New DSLR - Pentax K5

[HinFrance]

Just had an email from Pentax UK saying send the camera to Pentax France and they will 'deal with it'. I'll see what that means.

The response from Pentax France, was take it back to your dealer - like very helpful NOT.

[Mr Bump]

Do you have any expat pals returning to Blighty for Christmas? It should cost a lot less than 60 Euros to mail/insure from this side of the pond. A possible option if Pentax France blanks you?

Bumpy

[HinFrance]

It's already packed up and ready to go to Paris tomorrow morning, marked for the attention of the Service Manager.

So we shall see . .

I won't have it to photograph the present giving on Christmas Day, but never mind.

[Mr Bump]

What with all the commitments of Christmas, and Mrs Bump's determination that I attend to things around the house that have been put off all year, there has not been much chance to play with the K5 in the past couple of weeks. However, on the rare occasions that I managed to slip past the guard I grew to like this camera more and more. It really is brilliant and there are so many well-conceived useful features. I at last found a comfortable left hand position which, the K5 being a fairly narrow camera, demands a very different grip to that used with the previous D200.

Having now got the menu options and e-dial/button customisations set up to suit my preferences it is a real shame that the K5 has to go back next week for replacement. I must remember to make a note of all those adjustments before it goes - and I must also remember to remove the Sandisk card and lens filter! I just hope the replacement will be problem-free so that K5 ownership then becomes all it should be.

The new Metz 50AF-1 flash is still in its box. I have been more intent on becoming totally familiar with the K5, - and the camera's superb high ISO performance has meant that flash, apart from a little fill-flash from the integral unit, has not really been missed. I can read the comprehensive Metz manual while the K5 is away.

[HinFrance]

Glad you're liking it. I must admit that in the few days I had mine I was seriously missing some of the ease of use that the extra buttons on the K20D allowed, and having to go into the menu system to 'delete all' rather than simply press the delete button twice was really annoying me.

Good news, my 35 f2.4 is in the post to me today. With New Year coming up should get it Monday instead of Friday.

Bad news, still no sign of a replacement K5. Will give them until Friday and then chase it up. This is make or break for Pentax and me. I have used the brand for decades and all my DSLRs have been Pentax. This is, however, the most expensive consumer item I have ever bought and I am not seeing a level of commitment to the product that expect for such an outlay. So there might be a whole shed load of Pentax stuff on eBay in a few week's time.

[Mr Bump]

As you sent your K5 off to Pentax France a couple of days before the Christmas break it wouldn't surprise me if it's not still sitting in their goods-in dept. There's a good chance they are all off until 4th Jan if French Christmas is anything like the UK break. Frustrating.

Having not moved from a K20 I'm not going to miss features as you do. Anyway, it seems that any camera upgrade always results in gains in one area and losses in another. Usually the gains outweigh the losses.

I suppose if you have been used to deleting all images with two button clicks it must be painful dipping into menus. On the occasions when I have wanted to clear a card I have usually reformatted for a cleaner job so the point of 'delete all' was rather lost on me.

Your frustration with Pentax is no doubt shared by many other disappointed K5 owners at present. If Pentax handles this well and provides trouble-free replacement K5s I believe the camera is good enough for all to be forgiven. If, however, the replacements prove to be troublesome I think loyal long-term Pentax users like yourself may defect in droves and ebay will be awash.

[HinFrance]

Indeed, they are all, except for a bewildered, possibly temp, receptionist, on their hols - just 'phoned them.

They'll be back on 3rd January apparently. It's starting to look like it'll be close to 2 months after paying for a camera that I actually get to use it.

I need a stiff drink

[Mr Bump]

Originally Posted by HinFrance

Indeed, they are all, except for a bewildered, possibly temp, receptionist, on their hols - just 'phoned them.

They'll be back on 3rd January apparently. It's starting to look like it'll be close to 2 months after paying for a camera that I actually get to use it.

I need a stiff drink

Make that a double!

[Sue Allen]

On a brighter note - Pentax added £120 to my bank account on 31st Dec. so the cashback is quite speedy

[Mr Bump]

My £120 cashback also arrived on 31st December, only about 3 weeks after posting off the claim. Nothing to complain about there.

My K5 is to be collected tomorrow morning so there will be about a week's wait for a replacement. The retailer is confident that all K5s now reaching the stores are problem-free so hopefully we can all look forward to enjoying the camera for its many talents.

How are you getting on with your 70-200 Sue? Do you find its size comfortably manageable for everyday use?

Bumpy