The Pentax K-5 II was announced (along with the K-5 II S) as the replacement for the K-5, but externally you’d be hard-pressed to find much difference between the Pentax K-5 II vs K-5.

On both cameras the design and button layout is identical. In fact, apart from the addition of the ‘II’ in the name, the only other exterior update is the camera’s improved LCD.

But what does the Pentax K-5 II offer under the hood?
 In our Pentax K-5 II review video, Ali Jennings of our testing team takes a look at what this latest release from Pentax has to offer photographers who already have the K-5, or anyone simply looking to upgrade from their current camera.

PAGE 1: Pentax K-5 II Review Video
PAGE 2: Pentax K-5 II Review Video Transcript

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Photography has reinvented itself with the arrival of digital technology. Gone are sky-high film and developing costs; in their place are minimal running costs and fast processing times.

There’s a lot to be said for the pocket-sized convenience of digital compact cameras, but for ultimate image quality, unrivalled versatility and limitless creative options, there’s really no substitute for stepping up to a DSLR.

The boost in popularity and increasing affordability of SLRs fosters fierce competition between the major camera manufacturers like Canon, Nikon, Pentax and Sony.

That’s great news for consumers, because camera makers are constantly seeking to improve their designs, with innovative new features, greater ease of use, and ever-increasing picture quality. But what are the key factors to bear in mind when you’re choosing a new SLR?

DSLR advantages
The advantages of DSLRs over compact cameras are many and varied – starting with the all-important image sensor. Many compact cameras may equal or even exceed some DSLRs in their megapixel count, but outright resolution isn’t the primary concern.

Image sensors in DSLRs are physically larger than those in compact cameras, giving two key bonuses. First, bigger sensors mean bigger pixels that individually capture more light. This has the potential to massively reduce digital image noise, which can give photos a grainy appearance, especially when shooting at higher ISO settings.

Second, larger sensors enable a smaller depth of field (the distance between the nearest and furthest points in a scene that can be kept sharp), enabling you to throw the background out of focus and make the main point of interest really stand out. This is especially useful in portraiture.

Another critical benefit is that an DSLR enables you to actually look through the lens when composing shots. There’s no beating an optical viewfinder that leads
the eye right into the scene with perfect clarity and sharpness.

The perfect camera
Ergonomically, the larger build of a DSLR makes for much more natural and comfortable handling, while manual zoom and focusing rings on the lens enable far greater precision and control when composing and focusing.

Furthermore, 
buy a DSLR or a compact system camera, and you’re literally buying into a whole imaging system, with the possibility of buying additional lenses and accessories that can transform your camera into the perfect tool for any shooting scenario.

Over the next few pages, we’ll take a detailed look at the principal differences between different types of DSLRs and compact system cameras (which feature interchangeable lenses, but have no reflex mirror) so that you can make the best possible choice when picking out your new camera.

PAGE 1: Overview of how to buy a camera
PAGE 2: Body design and new DSLR features
PAGE 3: How many megapixels do you need?
PAGE 4: DSLR video options
PAGE 5: What you want in a viewfinder
PAGE 6: How fast should your new DSLR be?

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Pentax has announced two upgrades to its premium DSLR, the K-5, in the form of the Pentax K-5 II and Pentax K-5 IIs.

On the face of it, the upgrade is fairly minor, with the cameras both featuring an APS-C format CMOS sensor with the same 16.3MP resolution, Prime II processing engine, 7 FPS maximum continuous shooting rate, 77-segment metering, sensor-shifting Shake Reduction system and 100 percent 0.92x magnification viewfinder as the Pentax K-5.

However, the AF system has been updated to a SAFOX X AF module, which has a sensitivity range of -3 EV to +18 EV. Pentax claims that this gives the new cameras better AF performance in low light, and improved subject tracking with moving subjects.

In a similar move to Nikon with the D800 and D800E, the big (only) difference between the Pentax K-5 II and Pentax K-5 IIs is that the K-5 IIs doesn’t have an anti-aliasing filter over the sensor.

This filter reduces moiré patterning, which can be visible when subjects have fine repeating lines. It also softens the images slightly, and photographers who are interested in extracting the maximum amount of detail from an image may prefer to opt for the Pentax K-5II s.

