Pentax K-5 vs Samsung NX500

The Pentax K-5 and the Samsung NX500 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in September 2010 and February 2015. The K-5 is a DSLR, while the NX500 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. Both cameras are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The Pentax has a resolution of 16.1 megapixels, whereas the Samsung provides 28 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Pentax K-5		Samsung NX500
Digital single lens reflex		Mirrorless system camera
Pentax K mount lenses		Samsung NX mount lenses
16.1 MP – APS-C sensor		28 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/25p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 100-12,800 (80 - 51,200)		ISO 100-25,600 (100 - 51,200)
Optical viewfinder		No viewfinder, LCD framing
3.0" LCD – 921k dots		3.0" LCD – 1036k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Tilting touchscreen
7 shutter flaps per second		9 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		Lens stabilization only
Weathersealed body		not weather sealed
740 shots per battery charge		370 shots per battery charge
131 x 97 x 73 mm, 760 g		120 x 64 x 43 mm, 287 g

Check K-5 offers at
ebay.com
Check NX500 offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Pentax K-5 and the Samsung NX500? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Pentax K-5 and the Samsung NX500. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Samsung NX500 is considerably smaller (40 percent) than the Pentax K-5. Moreover, the NX500 is substantially lighter (62 percent) than the K-5. It is worth mentioning in this context that the K-5 is splash and dust resistant, while the NX500 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.

The power pack in the NX500 can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

Body Specifications

#		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Pentax K-5	131 mm	97 mm	73 mm	760 g	740	Y	Sep 2010	1,099	ebay.com
2.		Samsung NX500	120 mm	64 mm	43 mm	287 g	370	n	Feb 2015	799	ebay.com
3.		Nikon D5600	124 mm	97 mm	70 mm	465 g	970	n	Nov 2016	699	ebay.com
4.		Nikon D5500	124 mm	97 mm	70 mm	470 g	820	n	Jan 2015	899	ebay.com
5.		Nikon D7000	132 mm	105 mm	77 mm	780 g	1050	Y	Sep 2010	1,499	ebay.com
6.		Pentax KP	132 mm	101 mm	76 mm	703 g	390	Y	Jan 2017	1,099	ebay.com
7.		Pentax K-70	126 mm	93 mm	74 mm	688 g	410	Y	Jun 2016	649	ebay.com
8.		Pentax K-3 II	131 mm	100 mm	77 mm	800 g	720	Y	Apr 2015	1,099	ebay.com
9.		Pentax K-50	130 mm	97 mm	71 mm	650 g	410	Y	Jun 2013	599	ebay.com
10.		Pentax K-500	130 mm	97 mm	71 mm	646 g	710	n	Jun 2013	549	ebay.com
11.		Pentax K-3	131 mm	100 mm	77 mm	800 g	560	Y	Oct 2013	1,299	ebay.com
12.		Pentax K-30	130 mm	97 mm	71 mm	650 g	410	Y	May 2012	849	ebay.com
13.		Pentax K-5 II	131 mm	97 mm	73 mm	760 g	740	Y	Sep 2012	1,099	ebay.com
14.		Ricoh GR II	117 mm	63 mm	35 mm	251 g	320	n	Jun 2015	699	ebay.com
15.		Sony A5100	110 mm	63 mm	36 mm	283 g	400	n	Aug 2014	549	ebay.com
16.		Sony A6000	120 mm	67 mm	45 mm	344 g	360	n	Feb 2014	599	ebay.com
17.		Sony A77	143 mm	104 mm	81 mm	732 g	470	Y	Aug 2011	1,399	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The NX500 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 27 percent) than the K-5, which puts it into a different market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the NX500 is 1 percent smaller. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 1.5. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Despite having a slightly smaller sensor, the NX500 offers a higher resolution of 28 megapixels, compared with 16.1 MP of the K-5. This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 3.63μm versus 4.81μm for the K-5). However, it should be noted that the NX500 is much more recent (by 4 years and 4 months) than the K-5, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that make it possible to gather light more efficiently. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the NX500 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Samsung NX500 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the NX500 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 32.4 x 21.6 inches or 82.3 x 54.9 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 25.9 x 17.3 inches or 65.8 x 43.9 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 21.6 x 14.4 inches or 54.9 x 36.6 cm. The corresponding values for the Pentax K-5 are 24.6 x 16.3 inches or 62.6 x 41.5 cm for good quality, 19.7 x 13.1 inches or 50.1 x 33.2 cm for very good quality, and 16.4 x 10.9 inches or 41.7 x 27.6 cm for excellent quality prints.

