[hadi]

I'd prefer the GPS was kept, but it definitely probably falls under 'rarely used' for most people if I had to guess. If it's between GPS and viewfinder improvements like the K3-III got I might be willing to make that concession.

couldn't agree with you more.
guess it applies to how one wants to use their camera.
I, for one, usually use it for portraits, thus the GPS tracker, and the star trail features are used, maybe once a year, if that?

though, for what its worth, i think the K1 is probably the most versatile camera out there with features that apply to landscapes, architecture, portrait, travel, documentary, fashion etc styles. Maybe not the BEST option in all categories, but certainly can hold its own and is very capable of great things.

oh how i love my k1

[house]

I use built in GPS frequently but if phone sync has come a long way its a sensible solution.

[OldChE]

I'll tell you one thing for sure - after using my K-1 Mark II for several weeks, my K-70 is now much, much smaller and lighter. This is a secondary benefit of the K-1 that has heretofore been ignored in the media.

[ngrover]

Reviving this post from the dead as Google brought me here.

I was looking at the new Nikon Z8 mirror-less and thought... wow, looks pretty big.

Interestingly, the new mirror-less Nikon Z8 is larger then the Pentax K-1.

The Pentax K-1 is only 100g heavier (most likely due to the pentaprism)


Nikon: 144mm (width) x 119mm (height) x 83mm (deep)
Pentax: 137mm (width) x 110mm (height) x 86mm (deep)

I haven't read any complaints about the size or weight of the Nikon. Meanwhile, Pentax managed to build a flagship weather-sealed full frame DSLR in a slightly smaller package back in 2016 and many people comment on how big and heavy it is.


Granted the lenses built for mirror-less cameras are generally smaller.


Yes, it's an old post but figured this was relevant.

[Lord Lucan]

I haven't read any complaints about the size or weight of the Nikon. Meanwhile, Pentax managed to build a flagship weather-sealed full frame DSLR in a slightly smaller package back in 2016 and many people comment on how big and heavy it is.

I think the reviewers at places like DPReview are of a generation that regards Pentax as an amateur brand, because in their youth Pentax was going through its lightweight plasticky period and was no longer to competing in the professional field. While the LX was still being made in the 1990s, it had been left behind by Nikon and Canon technically. The 67 and 645 were not even on their radar.

So those reviewers regard Pentax as a metaphorically lightweight brand compared with Canonikon, so psychologically they are upset when they pick up a Pentax and find it as physically heavy as a flagship Canonikon. Their reaction is like "Who does Pentax think they are?". They know that a flagship Canonikon needs to be heavy for quality, but they cannot accept that a Pentax needs to be too because thay do not think that Pentax's should be in that part of the market. Hence they use different review criteria and nit-pick Pentax as much as they can.

On top of that of course, Pentax does not bother to maintain a good relationship with reviewers and influencers generally - ie it does not bribe them for good reviews.

[devouges]

I do not care about weight.
When I hold my K1 or K3, it feels so good!
It is like it becomes part of me.
Maybe that is why I just do not "like" my cameras. It goes beyond that!
I would not say that I am in "love" with them, but once in my hand, they command respect, attention, tender loving care.
None of the other brands have given me this warm-and-fuzzy feeling.

[leekil]

I haven't read any complaints about the size or weight of the Nikon. Meanwhile, Pentax managed to build a flagship weather-sealed full frame DSLR in a slightly smaller package back in 2016 and many people comment on how big and heavy it is.

I mean, I personally thought the K-1 was heavy, but I was coming from the lineage of Super Program -> *ist DS -> K20D -> K-5 -> K-3 II -- there was a reduction of weight with the K-5, but most of that sequence was jsut cameras getting heavier. And then this happened again with the K-1, including the increase for the larger format size..

[SelrahCharleS]

I mean, I personally thought the K-1 was heavy, but I was coming from the lineage of Super Program -> *ist DS -> K20D -> K-5 -> K-3 II -- there was a reduction of weight with the K-5, but most of that sequence was jsut cameras getting heavier. And then this happened again with the K-1, including the increase for the larger format size..

This mirrors my experience getting a K-1.

Is it big and heavy compared to other manufacturers flagship DSLRs? Not sure as I haven't really handled those.

Is it big and heavy compared to my *ist DS and K5IIS? Yes.

[gatorguy]

This mirrors my experience getting a K-1.

Is it big and heavy compared to other manufacturers flagship DSLRs? Not sure as I haven't really handled those.

Is it big and heavy compared to my *ist DS and K5IIS? Yes.

I rented the camera two times. My initial reaction was it's too big, and it was a bit confusing. At the time, I had two or three KS2's. Several months later, maybe more than a year, I had seen enough comments to be inclined to try renting it again. This time it was much less confusing, and didn't seem quite as large as I remembered it to be. I still didn't buy one right off, and think I was now using a K-70 and KP.

It was a few months later when I finally opened my wallet and took a chance on it. Within a few days of use, it didn't seem so heavy or big after all. It's a great camera that you'll quickly adapt to if coming from one of the more compact and current APS-C Pentax's. The ergonomics will feel familiar in no time.

And to answer the question whether it feels big or heavy compared to other flagship DSLR's, no it has not IMO. In fact, it seemed relatively svelt when I first got a chance to use a fellow photogs mirrorless Nikon Z9 for a few minutes.

