[RonHendriks1966]

I just think it is great as a landscape camera. Probably would work decently as a portrait camera as well. Honestly, you don't need blinding auto focus performance for these sorts of things and having a smallish camera with a sharp, small lens makes it really handy to have around whenever you need it.

I use the K-01 mostly for portrait work or things that don't run away unless I tell them how and where to go. Controll your environment and the K-01 is simply spectacular. I know the D800 can do a trick or two more then the K-01, but really when do you need it? I have two 59 inch prints here made with the K-01. How large do you want them?

So from a shoot last Friday. Actually this is not a final shot, but something that came up during our playing around. We'll see if we can plug an image like this in a magazine overhere. The girl is Anaïs and she rocks. Shot with the FA*85mm, so I do get all out of the K-01 that is inside.

At the release price and its specs it was WAY behind even my several year younger gf1 (that cost me £650 with a 20mm f1.7 and was one of the first of its kind), never mind the more modern mirror-less camera's released at the same time... 1fps in raw?

To be honest I like the 1 fps inside the K-01. Use it also in my shooting. A new girl looking funny at my yellow brick, thinks: "What is that going to be?" Well don't just keep moving around, I want a certain image and you need to bring that, since I can only make one shot with this camera. That brings in the end the better image because you don't make a hundred of them see if one works, you make the one that gets the final cut.

I agree the price at introduction was too high, but... seriously? The sensor in the K-01 is worlds better than the GF1. I mean, the sensor in the GF1 is P&S league. Even now, the K-01's sensor is better than any m4/3's.

Seriously the K-01 beats those camera's. Different with the newer sensors inside Olympus M1, but even that doesn't make up for the IQ in the K-01. Compared to my glass at least, FA31mm, DA*55mm and FA*85mm.

[Usuqa]

I use the K-01 mostly for portrait work or thing that don't run away unless I tell them how and where to go. Controll your environment and the K-01 is simply spectacular. I know the D800 can do a trick or two more then the K-01, but really when do you need it? I have two 59 inch prints here made with the K-01. How large do you want them?

So from a shoot last Friday. Actually this is not a final shot, but something that came up during our playing around. We'll see if we can plug an image like this in a magazine overhere. The girl is Anaïs and she rocks. Shot with the FA*85mm, so I do get all out of the K-01 that is inside.





To be honest I like the 1 fps inside the K-01. Use it also in my shooting. A new girl looking funny at my yellow brick, things, what is that going to be? Well don't just keep moving around, I want a certain image and you need to bring that, since I can only make one shot with this camera. That brings in the end the better image because you don't make a hundred of them see if one works, you make the one that gets the final cut.

And that's why I love the DP Merrills I have, they can do more than 1fps, but the write times (10sec plus), file size (40-50meg) and 30+ shots per battery force you to slow down and thing and its a great way to shoot.

Seriously the K-01 beats those camera's. Different with the newer sensors inside Olympus M1, but even that doesn't make up for the IQ in the K-01. Compared to my glass at least, FA31mm, DA*55mm and FA*85mm.

I know the sensor in the gf1 is old but its still good in its limitations and pretty sharp too.. but meaning for the k-01 being a bad camera is that spec wise it was out done (as was the sigmas) by almost any other mirrorless on the market at the time and my several year old gf1 bettered it in some ways too like faster fps, smaller, better af (with neat tricks like starting to AF as you level the camera) ofc being an old 12mp m4/3 sensor the IQ isn't up there but I was simply pointing out that the k-01 on release was pretty dated already and pretty crap spec wise next to other mirrorless offerings that could be had for much less.

My gf1 cost me £650 with a pretty awesome 20mm f1.7 and was a first for that type of camera for panasonic, yet the k-01 three years later cost's around the same with a much lesser spec (except sensor) which was a little disappointing imho.

But just because spec wise it was a bad camera, doesn't mean its not a great camera to use and it is capable of amazing images as the sony 16mp sensor is great I just feel for the release price they were asking way to much for what it was, if it was priced much lower it would have been a hit and we might even have seen a k-02 and more xs lens.

I personally feel a proper mirrorless pentax with the k mount would be great, they could use the empty space to place lens elements inside (xs lens) and even have things like ND filters and such to enable.
Make one using the k3 tech, add a nice EVF and flip out screen.. great control and built in wifi and I would happily get one or better yet shove a FF sensor in one as you said before as there is no need to update the mirrorbox or pentaprizim then.

