[kh1234567890]

OK, now that you've all got your shiny K-1 - any real life pictures shot with it that couldn't have been taken with a crop frame Pentax DSLR ?

I've had a quick look through Flickr and all I could find was some pretty boring stuff that could have been shot with anything ...

[Parallax]

OK, now that you've all got your shiny K-1 - any real life pictures shot with it that couldn't have been taken with a crop frame Pentax DSLR ?
I've had a quick look through Flickr and all I could find was some pretty boring stuff that could have been shot with anything ...

According to your profile you have a K-5II and a K-7. Any real life pictures from the K-5II that couldn't have been taken with the K-7?
Just out of curiosity; what kind of vehicle do you drive?
Is there any place you go that a less powerful, cheaper vehicle couldn't take you?
My point is, it's not just about the end result. That's why there's a market for both Rolex and Timex.

[mattt]

Heh, Im waiting for the pro shooters to start posting some studio work, and I think the fantastic landscape work Ive been expecting is being tightly curated for sale

The cats 'n kids crowd are definitely showing high Iso performance and the functionality of the "other third" of the legacy lenses not currently employed by APS-C sensors.

Saw some nice stuff from SMC M 20mm f4 but found that the distortion was considerable and increased my interest in seeing 15-30 shots.

Give it some time, the cream is still rising IMO.

[severalsnakes]

OK, now that you've all got your shiny K-1 - any real life pictures shot with it that couldn't have been taken with a crop frame Pentax DSLR ?

I've had a quick look through Flickr and all I could find was some pretty boring stuff that could have been shot with anything ...

I think it's a good question, generally, but I can see how some folks are going to think your'e just trolling and start getting snarky. Perhaps it has already happened.

I have also eagerly consumed all of the examples I could find on Flickr, and... you're right. I'm really not terribly impressed with the images.

BUT I am also hearing everyone who owns the camera rave about its usability, features, and improvements.

I think it's just proving the point we've known all along - better gear doesn't make you a better photographer. AT THE SAME TIME... I still want a K-1, because of the brighter viewfinder, better ISO and low light performance, and to make my focal lengths "true", especially to widen my wides! :-D

The K-1 won't make my images any better - that just depends on the creativity of the person... And, frankly, I'm glad all of the K-1 images aren't amazing, because then it would be torture thinking about how long it's going to take me to save up for the camera, what with other priorities I've put in front of it. Happily, my K-S2 is a strong little beast, and I know how to use it. :-)

[Venom3300]

"Worth it" and "nessisary to get the shot" are different things. Youve asked two different questions in my opinion.

It is a different format and can achieve a different look if thats what you mean.

If its worth it depends on person and the goals and a bunch of other factors.

[jatrax]

OK, now that you've all got your shiny K-1 - any real life pictures shot with it that couldn't have been taken with a crop frame Pentax DSLR ?

No idea. I took the k-3II and k-1 along on my coast trip intending to try both. Never took the k-3II out of the bag. No idea if there is an appreciable improvement in image quality, still uploading the shots.

But "was it worth it?" YES. I rarely buy anything that lives up to my expectations. I usually build up the purchase in my head so much that when it finally arrives it is a let down. The k-1 exceeded any expectations or dreams I had and is still showing me things. Barely touched the capabilities in fact.

I know if you get enthusiastic on this forum you get called a fanboy, but this is by far the best purchase (not just camera) I have ever made.

[HopelessTogger]

Yes, it was worth it.

I'm enjoying macro combined with pixel shift at the moment. Tomorrow, off to a vintage car rally with the three FA Limited's. Then next week Carl Zeiss Distagon T* 2/35 and Planar T* 1.4/85 arrive in the post and I'll spend the week practising manual focus around a load of diggers and dumpers.

Coming from K-5IIs, it's more of a joy to shoot the K-1.
Coming from the K-3, it's way more of a joy to shoot the K-1.
Coming from the A7r . . . it's like putting my face in fresh flowers.

Above all the K-1 has me shooting again. My interest in photography temporarily died when I stupidly bought into the mirrorless craze. Happy dayz are here again!

[nocturnal]

I would have bought a K1 if it only had a shutter button, but it looks like too much hassle for the likes of me. :P

[stevebrot]

I've had a quick look through Flickr and all I could find was some pretty boring stuff that could have been shot with anything ...