Like the Pentax K-5, the two new cameras enable you to set sensitivity in the native range ISO 100 to ISO 12800, or from ISO 80 to ISO 51200 when expanded via a custom function.

Outdoor credentials
Pentax has been keen to target outdoor-loving photographers, and like the Pentax K-5, the Pentax K-5 II and Pentax K-5 IIs both have a rugged shell with seals to keep out moisture and dust.

This makes them a good choice for enthusiast landscape photographers, many of whom are likely to be attracted by the K-5 IIs’s potential for capturing greater levels of detail, thanks to the ‘missing’ anti-aliasing filter.

The Pentax K-5 IIs and Pentax K-5 II also each have a 3-inch LCD screen with approximately 921,000 dots. A resin layer is sandwiched between the scratch-proof front glass panel (which is coated with an anti-glare film) and the LCD screen to cut down reflection and light dispersion to provide a clear view outside.

Pentax K-5 II, K-5 IIs price and availability
The Pentax K5 II and Pentax K5 IIs will be available from early October, with the Pentax K-5 II set to retail for £799.99 and the Pentax K-5 IIs for £949.99 (body only).

The K5 II is also available in two kits, with the 18-55mm WR lens for £869.99 or the 18-135mm WR lens for £1,119.99.

One of the benefits to photographers of Canon and Nikon being so dominant in the market is that other companies like Pentax have to think a little bit harder to offer prospective buyers something different.

In several cases this has resulted in manufacturers turning to compact system cameras (CSC) and abandoning their SLR line-up.

So after its flurry of activity in the compact system camera (CSC) market, bringing out the teeny-tiny Pentax Q and chunky K-01, it’s great that Pentax is still interested in SLRs and has introduced the K-30. And with a weather-sealed body, high resolution LCD screen and a 100% viewfinder it seems like quite a compelling option sitting below the K-5 in Pentax’s two camera SLR line-up.

Features
At the heart of the Pentax K-30 is an APS-C (23.7×15.7mm) format CMOS sensor with 16.28 million effective pixels.

This sensor is able to shift to correct camera shake. Pentax’s Shake Reduction system functions just about whatever lens is mounted and can be set to the correct focal length if the camera cannot automatically detect the information.

In addition, when the Shake Reduction system is activated the K-30 can rotate the sensor automatically by up to 1 degree to correct the composition and avoid a sloping horizon. There’s also a digital level display option for the viewfinder and LCD screen.

The same system allows image composition to be adjusted up, down or left or right by up to 1mm over 16 steps. It’s hard to imagine this being used very often, but a 1mm movement at sensor level makes a reasonably significant difference, which could prove useful with critical still life or macro set-ups.

NEXT PAGE: The Pentax K-30 Verdict

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Pentax DSLRs receive the highest customer satisfaction ratings, according to a new survey of camera owners.

The survey, conducted by global market research firm JD Power and Associates, collected responses from DSLR owners who used an e-commerce site to make their purchase.

The study found that Pentax ranks highest in online buyer satisfaction with a score of 899 (on a 1,000-point scale), followed closely by Nikon (891) and Canon (888).

The study – conducted from May 2011 to April 2012 – measured customer satisfaction with DSLR cameras across five factors: picture quality (including picture clarity, sharpness and color); durability and reliability (including damage resistance, battery life and sturdiness); variety of features (including zoom, image stabilization and low light settings); ease of operation; and shutter speed/lag time (overall speed of the camera, including shutter lag time).

Pentax performed best in durability and reliability; variety of features; ease of operation; and shutter speed/lag time, according to those who responded to the survey, while Canon performed best in the picture quality factor.

The report also found that online buyers of DSLR cameras pay $1,291, on average, for their camera, up from $937 in 2011.

“Pentax’s customer base has shifted since 2011 from casual photographers to those who consider themselves semiprofessional or professional photographers,” said Sara Wong Hilton, director at J.D. Power and Associates.

“In fact, across the industry, the results indicate a slight increase in self-identified semiprofessional photographers, possibly leading to the purchase of more high-end camera systems.”

