Meet the Pentax K-01

Cosimo · 2 Feb 2012 at 15:40

Pentax enters the fray with a K-mount, APS-C mirrorless camera:

Features:

Durable machined aluminum frame under a stylish black, white, or yellow exterior.

PENTAX mirrorless body design is compatible with 25+ million PENTAX K-mount lenses spanning decades.

Large 16 megapixel APS-C sized CMOS image sensor with low noise image capture and multiple aspect ratios.

Bright, high-resolution 3-inch LCD with 920,000 dots.

Full HD 1080p video capture at 30 FPS with h.264 compression (60 FPS at 720p) features outstanding video capture flexibility.

Sensor-shift PENTAX Shake and Dust Reduction system is compatible with every mounted PENTAX lens.

Fast 6 FPS burst mode is ideal for fast-action photography.

Flexible ISO range of 100-25600 ensures gorgeous noise-free imaging in any lighting condition.

Focus peaking mode provides fast and accurate manual focusing for critical focus applications.

Battery: Rechargeable Lithium-ion Battery D-LI90

Dimensions: 121(W) × 79(H) × 59mm(D) (excl. operation parts and protrusion)

Weight:560g (loaded with batt. and SD card), 480 g (body only)

Hands-on Preview:

http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/pentax-k01/pentax-k01A.HTM

Design:

Pricing:

The SRP of the body is £629. With the new 40mm or the 18-55mm - £679, or the twin kit is £799.

Expected at the end of March.

I'm not too sure about the design, the image quality promises to be better than that of the K-5. Big lenses will look strange hanging off it. It's not making me excited.

2Thumbs · 2 Feb 2012 at 15:48

Read about this earlier in a Pentax Forum article.

I can't say I see the point. Having the same flange focal distance for use of SLR lenses makes it pretty much the same size as a K-5 except for the pentaprism module.

Also it's very ugly (subjective I know), if that kind of thing bothers you. They say it's half the price of the K-5 but it looks like they've spent half the price designing it.

I'd rather have an NEX-5N.

Columbo · 2 Feb 2012 at 15:56

That thing is pure eye poison.

D.P. · 2 Feb 2012 at 16:44

2Thumbs said:
Read about this earlier in a Pentax Forum article.

I can't say I see the point. Having the same flange focal distance for use of SLR lenses makes it pretty much the same size as a K-5 except for the pentaprism module.

Also it's very ugly (subjective I know), if that kind of thing bothers you. They say it's half the price of the K-5 but it looks like they've spent half the price designing it.

I'd rather have an NEX-5N.

I agree, it just seems pointless. A DSLR without the mirror, much the same size and weight really.

To put hings into perspective, a Nikon D3100 weighs in at 455g without a battery, with is only 505g. I.e., a Full Nikon DSLR is 55g lighter and gives you a proper viewfinder and phase AF. The Nikon D3100 is also going to be much cheaper. The D3100 is sub 350GBP body only right now. I'm sure the canon and sony entry level models have similar stats.

The reason Pentax did this is that they simply do not have the resources to make a new set of lenses.

What a shame. I don't think Pentax's future is very bright as they are just not making any inroads, which is a shame because some of their lenses and cameras are great. They really need to try harder in such a competitive environment.

An Exception · 2 Feb 2012 at 17:09

It is just so ugly, it's as if the design team intentionally tried to make it as ugly as possible!
Looks like some kind of fisher price toy...

sarge78 · 2 Feb 2012 at 17:11

Hipster DSLR without the SLR?

First the Q and now this? Pentax are bonkers.

PermaBanned · 2 Feb 2012 at 17:46

The thing is, Pentax DSLRs are actually really decent. Well priced too.

simpletom · 2 Feb 2012 at 18:37

PermaBanned said:
The thing is, Pentax DSLRs are actually really decent. Well priced too.

