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Forum: Pentax Mirrorless Cameras
07-24-2013, 05:05 PM
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Now that you mention it, I had a somewhat similar experience with a Fujifilm fixed lens camera more than a decade ago...might be the same model as you! The camera just stopped working after a year of purchase for no reason. I didn't contact Fuji though. Some of the x100 cameras with certain serial #s (beginning with 12, 13, 14) are also allegedly prone to a known issue (search for SAB), so Fuji's products do seem to have a quirky rep in that respect.
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Forum: Pentax Mirrorless Cameras
07-24-2013, 02:28 PM
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Yes, the rx's size is an advantage. But don't you miss the x100's OVF? If you want to take a snap say in a store or street or bright poolside, can you really use a RX100? It's been a revelation to me how so many pics I have taken with the x100 that would not have been an option (for me) with a camera on which a lit-screen and/or a visibly moving lens are necessary. These and completely noiseless instancy gives me so much more flexibility. So far I haven't missed zoom. And the x100 is small/unobtrusive enough that I take it out very frequently-- though not pocketable (unless I wear cargo shorts). I haven't taken anywhere near as many shots in the first couple months of owning any other camera...it's a pleasure to handle. That said, each has its strengths that users will weight accordingly. As a gadget enthusiast, I will keep my eyes peeled for a rx100 also :-)
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Forum: Pentax Mirrorless Cameras
07-20-2013, 09:46 PM
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It's been quite a while but I thought I would update this thread--
I did buy an x100 and have been using it for several weeks now. It is also an excellent camera and suits my overall use. PQ and handling are both extraordinary. When the x100 nails a picture (and it does so with reasonable frequency), the result is simply out of this world -- portraits with it for example. The AF is excellent in most conditions but does have trouble sometimes (but not always!) in low light. I would rate both AFs about the same. The hybrid viewfinder is stupendous and this along with its virtually silent operation allows me to produce pictures I simply couldn't with most cameras. It's fill-flash is also superb and starkly illustrates the inadequacy of other on-board flashes. A good used x100 costs twice what I paid for a new K-01+40mmXS but I would still put the overall "value" of the x100 right up there with the K-01+40mmSX package.
The K-01 is also terrific but I suspect that to get truly extraordinary pictures one will have to pony up for a limited lens -- perhaps the 43mm or 31mm. My experience with 6-7 less expensive lenses (18-55 DA II, 40mm xs, 75-300mm Sigma, 28-80mm Sigma, 55mm f1.8 smc tak, 28mm f3.5 smc tak, 35mm super tak etc) is that the results on the K-01 are good usually and approach very good sometimes, but are never astounding. Certainly, I don't discount that it could be my shooting style/ability.
I will be happy to answer any questions I can comparing the 2 cameras...I've used both for about the same length of time, so my expertise or lack thereof will be similar.
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Forum: Pentax K-01
05-24-2013, 10:56 AM
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gda13 and LeRolls -- Nice pics. Please post which lens you used for your respective series. Thanks.
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Forum: Pentax K-01
05-03-2013, 11:56 AM
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I am happy to see another positive thread about the K-01 but quite surprised to see the camera's looks, design, and build quality being lauded. Those are the weak spots (imo of course). The camera is not exactly a pleasure to look at or feel (tactile). Even the control dial is also chunky and doesn't sport a nice finish. Finally though the pictures produced by the K-01 are indeed excellent. So I give full marks to the technical guys, not so much to the industrial design.
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Forum: Pentax Mirrorless Cameras
04-30-2013, 05:11 PM
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On the off chance that someone with a k01 has played with a X100, how does the pq and handling compare? I realize that the K01 does offer the possibility of swapping lenses but for this post i want to pretend 40xs is it.
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Forum: Pentax K-01
03-16-2013, 04:42 PM
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The sharpness of the lens actually surprised me. The white crane pic to me is pretty sharp for 300mm or perhaps I am easily impressed. I do agree if the subject is moving the AF+shutter isn't swift enough to generate crisp pics. But this is so much easier to shoot than my previous long lenses (Tamron 500mm F8 mirror, 70-210mm Vivitar Series 1 -- both of which are full manual but have a cult following) and produces at least comparable results.
Will keep my eye out for the 100-300 as well. Is there a sleeper 500mm lens out there?
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Forum: Pentax K-01
03-16-2013, 11:06 AM
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My lens collection for the K-01 has grown rapidly and contains two cheap lenses that receive little mention. I myself only bought these to justify (by bundling more lenses) the steep shipping cost for a different lens. Ridiculous reason I know but worked out really well. The lenses (both AF K-mount) are:
Sigma 75-300 F4.5-5.6 MACRO
Sigma 28-80mm F3.5-5.6 MACRO
I took a handful of test snaps immediately after receiving them (many weeks ago) but didn't pay much heed to them after that. Instead I used the K-01 mostly with kit lenses (40mm xs, 18-55 DA II). Yesterday, I went for a "nature walk" and found myself almost exclusively shooting with these two cheapo sigmas. The 28-80 at Macro setting, and the 75-300 for tele. Both lenses produced excellent pictures. Color and sharpness were both excellent. AF on both lenses works fine even if a tad slow. My preferred mode of shooting yesterday was to use "AUTO" camera setting except focussing for some macro shots.
