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11-16-2012, 02:22 PM   #16
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You know, I do agree that 21 is indeed a small lens. Certainly premium small for a DSLR set up. But, since Pentax blew off the whole notion that the mirrorlesses are meant to be smaller, I thought that it would be nice if they compensate it by having an extremely small lens line up exclusively for K-01, and I know they had that in their heads based on what they did with DA40/xs. It would have been nice to have a line up of three lenses or so. It would have shown their apparent commitment to the concept stronger. It would have translated to better marketing, that is for sure.

Because they are so stuck on k mount, I think it gives them excuses not to develop new lenses for a new body.

BTW, DA21 is a quirky lens. That goofy distortion is very cool. I probably should have kept it.

11-16-2012, 02:57 PM   #17
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QuoteOriginally posted by Fontan Quote

5) Focus peaking is alright. I like that of NEX-5 or 7 better. Easier.
I have been going back and forth between the K-01 and the NEX 5N for focus peaking of my MF lenses.
This comment plus the fact that you can adapt almost any lens to it makes me lean more heavily to the 5N.
11-16-2012, 03:17 PM   #18
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QuoteOriginally posted by Fontan Quote
But, since Pentax blew off the whole notion that the mirrorlesses are meant to be smaller,
Pentax totally embraced the idea that mirrorless cameras are supposed to be smaller -they introduced the Q (and everyone said it was too small!).

QuoteOriginally posted by Fontan Quote
It would have been nice to have a line up of three lenses or so. It would have shown their apparent commitment to the concept stronger. It would have translated to better marketing, that is for sure.
Agreed. I gave all hope of understanding Pentax marketing long ago.

QuoteOriginally posted by Fontan Quote
Because they are so stuck on k mount, I think it gives them excuses not to develop new lenses for a new body.
I think a problem with the K-01 is the perception that it's a mirrorless that happens to be K-mount, when really it's a K-mount without a mirror. They clearly reused existing parts from the dSLR line (mount, sensor, processor, SR gear, display, battery, firmware code) to make a smaller, cheaper K that explores the no-mirror concept. Is it a bad concept? At this point, it looks like yes. If they had stopped with "smaller, cheaper", it might have been more successful, but then they got Marc Newson to dress it up and priced it like a designer item and - flop. ("lipstick" and "pig" come to mind, except that it can make darned good bacon!)

It's been said before that Pentax doesn't have the resources to run a third mount/lens line in between the Q and the K, and if the industry trend from APS-C towards FF continues, staying with their existing FF mount isn't such a bad idea.

Last edited by THoog; 11-16-2012 at 04:09 PM.
11-16-2012, 03:30 PM   #19
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QuoteOriginally posted by THoog Quote

I think a problem with the K-01 is the perception that it's a mirrorless that happens to be K-mount, when really it's a K-mount without a mirror. They clearly reused existing parts from the dSLR line (mount, sensor, processor, SR gear, display, battery, firmware code) to make a smaller, cheaper K that explores the no-mirror concept. Is it a bad concept? At this point, it looks like yes. If they had stopped with "smaller, cheaper", it might have been more successful, but then they got Marc Newsome to dress it up and priced it like a designer item and - flop. ("lipstick" and "pig" come to mind, except that it can make darned good bacon!)
IMHO, the K-01should have marketed this as more of a "bridge" or enthusiast camera, rather than a "unique" curiosity item. The main, overriding problem was that Pentax priced this like a DSLR. The only reason I purchased mine was because of the price (which is what it should have been at originally). If it was marketed and priced correctly, I could very well see the K-01 as appealing to people who want to make the step up from P&S, but don't want to spent enough to get into a full DSLR (or maybe they are intimidated by one). This must have been what Pentax was thinking, because why else include all the goofy "scene" modes and "digital filters" and all that jazz? And why else make it a K-mount if not to "lure" new buyers into its existing line?

I think the design is fine...they didn't need to pay a designer to make it. Put a K-01 next to a K100Dsuper. Take away the curved grip and the prism on top, and you have yourself a K-01. Quite frankly, if something like this had existed 6 years ago, I would have gone this route rather than the K100DS

11-16-2012, 03:34 PM   #20
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I don't necessarily think the K-01 is a bad idea. Its original price was a real bad idea though. I think it turned off so many users and reviewers tbat it was hamstrung before it got a chance to gain traction. Samething with the Q in my humble opinion. That's why initial pricing is so important.
11-16-2012, 04:08 PM   #21
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QuoteOriginally posted by pentaxian_tmb Quote
Put a K-01 next to a K100Dsuper.
I have! Well, not a Super, but a K100D, definitely. And an ME Super.


Personally, I was hoping for something like the K-01 years ago. I didn't rush out and buy one in the first wave (maybe I should have), but I really have enjoyed it. I don't think it's a bad concept at all, but obviously the market hasn't jumped on. If it had been cheaper and rolled out with firmware 1.01, who knows? (Of course, it still would require more of a marketing strategy than "Marc Newson designed it".) Most of the big-sensor mirrorless cameras seem to have the same complaints about slow-focusing, which is a sign to me that the tech just isn't there yet.
11-16-2012, 04:55 PM   #22
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I think the on-chip phase-detect system will provide the real answer to this, and I expect Pentax to wring out great performance that way. I'm still assessing my K-01 too, it's a different way to work but has some potential in several areas. I like the peaking just fine, I haven't seen Nex method and don't expect I ever will.

