Pentax is one of the significant conventional photography companies that has transitioned from film to digital camera manufacture. It has always seemed plausible that the company will one day create a full-frame digital SLR camera. However, the firm didn’t declare that it was going to take that step until February of 2015 — and now, after spending a year staring at mock-ups beneath glass domes at trade exhibitions, we finally have the Pentax K-1 in our hands.
Pentax K-1 Full Frame DSLR Camera (Body Only)
- 36.4MP AA Filter less CMOS Sensor w/ 33 AF Points; SR Shake Reduction w/ Pixel Shift Resolution System APS C Crop Mode for backward compatibility with PENTAX APS C Lenses
- GPS/Electronic Compass/Astro Tracer
- 36.4MP AA Filter less CMOS Sensor w/ 33 AF Points; SR Shake Reduction w/ Pixel Shift Resolution System APS C Crop Mode for backward compatibility with PENTAX APS C Lenses
- GPS/Electronic Compass/Astro Tracer
- Cross tilt LCD display; Weather resistant body
- 1080/60i video; Focus peaking in video mode will assist with manual focusing; LED illuminated body points
- Weight: 32.6 ounce
Regarding its technical specifications, the new camera has a lot to offer hobbyist photographers, particularly those who have not yet amassed a library of full-frame K-mount lenses. First and foremost, the full-frame (35.9 x 24mm) 36 million-pixel sensor supplied by Sony, the 14-bit PRIME IV processing engine, and the 33-point SAFOX 12 autofocus system are all brand new.
In addition, to enable increased detail resolution, the sensor does not have an anti-aliasing (AA) filter. Instead, Pentax has integrated its AA filter simulator, which may decrease moire patterning when necessary. This method eliminates the appearance of moiré patterning by employing in-camera software in conjunction with microscopic vibrations at a sub-pixel level while the image is being exposed.
Pentax K-1 Image Quality
When I initially picked up the K-1, I believed it was pleasant to handle, and after using it for extended periods, my view has not altered at all on this aspect of the weapon. The front grip is comfortable and deep (from front to back), giving your fingers freedom to reach down and round, yet at the same time, it is not overly broad, preventing your fingers from being strained. Additionally, it has excellent sculpting, and the textured covering is incredibly tactile and provides a good “grip.”
In addition to the front grip, the rear of the camera features a small yet ergonomic thumb ridge that, when combined with the front grip, gives the impression that the camera is securely held in your hands.
The magnesium alloy used in its construction gives the camera a robust and well-made appearance and feel. In addition, the dials have a great, substantial feel and a respectable amount of torque. This is a camera that you shouldn’t have to put away hastily if it starts to rain while you’re out on a shoot since all of the controls, joints, and ports have been sealed to prevent the intrusion of dust and moisture. As we have come to expect from Pentax, this is a weatherproof camera. Additionally, it continues to function even when the temperature is -10C.
Pentax K-1 Performance
The picture quality of Pentax’s most recent single-lens reflex cameras, which strikes a solid mix between detail and noise visibility, has impressed us, and the K-1, for the most part, upholds that level. Images with low to medium sensitivity contain a lot of detail, but when the ISO number is increased, fine-textured noise appears. The ISO 6400 setting produced awe-inspiring images with a high level of resolution and a low level of noise. Around ISO 25,600, the quality of the photographs begins to suffer, although they are still usable in most cases.
Even the results at ISO102,400 and ISO204,800 are acceptable, although they appear more like the outcomes of expansion settings than the values of their natural environments. When seen at a reasonably tiny size on-screen, certain darker regions are severely smeared, and elements within the JPEGs have a subtle glow that is diffused. Reduce the ISO to 51,200 or 25,600, and you will see a significant increase in the quality of the photographs at the A3 size. Raw and JPEG files will still have some luminance noise, but they will be much less noticeable.
Pentax K-1 Image Quality
The Pentax K-1 was capable of producing very high-quality photographs. Noise is adequately handled by the Pentax K-1, appearing for the first time at an ISO level of 1600 and becoming more plainly discernible at faster ISO settings of 3200-12800 while viewing photographs at 100% magnification on screen (particularly in the RAW files). The quickest settings, which range from 25600 to 204800, appear far better on paper than they do in practice. The color saturation is steady over the whole ISO range, which is quite impressive.
While using the telephoto end of the zoom range or when hand-holding the camera in low-light settings, image stabilization that is built into the camera body is an excellent feature that works exceptionally well. It is compatible with any lens you choose to connect to the K-1 is an additional advantage. The night shot turned out well thanks to the camera’s maximum shutter speed of 30 seconds and its Bulb mode, which enabled the photographer to catch sufficient light in any given scenario.
The Digital Filters enable you to generate distinctive effects in a short amount of time. At the same time, the Custom Images provide you the ability to make adjustments to fit your needs better and may be used in place of the digital darkroom in many situations. The D-Range choices assist make the most out of both the shadows and highlights in a high-contrast scene (and it works for both JPEG and RAW files), while the HDR mode significantly widens the dynamic range of a JPEG by merging three shots with varied exposures in-camera.