The NX500 has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Pentax K-5 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 12800, which can be extended to ISO 80-51200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Samsung NX500 are ISO 100 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-51200.

In terms of underlying technology, the K-5 is build around a CMOS sensor, while the NX500 uses a BSI-CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. Of the two cameras under consideration, the NX500 has a markedly higher DXO score than the K-5 (overall score 5 points higher), which will translate into better image quality. The advantage is based on 1.1 bits higher color depth, 0.2 EV of lower dynamic range, and 0.2 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

#		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Pentax K-5	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/25p	23.7	14.1	1162	82
2.		Samsung NX500	APS-C	28.0	6480	4320	4K/30p	24.8	13.9	1379	87
3.		Nikon D5600	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	14.0	1306	84
4.		Nikon D5500	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	14.0	1438	84
5.		Nikon D7000	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/24p	23.5	13.9	1167	80
6.		Pentax KP	APS-C	24.1	6016	4000	1080/60i	23.9	13.2	1699	81
7.		Pentax K-70	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60i	23.8	13.1	1639	80
8.		Pentax K-3 II	APS-C	24.1	6016	4000	1080/60i	23.6	13.6	1106	80
9.		Pentax K-50	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.7	13.0	1120	79
10.		Pentax K-500	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.7	13.1	1087	79
11.		Pentax K-3	APS-C	24.1	6016	4000	1080/60i	23.7	13.4	1216	80
12.		Pentax K-30	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.7	13.0	1129	79
13.		Pentax K-5 II	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/25p	23.8	14.1	1235	82
14.		Ricoh GR II	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.6	13.7	1078	80
15.		Sony A5100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.8	12.7	1347	80
16.		Sony A6000	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	13.1	1347	82
17.		Sony A77	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.0	13.2	801	78
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the NX500 provides a better video resolution than the K-5. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/30p, while the Pentax is limited to 1080/25p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the K-5 has an optical viewfinder, which can be very useful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the NX500 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Pentax K-5 and Samsung NX500 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

Core Features

#		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Pentax K-5	optical	Y	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
2.		Samsung NX500	none	n	3.0 / 1036	tilting	Y	1/6000s	9.0/s	Y	n
3.		Nikon D5600	optical	n	3.2 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
4.		Nikon D5500	optical	n	3.2 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
5.		Nikon D7000	optical	Y	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	Y	n
6.		Pentax KP	optical	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/6000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
7.		Pentax K-70	optical	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/6000s	6.0/s	Y	Y
8.		Pentax K-3 II	optical	Y	3.2 / 1037	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.3/s	n	Y
9.		Pentax K-50	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/6000s	6.0/s	Y	Y
10.		Pentax K-500	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/6000s	6.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Pentax K-3	optical	Y	3.2 / 1037	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.3/s	Y	Y
12.		Pentax K-30	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/6000s	6.0/s	Y	Y
13.		Pentax K-5 II	optical	Y	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
14.		Ricoh GR II	optional	n	3.0 / 1230	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
15.		Sony A5100	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
16.		Sony A6000	1440	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
17.		Sony A77	2359	Y	3.0 / 921	full-flex	n	1/8000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that is present on the K-5, but is missing on the NX500 is a top-level LCD. While being, of course, smaller than the rear screen, the control panel conveys some of the essential shooting information and can be convenient for quick and easy settings verification.