[TrailerBlades]

I have used in the past...Canon 1200d,Canon 70d,Canon 6d,Nikon d750 and Nikon d7200....then Canon R,and after that Pentax K1...my honest opinion..K1 is amazing camera,very good in my hands,not much bigger than my Canon R and not much heavier...Canon R with 16-35 f2.8 ii is the same as Pentax K1 with Pentax 18-35...i am very happy with it ''bulky and heavy'' NO,and NO

[Aging Violinist]

I do not care about weight.
When I hold my K1 or K3, it feels so good!
It is like it becomes part of me.
Maybe that is why I just do not "like" my cameras. It goes beyond that!
I would not say that I am in "love" with them, but once in my hand, they command respect, attention, tender loving care.
None of the other brands have given me this warm-and-fuzzy feeling.

Yes! The k1 just fits me nicely. Now, I do like lighter/smaller/easier to carry, etc..., but for doing serious shooting, I do not mind the weight at all. I used to lug around TWO Mamiya RB67s plus some glass, filters, film backs, film, various accessories, once in a while, a 4x5. And I did that on long hikes. And unlike Ansel Adams, I didn't have a crew and pack horse (I also didn't have talent, but that's a whole other discussion!). I don't care about the weight, I have a nice backpack that helps put the load on my hips, and that's good enough.

If I want small/light, I just grab my Fuji X100S and chuck it in my bag if I'm just "going out" and might find something worth shooting.

[Lord Lucan]

Heavy if you carry it around in your hand, but I don't do that - the K-1 it is not the type of camera for that. I have it in a shoulder bag or rucksack, and in a rucksack the weight (even plus three lenses) is hardly noticable. Admittedly it is a faff getting it in and out of the rucksack, but I ponder my shots anyway and don't regard the K-1as a snapshot camera.

[nicolpa47]

I bought a K-1ii last year. I had been thinking about it for some time when it became available at an extremely low price - which I jumped at. Previously I had used various APSC bodies, latterly the K-3ii. I had read a number of reviews which referred to the additional size and weight of the K-1ii, and which had delayed my decision to buy, particularly as I was an older user having recently had hip surgery. I also have relatively small hands which were partly behind my decision to buy my first Pentax - SPII.

Having bought the camera I have to say that I found/find the size/weight a total non-issue to the extent that I have added a couple of higher quality heavy and large FA lenses. The only changes have been to larger and different styles of bag, but I'll still walk around with 2 cameras slung across my body whilst the alternative lenses are in the backpack. I can't speak to comparison with other brands as I've not used them. I've occasionally looked at them, or handled a friends camera, but none have felt as comfortable - but then they wouldn't after a lifetime using Pentax cameras.

The K-1ii and K-3ii are, to me, of the same design generation, and this makes switching between them much easier. For the best image quality and ability to drag extra detail out of slightly off exposures, the K-1ii wins "hands down".

[DrHood]

I am a new Pentax user owning a K1-II for about two weeks. For the past two years, I have been shooting a Canon RP, which is also full frame sensor. I also have a Nikon D300 dslr that was first introduced around ~2006

The K1-II is indeed bulkier compared to the RP (LINK to side-by-side comparison). The bulkiness of the K1-II, compared to RP, is not in width or height (when using the EOS RP Extension Grip), but most noticeable in depth. However, it is the lack of bulk in the RP body depth that makes it worse (IMHO) to hold with one hand due to wrist strain. I have to use two hands for full frame lenses mounted on the RP. I have to use the left hand to support the weight of the camera and lens, and the right hand to operate the camera. The weight of the lens, rather than camera body, is very noticeable when using the RP (i.e., very front heavy).

Note: The appeal of the RP is its price and full frame sensor. It is true that light weight full frame lenses are available for the RP; however, the materials of construction used in these lenses low impact resistant, not weather resistant, and typical aperture and standard focal lengths. IMHO, the RP body is better suited for an aps-c sensor.

In contrast, I am happy that I can hold the K1-II with just my right hand and operate the camera at the same time, including the ISO button on top of the camera with my index finder and the AF-On button and wheel on the rear of the camera with my thumb. Of course, most of the time I am using two hands when shooting photos. However, the left hand is mostly for reducing motion blur than it is for supporting weight, at least so far. In other words, the K1-II doesn't feel anywhere near as front heavy. A much better balance compared to the RP.

Note: Of course, supporting lens weight with two hands will be a necessity with the K1-II when I start using heavy K mount lenses (very wide aperture or telephoto lenses).

IMHO, the K1-II body is not very bulky for a full frame sensor camera. To support this perspective, my comparative camera is the Nikon D300, which is an aps-c sensor camera (LINK to side-by-side comparison). The Nikon D300 camera body is comparable (IMHO) to the K1-II, which indicates to me that Pentax did modernize the size of the K1-II for a full frame sensor without sacrificing ergonomics.

I am pretty amazed that the current K1-II body size is as small as it is, because it has a large LCD screen (noticeably larger than the RP or Nikon D300) and the need for the additional electronics inside to support the built-in advanced features (e.g., astrotracer, gps, and numerous buttons).

In summary, I suspect that the K1-II camera body is optimal for a full sensor sensor and likely necessary for K mount lenses, the advanced technology built into it, and achieving high ergonomics.

Of course, all of the above is just IMHO. So, feel free to disagree with anything in this post. Alternative viewpoints are welcomed.

DRH