Pentax K-1 Specs
Body type | Mid-size SLR |
---|---|
Body material | Magnesium alloy |
Sensor | |
Max resolution | 7360 x 4912 |
Image ratio w:h | 3:2 |
Effective pixels | 36 megapixels |
Sensor photo detectors | 37 megapixels |
Sensor size | Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm) |
Sensor type | CMOS |
Processor | PRIME IV |
Color space | sRGB, Adobe RGB |
Color filter array | Primary color filter |
Image | |
ISO | Auto, 100-204800 |
White balance presets | 8 |
Custom white balance | Yes (3 slots) |
Image stabilization | Sensor-shift |
Uncompressed format | RAW |
JPEG quality levels | Best, better, good |
File format | JPEG (Exif v2.3)Raw (PEF/DNG) |
Optics & Focus | |
Autofocus | Contrast Detect (sensor)Phase DetectMulti-areaCenterSelective single-pointTrackingSingleContinuousFace DetectionLive View |
Autofocus assist lamp | Yes |
Manual focus | Yes |
Number of focus points | 33 |
Lens mount | Pentax KAF4 |
Focal length multiplier | 1× |
Screen / viewfinder | |
Articulated LCD | Tilting |
Screen size | 3.2″ |
Screen dots | 1,037,000 |
Touch screen | No |
Screen type | TFT LCD |
Live view | Yes |
Viewfinder type | Optical (pentaprism) |
Viewfinder coverage | 100% |
Viewfinder magnification | 0.7× |
Photography features | |
Minimum shutter speed | 30 sec |
Maximum shutter speed | 1/8000 sec |
Exposure modes | ProgramAperture priorityShutter priorityAperture and shutter prioritySensitivity priorityManual |
Built-in flash | No |
External flash | Yes (via hot shoe or flash sync port) |
Flash modes | Auto Flash Discharge, Auto Flash + Red-eye Reduction, Flash On, Flash On + Red-eye Reduction, Slow-speed Sync, Slow-speed Sync + Red-eye, P-TTL, Trailing Curtain Sync, Contrast-control-sync, High-speed sync, Wireless sync |
Flash X sync speed | 1/200 sec |
Drive modes | Single Frame, Continuous, Self-timer, Remote Control, Bracketing, Mirror- up, Multi-Exposure, Interval Shooting, Interval Composite, Interval Movie Record, Star Stream |
Continuous drive | 4.4 fps |
Self-timer | Yes (2 or 12 sec, custom) |
Metering modes | MultiCenter-weightedSpot |
Exposure compensation | ±5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps) |
AE Bracketing | ±5 (2, 3, 5 frames at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps) |
Videography features | |
Resolutions | 1920 x 1080 (60i, 50i, 30p, 25p, 24p), 1280 x 720 (60p, 50p) |
Format | MPEG-4, H.264 |
Microphone | Stereo |
Speaker | Mono |
Storage | |
Storage types | Dual SD/SDHC/SDXC (UHS-I) |
Connectivity | |
USB | USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) |
HDMI | Yes (micro-HDMI) |
Microphone port | Yes |
Headphone port | Yes |
Wireless | Built-In |
Wireless notes | 802.11b/g/n |
Remote control | Yes (wired, wireless, or smartphone) |
Physical | |
Environmentally sealed | Yes |
Battery | Battery Pack |
Battery description | D-LI90 lithium-ion battery & charger |
Battery Life (CIPA) | 760 |
Weight (inc. batteries) | 1010 g (2.23 lb / 35.63 oz) |
Dimensions | 137 x 110 x 86 mm (5.39 x 4.33 x 3.39″) |
Other features | |
Orientation sensor | Yes |
Timelapse recording | Yes (Still or video) |
GPS | Built-in |
Pentax K-1 Verdict
The K-1 boasts several charming details in addition to its most notable features, which include a full-frame sensor with 36 megapixels, Pixel Shift Resolution, and Shake Reduction II. Because the GPS, which, for one thing, makes it possible for photographs to be tagged with position data, can be turned on and off with the press of a dedicated button, there is no need to dig through the menus to locate it, nor is there any need to worry about the battery running out.
There are LED lights that make it easier to operate the camera in the dark, and a Smart Dial that is located on the top of the camera provides a means of making quick adjustments to the settings. There are plenty of shortcut buttons that reduce the number of times that you have to navigate through the menus. You also have quite a bit of leeway to customize the camera to your liking, so you may adjust the settings to make it work the way you want it to.
Pentax K-1 Price
Pentax K-1 Full Frame DSLR Camera (Body Only)
- 36.4MP AA Filter less CMOS Sensor w/ 33 AF Points; SR Shake Reduction w/ Pixel Shift Resolution System APS C Crop Mode for backward compatibility with PENTAX APS C Lenses
- GPS/Electronic Compass/Astro Tracer
- 36.4MP AA Filter less CMOS Sensor w/ 33 AF Points; SR Shake Reduction w/ Pixel Shift Resolution System APS C Crop Mode for backward compatibility with PENTAX APS C Lenses
- GPS/Electronic Compass/Astro Tracer
- Cross tilt LCD display; Weather resistant body
- 1080/60i video; Focus peaking in video mode will assist with manual focusing; LED illuminated body points
- Weight: 32.6 ounce