[monochrome]

Like it or not, it *does* shout 'rubber toy', at least in my opinion. The poster who said it shouted 'rubber toy' didn't say it was a rubber toy. The poster was saying it had the appearance of a rubber toy to onlookers.

You (and the posters) really, really need to see and handle the camera in person. Online photos don't communicate at all how solid and comfortable it is. Yeah, the yellow isn't for everyone but the black looks as much like a camera as any of the other updated MILC designs in person. In person you can't even tell the covering is rubber.

Whatever. I'm never going to convince the entire Forum.

[lammie200]

You (and the posters) really, really need to see and handle the camera in person. Online photos don't communicate at all how solid and comfortable it is. Yeah, the yellow isn't for everyone but the black looks as much like a camera as any of the other updated MILC designs in person. In person you can't even tell the covering is rubber.

Whatever. I'm never going to convince the entire Forum.

I get it. You like it. Nothing wrong with that as far as I am concerned.

I know that you have probably wrote about it before, but what is one thing you wish the K-01 had that it doesn't have? I am only asking because I get the feeling that when Pentax comes out with a newer model it will be different. I am just curious since you like it. You should be a good judge as to what to improve.

[ElJamoquio]

You (and the posters) really, really need to see and handle the camera in person.

I believe I was the first on the forum to actually touch a consumer-version K-01. It was the black US version.


Personally I'm glad that Pentax isn't following a please-everyone formula; I still think they missed the mark a bit but it's still a good camera.

[Docrwm]

Oh G*d this is turning into another Fanboy thread.

It's ok not to like something Pentax produced - really, honest, truly - it's ok not to like everything they make.

[monochrome]

I get it. You like it. Nothing wrong with that as far as I am concerned.

I know that you have probably wrote about it before, but what is one thing you wish the K-01 had that it doesn't have? I am only asking because I get the feeling that when Pentax comes out with a newer model it will be different. I am just curious since you like it. You should be a good judge as to what to improve.

Actually I wish people would try the camera and judge it from experience, good or bad, instead of making these ridiculous "rubber toy" comments. I respect opinion based on actual trial and experience and will respectfully discuss and agree to disagree (as some of the initial vocal objectors and I have recently come to do)

1. The Green and Red buttons are placed for design reasons in a straight, equidistant line rather than in an ergonomic position.
2. I've figured out how to make the rubber flap work but it could have been a locking hard door covered with the same rubber skin as the rest of the body.
3. There are daylight fill-flash issues.
4. The mount face is narrower than on the dSLRs so Takumar lenses have trouble shorting the contacts (we've reported this one to Pentax and they are investigating).

The balance of my objections are control issues (e.g. TAv embedded under the M Mode), many of which are Pentax consistent mid-range decisions shared with the K30.

I've worked around to my satisfaction many of the objections raised by posters who (presumably) haven't tried the camera.

[attilaworx]

Hmm, my experience is rather different than this. The top reason I bought my K200D is that the build quality was *much* higher than offerings from the other brands. The second reason was the useability factor - again an important quality measure. And lens purchases since then, SMC Takumar, DA40 and DA15 (in the mail now!) were all quality driven purchases.

Maybe I should have explained it better. I love my K200 for the same reason (and got the k01 because it's built like a brick). When I think about value for money I rarely compare cameras on the same level (entry level Pentax with entry level canikon). I compare the features that are important to me. I firmly believe that image quality is good enough for me in any camera these days. For example, if I want a weather sealed camera, a K30 would be one of the cheapest options out there.

Anyway, sorry it's a bit off topic but I thought I'd clarify my point a little bit more

[attilaworx]

ya you sure know a ton about leather... not a camera pouch dude... I'm sure just like any one else on here who has bought premium pentax leather knows pentax uses shit leather and bumps the price up. The pentax Q leather case were the same thing, super high price supposed to be premium leather and they were shit compared to even the cheap chinese cases you get on ebay. That leather will crackle and fall apart overtime just like all pentax premium leather. I own multiple leather jackets, I own wotancraft bags, I own gordy and barton1972 straps, redwing heritage boots, just tons of tons of leather, if I was a porn star that'd be my niche. Pentax is bottom of the barrel leather, like pretty much all camera companies, you want a good leather case make your own or wait for one of the epic case makers online to get to the K-01... And that much leather would not cost that much, even hand stitched... Your paying %100 for a marc newson stamp that isnt even red, at least we got a red one on the K-01...