[luftfluss]

I still don't get this "pretty crap spec wise" thing. The fact that the K-01 does not operate in the fashion you want it to does not make it "bad" or "crap".

Here's a "crap", "dated" "spec" for you: there's no in-body image stabilization with the GF1. So the majority of lenses that can be used with it aren't even stabilized. How "crap" is that?

Your GF1 being smaller is not necessarily better; size is an attribute. The GF1 is too small for my hands. Even upon release, the GF1's sensor was "crap" compared with what was available in other cameras for a similar price. So, for my usage, the GF1 is "crap", but that doesn't mean it's a "crap" camera.... it simply means the GF1 is not a camera that meshes well with my photographic endeavors.

[Usuqa]

I still don't get this "pretty crap spec wise" thing. The fact that the K-01 does not operate in the fashion you want it to does not make it "bad" or "crap".

Here's a "crap", "dated" "spec" for you: there's no in-body image stabilization with the GF1. So the majority of lenses that can be used with it aren't even stabilized. How "crap" is that?

Your GF1 being smaller is not necessarily better; size is an attribute. The GF1 is too small for my hands. Even upon release, the GF1's sensor was "crap" compared with what was available in other cameras for a similar price. So, for my usage, the GF1 is "crap", but that doesn't mean it's a "crap" camera.... it simply means the GF1 is not a camera that meshes well with my photographic endeavors.

Your picking me up all wrong.

The price and spec on the time of the k-01's release it was a pretty "crap" camera compared to what else was in the market and they even brought out the k30 around 3-4 months after which could do everything the k-01 could just as well or better but having an ovf, weather sealing and dual control wheels so I stand by my statement that the k-01 was a pretty crap camera.

That doesn't make it a bad camera to have or to use, the sigma dp merrills are (compated to lots of other cameras) pretty crap, slow operations speed, slow af, slow buffer times, bad high iso but they are the best camera's I own currently (unless Im going to shoot an event in which case my k5 and da* lens come out).

I just feel it was a missed opportunity from pentax, I'd have loved for it to have done well and for there to be new versions of it and the xs lens , Id even welcome a pro version much like a k3 but with evf (as it can be much larger and have focus aids) and built in nd filters and such instead of a mirror.

[RonHendriks1966]

The price and spec on the time of the k-01's release it was a pretty "crap" camera compared to what else was in the market and they even brought out the k30 around 3-4 months after which could do everything the k-01 could just as well or better but having an ovf, weather sealing and dual control wheels so I stand by my statement that the k-01 was a pretty crap camera.

That K-30 wasn't even a design by Marc Newson......

[Usuqa]

That K-30 wasn't even a design by Marc Newson......

Very true.. and shows what pentax can do when someone else isn't meddling with their camera lol, tbh the k-01 is a pretty special little thing that will be remembered mostly because of its looks I just think its a shame they went out there way to get someone to design the camera for them and not go the extra mile to make it a little more special tech wise.

The k30 didn't help it much either being released not long after and basically giving you a k-01 when in liveview but the k30 in itself was pretty amazing as it gave people dual control wheels and 100% ovf pentaprizim at a price the other company's were giving you one control wheel and pentamirrors although it will be forgotten while the k-01 will not.

[johnmflores]

K-01's done right by me.


Pentax K-01 gets two-page spread in RoadRUNNER Magazine by john m flores, on Flickr


2012_Ducati_vs_Moto_Guzzi_RoadRUNNER_Aug13-Flores.pdf by john m flores, on Flickr

[JPT]

Very true.. and shows what pentax can do when someone else isn't meddling with their camera lol, tbh the k-01 is a pretty special little thing that will be remembered mostly because of its looks I just think its a shame they went out there way to get someone to design the camera for them and not go the extra mile to make it a little more special tech wise.

The k30 didn't help it much either being released not long after and basically giving you a k-01 when in liveview but the k30 in itself was pretty amazing as it gave people dual control wheels and 100% ovf pentaprizim at a price the other company's were giving you one control wheel and pentamirrors although it will be forgotten while the k-01 will not.

