Pentax K-01

Hm... quite big based on dpr dimensions/weight. No collapsible/pancake standard zoom. I will reserve judgement until I actually have a play with one but maybe not quite the GX1/OMD alternative I was quite hoping for.

I was reserving judgment until I got some idea of size from a side by side comparison with an existing DSLR. It's not looking good:

link

So you have a camera which is only marginally smaller than the K5 (while slightly less tall and wide, the K-01 even looks a bit deeper than the K5) - apart from those protusions on the K5 that contain such useful things as a viewfinder and grip.

Pentax certainly do things differently, but might this be another Q-type mistake? The guy at Imaging Resource seems to think so, and having seen those DPreview images I'm inclined to agree with him (though of course you need to handle it to get a real idea of size).

Oh yeah found it ,thank's Gwyn , when did that come on to the site did you find it very slow to load ? I can't see anything on the Global site ... Jeff..

Hardly smaller or lighter than the K-5, Don't think AF is going to be particularly fast, no articulating LCD and to me its just really ugly .. those red and green buttons make it look like a toy.

Looks like my LX5 is staying put.

Reminds me of the Q ... great idea badly executed.

I'm presuming this is another Hoya project .. hope Ricoh get the brand back on track, sharpish.

I'm not likely to buy it, I've just spent my money on a K5 and don't regret not waiting.

I'm afraid I don't like cameras without a viewfinder. OK the LCD screen acts as a large viewfinder (liveview I think the phrase is) but that means operators have to hold them up and away from themselves to see the screen. My objections are two fold - 1. dificult to see in bright side/rear light; 2- Purely resonal, I wear varifocals so finish up with a crick in the neck trying to see through the lower half of the lenses.

Would it have been feasible to incorporate a small LCD viewfinder above the main one.

O a scale of 1-10 oyle givit foive

Bernard

Just some spec details:
(from http://pentax.ca/en/digital_slr/K-01/ )

* Does use a focal plane shutter

* Records 12-bit (DNG only), compared to the K-5's 14-bit DNG/PEF

* I see it's called a "Lens-interchangeable SL digital-still camera" - not an SLR as there no 'reflex'

EDIT: More in depth photos here - http://www.ephotozine.com/article/pentax-k-01-mirrorless-camera-hands-on-review-...

Matt

Is it weather sealed? I havent seen any mantion of it yet.

It’s a relief they haven’t selected the appellation ‘Dual-mode Interchangeable-lens Camera K-model’

It is being shipped with the none WR 18-55 kit lens- it isnt weather sealed then I assume?

I think that's a mistake.

the build quality and design look as if it (or a sister model) may have been designed to be weather sealed... but in fact this is not...
I expect if it sells well and d-slr sales slip to competing mirror less brands, then Pentax will probably release and evf weather sealed version...right now it looks like Pentax went for the price/performance package that won't cannibalize it's own d-slr sales while giving the best image quality of any evil class cam yet made.

It bloody well should be with that snorkel.

The more I'm seeing the less I'm liking, aesthetically. The product would have made sense as a value proposition, i.e. a low cost second body with video capabilities, but I think the Newson involvement and design just amplifies the shortcomings - which would have been bearable if it was just quietly marketed as a cheaper ('value engineered') option than a Pentax DSLR.

They may have come up with a more compelling product if they'd simply produced a Kr with an EVF.

Still, the video capabilities look pretty good, hopefully the advances will springboard into the next gen. DSLR or mirrorless bodies.

As I see it the Q and K-1 are not aimed at the type of photographer who frequents photo forums, therefore our feelings and impressions have no relevance.

Greg

Our tech ed Josh was with Pentax today and has written a first impressions / hands on article on ePHOTOzine along with lost of close ups of the camera here Pentax K-01

I saw an image of the slver (or was it white??) and black model with a mf 50 mm 1.4 on it.. must say... it did look nice...

I know this isn't what many will say, but I do like it. I'm blinded because it fills a need. Let's be honest here how many people would tell a mother how ugly her baby is? yet most babies look like little fat bald headed aliens.... but they are beautiful to thier mothers..
I shall adopt one of these ugly ducklings and use it to create beautiful video of swans. That is just the kind of crazy I am.