Point taken. I haven't had any Pentax leather pouches except for the one that came with my ancient M 50mm 1.7 (and that one is not cracking yet!)

The term 'premium leather' is about as overused as 'magical' or 'revolutionary'!

[Class A]

Rubber toy? Have you had your hands on one?

I didn't say it is a rubber toy. I said "it shouts rubber toy".

If I were the only one that thought the K-01 should look more valuable given the quality materials used for its construction then I would have kept my opinion to myself a long time ago.

However, DPReview wrote things like "Its rather toy-like buttons and switches..." and Shawn Barnett (from Imaging Resource) quotes his daughter who thinks the K-01 controls look "too childish" (she is 14 years old).

I could extend the above list. Anyhow, the point of my post was not to say "the K-01 looks like a rubber toy", it was to point out the discord between the camera's design and the pouch's design.

I do admit that I am not a fan of the ribbed rubber. I find it strange that Marc Newson has an aversion to a "faux leather look" but thinks that the ribbed rubber look is superiour.

My first post in this thread mainly played on the above. It does not make sense for me to use ribbed rubber for the camera and real leather for the pouch. Would it not have been more consistent to make a ribbed rubber pouch? Not that I think that the latter would look appealing but I don't think the K-01 has much appeal anyhow, so I'd be the wrong person to ask anyhow.

N.B., I saw multiple K-01 in the flesh; I didn't ask a sales person to hand a copy to me so that I can handle it because I have no interest in the camera and don't want to waste anyone's time. I trust that it feels solid and have never claimed it doesn't.

Too bad they ruined the camera for Pentax, though.

What do you mean?

Pentax created a K-01 for a certain market. It must have been clear to Pentax that the camera would not be for everyone. I also believe that Pentax knew that some will take issue with the K-01's design and that Pentax was OK with that.

I also believe that anyone who bought the K-01 should not be surprised -- given the initial almost unanimous "toy appeal feedback by review sites and many forum members -- that others will continue to call the K-01's design not a 100% successful.

I don't see where the issue is. I only partially like the K-01's design, you may only partially like the design of my car. So what?

[mecrox]

Oh G*d this is turning into another Fanboy thread.

It's ok not to like something Pentax produced - really, honest, truly - it's ok not to like everything they make.

Lol. I have a K-01 and I like it. Very good quality pictures. For me, it is also comfortable to handle. But I think the K-01 is best seen as a first shot at a post-DSLR. A second shot might need to include an EVF, a much more powerful processing engine ( the current one is slow), a redesign to get rid of the "brick" aspects, weather-proofing and, generally, what you would expect to find on a K5-level body rather than a mid-range one. Most important of all, however, is that I don't see any future for CDAF on any camera like this. It is simply too slow, especially for lenses not optimized for it which is 99.9% in the case of Pentax, Canon, Nikon. One needs some kind of combo CDAF/PDAF set up on chip or a new invention entirely. That to me is the big limitation here going forwards but the good news, in a sense, is that all other marques have the same problem. It's there to be solved.

As a compact system camera I see the K-01 as a complete disaster. It ticks none of the boxes for that market, imho. The core problem is that the K-mount is simply too large for that market and it always will be. The K-mount is a big mount for big cameras, solid cameras of a traditional kind. If Pentax want to offer something in the CSC market then they should either up the body size and sensor size of the Q (and perhaps make it with a fixed zoom) or come up with a new mount. Or, avoid the whole thing on the grounds that they are too late for the party and the other players, now, have far too much of a lead. For example, Oly and Panny between them now have an impressive range of M43 lenses and a company like Pentax, with limited production facilities, would take years to match it. Or, maybe the CSC market is where the Ricoh brand comes in, leaving the big camera stuff to Pentax. We'll see soon enough, I expect.

[nigelc]

No difference from $2 dollar ebay pouch, uglier...maybe?

