Am I mad? I am thinking of selling my K5 and buying a KS2

tombell1 · Feb 3, 2016

Spotmatic ... ME Super ... LX 1st DS ... K200D .... K5

Love my Pentax ... but as I have gotten older I bend less well ... in my 60s I carry Light gear walking all day on WET Dartmoor ...

I cant bend down so easily

I get lazy

So on a less high tripod a flippy screen is REALLY useful

Towards the end of a long walk lovely flower / insect etc shots get missed as my body wont bend down

So my ideal camera has

weathersealing

flippy screen

ideally Li Ion + AA

small and compact

fast fram rate less important

focusing is

On balance I am wondering weather the smaller compact KS2 with flippy screen and improved sensor might be as good or better for me than the K5 ..

BUT

Does it feel too plastic

is the screen reliable

is it too small

HELP .. opinions welcome

PS use mainly small primes 21/35Macro/50FA/77/100 macro + Tamron 17-50 2.8

Twong · Feb 3, 2016

If you are interested in the IQ, it is not crazy at all. If your K5 is the original and not II, then it makes even more sense. I had K5, then I picked up K5IIs. IIs is a much better camera especially in terms of AF. Then I bought a KS2. I have not used the K5IIs for almost 6 months. I use the articulating screen very often. AF is on par with the K5IIs. It is lighter especially since I have battery grip on my K5IIs. Hope this helps.

xmeda · Feb 3, 2016

Buy used KS-2 and keep both.. the price of K5 is so low now, that it is better to keep it as 2nd body. AF on KS-2 is slightly more reliable. It is wery good camera for the price and for being "low end". Plastic used on body is pretty tough.

tombell1 · Feb 3, 2016

Twong and Xmedia .. thanks

Twong reassuring

Xmedia ... that is also a good idea ... BUT

1/ Also use OMDEM5

and X100 for town work ... in danger of too many cameras ....if I can sell one and buy the other that may be enough.. however it is a thought as a back up I have a;ll those lenses and if anything happened to KS2 ......

awaldram · Feb 3, 2016

Seems you have thought this through and your reasoning seems solid to me

For your purposes the ks-2 would not only be an upgrade but a better fit, Even though your dropping from a previous flags-ship to a midsumer current body.

Petroglyph · Feb 3, 2016

tombell1 said:
Spotmatic ... ME Super ... LX 1st DS ... K200D .... K5

Love my Pentax ...

So on a less high tripod a flippy screen is REALLY useful

I've found use for the tilt screens for holding overhead in crowds, for instance.

tombell1 said:
Towards the end of a long walk lovely flower / insect etc shots get missed as my body wont bend down

Makes sense to me.

tombell1 said:
So my ideal camera has

weathersealing

yes

tombell1 said:
flippy screen

yes. It can be turned inward to protect the screen when it's in the bag.

tombell1 said:
ideally Li Ion + AA

Li Ion at least.

tombell1 said:
small and compact

yes

tombell1 said:
fast fram rate less important

not bad anyway.

tombell1 said:
focusing is

Everybody says it's like the K5II = better than K5.

tombell1 said:
On balance I am wondering weather the smaller compact KS2 with flippy screen and improved sensor might be as good or better for me than the K5 ..

BUT

Does it feel too plastic

Not likely with Pentax.

tombell1 said:
is the screen reliable

They usually are.

tombell1 said:
is it too small

The new FF is shown with an articulated screen & will be larger.

tombell1 said:
HELP .. opinions welcome

PS use mainly small primes 21/35Macro/50FA/77/100 macro + Tamron 17-50 2.8

Nice set of lenses you have there.

tombell1 said:
--
Tom Bell
Dartmoor
Devon
http://flickr.com/photos/tombell1

CarlosRG · Feb 3, 2016

Twong said:
If you are interested in the IQ, it is not crazy at all. If your K5 is the original and not II, then it makes even more sense. I had K5, then I picked up K5IIs. IIs is a much better camera especially in terms of AF. Then I bought a KS2. I have not used the K5IIs for almost 6 months. I use the articulating screen very often. AF is on par with the K5IIs. It is lighter especially since I have battery grip on my K5IIs. Hope this helps.

I agree to what Twong says abd I am very satisified with my K-S2 (I also have a K-7, not a K-5 like you), but you stated Li/AA capability and the K-S2 is not AA battery compatible.

