| Latest Review Posted | Pentax MX-1
Despite the short list of con's, this is the best compact camera I've used in a long time. Build quality is excellent. it's easy to control if you want to head away from the auto modes, the menu system when needed is logical and straightforward (especially if you use a Pentax dSLR), JPEGs often require very little post-processing and the camera is quiet, discrete and quick to use.
The image quality is competitive with other cameras in its class, not least because the lens is so sharp. And because it's fast, you can keep the ISOs low, which helps a lot. There is more ability to control depth of field and blur than I'd anticipated too.
For some, the camera will be a little too bulky and yet without a grip not easy to use one-handed. As I always shoot two-handed in any case, it's not an issue for me and I find the size just about spot-on - easy enough to carry all day and yet large enough to not be fiddly. It's a shame there isn't an optional EVF but the excellent tilting LCD does a pretty decent job.
Overall, I'm very happy with the MX-1 and can see that it's the kind of camera I'll keep for a long time - it simply feels right when I pick it up, and the images are more than good enough for most normal purposes up to around ISO800 - and I wouldn't expect more than that from a compact. The camera is a doddle to use if you like to take a bit more control. If you need more than this, then you're probably fishing in the wrong pool and would be better off looking at... |
