Coupling a newly developed imaging system with the proven PRIME II imaging engine, the PENTAX K-5 offers a sensitivity range of ISO 100 to 12800, or ISO 80 to ISO 51200 when expanded with a custom function. This new imaging system integrates three core components — a CMOS imaging sensor with approximately 16.28 effective megapixels, a gain amplifier used to amplify image data signals, and a 14-bit A/D converter — on the same chip. By packaging the previously independent circuits into a single module, this new imaging system minimizes the deterioration of signals during transmission and delivers pure signals with minimal noise to the PRIME II imaging engine for 14-bit data processing. As the result, the K-5 produces beautiful digital images — with airy lights and truthful colors; smooth, seamless gradation transitions; rich, well-defined shadow descriptions; and faithful reproduction of pure black. The state-of-the-art technologies incorporated into the K-5 assure you of true-to-life, high-resolution digital images with vibrant, extra-sharp description — even at higher sensitivities.

The K-5 provides high-speed continuous shooting at approximately seven images per second, allowing you to preserve fast-fleeing, once-in-a-lifetime moments in crisp, brilliant digital images. To achieve this, PENTAX not only upgraded the speed of the driving mechanism, but also redesigned the mirror cam and reprogrammed the start/stop sequence of the drive motor’s rotation. The result is the achievement of the optimal drive speed, while the impact of the mirror’s bounce during its swing-up/down action is minimized. Since the mirror comes to a complete stop at the swing-down position and sets itself ready for a next image, the speed of continuous shooting in the AF.C (Continuous) mode is greatly improved. At the same time, both shutter noise and finder shake are effectively minimized, for more comfortable shooting. The K-5 is also preprogrammed to automatically set the Focus-Priority/Shutter-Speed-Priority mode in the AF.C mode, or the Focus-Priority/Shutter-Release-Priority mode in the AF.S (Single) mode.