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11-02-2017, 07:11 AM   #1
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Looking at a Pentax Q, but I have some questions

Hello,

I would like to have a backup mirror-less camera (to my current Pentax KP), because I want to have a small and light camera to be more flexible every time going out. the K-01 is an obvious candidate, however, it's also an APS-C, so I'm looking at the Pentax Q, so I will have some different things on the table.

Since I know nothing about Pentax Q, I would like to ask you:

- The crop factor of the Q?
- I own a set of DA limited lenses (Da 15, 21, 35, 40, 70), can I use it with the Q?
- Is there an K to Q adapter that also supports AF?

Thank you very much

11-02-2017, 07:30 AM - 1 Like   #2
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QuoteOriginally posted by Bui Quote
- The crop factor of the Q?
It depends on the model. Q/Q10 is 5.6, Q7/QS1 is 4.6

QuoteOriginally posted by Bui Quote
- I own a set of DA limited lenses (Da 15, 21, 35, 40, 70), can I use it with the Q?
Yes with and adapter. But it's not that practical since it's only manual focus and any auto mode working with aperture will not work. And there's no way to know which aperture is used with lenses without an aperture ring. Also note that all these lenses will behave quite differently than on the KP. Even the DA15 will be a short telephoto on the Q.

For a backup plan, it's much better to use native lenses for the Q. The native lenses already cover up to 45mm with an apertue of 2.8. There's no practical reason to use an adapted lens shorter than this without a significantly larger aperture like the DA15, 21 and 40. The DA35 may be useful for macro work only, but for anything else it's much less trouble to use the native lens. I have used the DA70 and although it works, it's still much more practical to use the native 15-45 2.8 zoom and crop a bit or walk a few steps closer to the subject than to bother with the adapter.

QuoteOriginally posted by Bui Quote
- Is there an K to Q adapter that also supports AF?
No adapter support autofocus or automatic aperture.

Last edited by CarlJF; 11-02-2017 at 07:47 AM.
11-02-2017, 07:31 AM - 1 Like   #3
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The Q is a 1 1:2 sensor. There is a K to Q adapter but it doesn't allow auto focus.
We bought ours, but, the small size of the camera body because larger when you put a lens on it. It's not much use with just a body cap on the front.

I also bought an XG-1 that has the same size sensor, a fixed 4.5 to 233mm zoom with AF and no lens changes for 24mm to 1250mm equivalence. I haven't used the Q since I bought it. MY pocket camera is an old Pentax 90W or a Nikon Coolpix 130 AW. We are thinking of selling the Q.
11-02-2017, 07:36 AM - 1 Like   #4
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The crop factor for the original Q and the Q10 is 5.6x

The crop factor for the Q7 and QS-1 is 4.7x, because it has a slightly larger sensor

Yes, you can use your DA Limiteds on the Q, either with Pentax's deluxe adapter, or with an aftermarket one that doesn't have an internal shutter (but you need an adapter that can manually operate the aperture).

Of course, all your DA Limiteds would be telephotos. The "normal" lens for a Q is only 8.5mm.

No, I'm not aware of anyone attempting to make an adapter that could AF a full size Pentax lens on a Q.

And, no, the K-01 isn't really a "compact" alternative to a KP. There's not much in it, size and weight wise - which is why the K-01 (wonderful and cool as it is) didn't really succeed.

11-02-2017, 07:47 AM - 1 Like   #5
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QuoteOriginally posted by Ontarian50 Quote
And, no, the K-01 isn't really a "compact" alternative to a KP
QuoteQuote:
She said that the Pentax KP was very compact and close to what is available in the APS-C mirrorless market now. I spent some time with the KP and also stopped by the Fuji booth, and have to agree. In fact the KP felt better in my hands than the Fuji X-Pro2 or X-T2, which seemed larger and much less ergonomic.

Read more at: PhotoPlus 2017 Pentax Booth Report - Trade Shows | PentaxForums.com
If you want compact, try a K-P with a 40 XS on it.
11-02-2017, 08:10 AM - 1 Like   #6
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Compare camera dimensions side by side

The K-01 is pretty compact, especially because of its shape. The brick shape doesn't snag onto things, you can place it anywhere. With lenses like the DA limited or DA 40mm Xs, it is super compact. Even older M series or some of the new ones (like DA 20-40mm) are still really compact. And it has a proven 16MP sensor. I quite like the K-01. But I do agree that it has some weaknesses. I'm not sure if the Q is much better in those regards, I think they share many pros and cons. So I would say that you get whichever you enjoy more, particularly if you get a chance to see them in real life, to see how they feel and handle. Then just get the one that you can find at a reasonable price in good condition. I don't think either of these is a terrible choice, especially since you have a great KP for all the more demanding stuff
11-02-2017, 08:47 AM - 2 Likes   #7
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You have to take the Q for what it is, and use its characteristics to their advantage.

