[derekkite]

At 3200 there is definitely a difference. The Q is whether you would pay 500 quid for this. I find that ISO numbers like that always need noise reduction in lightroom to get a decent result, or at least avoid generating pointlessly large jpegs at the end.

Looking at the images there is at least a stop of shutter speed or aperture available. I'm impressed, as someone mentioned, the high iso images would clean up nicely.

I get pretty nice shots, cropped substantially, at 3200 iso with the K1 now. This simply gives more headroom.

I would like to see the impressions of the AF.

[emsee]

Any US store availability for K-1 Mark II? Two of the major retailers (B&H and Adorama) are closed this week and I assume Pentax might only be shipping by their original timeline (April 11th).

[MJKoski]

Finland availability perhaps this week or Monday of the next one. So, freezer tests and white dot hunting incoming :O And very long exposures of course.

[repaap]

Finland availability perhaps this week or Monday of the next one. So, freezer tests and white dot hunting incoming :O And very long exposures of course.

It is quite obvious that you have really honest output, so I for one will be looking forward of your findings of the performance and thoughts about this upgrade.

[CNunez]

I just received my k1 mk2 today. Came by post. Finally! =)

My initial impression is all fantastic. I'm coming from the K3 and I bought it while it was the flagship camera.

I haven't bothered to pixel peep or anything. That's not my thing. However the Autofocus is just beautiful. Coming from the K3 which was a case of hunting, "is it in focus? hmm take a picture to check" etc. The K1 mk2 is SNAPPY, doesn't hunt, unless it's on a featureless flat surface where autofocus doesn't work. It locks in fast and accurate. Honestly if people had any need to complain beforehand, they certainly don't now. I know that autofocus is also down to the lens.

My current setup is DFA 24-70 f2.8 + k1mk2. It's a tamron ringtype motor afaik. It's fast. Plenty fast. The menu was of course something different from the K3. I love the cross focus confirmation in the large viewfinder.

Over the weekend including tomorrow I will test it further and hopefully write a quick thread with my impressions of the camera. I'll try to be as neutral as possible.

I'll go over the handheld pixel shift later tonight perhaps.

[suraswami]

I just received my k1 mk2 today. Came by post. Finally! =)

My initial impression is all fantastic. I'm coming from the K3 and I bought it while it was the flagship camera.

I haven't bothered to pixel peep or anything. That's not my thing. However the Autofocus is just beautiful. Coming from the K3 which was a case of hunting, "is it in focus? hmm take a picture to check" etc. The K1 mk2 is SNAPPY, doesn't hunt, unless it's on a featureless flat surface where autofocus doesn't work. It locks in fast and accurate. Honestly if people had any need to complain beforehand, they certainly don't now. I know that autofocus is also down to the lens.

My current setup is DFA 24-70 f2.8 + k1mk2. It's a tamron ringtype motor afaik. It's fast. Plenty fast. The menu was of course something different from the K3. I love the cross focus confirmation in the large viewfinder.

Over the weekend including tomorrow I will test it further and hopefully write a quick thread with my impressions of the camera. I'll try to be as neutral as possible.

I'll go over the handheld pixel shift later tonight perhaps.

Please post some pics too, especially low light inside home type of pics (if possible kids).

[repaap]

I just received my k1 mk2 today. Came by post. Finally! =)

My initial impression is all fantastic. I'm coming from the K3 and I bought it while it was the flagship camera.

I haven't bothered to pixel peep or anything. That's not my thing. However the Autofocus is just beautiful. Coming from the K3 which was a case of hunting, "is it in focus? hmm take a picture to check" etc. The K1 mk2 is SNAPPY, doesn't hunt, unless it's on a featureless flat surface where autofocus doesn't work. It locks in fast and accurate. Honestly if people had any need to complain beforehand, they certainly don't now. I know that autofocus is also down to the lens.

My current setup is DFA 24-70 f2.8 + k1mk2. It's a tamron ringtype motor afaik. It's fast. Plenty fast. The menu was of course something different from the K3. I love the cross focus confirmation in the large viewfinder.

