I think there will always be progressive improvements as far as sensors go with each new model released, although I'm not sure if the K-5 has a newer sensor than even the K-x and almost certainly not newer than the K-r. Electronics and software also improve with time. The K-5 obviously has more pixels and is better engineered so this will also add to the quality. However, I think that if you subjectively compare a range of images taken with the K-x, K-r and K-5 you would struggle to differentiate them unless viewing in their native resolution on a high quality monitor, or in a particularly large image size. Prints will show a clearer difference, the larger the print the greater the difference. I agree that the glass is equally if not more important and some of the sensors / cameras today are probably capable of resolutions that exceed the capabilities of many lenses, K-x and K-r included.

Regards
David

Whoops! Sorry if I got the wrong images Carl, but they are all very good anyway! Credit to you for driving all that way to the coast. I suppose I have too many distractions near home as we have the Peak District and lots of nice countryside nearby as well as some good historical sites. I'll get round to the seaside trips soon I think!!

Regards
David

All very good - I have seen these in the gallery and commented on a fair few! I am envious of you as I live 2 hours from the coast and don't often get the opportunity for a seaside trip.

Regards
David

The kit lens is very, very good for what it is. Please have a look at the pics on my gallery, a high proportion of these are with the kit lens. I've compared landscapes taken with this lens with some I took with a prime Pentax-M 28mm F3.5 which has a reputation for being very sharp and I can honestly say that in most situations, the kit lens is very close to it in terms of sharpness. Add to this its lightness, range, ease of use, filter size and cost and it is a winner! I don't yet feel the need to upgrade it.

Regards
David

Both. There's no reason not have it switched on at start up. How often you need to clean the sensor after this depends on a few factors:

1. How often you change lenses
2. How careful you are when you change them (don't leave the body for long with no lens attached and dont leave it pointing upwards)
3. How dusty / dirty the environment is when you change lenses

There's no doubt you will have to clean it at some point. I would recommend the Giottis Rocket Blower (great product, reasonable cost) and also would say don't be afraid to give it a 'wet clean' with pec pads and some isopropyl alcohol if you ever get any stubborn dirt that won't blow away. Also, make sure your cleaning pads are just slightly damp and not 'wet'. I made some wooden spatulas out of unused chip forks to help with the cleaning - make a 'flat end' and wrap the pec pad carefully around it, spray the alcohol onto a clean surface (not your sensor!) and carefully dampen the pad. Pull the pad across the sensor making sure you wipe all of it. Before you do this make sure you've got rid of any loose dust with the blower to avoid any risk of scratching.

This method should only be required once in a blue moon, but is very effective as long as you are careful.

Hope this is helpful.

Regards
David

Hi again Tony - is it possible there's an issue with Windows 7 (assuming the PC is running this operating system)? I also use only RAW DNG files that are large in size and as mentioned above I don't have any problems with the silkypix software on any PC I've tried it on, even the most lowly of laptops. When you say the PC is 'new' how new do you mean? This still doesn't rule out a registry or installation issue - you may have a corrupted DLL or something else amiss even on a brand new PC. I'm sure others can help and comment here, but I don't think the software is inherently unstable.

Regards
David

Hi Alistair, just had to post a comment on your Flickr bird photos - they are absolutely superb. I'm sure you will get even better quality with the K-5, but the lowly K-x seems to have performed brilliantly for you!

Regards
David

Hi Craig, I'm jealous already - what a camera to start with! You will see plenty of fabulous landscapes on the forum and the gallery taken with the K-5 and others. Don't be nervous of uploading yours as you will always receive friendly and constructive comments.

Best wishes
David

Hi Kieran, welcome to the forum and the PU website. I also have a K-x (and K-m). The K-x in particular is a fabulous camera and capable of seriously impressive results. Please upload some pics soon - you will find that you will get lots of constructive comments that will help you improve your photography.

Regards
David

Hi Fred, it's great to see new members joining all the time - the forum and the website in general are great and there's lots of friendly advice available as well as constructive comments on any photos you upload.

Looking forward to seeing some of your portraits.

Regards
David