K-01 - why did it not suceed?

Khalid · 02-02-2020, 01:11 PM - **2 Likes**

The K-01 is successful for those who loved its design and performance ..

PiDicus Rex · 02-04-2020, 08:26 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by luftfluss

It might have helped if Pentax didn't release the K-01 with what was practically beta firmware.

Could make the argument that it's still in Beta - they never finished any support for the GPS unit for astro-photography use.

If I only had those skills dept,..., I would love to see the Pentax firmware cracked and decoded, just for the K-01, max out the Data rate for the H.264, an all i-frame option, an Mjpeg option, cut n paste the IBIS from the K-5 in to replace the MovieSR, and make it so when you plug in a screen to the HDMI, that camera stays in Record Modes, rather then switching to Playback only.

Originally posted by Khalid

The K-01 is successful for those who loved its design and performance ..

They'd be a very small bunch. There's many more people who love the K-01 for what's on the inside, because it is a good camera inside, the design is just un-ergonomical.

pentaxian_tmb · 02-07-2020, 09:34 AM - **1 Like**

I remain convinced these would have sold like hotcakes had they gone with retro-styling. Put the guts of a K-01 into something resembling the Pentax ME, and they would have had a sure winner, given the state of the market at that time.

rmalbers · 02-07-2020, 10:44 AM

Originally posted by pentaxian_tmb

I remain convinced these would have sold like hotcakes had they gone with retro-styling. Put the guts of a K-01 into something resembling the Pentax ME, and they would have had a sure winner, given the state of the market at that time.

There is just no way that would fit, I agree it would have been nice. Just the difference in battery sized between the ME and K01 is huge.

PiDicus Rex · 02-15-2020, 08:09 PM

Originally posted by pentaxian_tmb

I remain convinced these would have sold like hotcakes had they gone with retro-styling. Put the guts of a K-01 into something resembling the Pentax ME, and they would have had a sure winner, given the state of the market at that time.

You mean, in to a body designed by someone who understands camera ergonomics?

I agree, they definitely would have sold a lot more, look at the Fuji designs since.

---------- Post added 16-02-20 at 02:15 PM ----------

Originally posted by rmalbers

Just the difference in battery sized between the ME and K01 is huge.

Look from underneath, the battery is half the depth of the grip - Shifting the (useless) HDMI and the USB/AV over to the other side, as it is on most bodies, would have enabled a more slender grip.

Transit · 02-25-2020, 01:47 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by pentaxian_tmb

I remain convinced these would have sold like hotcakes had they gone with retro-styling. Put the guts of a K-01 into something resembling the Pentax ME, and they would have had a sure winner, given the state of the market at that time.

Pretty much... optional viewfinder thrown in
The famous designer not letting ergonomics get in the way of his genius 😀

SonDa5 · 11-14-2020, 03:47 PM

Originally posted by PiDicus Rex

Could make the argument that it's still in Beta - they never finished any support for the GPS unit for astro-photography use.

If I only had those skills dept,..., I would love to see the Pentax firmware cracked and decoded, just for the K-01, max out the Data rate for the H.264, an all i-frame option, an Mjpeg option, cut n paste the IBIS from the K-5 in to replace the MovieSR, and make it so when you plug in a screen to the HDMI, that camera stays in Record Modes, rather then switching to Playback only.

They'd be a very small bunch. There's many more people who love the K-01 for what's on the inside, because it is a good camera inside, the design is just un-ergonomical.

Firmware update tweaked by somebody who knows how to tweak for performance would be sweet proposition if possible.

I don't think Pentax would do this at this point.

PiDicus Rex · 11-15-2020, 11:14 PM

Firmware completely hacked open would be better option, just stick to all the bodies they've gone E.O.L. on, so not to compromise current hardware.

ZombieArmy · 11-16-2020, 01:52 AM - **1 Like**

I think the K-01 is one of the bodies that would benefit the most from a full firmware hack. Enable GPS functionality, up bitrates in video, enable SR during video, etc... would be amazing.

