Comparison between K-30/K-50 and K-S1

EarlVonTapia · 12-19-2014, 04:21 PM

All right, it's basically confirmed that I will be doing some travelling for work at the end of next month. This is the perfect excuse to spend some money on a new camera.

I'm very strongly considering the K-S1, especially if it goes on sale this coming Boxing Day.

What draws me to it is the larger file sizes, and the lack of an AA filter for sharper images. (and obviously the looks

)

I'm wondering if anyone can do a comparison between the K30/K50 and the K-S1. Take a shot of the same thing just to see how much of a difference there is between the two sensors.

**THoog** · 12-19-2014, 06:12 PM - **8 Likes**

Been there, done that, got bored, did something else.

My conclusion was kind of what we already thought, that the K-S1 has more detail in good light. In poor light, it has more noise, but it's of the luminance variety, and fairly easy to clean up without loss of detail.

(click each to see my discussion, back at flickr)

K-x | K-30
K-01 | K-S1
(k-x and K-S1 scaled to match the 16MP, more or less)

ISO 100:

ISO 100 100% crop: (when viewed 1200x800)

ISO 3200:

ISO 3200 100% crop: (when viewed 1200x800)

EarlVonTapia · 12-19-2014, 06:58 PM

Originally posted by THoog

Been there, done that, got bored, did something else.

My conclusion was kind of what we already thought, that the K-S1 has more detail in good light. In poor light, it has more noise, but it's of the luminance variety, and fairly easy to clean up without loss of detail.

(click each to see my discussion, back at flickr)

K-x | K-30
K-01 | K-S1
(k-x and K-S1 scaled to match the 16MP, more or less)

ISO 100:

ISO 100 100% crop: (when viewed 1200x800)

ISO 3200:

ISO 3200 100% crop: (when viewed 1200x800)

Great! Perfect! Exactly what I was looking for! Apologies if this was posted somewhere in the forums earlier.

It's great to see how much more detail the K-S1 resolves. Now its off to my spreadsheets to see how I can squeeze one of these things into le budget.

**THoog** · 12-19-2014, 08:09 PM - **1 Like**

Glad to help. I don't think I posted it on PF previously. I finished my experiments, got ready to post, there was a flurry of "not for me so not for anybody" posts, and I decided to go take pictures instead.

**mtngal** · 12-19-2014, 10:12 PM

Originally posted by THoog

Glad to help. I don't think I posted it on PF previously. I finished my experiments, got ready to post, there was a flurry of "not for me so not for anybody" posts, and I decided to go take pictures instead.

A nice comparison. I don't have any of the other cameras, so it was interesting to see the differences. You did a great job with putting it together, I wouldn't have thought to do it that way and it is very effective.

And yes, I've been so busy taking pictures, I haven't finished enough of what I think I'll post next to get them up. I am having so much fun with all my new stuff (new camera, lenses and flash triggers).

**monochrome** · 12-20-2014, 12:15 AM - **2 Likes**

Originally posted by THoog

there was a flurry of "not for me so not for anybody" posts

That should become a 'thing' - NFMsNFA

Not a Number · 12-20-2014, 07:59 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by THoog

flurry of "not for me so not for anybody" posts,

That perfectly describes the solipsistic attitude of many of the posters. It is ironic the many of the "what do owners (of K-S1) think" thread are from non-K-S1 owners who wouldn't even consider buying one.

Originally posted by monochrome

That should become a 'thing' -NFMsNFA

Agreed.

Back to the OP's quest for knowledge consider also that the K-S1 is not weather sealed.

**Des** · 12-20-2014, 05:16 PM

Brilliant comparison THoog - very ingenious.

I've gained more respect for the K-S1. I stopped reading about it after the "first impressions" review referred to the LED lights, lack of weather sealing, absence of two wheels and the marketing that said it was aimed at upgraders from a smartphone.

I wonder whether the successor to the K-50 will have the 20mp sensor from the K-S1 or the 24mp from the K-3. You'd expect one or the other.

richardwong · 12-21-2014, 11:05 PM

Hey Earl - if you're travelling to Asia

the weather sealing capabilities of the K3 could come in handy with the humidity. Is there much of a difference in street price of the K3 vs the K-S1?