Click here to see the report from JD Power and Associates.

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Pentax has announced a new DSLR to sit in its line-up, featuring a weatherproofed body and shake-reduction technology.

The company says that the features found in the K-30 are more commonly found in higher specced cameras, but the body shape and size is more reflective of an entry-level model.

Featuring a 16.2 million pixel CMOS sensor and a PRIME M image processor, which enables the K-30 to shoot full HD video at 30fps. A wide sensitivity range of between ISO 100 and ISO 12,800 (expandable up to ISO 25,600) is also available.

Built to be weather-resistant, dustproof and coldproof, the K-30 is designed to be used outdoors, and also features a large group intended for a secure hold of the camera.

An optical viewfinder is included, which offers a nearly 100% field of view and approximately 0.92x magnification.

The K-30 features a Pentax designed Natural-Bright-Matte III focusing screen to assist with manual focusing. This can be replaced with a standard focusing screen, or a cross-lined and scale type screen, which has been designed to accommodate more specialised photography.

Pentax claims that the K-30′s SAFOX IXi+ autofocusing module is “state-of-the-art” and that it is designed for high-precision autofocusing and responsiveness. Nine of the 11 AF points are cross type sensors, while the AF algorithm has been updated in all areas.

A high speed shooting function allows for shooting at upto 6fps (in JPEG format only). Other features include Live View at 60fps with a focus-assist function to improve precision when manual-focusing, Auto Picture and Scene modes and Pentax’s own Shake Reduction mechanism.

A number of image processing tools, such as Bleach Bypass and Cross Process are also available and can be added after the shot has been taken.

Pentax has also announced a new 50mm f/1.8 K-mount lens. It features the company’s Super Protect coating to fend off dust, water and grease.

The Pentax K-30 price is yet to be confirmed, but it will be available from the end of June.

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Does your lens has more letters after its name than a retired rocket scientist. What do all these lens markings mean?

You can refer to a lens simply by the name of the manufacturer, the focal length, and its maximum aperture – a Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6, say, or Canon 50mm f/1.4. But as lenses have often evolved from decades of development, they usually have a line of additional letters after their names, stamped on the barrel or printed on the boxes.

Some lens markings are about manufacturer branding – defining a more recent range, or a lens that’s built to higher standards than another. Others are to do with the optics themselves, and to highlight specific technologies used in the lens construction.

In the jargon-busting guide below, we’ll translate these lens markings for you.

The ultimate guide to understanding lens markings

AF  Stands for autofocus. Nearly all lenses have this feature, 
but there’s an increasing trend for niche lens manufacturers (such as Samyang and Carl Zeiss) to offer lenses that can only be focused manually.

AF-S  Stands for autofocus-silent. This features on Nikon lenses that use a silent motor to control the autofocus.

AL  Stands for aspherical lens. All camera lenses are made up of a number of individual lenses or elements. Many of these elements are spherical – as if cut from a sphere. Aspherical elements are less rounded – and are used in some types of lenses to help minimise chromatic aberration.

APO  Stands for apochromatic. This features on Sigma lenses that use super-low dispersion (SLD) lens elements to reduce chromatic aberration.

AS  Stands for aspherical  (see AL).

Asp  Stands for aspherical (see AL).

AT-X  Stands for Advance Technology Extra – the branding used on all current Tokina lenses.

D  A type of Tokina lens that’s compatible with full-frame SLRs.

DA  Stands for Digital Auto. This features on a range of Pentax lenses that (unlike some earlier ranges) don’t have a manual aperture ring. They have a ‘Quick Shift’ mechanism that enables you to override focus manually, even when the lens is switched to autofocus.

DA*  Star by name, star by nature. The premium lens range from Pentax, which combines weatherproofing with the advantages of the DA range.

DC  This features on the range of Sigma lenses that are designed specifically for use with crop factor SLRs, and which can’t be used with full-frame models.

DFA  This features on the range of Pentax lenses that will work with full-frame 35mm film cameras, but which are also optimised for use on crop-factor digital SLRs.

DG  This refers to the Sigma lens range that’s suitable for full-frame SLRs (but that can also be used on crop-factor models).