I have seen some pretty impressive stuff from the Flickr users I follow who are new K-1 users, some of which would have required some effort to get on APS-C. I would expect that more wonders will be displayed over time. Early reports are that the new owners are pretty jazzed about the camera. I don't believe any regret threads have surfaced on this site yet.

In the mean time, don't worry. Despite the K-1's existence, your perfectly good K-5IIs and lenses will continue to capture the same image quality as before...no need to feel diminished. Tool size is irrelevant

BTW...until the K-1 is entered into the Flickr camera database, it is kind of difficult to find a broad range of K-1 photos. It may take awhile. Flickr has yet to add entries for the K-3II, 645D, or 645Z. As a result, unless the user tags the photo "Pentax K-1", it is unlikely to surface on a search for that term.


Steve

(...not a K-1 owner...woe is me... )

[HopelessTogger]

No idea. I took the k-3II and k-1 along on my coast trip intending to try both. Never took the k-3II out of the bag. No idea if there is an appreciable improvement in image quality, still uploading the shots.

But "was it worth it?" YES. I rarely buy anything that lives up to my expectations. I usually build up the purchase in my head so much that when it finally arrives it is a let down. The k-1 exceeded any expectations or dreams I had and is still showing me things. Barely touched the capabilities in fact.

I know if you get enthusiastic on this forum you get called a fanboy, but this is by far the best purchase (not just camera) I have ever made.

Couldn't agree more! "Exceeded expectations" sums it up.

[stevebrot]

I can see how some folks are going to think your'e just trolling and start getting snarky. Perhaps it has already happened.

Us jump to conclusions? Us snarky?


Steve

[zzeitg]

OK, now that you've all got your shiny K-1 - any real life pictures shot with it that couldn't have been taken with a crop frame Pentax DSLR ?

I've had a quick look through Flickr and all I could find was some pretty boring stuff that could have been shot with anything ...

Well, it depends on your expectations. You didn't think K-1 would be photography revolution, did you? If you expected better IQ compared to APS-C, then K-1 is able to provide it. No doubts.

[mattt]

The OP shares fine work to the forum often. Distilled down - He, like me, is probably wondering if he needs to make the move... I say prob not for posting to web... but printing those 36 mpix will go a lot further than my K5 IIs. I intend to do just that.

[btnapa]

OK, now that you've all got your shiny K-1 - any real life pictures shot with it that couldn't have been taken with a crop frame Pentax DSLR ?

I've had a quick look through Flickr and all I could find was some pretty boring stuff that could have been shot with anything ...

You have a valid point. K3 is just as good as K1 until you want to print big (20x30" and beyond).

I know a lot of people will want to correct me in that the K1 is so much more.That it is. K1 is in a different class in every respect. However, I mainly got it to make big prints with DETAIL that K3 did not give me. I have shot plenty of stuff with my K3 and K5iis that people love but I need to get that extra resolution which a K1 can give me and a K3 or K5iis will not.

All the other practical goodies such as an articulating screen which will save the backs of many landscape shooters, pixel shift for the ultimate in resolution, to die for high ISO performance, noiseless images in mid ISO range and the list of advantages goes on and on.

[normhead]

The lack of images is distressing for me. But then, I get four or five at the most images I really like in a month, sometimes one or two, sometimes none. It's way to soon to expect people to have killer images. But at some point they should start coming. A 645z image of a Mercedes in a poorly lit alley, is clearly ingrained in my mind as the poster image for the 645z, even though I can't find it anymore. The Nikon D800 Library shot from the Nikon website remains my quintessential D800-D810 image. Both of those images were either pre-release or within a week or two of release.

SO, it may be early in some ways to expect great images, but there's another perspective where it's already overdue.

The big issue for me was that the K-3 going to 24MP greatly reduced my wish for 36MP. I'm still going around the "is 24MP enough?" loop. I need that one super image to get me out of it.

OK, so maybe this one shot by kenspo at 6400 ISO might be the one....


A great low light high ISO image you definitely wouldn't get with a K-3.
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/190-pentax-k-1/314413-post-your-k-1-pictures-52.html

For me, I never have the opportunity to take this type of image. I need to find something I might shoot.