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04-22-2022, 02:42 AM   #1
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Reasons you love the K01 ?

I've never touched this camera, it looked strange to me and the ergonomic is bad and without an EVF, the only thing I find it better than other mirrorless in the market, is having a closed shutter to protect the senor while the lens removed, that's the only good thing I can tell by looking at it without using it, beside that what made you guys love this camera ?

04-22-2022, 02:50 AM - 1 Like   #2
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I like the camera. I wouldn't say I love it. For me, it was quite small -- particularly combined with a limited lens. Because of its shape it is easy to place it on a ledge or any flat spot and shoot a self timer photo -- it really is easier than with most SLRs I have used. The image quality is good -- probably not quite as good as the K-5 (no iso 80) -- but good enough to find excellent results.

At this point it is an old camera and one that had slow functions at the time of its release. But if you don't mind slowing down a little bit and taking your time, it still gives good results.
04-22-2022, 06:03 AM   #3
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yes - a good camera with k5 genes.
i like to equip them with the limited lens 40 mm 2,8. - this combination is ideal for the street.

focusing using focus-peaking is ingeniously simple.
the only thing that really annoys me: the lack of a simple lock for the shutter! an article in the cent range!
when you take it out of your pocket or backpack it is already switched on so often.
that's just rubbish!
04-22-2022, 06:04 AM - 2 Likes   #4
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QuoteOriginally posted by lotech Quote
I've never touched this camera, it looked strange to me and the ergonomic is bad and without an EVF, the only thing I find it better than other mirrorless in the market, is having a closed shutter to protect the senor while the lens removed, that's the only good thing I can tell by looking at it without using it, beside that what made you guys love this camera ?
Since you never touched the K-01 you can not say that the ergonomics are bad, contrary to the general opinion it is actually quite good. And it is as good as the K-5, because, well, it is a K-5 without EVF, it has one of the best image qualities you can get. After all, it is virtually a K-5, same sensor same... and so on.
It is probably the only APS-C Pentax branded camera you can put in your pocket with a 40mm ltd and even with the DA 35mm F2.4 attached you can do that. You need large pockets to get it in, but then at the time when it was released you needed that same large pockets to be able to buy it . One of the best things you did not mention: it is a mirrorless that is compatible with all the K-mounts from before its release and most that followed with one exception: it will not work well with a lens with electronic aperture control, but these lenses most of the time are a bit to big anyway to use with a OVF/EVF-less camera's. Most of the time I use it with a prime. I am the proud owner of a yellow version.
In terms of image quality I rate it higher than my K-3 mark II. It has that brilliancy everyone states about the K-5 and I think that only the KP surpasses it in IQ. And last but not least, because of its colour (especially the yellow and the white one) it is a camera that attracts other people to notice that you have a (large?) camera that is not black or silver and has a flat top. They always ask what brand it is. And they always say they have not seen such a camera before.
As to size, it has better ergonomics than other mirrorless camera's without EVF.
And because of the flat bottom it stands stable on most surfaces, kind of a bulid-in tripod .

04-22-2022, 06:10 AM - 1 Like   #5
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Love the brick design.

If you pair it with a small lightweight prime, that thing can "stand" by itself whether you leave it upright, stand it on its left or right side (actually even when you put it upside down), or put it face up, that thing can "stand on its own").

It's just a very quirky, but nice looking thing.
04-22-2022, 08:15 AM - 1 Like   #6
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I'd always liked the aesthetics of the K-01 … I'd often quite fancied a 40mm a/f pancake … when the two became available at what I considered was a "reasonable" price I bought them! Not disappointed
The K-01 has it's limitations, obviously, but work within those and it's a very competent camera.
The ergonomics are "different", but so's the KP's ... I learn to live with these things and adapt, rather than complain about them.
The shutter-button placement is surprisingly "natural" when using the camera in it's intended position, at arms length.
Yes, it's easy to activate the power switch when retrieving the camera, but provided you ensure it is off when it's stowed that's not a problem.
Pity they didn't include all the Digital Filter effects that are available with the K-5 … maybe that's the price we pay for focus-peaking.
04-22-2022, 11:49 AM   #7
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I liked it once it became affordable. Very similar to K-5 image quality but actually slightly sharper (less aggressive AA filter), however does have lower bit depth. It's great for long lens tripod work, and has just been nice to have around as a low-cost high-quality second body. The ergonomics have never bugged me (when in bright sun I use an LCD viewer on it though which makes it huge), and I use it almost always with manual focus lenses.