I can point to a few things that were best in class or unique about the K-01 at the time of release. It had the best image quality, and even now it's debatable whether any mirrorless camera has better image quality, although you could make a good case for the Sony A7r. It had the longest battery life for a mirrorless camera. It still holds that record and it is rated for more shots than the K-30, K-50, K-500 and K-S1. It has sensor shift stabilisation - not unique but rare. It has a focusing motor for older lenses. It had more natively compatible lenses than any other system, many of which are tiny. This was enough for me to buy one in spring of 2012 for about $450. I have no regrets and feel I got great value out of it.

Why was it a sakes failure? Well, I don't think it was. You can point to any number of mirror's cameras that have the same kind of price reduction. The difference is that when the press has decided something has failed, the price cut is a "fire sale"; when they like a camera, it's an unusable bargain. It's interesting that the K-30 is still readily available here in Japan, while the K-01 is basically sold out. Also, the second hand shops have plenty of Pentax DSLRs of all types, but very few K-01s. People seem to be keeping hold of them because they offer a unique feature set.

Finally, I think the existence of the K-30 explains a lot of the design choices Pentax made with the K-01. Given its size, it had to look and operate differently from a DSLR or it would have no reason to exist.

---------- Post added 09-09-14 at 09:48 AM ----------

It's meant to be "sales failure" and "unmissable bargain" in the above. Damn smartphone makes it almost impossible to edit the posts!

[monochrome]

That K-30 wasn't even a design by Marc Newson......

Very true.. and shows what pentax can do when someone else isn't meddling with their camera lol, tbh the k-01 is a pretty special little thing that will be remembered mostly because of its looks I just think its a shame they went out there way to get someone to design the camera for them and not go the extra mile to make it a little more special tech wise.

The k30 didn't help it much either being released not long after and basically giving you a k-01 when in liveview but the k30 in itself was pretty amazing as it gave people dual control wheels and 100% ovf pentaprizim at a price the other company's were giving you one control wheel and pentamirrors although it will be forgotten while the k-01 will not.

The K-30 IS a K-01. Internally. Add a dSLR body and controls, mirrorbox and OVF. Just about everything else is identical.

But a K-30 has a familiar form factor.

[Usuqa]

I can point to a few things that were best in class or unique about the K-01 at the time of release. It had the best image quality, and even now it's debatable whether any mirrorless camera has better image quality, although you could make a good case for the Sony A7r. It had the longest battery life for a mirrorless camera. It still holds that record and it is rated for more shots than the K-30, K-50, K-500 and K-S1. It has sensor shift stabilisation - not unique but rare. It has a focusing motor for older lenses. It had more natively compatible lenses than any other system, many of which are tiny. This was enough for me to buy one in spring of 2012 for about $450. I have no regrets and feel I got great value out of it.

Why was it a sakes failure? Well, I don't think it was. You can point to any number of mirror's cameras that have the same kind of price reduction. The difference is that when the press has decided something has failed, the price cut is a "fire sale"; when they like a camera, it's an unusable bargain. It's interesting that the K-30 is still readily available here in Japan, while the K-01 is basically sold out. Also, the second hand shops have plenty of Pentax DSLRs of all types, but very few K-01s. People seem to be keeping hold of them because they offer a unique feature set.

That's some good points and I'm sure if I had a k-01 I also would keep it as I rather like its design and just like any modern camera is capable of creating nice images but comparing it to other mirror less offerings at the time (spec wise) and its official launch price it should have been better or sold for less imho as on paper it was similar to lower end nex camera's except ofc for image stabilization (which they have in some lens) which were much less in price.

The K-30 IS a K-01. Internally. Add a dSLR body and controls, mirrorbox and OVF. Just about everything else is identical.

But a K-30 has a familiar form factor.

Exactly and it was launched for a similar price too, the fact that the stripped out the mirrorbox, OVF and put less control's on the k-01 meens the k-01 would have cost much less to manufacture and should have sold for much less, you were really getting much more for your money with the k30.

So I still stand by my reasons for calling the k-01 a crap camera, taking into account its price/functions/launch time and the k30 coming out a few months after with much more features for similar money but that dosn't mean its a crap or bad camera to use as there is more to a camera than a spec sheet.