Over the weekend including tomorrow I will test it further and hopefully write a quick thread with my impressions of the camera. I'll try to be as neutral as possible.

I'll go over the handheld pixel shift later tonight perhaps.

I had that feeling when I got my K-1 after K-3, but there is still some hunting with K-1...when you have got the K-3 you know what that is about. Exciting times! enjoy your new rig BTW.

[MJKoski]

I will focus on the Accelerator Unit -thing as my main reason to preorder MK2 was KP long exposure quality - it is way over its league and trounces most FF cameras as well. Very very interesting to see what it does with the good old 36MP workhorse. It may also have similar properties with Sony's "Star Eater" - Having a cake and eating it too?

[JPT]

It's not really a review, but Kimio Tanaka has given some more information on his blog. He gives a list of improvements.

1) New Accelerator Unit installed
2) Improve high ISO sensitivity image quality, up to ISO 819 200
3) Add real mode resolution shooting mode
4) AF-C continuous moving shooting and distance measurement speed of AF-S
5) Improve display of outdoor monitor to improve visibility in dark place

That last one is something I hadn't heard of before. I guess it's better control of brightness. Also interesting what he says about the accelerator unit.

"Although details are unknown, for the time being it seems to be working to aid (speed up) arithmetic processing related to image processing, but in future it is possible to do "other things" with the accelerator unit. A mysterious accelerator unit."

Japanese Photo of the Day K-1 Mark II???????????????

Google translate Google Translate

Keep in mind that he is close to Ricoh, so he probably has good information from them. But at the same time, he is not entirely impartial.

[texandrews]

It's not really a review, but Kimio Tanaka has given some more information on his blog. He gives a list of improvements.

1) New Accelerator Unit installed
2) Improve high ISO sensitivity image quality, up to ISO 819 200
3) Add real mode resolution shooting mode
4) AF-C continuous moving shooting and distance measurement speed of AF-S
5) Improve display of outdoor monitor to improve visibility in dark place

That last one is something I hadn't heard of before. I guess it's better control of brightness. Also interesting what he says about the accelerator unit.

"Although details are unknown, for the time being it seems to be working to aid (speed up) arithmetic processing related to image processing, but in future it is possible to do "other things" with the accelerator unit. A mysterious accelerator unit."

Japanese Photo of the Day K-1 Mark II???????????????

Google translate Google Translate

Keep in mind that he is close to Ricoh, so he probably has good information from them. But at the same time, he is not entirely impartial.

From the comparison photos of the boards, before and after, it's interesting that there seems to have been a convenient space left for the AU. I wonder if this is something the engineers planned, based on the AU in one of the apsc bodies (not sure which one...).

[Kunzite]

The accelerator unit was introduced to the market a mere 4 months after the K-1, with the K-70.

[CNunez]

It's not really a review, but Kimio Tanaka has given some more information on his blog. He gives a list of improvements.

1) New Accelerator Unit installed
2) Improve high ISO sensitivity image quality, up to ISO 819 200
3) Add real mode resolution shooting mode
4) AF-C continuous moving shooting and distance measurement speed of AF-S
5) Improve display of outdoor monitor to improve visibility in dark place

That last one is something I hadn't heard of before. I guess it's better control of brightness. Also interesting what he says about the accelerator unit.

"Although details are unknown, for the time being it seems to be working to aid (speed up) arithmetic processing related to image processing, but in future it is possible to do "other things" with the accelerator unit. A mysterious accelerator unit."

Japanese Photo of the Day K-1 Mark II???????????????

Google translate Google Translate

Keep in mind that he is close to Ricoh, so he probably has good information from them. But at the same time, he is not entirely impartial.

Things I haven't bothered to check because I don't know how I would test it out, are the effects of the accelerator unit. The images look amazing though, shadows, blacks, colour rendition etc. So without trying to compare to the k1 as I don't own it nor have I shot with it. IQ is amazing on the k1 II.

