Pentax K-5 II review – LCD, viewfinder and video
The K-5 II features an optical viewfinder with 100% field of view, which is useful for achieving an accurate composition. Its display is a little darker than I would like, which can be a little problematic in low light, but otherwise it provides a pleasant viewing experience. The rear 3in LCD screen has the same 921,000-dot resolution as that in the K-5, but Pentax has introduced ‘air-gap-free’ technology in the K-5 II. This is a resin layer that fills the gap between the LCD screen and front glass panel to reduce glare, reflections and light dispersion. The result is a brighter and clearer display. I had no problems viewing the screen for composition using live view even in bright light, although the screen can benefit from dialling in extra brightness to get a better idea of exposure in playback. I would like to see an ambient brightness sensor that adjusts the screen’s brightness automatically, rather than achieving this manually. That said, there is no camera at this price point that offers such a control.
Video recording is solid rather than spectacular. Like the K-5, 1080p full HD capture is possible at 25fps, and the camera has a 3.5mm connection for an external microphone. A number of the in-camera edits can be made on video files as well as stills, such as the colour modes and digital filters.
