[alstauffer]

Haven't had the time to be active here in quite a while, but I'm still shooting as often as I can with my K-7. With the deal that was posted today I finally caved and ordered a K-01, and I'm wondering if any of you found yourselves selling off your DSLR body once getting the K-01?

I really love the ergo's of the K-7, and because of that wanted to pick up a K-5 when I had the chance to upgrade, but I don't see the K-5 dropping to $250 anytime soon so the same IQ in a bit different package was too much to pass up. Anyway, I'm a grad student, so the budget is tight, so I'm hoping that after using the K-01 for a bit, I'll find that the K-01 isn't handicapped much if at all by the lack of a viewfinder, and that I'll be able to sell off the K-7 while it's still worth something now, and then get a K-5 or K-30 or whatever else is out there when I graduate and get my finances in order.

That being said, I'm just wondering if anyone else had a similar experience, or really disagrees that I'd be able to do that

I am really looking forward to focus peaking, since my #1 most-used lens is a Pentax-M 50/1.7, but I'm a bit worried that my photographing automotive events will suffer without having a viewfinder, for shots like these (taken this past weekend):




It's not something I do too often, since I'm usually driving in the events if I'm not too busy to go, but it is something I enjoy. So, secondary question: anyone have experience taking action/sports photos with the K-01?

[wanderography]

I don't really understand the whole "not for action sports" thing, maybe if you rely on AF than ya you'll have issues. But I find the screen way better than an OVF and this is coming from someone who mainly shoots just film on a MX, perfect vision and staring through a viewfinder for too long still makes me dizzy... If you practice the focus peaking you'll learn to use it to track subjects and since your not glued to a viewfinder you'll be able to see whats coming in and out of frame like a rangefinder. I feel if you want to use your high quality manual focus lenses for sports the K-01 will be perfect.

[Salagubang]

I sold my DSLR and bought a DA 70mm limited with the money. So I am now left with my K-01s with 40mm XS and 70mm ltd. and a box of manual primes and zooms.

[Macario]

I have the K-01 and the K-7. And at the moment I am shooting more with the K-01. That said, I will not sell the K-7, as there are things the K-01 is not suitable for. But most of the time I do not need a DSLR, the K-01 is more than sufficient.
I also do not find the lack of OVF/EVF a hinderance (I wonder how many people that complain about the lack of it, do use a phone to take pictures, last time I checked, phones do not have OVF or even an EVF).
The only times I do miss it, is when shooting with long lenses (over 135mm). then I do find handholding the camera being unstable. But then I will use the K-7.
Also I do shoot surf and skateboard photo's. and to get a nice sequence, well you can't use the K-01 then. But that are the real times that I do want a DSLR. That said, i have made surfshots using the K-01 and a M200 F4 lens without a tripod. It was difficult, but doable. You just have to shoot a bit differently than that you are used to. Haven't shot skating with it yet (just got the K-01 few months ago)
And I also find taking nightshots with a DSLR much easier than with the K-01, but that is just a personal feeling.

So have the K-01 replaced my DSLR? For most parts yes, but for some I still will need the K-7 (even if it is just because it is a fine camera and fun to shoot with). for some types of photography. and aslo, beacuse of the high ISO limitations of the K-7, it is actually nice to shoot high ISO and low light with it, you have to think more creative.

Is it usable for action photography? Yes it is, you just have to know it limitations, and then it is perfectly fine for it,

[VladM]

I sold my K20 after 2 months with K-01. K20 was good, but K-01 is a significant step forward in IQ.
Do not miss the K20 any more.

[PJ1]

On a day-to-day basis I carry the K-01 in preference to my K-10D. The screen can be a little difficult in some situations, but so can an OVF. With longer telephoto shots, I use the K-01 with both eyes open until I have the subject on screen. Unorthodox, but it works for me. The K-01 is also brilliant with older manual focus lenses. I particularly like using it with a Carl Zeiss Sonnar 135/f3.5. The aperature close lever just falls to hand perfectly. But I won't be parting with the K-10D any time soon.

[alstauffer]

Thanks for the replies so far!

I don't really understand the whole "not for action sports" thing, maybe if you rely on AF than ya you'll have issues. But I find the screen way better than an OVF and this is coming from someone who mainly shoots just film on a MX, perfect vision and staring through a viewfinder for too long still makes me dizzy... If you practice the focus peaking you'll learn to use it to track subjects and since your not glued to a viewfinder you'll be able to see whats coming in and out of frame like a rangefinder. I feel if you want to use your high quality manual focus lenses for sports the K-01 will be perfect.

My concerns regarding actions sports were more that it would be awkward and difficult to hold the camera out away from my face with a longer lens on it than the slower AF, though I do currently rely on AF. It's good to hear that the lack of an OVF doesn't seem to be a concern even for someone used to shooting film, though. That's definitely promising.

I sold my DSLR and bought a DA 70mm limited with the money. So I am now left with my K-01s with 40mm XS and 70mm ltd. and a box of manual primes and zooms.