Handheld Pixel shift works. It works really well. So much so, I haven't had it not work on me yet. in the menu (press info) you can choose pixel shift, pixelshift motion, pixelshift SR) SR being the handheld and motion being the anti motion one I assume. Hand holding pixel shift is like counting to 4 really fast, like a thrash metal band counting the drummer in, but stepped up, because it's live (get it? :P)

Autofocus is very good, very fast and very accurate out of the box. On neither of my lenses did I have to do any adjustments (probably just luck). The 24-70 2.8 is lightning fast. 100mm DFA WR is very very fast considering it's screwdrive. It's rapid. Coming from my k3 this is a new world of possibilities and confidence knowing I'll get a lot less wasted frames.

And yes it has this outdoor monitor thing, it allows you to go from -2 to 0 to +2 in screen gamma to either dim or brighten it on the fly.

I don't know how to upload pictures so can't post test shots

[awscreo]

Hope AF improvement is real, and is significant. That alone would probably make the upgrade service they offer worth it, although it might push the purchase of 50 1.4 to later this year.

[Królik]

Things I haven't bothered to check because I don't know how I would test it out, are the effects of the accelerator unit. The images look amazing though, shadows, blacks, colour rendition etc. So without trying to compare to the k1 as I don't own it nor have I shot with it. IQ is amazing on the k1 II.

Handheld Pixel shift works. It works really well. So much so, I haven't had it not work on me yet. in the menu (press info) you can choose pixel shift, pixelshift motion, pixelshift SR) SR being the handheld and motion being the anti motion one I assume. Hand holding pixel shift is like counting to 4 really fast, like a thrash metal band counting the drummer in, but stepped up, because it's live (get it? :P)

Autofocus is very good, very fast and very accurate out of the box. On neither of my lenses did I have to do any adjustments (probably just luck). The 24-70 2.8 is lightning fast. 100mm DFA WR is very very fast considering it's screwdrive. It's rapid. Coming from my k3 this is a new world of possibilities and confidence knowing I'll get a lot less wasted frames.

And yes it has this outdoor monitor thing, it allows you to go from -2 to 0 to +2 in screen gamma to either dim or brighten it on the fly.

I don't know how to upload pictures so can't post test shots

I can't wait for my K1 II then. A pity they are not available in Poland yet

My K20D with 100 mm f/2.8 macro hunts a lot even in moderately good light and AF.C is terrible. I tried it to track seagulls in flight once and I got 1 sharp picture per 50 (yes, I mean it, one per fifty or even less), and 3 moderately sharp per 50, all the others totally blurred OOF. Don't know why, but WR macro has the slowest AF of all my lenses - I don't get hunting so often on FA 50 f/1.4 or DA lenses.

If AF works on K1 II reliably then it opens a completely new set of possibilities.

Also if these AF improvements are real, why Ricoh doesn't shout about it everywhere? It looks like a bigger thing than high ISO and handheld PSR.


Another review confirms much better AF:
https://www.tiendapentaxeros.com/blog/enfoque-de-la-pentax-k-1-mark-ii-analisis-fotos/

[awscreo]

I can't wait for my K1 II then. A pity they are not available in Poland yet

My K20D with 100 mm f/2.8 macro hunts a lot even in moderately good light and AF.C is terrible. I tried it to track seagulls in flight once and I got 1 sharp picture per 50 (yes, I mean it, one per fifty or even less), and 3 moderately sharp per 50, all the others totally blurred OOF. Don't know why, but WR macro has the slowest AF of all my lenses - I don't get hunting so often on FA 50 f/1.4 or DA lenses.

If AF works on K1 II reliably then it opens a completely new set of possibilities.

Also if these AF improvements are real, why Ricoh doesn't shout about it everywhere? It looks like a bigger thing than high ISO and handheld PSR.


Another review confirms much better AF:
Enfoque de la Pentax K-1 Mark II: ¿ha mejorado con respecto a la K-1?

Mm, I believe macro lenses are designed with a long focus throw, so they usually do not perform well in terms of af speed.