Perhaps some day there will be a firmware hacking initiative that actually gets somewhere.

**hjoseph7** · 11-16-2020, 04:16 AM

It's more like a point-and-shoot than a mirror less, but if I had to switch to mirror less from DSLR, I might start out with this camera rather than the outrageously expensive models from other manufacturers. Maybe Pentax should introduce a K02 model with EVF(electronic view finder), but that would not be important to me. The fact that you can uses existing K mount lenses is a HUGE plus !

Bertrand3000 · 11-16-2020, 11:12 AM

I am full into DSLR with my K-S2 and I am not looking elsewhere to check if the grass is greener. Still, I regret two things with my K-S2 : it's weight, first, and the time of operation when shooting in Live View. Autofocus is slower with most lenses, and taking a shot involves a lot of mirror slapping.

A K-01 II, to be successful, would need to be significantly lighter (something a DSLR cannot provide), and much quicker to take shots (autofocus and general operation), and have an EVF, while still using a K-mount.

johnmflores · 11-16-2020, 02:48 PM

The K-01 was never meant for the kind of the person that would frequent a camera forum like this one. It was meant to appeal to a younger, hipper crowd, thus the hiring of Marc Newson for the project. I loved the looks of it from day 1, and it's actually held up better (aesthetically-speaking) than other cameras from that era. It was doomed due to the one thing that appealed to folks in this forum - it's K-mount compatibility. That resulted in a camera too big for people cross-shopping Sony NEX, Olympus, or others. The timing was tough too, right when phones were becoming the snapshot tool of choice.

In the end, it tried to be too many things to too many people and succeeded at none. That said, I'm never selling mine.

**luftfluss** · 11-16-2020, 06:35 PM

Originally posted by Bertrand3000

I am full into DSLR with my K-S2 and I am not looking elsewhere to check if the grass is greener. Still, I regret two things with my K-S2 : it's weight, first, and the time of operation when shooting in Live View. Autofocus is slower with most lenses, and taking a shot involves a lot of mirror slapping.

A K-01 II, to be successful, would need to be significantly lighter (something a DSLR cannot provide), and much quicker to take shots (autofocus and general operation), and have an EVF, while still using a K-mount.

It's difficult to add a new feature (EVF) while reducing weight, yet maintain good build quality.

I owned a Fuji X-T20. It's about 200g lighter than the K-01 and has an EVF. It also has inferior build quality - body panels flex pretty easily - lacks IBIS, and has poorer battery life.

The Nikon Z50 has an EVF and is about 111g lighter than the K-01. It also lacks IBIS and has far inferior battery life.

The Sony a6600 has an EVF, IBIS, and superior battery life. It weighs 58g less than the K-01.

Based on these comparisons, prospects don't look good for reducing a hypothetical K-02's weight "significantly" while maintaining Pentax's standard of apparent build quality.

**mlt** · 11-16-2020, 08:13 PM

Maybe take a KP body, update the sensor to one with dual pixel af, replace the pentaprism along with the mirror mechanicals and the af sensor with a 3-4 meg electronic viewfinder and bingo - a usable mirrorless Pentax. Keeps a decently built body that should be a bit lighter overall.

automorphism · 11-16-2020, 08:24 PM

Originally posted by mlt

Maybe take a KP body, update the sensor to one with dual pixel af, replace the pentaprism along with the mirror mechanicals and the af sensor with a 3-4 meg electronic viewfinder and bingo - a usable mirrorless Pentax. Keeps a decently built body that should be a bit lighter overall.

I really think it would require a lot more work than it sounds to make a camera like that...

02-25-2020, 01:47 AM - 1 Like	#66
Transit Pentaxian Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Whanganui NZ Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,578	Originally posted by pentaxian_tmb I remain convinced these would have sold like hotcakes had they gone with retro-styling. Put the guts of a K-01 into something resembling the Pentax ME, and they would have had a sure winner, given the state of the market at that time. Pretty much... optional viewfinder thrown in The famous designer not letting ergonomics get in the way of his genius 😀 Last edited by Transit; 02-25-2020 at 01:54 AM.

