[Nick Siebers]

I just got one myself. When I got the Q my first thought was "Wow, it is so small!" When I opened the K-01, of course, my first thought was "wow it is so big!" I can see why it got panned, relative to the other tiny mirrorless bodies out there. It is basically the same size, and a little heavier, than my *ist DS. But it does seem nice to use in the day or two I have had it, and IQ seems good so far.

[maidenfan84]

I'm absolutely loving the K-01 I recently got. I've used Pentax's for years but this is my first digital one. It gets more use than my D7000 that just sits in the bag now.

[ivanvernon]

Nice to see there is another convert who was willing to take the time to look behind the silly media hype. I fully agree with you. I have personally found this camera to be a great design. I sold my K-7 to buy my Pentax Q, which I use a lot and absolutely love as well. But I still own a lot of Pentax K-Mount glass, so when the price dropped I decided to give the K-01 a try. They were almost giving them away so it really was a no-brainer. It did not take long to figure out that all the whining had almost nothing to do with really using it in the field.

Display screen - No problem. I actually use the little 50mm viewfinder in the hot shoe most of the time.
SD Card door - Give me a break, I takes a little extra dexterity.
Green Button - Having trouble chewing gum and walking? If it is such an issue use your other thumb.
Focus Speed - If you need blazing focus speed then you probably do not shoot mirrorless cameras to start with.

It is really too bad this camera didn't catch on. Another terrific option for your great Pentax glass. Another great out of the box idea by Pentax that was shot down by camera reviewers who cannot see past the end of their own noses.

Keep up the great work.

Where can I get the "50 mm viewfinder in the hot shoe"? I have been thinking that something like that would be a great idea for the K-01 in bright sunlight, but your mention is the first clue I have had that such a thing actually exists. Thanks.

[badrad]

Ditto on 2 weeks. I have my K01 now for 2 weeks (my return period is 15 days) and it did take some time for it to grow on me. It is a brick, and I really do get a workout with it, but the images coming out definitely justifies it. I get to use all my legacy lenses and looking forward to adding some more lenses to my collection.

[THoog]

Where can I get the "50 mm viewfinder in the hot shoe"? I have been thinking that something like that would be a great idea for the K-01 in bright sunlight, but your mention is the first clue I have had that such a thing actually exists. Thanks.

Look for a "Tele-Wide" viewfinder. They were included in a lot of accessory lens kits for fixed-lens film cameras. They are getting harder to find, as many people seem to be using them on mirrorless cameras, but I got mine off eBay for less than US$20.

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/138-pentax-k-01/203336-tele-wide-optical-viewfinder.html

Oh, and it does take a week or two to get to like the K-01. My theory is that's how long it takes to whack it into your forehead enough times (looking through the non-existent VF) that it causes the necessary brain alterations. After that, it's awesome!

[Achromatter]

Oh, and it does take a week or two to get to like the K-01. My theory is that's how long it takes to whack it into your forehead enough times (looking through the non-existent VF) that it causes the necessary brain alterations. After that, it's awesome!

I actually had an opposite experience. I got so used to using and enjoying the K-01, that when I took it, and my Kx to the car show earlier this year, when I took out the Kx which a 50mm f1.2 on it, I thought it was broken because the screen went dark after a little while, and I thought it died. I spent a good 1 or 2 minutes looking over the button settings, etc., then I remembered I have to hold up to my stupid face.

[ivanvernon]

Look for a "Tele-Wide" viewfinder. They were included in a lot of accessory lens kits for fixed-lens film cameras. They are getting harder to find, as many people seem to be using them on mirrorless cameras, but I got mine off eBay for less than US$20.

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/138-pentax-k-01/203336-tele-wide-optical-viewfinder.html

Oh, and it does take a week or two to get to like the K-01. My theory is that's how long it takes to whack it into your forehead enough times (looking through the non-existent VF) that it causes the necessary brain alterations. After that, it's awesome!

