Just found this review recently posted on Youtube;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHQYqzzvaJE

Managed to get some test shots today with the new K5IIs and the most definate improvement from my old K7 is the ISO noise control. Also undoubtedly is the clearer image and detail quality with the AA filter taken out. Not noticed any moire yet but as has been pointed out it obviously is there when taken under certain situations and settings. The first photo of the Chaffinch was taken on 1/80 F6.3 at ISO 1600, the second of the two model locos are taken on 1/4 F4.0 at ISO 200 and the third photo of the Jay is taken on 1/80 F11 at ISO 1600.

Thanks, yes I do prints of 7x5 and some A4 sizes so can't wait to see what the K5IIs will be like compared to the K7's image quality.

I took the plunge yesterday and traded my K7 body for the K5IIs body at Buckland Photographic in Seaford, East Sussex. The shop offered me £300 trade for my K7 so ended up paying £569 for the K5IIs body, didn't need the kit lens as I have the 17-70mm lens. As of yet I haven't probably tested it but I can definately say the autofocus is by far and away better than the K7.

Will be interested to see what results I get with this compared to the K7 and what moire effect if there is any due to the AA filter being removed.

http://bucklandphotographic.co.uk/

The price of the K5 body only is $1399, so what does that equate to in the good old British pound currency? I'm tempted to just wait until January to see if the price drops a little then go to my local Pentax deal shop in Seaford and trade my K7 body for the K5 as I did back this January with the K10.

I just really hope Pentax actually start to properly market the K5. All this Summer during the football world cup I've seen adverts for the Canon EOS 7D and numerous Nikon & Sony products so let's just for once hope the Pentax marketing/commercial dept. pull their fingers out their backsides and start properly advertising this product. Afterall how can they expect to compete with the canikons if they don't openly advertise their products on the tv and in magazines etc. I won't hold my breath though.

I do agree with the comment that it's the image that's most important rather than the make of camera. However I do think that when it comes to marketing and sponsorship Pentax does seriously lack behind Canon and Nikon. Ever since I bought my first dslr - the K10 back in August 2007 and subsequently upgraded to the K7 this January, I don't think I have ever seen a Pentax brand camera advertised on the tv. Most recently I've seen the Canon EOS 7D and a number of Nikon brands advertised on tv breaks during the world cup. Also both Canon and Nikon have in the past been sponsors of major sporting events like the football and cricket tournaments, so where is Pentax and it's marketing nous?

My Dad and I attend photographic charters on preserved steam railways, generally there's about 40 or so photographers due to lineside Health & Safety rules, there's us two with the K7, another guy with a K20 then the rest is a sea of Canon/Nikon dslrs. Yet when we compare our Pentax shots with the guys Canon/Nikon shots on railway forums the quality of the photos are basically exactly the same. I've mentioned Pentax dslr's to the other guys but have always had the reply that they go for Canon or Nikon due to the well established reputation of the quality of the product along with the marketing.

This is where Pentax could do it's self some serious favours by better marketing their products, sponsoring major sporting events and maybe even get a well known celebrity or two to market a dslr. Pentax produce some superb dslr's but will always lag behind the two leaders because they don't sell themselves well enough to either the general public or photography enthusiasts and thus the word does not get across that the automatic choice does not have to be Canon/Nikon all the time.

Cheers

I upgraded my K10 to the K7 back in January and really happy I did. The extra features on the K7 is great and the video mode is very good. But I would recommend to buy an external mic. as it makes such an improvement to sound quality.

Yep I'd agree with those above comments, if you want high quality footage, focusing and zoom controls then go for a dedicated hd camcorder. If ur after a DSLR that can offer reasonably good image quality with good sound, must get an external mic. though, but has limited zoom and focusing controls then go for the K7. For 90% of the time I'll be taking still photos with my K7 but the video option gives me something extra to play with on these railway photo shoots.

There's a further video clip I've added on youtube that I took today. Just to say there's no sound until about 30 seconds in because I forgot to switch on the external mic. Doh! lol

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdkk4_UPxCo

Here's a small clip I took today on the K7's video mode at the Bluebell Railway. Whilst I'm sure a dedicated HD camcorder would probably provide better image quality it does show the K7's video mode does provide good picture and sound quality.

Cheers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYCWfQWC2Dk