Pentax MX-1 Review
Video
The Pentax MX-1 offers a dedicated movie mode and a decent amount of customization. However, manual exposure is not supported: it is impossible to adjust the ISO, shutter speed, or aperture before or during recording. It saves .MOV files using the H.264 codec, which is used in the majority of current digital cameras. During video recording, the MX-1 can compensate for camera shake using its Shake Reduction system, if enabled via the main menu. Pentax does not specify whether or not the sensor-shift shake reduction mechanism is used; based on our experience with the camera, the stabilization appears to be entirely electronic.
The movie tab in the main menu
Movie mode is engaged when the mode dial is turned to the appropriate setting:
In addition, the red button allows you to start recording videos regardless of the mode you're in. The previously-used video settings are applied. When pressed, the following happens:
- The camera enters video mode, exiting the current shooting mode (screen flickers, brief lag)
- The camera starts recording your video
- The camera stops recording your video (after pressing the red button a second time)
- The camera returns to video mode
- The camera returns to your original shooting mode (screen flickers, brief lag)
Pentax could have streamlined this process a little bit and eliminated the second or so of lag that exists before and after recording.
The exposure compensation dial on the top of the camera works in video mode, and can be used to adjust the auto exposure by +/- 2 stops.
The regular movie mode allows you to record in full HD at 30 FPS, or in 720p at 60 FPS or 30 FPS. The maximum length of each file is 25 minutes. In addition to the menu tab, movie mode features its own info screen, shown below (note that this introduces some redundancy). This screen is accessed by pressing the info button in movie mode, and it allows you to adjust the following settings:
- AF (on/off)
- AF area (center or multi-point)
- White balance
- Shadow/highlight correction
- ND filter
- Custom image (sharpness, saturation, contrast)
- Wind suppression
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There is also a high-speed movie mode which records for up to 15 seconds at 120 FPS, and produces a 30 FPS slow motion video in VGA (640x480) resolution. The resulting video has a duration that's 4 times greater than the original duration, and thus these clips can be up to one minute long. Similar to the slow motion mode is the built-in time-lapse mode, which will produce fast-paced time-lapse videos in VGA resolution (up to 25 minutes in length). Below are two sample slow-motion video shot using the high-speed mode. Notice how the sounds is also played back in slow motion!
Our only complaint about the two special movie modes is that they only record in VGA resolution.
To switch between the three movie modes, the movie status screen can be used, as shown below:
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Although it's not very intuitive, pressing the ISO button in movie mode also lets you cycle through the different modes:
During video recording, the various settings are displayed, in addition to the electronic level, battery meter, and time remaining. Pressing the OK button during recording will capture a JPEG still (at full resolution), which is a handy feature.
You can make full use of the MX-1's zoom during recording, but the lens motor can clearly be heard in the resulting video file, as demonstrated in the sample clip below:
This does not come as a surprise, but it sure can be bothersome.
Autofocus
The MX-1 supports continuous autofocus during video recording. Using the info screen, you can tell the camera to only use the center AF area, or to use all 25 areas. Generally speaking, the video AF is very slow, and not responsive or fast enough for any sort of action. In addition, it isn't possible to take advantage of the MX-1's macro capabilities in video mode, which is a shame.
Audio
The MX-1 has a built-in stereo microphone. The sound quality is very good overall, and the camera even provides a wind suppression system for outdoor shooting. However, as the MX-1 offers no external microphone input, you can't do anything fancy with the sound.
Movie Mode Verdict
The MX-1 is great for casual video shooting, and thanks to its high speed and time lapse modes, it lets you get creative without having to do any heavy post-processing. Because you can't control the exposure, however, the MX-1 can't be relied on for more serious video assignments (exposure compensation will often not suffice, as the camera can still adjust the exposure on its own).
As for video image quality, we found noise to be negligible in well-lit scenarios. Compression artifacts creep in from time to time, but overall, we have no complaints about the MX-1's video when used in good light. When we tested it outdoors at night, however, the camera elected to use very high ISOs, which introduced noise and significant loss of detail. The MX-1 does not support uncompressed video output.
To conclude, we wish that Pentax had included manual video controls in the MX-1. There are other enthusiast compacts out there with more flexible video options (and even 60FPS recording in full HD), and while the MX-1 without a doubt meets modern video standards, it doesn't have anything that truly makes it stand out, at least for enthusiasts. Apart from the slow motion mode, we greatly enjoyed the ability to capture stills during video recording: a great feature, even though it's not an industry first.
