Pentax K-5 vs Nikon D7000
Nikon and Pentax are two giants in the camera industry. Both of these models have their own pros and cons. They both have unique features, and can compete head to head with each other. This article compares the important features of both cameras and discusses the differences between the cameras, Nikon D7000 and Pentax K-5.
Tips to select a Digital Camera
Resolution of the Camera
Resolution of the camera is one of the main features a user must look into when buying a camera. This is also known as the megapixel value. The Nikon D7000 has a resolution of 16.2 megapixels with a 14bit AD conversion. The K-5, on the other hand, has a slightly larger sensor of 16.3 megapixels with 4 channel output. These two sensors are almost similar, but the 4 channel output of the Pentax K-5 is faster than the Nikon.
ISO Performance
ISO value range is also an important feature. The ISO value of the sensor means, how much sensitive the sensor is to a given quantum of light. This feature is very important in night shots and sports and action photography. But increasing the ISO value causes a noise in the photograph. The Nikon D700 has an ISO range from 100 to 6400 ISO, and has expandable settings of 12800 and 25600 ISO. The Pentax K-5 has an ISO range of 100 to 12800 ISO, and has expandable settings up to 51200 ISO. In the sense of ISO sensitivity, the K-5 is ahead of the D7000
Frames Per Second Rate
Frames per second rate or more commonly known as the FPS rate is also an important aspect when it comes to sports, wildlife and action photography. FPS rate means, the mean number of photos the camera can shoot per second on a certain setting. Pentax is famous for the speed of their cameras. The K-5 is not an exception. It has a very good frame rate of 7 fps, which can shoot continuously for 15 RAW images or 40 JPEG images. In a slow continuous mode, the number of the JPEG images only depend on the capacity of the memory. The D7000 has a competing fps rate of 6 frames per second. In the speed department, the Pentax takes the lead over the Nikon.
Shutter Lag and Recovery Time
A DSLR would not take the picture as soon as the shutter release is pressed. In most conditions, the auto focusing and auto white balancing would take place after the button is pressed. Therefore, there is a time gap between the press and the actual photo taken. This is known as the shutter lag of the camera. These two models have very good speeds and shutter lag is minimal. But the Pentax is faster than the Nikon when it comes to focusing.
Number of Autofocus Points
Autofocus points or AF points are the points which are built into the memory of the camera. If the priority is given to an AF point, camera will use its autofocus ability to focus the lens to the object in the given AF point. The Nikon has a whopping 39 point AF system, which has a cross type 9 points in order to make low light focusing more accurate. The Pentax meanwhile has an eleven point autofocus system with accurate autofocusing. The Nikon focusing system is a bit slower than the Pentax.
Weight and Dimensions
The Pentax measures131 x 97 x 73 mm in dimensions and weighs about 750 grams. The D7000 being a bit more large and heavy; it weighs 780 grams and measures132 x 105 x 77 mm in dimensions.
Storage Medium and Capacity
In DSLR cameras, the inbuilt memory is almost negligible. An external storage device is required to hold images. The Nikon D700 features 2 SD card slots, and supports SD, SDHC and SDXC cards. The Pentax K-5 has a SD card slot, which supports SD and SDHC cards.
Live View and Flexibility of the Display
Live view is the ability to use the LCD as a viewfinder. This can be convenient because the LCD gives a clear preview of the picture in good colors. Both thePentax K-5 and Nikon D7000 feature 3 inch LCD monitors. No vary angle abilities are present in both.
Conclusion
Pentax K-5 being more expensive than the Nikon D7000 features more options and performs well under most conditions. The only place where the Nikon beats the Pentax is the AF point selection. Other than that, both cameras are good options for the money.