[elpolodiablo]

Took the plunge and bought a DA40XS kit yesterday

For us K-7/K-5 users K-01 makes theoretical sense as a video/MF lens platform along with our main camera, my reasaon being 1)it's video capacity is good, 2) still image quality just as good, 3)works much better with MF lenses because of the focus peaking 4)shares battery with K-7/K-5, 5)lighter/smaller form factor.

Actual thoughts after fiddling with it all night:
1. Focus Peaking is great, my fast A and M lens feel so much more usable with it, so far I only use it on household items and love it, have to take it out to the real world to see how it perform in the field. Be interesting to see how I feel about the green button after some field use as I find it rather fiddly at this point.

2. AF performance under room light is slower to much slower than K-5 depending on lens, plain and simple fact, maybe in good day light it will be different, but AF performance is not the factor that attract me to K-01. In indoor artificial light condition AF for my telephoto lenses are so slow it's almost unusable.

3. Responsiveness was beaten hands down by K-5, but within expectation.

4. Tried with Metz48 AF1 flash and exposure seems consistent from the few test shots with different settings, build in flash can't be use as wireless flash trigger.

5. Feel much much better with small primes than with zooms, I intend to use F28 A50 M85 with it as a kit, and they all feel so nice together. Your DA21 40 70 will feel right at home too.

6. I think I will get a Crumpler Noose wrist strap for it instead of the provided neck strap.

7. I bought the boring black/silver version, but the yellow one looks really funky in person, according to the shop owner they shift quite a lot of K-01s, especially to Asian customers.

8. DA40XS is a nice little thing, so thin and light, I might not keep it though as I prefer metal lens, I want the full fat Limited version if I feel the need for this lens, but I don't cause I have FA43.

I will take it out today with various lenses to see how it perform in the field(Vivid Sydney tonight )

[hcc]

I agree with most comments. I bought the K-01 & 40mm xs black. It is a great combo.

While the 40mm xs is AF, I like to use it MF because the focus ring is really nice and precise.

I like the strap anchors on each side of the body. They help to have a more balanced camera body on your chest, compare to the K-7/K-5.

Thank you for sharing your toughts...

[monochrome]

I have the black as well. It looks and feels more like a camera that has been jazzed up a bit than the yellow or whote would.

• I bought the DA40 Ltd. instead of the XS - I also use it on my dSLR
• I'm completely accustomed to the form factor and use the K-01 now for most of my casual shooting
• AF requires LIGHT to work
• MF with my set of "K" lenses is a dream. I do some serious photography with them that I had stopped doing with the K10D. I had thought to spend more time with an LX because the VF is so much better than a dSLR - I might sell the LX.
• I am comfortable out to 135mm and maybe 200 but I think it is too unstable beyond 135

Most everything else you wrote I agree with.

[barondla]

Prefer the 40ltd to the XS. Like the hood, ability to use 2 different filter sizes, metal lens construction, and better focusing ring. The XS is a little lighter and slimmer. Haven't had a chance to compare both to see how much image quality difference the XS curved aperture blades make in bokeh. If it's a lot, I am in trouble since the 40ltd already lives in the bag.

Definetly prefer the white or yellow to the black body. It is a camera that should make a statement! YMMV.

Focus peaking. I have tried - I still don't get it. On very simple subjects it is okay ( not sure better) on more complicated subjects so many things light up I have no idea what is in focus. Try to focus a bird in tree and all the leaves light up. It reduces my keepers by a large margin. Can manually focus better without peaking. I still turn it off.

Hope to take the K-01 out for the long weekend.
thanks
barondla

[sjwaldron]

As of today, I'm also a K-01 owner.

I was offered a nice deal on a yellow demo unit kit, but for various reasons I switched out the the grip with black (long story I'll eventually make blog articles on). The biggest reason is that I need to use it in professional settings occasionally and I much prefer black considering that. The K-01 isn't my main camera. It will be the supplement to my K-5 and somewhat of a replacement for the K-7 because that needs to have the back dial fixed.