Di  Tamron’s ‘Digitally Integrated’ lenses have a full-size image circle, so they are suitable for full-frame and crop-factor SLRs.

Di II  Tamron’s second-generation Digitally Integrated lenses are designed for use on popular crop-factor SLRs, and are not suitable for full-frame models.

DO  Diffractive Optics is used on a handful of Canon telephoto lenses – the technology allows these long lenses to be made smaller and lighter than equivalents using conventional optical designs.

DT  Sony lens with a smaller image circle, designed for use on crop-sensor cameras.

DX  Tokina’s and Nikon’s way of marking lenses that are only suitable for crop-factor – or APS-C – SLRs.

ED  A lens featuring Extra-low Dispersion glass in one or more of its elements, to help correct chromatic aberration. This abbreviation is used by Nikon, Panasonic, Olympus and others.

EF  Standing for Electro Focus. This is the name of the lens mount that Canon introduced 
on its first autofocus SLRs back in 1987. EF lenses can be used 
on all Canon SLRs.

EF-S  Electro Focus Short back-focus lenses were introduced by Canon in 2003. They have a small image circle so they are only suitable for use on crop-factor SLRs. A modified mount means that they can’t physically be fitted onto incompatible (ie full frame) Canon models.

EX  Sigma’s designation for its premium lens range.

f/X.X  The f-stop number is 
the size of the lens’s maximum aperture, measured as a fraction of the focal length of the lens. On some zoom lenses there may be two apertures quoted – f/4-5.6, for example. This means that the maximum aperture gets smaller as the lens is zoomed in. The maximum aperture on the lens barrel may also be expressed as 
a ratio – so 1:4-5.6.

FA  Pentax lens that’s full-frame compatible, and that features an old-fashioned aperture ring.

FO  Tokina’s Focus-One-touch mechanism allows you to switch quickly from autofocus to manual focus operation, and back again, by snapping the focus ring backwards and forwards.

FX  A Nikon, or Nikkor, lens that’s compatible with its full-frame SLRs, as well as crop-factor ones.

G  Stands for Gold – a designation found on top-class Sony lenses. It’s also used for current Panasonic Lumix compact system cameras and lenses.

HID  Stands for High Index Dispersion, a type of glass used in Tamron lenses that helps to minimise chromatic aberration.

HSM  Sigma’s Hyper Sonic Motor is used in some of its lenses to provide faster and quieter autofocus operation.

IF  Stands for Internal Focusing, and is found on many lenses from many manufacturers. The lens is constructed so that it doesn’t change in length as the lens is focused. It also means that the front element doesn’t rotate – which can help with the use of some lens attachments, such as petal-shaped lens hoods and polarising filters.

iFn  Stands for i-Function, a feature of Samsung NX cameras which allows photographers to access a number of key camera settings via a button and ring around the lens.

II  This stands for second-generation – a classic lens that’s been updated in design by the original manufacturer.

III  Stands for third-generation.

IS  Stands for Image Stabilization – optical camera shake reduction found in a wide number of Canon lenses.

L  Stands for Luxury, and is used to designate Canon’s best pro lenses, which have superior build quality and weatherproofing.

LD  This features on Tamron lenses that use one or more Low Dispersion lens elements to help reduce chromatic aberration.
mm  Stands for millimetres – used to measure the focal length of a lens.

OIS  Optical Image Stabilisation – the system used on Panasonic lenses to reduce camera shake.

OS  Optical Stabilization is 
the system used on some Sigma lenses to reduce camera shake.

PC-E  Stands for Perspective Control-Electronic. Used to designate Nikon’s range of tilt-shift lenses, which enable you to move the front elements on the lens to avoid or exaggerate lens distortion. They are commonly used in architectural photography to ensure vertical lines remain parallel in the picture.

PZ  Stands for Power Zoom, 
a servo-assisted zoom facility found on some Panasonic compact system camera lenses.

PZD  Stands for Piezo Drive, 
a type of ultrasonic motor used in Tamron lenses to provide 
fast, quiet autofocus.