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02-02-2020, 01:11 PM - 2 Likes	#61
Khalid Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Kuwait City Posts: 46	The K-01 is successful for those who loved its design and performance ..

02-04-2020, 08:26 AM - 1 Like	#62
PiDicus Rex Pentaxian Join Date: May 2013 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 1,359	Originally posted by luftfluss It might have helped if Pentax didn't release the K-01 with what was practically beta firmware. Could make the argument that it's still in Beta - they never finished any support for the GPS unit for astro-photography use. If I only had those skills dept,..., I would love to see the Pentax firmware cracked and decoded, just for the K-01, max out the Data rate for the H.264, an all i-frame option, an Mjpeg option, cut n paste the IBIS from the K-5 in to replace the MovieSR, and make it so when you plug in a screen to the HDMI, that camera stays in Record Modes, rather then switching to Playback only. Originally posted by Khalid The K-01 is successful for those who loved its design and performance .. They'd be a very small bunch. There's many more people who love the K-01 for what's on the inside, because it is a good camera inside, the design is just un-ergonomical.

02-07-2020, 09:34 AM - 1 Like	#63
pentaxian_tmb Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Madison, Wisconsin Posts: 426	I remain convinced these would have sold like hotcakes had they gone with retro-styling. Put the guts of a K-01 into something resembling the Pentax ME, and they would have had a sure winner, given the state of the market at that time.

02-07-2020, 10:44 AM	#64
rmalbers Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Omaha, NE Posts: 104	Originally posted by pentaxian_tmb I remain convinced these would have sold like hotcakes had they gone with retro-styling. Put the guts of a K-01 into something resembling the Pentax ME, and they would have had a sure winner, given the state of the market at that time. There is just no way that would fit, I agree it would have been nice. Just the difference in battery sized between the ME and K01 is huge.

02-15-2020, 08:09 PM	#65
PiDicus Rex Pentaxian Join Date: May 2013 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 1,359	Originally posted by pentaxian_tmb I remain convinced these would have sold like hotcakes had they gone with retro-styling. Put the guts of a K-01 into something resembling the Pentax ME, and they would have had a sure winner, given the state of the market at that time. You mean, in to a body designed by someone who understands camera ergonomics? I agree, they definitely would have sold a lot more, look at the Fuji designs since. ---------- Post added 16-02-20 at 02:15 PM ---------- Originally posted by rmalbers Just the difference in battery sized between the ME and K01 is huge. Look from underneath, the battery is half the depth of the grip - Shifting the (useless) HDMI and the USB/AV over to the other side, as it is on most bodies, would have enabled a more slender grip.

11-14-2020, 03:47 PM	#67
SonDa5 Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 70	Originally posted by PiDicus Rex Could make the argument that it's still in Beta - they never finished any support for the GPS unit for astro-photography use. If I only had those skills dept,..., I would love to see the Pentax firmware cracked and decoded, just for the K-01, max out the Data rate for the H.264, an all i-frame option, an Mjpeg option, cut n paste the IBIS from the K-5 in to replace the MovieSR, and make it so when you plug in a screen to the HDMI, that camera stays in Record Modes, rather then switching to Playback only. They'd be a very small bunch. There's many more people who love the K-01 for what's on the inside, because it is a good camera inside, the design is just un-ergonomical. Firmware update tweaked by somebody who knows how to tweak for performance would be sweet proposition if possible. I don't think Pentax would do this at this point.

11-15-2020, 11:14 PM	#68
PiDicus Rex Pentaxian Join Date: May 2013 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 1,359	Firmware completely hacked open would be better option, just stick to all the bodies they've gone E.O.L. on, so not to compromise current hardware.

