[Tony Belding]

I saw the closeout price on the K-01, and realized my K100D was starting to look sort of old. Also, I was getting tired of mashing my glasses up against the viewfinder.

[nparsons13]

I'm one of the original K-01 users. I paid full price for it in February 2012, and I don't regret a cent of it. I've used Pentax cameras since the 60s and a K200D since 2009, and I like to shoot with legacy manual lenses. But with the small view through the K200D and my aging eyesight, I had trouble focusing accurately. When I read about the K-01's image quality and focus peaking, I figured it had to be easier to focus, and except for a few occasions with manual-focus lenses at certain angles in bright sunlight, it has been. It works for me!

[Banskojoe]

I have legacy lenses and K-01 has image stabilization in the body. Almost the same specs as the K-5 but much less expensive. Had it for about six week and continue to be delighted as I experiment.

[tclausen]

OM 1/2/3/4 -> MZ-S -> *istD -> K10D, then Q, waiting for body that "spoke to me" (K20/7/x/r decidedly didn't excite me), with K-mount so that I could use the wonderful primes I'd built up....the K-01 did, and coincidentally the price sweet-spot arrived when I was ready to pull the trigger....although I'd probably have bought it even if the price at the time had been the initial price.

Yeah, I see shortcomings compared to the K5(ii(s)), but I actually love the ergonomics of the K-01 (really, I do...) and the unassuming visual impression that it projects.

[Sandy Hancock]

I must have been the been one of the first in Australia to get one - in early March 2012. Needless to say I paid full list price, but even then I think I got a bargain. It continues to be an excellent camera which can do things my K-5's can not, and with comparable IQ.

[Doundounba]

I'm in the minority here: the K-01 is my first Pentax of any stripe. Basically around last Christmas, I was looking to upgrade from a P&S camera, considering micro 4/3s (mostly Olympus). The K-01 hit my radar and this was just as it was starting to be discounted. Various sites were stating that the K-01 was probably the best deal going in terms of IQ per dollar. And although the DPReview article on the K-01 wasn't super positive, if you look at the photo samples page, the K-01 pretty much blows everything out of the water, or at least did so at the time, IMHO. I also appreciate the backwards compatibility with older lenses (especially with SR in the body and a smaller crop factor than m4/3), and I don't mind the looks. I went into a local camera shop and handled one in person, along with a K-30 and various Olympus models. The K-01 was the one I preferred in my hands! After some further reflection, I bought a white K-01 along with the 40mm XS for $416 from B&H. Been using it with some Tamron Adaptalls my father bought in the 80s (for his Konica) while progressively building up a small lens collection by hunting for deals on older glass... I'm now up to about a dozen lenses and 4,000 shots. So far, I'm having a blast!

[VoiceOfReason]

What does that mean, to be converted to full spectrum? Will I have to send it in to have the conversion performed?

Yes you would. A full spectrum conversion allows it to take pictures in not only visible light, but IR and UV as well. I may have forgotten to mention I am also the team photographer for a middle Tennessee paranormal investigation team, and have been for quite some time.

[ivanvernon]

Yes you would. A full spectrum conversion allows it to take pictures in not only visible light, but IR and UV as well. I may have forgotten to mention I am also the team photographer for a middle Tennessee paranormal investigation team, and have been for quite some time.

Oh, that is quite interesting. I would love to have IR conversion myself. Does the full spectrum aspect assist in detecting any paranormal activity or ghosts? Can you post some images?

[VoiceOfReason]

It does assist in that. I will need to go through my stuff for some images, but all of mine with possible ghosts are in visible light with the K5. We do video in IR+visible light, which generally means only in IR due to most investigations being done at night. I did find a company that will do the conversion for $250. It's also useful for forensics and artistic photography.

[ripit]

It was price for me. I have been using an ist-ds and had no complaints except low light sensor performance (high iso sucks and no SR either). I have been thinking of upgrading to a kx/kr/k30 for quite a while but money is short. I did not have any AF primes either. I couldn't resist the price for a k-01 (gives me the high iso performance and SR) and an AF prime for $360, new with warranty. Its kind of a trade off. I would still rather have a k-30. The high iso/image quality in general are amazing. The low light/slow lens AF not so amazing. I would also prefer a viewfinder but for about half the price of a k-30 with an AF prime, who could pass it up? Funny thing is, I don't use the AF prime anymore than I did MF primes. I guess I just prefer zooms as opposed to lens switching.

[wanderography]

I bought it first couple weeks it was out, I was shooting film and wanted a small digital to use my lenses on and it looked cool. I ordered the white I got sent the yellow and decided to keep the yellow.

[Steve.Ledger]

Was cheap, is PENTAX, I have a Q, how could I pass up owning another cult-cam

[Homo_erectus]

I've been looking at the K5-iis as a replacement for my Nikon D3100. I was planning on renting one but when the K-01 went on the crazy clearance sale at Adorama I figured I could buy one for not much more than renting a K5-iis and a few lenses for a weekend. So, the K-01 is essentially an inexpensive way for me to use a Pentax long enough to decide if I want to order a K5-iis without ever holding one in my hands.

There is only one store in my immediate area that stocks Pentax gear and they only stock lenses and the K30 and I found them after I ordered the K-01.

I also really wanted a small(er) camera that I can carry around with me everywhere and the K-01, while larger than optimal for this, works just fine. I've been using it for a few weeks now in a bunch of different settings and I'm really happy with it. The things that the K-01 can do in low light, like *really* low light, are more or less amazing. And I actually really enjoy composing shots with the lcd screen. Yeah, it's not perfect when its really sunny but it works well enough.

I was really hesitant about the look of the camera when I ordered it. In fact, I nearly didn't because I was worried that I'd end up not wanting to take it out because of how ugly it is. Then I opened the box and discovered that it looks really nice in person.

My only complaint about the K-01 is that the little rubber lens cap refuses to stay on my camera. But, I just bought a 27mm lens filter and now that isn't an issue.

[Doundounba]

It should, I think, be mentioned that while wearing the 40mm XS allows the K-01 to claim it's just about as slim as some of the m4/3 cameras, the lens doesn't do much for the camera's looks. In my opinion, the K-01 looks much better with just about any other small Pentax prime than it does with that lens...

[Homo_erectus]

I think the K-01 looks great with the 40mm xs lens on it. The lens matches the camera. If other lenses were available in that style I would buy them if I intended to use them with the K-01 exclusively.