EarlVonTapia · 12-23-2014, 04:35 AM

Originally posted by richardwong

Hey Earl - if you're travelling to Asia

the weather sealing capabilities of the K3 could come in handy with the humidity. Is there much of a difference in street price of the K3 vs the K-S1?

Having went to Asia last year for 3 months, I'm confident that the humidity isn't really a problem, especially if the gear is being used regularly. I would be afraid of letting a lens sit unused long-term over there though.

I was intrigued by the Amazon.com price of the K-S1. Currently it's $431 USD for the body only (black), which is amazing for what you get. I don't even think that a boxing day sale will go that low. But, of course, I made the mistake of checking Craigslist this week so I ended up picking up some other items. The K-S1 dream will have to wait for a while. Which I'm okay with anyways. After reading the rumors section, it appears that Pentax might announce something this coming February, so I'm okay to sit tight and see what comes.

RonHendriks1966 · 12-23-2014, 07:37 AM

Looks like I can stay happy with my K-01!

**THoog** · 12-23-2014, 03:30 PM

Originally posted by EarlVonTapia

Having went to Asia last year for 3 months, I'm confident that the humidity isn't really a problem, especially if the gear is being used regularly. I would be afraid of letting a lens sit unused long-term over there though.

I was intrigued by the Amazon.com price of the K-S1. Currently it's $431 USD for the body only (black), which is amazing for what you get. I don't even think that a boxing day sale will go that low. But, of course, I made the mistake of checking Craigslist this week so I ended up picking up some other items. The K-S1 dream will have to wait for a while. Which I'm okay with anyways. After reading the rumors section, it appears that Pentax might announce something this coming February, so I'm okay to sit tight and see what comes.

I haven't gone shooting in tropical rainforests or anything, but I do live in the southeast US where the humidity stays about 90% in the summer, and I used non-WR cameras for 28 years without problems.

Everyone is looking to CP+ for the next body (or even the format-that-shall-not-be-named); I'm not holding my breath either way. The signs and omens (aka number of months since launch and price reductions) indicate we're about due for a K-50 replacement and almost due for a K-3 replacement. IIRC, someone from Pentax said plainly that the K-S1 was not a K-50 replacement. So far, Ricoh hasn't done big announcements at the shows. If they are ready in January, they may go ahead and launch - or they may not say a word at CP+ and launch in March. To borrow from @monochrome, either way, this place will be jumping in February.

**Jacquot** · 12-23-2014, 05:28 PM

Originally posted by RonHendriks1966

Looks like I can stay happy with my K-01!

That was my assessment of the group as well.

LoneWolf · 12-24-2014, 09:26 AM

Originally posted by Des

I've gained more respect for the K-S1. I stopped reading about it after the "first impressions" review referred to the LED lights, lack of weather sealing, absence of two wheels and the marketing that said it was aimed at upgraders from a smartphone.

The KS1 is a good camera and I was seriously considering buying one. What stopped me was its "small" angular Grip, which I found uncomfortable and lacking in hold, and its lack of weather resistance, which, when coupled with a WR lens, is important to me in windy conditions near a sandy shore as well as preventing panic in unexpected rain.

The marketing that said it was aimed at upgraders from a smartphone was a daft thing to say, as that implicitly reduces its sales potential. Yes, its price band makes it an entry level camera. Its specification however puts it well into mid range and thus suitable for many experienced users on a lower budget who do not require WR and serious robustness. When will Pentax / Ricoh ever learn!

**clackers** · 12-24-2014, 02:30 PM - **2 Likes**

Originally posted by LoneWolf

The marketing that said it was aimed at upgraders from a smartphone was a daft thing to say, as that implicitly reduces its sales potential. Yes, its price band makes it an entry level camera. Its specification however puts it well into mid range and thus suitable for many experienced users on a lower budget who do not require WR and serious robustness. When will Pentax / Ricoh ever learn!

For you, my friend, the marketing folks recommend a product that already exists - the K-50.

The cashed-up hipsters the K-S1 is aimed at are not shooting in the rain. It gets their beards wet and ruins their velour jackets.

12-19-2014, 04:21 PM	#1
EarlVonTapia Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Vancouver Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,207	Comparison between K-30/K-50 and K-S1 All right, it's basically confirmed that I will be doing some travelling for work at the end of next month. This is the perfect excuse to spend some money on a new camera. I'm very strongly considering the K-S1, especially if it goes on sale this coming Boxing Day. What draws me to it is the larger file sizes, and the lack of an AA filter for sharper images. (and obviously the looks ) I'm wondering if anyone can do a comparison between the K30/K50 and the K-S1. Take a shot of the same thing just to see how much of a difference there is between the two sensors.