A couple pics (and these are typical) are appended. At an artistic level, they aren't special. However, crop and/or look at them closely and the PQ becomes apparent. I don't believe any of the other Pentax lenses that I currently have (two DA kit lenses, and two Takumar primes) can replicate these (simply on spec basis). Pictures are uncropped.
75-300mm at 300mm
Attachment 163672
28-80mm at 80mm MACRO setting.
Attachment 163675 |
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Forum: Pentax K-01
03-13-2013, 06:51 PM
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A related question on using M-lenses with the K-01: Shouldn't the preset SCN options also start working (with M-lenses) once metering is enabled? Or is there a setting/tweak for that also?
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Forum: Pentax Lens Articles
03-12-2013, 07:43 PM
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Thank you for responding. Can't wait to try it out. Indeed, the build quality of the lens is superb, even adjusting the focus ring is a pleasure. I've tried ( on a different camera system) a large number of MF lenses reputed to have excellent build...this Tak though is on a different level.
Despite trying I was unable to procure a original pentax adapter (not sure why pentax won't manufacture and stock them in volume), so settled for a copy which passes the look test.
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Forum: Pentax Lens Articles
03-12-2013, 11:15 AM
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The online manual for the m42-pk adapter states "Do not use any non-Pentax screwmount or bayonet lenses before you have verified that they have no irregular protrusions on the rear."
The SMC Takumar 55mm f1.8 copy I have has a little pin that protrudes 2-3mm after installing it (by screwing into) into a m42-pk adapter that looks like the one pictured in the first post. The general opinion seems to be that there is nothing to fear using Takumar m42 lenses (with adapters) as is, but some posts indicate that not all Takumar screwmounts have that pin at the rear.
Apologies for asking what has likely been clarified elsewhere. Can the Super Multicoated Takumar 55mm f1.8 cause any grief if I use it (WITHOUT modification) with a flangeless M42-adapter? (I am not worried about the adapter as much as pin at the rear of the lens getting stuck).
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Forum: Pentax K-01
02-21-2013, 09:49 AM
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Hope you didn't interpret my question as a slur of some kind on Pentax. That's not the case. I am happy in general with the K-01.
That said, the Olympus prime pancake lenses most certainly do not need to be manually retracted -- even the e-p1 has a setting for automatic retraction. The zooms are a different story.
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Forum: Pentax K-01
02-20-2013, 07:45 PM
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Thanks for the answer (that there is no such setting). It's only a minor inconvenience. But to your other point, I'm not sure micro-four-thirds cameras fall squarely in the p&s category (and Oly m43 cameras do have such a setting).
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Forum: Pentax K-01
02-20-2013, 06:16 PM
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When I turn off the camera after taking pics, the 40mm xs lens sometimes still juts out. Turning the focus ring manually retracts it but is there a camera setting to have the lens retract automatically when the camera is turned off? If so, where is it? I googled but didn't find anything. Thanks.
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Forum: Pentax K-01
02-19-2013, 10:39 AM
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I had never used a Pentax before and didn't own a single PK lens when I picked up a K01. My previous camera system was micro-four-thirds (Olympus) and I enjoyed every second with that system. The sheer pleasure of handling the (now ancient) E-P1 with both AF and MF (in particular some obscure cine lenses) lenses made it difficult to migrate away but I wanted a mirrorless camera with larger sensor and big selection of lenses. Ergo when I saw the K01, I said why not.
The last couple weeks with the K-01 have been reasonably good, the camera and lenses are still growing on me. The picture quality is indeed superb and when all is said and done, that's what really matters. The huge selection of lenses is encouraging, and holds the promise of interesting exploration. While there are some incredible c-mount lenses that will never be usable on the K, on the other hand -I could pick up inexpensive super-zoom AF and Macro-zoom AF lenses that work flawlessly without adapter letting me take snaps that were much harder with pure manual-focus on the MFT.
The entire premise of the K-01 is brilliant, even the execution is decent and nothing to quibble about - I am happy. Pentax should keep this line alive but keep the design in-house next time -- a technical team would likely round off the rough edges that currently exist mostly in the look and feel dept (ironically, attributes that some consider outside the domain of engineers!) WIth the current dimensions, it should be easy to physically fit in a EVF or OVF, which would make the camera even more compelling. This line has the potential to be king of the mirrorless space....particularly as other mirrorless camera systems get larger as they add viewfinders and lose size advantage.
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Forum: Pentax K-01
02-14-2013, 09:56 AM
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Thanks for the input. I was under the impression (based on an auction listing with apparently erroneous description) that the Super-Takumar 55mm had AF.
