Why A K-S1 Instead Of The K-50 / K-30?

JPT · 10-05-2014, 05:53 PM

If you mostly go from place to place by car, I guess the weight of a camera isn't a big deal, but if you mostly travel by public transport, enjoy hiking or do typical sightseeing, a light camera is often preferable. The stability of the camera is not an issue with smaller lenses. I tried the K-S1 with a DA 50mm f1.8 on it and you certainly don't need much weight in the body to counterbalance that lens. Pentax has a lot of similarly small lenses, which aren't WR, so that makes the weather sealing in the body redundant too.

Consider my typical kit. DA10-17, DA21, DA40, FA77. I really don't need a huge grip or much weight in the body for those lenses. WR would also be completely useless. On the other hand, they are quite good lenses, so I would benefit from more resolution on the sensor and the selectable AA filter. I think a user like me is the secondary target for this camera and I think it will gain a greater following from Pentaxians than the K-01.

I do think that the build quality is a step down from K-5/K-3/K-01 users, but it's no worse than the K-30/K-50. And I personally didn't like the changes they've made to the controls very much.

jimr-pdx · 10-05-2014, 06:40 PM

My wife liked the look of it right off, and she has seen nearly every K-mount dslr pass through my hands by now

without such a comment. Others will like the 20mpxl resolution, or the size, or the general geekiness of its looks. I really like it, but my budget prefers the k-50 for now

**monochrome** · 10-05-2014, 06:48 PM

Originally posted by jimr-pdx

My wife liked the look of it right off, and she has seen nearly every K-mount dslr pass through my hands by now

without such a comment. Others will like the 20mpxl resolution, or the size, or the general geekiness of its looks. I really like it, but my budget prefers the k-50 for now

My one objection to recent Pentax cameras is they are too small - even the K-3 (I know, I am an apostate). I don't like the MX either, but I use it for the viewfinder.

Unfortunately I'll probably never be anywhere near a display of K-S1's to try one out, but I imagine I would pass due to the reported small size.

I'm A Pentaxian · 10-05-2014, 09:15 PM

Originally posted by Adam

It's a better choice because of the shiny fancies and flashy looks. Let's not get bogged down on technical specs :P

But in all seriousness, I don't think I would ever recommend a K-S1 over a K-50 when it's twice as expensive. It has a worse grip, isn't weather sealed, and the improvements aren't what I consider significant to the average user. Despite this I do hope that the K-S1 does sell to the intended audience without needing a big rebate.

Totally agree with you Mr.Adam. I would not recommend to others as well. No solid reasons to do so. I guess is just for those more funky type audience.

Cheers.....

stevebrot · 10-05-2014, 09:31 PM

The K-S1 may be tiny, but that does not make the K-50 some sort of bloated heavyweight. It is a very compact and well-balanced camera and is a pleasure to hold in the hand. By most measures, the K-50 is simply a better camera all around.

Steve

6BQ5 · 10-05-2014, 11:09 PM

Small? Big? I guess cameras are going to come like shoes and clothes. Small, medium, and large. I'm only 5'6" so I would love something small. My dream is a Pentax K-mount digital ILC the size of my ME Super!

**Rondec** · 10-06-2014, 03:04 AM - **1 Like**

The point is if someone wants SLR performance, but not typical SLR size or appearance. That's all. Cost will drop over the coming months till it is around where the K50 is now. It isn't really fair to compare prices of a camera just released to one that has been on the market for awhile. Electronics prices just tend to drop a lot over time and cameras are no exception.

It is nice to have options and nice if it is clear to you which option is best for you. The weird thing to me is when camera companies have too many options in a specific range -- trying to figure out the differences in all of the Txi cameras -- most of which are still available is beyond me. To me, this camera is more of a sequel to the K-01, small, not sealed, more flashy, but with many components shared with K3, giving quite a bit better overall performance.

PIngp0NGMW · 10-06-2014, 09:18 AM

I like the KS-1 and am looking forward to an opportunity to see it up close. I can see that some of the funkier aspects of the camera may be off-putting for some, but I actually don't mind them, after all, I own a K-01

I have an irrational interest in that Tweed Grey KS-1.

