[PhilRich]

I'm considering selling my Canon and buying a K1. Does the K1 use a Sony sensor similar to that used by the Nikon 810?

[Adam]

I'm considering selling my Canon and buying a K1. Does the K1 use a Sony sensor similar to that used by the Nikon 810?

Yup, essentially the same sensor. But you do get shake reduction, pixel shift, and the AA filter simulator as added goodies

[enoeske]

I'm considering selling my Canon and buying a K1. Does the K1 use a Sony sensor similar to that used by the Nikon 810?

It looks to be an improved D810 sensor, as the noise is improved at high ISO, however, the Pentax lacks the ISO 64 setting

[Na Horuk]

Yeah, similar to the 16MP Sony sensor is the Pentax K-5, K-01, K-50, Nikon D7000 and... I think another Sony camera uses it, as well.. While it may be the same sensor, they were tweaked differently. K-5 has AA filter, but can go below ISO 100; K-01 has weak AA filter, but only ISO 100 and 12 bit recording; Nikon is slightly different again. And its possible that even Sony did some tweaks throughout the batches. So even if its "the same" sensor, its not really exactly the same performance, as each brand can tweak it according to their needs.

But yeah, seems like the K-1 has same sensor lineage as D800E and D810

[C_Jones]

Pentax K-1

36.4MP AA Filter-less CMOS Sensor w/ 33 AF Points; SR Shake Reduction w/ Pixel Shift Resolution System; APS-C Crop Mode for backward compatibility with PENTAX APS-C lenses

[geomez]

Has anybody heard anything definitive regarding the sensor? I know everybody says it's the same Sony sensor used by Nikon, but is there proof?

[clackers]

Has anybody heard anything definitive regarding the sensor? I know everybody says it's the same Sony sensor used by Nikon, but is there proof?

I don't think anyone other than Sony makes a 36Mp 35mm sensor, Geomez.


The 16Mp, 20Mp and 24Mp sensors on recent Pentaxes have come from Sony.

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Last edited by clackers; 05-11-2016 at 05:59 PM.

[geomez]

I don't think anyone other than Sony makes a 36Mp 35mm sensor, Geomez.

Proof regarding whether or not it is the same one.

[FantasticMrFox]

Yup, essentially the same sensor. But you do get shake reduction, pixel shift, and the AA filter simulator as added goodies

It looks to be an improved D810 sensor, as the noise is improved at high ISO, however, the Pentax lacks the ISO 64 setting

The sensor in the D810 is not the same as the one in the D800. There is a (tiny) resolution difference, the base ISO of 64 etc. As far as I know the D810's sensor was a Nikon own improvement on the Sony sensor of the D800, so it is unlikely that they handed it over to Pentax. Rather the sensor in the K-1 appears to be the Sony sensor from the D800 and A7R, not the improved version from the D810. The latter bit doesn't matter though, as DPR has shown that the K-1's image quality actually beats that of the D810, albeit only slightly.

[clackers]

Proof regarding whether or not it is the same one.

Let's flip this the other way, and see what you think, Geomez.


Where else is it from?


I don't mean the substrate, tinkered inputs/outputs/processing or layers above, since manufacturers get a say in customizing them, but the sensor.


This can easily become 'Show me the birth certificate' stuff.

[PhilRich]

Thanks for the info and speculation!

[geomez]

Let's flip this the other way, and see what you think, Geomez.


Where else is it from?


I don't mean the substrate, tinkered inputs/outputs/processing or layers above, since manufacturers get a say in customizing them, but the sensor.


This can easily become 'Show me the birth certificate' stuff.

It's safe to assume it's from Sony if no other manufacturer makes FF sensors of that resolution. My question is if it's the same sensor that Nikon uses like everyone assumes. As MrFox pointed out, it may not be.

[jonlg]

I was at a K1 launch event and the rep confirmed that the sensor is the same as D800 with Pentax special implementation.

jonlg

[geomez]

I was at a K1 launch event and the rep confirmed that the sensor is the same as D800 with Pentax special implementation.

jonlg

Thanks jonlg

[HYS]

This is an interesting question for me too. By the way I am still wondering why the manufactures of cameras do not describe exactly the sensors in their cameras.
Nowadays the sensor is the electronic equivalent of the film. In the film era one had a complete information concerning the relationship between developing process and the obtained results.