Pentax K-5 16.2MP Weather Resistant DSLR Camera w/ 1080p Video + 18-55mm Lens Kit $749 + Free Shipping (expired)

Quote from pate0153 : I called buydig and verified my order. They did confirm it was a WR lens (Mfg Part# 21880). I also received a shipping confirmation from them: PKDA1855AL - DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL Weather Resistant Lens for Pentax Digital SLR Camera 1 PKK5 - K-5 Weatherproof Digital SLR Digital Camera Body w/ 1080p HD Video 1

You were probably one of the lucky ones who ordered before they changed the description. The description now clearly states 21547

back and forth,
first maybe WR, then definitely not WR, then a call says yes, a call says no, a verified order says yes.
Most exhausting FP deal I've ever considered.
ugh and now the part number changed?

Indeed...extremely frustrating ...I cancelled my order since there was a change and didn't want to receive it and do all the returning and arguing about it. This company really needs to get their story straight as they CSRs are reading from a different script than the web department and then fulfilment department will send something entirely different ....perhaps body only at this rate.

Quote from pate0153 : I called buydig and verified my order. They did confirm it was a WR lens (Mfg Part# 21880). I also received a shipping confirmation from them: PKDA1855AL - DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL Weather Resistant Lens for Pentax Digital SLR Camera 1 PKK5 - K-5 Weatherproof Digital SLR Digital Camera Body w/ 1080p HD Video 1

Chances are you will NOT receive the correct lens since what most CSR are doing is just reading the description and not actually verifying anything, I'm just saying.

Since some have already commented that they DIDN'T receive the WR lens even after it was suppose to have it. I'm not taking that chance and having to send everything back. Good luck though!

holy mother of jesus, this is an amazing deal

I shoot 5D II which is too heavy. I want a crop factor. Are Pentax lenses lightweight?

Quote from mx7 : This one is already a good low light performer. Wonder how much better the K-5 II is.

I have both the k5 and the k5iis. The k5 did well in low light, but there were times like in a dim karaoke room where it was tough to focus (that's shooting iso 25600 at f2.4 at 1/30th... I mean it was theater dark) so I ended up shooting manual focus most of the night. Here are the pics from that night:
karaoke night [flickr.com]

At the very least, you can get an idea of what the camera does for noise in low light and insanely high iso...

Now the k5ii is more sure footed in low low low light... it focuses faster and hits the spot more frequently. But in a living room w/ decent light, the k5 does fine. There are some lenses that focus faster than others (when someone says a lens is a "fast lens" they are usually talking about the aperture, not how fast a lens focuses. It's called a "fast lens" because with a larger aperture, shutter speed can be increased to capture fast(er) action thus the word/description "fast"). I've used quite a few lenses, if you have some questions as to which lenses focus fast, let me know... and no, the kit lens is not one of them. Here's a set of photos taken in average indoor low light w/ the k5 in autofocus.

dinner w/ jo and tony [flickr.com]

By the way... the kit lens picture quality wise is pretty good when stopped down and when not used near the minimum focal distance. And if you want to get a WR lens that can handle a medium/heavy rain shower, the DA 18-55wr is about $150 new or $100 used which is pretty awesome for a WR kit (try pricing that out in any other brand...).

Quote from RuiW : I shoot 5D II which is too heavy. I want a crop factor. Are Pentax lenses lightweight?

There are a number of Pentax k5 users who have switched from full frame because full frame lenses and bodies weighed too much.

A canon L 70-200 f2.8 lens weighs 2.9 lbs. The Pentax DA* 50-135 f2.8 (full frame equiv 75-202.5) weighs 1.5 lbs.
The Canon 100 macro weighs 625 grams, the pentax 100 macro w/ wr and image stabilization (in body) weighs 340 grams.
The canon 85 1.8 weighs 425 grams, the Pentax DA* 55 f1.4 (with weather sealing and image stabilized) weighs 375 grams.
The canon 24-70 f2.8 weighs 803 grams vs the Pentax DA* 16-50 that comes in at 565 grams (I do think the canon is a superior lens in this instance...).

