Golden, Col. —
introduced Monday a new mid-range high
performance d-SLR.
Model K-5 (shipping in October at a $1,600 suggested retail for
the body only, or $1,750 for a kit with an 188-55mm WR zoom lens) is targeted
at the company’s advanced and prosumer customers, bringing a range of feature advancements.
The camera marks the second advanced d-SLR system since the
introduction of the K-7, as Pentax maintains its mission to re-establish a
reputation as a developer of high quality advanced-level d-SLRs.
The camera features a 16.3-megapixel CMOS sensor, 80-12,800 ISO
range with an improved noise reduction system, up to 7fps burst shooting, and
an 11-point SAFOX IX AF system, FullHD 1080p video capture, HDMI output and a
stereo mic jack.
Other features include a 77-segment metering system, pentaprism
viewfinder with 100 percent field of view and 0.92x magnification, up to
1/8,000 sec. shutter speed, built-in electronic level with tilt scale display
in the LCD panel, and an in-camera shake reduction stabilization system that
works with every Pentax lens ever made.
It also features an SD card slot that will support larger
capacity SDXC cards following a firmware update planned for shortly after the
model begins shipping.
The K-5 continues the K-7’s weatherproof, cold-proof and dust-resistant
design and uses a magnesium alloy body for added durability.
The camera will capture both Pentax PEF and Adobe DNG 14-bit RAW
files and includes in-camera HDR image processing capability.
At the same time, Pentax also introduced the smc Pentax DA18-135mm
F3.5-5.6 ED AL [IF] DC WR lens (shipping in October at a $530 suggested retail)
for use on Pentax d-SLR camera bodies.
The interchangeable zoom lens is said to include a simplified
weather-resistant construction and extra-smooth autofocus operation using a
built-in motor, in addition to its high 7.5x zoom ratio.
