[Bromberger]

Compare camera dimensions side by side

i'm just gonna put this here, maybe it helps :-)

[mikesbike]

Actually, it is 703g vs 800g for the K-3 with batteries and cards. My K-S2 is in reality smaller in dimensions and slightly lighter than the KP at 678g. It is a very nice little camera, and very capable. It is about 3 oz heavier than my previous K-r it replaced, but its better 100% pentaprism VF, weather sealing, 2-dial controls, and some upgrade in IQ justify the increase. Definitely better. But in terms of control set and build quality, along with advanced features and advancement in performance, the KP represents a higher class at a still compact size for an APS-C DSLR. DSLRs are especially attractive to those who wish to have an optical VF. As soon as that is included, size will increase. My K-S2 will still serve my small-carrying general snapshot needs. Even sometimes with the little 18-50mm kit lens, often good enough for such use, and which will never be fitted onto the KP. The KP will be for more advanced needs while doing some trekking, and for low-light high ISO use.

A friend now has a mirrorless Olympus OM system, with its 4/3 sensor and likes it. It is somewhat costly, but well-made. It employs an EVF so one does not have to always hold the camera up and use a LV back screen. But what you see is what is electronically represented, not the real thing. It is not all that much smaller than my K-S2. I found its control system not as good as a Pentax DSLR, but ok. The real savings in size is in the smaller lenses required by the smaller sensor. It was impressive to see his very compact lens being equivalent to a 24-70mm f/2.8 FF lens, yet much smaller and much lighter. But of course there are tradeoffs to smaller sensors, although his results seemed satisfactory.

I can see why he likes it, but I like my system better.

[Nicolas06]

It was impressive to see his very compact lens being equivalent to a 24-70mm f/2.8 FF lens

It because it isn't The framing is equivalent to 24-70 on FF But:
- There isn't the same sharpness/level of details if you take latest m4/3 and latest FF (like K1).
- The max apperture is maybe the same, but for noise and bokeh this is equivalent to f/5.6 on FF. and if it is f/3.5-f/5.6 kit lens, that's equivalent to f/7.1-f/11 on an FF in term of noise and bokeh.

On m4/3 the f/2 zoom and f/0.95 prime are huge too !

[surfar]

I think KP is the K-02.

With a mirror?

[Tatouzou]

That's great!! I'd much rather have f/5.6 DOF than f/2.8 DOF when photographing sports and events, and the evidence so far is that noise reduction at higher ISO values will be quite satisfactory for most uses also.

Well, if you want lightweight and more depth of field, and dont mind lower definition at higher ISO, as long as the noise reduction gives pleasant result, then M43 or 1" are the best compromise.
But many photographers want subject separation, which gives a 3D effect to the picture. Which means they need larger sensors like APS-C or full frame (or even medium format), and/or large aperture lenses, though they are bulky, heavy and expensive.

[Nicolas06]

That's great!! I'd much rather have f/5.6 DOF than f/2.8 DOF when photographing sports and events, and the evidence so far is that noise reduction at higher ISO values will be quite satisfactory for most uses also.

Well your luck is that f/5.6 is often cheaper than f/2.8. Your bad luck is that between f/11 and f/1.4 FF, there 6 stops and f/11 vs f/2.8 there still 4 stops. That more than the progress in high iso for hardware of the last 10-15 years.

And even with latest hardware, throwing away 4 to 6 stop when you are into low light is a luxury you can't really afford.

And it isn't like large apperture look that bad...

f/2.8



f/2



f/2



f/2.5



You can't have it all. Even if recent progress in low light are impressive, even more so on some m4/3 flagship that seems to match a KP now, if you give up apperture or post processing to simplify you life, you loose it somewhere else.

[filmamigo]

I have to disagree. The K-S1 was the K-02. The KP is the K-03.

(Or maybe the KP is the K-04 and the "Smurf" was the K-02, coming out 18 months after the original K-01, right on schedule for a successor. Commence lengthy, bitter argument about the semantics of "successor" and "replacement" in the Pentax lineup. )

(and I think I know where my Christmas bonus is going...)

I have to disagree. The K-S1 was the K-02. The K-S2 was the K-03 (that's why I bought it, I wanted a K-01 with a flippy screen and viewfinder!) and the KP is the K-04.

Are we all good now

[surfar]

The K-S1 was the K-02. The K-S2 was the K-03 (that's why I bought it, I wanted a K-01 with a flippy screen and viewfinder!) and the KP is the K-04.

All those KOs, you feeling a little punch drunk?


KS 1..KS2...KP(imagine the confusion if they called it the KS3? with the k3(3) on many wishlists!)....so the KS4 will come end of 2018 or early 2019.

I have to disagree

Many will!

[THoog]

Are we all good now

We'll have to agree to disagree - the K-S2 was the K-60, halfway between the 50 and 70.

[gm4life]

We could go back and forth all day. Fact of the matter is we have one K-01, one K-S1, one KS-2 and now the KP. It can be more or less argued all are like the K-01 in one way or another. Fact is they are all great cameras and have some features that make them K-01 like. I am sticking by my assertion there is only one K-01

[Szenario]

First of all: I know this thread is old, BUT I've just got a silver KP and it's a wonderfull little beautybeast.
You might be onto something there with the K-S1 beeing a K-02. However, since the K-S2 has the same sensor and is improving some other areas, I think the K-S2 is more of a K-02 II. The KP beeing an enhanced and positivley mutated K-03. Hurray!
Now waiting for a KP II or KP Monochrome or why not a highly experimental KT?

[mikesbike]

I've had two silver KP bodies for quite some years now, bought new when lower prices came. I use them both and love them much. Just beware of the problem with too much use of the pull-out rear screen, as due to a design fault the cable flexing often will develop cracks in the cable and the screen will then become dysfunctional. Fortunately, I don't use the pull-out screen often enough to incur this issue, at least not so far. If pulling it out is a necessity, at least do so slowly and carefully!

If there is a KP-II, I would hope this design flaw will be corrected! Ricoh/Pentax really should give a special low price break to customers for repairs when this problem come up.

[TwoUptons]

One thing I really like about my k-01 is the size while not compromising on image quality, and any of pentax's smaller dslrs to date have never seemed like a true upgrade for me.

My main question is how much bigger is this thing compared to my k-01? And is it a massive enough upgrade for an amateur like myself to think about throwing caution to the wind and saving up for that beautiful camera?

Or is this camera way bigger than I think it is and camera folk just have huge hands?

If you can do it, do it. The KP is the perfect replacement for a K-01.

Though this is a great example of why you should check original post dates before replying

-Eric

[dbs]

Well ........ what did you do ?
4 yrs of .... mmmmm. ......... hey Zombie Army.

[ZombieArmy]

Have been happy with my KP for a solid 6 years. It's basically everything I wanted in a K-01 replacement. Sadly my little k-01 has the stuck shutter issue and is out of commission these days.