Op/Ed What Pentax Got right with the K-01

I’ve been saving every single penny for a new camera. What I want is a second body to go along with my D90 for street photography and events. When Nikon announced their mirrorless camera, it was an option I initially considered, but I was underwhelmed after testing it. The Nikon 1 series looked good on paper, even with the small sensor. When it came to lenses, however, I had some serious issues with it. When Pentax recently announced the K-01 the first thought I had was, “They got it right!”

Forget what the Pentax K 01 looks like, that is not important. What I see is the K-01′s functionality. What I asked myself is why no one else thought about it, and if they did, why they did not do it?

If I was a Pentax user, that camera would be pre-ordered already. What has me so interested in the Pentax K-01 is the K mount. The K mount is what Pentax DSLRs uses for its lenses. The K-01 also uses the same size sensor as the k-5. If you’re a long time Pentax user you have a bunch of lenses already at your disposal. You are not giving up image quality or having to invest in a new lens system or an adapter, which is brilliant. Pentax K-01 Digital Camera With 40mm Lens (Black) is $899.95 usd.

When the Nikon 1 V1 Mirrorless Digital Camera with 10-30mm Lens was announced with its interesting feature set, costing $899.95 for a one-lens kit, left me slightly deterred. Don’t get me wrong, the Nikon j1 & v1 are excellent cameras. They perform decently, but it is a completely different lens system. The sensor, while seemingly nice, is small. The price, with the Nikon FT1 Mount Adapter, costing $269.97, for my current lenses, is high. This has made me unhappy with the Nikon 1.

Straight out of the box, I can use the K Mount lenses with the K-01. Looking at value for money, Pentax wins hands down.

Please Support The Phoblographer

We love to bring you guys the latest and greatest news and gear related stuff. However, we can’t keep doing that unless we have your continued support. If you would like to purchase any of the items mentioned, please do so by clicking our links first and then purchasing the items as we then get a small portion of the sale to help run the website.

Tagged as: comparison, dslr, ergonomics, lens, lenses, mirrorless camera, nikon, pentax, Photography

Rob

Considering how few Pentax users there are (less than 5% market share), I can see why very few people considered what you are talking about in this post.
- Maritin Darley
  
  That would be fine if pentax lenses in circulation were a reflection of current market penetration. The fact is that this camera can mount millions of k an m42 mount lenses that have been produced in the past 5 decades.
  - Frodo
    
    Still just a fraction of what you can mount on any other mirrorless system camera with a cheap adapter ring. So the use of old lenses is not really an advantage here, its rather restricted in comparison.
SpoorthyVemula

Well, I might consider it if It was smaller. but the fact is that it isnt THAT much smaller than my K-5. I think this would be much more use ful for a new user
Captain Megaton

“Forget what the Pentax K 01 looks like, that is not important. What I see is the K-01′s functionality.”
In which case surely you’d be better off with a K-r? Same size, more functionality (viewfinder!), cheaper price. I mean I like the K-01 concept too, but your argument for it makes no sense.
- Kevenl
  
  if a person is into video, and do not want switch to canon or other brand for full manual control, then this is the only camera right now for Pentax user
- Herya
  
  It is (slightly) smaller than k-x/k-r and definitely smaller than k-5. A s a current k-x owner I would definitely consider k-01 for an upgrade. It has the advantage of size and quiet shutter (my k-x is very loud), I don’t use my zoom lens that often so I can live with no EVF. I would definitely check AF performance, low light, battery life etc.; but it would be on my list to check. I can see it being a mean city machine with its pancake lens or my “plastic wonder” 35mm.
- Optigrab
  
  Where did you get the idea that the K-01 is the same size as the K-r? The K-01 is less than 70% the size of the K-r:
  http://camerasize.com/compare/#210,285
  In fact it is even smaller than the smallest dSLR I can think of; the Olympus E-420.
  So, yes, it is larger than a typical mirrorless camera (although it has a bigger sensor than most mirrorless cameras, too). The point is that if a small body is an important factor, choosing the K-01 over a dSLR may be quite reasonable.
  
