/2012 - 05:22 Link
Regarding your query no. 2, take a few shots at both sizes and compare your A3 prints. I'd expect the larger file size to be better.Comment Image
Posted 28/03/2012 - 16:32 Link
Another K5 question, I have had my K5 for a few days now, does anybody else get annoyed with the locking button on the mode dial.

Dave.
Auto110,MZ-30, K5, loads of Black Tubes with Glass in.
Frogherder
Posted 28/03/2012 - 16:47 Link
Quote:
does anybody else get annoyed with the locking button on the mode dial.

Yes, and with the SD card door that I can't get my fingers into properly to get the card out without using tweezers.


Bernard
Gwyn
Posted 28/03/2012 - 17:36 Link
HappySnapper65 wrote:
Another K5 question, I have had my K5 for a few days now, does anybody else get annoyed with the locking button on the mode dial.

Dave.

No! So much better than finding the mode has changed and you haven't noticed it.
sterretje
Posted 28/03/2012 - 18:21 Link
HappySnapper65 wrote:
... does anybody else get annoyed with the locking button on the mode dial.

Yes; and coming from a K10D, it took me a long time to get used to the position of the green button; and every time I want to use bracketing, I'm still looking for the dedicated bracketing button.
Pentax K10D + Vivitar 55/2.8 macro + Super Takumar 55/1.8 + SuperMultiCoated Takumar 85/1.8 + SuperMultiCoated Takumar 135/3.5 + SuperMultiCoated Takumar 200/4 + Super Takumar 300/4
Pentax K100D + DA18-55ALII + DA55-300
Pentax K5 + FA31Ltd + M50/1.7 + DFA100WR + M120/2.8 (+ DA18-55WR at occasion)
JAK
Posted 28/03/2012 - 18:54 Link
HappySnapper65 wrote:
Another K5 question, I have had my K5 for a few days now, does anybody else get annoyed with the locking button on the mode dial.

Dave.

Well the day I got the camera I thought it was jammed! Realised eventually and now think it is a good feature. I have had cameras change mode in the gadget bag and not realise.

John
John K
GDN
Posted 28/03/2012 - 19:26 Link
Gwyn wrote:
No! So much better than finding the mode has changed and you haven't noticed it.

I agree totally. Many times in the past I had a camera change mode without noticing, never again.
Gary

Pentax K3

My Flickr

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