They are, rugged and great quality. I took a K100d to Peru and it worked very well. I hoped the taxi driver who robbed it is still enjoying it

dannyjo22 · 2 Feb 2012 at 19:04

It looks like my 2 year old sons vtech camera.

edgedemon · 2 Feb 2012 at 21:04

The only advantage I can see to this is that it is k Mount, so can use the pancake Ltd's, otherwise Im a bit unimpressed. If they had managed to put a EVF in there, then I would have been more impressed.
Not a reason to change from my K20D

D.P. · 2 Feb 2012 at 22:07

edgedemon said:
The only advantage I can see to this is that it is k Mount, so can use the pancake Ltd's, otherwise Im a bit unimpressed. If they had managed to put a EVF in there, then I would have been more impressed.
Not a reason to change from my K20D

That is the thing, it is missing an EVF, and in the same or less weight you could get a full DSLR. So why on earth would you want want unless you have a higher end pentax SLR with a load of k-mount lenses and you wanted a bottom end SLR which was a bit smaller and lighter. Which is fine and im sure some Pentax users will buy one but pentax will never gain any new users.

One wonder what planet Pentax were on when they thought of their mirror-less camera business. The idea of these small system mirror-less cameras is have significantly better IQ than a compact, perhaps even entry-level DSLR equivalent, but in a smaller more approachable package. First Pentax release the awful Q system which gives compact camera IQ in a bigger more expensive and obscure box with plastic lenses. Then they release a mirrorless camera heavier than an entry-level DSLR, but it doesn't have key features like an EVF that may warrant a larger mirror-less camera.

Even their newish digital medium format has some oddities and hardly seems significantly advantageous relative to something like a Nikon D3x.

Pentax needs new management.

Throttle · 2 Feb 2012 at 22:23

its no looker thats for sure

K.C. Leblanc · 3 Feb 2012 at 15:11

I like the way it looks, but the concept is pretty naff.

It looks to me like they wanted to develop it on the cheap, they've avoided the cost of having to develop a range of lenses.

At least it's sensibly priced and has a APS-C sensor, so more appealing then the Nikon.

An Exception · 3 Feb 2012 at 16:42

^^^
What's with you sig, have I missed something?

D.P. · 3 Feb 2012 at 17:04

K.C. Leblanc said:
I like the way it looks, but the concept is pretty naff.

It looks to me like they wanted to develop it on the cheap, they've avoided the cost of having to develop a range of lenses.

At least it's sensibly priced and has a APS-C sensor, so more appealing then the Nikon.

The sensor size is debatable, yes it is great for IQ and wide angle lenses, but will lead to larger lenses, especially telephoto lenses.

As for price, you got to be kidding right?
The Nikon J1 is the most comparable Nikon mirrorless. This pentax doesn't have an EVF which the V1 has so the J1 is fairer comparison. The Nikon J1 is £379 with the 10mm prime, the RRP of this new pentax is £679 with a 40mm prime. Or you could buy a Nikon D3100 which is a much more capable camera at about the same size and is actually lighter, for a mere £348 body only. The Retial prices will drop down but it wont be competitive with the Nikon 1 system, and in a price war the Nikon 1 can be made very cheap if need be.

This new pentax is just plain weird.

An Exception · 4 Feb 2012 at 12:38

Sensors too small in the Nikon 1 for me to want one, would rather wait until I could afford the new fuji.

K.C. Leblanc · 4 Feb 2012 at 12:47

D.P. said:
£379 with the 10mm prime, the RRP of this new pentax is £679 with a 40mm prime. Or you could buy a Nikon D3100 which is a much more capable camera at about the same size and is actually lighter, for a mere £348 body only. The Retial prices will drop down but it wont be competitive with the Nikon 1 system, and in a price war the Nikon 1 can be made very cheap if need be.

This new pentax is just plain weird.

In that case in need to pay more attention to Nikon, the model they were pushing at launch was almost £800. £379 with a lens makes a lot more sense.