04-22-2022, 03:16 PM   #8
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While saying "love" is too strong, I do really like the K-01.
One of the main reasons reviewers didn't like it was because it looked so different to other DSLRs at the time. Personally I don't mind the looks and it was nice to see something different. Ergonomics are just "Ok" but really its fine to use once you get used to it. Lack of optical viewfinder is probably its biggest weakness.
As far as strengths go:
1. Size is really nice, and paired with the DA limited lenses makes for a very compact APS-C prime camera kit (and have great IQ)! I often took it if traveling very light.
2. Camera IQ is very good. In fact better than the K-5, due to weaker anti-aliasing filter.
3. Exposure is usually pretty bang on (can't say that about the K-5 - a close relative).
4. AF, although not very fast, is also pretty accurate

Obviously the IQ won't compete with something like K3III or K-1 but its still a pretty useful piece of kit.
04-22-2022, 04:35 PM   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by kiwi_jono Quote
While saying "love" is too strong, I do really like the K-01.
One of the main reasons reviewers didn't like it was because it looked so different to other DSLRs at the time. Personally I don't mind the looks and it was nice to see something different. Ergonomics are just "Ok" but really its fine to use once you get used to it. Lack of optical viewfinder is probably its biggest weakness.
As far as strengths go:
1. Size is really nice, and paired with the DA limited lenses makes for a very compact APS-C prime camera kit (and have great IQ)! I often took it if traveling very light.
2. Camera IQ is very good. In fact better than the K-5, due to weaker anti-aliasing filter.
3. Exposure is usually pretty bang on (can't say that about the K-5 - a close relative).
4. AF, although not very fast, is also pretty accurate

Obviously the IQ won't compete with something like K3III or K-1 but its still a pretty useful piece of kit.
It should be compared directly to the K-30.
I would have considered it instead of the K-30 if it had an EVF - appearance was not an issue with me.
04-22-2022, 06:11 PM   #10
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QuoteOriginally posted by vonBaloney Quote
It's great for long lens tripod work, and has just been nice to have around as a low-cost high-quality second body. The ergonomics have never bugged me (when in bright sun I use an LCD viewer on it though which makes it huge), and I use it almost always with manual focus lenses.


Probably not my favorite tripod combo any more but K-01 is still definitely head turner while you walk around with LCD loupe / hood attached.
04-22-2022, 06:11 PM   #11
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This camera is now 10 years old, and was originally released just a couple of years after mirrorless cameras started. I think it's important to keep that in mind when looking at the camera.

The things I like about it are
- It had some practical features that were not common on mirrorless cameras at that time - a built-in flash, IBIS and a very good battery life (actually more shots than some Pentax DSLRs)
- I like the design. It's very unique and it feels different to other cameras. I personally find it quite easy to use with any smaller lens. The button placement is nicely spread out and you don't tend to hit things accidentally. The materials used are "honest" in the sense that what looks like metal, plastic, rubber actually is that material. I mean things like the metal-looking buttons are actually aluminum and the rubber is not designed to look like faux leather.
- It is really more compact than DSLRs. This is not so apparent from pictures, but when you pack a bag you find you can fit it into a much more compact space. A rectangular block is after all the most space-efficient shape.
- It can exist completely in the Pentax ecosystem of lenses, batteries and flashes. I didn't waste any money on gear that wasn't also compatible with my DSLRs.

Above all, I just enjoy using it. I've taken a lot of images I like over the years. Now I have a K-3 III and the K-01 will be staying. It's the ostensibly superior K-5 IIs that I'll be getting rid of because it it just duplicates what the K-3 III does.
04-22-2022, 08:01 PM   #12
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QuoteOriginally posted by i_trax Quote

Probably not my favorite tripod combo any more but K-01 is still definitely head turner while you walk around with LCD loupe / hood attached.
Ha! I have everything in this picture except my big white lens is even longer (A*600/5.6) -- I use it just like this. Focusing on the screen using the loupe is actually pretty nice...
04-22-2022, 08:13 PM   #13
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Thank guys for the input, I read reviews about that uncommon beast a while back, I've not seen it in the shops but from the internet, I don't know how it actually handles, and only by now I know it is made of metal instead of plastic. I used other mirrorless before with very thin body to make it too much front heavy with the lens on, I believe the K-01 will give a better grip relatively comfortable to hold. Due to my far sighted vision I always want an EVF that this one lacks, so that I will need a loupe attachment to work with it. Want to know something sorry if already mentioned and I missed, is the shutter normal closed with lens removed, or it takes power to close ? most if not all other mirrorless has the shutter normal open to expose the sensor when the lens removed, that's what I most worry about using mirrorless, especially those with short back focus distance that the sensor can easily touched by hand, and foreign substance and debris get into the body.

---------- Post added 04-23-22 at 11:15 AM ----------

QuoteOriginally posted by vonBaloney Quote
Ha! I have everything in this picture except my big white lens is even longer (A*600/5.6) -- I use it just like this. Focusing on the screen using the loupe is actually pretty nice...
Pity I only got the same tiny tripod

Last edited by lotech; 04-22-2022 at 08:16 PM. Reason: Typo
04-23-2022, 12:59 AM   #14
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I too like the handling of this camera, it feels better in the hand than it looks. I find that when used in monochrome mode, it really helps me see the composition so much easier than using a viewfinder. If you get a chance, for the small amount of money they go for lately, it is well worth having as part of your kit.
04-23-2022, 01:06 AM   #15
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I really liked mine. In fact, I have quite genuine seller's remorse.
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