Product ReviewsPENTAX Pentax K K-5 IIs 16.3MP Digital SLR Camera - Black (Body Only)

Great DSLR

Pentax is highly underrated maybe because they don't spend gigantiic sums in marketing. Their cameras are easily on par with C or N in terms of IQ and build quality. For the price they really deliver.
I love the K-5 IIs because it has buttons for everything I need - no need to go menu diving to change a major setting. The camera has great ergonomics, it's a modest size and weight and it's quiet.
It will also accept any Pentax K-mount lens ever made. Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: cohocarl

Great to have one

I am very satisfied with this DSLR.
It gives you all you need.
Pro quality pictures.
It is small sized, easy to carry around.
Noise reduction system is fro JPEGs. If you shoot JPEG, then this body gives you good photos at higher ISOs.
Very sharp with the sharp lenses. I use Sigma 17-50 EX DG.
DXOmark.com has listed lenses by its sharpness for K5IIS. you can see this list.

I give 4/5 for features, because of its PTTL metering. I sold my K5. Because of the PTTL error and poor choice of Sigma 18-250.
PTTL overexposure is not acceptable on k5, but it got better on K5IIS. but there is still minor error.Read full review...

Lots of features IDK how to use

This a camera for professionals and skilled amateurs. There is an auto function that is easy to use, but you are not using the camera to its full potential and you would be better off getting a camera which is geared towards amateur photography.
I got this camera because I bought a nice Pentax compatible auto-focus lens 20 years ago when film was still a thing.
Pentax keeps its lens mounts standard and that 20 year old lens still works great.Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: ravendyne

Back track to goodness

Yes, later Pentax flagships have more megapixels. On the other hand, the 16mp sensor combined with a 14bit raw datapath produces low noise loveliness. It should be noted that the new K1 has the same pixel density as the K5 series. I have only run into one or two cases where the lack of a anti-aliasing filter has been a problem. It is a problem I can live with to get the extra boost of resolution out of this camera.Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: helb9596

Best starter DSLR in my opinion.

First, the picture is sharper then 24MP in K-3 because their photo sensor is the same size. The extra pixels may come in handy but 16MP is more than enough for a starter. This best thing about this camera is weather seal and super strong build. You can't find the same thing in other brand with the same price. It is easy enough to use and get used to. No need to spend extra money and worry about cover from raining.Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: camera555japan

Pentax K-5 IIs - my favorite!

Why to buy: If you don't want to pay for the brand name, pay for the history :) Pentax = former Asahi Optical Corporation, with great history of excellent products - from cameras to microscopes.
And in the same features set range, comparing to Nikon, Canon and others, Pentax have much much better price, IMHO.
Only one thing - it's relatively heavy, but that is a cost for well protected from dust and water body.
One caveat - never use "green" mode. This is a great camera with excellent set of options to make your shots perfect, but as always, "auto" settings are worsest thing.

If you want to use professional camera, spent some time to learn how to use it. Owerwise you don't need it, better buy some cheap "fully automatic" crap.
As always, "right tools for the right hands" (and mind).Read full review...

Wonderful and professional camera. It will upgrade you as a photographer!

If you are a (lucky) Pentaxian then the K-5IIs is certainly an upgrade to previous Pentax models. If you haven't been shooting with Pentax and you get the K-5IIs in your hands to take photographs then you understand the quality, the advanced features (some of them unique to Pentax) and the professional sense of this camera. I don't want to write many things and tire you: as someone else said before if you are a buyer that has done a lot of research and is thinking about this camera to other brand options... I would say just get it and you will be happy with your choice. This camera is surely over the semi-pro level and equally competes (if not surpasses) with pro models of other camera manufacturers...Read full review...

Average consumer, this is your camera!

First I must address those who may be considering Canon or Nikon at a similar price point. Unless you know you will upgrade to a better camera body every 2 years, don't even consider buying Canon/Nikon. I owned the Canon t3i which was similarly priced when I purchased it in 2011 and there is absolutely no comparing the two. Now, if you are actually gonna USE the MANUAL focus video, then yeah maybe..maybe. But, here's the deal, most consumers will purchase 2 lenses at most and rarely use the DSLR video. So, where does that leave us??? It leaves us with several Pentax models(K-500, k-30, K-50, K-5, K-511, K-511s)that smoke Canon/Nikon at a similar price point. For example my K-511s continues to blow me away with how good pictures look in low light(no flash) at even up to 20000 ISO. Now granted I do need to use photoshop to bring the image noise down, but the shear fact that they are usable at such a high ISO is amazing. My t3i at ISO 12,800 in the very same lighting situation looked like a snow storm! In fact a snow storm that had no color, because the T3i image color washed out badly at the higher ISO's. Also worth mentioning is that the T3i could not auto-focus an a flat wall or in dimly lit areas. I figured that was just the way DSLR's were until I snapped pictures of the same areas of my den with my K-511s as I had with my T3i and had absolutely no problems. In dark lit areas the k-511s focuses instantly! Now I can hear someone saying that I must have received a bad T3i, but I have 2 friends with T3i's and they have the same issues.

The next thing the Pentax models offer is user friendly menu system, AND buttons/control wheels that are useful and intuitive. Because of this I found that I love taking pictures in full manual mode which brings up another advantage which is a ton of fantastic old manual lenses for nest to nothing. I purchased 5 manual lenses for $75 and they are unbelievably sharp and built like a tank!

Before you purchase anything go to the following site: www.dpreview.com/reviews/studiocompare.asp where you can compare the images of the various camera models. For example you can choose the Pentax k-511s,Nikon d7100,Canon T3i, and pentax K-30. You can then set the ISO to 25,600 then when each loads in their display box right click the word JPEG (its blue)at the bottom of the EACH pic and choose open in a new tab which will download the full image in a tab on your browser. Once you do this you can move around the image and zoom in and out and see which camera handles image noise the best. You'll be impressed with the K-511s and the K-30!!! Now if money is no object you can also load the Nikon d4 and Canon 5d Mark 111 and be really impressed by what these DSLR's can do! Problem of course is that most of us can't afford a $2500 camera body! This is where Pentax steps in to help us out. Now I can hear your local salesman tell you Good Luck when you need your Pentax fixed, but ask him if he will fix your Canon/Nikon if it needs repaired. ...Nope, YOU send it into the service center. Next he will try to scare you by implying that Pentax is a small company and may not be around next year. Thats the same thing they've been saying for 20 years-don't buy it.

My advice is that you really think about where you will use your camera, and if you will really use the cumbersome video, and then order your Pentax with confidence!Read full review...

A best APC camera

I had Pentax Ks, K7, K5, K3, sold or give away cameras but still have some lenses. Tried other brands, mirror less and full frame. Go back to Pentax and have this K5iis, it is the best couples with star D lenses 16-50/2.8 and 50-135/2.5. A happy purchase.Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: monacamera-japan

Even at 2014 it is great value for money!

I bought Pentax after a time of using Olympus FT system cameras. Pentax is great for low light scenes and portrait too. It is light weight and small size (for DSLR) but comfortable for using it with gloves. K-5 IIs have useful analog switches!
After Year of using it I found one disadvantage - slow work with a memory card (I have fast card).Read full review...