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Pentax

K-5 IIs

APS-C flagship without AA filter for maximum sharpness — a cult favorite among Pentax stills shooters.

$1,099

Launch price

Released Sep 2012

vs
GR IV

Ricoh

GR IV

Latest GR with 25.74MP APS-C sensor, 28mm equivalent lens, 5-axis SR, 53GB internal memory, and pocket street-camera handling.

$1,499

Launch price

Released Jan 2026

GR IV is 13.3 years newer.

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Wins

5categories

K-5 IIs

WildlifeSports & Action

Wins

3categories

GR IV

PortraitVlogging

2 categories tied

Which would you choose?

TL;DR — Key differences

K-5 IIs wins 3 categories·GR IV wins 2 categories
  • BGR IV has higher ISO max (native) (204,800 vs 25,600)
  • AK-5 IIs has higher Burst (electronic) (15 fps vs 4 fps)
  • BGR IV has lower Weight (262 g vs 710 g)
  • AK-5 IIs has higher Battery life (CIPA) (640 shots vs 250 shots)
  • AK-5 IIs has higher AF points / zones (101 vs 49)

Key specs at a glance

K-5 IIsGR IV
Resolution16.3 MP25.74 MP
SensorAPS-CAPS-C
ISO max25,600204,800
Burst15 fps4 fps
4K60 fps60 fps
IBIS6-stopYes
Weight710 g262 g
Battery640 shots250 shots

Size and weight, to scale

K-5 IIs

131 × 97 × 73 mm

710 g (1.57 lb / 25.04 oz)

Credit card shown to scale as a size reference (ISO 7810, 85.6 × 54 mm)

Credit card

85.6 × 54 mm

for scale

GR IV front view

GR IV

109 × 61 × 33 mm

262 g (0.58 lb / 9.24 oz)

K-5 IIs is 22mm wider, 36mm taller, and 40mm thicker than GR IV.

K-5 IIs is 448 g heavier than GR IV.

Depth (front-to-back): 73mm K-5 IIs · 33mm GR IV

Back view, to scale

Width × Height — same proportions as the front of the body.

K-5 IIs

131 × 97 mm

Credit card shown to scale as a size reference (ISO 7810, 85.6 × 54 mm)

Credit card

85.6 × 54 mm

GR IV back view

GR IV

109 × 61 mm

Top view, to scale

Width × Depth (front-to-back) — see which body is chunkier on the table.

K-5 IIs

131 × 73 mm

Credit card shown to scale as a size reference (ISO 7810, 85.6 × 54 mm)

Credit card

85.6 × 54 mm

GR IV top view

GR IV

109 × 33 mm

Sensor size, to scale

K-5 IIs

23.7 × 15.7 mm · APS-C

372 mm² area

GR IV

23.3 × 15.5 mm · APS-C

361 mm² area

Lens ecosystem

Native lens selection

K-5 IIs

✓ more lenses

Pentax K

70+

native lenses available

30 first-party40 third-party

GR IV: mount data unavailable

Counts include current first-party and major third-party native autofocus lenses.

Use-case scoring

Which one for what?

Algorithmic scores from verified specs · 10 = best in class

Use caseK-5 IIsGR IV
Portrait
5.5Fair
6.5Good✓ wins
Sports & Action
6.5Good✓ wins
1.5Limited
Video & Hybrid
6.0Good✓ wins
3.5Limited
Landscape
3.5Limited✓ wins
2.5Limited
Travel
6.5Good✓ wins
5.5Fair
Wildlife
8.0Excellent✓ wins
1.0Limited
Vlogging
5.5Fair
6.5Good✓ wins

Why pick one over the other

Reasons to choose

K-5 IIs

  • Subject recognition

    Adds Human, Animal, Bird…

  • Codecs

    Adds H.265, H.264

  • Dimensions (W×H×D mm)

    Adds 131, 97, 73

  • Card types

    Adds SD UHS-II

  • Burst (electronic)

    15 fps vs 4 fps — higher is better

  • Battery life (CIPA)

