Pentax Camera Utility 5

I bought a 2nd hand Pentax K10D a few years ago. In the 3 years I've used it, I had to use my Apple Photos software. It would download all my raw photos, but as soon as I transferred them to my external hard drive, they became jpg's because Western Digital don't recognise manufacturer's raw files.

About an hour ago, I discovered a Pentax download updater for the Pentax Camera Utility, but can't use it unless I already have the Utility v5 already in place (which I never had). All I need is a download site where I can download the Version 5 so that I can update it with the version 5.7.1 updater. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

For what it's worth: I do not own or use any Adobe software e.g. Lightroom, so that is out of the question.

I don't understand that, hard drives can store any files, valid or otherwise they're not fussy! How are you transferring them? Surely drag and drop of raw files between a folder on your Apple to a folder on the hard disk doesn't reformat the files? However if you're relying on a third party application to do the transfer I guess you're at the mercy of the program's programmers. So suggestion... do a direct file transfer yourself.

The K10D was supplied with a Photo Laboratory 3 CD which is a Pentax based version of Silkypix, not the current Camera Utility CD. I believe the CD for either program would be required to install any updates. (The programs are different so an update for one wouldn't update the other.) Perhaps someone's got one somewhere they no longer need and can help out.

If money is involved to purchase you may be better spending it on something like Photoshop Elements or even one the the free programs that can develop raw files and provide the means to manipulate them. Occasionally the Pentax programs are handy to have but they operate so very slowly, even on a fast computer.

Yes i second John's advice. I never install pentax software. I use Photoshop Elements and Silkypix DS Pro7 raw converter.

You can start with Just Photoshop Elements. It has a raw converter of its own which will process DNG files. If you have been using PEF raw files, I believe you can find free programs which will batch convert them to DNG.

Somebody hasn't read the last sentence in my query.
It reads: For what it's worth: I do not own or use any Adobe software e.g. Lightroom, so that is out of the question. That is a roundabout way of saying that I won't entertain them.

I have looked at all of WD's software and firmware and nowhere do they make any reference to recognising Nikon's Raw files, usually ending .nef. Come to that, they don't make any references to recognising ANY camera manufacturer's raw files.

To pschlute : There is a facility in the camera's menu that allows me to choose between PEF and DNG recording, Oddly enough, the camera will allow me to shoot PEF/JPG's side by side, not so with Raw and DNG.

To JAK: I have Nikon's own software for downloading my Nikon raw files, but I daren't transfer the folder for fear of them being fouled with. Currently, I have all of my recent raw files loaded onto a special folder on my desktop.
If I can't resolve my Pentax issues, I shall probably sell it and get myself another Nikon. It's just that the K10D is a lot lighter than my full frame Nikon which makes it handy for basic snapping.

Has Apples Photos exported the files as jpegs?

The file format for WD is irrelevant its a hard drive it doesn't care what file type it is it just writes and stores it.

Where are you importing the RAW files from and where is Photos storing those RAW files as these are the files you need to backup to your WD hard drive.

DNG and PEF are both raw formats. You can choose to shoot with JPEG or RAW or RAW+JPEG. The setting of which raw format you use is a seperate one.

OK, you didn't say that! What about Serif's Affinity Photo. There's a free trial I gather and it works similar to Elements, however it isn't Adobe!


The hard disk is purely a storage facility. It doesn't need to recognise anything in particular. You're in charge, save a file to it and retrieve it later. Just copy the files off your camera onto it and retrieve them from the HD when you're ready to process them. The hard disk shouldn't alter them at all, in fact it has no means to.


DNGs are RAW files with DNG being more universally recognised.


As above, backing up a folder of photos using the computer's drag and drop fle system won't alter them whereas a third party photo utility might not recognise the raw files in which case it'll just ignore them and won't back them up. Do it yourself using the computer's file transfer instead, it won't alter the files. Try it with something unimportant first if you're not sure, nothing will come to harm. Try copying your special folder to the hard disk and see what happens.

There's a suggestion as to how to force an install of PCU5 from the downloaded update without the original CD here.
Not needed to do that as I have the disk but it shouldn't do any harm to try.

You can download all versions of Pentax software directly from their website - http://www.ricoh-imaging.co.uk/en/Photo-Downloads.html. Just keep on scrolling down until you see the one you're after (which is anything 5+) The sorting is awkward as it's filtered by camera it shipped with. Unless I did not understand you properly, in which case, I'm sorry

You can indeed, however the original CD supplied with the camera needs to be in the CD drive to install them. That's what the OP is missing! The versions you've linked to are only the updates, there is no ISO available. As hinted at, there are workarounds.

Ah cheers Jak.

Have a look on Ebay. Most of the CDs come up for sale sooner or later.
Have you tried Nikonview? (washes mouth out). I used to use it in preference to the Pentax offering.

Just out of curiosity, tried installing it using one of the suggested method which did not quite work, so asked my other half and he managed to do so:

1. Download, copy to C drive (or anywhere else, doesn't matter, just saves you typing
2. open powershell or command prompt
3. switch to directory (example was C drive) with - "C:"
4. then invoke with

".DCU5updater64_571.exe /S /v/qn"

(dont type the quotes, exmaple for the 64 bit version)

you should now have the app installed in Crogram filesPENTAX

Worked for be on Win7 Ent 64bit. If you have issues, just tell me what error you get.

Well done with that glad to hear it can be done. Something similar may or may not work for the OP as I believe he is using an Apple, be worth a try though or it is a useful starting point for experimentation.

Thank you!!!!! I had to change it a little bit due to a newer version, but worked!
For 64 bit Win7 I used "DCU5Updater64_572/S /v/qn" without the quotation marks of course.
Thank you for your help, it is much appreciated.