12-20-2014, 12:15 AM - 2 Likes	#6
monochrome Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Working From Home Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 26,276	Originally posted by THoog there was a flurry of "not for me so not for anybody" posts That should become a 'thing' - NFMsNFA Last edited by monochrome; 12-20-2014 at 08:22 AM.

12-20-2014, 05:16 PM	#8
Des Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Victoria Australia Photos: Albums Posts: 6,423	Brilliant comparison THoog - very ingenious. I've gained more respect for the K-S1. I stopped reading about it after the "first impressions" review referred to the LED lights, lack of weather sealing, absence of two wheels and the marketing that said it was aimed at upgraders from a smartphone. I wonder whether the successor to the K-50 will have the 20mp sensor from the K-S1 or the 24mp from the K-3. You'd expect one or the other. Last edited by Des; 12-23-2014 at 02:57 PM.

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12-19-2014, 06:12 PM - 8 Likes	#2
THoog Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: North Carolina Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,685	Been there, done that, got bored, did something else. My conclusion was kind of what we already thought, that the K-S1 has more detail in good light. In poor light, it has more noise, but it's of the luminance variety, and fairly easy to clean up without loss of detail. (click each to see my discussion, back at flickr) K-x \| K-30 K-01 \| K-S1 (k-x and K-S1 scaled to match the 16MP, more or less) ISO 100: ISO 100 100% crop: (when viewed 1200x800) ISO 3200: ISO 3200 100% crop: (when viewed 1200x800)

12-19-2014, 06:58 PM	#3
EarlVonTapia Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Vancouver Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,207 Original Poster	Originally posted by THoog Been there, done that, got bored, did something else. My conclusion was kind of what we already thought, that the K-S1 has more detail in good light. In poor light, it has more noise, but it's of the luminance variety, and fairly easy to clean up without loss of detail. (click each to see my discussion, back at flickr) K-x \| K-30 K-01 \| K-S1 (k-x and K-S1 scaled to match the 16MP, more or less) ISO 100: ISO 100 100% crop: (when viewed 1200x800) ISO 3200: ISO 3200 100% crop: (when viewed 1200x800) Great! Perfect! Exactly what I was looking for! Apologies if this was posted somewhere in the forums earlier. It's great to see how much more detail the K-S1 resolves. Now its off to my spreadsheets to see how I can squeeze one of these things into le budget.

12-19-2014, 08:09 PM - 1 Like	#4
THoog Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: North Carolina Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,685	Glad to help. I don't think I posted it on PF previously. I finished my experiments, got ready to post, there was a flurry of "not for me so not for anybody" posts, and I decided to go take pictures instead.

12-19-2014, 10:12 PM	#5
mtngal Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Wherever I’m Parked Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,003	Originally posted by THoog Glad to help. I don't think I posted it on PF previously. I finished my experiments, got ready to post, there was a flurry of "not for me so not for anybody" posts, and I decided to go take pictures instead. A nice comparison. I don't have any of the other cameras, so it was interesting to see the differences. You did a great job with putting it together, I wouldn't have thought to do it that way and it is very effective. And yes, I've been so busy taking pictures, I haven't finished enough of what I think I'll post next to get them up. I am having so much fun with all my new stuff (new camera, lenses and flash triggers).

12-20-2014, 07:59 AM - 1 Like	#7
Not a Number Moderator Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Venice, CA Posts: 10,526	Originally posted by THoog flurry of "not for me so not for anybody" posts, That perfectly describes the solipsistic attitude of many of the posters. It is ironic the many of the "what do owners (of K-S1) think" thread are from non-K-S1 owners who wouldn't even consider buying one. Originally posted by monochrome That should become a 'thing' -NFMsNFA Agreed. Back to the OP's quest for knowledge consider also that the K-S1 is not weather sealed.

12-21-2014, 11:05 PM	#9
richardwong Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Vancouver, BC Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 671	Hey Earl - if you're travelling to Asia the weather sealing capabilities of the K3 could come in handy with the humidity. Is there much of a difference in street price of the K3 vs the K-S1?

