Pentax K-70 Review

Pentax targets outdoor photographers with its K-70 camera, offering “new chances and discoveries in scenic photography.” It is impervious to dust and weather, and it can withstand temperatures as low as -10 degrees Celsius.

Even when wearing gloves, the grip is meant to maintain its tackiness since it is one of the 100 seals that can be found throughout the body of the device, which includes the articulating LCD.

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Pentax K-70 Weather-Sealed DSLR Camera, Body Only (Black)

Last update was on: January 18, 2024 4:46 pm

Despite all of this, the K-70 is still somewhat portable because it has a relatively small form factor for an APS-C size DSLR.

In addition, the capabilities of the K-70 extend well beyond merely depicting landscapes. Its specifications and characteristics indicate that it is a reasonably decent all-rounder, which means it can tackle a significantly greater variety of photography topics.

Pentax K-70 Features

The sensor is an APS-C type and features 24.2 megapixels, the highest possible pixel count for an APS-C format camera. Additionally, there is no anti-aliasing filter located in the front of the camera, which means that the fine detail rendition should be improved even further.

When shooting delicate textures or patterns using the rectangular array of photosites found in digital sensors, anti-aliasing filters are utilized to avoid the appearance of moiré interference patterns, which can occur occasionally.

These filters blur the small details, and it is up to the camera to sharpen them back up again using its internal software. When you remove the filter, the small pieces should get crisper, but you risk creating moiré in some of the photographs (even though, in most cases, moiré does not appear to be an issue in real-world photography).

With their one-of-a-kind ‘AA Filter Simulator,’ Pentax has come up with an ingenious answer to this problem. When the image is exposed, this simulates the impact of a “real” anti-aliasing filter by applying minuscule vibrations on a sub-pixel level. It’s possible that you won’t require it, but know that it’s there just in case.

Pentax K-70 Build Quality

Pentax has a history of producing digital single-lens reflex cameras (DSLR) with some very outlandish designs, such as the lighted K-S1 and multicolored variants of its entry-level models.

When compared to other cameras, the K-70 has a very understated design. If we are being completely forthright, the square body and the square-shaped grip are just a little lacking in the allure department. It’s not exactly a thing of beauty, but it is convenient in that it’s small, has a comfortable grip, and has the controls where they should be.

Other intriguing details about the K-70 include a mode dial that features two additional settings that are not available on any other brand of the camera: Sv (Sensitivity priority) and TAv (time adjustment value) (shutter speed and aperture priority).

Pentax K-70 Autofocus

Even for a camera of this level, the focusing mechanism is barely satisfactory at best. Pentax’s proprietary SAFOX X autofocus system has just 11 AF points, but nine of them are of the more accurate cross-type. According to Pentax, the system is sensitive down to -3EV, which is on par with the sensitivity of professional DSLR cameras.

Even though the AF system has a lower-than-expected number of focusing points, the Pentax K-70 compensates for this shortcoming by incorporating a brand-new hybrid AF system into its live view mode.

When framing images on the back screen, this is a first for Pentax. It combines contrast focusing, which is slow but accurate, with on-sensor phase detection autofocus, which is far quicker.

Although the buffer capacity of the Pentax K-70 is rather ordinary at just 40 JPEGs, the highest continuous shooting speed of the camera is a respectable six frames per second, making it a decent choice for action photography.

The optical viewfinder is particularly impressive, including correctly square edges, absence of distortion, and absence of unsightly color fringing. Instead of the cheaper ‘pentamirror’ structure in certain entry-level DSLRs, this design utilizes a true pentaprism for its construction.

The K-70 also comes loaded with a variety of digital image capabilities. To begin, it is equipped with optical corrections (for Pentax lenses) for aberrations like distortion, corner shading (also known as vignetting), and color fringing (chromatic aberration). Even the image-softening effects of ‘diffraction,’ which occur when shooting at tiny lens apertures, can be compensated for by this feature, but only when used in conjunction with specific Pentax lenses.

It is also capable of handling extreme brightness ranges with its dynamic range adjustment settings. Suppose those don’t go far enough, thanks to its built-in HDR (high dynamic range) mode, which combines three different exposures that were shot quickly. Because HDR photographs created in this manner might occasionally have a dull appearance, Pentax has included an A-HDR mode with a Clarity adjustment.

Pentax K-70 Image Quality

Even though the Pentax K-70 provides a pleasant experience when shooting with it, you might not be as delighted with the results when you look at the photographs. According to the findings of our in-house testing, this camera has the potential to produce highly high-quality photos when fitted with the appropriate lens. The 18-135mm lens with the package is not the right one.

On the surface, this lens appears to be of high quality; for the asking price, it appears to be of solid construction; the zoom movement is silky smooth, and the autofocus is sufficiently fast and silent. On the other hand, things look very different when seen optically. Photos taken with it are noticeably less sharp when the focal length of the lens is increased. This is a common problem with long-zoom lenses.

