Pentax K-01 Review

Image Shooting Modes

mode dialThe K-01 supports a variety of shooting modes, providing most modes found in their high-end DSLRs as well as a broad range of scene modes for novice shooters. The traditional exposure modes are set on the mode dial and so is HDR (High Dynamic Shooting). Scene modes are selected on the monitor.

Auto Mode

This mode is also known as Auto Picture and is a Pentax tradition on consumer cameras. When the shutter is half-pressed the camera not only meters but it also analyses the scene and selects the most appropriate scene mode. In our tests the camera did a very good job of picking the most suitable mode and set the exposure and other image parameters accordingly. In Auto mode the camera can chose from these scene modes: Portrait, landscape, macro, moving object, night scene portrait, sunset, blue sky and forest. If none of these apply, the standard mode.

HDR Mode

HDR exposure mode takes three images at different exposure and merges them into one High Dynamic Range image. The resulting image is in JPG format. Refer the image quality section for an example.

Scene Mode

scene modesThere are 19 scene modes to chose from. You select the one to use on the monitor. A scene mode may shift the program line, deploy or suppress the flash as well as affect ISO range and image parameters like saturation, contrast, and white balance.

 

P Mode with P shift, Av Hyper and Tv Hyper Sub-modes

Av hyperThis is the traditional program mode where the camera sets shutter speed and aperture. Turning the e-dial shifts the program towards faster or slower shutter speeds.

This behavior can be changed in the button customization menu, however. The options are Hyper Av and Hyper Tv, where a turn of the e-dial instantly brings the camera into Av or Tv mode. The active setting is indicated on the monitor as one of P, P shift, Av Hyper and Tv Hyper.

 

Av Mode

The aperture is set manually, the camera sets a matching shutter speed.

Tv Mode

The shutter speed is set manually, the camera sets a matching aperture.

M Mode with TAv Sub-mode

TAv modeShutter speed and aperture are adjusted manually. There is an exposure meter indication on the monitor to help setting the appropriate exposure. If Auto ISO is enabled, M mode turns into TAv mode which is indicated on the monitor. In TAv mode the camera adjusts the ISO sensitivity to match the manually set shutter speed and aperture for a correct exposure.

Green button stop down metering is available with M and K lenses provided that Auto ISO is not set and that custom function 16 "Using Aperture Ring" is set to "Enable". In this mode pressing the green button will set the shutter speed to match the aperture set on the aperture ring.

 

B Mode

The shutter stays open for as long as the shutter button held down. This mode of operation can be changed in a custom function so that the first press opens the shutter and the second press closes the shutter.

No-Flash Mode

A standard program mode where flash photography is disabled. P shift and Hyper modes are not available.


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