11-16-2020, 01:52 AM - 1 Like	#69
ZombieArmy Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Florida Posts: 3,084	I think the K-01 is one of the bodies that would benefit the most from a full firmware hack. Enable GPS functionality, up bitrates in video, enable SR during video, etc... would be amazing. Perhaps some day there will be a firmware hacking initiative that actually gets somewhere.

11-16-2020, 04:16 AM	#70
hjoseph7 Site Supporter Join Date: May 2014 Location: Minnesota Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,867	It's more like a point-and-shoot than a mirror less, but if I had to switch to mirror less from DSLR, I might start out with this camera rather than the outrageously expensive models from other manufacturers. Maybe Pentax should introduce a K02 model with EVF(electronic view finder), but that would not be important to me. The fact that you can uses existing K mount lenses is a HUGE plus !

11-16-2020, 11:12 AM	#71
Bertrand3000 Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2019 Posts: 2,016	I am full into DSLR with my K-S2 and I am not looking elsewhere to check if the grass is greener. Still, I regret two things with my K-S2 : it's weight, first, and the time of operation when shooting in Live View. Autofocus is slower with most lenses, and taking a shot involves a lot of mirror slapping. A K-01 II, to be successful, would need to be significantly lighter (something a DSLR cannot provide), and much quicker to take shots (autofocus and general operation), and have an EVF, while still using a K-mount.

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11-16-2020, 02:48 PM	#72
johnmflores Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Somerville, NJ Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,361	The K-01 was never meant for the kind of the person that would frequent a camera forum like this one. It was meant to appeal to a younger, hipper crowd, thus the hiring of Marc Newson for the project. I loved the looks of it from day 1, and it's actually held up better (aesthetically-speaking) than other cameras from that era. It was doomed due to the one thing that appealed to folks in this forum - it's K-mount compatibility. That resulted in a camera too big for people cross-shopping Sony NEX, Olympus, or others. The timing was tough too, right when phones were becoming the snapshot tool of choice. In the end, it tried to be too many things to too many people and succeeded at none. That said, I'm never selling mine.

11-16-2020, 06:35 PM	#73
luftfluss Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: NJ Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 10,681	Originally posted by Bertrand3000 I am full into DSLR with my K-S2 and I am not looking elsewhere to check if the grass is greener. Still, I regret two things with my K-S2 : it's weight, first, and the time of operation when shooting in Live View. Autofocus is slower with most lenses, and taking a shot involves a lot of mirror slapping. A K-01 II, to be successful, would need to be significantly lighter (something a DSLR cannot provide), and much quicker to take shots (autofocus and general operation), and have an EVF, while still using a K-mount. It's difficult to add a new feature (EVF) while reducing weight, yet maintain good build quality. I owned a Fuji X-T20. It's about 200g lighter than the K-01 and has an EVF. It also has inferior build quality - body panels flex pretty easily - lacks IBIS, and has poorer battery life. The Nikon Z50 has an EVF and is about 111g lighter than the K-01. It also lacks IBIS and has far inferior battery life. The Sony a6600 has an EVF, IBIS, and superior battery life. It weighs 58g less than the K-01. Based on these comparisons, prospects don't look good for reducing a hypothetical K-02's weight "significantly" while maintaining Pentax's standard of apparent build quality.

11-16-2020, 08:13 PM	#74
mlt Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 1,151	Maybe take a KP body, update the sensor to one with dual pixel af, replace the pentaprism along with the mirror mechanicals and the af sensor with a 3-4 meg electronic viewfinder and bingo - a usable mirrorless Pentax. Keeps a decently built body that should be a bit lighter overall.

11-16-2020, 08:24 PM	#75
automorphism Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Ontario, Canada Photos: Albums Posts: 791	Originally posted by mlt Maybe take a KP body, update the sensor to one with dual pixel af, replace the pentaprism along with the mirror mechanicals and the af sensor with a 3-4 meg electronic viewfinder and bingo - a usable mirrorless Pentax. Keeps a decently built body that should be a bit lighter overall. I really think it would require a lot more work than it sounds to make a camera like that...