Why the K-01? (and not a K-30, a second K-5, or a completely different system)

- Improvements in video because I want to do more with that. This is the biggest reason.
--- Manual video control.
--- MIC port
--- Dedicated video record button
--- Mirrorless seems better suited to video work.

- Uses the same batteries as the K-7/K-5. Now I'm up to five D-LI90. This saves me from having to pack different types of batteries and chargers to conventions.

- Smaller than the K-5/K-30.

- Improvements like peaking.

- Uses K-mount lenses.

- The lowest cost new compared to the K-5 and eventual K-30, but basically uses the same sensor.

- Contrast detection auto-focus doesn't require adjustments and just works when there is enough light. I use large aperture primes and sometimes it isn't easy getting focus exactly where I want it. Peaking is also a great supplement to this and can still be on when AF is enabled.

[Robski]

Apart from a few AF / MF issues (being discussed in another thread) I have to say that the K-01 is an awesome camera to use. Once its in your hands its very difficult to put down. 40mm pancake is very liberating to use & the IQ is top notch.
A few quirks, but hey, you read that a 14k Leica has quirks. Use any camera enough & you learn how to deal with & get round the quirks.
The K-01 just makes you want to take pictures....and then more pictures.
Would & will recommend to anyone! Spread the K-01love.

[elpolodiablo]

After a week of field use, and getting Chris into K-01 along the way, I am happy to report that I am loving my K-01, I mostly use it with my A 50 1.7 wide open, ISO3200 for low light candid shots. A few examples from Vivid Sydney










This one is slightly OOF, but I kinda like it as it is






This one just playing around with bokeh, it's our cloth hanger(AKA Harbour Bridge)

[Tonto]

Those are awesome elpolodiablo! I was at vivid but took the wrong gear, I was all K7 and a tripod- didn't realise most of the building projections were continious video and underestinmated how many people were around! In hind sight should have done as you did and Kx + FA31
Oh well will give it another crack this weekend.
To keep on topic the K-01 would be an ideal replacement for my Kx- compact prime vehicle with the bonus of great video!

[Christine Tham]

After a week of field use, and getting Chris into K-01 along the way, I am happy to report that I am loving my K-01, I mostly use it with my A 50 1.7 wide open, ISO3200 for low light candid shots. A few examples from Vivid Sydney

Great shots!

I still haven't taken my K-01 to Vivid yet. I should have gone with you on Mon night - it's been raining since.

Today the weather finally cleared, but I have a piano lesson tonite.

I'll have to do another visit - maybe weekend.

[pinholecam]

Thanks for sharing your impression on the K-01.

I'm considering it given its very low price and K5 like sensor performance.
Its also that Lil' bit smaller and sleeker as a package and better with MF lenses with the peaking and faster shutter response in LV.

Now, I'm just waiting to see what is coming out by the end of the year before I decide.

[asw66]

After a week of field use, and getting Chris into K-01 along the way, I am happy to report that I am loving my K-01, I mostly use it with my A 50 1.7 wide open, ISO3200 for low light candid shots. A few examples from Vivid Sydney

I went for some similar shots last night, but yours are all much better!

[Christine Tham]

I went for some similar shots last night, but yours are all much better!

We were at Vivid last night too (elpolodiablo and I) - man oh man the streets were crowded.

I bought the DA35 Macro from elpolodiablo but ended up not taking any photos on it as I didn't pick it from him till the end of my visit.

May take the DA35 Macro and the K-01 to the Aquarium today.

[RonHendriks1966]

Nice impressions and I share a lot of your thoughts on the K-01. I'm happy using the DA*55mm on the K-01 since I feel I have something to hold onto that I missed with the two 40mm lenses (xs and Ltd).

[ihasa]

Great stuff. Undecided whether I need a K-01 to supplement my K7, and upgrade to a K5 sometime down the road... Or just plump for a K30 which seems to offer the best of both worlds albeit externally it's another plastic midrange DSLR.

[Tonto]

A tricky one, I have a similar dilema - I have the benefit of time, I wouldn't want to replace the ergonomics of my K7 with a K-01 though.