Carlos

flektogon · Feb 3, 2016

tombell1 said:
Spotmatic ... ME Super ... LX 1st DS ... K200D .... K5

Love my Pentax ... but as I have gotten older I bend less well ... in my 60s I carry Light gear walking all day on WET Dartmoor ...

I cant bend down so easily

I get lazy

So on a less high tripod a flippy screen is REALLY useful

Towards the end of a long walk lovely flower / insect etc shots get missed as my body wont bend down

So my ideal camera has

weathersealing

flippy screen

ideally Li Ion + AA

small and compact

fast fram rate less important

focusing is

On balance I am wondering weather the smaller compact KS2 with flippy screen and improved sensor might be as good or better for me than the K5 ..

BUT

Does it feel too plastic

is the screen reliable

is it too small

HELP .. opinions welcome

PS use mainly small primes 21/35Macro/50FA/77/100 macro + Tamron 17-50 2.8

--
Tom Bell
Dartmoor
Devon
http://flickr.com/photos/tombell1

But do you realize that the KS-2 has the mirror and the shutter assembly mechanically bound together? It's not like the K5. The LV is a pain to use, doesn't matter how they improved the AF speed. So having the flippy screen would be irrelevant for me.

AviPro · Feb 3, 2016

tombell1 said:
On balance I am wondering weather the smaller compact KS2 with flippy screen and improved sensor might be as good or better for me than the K5 ..

I have a K5II and am feeling the same when I saw the LCS screen on KS2. That along with wifi, 10 Mpix new sensor is all in favor.

To use AA batteries, a grip is needed and that negates what you gain in size of KS2 - it makes cameras bulky, heavy and they don't fit in a bag.

Autofocus part - I only use single point and back focus so not any concern.

However since K5II is only 2 yrs old, I will be waiting for another 2 years before I change.

mxx · Feb 3, 2016

Like someone suggested earlier on, keep the K5 and get the KS2. A flippy screen is really very useful on many occasions. Regarding the battery, I think the single battery will have less hassles than using AA's (although I also love AA's), and if it is anything like the battery in my K5, it seems last forever before having to be recharged.

timo · Feb 6, 2016

flektogon said:
flektogon said:

But do you realize that the KS-2 has the mirror and the shutter assembly mechanically bound together?

Click to expand...

Could you explain this, and its implications? Is it related to the painfulness of LV (see below), and if so why? Sorry if i am displaying my ignorance.

flektogon said:
flektogon said:

It's not like the K5. The LV is a pain to use, doesn't matter how they improved the AF speed. So having the flippy screen would be irrelevant for me.

Click to expand...

flektogon · Feb 6, 2016

timo said:
flektogon said:

timo said:

But do you realize that the KS-2 has the mirror and the shutter assembly mechanically bound together?

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Could you explain this, and its implications? Is it related to the painfulness of LV (see below), and if so why? Sorry if i am displaying my ignorance.

timo said:

timo said:

It's not like the K5. The LV is a pain to use, doesn't matter how they improved the AF speed. So having the flippy screen would be irrelevant for me.

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

timo · Feb 6, 2016

flektogon said:
timo said:

flektogon said:

flektogon said:

But do you realize that the KS-2 has the mirror and the shutter assembly mechanically bound together?

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Could you explain this, and its implications? Is it related to the painfulness of LV (see below), and if so why? Sorry if i am displaying my ignorance.

flektogon said:

flektogon said:

It's not like the K5. The LV is a pain to use, doesn't matter how they improved the AF speed. So having the flippy screen would be irrelevant for me.

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

dennis tennis · Feb 6, 2016

I have the K5II, K30, K3 and K2S. I got the K2S for the flippy screen. As another poster has already explained, the liveview shooting is more mirror flipping than necessary and the black out is long. However, it is suitable for tripod work or just very deliberate shooting. I believe this is the cost cutting needed to provide all the other advanced features at such a low price.

Ergonomically it is very good but not as good as the other Pentax bodies I own. The one disappointment I have are the rear buttons. They are difficult to press because they are so flushed and recessed. You will not be able to use gloves, no matter how thing. That is the price you have to pay.

Like you, my interest in the K2s lies in the flippy LCD. I would recommend it.

tombell1 · Feb 10, 2016

That is very odd and very off putting!!

thanks for the information

Leo · Feb 10, 2016

tombell1 said:
Spotmatic ... ME Super ... LX 1st DS ... K200D .... K5

Love my Pentax ... but as I have gotten older I bend less well ... in my 60s I carry Light gear walking all day on WET Dartmoor ...