  And the sensor in the K-01 is probably better than that in the K-r.
  - Matt
    
    I would submit that if a small body is an important factor then not choosing a K-01 is quite reasonable. The bottom line for me, keeping in mind I am a Pentax DSLR owner, is that the K-01 does not compete with many other mirrorless systems. Many of those systems are much more compact than the K-01, take for example the Samsung Nx200, which is about half the size of the K-01 and also sports an APS-C sensor. If size is a factor a K-01, which is sized comparably to DSLRs, just doesn’t compete with something like the NX200.
    
    I wish Pentax great success with this camera, but I don’t see it converting the size-conscious point-and-shoot or micro-4/3rds user. In fact, it seems that many DSLR users are viewing it as a budget-minded alternative K-5.
    - kadajawi
      
      Size it not everything. The Sony NEX line is small. Yes. That’s nice. But the camera is totally out of balance with a bigger lens. With dedicated lenses the K-01 can give similar dimensions to a NEX with a similar lens, without being awkward to hold (the lens extends into the “mirror-box”). Of course such lenses are rather rare.
Bartzumbari

The body alone weighs about 70% as much as a K-5 so that’s nice, but with a zoom lens it’s about 85% the weight of a K-5. Like someone mentioned, the auto-focus might not be so great. The Nikon J1 (and V1) auto-focus speed is in another league completely–even destroys the fairly zippy m43 cameras. Plus Nikon went to the bother of making a very small and light swivel flash for it so the *whole kit* is much smaller, not just the body.
- supertak
  
  but you have to keep in mind that nikon also has completely new line of lenses while K-01 can be used with any K-mount lens and Pentax still can develop new lenses tailored to focus faster with K-01, then another thing is what is the guide number of the “very small and light” flash for nikon? and you seem to forget that K-01 has in-built flash and can also be used with any other flash for Pentax DSLR which is a huge advantage
  - Bartzumbari
    
    Let me be clear, I’m talking about these cameras as a second system (subject of the article)–a portable system you take on picnics or vacations or outings where you want a small and light kit and, very importantly, you want fast autofocus (eg., soccer or baseball game.) The K-01 simply doesn’t fit the bill. If I wanted to bring along my SLR lenses, then I just use my SLR (K-5, D90, etc..) because my bag will be the same size as it would be with the K-01.
    
    The new lenses and flash on the 1 system are an advantage because they are *way* smaller–much smaller than even m43 kits. The guide number on the small hotshoe flash doesn’t matter–you just want nice looking casual portraits and the pop up on the K-01 will not give you that. Standard hot shoe flashes are huge–I would never carry something like that as part of a casual compact kit.If Pentax starts making lenses specifically for the K-01, then you’re right back to having to purchase a new set of lenses, so that advantage disappears.
    
    Now, I think the K-01 might be interesting as an only system if you want DOF and better low light performance and you don’t do much action photography.
- Optigrab
  
  ”The body alone weighs about 70% as much as a K-5 so that’s nice, but with a zoom lens it’s about 85% the weight of a K-5.”
  
  And with a Bigma the two cameras are even closer, percentage-wise. So what? There’s a simple mathematical trick you’re employing here. Considered separately, a bikini is much smaller a lighter than an evening gown. But when mounted on a super model, they weigh nearly the same.
  - Bartzumbari
    
    I’m not using any trick. We’re talking about portability, right? It enforces the point that a kit with a K01 will require the same bag size as a kit with a K5. If you use a Bigma as part of your K01 kit, then you’re making my point even stronger. I was assuming some basic zoom lens like a 17-70.
    
    It sounds like you’re saying it makes sense to choose a super model with a bikini because that combination is more portable than a super model with a gown. If so, then maybe the K01 is for you.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Fernando-Lopez/535502332 Fernando Lopez

Why would you buy the K01 if for 100 usd more you can get the K-05, which is almost the same size and has a lot more functionalities (viewfinder?)? I don’t see the point.
Simplemind46

I wish I COULD forget what the K-01 looks like! It looks like a hideous piece of bad design malarkey. In an age when design is key to new products, esp. consumer electronics, this design gets it all wrong.

Sorry, but it’s the Pontiac Aztek of its category.
- kadajawi
  
  I tend to disagree. It’s a pretty attractive camera, an interesting design, though it does polarize of course. But there are also people who think it is attractive (probably not traditional photographers).
Pingback: Cameras | Pearltrees
Pingback: Latest Slr Camera Buying Guide News | | Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-HX7VSony Cyber-Shot DSC-HX7V
Jason Weber

Thank you for a *positive* post about the poor K-01