RF  With Rear Focus, the group of elements nearest the camera are used to focus, providing faster autofocus. This feature is found on super telephoto lenses.

SAM  Stands for Smooth Autofocus Motor – used in recent Sony Alpha lenses.

SD  Super-low dispersion – 
the glass used in Tokina lenses 
to reduce chromatic aberration.

SDM  Supersonic Drive Motor, Pentax’s fast, quiet focus motor.

SLD  Super-low dispersion – lens elements in Sigma lenses that reduce chromatic aberration.

smc  Stands for Super Multi Coating, a seven-layer coating used on Pentax lenses to reduce light reflected the lens itself.

SP  Super Performance – a long-standing tag found on top-of-the-range Tamron lenses.

SSM  Supersonic motor – used for high-speed autofocus in top-of-the-range Sony lenses.

SWM  Silent Wave Motor, 
the high-speed quiet AF motor used on Nikon’s AF-S lenses.

TS-E Tilt-shift Electronic – Canon’s range of perspective control lenses (see PC-E).

UD Ultralow dispersion – type of glass used in Canon lenses to reduce chromatic aberration.

USD Ultrasonic Silent Drive, Tamron’s fast, quiet AF motor.

USM Ultrasonic motor – fast, low-noise autofocus motor used by some Canon lenses.

VC Vibration Compensation – optical camera-shake reduction system on some Tamron lenses.

VR Vibration Reduction, Nikon’s image-stabilisation system.

WR Weather Resistant – found on certain Pentax lenses.

XLD Extra Low Dispersion; glass used in some Tamron lenses to reduce chromatic aberration.

XR Extra Refractive – type of glass used in Tamron lenses. It can bend light at bigger angles than normal glass, helping make the overall size of a lens smaller.

ZA Zeiss Alpha – a range of Sony lenses made by Carl Zeiss.

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Pentax has admitted that its first compact system camera, the Pentax Q, is not selling as well as the company had hoped.

Speaking at the launch of the Pentax K-01, the company’s newest compact system camera the General Manager for Pentax UK, Jonathan Martin, told our sister website TechRadar, “Though it [the Q] has been well received, we haven’t seen the numbers that we would have liked to.”

However, Martin added that Pentax is committed to the Q and plans to keep developing accessories for the camera, as well as promote it with key retailers.

The Pentax Q was introduced in September last year and is the world’s smallest interchangeable lens camera, offering a 12-million-pixel, 1/2.3-inch sensor.

This latest addition to the popular Pentax K series features 16.28-megapixel resolution with a newly developed CMOS image sensor measuring 23.7mm by 15.7mm, as well as high-speed burst shooting, an extra-wide sensitivity range with a top sensitivity of ISO 25600 and Full HD video recording.

Personal touches can be added to recorded clips using various Custom Functions. Alternatively, the subject can be recorded in a series of video clips using the interval movie shooting mode.

The Pentax K-01 also comes with an HDMI terminal, which allows the user to simultaneously output both Full HD movie clips and stereo sound. It also has an external microphone input terminal. In addition, the Pentax K-01 features the new “PRIME M” imaging engine to ensure first-rate movie recording performance.

The new Pentax mirrorless camera also features the Pentax K lens mount, so users can make effective use of their entire range of PENTAX lenses, including those produced for film-format SLR cameras.

Also on board is a new HDR mode, which produces one extra-wide-gradation composite photo from three images taken at different exposure levels and can be instantly selected with a turn of the mode dial.

The Pentax K-01 also features 19 digital filters, such as Miniature effect which makes a real life scene appear as an image full of miniature models. Users can apply multiple digital filters to a single image.

Other key specs of the K-01 include an aluminium body designed by Marc Newson, 5 frames per second burst mode, shutter speed range of 1/4000-30 secs, high-res 920k-dot 3 inch LCD and DNG raw file shoooting.

The Pentax K-01 will be available from the end March 2012, priced £629.99 body only, or you can get the Pentax K-01 + 40mm DA XS lens kit for £679.99, the Pentax K-01 + DAL 18-55mm lens kit also for £679.99 or the K-01 + DAL 18-55mm lens + DAL 50-200mm twin lens kit for £799.99.