It is small and light with equally small and light interchangeable lenses. 1" and MFT cameras are as small, but the equivalent lenses aren't. If weight and bulk is important the Q is unbeatable.

Its toy-like appearance is much less intimidating than a big DSLR. Its quiet leaf shutter (or silent electronic shutter) is also less obnoxious.

Its small sensor offers much greater depth of field than larger sensors. Great for table-top or macro work, not so good for portraits. If you can use this feature, it is a good camera for you. If you must have shallow depth of field it is not. You can get wide aperture C-mount lenses in the 25—50mm range that will give a shallow depth of field.

Its extreme crop factor does make it great for small telephoto set-ups, but the extremely high resolution of its sensor requires excellent optics–you will really see how much resolution your adapted lens has. I have used old Canon rangefinder LTM lenses that work well: a 100mm becomes a 460mm that is very pocket-able when broken down. I have a 300mm mirror lens that becomes 1400mm!

It is the best camera body for using adapted c-mount lenses. There is a whole universe of these, many of them give a unique "look" to your images. They are great for macro. Unfortunately, these lenses have become more expensive as their use by videographers has escalated the demand for them. It is the only body that works without vignetting with d-mount lenses. It works great with Pentax 110 lenses.

The Q's used to be a good value but the prices have recently gone up, I got an open-box Q-S1 with 02 a couple of years ago for less than $250, as well as a lightly used Q7 with 02 for $225, now you are looking at $400 for the Q-S1 combo and over $300 for the Q-7. That is still less than Nikon's 1" sensor cameras, and the Q lenses still generally cost much less than MFT or the Nikon 1 lenses.

There are numerous point and shoots that are as good or better than the Q, but the built-in zooms don't go as wide as the Q's 08, or the long ends aren't as fast as the 06. The various Sony RX cameras are much more expensive and have problems with dust on the sensor that need a technician to clean.

If you want a camera that does all the thinking for you, you might not like the Q. If you like to experiment and look at things in a different way, the Qs are great. As far as "image quality" goes, the Q is very close to 35mm FF film—even high ISO images are similar to high ISO film stocks, with a film-like grain pattern.

The "dumb" PK adapters work well with older "M" and "A" lenses, you just set the f-stop on the lens and then turn the ring on the adapter to stop down before exposure, just like old pre-set lenses. The Pentax adapter has a scale, but you need to do some chimping to get it set right with DA lenses. Zoom lenses don't adapt well to the Q, you would have to manually set the SR and the IQ of a zoom is generally not as good as a prime, you would really see it..


Last edited by Unregistered User; 11-02-2017 at 09:24 AM. Reason: typo, more info
11-02-2017, 09:50 AM - 1 Like   #8
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QuoteOriginally posted by Bui Quote
Since I know nothing about Pentax Q, I would like to ask you:
- I own a set of DA limited lenses (Da 15, 21, 35, 40, 70), can I use it with the Q?
I don't own the DA 40 Ltd, but I've used its cheaper and smaller twin, the DA 40 XS, on the Q.
Mounted on the excellent Pentax K to Q adapter,
it actually makes for a shorter rig than the native 06 15-45 mm zoom.

Hiowever, the Q sensors are the most demanding sensors you can get.
As capable as the DA 40's are on APS-C,
they will fringe badly at sharply contrasting edges on the Q.

The only adapted lenses I've been really happy with on the Q
are top-of-the-line Leitz, Voigtlaender, and Zeiss optics.

Here's output from an old Summicron 35/2 on the Q-S1:

11-02-2017, 10:13 AM - 2 Likes   #9
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I use my K and Q kit about 50-50. I feel like I'm more creative and experimental on the Q kit and I really like the challenge of pushing such a small camera and sensor to the limits to see what can be achieved.