As for adapter, the "genuine" one appears to run $50-60 at least. Is a Super-takumar (in my case a super-tak 55 f1.8) worth investing $90 compared to just buying a smc-a 50 f1.4 (no adapter needed)?
OP- apologies for the digression...:-)
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Forum: Pentax K-01
02-13-2013, 09:08 PM
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A q abt your lens. Are all Super Takumar's m42 mounts? If so, what's a good mount type for a 50mm f1.4 or 55mm f1.8 m42 lens? From what I read, there appear to be two types - one that permits infinity focus, and one that does not. If I am correct, the latter is much easier to remove from the camera and can be treated as part of the lens.
If the lens is mainly for inside/portrait use, would it be reasonable to assume that it's better to get the non-infinity m42 mount? Also will AF work with these cheapish adapters?
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Forum: Pentax K-01
02-12-2013, 03:14 PM
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Thank you both. The issue was operator ignorance :-) I saw the A marking by the aperture ring but didn't realize its significance (I did look vainly for a MF-AF toggle) nor that I had to press a nub to get it to click.
The AF is indeed slow but there are occasions when it locks in extremely fast (perhaps when there aren't too many objects confuse it).
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Forum: Pentax K-01
02-12-2013, 02:24 PM
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I was operating under the assumption that any K-mount AF lens would work (as in AF should work) on the K-01. I mounted a Sigma 75-300mm AF f4.5-5.6 on the K-01, checked that the K-01 focus switch was on AF, and turned on the camera. No matter what (I took the e-dial for a spin), there is no sign of AF working, and the shutter won't activate to take a pic (even unfocussed). The screen just blinks with a red F--
Camera works fine with DA lenses -- I've tried the 40mm xs and 18-55 DA II
Is there some setting in the camera that I need to turn on/off? I don't think there's anything wrong with the lens 'coz it does the same with another Sigma zoom (I forget its specs). I am not looking for fast AF, just some indication of AF.
Thanks for a pointer or two.
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Forum: Pentax K-01
02-12-2013, 10:17 AM
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My apologies....I didn't mean to criticize the front cap as much as the rear cap covering the mount. For whatever reason, the flimsy plastic with no inscription aggravated me a bit.
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Forum: Pentax K-01
02-12-2013, 09:47 AM
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1. Good to know packaging is standard. The shutter count also alleviated my mild concern.
2. Still haven't really had time to explore the camera. The manual controls weren't as intuitive for me particularly for zooming on the fly. I will figure out this evening.
3. Random observation: A lens as beautifully crafted as the 40mm xs deserves a better lens cap than a threadless 1-cent plastic bucket. Insulting to the engineers who built the device. And after my experience with Olympus mft cam/lens, the aesthetics/materials/finish etc of Pentax are bit of a downer. None of that will matter I suppose as long as the pics and handling are top rate. ps: I wouldn't want Pentaxians to take this observation the wrong way (I've exited mft myself for the k).
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Forum: Pentax K-01
02-11-2013, 07:04 PM
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Shutter count: 0! if it is to be believed (used pentaxforums's shutter count utility)
Builds date: 09/2012
Handles so much better than it looks. Fotunately it's a camera not a date...no dilemmas about keeping it. Excellent pq even at high isos. No time tonight but I have a bunch of lenses to test on it.
Why does the 40mm xs focus ring spin during AF? (my zuiko pancake for MFT never did that)
Can anyone with both black and yellow versions comment on relative looks? Tx.
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Forum: Pentax K-01
02-11-2013, 05:23 PM
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I just got a black version (battery is still charging). Charger has date of 08/2012. So far the look and build quality of the camera are underwhelming but I am not too fixated about that. Somewhat surprised that they had to go outside house for that. :-) Nothing was sealed or peel-off stickied-- box, battery leads, screen all naked. Curious if everybody's is the same.
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Forum: Pentax K-01
02-08-2013, 09:46 AM
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Amazon is usually excellent...the only times that I seem to encounter issues is when I order cameras! A couple years ago, I had ordered a Sigma dpxx that put on back order and next thing I know a couple months went by. I had to cancel and buy something else for a trip. I am glad though because that got me into the MFT space, which I like. Pentax K-01 similar progression...This time around I am not about to jump ship because I already loaded up with lenses (that I hope work because the return dates are long past!). Even suckier for me, az just started collecting taxes from amazon, which apparently means that the price went up for me on top of the delay.
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Forum: Pentax K-01
02-02-2013, 06:37 PM
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I suspect a ton of buyers have spent the last month stocking up on assorted Pentax lenses. I've loaded up with 3 add-on AF lenses, and also disposed off all my MFT AF lenses. If amazon doesn't come through, the bottom might fall out of the pk lens market for a month or two https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/images/smilies/lol.png On the positive side, I've had amazon ship out a back-ordered item with no warning (after 6-7 weeks of ordering) and it never had a ETA assigned.
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