Thanks very much. Ha, ha . . . I still whack the viewfinder into my forehead on occasion, especially when using the K-01 right after using the K-7 or K-20! I will check ebay for the tele-wide viewfinder.

[Pioneer]

Ditto on 2 weeks. I have my K01 now for 2 weeks (my return period is 15 days) and it did take some time for it to grow on me. It is a brick, and I really do get a workout with it, but the images coming out definitely justifies it. I get to use all my legacy lenses and looking forward to adding some more lenses to my collection.

My 50mm viewfinder is the same as Pentax sells for the Q system. I use it for both camera and love it. It is pricey but it is very light and very bright.

However, in the interest of full disclosure, there are other ones out there that can be picked up on E-Bay that work just as well. I have a tele wide viewfinder as well but find the Q one to be a bit easier to use with eye glasses.

[jon404]

I taped a 3" Hoodman loupe to the back of my K-01 ,,, see https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/138-pentax-k-01/232295-will-vf-3-view-fin...ml#post2461637 ... and, with the inexpensive but VERY sharp Pentax 35mm f/2.4, I'm extremely happy. Carry it around all the time... which is saying something, since I also have a Sony RX100, also a very good camera. But the K-01's my favorite... it just feels good to use.

Let's see ... one other modification ... put a little piece of gaffer tape next to the on-off switch, to stop it from turning on accidentally. That's actually the only thing I'd change about the K-01... just add a bit more tension to that switch.

You can use it for sports without any problems. It's easy for most sports to pre-focus where the best action will be. For airplanes against the sky... not so good. The auto-focus will hunt back and forth and you'll miss the shot. For situations like that, get a K-30 with the 55-300mm lens.

[ChopperCharles]

Jon404, why are you using the 35mm f2.4 over the 40mm XS that came with the K-01? Just curious, as I'm not finding I use the XS much.

Charles.

[jon404]

@ChopperCharles -- my K-01 came with the two kit zooms ... the 18-55 and the 50-200. I bought the 35mm for three reasons. First, I wanted a simple-to-use sharp prime lens... one focal length, like I used to have on film cameras. Second, I wanted an f/2.8 or faster lens, as I like low-light photography. Third, I wanted a 'normal' focal length... like 45-to-55mm FF equiv. For me, a 30mm prime would be perfect... and the 35mm comes close, while the 40mm is outside the range that I personally like.

Let's see. At wide open f/2.4 or f/2.8, the K-01 autofocus sometimes hunts around. In low light, this is NOT a camera that you can count on for an instant grab shot. I use a shirt-pocket RX100 for that, as the smaller sensor size also gives me more depth-of-field.

Funny thing. It's always about what we each prefer. I like razor-sharp images, foreground to background. Think Weston and Adams back when, and smartphones today. But others love bokeh, which certainly sets DSLRs apart from their smaller cousins. The only way I could simulate decent bokeh with the RX100 would be to smear some vaseline on the lens!

[Nick Siebers]

Mine has grown on me. My first impression was that it was too big for a pocket camera, and it is. But as a DSLR replacement, it does a pretty darn good job. I have mine in a bag with a DA 21 and DA 40 for a light package that does a lot.

[Pioneer]

Personally I feel that the DA 40mm Limited was actually intended for the K-01. It is just that Pentax didn't actually know that when they first built it.

[jimr-pdx]

The DAs 40 and 70 are great on the K-01. I just went whiteout on mine as a white 18-55 is coming soon - I wish the DA35 in white only cost $40 but I'll manage with the zoom. Now as long as I don't drop it in a snowdrift I'll be fine.

[Pioneer]

The DAs 40 and 70 are great on the K-01. I just went whiteout on mine as a white 18-55 is coming soon - I wish the DA35 in white only cost $40 but I'll manage with the zoom. Now as long as I don't drop it in a snowdrift I'll be fine.

My K-01 is black (call me traditional) so that hasn't been a problem.