Pentax K-01

hoodman loupes..

Very interesting. I think Don's had it right all along - it's a product for a different market.

It's not for me, but at the end of the day, if it makes money for Pentax, and the success of the K-01 isn't at the expense of the K-5 and its replacement, there's no reason not to want it to be a success.

In fact, if I suddenly decided I absolutely needed convenient video, it might yet be for me. It would have to AF silently during recording though. Does anyone know if it does?

It's still not really 'convenient video' as takes are limited to 25 mins. That's fine for serious video shooters, and for the odd bit of video, but not if you want a single-take, locked down shot of your kid's school play.

It does AF in video, but whether it's silent will depend on the lens (DC vs screwmount).

Interesting comments from MostlyHarmless. A lot of reviewers have noted that they didn't like the camera's looks, but their spouses loved it.

MostlyHarmless: That's unusually perceptive analysis coming from a Welshman

But the key question remains whether the average punter will find it equally attractive next to more petite models like the PEN or NEX ranges.

The market - and maybe the Sunday broadsheet supplements - will decide!

Did you tell them it only looks like that cause it has no zoom?

I believe the people that you describe are the people that will first ask how much it can zoom.

Even with the 40mm on my K-5 most comments from not photographers or photography geeks/enthusiasts are "this must zoom a lot" especially after telling them the price. The moment you tell them well it does not "zoom" it is the moment they look at you like you walked out of a mental institution.

Stick a 18-55 in front of the K01 and show it to them again. I think most will lose interest cause then it looks like a DSLR.

And unless I've missed it in the depths, there's this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTohGuBh9Cs

So long as this is not the K-r replacement then the K-01 is fine maybe a new niche in the market, time will tell.

However I personally don't think anyone with a dslr downgrading to it just because they have k mount lenses. People who buy it will have to get a couple of zooms at least and try holding it away from your face while zooming and trying to keep it steady.

I wish Pentax luck with this product, my only concerns is where is the K-r replacement - so unusual to discontinue a line without a replacement.

That shot has just reminded me what it reminds me of


Fisher Price toys

The K-01 is definitely designed as "a product for a different market". It is not designed for photographers. Those who slag Pentax over this unit are justified, since the company seems to have abandoning photographers in their pursuit of gimmicks and toys. First the Q and now this. But no more lenses for the 645D, which needs several to compete. No new lenses at all, in fact (thin DA40 XS notwithstanding). No new entry-level DSLR.

Unfortunately the situation is worse, in that the K-01 was designed by people who apparently don't have a clue what other markets want.

Small. Thin. Fashionable. Trendy.

This camera is none of those things. Let's see how well it does!

(I've said everything I need to, so see you in another six months.)

Lets remember this is a Hoya project (Marc Newson said it was started just over a year ago) with a Hoya R&D budget.

Since Ricoh has taken the helm, we have a lens road map published (2012 lenses are probably a dead cert). Two new DSLRs strongly rumoured. Old Pentax engineers rehired! Judging by the K-01 perhaps it's best that Ricoh have stalled the delivery of the Kr replacement.

A few good cameras down the line, the K-01 will be forgotten, except perhaps as a quirky, highly collectable oddity.

Well, I am in that age segment myself and I am totally ok with the design. From the pictures, I even like the yellow one (I hated the coloured DSLRs). It is not terribly inspired I think, but acknowledging the compromises that were inevitable (like: they could have made a slim Sony or Olympus retro-ish thing ... and btw from the talking here, I am already fed up with cameras trying to look like they where made 40-50 years ago, but I was not going to buy new lenses or mess around with adapters.) What Pentax seems to be up to is to be using DSLR and this mirrorless thing as cross fertilizing platforms and I am all for that.

Looking at the image a couple of posts previous to this, I cannot understand how anybody would insist the K5 is the pretty one

Besides, have you guys actually tried taking pictures with live view? It is not impossible for me to hold my K5 still without attaching it to the forehead. I admit, I never ever shoot birds with 300+mm lenses and I am sure, I am not alone in not having that interest. For snapping people on the street, portraits and macro I see advantages to using live view. Also manual focus is reported to be much better - huge bonus for those of us who can still see with our eyes Making the camera a few hundred punds cheaper I can live with omission of a view finder.

Btw. any chance they can lift features like the focus peaking and implement it in DSLRs. Possibly by firmware or is a dedicated module that ie the K5 does not have? I am with Don here, video is getting more and more relevant for many people that uses cameras not only as a hobby but a tool in their professional lives (not only photographers)

the iphone has got "small thin and trendy" locked up...anybody that thinks a more expensive camera trying to compete is not gonna be selling cameras in that market... Sony doesn't have to care if thier small thin trendy cameras flop... guess where the only division at sony turning a profit is? the division making the iphone camera sensors...link
even the ipad is making serious inroads...
link


chasing a soon to be dead market would be a bad choice for Pentax.

sorry but if you stick the pentax pancake lens on a slim nex5n body (and make it work), joe public is gonna pull out thier iphone 5 (or 6) and say "what's the point? my phone does excellent photos and movies, plus I can edit them, and share them right on the phone!"

no sale...

The iPhone just isn't a competitor for cameras like the NEX at all, with it's tiny lens and sensor. Yes the iphone and similar phone cameras (why is it always the iphone - Sony Erricson have better phone cams) will probably almost wipe out the compact sector, but a camera with interchangeable fast lenses and large sensor will always win out.

The NEX is by far the most popular ILC I see when I'm out and about in town. There is more to it than 'thin and trendy' - the IQ is competitive with DSLRs. Shame the lenses are like beer cans.... (An adapter plus a Pentax M50/1.7 is actually more compact than Sony's own 50/1.8 ):







Thus I think that a rather thinner version of the K-01 would be possible, somewhere between it's current thickness and the Sony NEX, and it would have more shelf-appeal.

I don't agree there is only so much lattitude here with interchangeable lenses, and eventually there will be an iphone with zoom lens, lightfield focus and nex is in trouble, but in the mean time try this with the nex:
link


you can stand it on all four sides...
nice for when you don't have a tripod or want to get in the shot!
means even if you have a mic or external monitor plugged into it, you could set it on a table or counter and shoot! horizontal or vertical..

Well it does everything else right so might as well be able to stand on all four sides to give it an extra edge