It didn’t do too poorly in the lab. Still, when it was tested in real-world photography at its maximum 135mm focal length, the detail was so blurry, even at the maximum aperture of f/5.6, that it was sometimes difficult to discern which portion of the picture was indeed in focus. If you choose a narrower gap, it will help a little bit, but then you will need to use a higher ISO setting or rely more heavily on the camera’s inbuilt shake-reduction technology. This is true even if the light is good.

Pentax K-70 Specs

Body typeCompact SLR
Sensor
Max resolution6000 x 4000
Other resolutions4608 x 3072, 3072 x 2048, 1920 x 1280
Image ratio w:h3:2
Effective pixels24 megapixels
Sensor photo detectors25 megapixels
Sensor sizeAPS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm)
Sensor typeCMOS
ProcessorPRIME MII
Color spacesRGB, AdobeRGB
Color filter arrayPrimary color filter
Image
ISOAuto, 100-102400
White balance presets8
Custom white balanceYes (3 slots)
Image stabilizationSensor-shift
Image stabilization notes4.5 stop correction
Uncompressed formatRAW
JPEG quality levelsBest, better, good
File formatJPEG (Exif v2.3)Raw (PEF or DNG)
Optics & Focus
AutofocusContrast Detect (sensor)Phase DetectMulti-areaCenterSelective single-pointTrackingSingleContinuousFace DetectionLive View
Autofocus assist lampYes
Manual focusYes
Number of focus points11
Lens mountPentax KAF2
Focal length multiplier1.5×
Screen / viewfinder
Articulated LCDFully articulated
Screen size3″
Screen dots921,000
Touch screenNo
Screen typeTFT LCD
Live viewYes
Viewfinder typeOptical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder coverage100%
Viewfinder magnification0.95× (0.63× 35mm equiv.)
Photography features
Minimum shutter speed30 sec
Maximum shutter speed1/6000 sec
Exposure modesProgramShutter priorityAperture priorityShutter and aperture priorityManual
Scene modesPortraitLandscapeMacroMoving ObjectNight Scene PortraitSunsetBlue SkyForestNight SceneNight Scene HDRNight SnapFoodPetKidsSurf & SnowBacklight SilhouetteCandlelightStage LightingMuseum
Built-in flashYes
Flash range12.00 m (at ISO 100)
External flashYes
Flash modesAuto, auto w/redeye reduction, flash on, flash + redeye reduction, slow sync, trailing curtain sync, manual
Flash X sync speed1/180 sec
Drive modesSingleContinuousSelf-timerRemote controlBracketingMirror-upMulti-exposureInterval shootingInterval compositeInterval movieStar stream
Continuous drive6.0 fps
Self-timerYes (2 or 12 secs, continuous)
Metering modesMultiCenter-weightedSpot
Exposure compensation±5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)
AE Bracketing±5 (2, 3, 5 frames )
Videography features
Resolutions1920 x 1080 (60i, 50i, 30p, 25p, 24p), 1280 x 720 (60p, 50p)
FormatMPEG-4, H.264
MicrophoneStereo
SpeakerMono
Storage
Storage typesSD/SDHC/SDXC (UHS-I compatible)
Connectivity
USBUSB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
HDMIYes (mini-HDMI)
Microphone portYes
Headphone portNo
WirelessBuilt-In
Wireless notes802.11b/g/n
Remote controlYes (wired or wireless)
Physical
Environmentally sealedYes
BatteryBattery Pack
Battery descriptionD-LI109 lithium-ion battery & charger
Battery Life (CIPA)410
Weight (inc. batteries)688 g (1.52 lb / 24.27 oz)
Dimensions126 x 93 x 74 mm (4.94 x 3.66 x 2.91″)
Other features
Orientation sensorYes
Timelapse recordingYes
GPSOptional
GPS notesO-GPS1

Pentax K-70 Verdict

The Pentax K-70 camera itself is rather impressive. This camera is convenient, sturdy, and loaded with features, but it also provides excellent value for the money. It is loaded with cutting-edge capabilities, and there is more than enough here to keep amateurs, photography lovers, and even more seasoned photographers busy for a considerable amount of time to come.

The articulating screen is helpful, and the brand-new hybrid live view focusing technology is a first for Pentax. Together, these features transform live view shooting from a tedious and impractical alternative to utilizing the viewfinder into a pleasurable and valuable option. Although it is not quite as sleek and quick as using a mirrorless camera, it comes close to closing the gap between the two.

Pentax K-70 Price

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Pentax K-70 Weather-Sealed DSLR Camera, Body Only (Black)

Last update was on: January 18, 2024 4:46 pm

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