For me, I'd consider a KS-1 because I actually do appreciate a lighter kit, hence the K-01. My main concern with the K-01 is that I miss the viewfinder maybe 15-20% of the time. Having a viewfinder again with improved autofocus and no-AA filter (I like very "crisp" images) appeals to me. Not $800+ CDN appeal, but appealing. WR would be a nice feature but in the years I owned my K20D for my own shooting style, WR was useful exactly once. And I only own one WR lens anyway, the DFA 100 Macro which is basically just my macro lens anyway.

I suspect I'll wait another year or two before I'd even consider picking one up.

**THoog** · 10-06-2014, 11:35 AM

I'd hoped to get to see/handle the K-S1 in NYC next weekend, but the Succos holiday put an end to that idea.

I have weird hands - I can hold a K-01 or K-r all day, but the K-30 gives me sore fingers, and the *ist-DS was downright painful. The K-5 falls somewhere in the middle. The small size and flat-ish grip on the K-S1 look promising, but I'm not sure about the inner corner on the grip. Twenty years with manual film cameras made me so used to not having dual wheels or top LCDs, that I don't really use them when I have them.

RonHendriks1966 · 10-06-2014, 12:27 PM

Originally posted by THoog

I'd hoped to get to see/handle the K-S1 in NYC next weekend, but the Succos holiday put an end to that idea.

I have weird hands - I can hold a K-01 or K-r all day, but the K-30 gives me sore fingers, and the *ist-DS was downright painful. The K-5 falls somewhere in the middle. The small size and flat-ish grip on the K-S1 look promising, but I'm not sure about the inner corner on the grip. Twenty years with manual film cameras made me so used to not having dual wheels or top LCDs, that I don't really use them when I have them.

I think you will like the grip.

normhead · 10-06-2014, 12:33 PM

The biggest issue with me and the KS-1 is, I'm not in the market right now, and it's really hard to imagine what I would buy if I was. Give me a year or two and ask again.

**monochrome** · 10-06-2014, 12:47 PM

Originally posted by normhead

The biggest issue with me and the KS-1 is, I'm not in the market right now, and it's really hard to imagine what I would buy if I was. Give me a year or two and ask again.

By the time I'm in the market again there will surely be something newer, and shinier and maybe even bigger. That's always the way. I think this is an interesting camera. I like the idea of the rear interface. I don't have an opinion either way about most of the LED's. I'd have an issue buying $600 and up Limited lenses to stick on a mid-range camera, but that's nothing new. I'm sure it's right for some people just like the K-01 was right for me at the time (and still is).

What are those birds - Magpies? Ooohh, Shiiiiiiiiiiiny, Me Waaaaaaaaaaaaant !!!! (Using words shamelessly stolen from an Aussie member whose UN I forget).

stevebrot · 10-07-2014, 09:05 PM

Originally posted by 6BQ5

My dream is a Pentax K-mount digital ILC the size of my ME Super!

Have you put your K-30 next to your ME Super? Don't forget to put the power winder on the ME Super. The size and weight difference is not as much as you might think, especially if the ME Super/winder is loaded with both batteries and film.

Steve

6BQ5 · 10-07-2014, 09:30 PM

Originally posted by stevebrot

Have you put your K-30 next to your ME Super? Don't forget to put the power winder on the ME Super. The size and weight difference is not as much as you might think, especially if the ME Super/winder is loaded with both batteries and film.

Steve

Ahh, but the K-S1 fails me because it absolutely needs two function wheels. If it had that I would so be all over that camera!

**Susinok** · 10-08-2014, 07:42 AM

I am really leaning towards the K-S1. I have a K-20D and a K-5. I want the newer technology, and 20mp is fine where 24mp of the K-3 seems too much for what I use my cameras for. I mainly travel, and the light weight plus new tech seems about the perfect fit for my wishes (was gonna say needs, but really, I don't NEED a new camera...)

I jumped directly from my K-1000 film to the DSLR K-20D, with a large gap of not having any DSLR, and the DSLRs always felt very heavy, though comfortable to use.