12-23-2014, 04:35 AM	#10
EarlVonTapia Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Vancouver Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,207 Original Poster	Originally posted by richardwong Hey Earl - if you're travelling to Asia the weather sealing capabilities of the K3 could come in handy with the humidity. Is there much of a difference in street price of the K3 vs the K-S1? Having went to Asia last year for 3 months, I'm confident that the humidity isn't really a problem, especially if the gear is being used regularly. I would be afraid of letting a lens sit unused long-term over there though. I was intrigued by the Amazon.com price of the K-S1. Currently it's $431 USD for the body only (black), which is amazing for what you get. I don't even think that a boxing day sale will go that low. But, of course, I made the mistake of checking Craigslist this week so I ended up picking up some other items. The K-S1 dream will have to wait for a while. Which I'm okay with anyways. After reading the rumors section, it appears that Pentax might announce something this coming February, so I'm okay to sit tight and see what comes.

12-23-2014, 07:37 AM	#11
RonHendriks1966 Banned Join Date: Jan 2009 Photos: Gallery Posts: 9,675	Looks like I can stay happy with my K-01!

12-23-2014, 03:30 PM	#12
THoog Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: North Carolina Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,685	Originally posted by EarlVonTapia Having went to Asia last year for 3 months, I'm confident that the humidity isn't really a problem, especially if the gear is being used regularly. I would be afraid of letting a lens sit unused long-term over there though. I was intrigued by the Amazon.com price of the K-S1. Currently it's $431 USD for the body only (black), which is amazing for what you get. I don't even think that a boxing day sale will go that low. But, of course, I made the mistake of checking Craigslist this week so I ended up picking up some other items. The K-S1 dream will have to wait for a while. Which I'm okay with anyways. After reading the rumors section, it appears that Pentax might announce something this coming February, so I'm okay to sit tight and see what comes. I haven't gone shooting in tropical rainforests or anything, but I do live in the southeast US where the humidity stays about 90% in the summer, and I used non-WR cameras for 28 years without problems. Everyone is looking to CP+ for the next body (or even the format-that-shall-not-be-named); I'm not holding my breath either way. The signs and omens (aka number of months since launch and price reductions) indicate we're about due for a K-50 replacement and almost due for a K-3 replacement. IIRC, someone from Pentax said plainly that the K-S1 was not a K-50 replacement. So far, Ricoh hasn't done big announcements at the shows. If they are ready in January, they may go ahead and launch - or they may not say a word at CP+ and launch in March. To borrow from @monochrome, either way, this place will be jumping in February.

12-23-2014, 05:28 PM	#13
Jacquot Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: May 2008 Location: Sun City Center, FL Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,544	Originally posted by RonHendriks1966 Looks like I can stay happy with my K-01! That was my assessment of the group as well.

12-24-2014, 09:26 AM	#14
LoneWolf Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2014 Posts: 141	Originally posted by Des I've gained more respect for the K-S1. I stopped reading about it after the "first impressions" review referred to the LED lights, lack of weather sealing, absence of two wheels and the marketing that said it was aimed at upgraders from a smartphone. The KS1 is a good camera and I was seriously considering buying one. What stopped me was its "small" angular Grip, which I found uncomfortable and lacking in hold, and its lack of weather resistance, which, when coupled with a WR lens, is important to me in windy conditions near a sandy shore as well as preventing panic in unexpected rain. The marketing that said it was aimed at upgraders from a smartphone was a daft thing to say, as that implicitly reduces its sales potential. Yes, its price band makes it an entry level camera. Its specification however puts it well into mid range and thus suitable for many experienced users on a lower budget who do not require WR and serious robustness. When will Pentax / Ricoh ever learn!

12-24-2014, 02:30 PM - 2 Likes	#15
clackers Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Melbourne Photos: Albums Posts: 16,397	Originally posted by LoneWolf The marketing that said it was aimed at upgraders from a smartphone was a daft thing to say, as that implicitly reduces its sales potential. Yes, its price band makes it an entry level camera. Its specification however puts it well into mid range and thus suitable for many experienced users on a lower budget who do not require WR and serious robustness. When will Pentax / Ricoh ever learn! For you, my friend, the marketing folks recommend a product that already exists - the K-50. The cashed-up hipsters the K-S1 is aimed at are not shooting in the rain. It gets their beards wet and ruins their velour jackets.