Summary
My K-1 arrived in April 2017. It’s exceeded my expectations, but I thought I’d tell the story of moving from my K1000 to my K10D workhorse to the K-1 for those who are still wondering if the K-1 is for them.
The Cult Classic: Pentax K1000
The first time I held the K1000 it just felt right. It fit perfectly in my hands and the solid body had some weight to it. I was 12 years old. My parents gave me a box of expired 12-exposure rolls of film. There was no owner’s manual included. It would be a long time before the Internet or Google would be invented. I quickly learned what not to do after getting the first couple rolls developed, leading me to learn what to do correctly.
Pentax K1000, JCPenney 2X teleconverter, 70-210mm, Can't remember the film
K1000, Centon 50/1.7, Fuji 200
K1000, Centon 50/1.7, Fuji 200
As a teenager I didn’t have a lot of money. Gasoline was $0.83 a gallon and I needed to refill my car’s tank. At 18 years old, I sold the K1000. I regretted the sale. In my early 20s I tracked it down and was able to get it back. I still have and use this K1000 (along with a few other K1000s I’ve collected over the years).
Photographed with the K10D and FA 43
Can a Camera be Magic? The Iconic Pentax K10D
After buying and selling several digital cameras that didn’t feel right, I decided to dust off my old lens collection and bought a new Pentax K10D. It immediately felt good in my hands. There was magic in this camera. It felt like a natural extension to my hands and arms. A paintbrush should feel natural in a painter’s hand, much like a camera should feel to a photographer. Beautiful equipment helps me create beautiful art. I guess like things that shoot (cameras and guns), because I’ve sold several guns because they didn’t fit or feel right in my hands. I sold the 18-55 kit lens through the local classifieds and bought the FA 43 Limited. It was love at first sight. Everything about this lens matched the feel and quality of the K10D. I’m not sure which was more jealous: me when the lens was mounted to the camera, or the K10D when I would hold the lens and run my fingers across the smooth, cold metal surface. The two were meant to be together. The FA 43 by far has been my most-used lens on the K10D.
K10D, photographed by K-1 and FA 77
I’ve shot with the K20D, K-x, K-5 II, K-50, K-3, K-70, and 645Z. Each had nice features, but none could compare with the K10D so I didn’t buy any of them. The first one to catch my attention was the K-3 due to the 27 focus points in the viewfinder. But the AF point selection method drove me crazy. I had to press a separate button before using the four-way controller buttons to move my AF point. I move my AF point with nearly every exposure. I rarely adjust my white balance. I never adjust my custom image settings, so dedicated buttons to each is a waste. This is the same reason I gave the K-5 II back after a couple days. I was happy to return to the K10D’s intuitive and responsive button layout. The 645Z is an amazing camera, but it’s enough weight to hike with my F* 250-600 without the 645Z and medium format lenses.
During the last few years, I’ve been able to shoot with a lot of different cameras, from the Pentax 645Z, a Canon 5D mk ii to a mk iv, 6D (hated this one), 70D, 80D, T3i, T4i, T5i, and T6i; a Nikon D810, D800, D600, D7200, D5200, and D3200, a Sony a7 and a6500 (hated these two), and some Panasonic model (hated this one too).
The Flagship Arrives: Pentax K-1
Then the K-1 was released. There was a menu option to disable the white balance and other options used by the four-way controller buttons, resulting in dedicated AF point selection buttons. How come more people aren’t talking about the LEDs? I love these, and wonder how long before other cameras copy this idea. They are so simple, yet effective when mounting a lens in the dark.
K-1, photographed by K10D and FA 43
The K-1 is a mechanical marvel. I love the extra dials, the extra AF points, and the familiar Pentax intuitive design and menus. I can use my K10D with my eyes closed. I know where every button is and what they do. I’m getting better with the K-1, but I still occasionally have to pull the viewfinder from my eye to adjust settings. Another year with the K-1 and I should be able to use the buttons in my sleep.