As much of a great idea that sounds like, due to budget I won't be using the DSLR funds for new lenses, so it will pretty much be a 28/2.8, 50/1.7, 90/2.8, and 200/4 manual primes, and a Tamron 28-75/2.8 (unless I sell this, too) and cheap Quantaray 70-300 for AF zooms. I'm sure I would love the 70 ltd, but it's definitely not in the cards for me for the time being

I have the K-01 and the K-7. And at the moment I am shooting more with the K-01. That said, I will not sell the K-7, as there are things the K-01 is not suitable for. But most of the time I do not need a DSLR, the K-01 is more than sufficient.
I also do not find the lack of OVF/EVF a hinderance (I wonder how many people that complain about the lack of it, do use a phone to take pictures, last time I checked, phones do not have OVF or even an EVF).
The only times I do miss it, is when shooting with long lenses (over 135mm). then I do find handholding the camera being unstable. But then I will use the K-7.
Also I do shoot surf and skateboard photo's. and to get a nice sequence, well you can't use the K-01 then. But that are the real times that I do want a DSLR. That said, i have made surfshots using the K-01 and a M200 F4 lens without a tripod. It was difficult, but doable. You just have to shoot a bit differently than that you are used to. Haven't shot skating with it yet (just got the K-01 few months ago)
And I also find taking nightshots with a DSLR much easier than with the K-01, but that is just a personal feeling.

So have the K-01 replaced my DSLR? For most parts yes, but for some I still will need the K-7 (even if it is just because it is a fine camera and fun to shoot with). for some types of photography. and aslo, beacuse of the high ISO limitations of the K-7, it is actually nice to shoot high ISO and low light with it, you have to think more creative.

Is it usable for action photography? Yes it is, you just have to know it limitations, and then it is perfectly fine for it,

I sold my K20 after 2 months with K-01. K20 was good, but K-01 is a significant step forward in IQ.
Do not miss the K20 any more.

I have hardly used my K5 since I got my K01. I really love using my growing collection of Takumars on the K01. The focus peaking is a great feature that makes it so much easier for me. I do a lot of fast-moving child photography and with some practice you can get shots of moving subjects with manual focus.

Thanks for sharing your experiences - a lot of good insight here. It's sounding like the K-01 will be a pretty good match for me, I'm getting excited

[jimr-pdx]

I have hardly used my K5 since I got my K01. I really love using my growing collection of Takumars on the K01. The focus peaking is a great feature that makes it so much easier for me.

Same here, except for the Takumar part The K-5 will stay, but for much of what I shoot its skill-set is not needed - so why not burn the shutter life of a $300 camera instead? The K-01 will also allow me to send the K-5 off for a maintenance visit while losing nothing in the image department. I too love the peaking, which has allowed me to shoot more surely than I could with the K-5 even using magnified live view; somehow I managed to miss even with that fine feature.

[pony.rojo]

I have a K-x and a K-01, I haven't touched the K-x since I got the K-01. I just look at the difference in image quality and think, "Nope, I'm not going back"

That said, the K-01's fatal flaw is the awfully slow auto-focus. Yes, I've updated the firmware. Yes, it's improved, but only improved from near-unusable all the way up to tolerable. However, since I mostly shoot static objects (buildings, parked cars, etc), it's not much of an issue for me.

[ChatMechant]

I sold my k-7 after getting the k-01 and using it for a bit. It made using my taks so pleasant and easy. I could never quite manage it with the k7. aps-c viewfinders and manual focusing didn't work for me too well. The k01 really made me start thinking "get ALL the taks!" And I love it with the 40xs. I miss the k7 for the handling, burst rate, ruggedness and general build quality, though I don't miss the VF at all. Oh, and I use it with the da 55-300 all the time with no issues, except maybe it focuses a little slower with the k-01, but really I haven't had any memorable problems with any auto focus lens I've put on the k01. It does take some getting used to though. $250?! crazy I tell ya. You can't afford not to buy it.
YMMV.

[robtcorl]

I've not only given serious thought to selling my K-5, but also my F 50/1.7 since I have the 40mm xs.

[alstauffer]

I've not only given serious thought to selling my K-5, but also my F 50/1.7 since I have the 40mm xs.

Do you really feel like the 40mm can cover the F 50/1.7's duties? I've been thinking of selling my Tamron 28-75 f/2.8 because I missed my F 50.


I thought I should post an update here since the K-01 came today.

I love taking photos with this thing. I love focus peaking. And I love the 40mm XS. I've only taken a few test shots around the apartment, and sure they're not worthy of being put in an art gallery by any means, but they were easy and perhaps most importantly of all, fun, to take with this camera. MF is a breeze even with the short throw of lenses designed for AF!

There is another race this weekend, I will be testing out the K-01 there, and if it's manageable I'll be selling the K-7 very shortly. Overall, I'm a happy camper.

Shot with the Tamron 28-75 and Focus Peaking. The rest are the DA 40 XS, but also using MF and Focus Peaking


ISO 1600 looks like ISO 200 on the K-7


What a goof.


Awwww.


ISO 3200 isn't a wall of rainbow pixels anymore?


The lens is crisper than my scanner, even wide open. It does have seem to have some yellow CA, though.


Yummy. My dinner. When I got home from work at midnight..

[Salagubang]

Nice set of pictures. Congratulations on your new K-01.

[Sandy Hancock]

The K-01 is a pain to shoot action hand-held with big lenses. That is its main weakness for me.
I left the K-5 at home and took the K-01 to Argentina with me a year ago, armed with DA10-17, Sigma 17-50, DA40, FA50/1.4, FA77 and DA55-300. It was a brilliant travel kit then, and the improved AF with the new firmware makes it even better.
It will never replace (but certainly supplements) my DSLR's for my event work.

[LeRolls]

Both the K-01 and Q have completely replaced my Canon T3i except for video. I do sometimes miss the flip out screen though. Whenever I pick up the T3i now it just feels so cheap and the menu systems are inferior. It's funny that I used to love that camera.