[srhs]

what I get from this thread,
"do not judge before You try it"

and, 100% I will buy it and my wife love it too

[frank]

Yeah, count me in!

How fast is it in processing? Is it faster then K-5? How much time is the screen of when you take a little burst of pictures? is it like with K-5 that you cannot handle the camera at that time?

Sorry we only have a prototype K-01 in hands right now, not really a final product. The firmware version is only 0.33. Just now I tried the continuous shooting mode, it can only take 2 to 3 photos continuously in RAW, 7-8 photos in JPG, then can keep shooting at a slower speed. Better wait for the final product comes out and see how it performs.

One thing I can see is that the new camera is quite abit faster than the K-5 when playing back photos (used a same Sandisk Extreme III SDHC card for the test), probably due to the improved card-read/write circuits/chips.

[pcarfan]

If it uses the M6, it should be able to do 6 (to 7) frames per second continues, so without filling the buffer if the SD card and the write speed off it are fast enough.

I couldn't find the numbers of the M5 chip but i guess it's about 2 to 3 times as fast since when the K5 buffer is full the frame rate drops to 1.2fps

Hey! so are you saying the new chip is faster than the K-5 for sure (wow!)...also, does the M-Prime only dictate speed or does it also have anything to do with IQ (iso, tone curve etc.?).

[pcarfan]

Sorry we only have a prototype K-01 in hands right now, not really a final product. The firmware version is only 0.33. Just now I tried the continuous shooting mode, it can only take 2 to 3 photos continuously in RAW, 7-8 photos in JPG, then can keep shooting at a slower speed. Better wait for the final product comes out and see how it performs.

One thing I can see is that the new camera is quite abit faster than the K-5 when playing back photos (used a same Sandisk Extreme III SDHC card for the test), probably due to the improved card-read/write circuits/chips.

Makes sense...in the mean time would love to see the k-01 with other lenses attached to it (The ones you haven't already posted), like the DA21, FA43 etc.

[frank]

One more request for AF speed opinion from people who used the K-01.

As I said above, the camera is just a prototype, and the firmware is only v0.33, we can't say if the final product would perform the same.

But since K-01 is still using screw driven AF mechanism, contrast detection AF is pretty much the same as K-5 in LiveView, AF speed is more or less relied on the lens mounted. Don't expect big AF speed improvement over the old cameras unless Pentax change its lens AF system.

[frank]

Makes sense...in the mean time would love to see the k-01 with other lenses attached to it (The ones you haven't already posted), like the DA21, FA43 etc.

Trust me, look wise the camera matches other lenses better than the new 40 XS (but the new 40 XS matches K5 nicely), and it can look very pretty/not-so-pretty from different angles

[DaveBlack]

Many Thanks for this early hands on report. I feel a little better about the camera. I still wish it had an option evf and was weather sealed. It still looks to be a good camera.

[frank]

Many Thanks for this early hands on report. I feel a little better about the camera. I still wish it had an option evf and was weather sealed. It still looks to be a good camera.

To be honest, w/ an EVF on, it'd become a K-5, almost

[pinholecam]

As I said above, the camera is just a prototype, and the firmware is only v0.33, we can't say if the final product would perform the same.

But since K-01 is still using screw driven AF mechanism, contrast detection AF is pretty much the same as K-5 in LiveView, AF speed is more or less relied on the lens mounted. Don't expect big AF speed improvement over the old cameras unless Pentax change its lens AF system.

I had the impression that its faster than on the K5 to be significant and considered an improvement for LV AF, but you have the camera in your hands to know better.



For those who asked, there is no quirky zoom in type AF like on K5. Very normal CDAF like all CDAF type cameras.
I'd put it somewhere around GF1 type AF for this very early version on firmware (as mentioned by Frank)

So for those familiar with m4/3 cameras, based on my unscientific guard-feel, AF speed is certainly much better than EP1/2 (which was a joke) , around that of GF1 (which is considered fast and good enough) but slower than EP3/G3 which sets the standard for CDAF.
Remember VERY EARLY FIRMWARE, so don't base anything on this observation.

[DaveBlack]

To be honest, w/ an EVF on, it'd become a K-5, almost

True and it will lose any size advantage. Still a port for the Rich optional viewfinder would of been nice. The port should not have added to the cost much and then for those that want an evf could pay the extra money.

[LFLee]

The new 40mm XS lens works great on K-5, looks pretty cool too:



I think a lot guys would love to have this new 'body cap':

Why, then the XS lenses were advertise to use only on mirrorless camera?

Comparing with and without 40mm lens price of K-01, the lens is only $150..... great price.
Hope Pentax Ricoh undo Hoya crazy price increase on lenses and come out with more reasonable pricing on new lenses.

Will definitely get one if they are fully compatible with old cameras...

[marosari00]

Maybe a third party EVF maker will make a compact one like the Ricoh to connect through the micro HDMI...

[LFLee]

One more question: Have you try SDM lenses on K-01??

[Docrwm]

I want to thank the Singapore Pentaxians and the Singapore Pentax Representative for allowing us, at least vicariously, to get some actual user impressions and output from the K-01 and its 40XS lens!

Excellent guys - Thanks!!

[Basset]

As I said above, the camera is just a prototype, and the firmware is only v0.33, we can't say if the final product would perform the same.

But since K-01 is still using screw driven AF mechanism, contrast detection AF is pretty much the same as K-5 in LiveView, AF speed is more or less relied on the lens mounted. Don't expect big AF speed improvement over the old cameras unless Pentax change its lens AF system.

Could you clarify something? Does the K-01 use the same automatic zoom on the LCD screen -- the zoom you cannot disable on the K-r or K-5 -- when doing autofocus? My hope is that you can autofocus without being forced into a zoom view on the LCD.

Edit: I see this was answered in Post # 69 above:

For those who asked, there is no quirky zoom in type AF like on K5.

That makes the camera much more attractive to me; that zoom in Live View AF is such a hindrance; which I could "hack" the firmware to disable it in my K-r.