Value & Verdict

Pentax K-5 review – Value

For £1180 the K-5 offers a whole lot for the money. Weather-sealing and super-fast continuous burst options aren’t going to be easily found elsewhere at this price point. However, both the Canon 60D (£920 with 18-55mm kit lens) and Nikon D7000 (£1160 with 18-105mm) are, at the time of writing, more affordable purchase options, and both options have either faster or more complex focusing systems, so it’s still a bit of a shame that Pentax hasn’t broken considerable new ground in this area.

Weighing up everything that’s featured for the cash and this camera is still a very attractive purchase option with a variety of unique features that will certainly appeal. Whether K-7 users will see an immediate need to upgrade is questionable however, given that the bulk of underlying construction and features is relatively similar.

Pentax K-5 review – Verdict

At first glance the K-5 may seem a lot like the K-7. While, in some respects, this is true, it’s actually a camera that delivers quite a lot more. Image quality is stunning through a large portion of the ISO range and some of the unique features such as Auto Level Compensation really do add extra value. The fully weather sealed body and WR lenses make for robust use and the 7fps bust mode is great to have. The K-5’s autofocus is the best yet, though we’re still waiting for that truly next generation system to grace a Pentax camera. And while the K-5 may offer 1080p HD video, it’s still some distance behind the competition – something that stills traditionalists are unlikely to be too fussed about. Apart from this and the limitations of an 18-55mm kit lens (we suggest you pick the more expensive 18-135mm kit), the K-5 has bags to offer, is generally good value and arguably the very best digital Pentax camera we’ve ever seen.