But that is not necessarily what everyone is looking for. The Q does tend to polarize opinion, you're either smitten or not.
However the used pricing is such that you can try for a while and move it on if it is not for you.
11-02-2017, 10:41 AM - 1 Like   #10
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The Q is an excellent camera, but I would not use it as a back up for your Pentax lenses. It really needs its' dedicated lenses to take full advantage of its' small size, unless you intend to use it for extreme macro or telephoto photography. I use my Q with the 01 Prime (47mm equiv in FF), and the 03 wide zoom - nearly always at the wide end (21-35mm equiv), together with a couple of OVF's I have managed to source, as the screen is not the best for use in bright light. I blow images up from the Q to 16 X 12", and they look fine, but when you compare them side by side with the results from my K3 you can see the superior IQ from the K3. This might bother you, it does not me. If you just want a second body, it may be worth looking at a KS-2, K70 or K5iis, they are now where near as compact as a Q, but the IQ will be on a par with your KP. Otherwise it might be worth looking at Panasonic, Sony or Canon 1" sensor cameras for a choice of really compact cameras. One advantage of the Q over the 1" compact brigade is that it should be relatively cheap and easy to get the sensor cleaned in the event of any dust getting on it. I am not so sure that would be the case with a camera with a retractable lens. It would be best if you could source a Q to actually look at before, making a decision, as although I love mine, its not for everyone, and does tend to divide opinion somewhat.

Last edited by richard0170; 11-02-2017 at 10:57 AM. Reason: Additional thought
11-03-2017, 09:00 AM   #11
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Wow, thanks a lot for some very detailed and thoughtful comments. It seems that the Q system is entirely different, not a backup to an APSC but more a new way for photography. I will give it a serious thought.

Yes the KP is incredibly compact and light for its ability, and pairing it with the DA limited collection satisfies my need 90% of the time. However there is still occasion when I want a super compact and light camera, even more than the KP, that's why I'm eyeing a mirrorless one. But that would be ideal if my 2 cameras can share the same lens collection, because the pancake limited lenses are also super tiny, and I like them a lot. Buying a new camera but also having to spend extra for its lenses is not a great prospect for me.

How good is the Q kit lens? Or an all around zoom for Q? A DA 18-135 equivalent in Q world?
11-03-2017, 09:21 AM - 1 Like   #12
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QuoteOriginally posted by Bui Quote
How good is the Q kit lens? Or an all around zoom for Q? A DA 18-135 equivalent in Q world?
The all around zoom is called the "02 Standard zoom" and is 5-15mm F2.8-4 zoom. On a Q7-QS1 it's coverage is equivalent to a 24-70 on a FF or 16-50 on an APS-C camera. It's a pretty good lens and can be found for less than 100$.

But my favorite lens is the "06 telephoto", a 15-45mm F2.8 zoom with a coverage equivalent to a 70-200 on a FF. A very good light and fast telephoto giving really nice results. It's also quite affordable at about 150$.

Optically, the best lens in the Q lineup is the "01 Standard Prime". It's a 8.5mm F1.9 prime lens with a coverage similar to a 40mm on a FF or a 27mm lens on APS-C. It's an excellent lens but as with any other prime, isn't the best for all situations. It's also not that easy to find on the market relative to the zooms.

Many people love the 08 Wide Angle zoom. I don't have it, so i can't comment much on it beside saying that it's quite expensive.
11-03-2017, 09:54 AM - 1 Like   #13
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Welcome to the group Bui.

Think the Q is what you are looking for. Buy the 02 & 06 kit and enjoy. Except for the 08 uw lens, Q lenses are very inexpensive. They are also very small. You probably wouldn't know the 02, 06 were in your camera bag.

Thanks,
barondla
11-03-2017, 10:06 AM - 1 Like   #14
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QuoteOriginally posted by Bui Quote
How good is the Q kit lens?
I've found it good for longer distance subjects in the 5-10mm zoom range,
but poorer close up, or at the tele end.

In other words, it's an average kit lens.

I call it "the lens that killed the Q",
since good modern P&S cameras cover that mid range much better,
and that's all the reviewers ever considered.

QuoteOriginally posted by Bui Quote
A DA 18-135 equivalent in Q world?
No such thing.

The Q system now is like the Leica when it first came out.
The small sensor is only viable when coupled to top optics,
like the 01, 06, and 08 lenses.
11-03-2017, 10:17 AM - 2 Likes   #15
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QuoteOriginally posted by barondla Quote
They are also very small. You probably wouldn't know the 02, 06 were in your camera bag.
To give a better idea about the size, here's apicture of some of my Q lenses. The 02 zoom is about the same size as the 06. Which is alsoits biggest drawback. Although it's small, it's nevertheless quite large for a Q lens: a standard zoom with variable aperture as big as a constant f/2.8 telephoto zoom...

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