10-06-2014, 12:47 PM	#27
monochrome Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Working From Home Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 26,276	Originally posted by normhead The biggest issue with me and the KS-1 is, I'm not in the market right now, and it's really hard to imagine what I would buy if I was. Give me a year or two and ask again. By the time I'm in the market again there will surely be something newer, and shinier and maybe even bigger. That's always the way. I think this is an interesting camera. I like the idea of the rear interface. I don't have an opinion either way about most of the LED's. I'd have an issue buying $600 and up Limited lenses to stick on a mid-range camera, but that's nothing new. I'm sure it's right for some people just like the K-01 was right for me at the time (and still is). What are those birds - Magpies? Ooohh, Shiiiiiiiiiiiny, Me Waaaaaaaaaaaaant !!!! (Using words shamelessly stolen from an Aussie member whose UN I forget). Last edited by monochrome; 10-06-2014 at 12:53 PM.

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10-05-2014, 05:53 PM	#16
JPT Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Tokyo Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,821	If you mostly go from place to place by car, I guess the weight of a camera isn't a big deal, but if you mostly travel by public transport, enjoy hiking or do typical sightseeing, a light camera is often preferable. The stability of the camera is not an issue with smaller lenses. I tried the K-S1 with a DA 50mm f1.8 on it and you certainly don't need much weight in the body to counterbalance that lens. Pentax has a lot of similarly small lenses, which aren't WR, so that makes the weather sealing in the body redundant too. Consider my typical kit. DA10-17, DA21, DA40, FA77. I really don't need a huge grip or much weight in the body for those lenses. WR would also be completely useless. On the other hand, they are quite good lenses, so I would benefit from more resolution on the sensor and the selectable AA filter. I think a user like me is the secondary target for this camera and I think it will gain a greater following from Pentaxians than the K-01. I do think that the build quality is a step down from K-5/K-3/K-01 users, but it's no worse than the K-30/K-50. And I personally didn't like the changes they've made to the controls very much.

10-05-2014, 06:40 PM	#17
jimr-pdx Pentaxian Join Date: May 2010 Location: now 1 hour north of PDX Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,897	My wife liked the look of it right off, and she has seen nearly every K-mount dslr pass through my hands by now without such a comment. Others will like the 20mpxl resolution, or the size, or the general geekiness of its looks. I really like it, but my budget prefers the k-50 for now

10-05-2014, 06:48 PM	#18
monochrome Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Working From Home Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 26,276	Originally posted by jimr-pdx My wife liked the look of it right off, and she has seen nearly every K-mount dslr pass through my hands by now without such a comment. Others will like the 20mpxl resolution, or the size, or the general geekiness of its looks. I really like it, but my budget prefers the k-50 for now My one objection to recent Pentax cameras is they are too small - even the K-3 (I know, I am an apostate). I don't like the MX either, but I use it for the viewfinder. Unfortunately I'll probably never be anywhere near a display of K-S1's to try one out, but I imagine I would pass due to the reported small size.

10-05-2014, 09:15 PM	#19
I'm A Pentaxian New Member Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 15 Original Poster	Originally posted by Adam It's a better choice because of the shiny fancies and flashy looks. Let's not get bogged down on technical specs :P But in all seriousness, I don't think I would ever recommend a K-S1 over a K-50 when it's twice as expensive. It has a worse grip, isn't weather sealed, and the improvements aren't what I consider significant to the average user. Despite this I do hope that the K-S1 does sell to the intended audience without needing a big rebate. Totally agree with you Mr.Adam. I would not recommend to others as well. No solid reasons to do so. I guess is just for those more funky type audience. Cheers.....

10-05-2014, 09:31 PM	#20
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	The K-S1 may be tiny, but that does not make the K-50 some sort of bloated heavyweight. It is a very compact and well-balanced camera and is a pleasure to hold in the hand. By most measures, the K-50 is simply a better camera all around. Steve

10-05-2014, 11:09 PM	#21
6BQ5 Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Nevada, USA Photos: Albums Posts: 3,348	Small? Big? I guess cameras are going to come like shoes and clothes. Small, medium, and large. I'm only 5'6" so I would love something small. My dream is a Pentax K-mount digital ILC the size of my ME Super!

