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09-19-2019, 03:43 PM   #1
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K1 from K50

Probably sure this question has been asked and answered before, but darn if I can find it .... When I upgraded from the 16mp Pentax K50 to the 24mp K3 I was awe struck by the quality differance. Now here is my question, if I upgrade to the 36mp K1, would I see the same improvement in picture quality, using the same lenses I own for the K50?

Never met a lens that I could afford that I didn't buy....with 70 of them, wife hits me on the head every time she sees me crusing Ebay.

So would like to know if I would be happy in image quality without having to purchase the latest state of the art lenes for the K1?

Thank you all in advance for your input.

Read more at: Your latest acquisition - Page 1146 - PentaxForums.com

09-19-2019, 03:54 PM - 1 Like   #2
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Are your lenses full frame lenses? If so, the answer could be yes. But you really want to have good lenses to get the most out of a full-frame camera

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09-19-2019, 04:02 PM   #3
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since you are from the US

you might consider renting the K 1 first to see what you think of it with your existing lenses:

Information on Businesses that offer cameras and lenses for rent - PentaxForums.com

________________

if your lenses were developed for film SLR, then they will be " full frame sensor "

some of the modern Pentax DSLR are as well

https://www.pentaxforums.com/articles/gear-guides/full-frame-coverage-of-da-lenses.htmlDSLR lenses may be as well

https://www.mosphotos.com/PentaxLensesExplained.html

Last edited by aslyfox; 09-19-2019 at 04:35 PM.
09-19-2019, 04:08 PM - 1 Like   #4
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I started with a K50 then K3 also and pre ordered the K1 when it came out. It was defiantly worth the upgrade, as long as you're using decent lenses on it. For me the K1 and DA*300 was a great combo image wise.

I only had a few lenses not 70 like you but with the 300 and DFA100 2.8 macro and DA560 I did see upgrades in images from K3 to K1. With the DA 50 1.8 and DA 35 I didn't see much difference but I also didn't use those much.

09-19-2019, 04:31 PM   #5
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It really depends on what lenses you have. If they are fullframe then probably will be better - even some of the older Pentax K and M lenses perform pretty well on the K-1 and many are capable of resolving the full 36MP resolution (especially stopped down). If you only have APS-C lenses then you won't get most of the benefit of the K-1.

In addition the low light (high ISO) capability of the K-1 is pretty impressive (especially if you scale image from K-1 down to K-3 size and compare) - again if you are using a full frame capable lens.
09-20-2019, 01:11 AM   #6
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I don't have a K1 but do have a K3 and Nikon D610. I can see a difference in the IQ but I think it is down to the tonal range the larger sensor is capable of recording. I imagine you will get the same thing with the K1. However to see an improvement in resolution I think you may have to upgrade whatever you are viewing your images on. Personally although the K1 is very nice and tempting I have stuck with the K3and got a KP as a second body, as I prefer the smaller form factor of APSc and the way I view my best images (up to 16X18" prints) APSc is more than adequate for my needs.

Last edited by richard0170; 09-20-2019 at 01:22 AM.
09-20-2019, 03:45 AM   #7
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I doubt if you'll see earthshaking changes, going from K-3 to K-1. The sensor in the K-3 is a lot denser than the K-50, even though they're the same size, and because the photoreceptors are so much smaller and they pack more into less space than those of the K-1, the K-3 may even come out looking better, particularly if you're using APS-C lenses.

09-20-2019, 04:36 AM   #8
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follow the link to see a side by side comparison:

Pentax K-1 vs. Pentax K-3 vs. Pentax K-50 - Pentax Camera Comparison - PentaxForums.com
09-20-2019, 04:41 AM - 1 Like   #9
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The answer to the question is two-fold (plus a bonus).

1-The camera itself is a significant improvement over the K-3. Total resolution, dynamic range and ISO are improved.

1-However, if you have 70 lenses it's probable that many of them are older lenses, and these sometimes do not live up to today's expectations. See here. That doesn't mean older lenses cannot be used, and in fact using them on a full frame sensor makes sense since they were designed for that. But newer lenses show significant improvements over older products.

In addition, if you own APS-C lenses (DA, essentially) then you might be saddened by the effective resolution on the K-1. Some APS-C lenses work perfectly well on full frame, others don't as they create black corners which cannot be adjusted in post-processing. This means you will use only the center portion of the sensor, giving you 16 MP (the same as your K-50). You will still have all the dynamic range advantages of the K-1, but not the full resolution.

The bonus is this : with the K-1 you ALSO gain a tilting LCD, superb AF, LEDs all over the place to work in the dark, pixel shift, the best ergonomics Ive ever seen, daylight screen adjustment, electronic shutter, night mode on the LCD, did I mention the ergonomics? I'm probably forgetting many things I love about the camera, and now take for granted.
09-20-2019, 08:40 AM - 1 Like   #10
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I think that another big difference between the K-50 and the K-3 are the fact that there is no AA filter on the K-3 so the leap to the K-1 may not be quite as dramatic, but as someone who has a KP and a K-1, I can see the difference between them, but it is nowhere near as dramatic as the difference between a K-50 and a 24MP camera without an AA filter.
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