Some Initial Differences
Cellphone pics, sorry for low quality
Speaking of getting used to the buttons, I’m hoping in a year or two I’ll pick up the K10D and the grip will feel odd. Right now the K-1 grip is nowhere as comfortable as the K10D’s grip. The hand grip is a gentle curve, with a nice, large area for my middle finger to rest against below the shutter release button. A second gentle curve is found against the body of the camera, right where my fingertips slightly rest against the space between the grip and the lens mount. The thumb grip on the back is large and smooth, with another gentle curve. I can carry the K10D all day without any discomfort to my hand. The K-1 has a narrow, deep hand grip. The curve is sharp rests abruptly against my hand. There is a very small protrusion for my middle finger below the shutter button. The front e-dial is angled, unlike the K10D’s front dial, so it take my finger longer to find it. There is no gentle curve as the grip molds into the body, so my fingers just stop when they reach the space between the lens mount and the grip. The thumb grip is much like the front grip. It’s functional, but it is a different shape and takes time to get used to. The slope is much steeper with less surface area to rest against.
K10D detail, photographed with K-1 and FA 77
K-1 detail, photographed with K10D and FA 43
The hand grip squeaks on the K-1, or at least it does on my copy. Because of this, the K10D feels slightly sturdier. It feels more rigid. When I firmly grip the K10D, there is no give. There is no movement. When I hold the K-1 tightly, there is just a little flex in the bottom of the grip, and as it moves it squeaks.
The delete image button is awkwardly placed just to the left of the viewfinder, and the eyecup gets in my way every time I try to press the delete button. Maybe this isn’t as big of a problem for someone who is left-handed, but it’s not easy to use my right hand to press the button. I’ve pretty much stopped using that button and just delete the images from the SD cards on my computer.
The K-1 is beautiful. The top of the camera is well-designed and it’s hard not to love the prism housing. The camera is balanced and is easy to hold for hours while shooting with small, or large lenses. The battery grip has a large attachment wheel, much easier to turn than that on the K10D’s grip. It’s much easier and more comfortable to hold the K-1 by the battery grip. It’s surprising the K10D has a better hand grip, but the K-1's battery grip is so much better than the former. The front e-dial is straight and the soft rubber makes it easy to grip. All e-dials on the K-1 are made of a soft rubber. The K10D battery grip’s front e-dial is hard plastic, much like the rest of the e-dials on the body. Time will tell how the soft rubber dials on the K-1 will wear. The K10D grip’s front e-dial is slightly angled, much like the front e-dial on the K-1 near the shutter button. This left me wondering why the dial is not angled on the K-1's grip like the e-dial on the body, but I’m glad it’s not. After all the improvements to the battery grip, I’d still take the one belonging to the K10D for one reason: It stores the Pentax Remote Control F. It’s really disappointing they removed this storage in newer grips. I’ve never used AA batteries in the grip, but I use the remote, so I’d give up the battery compatibility for remote storage again.
Battery Grip D-BG2 for K10D, photographed by the K-1 and FA-77
Battery Grip D-BG6 for K-1, photographed by the K10D and FA 43
The shutter button of the K-1 doesn’t have a solid click after the half-press. A gentle squeeze of the button and the exposure happens. During the first couple days of use I was surprised when the shutter opened suddenly with no tactile feedback from the button. I’m now used to this, but it took some time as I was used to two very sturdy clicks, or positions of rest, in the K10D’s shutter button. In other words, you know exactly when the photo will be taken after the strong second click after passing the half-press.
The K10D can take a photo the instant you move the power switch to the ON position. There is no delay, no lag, no waiting. The K-1 takes some time to power up before an exposure can be taken. I don’t know if this is due to the CMOS sensor warming up, or if it’s the computer booting due to all the advanced features in the camera. I don’t use Live View, and keep the rear screen turned off while in shooting mode.
Battery life is much longer on the K10D. But to be fair there is no Live View or advanced features like the K-1 has requiring more battery power.
The SD card door on the K10D is fantastic. I love watching other people, even those who have experience with newer Pentax bodies, borrow it. Most can’t figure out how to open the door to insert their card. And I don’t say anything, because it’s more fun to watch them for a minute or so, then I’ll assist. The reason I love the door is because there is no way it will never open by accident. The K-1's SD card door is just like every other camera’s door, which isn’t like Pentax. I love having two SD cards inside, but the door isn’t anything special.
