I have been following the evolution of the Pentax line for over 30 years. I almost bit on a used 67 with a bag full of lenses but the store wanted $3,000 which vastly exceeded my budget at the time. So my camera buying proceeded along the lines of Nikon, Sony (first digital) more Nikon, the infamous Kodak slr/n, and a Canon 5D for the last five years. Anyhow I finally succumbed to the K5 with an 18-135 lens. Now somewhere I have read that once you get up in the 16mp plus range shooting technique becomes critical, no room for slop. Wow, is that ever true.
After a few hand held test shots I was starting to wonder about lens, camera, auto focus or whatever the problem might be. There were a few razor sharp images but most were soft. The first thing I figured out was that if the focus indicator doesn't go on it is not going to focus sharply on anything. So I slow down, press shutter release halfway, and make sure it has found something to focus on. The second discovery was that there is zero latitude for camera shake. I proved that by putting the K5 on a tripod and used the 2 sec self timer which locks up the mirror and shuts of the SR. Next hand held experiment might be with SR shut off if in good light (it has been noted by Thom Hogan and others that image stabilization can cause problems off its own). I found out that my 5D and 24-105L produced a sharper shot if the IS was off.
One thing I had noticed on the various reviews of this camera was the inordinate amount of soft images. Looks like some reviewers need to slow down, focus and shoot more carefully!
Bottom line, now that I'm starting to get used to the K5 I like the little bugger. Excellent color, exposure, and white balance. Just need to concentrate more on what is in focus as I'm shooting. Nothing wrong with the new 18-135 either. It can hold its own compared to the Canon L lenses I was shooting with before.
At the moment I'm cranking out some 12x18 prints and they are looking fine!
--
Pete Smith
http://www.pbase.com/petersmith
After a few hand held test shots I was starting to wonder about lens, camera, auto focus or whatever the problem might be. There were a few razor sharp images but most were soft. The first thing I figured out was that if the focus indicator doesn't go on it is not going to focus sharply on anything. So I slow down, press shutter release halfway, and make sure it has found something to focus on. The second discovery was that there is zero latitude for camera shake. I proved that by putting the K5 on a tripod and used the 2 sec self timer which locks up the mirror and shuts of the SR. Next hand held experiment might be with SR shut off if in good light (it has been noted by Thom Hogan and others that image stabilization can cause problems off its own). I found out that my 5D and 24-105L produced a sharper shot if the IS was off.
One thing I had noticed on the various reviews of this camera was the inordinate amount of soft images. Looks like some reviewers need to slow down, focus and shoot more carefully!
Bottom line, now that I'm starting to get used to the K5 I like the little bugger. Excellent color, exposure, and white balance. Just need to concentrate more on what is in focus as I'm shooting. Nothing wrong with the new 18-135 either. It can hold its own compared to the Canon L lenses I was shooting with before.
At the moment I'm cranking out some 12x18 prints and they are looking fine!
--
Pete Smith
http://www.pbase.com/petersmith