    640 shots vs 250 shots — higher is better

  • AF points / zones

    101 vs 49 — higher is better

  • Animal / bird AF

    Only K-5 IIs supports it

Reasons to choose

GR IV

  • Subject recognition

    Adds Face, Eye

  • Codecs

    Adds MPEG-4 AVC/H.264, MOV

  • Dimensions (W×H×D mm)

    Adds 109.4, 61.1, 32.7

  • Card types

    Adds microSD, microSDHC, microSDXC UHS-I

  • ISO max (native)

    204,800 vs 25,600 — higher is better

  • Weight

    262 g vs 710 g — lower is better

  • Resolution

    25.74 MP vs 16.3 MP — higher is better

Both cameras share

  • ISO min (native)Both 100
  • Eye AFBoth support eye af
  • 4K max frame rateBoth 60 fps
  • In-body stabilization (IBIS)Both support in-body stabilization (ibis)
  • TouchscreenBoth support touchscreen
  • Wi-FiBoth support wi-fi

Pros & cons at a glance

Editorially curated highlights and trade-offs.

K-5 IIs

Pros

  • No AA filter
  • Weather sealed
  • Excellent build
  • Strong JPEG engine

Cons

  • 16MP dated
  • Slow AF
  • DSLR declining

GR IV

Pros

  • 25.74MP APS-C sensor
  • 5-axis sensor-shift SR
  • 53GB internal memory
  • Pocketable 28mm GR lens

Cons

  • Fixed lens
  • No built-in EVF
  • Full HD video only

Decided which one is right for you?

Compare live prices for the K-5 IIs and GR IV at major authorized retailers.

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Full specifications

= category winner

K-5 IIs
GR IV
Resolution
16.3 MP
25.74 MP+58%
Sensor type
APS-C CMOS
APS-C CMOS
Sensor size
23.7 × 15.7 mm
23.3 x 15.5 mm
AA filter
No
No
K-5 IIs
GR IV
Aperture
F2.8-F16
Focal length (35mm equiv.)
28 mm
K-5 IIs
GR IV
Processor
Image processor
GR ENGINE 7
K-5 IIs
GR IV
ISO min (native)
100
100
ISO max (native)
25,600
204,800+3 stops
ISO max (expanded)
102,400
204,800
K-5 IIs
GR IV
Shutter type
Mechanical + Electronic
Leaf shutter
Max mechanical speed
1/8000 sec
1/4000 sec
Max electronic speed
1/16000 sec

Frequently asked

Quick answers generated from verified specs.

Which is better for wildlife, K-5 IIs or GR IV?

K-5 IIs scores 8.0/10 versus 1.0/10 for GR IV — Bird AF subject recognition.

What's the resolution difference between the K-5 IIs and GR IV?

K-5 IIs is 16.3 MP and GR IV is 25.74 MP, so the GR IV captures more detail for cropping and large prints.

Do the K-5 IIs and GR IV have in-body image stabilization?

K-5 IIs has 6-stop in-body image stabilization, while GR IV has in-body image stabilization.

Which shoots faster bursts — the K-5 IIs or the GR IV?

K-5 IIs reaches 15 fps electronic. GR IV reaches 4 fps electronic.

What's the weight difference between the K-5 IIs and GR IV?

K-5 IIs weighs 710 g and GR IV weighs 262 g, so the GR IV is 448 g lighter.

Do the K-5 IIs and GR IV record 4K video?

K-5 IIs: 4K up to 60p. GR IV: 4K up to 60p.

Are the K-5 IIs and GR IV weather sealed?

K-5 IIs: Yes. GR IV: No.

Which has better battery life?

Rated battery life is 640 shots (CIPA) for the K-5 IIs and 250 shots for the GR IV, giving the K-5 IIs the edge.

How much does each cost?

K-5 IIs launched at $1,099 and GR IV at $1,499. The K-5 IIs is $400 less.

Can't decide between two? Compare a third camera.

Add any camera to get a three-way K-5 IIs vs GR IV vs X comparison.

Specs sourced from manufacturer data. Use-case scores algorithmically derived. Last reviewed June 2026.

Product images courtesy of Pentax and Ricoh press materials.