FA* Lenses Come Alive
The FA* 80-200 always performed well on the K10D, but just like the magic created with the combined FA 43 and K10D, the same magic happens with the FA* 80-200 and the K-1. In fact, the FA 43 is no longer my most-used lens.
K-1 and FA* 80-200
The FA* 24 is also incredible on the K-1. The extra AF points really help here, as it’s easier to nail focus on your subject with a wide-angle lens when you have more points to choose from.
What surprised me most was how my FA 43 performs on the K-1. Again, it’s magic on the K10D, nearly impossible to take a poor picture. However on the K-1, the lens hunts with auto-focus. About half the time it confirms focus and I make the exposure, yet the picture is blurry. Not just a little blurry, but focus is way off. The other half the time focus is sharp. The FA 77 performs flawlessly on the K-1.
K-1 and FA 43
CCD and CMOS
Over the years it’s always easy to see the benefit of CCD at ISO 100. It’s also easy to see the benefit of having CMOS at higher ISOs, Live View, and video requirements. If you don’t often shoot in situations needing high ISO, use Live View, and shoot video, then CMOS really doesn’t give you an advantage.
Below are a few examples from each camera, one in poor indoor lighting, one outside during light rain today, and one during a recent shoot of a model from South Africa. In the last example, the scene is backlit with harsh afternoon sunlight.
K10D and FA 77
Unedited JPEG from camera, only resized and watermark added
Manual exposure: Spot meter
White balance: Manual 3500K M1 B1
Shutter speed: 1/40
Aperture: f/2
ISO: 400
No flash
Saturation: Normal
Sharpness: Normal
Contrast: Normal
Image tone: Bright
K-1 and FA 77
Unedited JPEG from camera, only resized and watermark added
Manual exposure: Spot meter
White balance: Manual 3500K M1 B1
Shutter speed: 1/40
Aperture: f/2
ISO: 400
No flash
Saturation: 0
Hue: 0
Contrast: 1
Sharpness: 0
Clarity: 0
Skin tone: Off
Image tone: Bright
K10D and FA 77
Unedited JPEG from camera, only resized and watermark added
White balance: Auto
K-1 and FA 77
Unedited JPEG from camera, only resized and watermark added
White balance: Auto
K10D and FA 77
Unedited JPEG from camera, only resized and watermark added
Manual exposure: Spot meter
White balance: Manual 5000K
Shutter speed: 1/160
Aperture: f/2.8
ISO: 100
No flash
Saturation: Normal
Sharpness: Normal
Contrast: Normal
Image tone: Bright
K-1 and FA 77
Unedited JPEG from camera, only resized and watermark added
Manual exposure: Spot meter
White balance: Manual 5000K
Shutter speed: 1/160
Aperture: f/2.8
ISO: 100
No flash
Saturation: 0
Hue: 0
Contrast: 1
Sharpness: 0
Clarity: 0
Skin tone: Off
Image tone: Bright
K10D and FA 77
Unedited JPEG from camera, only resized and watermark added
White balance: Auto
K-1 and FA 77
Unedited JPEG from camera, only resized and watermark added
White balance: Auto
K10D and FA 77
Unedited JPEG from camera, only resized and watermark added
Manual exposure: Spot meter
White balance: Auto
Shutter speed: 1/4000
Aperture: f/3.2
ISO: 400
No flash
Saturation: Normal
Sharpness: Normal
Contrast: Normal
Image tone: Bright
K-1 and FA* 80-200 at 123mm
Unedited JPEG from camera, only resized and watermark added
Manual exposure: Spot meter
White balance: Auto
Shutter speed: 1/500
Aperture: f/4.5
ISO: 200
No flash
Saturation: 0
Hue: 0
Contrast: 1
Sharpness: 0
Clarity: 0
Skin tone: Off
Image tone: Bright
Moving Forward
I still use the K10D occasionally, especially for landscape images due to the CCD sensor’s clean, unbeatable ISO 100. But I reach for the K-1 first 90 percent of the time now. Overall, I’m very happy with the camera and prefer it to the K10D. Above I critiqued a few things I’m not a fan of, but did so for others to learn from. Some of them are fairly minor and will not bother me with time. Hopefully my experience and photograph samples here represent a small part of what this camera can do.
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