Hi, I now have my X-5 now for a couple of weeks.
I am very impressed with it.
Of course, it is no K-5, but it doesn't want to be.
I have used it for very close technical close ups. Great!!
The movable screen makes this very easy.
I have used it in a hall in the evening at my grand daughters concert and during daytime. No problems at all.
The zoom range is superb and the hand held night shots come out real good.
Its easy to carry and very easy to operate, especially since I am not to fussed about all the menu settings.
I disabled a few things, like the face and smile detection.

All in all it's a very nice camera. Considering the relative low purchase price.

The only thing I had to do, is to put some black tape over the red focus assist LED. It lit up half the hall in the dark.

I am glad I bought the X-5

Regards, Horst

I think the tree is great , but could you show the trunk too, this would frame the picture.
Regards, Horst

Well put together.
A very interesting place. Great for camping. Also the campfire couldn't burn the place down.
I am sure you could find some gemstones there.

Regards Horst from Melbourne. (sipping a Single Malt, because its so cold here at the moment)

Well we aren't talking about FF rumours, we are talking about wishfull thinking.
Do we have a category for this?

Or why don't we just have a category for "FF".

Regards, Horst

Why should that be rubbish. On the contrary. My example was to show, that to get the same resolution as the current Pentax APS-C A 37mP are required.

Regards, Horst

The area of the FF size is about 2.34 times larger than the Pentax APS-C sensor.
So if you want to keep the same quality as present you should have about 37mP on a FF sensor.
This way, you don't loose any quality when cropping it (possibly in the camera) back to the APS-C size.
There is no reason, why this should not be possible soon and also it should not be overly expensive. Especially if a greater quantity of FF cameras are sold.
I can not see any disadvantage, (except at the moment for the extra cost of a FF sensor) in using a FF camera.
There is really no reason why it should be somewhat larger, if at all then say the K5 is. All it needs is a larger sensor and a larger mirror.
But this should fit in to the existing body size. The Film cameras had the full 35mm size and a larger mirror and Pentax often had very small bodies.
Except of the cost at the moment I can really not see why a FF sensor should not be better than the APS-c sensor.

Regards, Horst

Ttuesday.
I have a K5, but I like to take the X-5 and leave it in the car to always have a camera with me on the ready. Should it get nicked, then the loss is not as great then it would be with the K5 and a couple of lenses.
The cost in Australia is about $226.- which is approx 145.-GBP.

Regards, Horst

I very much hope, Pentax (Ricoh) will release a FF Body. I would definitely buy one. Besides all the other advantages, it would be nice to be able to use all my lenses with there intended focal length.

However I don't believe Pentax would be able to crack the professional market. Since the Spotmatic, Pentax really never managed it. Even the LX with all the fanfare, when it came on the marked was not a big success.
The majority of Pro's stuck with Nikon.

I believe when,or if, Pentax releases a FF body, It will be a semi professional body followed a year or so later by a simplified camera and then everything will be as always. Pentax for the amateur and enthusiasts. Finally a camera for the family outing with only an auto setting will be released. An upper class instamatic.

Because of the work I am doing, I every now I need to go to the local Newspaper offices. Not one of the journalists and reporters ever mention Pentax.
Pentax lost any hope to stay in this marked already, when they held on for to many years on to the screw mount.
All other worth while manufacturers had the bayonet fittings long before Pentax.
The whys and when’s for the delays is of no interest to the customers.
If Pentax does wait to long, they may as well forget it and stay with the existing sensors and then slowly fade away when all of us faithfuls are extinct.

My opinion, Horst

What would yuou use it for mostly?

Regards, Horst

I am going tomorrow, Saturday to the country and trying out the newly opened pub in Trentham Victoria.

Today I received a Sigma 70-200mm f4-5.6 UC-II lens from Ebay. I will be trying it tomorrow. The weather is supposedly be sunny The Lens looks pretty good sofar. I have done a few test shots during my lunch time at work.
We will see.

Regards, Horst