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The
Pentax K-01 is a 16-megapixel, K-mount APS-C mirrorless digital camera featuring an exclusive design by Marc Newson. It goes on sale in the US around March 15th, and has an MSRP of $749 for the body only. The K-01 employs the same sensor as the praised K-5 DSLR, and has improved manual video features and performance thanks to the new PRIME M processor- up to 60 FPS in 720p and 30/25/24 FPS in full HD and 720p. It has a new, quieter 6FPS mechanical shutter which fires at up to 1/4000s, an ISO range reduced to 100-25,600 (compare to 80-51,200 on the K-5), and no viewfinder. Thanks to its K-mount, the K-01 is fully compatible with all of Pentax's DSLR lenses and legacy SLR lenses.
The K-01 is smaller than a DSLR, but not by much. This means that it will be much easier to hold than, for example, the Pentax Q, and that it will work well with full-size SLR lenses.
The K-01 represents a new chapter in the history of Pentax camera making, and it's an industry first for natively supporting an SLR lens lineup. Its announcement on PentaxForums.com set a traffic record and forum activity record, surpassing that set by the K-5 back when it was announced in September, 2010. The initial reaction to the camera has been mixed- some love it, while others hate it. It's clear, however, that this camera has its place in the mirrorless market, and that its announcement has generated an unsurpassed amount of internet buzz.
All Pentax DSLR accessories can be used with the K-01, including flashes, the O-GPS1 GPS unit, bellows, and more. See our
accessory database for an overview of current and legacy accessories. Furthermore, the K-01 shares the same battery and charger as the K-01.
Launch Commentary & Hands-On Videos
Read the original
K-01 news post which made it to the top of Google's search results when the K-01 was originally announced! In it, we talk about the specifications, the design and what elements are retro, and general highlights that made this camera so exciting for us.
See also our hands-on video from CP+;
Pentax at CP+ 2012 - Hands on with K-01 and close up of the new 560mm lens - YouTube Specifications - You may download the full K-01 specifications sheet to view all the camera's technical specifications.
- In order to keep this thread tidy, won't include the text of the press release, though it contains the highlights of the K-01.
- This camera features manual video shutter speed/aperture control, a first for Pentax
- The camera will be available in three colors: black (and silver on the top), silver (and black on the top), and yellow (with silver and black sprinkled throughout).
All three variants are pictured below.
Size Comparison
As you can see from the image below, the K-01 is smaller than the K-5 (and also the K-r), though it's not much of a difference, (fortunately). However, loaded with the 80g battery, the K-01 is some 180g lighter than the K-5 (560g vs 740g), and 38g lighter than the K-r.
Kit lens
The K-01's kit lens is the
SMC Pentax-DA 40mm F2.8 XS, an ultra-thin lens which is less than a centimeter long! The K-01 40mm kit is available for
$899. The lens focuses on objects as close as 40 centimeters away, and is based on the optical design of the
SMC Pentax-DA 40mm F2.8 limited - yet it's almost half its size! The filter thread is also tiny- just 27mm. It is rumored that more lenses in the DA XS series will be announced in the near future, and that they will likewise be designed by Marc Newson.
K-Mount Lenses
The K-01 is fully compatible with all Pentax K-mount lenses. Manual lenses (M, K series) can be used via
stop-down metering (this includes M42 screwmount lenses or medium-format lenses, but those will need an adapter). Auto-aperture lenses (A,F,FA,DA,DFA series) have no limitations in metering, and both SDM and traditional screwdrive autofocus is supported. The Pentax K-mount system consists of over 30 current lenses and 200 legacy lenses, of which over 90 support auto focus. A listing of all Pentax K-mount lenses can be found in our
lens database. You may also be interested in an
overview of the different K-mount lens series as well as
K-mount camera-lens compatibility.
A great number of third-party lenses is also available for Pentax: the latest count in our
third-party lens database suggests that there are over 600, though that database is not complete. The most notable manufacturers that currently produce Pentax lenses include Sigma (with over 30 lenses), Tamron (approx 10 lenses), and Vivitar/Bower/Samyang (manual focus).
Above we picture the K-01 with the traditional 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 kit lens (left) and the 40mm XS kit lens (right). Both lenses work with all Pentax DSLRs as well.
The current K-mount lens lineup
Color
The three K-01 color options (black, silver, and yellow) unfortunately do not contain an all-black model. A user-modified image of such a version is supplied below.
Pentax K-01 All-Black Concept
User Opinions
Your feedback about the K-01 is very important to us! Feel free to:
User Review Database Entries
We have already uploaded both the K-01 and the new DA 40mm XS lens to our camera and lens databases, where you can view specifications and user reviews (or post your own!).
In-Depth Review
Our
in-depth review of the K-01 was posted on March 10th.
FAQ - Is the K-01 "silver" version really white?
- In the US, the silver version has indeed been replaced by a white one. The reasons for this remain unknown.
- Does the K-01 have manual video control?
- Yes, you can control both the shutter speed and aperture
- What lenses best suit this camera?
- While the whole K-mount lineup can be used with the K-01, we can recommend the DA 40mm XS as well as the entire DA and FA limited lineup, which features high-performance, compact lenses
- The DA and FA limited lenses include the following focal lengths: 15mm, 21mm, 31mm, 35mm macro, 40mm, 43mm, 70mm, 77mm, and 100mm macro (technically a DFA lens, but still compact and with the same design)
- Add your own FAQ as a reply to this thread!
Lens Guide
We have posted a
Pentax K-01 lens guide which will hopefully make it a breeze for you to pick out your starting K-01 kit!
Purchase
In the US, the K-01 is available at
B&H and
Adorama, two dependable authorized Pentax dealers. Pricing is as follows:
Remember, if you make your purchase at B&H or Adorama, you can get free access to our Marketplace. Click here for details!
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Last edited by Adam; 02-03-2012 at 12:44 PM.
Reason: updates