The Pentax K-5 and the Samsung NX500 both have an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the K-5 and the NX500 write their files to SDXC cards. The NX500 supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the K-5 cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD cards.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Pentax K-5 and Samsung NX500 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

#		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Pentax K-5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Samsung NX500	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
3.		Nikon D5600	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
4.		Nikon D5500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
5.		Nikon D7000	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Pentax KP	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	-	2.0	Y	-	-
7.		Pentax K-70	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
8.		Pentax K-3 II	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
9.		Pentax K-50	Y	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Pentax K-500	Y	mono / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Pentax K-3	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
12.		Pentax K-30	Y	mono / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Pentax K-5 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Ricoh GR II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Sony A5100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
16.		Sony A6000	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
17.		Sony A77	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the K-5 has a microphone port, which is missing on the NX500. Such an external microphone input can help to substantially improve the quality of audio recordings when a good external microphone is used.

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Pentax K-5 (unlike the NX500) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the K-5 and the NX500 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The K-5 was replaced by the Pentax K-5 II, while the NX500 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the K-5 and NX500 can be found, respectively, in the Pentax K-5 Manual (free pdf) or the online Samsung NX500 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Which of the two cameras – the Pentax K-5 or the Samsung NX500 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Advantages of the Pentax K-5:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• Easier framing: Has an optical viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/6000s) to freeze action.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (740 versus 370) on a single battery charge.
• Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
• Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
• Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in September 2010).

Reasons to prefer the Samsung NX500:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (28 vs 16.1MP), which boosts linear resolution by 32%.
• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Better image quality: Scores markedly higher (5 points) in the DXO overall evaluation.
• Richer colors: Generates noticeably more natural colors (1.1 bits more color depth).
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/25p).
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1036k vs 921k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
• Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (9 vs 7 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More compact: Is smaller (120x64mm vs 131x97mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 473g or 62 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• More legacy lens friendly: Can use many non-native lenses via adapters.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (27 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 4 years and 4 months of technical progress since the K-5 launch.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the NX500 is the clear winner of the contest (21 : 10 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Pentax K-5 and the Samsung NX500 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera and Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the K-5 or the NX500. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

#		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Pentax K-5	4/5	..	..	83/100	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2010	1,099	ebay.com
2.		Samsung NX500	4.5/5	..	..	81/100	5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	799	ebay.com
3.		Nikon D5600	4/5	..	4/5	79/100	4.5/5	4/5	Nov 2016	699	ebay.com
4.		Nikon D5500	5/5	+	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2015	899	ebay.com
5.		Nikon D7000	4/5	..	..	80/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2010	1,499	ebay.com
6.		Pentax KP	4/5	..	3/5	82/100	5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	1,099	ebay.com
7.		Pentax K-70	4.5/5	..	4/5	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2016	649	ebay.com
8.		Pentax K-3 II	4.5/5	..	..	..	5/5	5/5	Apr 2015	1,099	ebay.com
9.		Pentax K-50	5/5	..	..	..	5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2013	599	ebay.com
10.		Pentax K-500	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2013	549	ebay.com
11.		Pentax K-3	4/5	..	..	83/100	5/5	5/5	Oct 2013	1,299	ebay.com
12.		Pentax K-30	4/5	..	..	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	May 2012	849	ebay.com
13.		Pentax K-5 II	5/5	..	..	80/100	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	1,099	ebay.com
14.		Ricoh GR II	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2015	699	ebay.com
15.		Sony A5100	4.5/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	5/5	Aug 2014	549	ebay.com
16.		Sony A6000	5/5	+	4.5/5	80/100	4.5/5	5/5	Feb 2014	599	ebay.com
17.		Sony A77	5/5	91/100	..	81/100	..	5/5	Aug 2011	1,399	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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