[glasgow]

Hi, i've owned a K30 and looking to go full frame. Contemplating getting a K1 mark 1. Is this still a good option in 2020? Noting it's about 4 years old? Guessing Pentax will maybe release a new FF model at some point?

[BigMackCam]

The K-1 and K-1II are as good now as they were upon release They're an especially good option now since, new or used, the pricing is very affordable for such high image and build quality. You could wait for a new model to be released, but it will be considerably more expensive and you'll lose all that shooting time. If you buy a K-1 or K-1II now, there's no reason why you can't sell it or part-exchange it when a new model is released. Consider any small financial loss to be "rental" for the time you own it

[jatrax]

Agree with @BigMackCam. If you want to go FF then the K-1 / K-1II is your only option. And it will be a huge upgrade from your K-30.


Pentax should release a new FF model but I would not expect that until late 2021, possibly 2022. So get a K-1II now, work on getting your lens assortment in hand over the next two years and be ready for the next camera in two years.

[glasgow]

thanks both, from review of both K-1 and K-1ii there doest appear to be a massive difference, so guess decision will be made by availability and price. If I can get a good example of K-1 mark 1 that may be what I go for.

[jatrax]

K-1II has the accelerator chip and some other 'updates'. Nothing in the updates were earth shattering though slightly better AF has been noted. If price is the same go for the K-1II but if you can save significantly the K-1 would be a good buy.

[C_Jones]

The K-1 II is an excellent camera. I have one, and it is amazing. I would recommend it if it is reasonable enough for your budget.

[gaweidert]

Welcome to the forums. The K1 is an awesome camera. The K1-II just a wee bit more awesome. When I got a K1 in 2016 my APSc cameras took a back seat pretty quick. I added a K1-II to the herd as soon as they came out. I have never regretted my decision to go full frame.

[MarkJerling]

Hi, i've owned a K30 and looking to go full frame. Contemplating getting a K1 mark 1. Is this still a good option in 2020? Noting it's about 4 years old? Guessing Pentax will maybe release a new FF model at some point?

Welcome to the forum!
It is a fantastic camera. If you can get one for a good price, go for it!

[glasgow]

thanks. guess can't second guess when new cameras will be released. I did wonder why the K1ii was released so soon after k1; i.e. was there something wrong with mark 1, but the responses have put my mind to rest. k1 mark 1 or mark 2 both seem a good option if I can pick up a good deal.

[jatrax]

The K-1I supposedly added features that were not quite ready to ship when the K-1 was released. One thing Ricoh did that is unique to my knowledge is offer an upgrade path for K-1 owners. I pre-ordered my K-1 (the first anything I have ever pre-ordered) and also had it upgraded to a K-1II during the offer period. I had to send my K-1 in to have the upgrade done but it came back as a K-1II. Ricoh is no longer offering that but it made me feel really good that I was able to get the K-1II features on my K-1.

---------- Post added 10-05-20 at 02:14 PM ----------

You might want to look here: Open Box/Refurbished Archives - Ricoh Ricoh has some open box K-1s available. No idea if that is a good price or not.

[glasgow]

Looks a good price, though I’m in UK

[jcdoss]

I also bought a couple of K-1s and upgraded them both to K-1 mIIs when the offer came out to upgrade. This is the only camera I've ever had that didn't have some underperforming feature that had me looking at other cameras. Of course, I use mine in M mode all the time with manual focus lenses, so you won't hear me whining about autofocus.

To answer your question, yes, the K-1 mI or mII are great choices in today's market.

[UncleVanya]

The Nikon D810 is the model most similar to the original K1. The D850 has a higher resolution sensor but isn't a massive upgrade over the D810. Given this I'd say it holds true that the K1 and K1ii are still quite competitive if the limitations on frame rates and autofocus vs some competition are acceptable. Note I'm not saying the af on the k1 isn't any good, but it does lack some "bells and whistles" that get highly promoted by competing platforms.

Honestly if you like Pentax (as I do) and you like DSLRs more than mirrorless then it makes plenty of sense to consider the k1 if you are considering full frame.

[VoiceOfReason]

I like it so much I just bought a silver one! Yes, good camera, good value too.

[Kerrowdown]

Welcome to the forum and in answer to your question, yes absolutely.