Weight and size do matter and when it comes to things you carry on your back, less is more. I could switch, but I don't really like the idea of carrying more weight. The Pentax primes are great, especially their Limited series. I have several... the 43 1.9, the 77 1.8, the 35 2.8 macro and 40 2.8. I want, no make that need, the 15 f4 and the 31 1.8, but that's several paychecks down the road. But they are tiny in comparison to my uncles crop Nikon lenses. And he rides a motorcycle where space is a premium.

I'm no pro, but here's a set of my favorite shots by me:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/5503...347425374/

most of the time, I don't use a tripod (again the weight thing). but maybe you can see what Pentax can do with their lenses....

Quote from vagrant10 : I'm no pro, but here's a set of my favorite shots by me: http://www.flickr.com/photos/5503...347425374/ most of the time, I don't use a tripod (again the weight thing). but maybe you can see what Pentax can do with their lenses....

You have a lot of beautiful pictures in your album. Very nice.

Quote from manyee : You have a lot of beautiful pictures in your album. Very nice.

Thank you very much! You know how it goes though... the more you do something, the more critical you become of you past work. There's still so much to learn, but that's one of the things I love about photography; it forces me to learn more about the things I love for me to capture them the way I'd like to remember them.

Quote from vagrant10 : There are a number of Pentax k5 users who have switched from full frame because full frame lenses and bodies weighed too much. A canon L 70-200 f2.8 lens weighs 2.9 lbs. The Pentax DA* 50-135 f2.8 (full frame equiv 75-202.5) weighs 1.5 lbs. The Canon 100 macro weighs 625 grams, the pentax 100 macro w/ wr and image stabilization (in body) weighs 340 grams. The canon 85 1.8 weighs 425 grams, the Pentax DA* 55 f1.4 (with weather sealing and image stabilized) weighs 375 grams. The canon 24-70 f2.8 weighs 803 grams vs the Pentax DA* 16-50 that comes in at 565 grams (I do think the canon is a superior lens in this instance...). Weight and size do matter and when it comes to things you carry on your back, less is more. I could switch, but I don't really like the idea of carrying more weight. The Pentax primes are great, especially their Limited series. I have several... the 43 1.9, the 77 1.8, the 35 2.8 macro and 40 2.8. I want, no make that need, the 15 f4 and the 31 1.8, but that's several paychecks down the road. But they are tiny in comparison to my uncles crop Nikon lenses. And he rides a motorcycle where space is a premium. I'm no pro, but here's a set of my favorite shots by me: http://www.flickr.com/photos/5503...347425374/ most of the time, I don't use a tripod (again the weight thing). but maybe you can see what Pentax can do with their lenses....

What were the capture details of this shot?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/5503...347425374/
Love it

People if you want the K5 - GET IT! This is a killer price even with the non WR lens. Heck, sell the lens and buy the WR one used for 100.00 or so and not lose that much money. Neither one should determine whether you buy the camera or not. I definitely would not return it or not buy it just because of the non WR lens. If so, then you must not want the K5 that much.

Does the shutter on this make that loud "CLACK"ing sound similar to the K-x?

That was extremely annoying.

I have this camera and this is a great deal. Amazing camera, excellent dynamic range, weather sealed. I paid nearly twice that for the body alone when it first came out.

Quote from imposteroak : Awesome deal for an incredible camera! Pentax's seem to be rather underrated in the camera and DSLR community. With big names like Nikon and Canon floating around, Pentax seems to get pushed under the bus. Years ago, Pentax was the top dog, and they made the best lenses around! Their old lenses can be purchased on eBay very cheap and can be used on these cameras easily (same lens mount). I currently own a Pentax K-x (much cheaper camera) and would LOVE to own a K5. If I didn't already have mine, I'd be purchasing this deal! (Anyone wanna buy my K-x? Anyways, awesome camera, weather resistance is a huge plus, and great price!

Serious half truth's here. Yes, Pentax bodies are amazing (thought about changing from Nikon because of how great the K-10D was, just magical honestly; though not in the slightest because of weather resistance) but Pentax doesn't make any great fast lenses anymore (outside of their pancakes, which are expensive and anything but a deal, and as any serious photo guy knows it is you, and then the lens that makes the photo, not the body.)

Old fast Pentax lenses are disproportionally expensive and quite frankly not worth it, especially when you figure in the durability of Nikon's metal hotshoe flashes. New f4 Pentax lenses are inconsistent at best. Unfortunately they just don't compare... I wish they did.