I cant bend down so easily

I get lazy

So on a less high tripod a flippy screen is REALLY useful

Towards the end of a long walk lovely flower / insect etc shots get missed as my body wont bend down

So my ideal camera has

weathersealing

flippy screen

ideally Li Ion + AA

small and compact

fast fram rate less important

focusing is

On balance I am wondering weather the smaller compact KS2 with flippy screen and improved sensor might be as good or better for me than the K5 ..

BUT

Does it feel too plastic

is the screen reliable

is it too small

HELP .. opinions welcome

PS use mainly small primes 21/35Macro/50FA/77/100 macro + Tamron 17-50 2.8

--
Tom Bell
Dartmoor
Devon
http://flickr.com/photos/tombell1

The two things are very annoying for me (it may be not for you).

The First>>>: Pentax deliberately disable the built-in flash Commander option. To use my Pentax external flash in Remote wireless with the latest and greatest K-S2 I have to purchase the second latest and greatest Pentax Flash as a Commander or purchase RF wireless gizmos and loose P-TTL including HS functionality. Now instead of just to pop up the camera built-in flash I have to help Pentax to sell flashes and have extra weight and extra equipment to carry paying for these.

The Second>>>: The new K-S2 Power Switch has three positions: ON, OFF and MOVIE. How many times I have turned K-S2 ON to photograph but instead was in a movie mode!

I prefer articulated screen similar to Sony, Olympus: simple and faster to pot in use.

I prefer more direct controls.

I prefer to have and eye sensor to switch between the LV and OVF.

I prefer few other things, but those are not annoying they are just missed. I more and more often have a strong desire to put my new K-S2 on eBay even for low.

I was debating between K-3 and K-S2, unfortunately K-S2 has won.

Leo

KentG · Feb 10, 2016

If I remember correctly the Acon R930 flash trigger allows P-TTL and HSS wirelessly on most Pentax bodies (not sure about the cheap bodies).

Kent Gittings

Leo · Feb 10, 2016

KentG said:
If I remember correctly the Acon R930 flash trigger allows P-TTL and HSS wirelessly on most Pentax bodies (not sure about the cheap bodies).

Kent Gittings

Hi Kent,

Thank you for your reply.

The R930 with shipping would add $130 plus S/H ($150).

A set AK-TTL (transmitter + recover) by Aokatec priced for $120 +S/H - or about the same.

After your postI have ordered a flash cable (by Velo from B&H $14 + S/H). In the future, I may sell AF360 II and purchase a Yongnuo flash with a controller.

I think Pentax should fix K-S2 with a firmware update. It is the second time I have been annoyed by Pentax. The first time when my K-30 Aperture control Motor unit failed (black frames - f22) after about 35K shutter clicks. There would not be the third time.

Leo

anu l · Feb 11, 2016

flektogon said:
timo said:

flektogon said:

flektogon said:

But do you realize that the KS-2 has the mirror and the shutter assembly mechanically bound together?

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Could you explain this, and its implications? Is it related to the painfulness of LV (see below), and if so why? Sorry if i am displaying my ignorance.

flektogon said:

flektogon said:

It's not like the K5. The LV is a pain to use, doesn't matter how they improved the AF speed. So having the flippy screen would be irrelevant for me.

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Leo · Feb 11, 2016

tombell1 said:
Spotmatic ... ME Super ... LX 1st DS ... K200D .... K5

Love my Pentax ... but as I have gotten older I bend less well ... in my 60s I carry Light gear walking all day on WET Dartmoor ...

I cant bend down so easily

I get lazy

So on a less high tripod a flippy screen is REALLY useful

Towards the end of a long walk lovely flower / insect etc shots get missed as my body wont bend down

So my ideal camera has

weathersealing

flippy screen

ideally Li Ion + AA

small and compact

fast fram rate less important

focusing is

On balance I am wondering weather the smaller compact KS2 with flippy screen and improved sensor might be as good or better for me than the K5 ..

BUT

Does it feel too plastic

is the screen reliable

is it too small

HELP .. opinions welcome

PS use mainly small primes 21/35Macro/50FA/77/100 macro + Tamron 17-50 2.8

Am I mad? I am thinking of selling my K5 and buying a KS2

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