Pentax KP Review
Wi-Fi and Tethering
The KP incorporates built-in Wi-Fi, which natively allows you to control the camera remotely and transfer files using a smartphone or tablet. Since very little has changed with regard to the KP's wireless functionality compared to the K-S2 which debuted that feature in 2015, we'd like to direct you to the Wi-Fi page from that camera's in-depth review. There, you'll find a detailed description of what can be achieved through the Ricoh Image Sync app (for iOS and Android), as well as a video walkthrough and step-by-step instructions for using the app.
The only notable change worth keeping in mind as you read the K-S2 Wi-Fi description is that the KP doesn't offer NFC, while the K-S2 did. This makes pairing your phone/tablet and camera a little more difficult (assuming you own an NFC-capable mobile device in the first place). With that warning out of the way, please feel welcome to read our in-depth Wi-Fi guide.
PC Tethering Options
As of version 2.3.0 of Image Transmitter 2 (released in April, 2017), the KP officially supports USB tethering. Image Transmitter is not free,, but it offers a wide range of functions including live view, custom file transfers, and settings changes.
There are also two user-developed desktop programs which allow for remote file transfer and live view over Wi-Fi using a PC (the alternative would be to use an andriod emulator to run Image Sync, which can be cumbersome). Learn more and download these on the forum:
- K-S2 wifi with laptop? - Page 4 - PentaxForums.com
- My Pentax wifi remote software - PentaxForums.com
Currently, community-developed wired tethering tools suck as PK_Thether or PKtriggercord do not support the KP.
Verdict
Overall, the Wi-Fi features work reliably and add a great deal of flexibility to the camera. Wirelessly, you can change basic exposure settings, focus, and magnify the image. You can also view and transfer files.
The mobile app is not quite as streamlined as what you might get from other manufacturers: file transfers are slow because the app will always transfer the full-size JPEG or RAW files, which means that for social media sharing, it's best to first scale the image in-camera, then transfer it to the smart device. This can add a bit of extra time to your workflow.
Another limitation is that you are confined to single-frame shooting when using the app. This means that self-timer, interval shooting, and other drive modes can't be selected while using this feature. Since the KP lacks an infrared port, users will be more reliant on the mobile app for remote triggering, and these limitations may be of more significance.
Wired tethering offers a lot more functionaliry as well as faster performance. As of the end of 2017, the KP is the only modern Pentax APS-C model to officially support USB tethering.
