2016 Pentax Full Frame Lens Roadmaps
Five new D FA lenses planned
By PF Staff in CP+ 2016 on Feb 25, 2016
We're happy to kick off our CP+ 2016 show coverage with a look at the new Pentax K-mount lens roadmap posters on display at the Pentax / Ricoh booth (645 and Q roadmaps will be discussed separately).
Planned D FA full-frame lenses
Although the modern K-mount lens lineup is quite extensive, only a handful of new lenses cover the Pentax K-1's full-frame image circle. For the camera to really gain traction in the larger photographic community, it is important for Ricoh to quickly launch more D FA lenses— especially primes. And it looks that's exactly what the company is planning to do.
The D FA roadmap above hints at five new D FA lenses expected in 2017 or later: wide-aperture ultra-wide, standard, and short telephoto primes, a wide-angle prime, and a fish-eye zoom. The exact specs of these lenses remain unknown, but it would make sense for them to cover popular focal lengths such as 24mm, 35mm, 50mm, 85mm, etc.
Existing lenses compatible with the K-1
Another chart give us a look at current lenses compatible with the K-1: the entire D FA series (obviously) plus the three DA lenses that we discussed in our K-1 lens guide: the DA* 200mm F2.8, DA* 300mm F4, and DA 560mm F5.6. These lenses are listed here because the K-1 carries new full-frame correction profiles specifically for them, though Ricoh warns that optimal results may not be obtainable outside of crop mode.
These remarks as well as the limited of endorsement of premium DA lenses for full-frame use suggest that Ricoh is being very conservative in its lens recommendations. Other DA lenses known to perform well on full frame were omitted, such as the DA 40mm Limited or DA* 55mm F1.4. Of course, it remains to be seen just how well these lenses will fare on the K-1. We plan to test this in great detail when the production body becomes available, and expect to be positively surprised.
Hands-On with the Pentax K-1
A video overview of the camera and its features
By PF Staff in CP+ 2016 on Feb 18, 2016
We are happy to supplement our K-1 launch coverage with this exclusive hands-on look at the Pentax K-1!
This video was made by Albert Siegel, a Tokyo-based visual journalist who has previously contributed Pentax tradeshow-related content to our homepage. You can read more about Albert's impressions of the camera on his persosnal blog. Note that these findings are based on a pre-production model.
See also the Pentax K-1 announcement for a complete overview of the K-1's highlights and specifications.
The Pentax K-1 is launching at a competitive price of $1799 / £1599. Support PF by pre-ordering at these trusted Pentax retailers:
2016 CP+ Pentax Interview
Questions about the Pentax K-1 and other technologies
By PF Staff in CP+ 2016 on Feb 27, 2016
At this year's CP+ show, Ricoh Imaging representatives once again took a moment to sit down with us and answer a number of community questions about the Pentax K-1 and related topics.
Unfortunately, due to disruptive audio tests at the nearby Nikon booth, our on-camera time was cut short. The remainder of the interview follows the video in paraphrased text form.
Interview Video
Do you have any updates for Pentax Q users?
The Q line is still a current line, but we focused our limited resources on the K-1. We plan to release the roadmapped Q-mount macro lens in the near future.
Pentax Q lens roadmap
Have you done anything to compel third-party manufacturers to expand their K-mount lineups?
Not at this time.
How does the K-1's video mode compare to that of the K-3?
It is unchanged.
Pentax K-1 in the Spotlight at the Ricoh Booth
Full-frame attracts plenty of attention
By PF Staff in CP+ 2016 on Feb 26, 2016
The Pentax camera exhibit at this year's CP+ show took an entirely different form than in prior years thanks to the debut of the Pentax K-1 full frame. Ricoh Imaging transformed the booth to focus primarily on this camera, as it turns out that the majority of the company's recent efforts had been dedicated to K-1 development. This is not surprising given the fact that the camera represents the start of a brand new product line.
Show visitors testing the K-1 hands-on
Throughout the Ricoh booth, it was evident that this year's show was all about the Pentaxians who had for years been pleading for a full-frame launch. In fact, the Pentax K-1 completely took the spotlight away from the Pentax APS-C, 645, and Q lineups. The other products didn't have their own dedicated displays; instead, show visitors were able to get a distraction-free hands-on look at the K-1 at the "Touch and Try" lens bar.
Of course, this does not mean that the other product lines are being abandoned. Rather, CP+ 2016 is simply meant to celebrate the K-1.
A Close Look at the Pentax K-1's Internals
High-res photos and component breakdown
By PF Staff in CP+ 2016 on Feb 29, 2016
The Ricoh Imaging booth at CP+ 2016 placed a heavy emphasis on the recently-launched Pentax K-1. Today we take an even closer look at what's on the inside of the Pentax's first full frame DSLR.
Hardware Components
Most of the technology inside the K-1 was either developed from scratch or updated specifically for this new body. A special display case on the show floor allowed us to gain valuable insight about what's found under the hood.
New SR II 5-Axis in-body stabilization
Perhaps one of the most exciting additions is the new five-axis Shake Reduction II (SR II) system. In addition to offering an extra stop of compensation over previous models (up to 5 stops total), SR II compensates more effectively for camera roll.
Suppose that a photo would normally require a shutter sped of 1/500s to appear sharp; with Shake Reduction, it may well be sharp at 1/15s.
See a demonstration of the K-1's SR II in live view mode
Full-frame sized pentaprism (0.70x magnification, ~100% coverage)
A larger chunk of glass is needed for a full-frame optical viewfinder. The K-1's pentaprism offers nearly full coverage of the image area and the viewfinder image is almost twice as large as that of APS-C bodies (despite a lower magnification rating).
Pentax Real IMage Engine IV processor
The latest-generation Pentax CPU is dubbed "PRIME IV". It enables the largest-ever continuous shooting buffer in a Pentax DSLR.
36.4-megapixel 35.9 x 24.0mm CMOS sensor
At the heart of the K-1 lies a "newly developed" 36.4-megapixel CMOS sensor. Community sources suggest that the chip is manufactured by Sony. The sensor supports an ISO range of 100 to 204,800 (the highest in its class).
Durable chassis
Expect the K-1 to be able to take a beating thanks to a magnesium alloy body, metal chassis, and weather-sealed construction.
The camera's rear LCD hinges are just as tough as the body itself. These hinges have been designed to support the entire weight of the camera plus a reasonably-sized lens. Of course, this isn't a typical use case, but the flexibility for a user to quickly grab the camera by the LCD could for instance save the camera from an unfortunate drop while in the field.
Newly-developed shutter mechanism
The shutter mechanism is another piece of hardware that must be re-worked for a larger image format. Furthermore, the K-1 allows for flash synchronization up to 1/200s, an improvement over the previous limit of 1/180s.
All this shows that a considerable effort was put in to the K-1's development. It's now evident why Pentax couldn't "just release" a full-frame two or three years ago. Even today, users will get a lot of technology for the K-1's comparatively low launch price of $1799 (USD).
Sort: Newest | Most Views | Most Comments Showing articles 1 - 5 of 8 | Last Page