[Docrwm]

Lol. I have a K-01 and I like it. Very good quality pictures. For me, it is also comfortable to handle. But I think the K-01 is best seen as a first shot at a post-DSLR. A second shot might need to include an EVF, a much more powerful processing engine ( the current one is slow), a redesign to get rid of the "brick" aspects, weather-proofing and, generally, what you would expect to find on a K5-level body rather than a mid-range one. Most important of all, however, is that I don't see any future for CDAF on any camera like this. It is simply too slow, especially for lenses not optimized for it which is 99.9% in the case of Pentax, Canon, Nikon. One needs some kind of combo CDAF/PDAF set up on chip or a new invention entirely. That to me is the big limitation here going forwards but the good news, in a sense, is that all other marques have the same problem. It's there to be solved.

As a compact system camera I see the K-01 as a complete disaster. It ticks none of the boxes for that market, imho. The core problem is that the K-mount is simply too large for that market and it always will be. The K-mount is a big mount for big cameras, solid cameras of a traditional kind. If Pentax want to offer something in the CSC market then they should either up the body size and sensor size of the Q (and perhaps make it with a fixed zoom) or come up with a new mount. Or, avoid the whole thing on the grounds that they are too late for the party and the other players, now, have far too much of a lead. For example, Oly and Panny between them now have an impressive range of M43 lenses and a company like Pentax, with limited production facilities, would take years to match it. Or, maybe the CSC market is where the Ricoh brand comes in, leaving the big camera stuff to Pentax. We'll see soon enough, I expect.

Very nice analysis. If Pentax had committed to the Q and really put effort into making the sensor the right size (that is the main criticism of it by reviewers along with its price), weather sealing it, and putting their efforts into it with a wide range of lenses I think they might have found a niche within the small form factor market. My hope is that they will see the Q as their small camera option and redirect efforts into it and make it both more affordable and more versatile.

[Na Horuk]

I just got a K-01 (yellow one, too!) and after using it, I like it more than the K-r. Its focus to me is more accurate (or at least with the focus peaking its easier to check and fix it), it has great shooting modes to help you, but the regular shooting modes also work great. The screen is good, fast, with good colors (and I was shooting at noon on sunny summer days).. and the whole camera.. is basically just really fun to shoot. Of course, it doesn't have an OVF, but on the other hand, you can AF at any point, not only in the places where the camera has AF points. Also, no mirror means silent shooting. Now, it can't for example keep focus on a moving subject quite as well, but its still good. The camera is just a lot of fun to shoot and looking at the screen instead of the OVF makes you take more time in composing actually (due to CD focusing, selecting the focus, etc.). To me, its not a P&S, its not a compact, its not a DSLR-replacer, its just different altogether. The only qualm I have is the green button placement, beyond that, its a great camera that I can recommend to anyone, as long as they don't have a preconceived notion that "a real camera is a DSLR and all other cameras should try to imitate it"

[Smeggypants]

"opens from the bottom"... I actually did laugh out loud. :-)

Marc Newson should never have been allowed anywhere near a camera.

You ain't kidding. Kings news Clothes. The camera is ugly enough, but the case has even got his signature on it.

[Smeggypants]

One by one serious photographers are trying this little gem - and guess what? They like it for what it is. Sure, there are issues and I agree - with the real ones.

There are a few full-time pro shooters here - highly-regarded members - who have tried the K-01 and posted recently about the good handling, great IQ, decent AF, focus peaking and decent video. Some naysayers will never be convinced. OK, fine.

Too bad they ruined the camera for Pentax, though.

The only person who ruined the camera for Pentax was Marc Newson.

[magkelly]

My one gal pal she goes nuts over designer bags. She sees something like a Coach bag and she just salivates. I honestly can't tell the difference between a bag like that and a $45 Target knock off bag. Honestly I wouldn't buy the camera let alone a $350 bag for it. It may have the best innards in the world but I still think it's a rather ugly little camera and the idea of putting a $350 bag on it just makes me laugh. Sow's ear in pearls, that. That camera is proof positive that no matter how rabid a Pentaxian I am that not even Pentax is perfect. If you like the thing, buy one and enjoy, but I'd sooner go right off brand than actually use one of those, and for me that's really saying something as normally I'd pick a Pentax camera over just about anything.