Compact system cameras appeal to
anyone wanting a step up from a compact camera. They’re less hefty than a
digital SLR, and demand little compromise in image quality.
At 480g, the Pentax K-01 is almost as heavy
and hardly smaller than a digital SLR. We found the retro-looking camera
unwieldy and a little brick-like. The build quality is good, though, with a
solid aluminium body and rubber sections for grip.
Pentax
K-01
The standout feature is K-mount, which lets
you use any of Pentax’s 20 million lenses without an adaptor - ideal if you
already use Pentax digital SLR lenses. But the rear of the lens has to be a
certain distance from the 16Mp sensor, which limits how small the body can be.
Our sample came with an 18-55mm kit lens, capable of attractive background
blurring in portrait shots.
Without an optical viewfinder you’re left
with a 3in LCD screen on which to compose stills. We found the camera intuitive
to use with easy to navigate menus.
Built-in image stabilisation helps keep
shots shake-free. Several modes include HDR for creating high dynamic range
pictures.
If you’re used to the speed and ease of a
digital SLR autofocus, you may be frustrated by the slower operation here. We
quickly switched to manual mode to avoid wasting time, since it can take a
couple of seconds for the focus to lock in low light.
Crucially, image quality is impressive, and
shots are sharp to the corners of the frame. We saw very little noise, even in
poor light, and there is a pop-up flash. The K-01 displayed good exposure and
colour saturation in most of our test shots, with the quality comparable to
that of a digital SLR camera.
Crucially,
image quality is impressive, and shots are sharp to the corners of the frame.
Video quality is relatively good, with
full-HD footage captured at up to 30fps, and 720p at 60fps. An HDMI output lets
you hook up the camera to a large screen.
The K-01 offers adjustable aperture,
shutter speed and ISO sensitivity during filming, although this can add audible
clicking to your footage. In video mode it lacks continuous autofocus.
Audio quality is good, and there’s a jack
for an external microphone to improve upon the built-in mic.
Pentax
K-01 review
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Details
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Price: $642
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Contact: www.pentak.com
Specification
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16.28Mp
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23.7x15.7mm CMOS sensor
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3in TFT colour LCD, 921k dots
·
ISO 100 to 12,800 (extendable to 25,600)
·
1920x1080 H.264 video @30fps
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SD/SDHC/SDXC slot
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121x79x59mm
·
480g (body only)
Verdict
·
The K-mount, handy if you already own such
lenses, ultimately leads to the K-01’s downfall. The K-01 provides excellent
images, but its boxy design and uncomfortable weight let it down.
·
Build: 4.5/5
·
Features: 4/5
·
Performance: 4/5
·
Value: 3.5/5
·
Overall: 3.5/5
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