11-16-2012, 05:20 PM   #23
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QuoteOriginally posted by cali92rs Quote
This comment plus the fact that you can adapt almost any lens to it makes me lean more heavily to the 5N.
Well, you have a very good point there in that I have three M mount lenses that I can use with NEX with an adapter, I was very close to buying a NEX-7. But a couple of things held me back. One is that I think that Sony will do a mirrorless with FF soon. It is just a matter of time. Then, as you say, I can use my FA ltds and Leica M lenses to the "fullest." Another thing was that NEX-7 just had way too many features for my taste. I just didn't need all that. So I was thinking about NEX-5, but I just bought a road bike, and then K-01's price took a dive. I just had to try it out.

I do think that when Sony does NEX-FF, For a manual focus guy like myself there is no reason to stick with Pentax, really. I will then have a bridge body between FA ltds and M lenses . . . .
11-22-2012, 03:00 PM   #24
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Ok, now I am 3 weeks into it with this thing.

Here are some thoughts, not that it matters, but there they are . . . .

1) Do I regret buying it? The answer is no. But I know that I would have regretted it if I paid close to what it was going for initially.

2) Does it replace K-7, or DSLR for that matter? I think so. But, I really wasn't shooting with K-7 that much anyway.

3) Do I use my M8 any less? Absolutely not.

4) The rubber side door is lame. I am afraid that the rubber hinge will break off one day. I think I will get an eye-fi wireless SD card for this.

5) IQ? I say excellent. At least my FA ltds are meeting their match in terms of capability. But this only in terms of sharpness. Overall color rendition - I am undecided on that. For example, for my DA* 50-135, I much much prefer what I get out of K10D, believe it or not. I am incidentally finding out how much I really like the sensor of K10D, and why I didn't like K20D. K20D is where things began to go wrong, in my opinion. But this is a matter of preference, of course. K10D is more film like. K20D more plasticky. K-7 was more like K10D. K-5 more like K20D. K-01 pretty much the same as K-5.

6) High ISO capability is for me only useful when shooting B and W. I have had some nice images after processing them with Silver Efex pro by NIK. I didn't expect this, BTW. I am thinking that if I am to take advantage of this high ISO capability, this is the area that I can excel in. I consider this an unexpected bonus. I am a bit surprised that nobody talk about this (maybe someone has already . . . ). Consider that there are FA ltds, and Zeiss ZK with K-01 at High ISO in low light situation. I am actually re-thinking Leica Monocrom . . . . Sensor size differences aside, $8,000 price tag vs $350 for K-01 . . . . The differences in the end products is not $7,650. Add $1,800 to $7,650 for selling my M8 to have $9,400 . . . . This is enough to re-acquire 50/1.4 ZK Zeiss, and a second hand M9, or brand new ME.

7) One thing I wish I had with K-01 is an articulated screen. I wish they have that for the next 645D, so that I can shoot like a Hassey.

8) I wish there is a way to use my Leica M lenses with K-01.

9) Green button should have been where the red button is. A big mistake there.

10) I shoot with TV or AV mode almost exclusively.

11) When shooting for B & W, my ISO range is 100 - 12,800. With Silver Efex pro, the grains at high ISO can be managed rather pleasantly. At least for my taste anyway.

12) Adam's recommended setting was pretty helpful in that I got to learn about the camera more quickly than going through the manual.

13) Oh, one more thing. +/- button's placement was lame also. Should have been to the right of AF/AE-L button so that I can hit with with my right thumb.

Well, that is about it for now.
11-22-2012, 04:10 PM   #25
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QuoteOriginally posted by Fontan Quote
The rubber side door is lame. I am afraid that the rubber hinge will break off one day. I think I will get an eye-fi wireless SD card for this.
.
I hate that stupid side door. Eye-fi wireless SD card? Never heard of this but I'll be looking into that too.

Larry
11-22-2012, 04:17 PM   #26
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Nice to read you found your way on working with it. I think that is a big part for any camera. I'm with my K-01 well on 15k images and I can play with it with comford (knowing when it doesn't work well).
11-22-2012, 05:00 PM   #27
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QuoteOriginally posted by larryinlc Quote
I hate that stupid side door. Eye-fi wireless SD card? Never heard of this but I'll be looking into that too.

Larry
Larry, like this one. You should it check it out.

Eye-Fi Pro X2 Wireless 8GB SDHC Memory Card EYE-FI-8PC Class 6 Secure Digital | eBay
11-22-2012, 05:03 PM   #28
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QuoteOriginally posted by RonHendriks1966 Quote
Nice to read you found your way on working with it. I think that is a big part for any camera. I'm with my K-01 well on 15k images and I can play with it with comford (knowing when it doesn't work well).
Yes, Ron, I agree.

That is part of the fun of it, the joy of figuring things out, as the late Richard Feynman would say.

The fact that K -01 does not have gazillions of features helps too.
11-22-2012, 06:22 PM   #29
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QuoteOriginally posted by Fontan Quote
That's a high price. But, I think I'll try one anyway. The latest is a 16gb class 10 card retailing for 100.00. Cheapest I found was 84 at the nerds. Maybe someone will run a black Friday or Cyber Monday sale. I'm keeping my eyes peeled. Even if it's a little slow, how much slower is it than reattaching that rubber door?

Larry
11-22-2012, 06:33 PM   #30
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QuoteOriginally posted by larryinlc Quote
That's a high price. But, I think I'll try one anyway. The latest is a 16gb class 10 card retailing for 100.00. Cheapest I found was 84 at the nerds. Maybe someone will run a black Friday or Cyber Monday sale. I'm keeping my eyes peeled. Even if it's a little slow, how much slower is it than reattaching that rubber door?

Larry
Bestbuy.com has the 8GB for $59.99 if you're interested. EyeFi Wireless PRO X2 8GB Secure Digital High Capacity SDHC Memory Card EYE-FI-8PC - Best Buy
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