Canon, Nikon, and Sony have always been at each others’ throats when it comes to full frame DSLRs; but only recently did Pentax also finally step into the game. The Canon 5D Mk IV, Pentax K-1, Nikon D810, and Sony a99 II are all fantastic cameras. They perform well on their own accord and we tried to figure out which one is the best of the bunch.
Take a look at our comparison review testing the Sony a99 II, Canon 5D Mk IV, Pentax K-1, andNikon D810.
The Sony a99 II has pretty much the same sensor that’s inside the Sony a7r II, but for some odd reason cameras with older sensors appear to outdo it according to the latest DXOMark scores. While Sony clearly beats out Phase One and Canon, both Pentax and Nikon outdo the a99 II’s sensor. The Sony a99 II has a 43.6MP sensor while both the Nikon and Pentax house what’s likely the same 36MP full frame sensor. All of the sensors are honestly good, but it’s a bit insane the newer sensor isn’t outdoing the old. Maybe it’s the processor.
The Pentax K-1 is a camera that is great in many ways. It offers features that Canon, Nikon and Sony just don’t in a full frame DSLR while also keeping the price point fairly modest. Pentax’s strategy for years was always to take professional grade features and bring them down to the consumer and enthusiast. For the most part, the Pentax K-1 does that. With cool things like Astrotracer, WiFi, Composition adjustment, and arguably the weirdest LCD screen in the industry, the K-1 is a camera that will suit the needs of most professional photographers when paired with the right lenses.
Sure, Pentax may not have the more extended dedicated flash and lens support that Canon, Nikon and Sony do (especially in TTL monolights)–but that doesn’t mean that it still can’t be a very capable camera in the hands of an experienced photographer.
For years, Pentax has made very well-built DSLRs. With the K-1 out, we asked for permission from Pentax to be able to do the same durability tests that we’ve done with their previous cameras–running it under a faucet. Pentax gave us the go ahead, but also said to be sure that certain ports and enclosures were all sealed.
So did it continue to work? Check out our video after the jump.
The Pentax K-1 is probably the greatest thing to happen to many Pentax users in a while; and when you consider some fantastic lenses like the company’s Pentax 15-30mm f2.8 you start to see more and more how someone could almost want to switch systems. The Pentax 15-30mm f2.8 is a weather sealed beast of a lens that works very well with the Pentax K-1 and is designed for landscape, architecture, and Real Estate photographers. But it’s also a generally great walkaround lens if you’re the type that enjoys shooting wide. Like all wides, it can also be used to deliver a very unique perspective when shooting portraits.
With 9 aperture blades in its design and HD coatings to render even more details, there’s a lot to love here.
Before the Pentax fans come out with pitchforks and try to DDoS this site into oblivion, hear me out.
Pentax Ricoh recently announced their K-1 DSLR: the company’s first full frame DSLR. It’s been the answer to what many folks have been asking for for years. Pentax has had one of the most decorated histories in photography. They had the Auto 110 SLR, the K-1000, some of the most unique focal lengths out there, the Pentax 645, the Pentax 67, and many more. For years, Pentax cameras were in the hands of many photography students.
But when digital came along, the company kind of went into obscurity. Their initial products weren’t really the best performers until they started to put rugged builds and excellent features into their entry level DSLRs and move the improvements up the line. Even today, they’re the company that offers fantastic products but that aren’t really talked about that much. They’ve got the most APS-C DSLR lenses out there of any company and they’ve always had a very loyal core following.
Pentax/Ricoh just announced a whole slew of products that folks have surely been waiting for for years. The big one is the new Pentax K-1 full frame DSLR. Retailing for $1799.95, this camera sports a 36.4MP full frame sensor at the heart, can each ISO 204,800, have five axis shake reduction, is capable of shooting at 4.4 fps, has 33 AF points, build in GPS, Wifi/Geolocation capabilities, and is fully weather sealed. More specs are after the jump.
They’re also announcing the new Pentax D HD FA 15-30mm f/2.8 ED SDM WR Lens and the Pentax D HD FA 28-105mm f/3.5-5.6 ED DC WR Lens.