[RonHendriks1966]

Exactly and it was launched for a similar price too, the fact that the stripped out the mirrorbox, OVF and put less control's on the k-01 meens the k-01 would have cost much less to manufacture and should have sold for much less, you were really getting much more for your money with the k30.

No idea about the price for a mirrorbox, but you can buy the new Canon 1200D for 295 euro (including 21% taks) so how expensive can that toy be to manufacture. Yes it's cheaper to make without, but that is not what is making the streetprice I think.

[richardwong]

The shear amount of comments makes this a design success, in the minds of Marc Newson probably. How much he feels the criticism of the K-01 who knows and maybe if the price had remained the same at the launch we might not all be talking about it as much because so many people bought them after the price reductions.

What was the cost at launch and did Pentax only sell it as a bundle withe 40mm xs lens?

[spinach]

Exactly and it was launched for a similar price too, the fact that the stripped out the mirrorbox, OVF and put less control's on the k-01 meens the k-01 would have cost much less to manufacture and should have sold for much less, you were really getting much more for your money with the k30.

which controls were stripped out of the k-01 that were present in the k-30? looking at shots of the k-30 i'm not seeing anything the k-01 doesn't have outside of a live view button (you can't not live view on a k-01) and that raw/fx button (you can probably program that into the programmable red button, which the k-30 lacks)

also, i have a real hard time seeing the lack of a mirrorbox as a minus -- it'll definitely never have the problem of having its mirror stuck in the up position, such as my now completely blind pz-70. long as it's 'garbage' though, it'll stay cheap, and that's a pretty good insurance policy should something happen to the one i've got, so carry on.

---------- Post added 09-09-14 at 06:44 AM ----------

re: price: consider the nikon 1 v2, the k-01's contemporary, is still selling for $750, and the v3 (with its amazing but tiny 1" sensor) costs as much as a pentax k-3. you're not getting any digital ilc for a song, mirror or no.

[monochrome]

Exactly and it was launched for a similar price too, the fact that the stripped out the mirrorbox, OVF and put less control's on the k-01 meens the k-01 would have cost much less to manufacture and should have sold for much less, you were really getting much more for your money with the k30.

Can't find it today but there's a REALLY long article about the engineering that went into developing the new dual magnet IBIS for the K-01 and engineering the manufacturing prcess to fit everything inside the new form factor. I'd guess the price decision reflected the costs for the significant new tooling and processes.

[luftfluss]

The shear amount of comments makes this a design success, in the minds of Marc Newson probably. How much he feels the criticism of the K-01 who knows and maybe if the price had remained the same at the launch we might not all be talking about it as much because so many people bought them after the price reductions.

What was the cost at launch and did Pentax only sell it as a bundle withe 40mm xs lens?

It was $749 at launch, I think $899 w/40XS.

---------- Post added 09-09-14 at 11:02 AM ----------

Your picking me up all wrong.

The price and spec on the time of the k-01's release it was a pretty "crap" camera compared to what else was in the market and they even brought out the k30 around 3-4 months after which could do everything the k-01 could just as well or better but having an ovf, weather sealing and dual control wheels so I stand by my statement that the k-01 was a pretty crap camera.

That doesn't make it a bad camera to have or to use, the sigma dp merrills are (compated to lots of other cameras) pretty crap, slow operations speed, slow af, slow buffer times, bad high iso but they are the best camera's I own currently (unless Im going to shoot an event in which case my k5 and da* lens come out).

I just feel it was a missed opportunity from pentax, I'd have loved for it to have done well and for there to be new versions of it and the xs lens , Id even welcome a pro version much like a k3 but with evf (as it can be much larger and have focus aids) and built in nd filters and such instead of a mirror.

You keep using the word "spec" and I don't understand your usage. The most important "spec" is the sensor, and at the time of release the K-01 had the best sensor in it's class. So that, right there, elevates it beyond the m4/3 crowd. At the time of release, it was the only mirrorless that had a full line of native lenses.

You know what else the K-30 is addition to the K-01? Mirror-slap. A loud shutter. These things bug some people. The K-30 is also physically larger and has protrusions than can make it awkward to fit in places that are no problem for the K-01.

I agree that it was overpriced at launch, and had substandard AF until the firmware update, and should have had an EVF and/or tilting LCD. But folks who approach the K-01 with an open mind are able to see what a nifty image-making device it is.