10-06-2014, 03:04 AM - 1 Like	#22
Rondec Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Gladys, Virginia Photos: Gallery Posts: 27,653	The point is if someone wants SLR performance, but not typical SLR size or appearance. That's all. Cost will drop over the coming months till it is around where the K50 is now. It isn't really fair to compare prices of a camera just released to one that has been on the market for awhile. Electronics prices just tend to drop a lot over time and cameras are no exception. It is nice to have options and nice if it is clear to you which option is best for you. The weird thing to me is when camera companies have too many options in a specific range -- trying to figure out the differences in all of the Txi cameras -- most of which are still available is beyond me. To me, this camera is more of a sequel to the K-01, small, not sealed, more flashy, but with many components shared with K3, giving quite a bit better overall performance.

10-06-2014, 09:18 AM	#23
PIngp0NGMW New Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6	I like the KS-1 and am looking forward to an opportunity to see it up close. I can see that some of the funkier aspects of the camera may be off-putting for some, but I actually don't mind them, after all, I own a K-01 I have an irrational interest in that Tweed Grey KS-1. For me, I'd consider a KS-1 because I actually do appreciate a lighter kit, hence the K-01. My main concern with the K-01 is that I miss the viewfinder maybe 15-20% of the time. Having a viewfinder again with improved autofocus and no-AA filter (I like very "crisp" images) appeals to me. Not $800+ CDN appeal, but appealing. WR would be a nice feature but in the years I owned my K20D for my own shooting style, WR was useful exactly once. And I only own one WR lens anyway, the DFA 100 Macro which is basically just my macro lens anyway. I suspect I'll wait another year or two before I'd even consider picking one up.

10-06-2014, 11:35 AM	#24
THoog Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: North Carolina Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,685	I'd hoped to get to see/handle the K-S1 in NYC next weekend, but the Succos holiday put an end to that idea. I have weird hands - I can hold a K-01 or K-r all day, but the K-30 gives me sore fingers, and the *ist-DS was downright painful. The K-5 falls somewhere in the middle. The small size and flat-ish grip on the K-S1 look promising, but I'm not sure about the inner corner on the grip. Twenty years with manual film cameras made me so used to not having dual wheels or top LCDs, that I don't really use them when I have them.

10-06-2014, 12:27 PM	#25
RonHendriks1966 Banned Join Date: Jan 2009 Photos: Gallery Posts: 9,675	Originally posted by THoog I'd hoped to get to see/handle the K-S1 in NYC next weekend, but the Succos holiday put an end to that idea. I have weird hands - I can hold a K-01 or K-r all day, but the K-30 gives me sore fingers, and the *ist-DS was downright painful. The K-5 falls somewhere in the middle. The small size and flat-ish grip on the K-S1 look promising, but I'm not sure about the inner corner on the grip. Twenty years with manual film cameras made me so used to not having dual wheels or top LCDs, that I don't really use them when I have them. I think you will like the grip.

10-06-2014, 12:33 PM	#26
normhead Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Near Algonquin Park Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 40,451	The biggest issue with me and the KS-1 is, I'm not in the market right now, and it's really hard to imagine what I would buy if I was. Give me a year or two and ask again.

10-07-2014, 09:05 PM	#28
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	Originally posted by 6BQ5 My dream is a Pentax K-mount digital ILC the size of my ME Super! Have you put your K-30 next to your ME Super? Don't forget to put the power winder on the ME Super. The size and weight difference is not as much as you might think, especially if the ME Super/winder is loaded with both batteries and film. Steve

10-07-2014, 09:30 PM	#29
6BQ5 Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Nevada, USA Photos: Albums Posts: 3,348	Originally posted by stevebrot Have you put your K-30 next to your ME Super? Don't forget to put the power winder on the ME Super. The size and weight difference is not as much as you might think, especially if the ME Super/winder is loaded with both batteries and film. Steve Ahh, but the K-S1 fails me because it absolutely needs two function wheels. If it had that I would so be all over that camera!

10-08-2014, 07:42 AM	#30
Susinok Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Norman, Oklahoma Posts: 478	I am really leaning towards the K-S1. I have a K-20D and a K-5. I want the newer technology, and 20mp is fine where 24mp of the K-3 seems too much for what I use my cameras for. I mainly travel, and the light weight plus new tech seems about the perfect fit for my wishes (was gonna say needs, but really, I don't NEED a new camera...) I jumped directly from my K-1000 film to the DSLR K-20D, with a large gap of not having any DSLR, and the DSLRs always felt very heavy, though comfortable to use.