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Pentax K-01 hands-on preview

Product news

14 February 2012 13:50

Today (14/02/2012) Stephen Sanderson, Product Coordinator from Pentax Ricoh Imaging UK Ltd, dropped into the Photoanswers office to show us some pre-production samples of the newly launched K-01 interchangeable lens camera. Featuring a large APS-C sized sensor and 16.2Mp resolution, it’s Pentax’s second step into the interchangeable lens market, following on from the Pentax Q, which was announced in June last year.

Initial impressions of the K-01 were very good. Feeling strong and resilient in the hand, the body felt slightly larger than we’d expected but remained comfortable to hold and easy to navigate with an almost identical menu system to the Pentax K-5 D-SLR. The info button at the rear offers quick access to the most commonly used camera settings and although AF point coverage didn’t reach the far corners of the frame, there were plenty of AF targets to choose from and first impressions of the contrast-detect AF system were that it operated responsively – much like the red dot button on the top-plate that’s used to start and stop HD video recording.

The K-01 uses the same battery and charger as the Pentax K-5 with the card slot tucked away behind a rubberised cover on the side and an external microphone port is found on the opposite side of the body. Our K-01 was demonstrated with Pentax’s new 40mm f/2.8 pancake lens, believed to be the thinnest interchangeable lens ever created for a system camera. The K-01 is expected to be available in mid March, costing £679 with the 40mm f/2.8 lens or £629, body only.

Stephen Sanderson also informed us of future Pentax products that are expected to hit the shelves in 2012. Due for release is a 90mm f/2.8 lens for the Pentax 645 system, a new 50mm f/1.8 lens in Pentax’s K-mount, and a large 560mm f/5.6 lens is under development, too. Adding to the ultra thin 40mm f/2.8 pancake lens, another super-thin lens for the K-01 is on the way but no information on focal length or aperture was available at time of writing.

We put 10 questions to Stephen, devised by the DP and PP teams, to find out a little bit more about the K-01 …Questions from the DP & PP Teams to Stephen Sanderson (UK Pentax Representative)

Q. Who is the K-01 aimed at? (Michael Topham, Technical Editor, DP)

A. People who currently may have an older SLR who’d like to change up to something new, or someone who’d like the advantage of having an interchangeable lens camera that produces excellent image quality. Image quality is vital and it’s ideal for anyone who may not want a camera that’s as bulky as a full size D-SLR. The K-01 is a lot less intimidating than a full size D-SLR, too, so it’s more approachable for a lot of people and very easy to use. Features such as the Scene modes allow people to grow with the camera, meaning they can start with modes they are familiar with from compacts and then start to experiment a bit more. It’s really for people who want to be creative and those who’d like to start developing their photography while looking good at the same time’.

Q. Would you say that the K-01 is going to appeal to creative people, or photographers looking for something slightly different? (John Milbank, Art Editor PP)

A. The idea is it’s for everybody. Not everyone is going to want a camera like this, we know that, but it should be accessible to everyone. Those using full-frame cameras would be unlikely to move to the K-01, but for people who are creative and want to do things differently then it’s a solution. We’re thinking outside the box; it’s not a question of style over substance, it’s substance and style all in one package.

Q. What type of photographic background does the designer of the K-01 have and has this influenced the design of the K-01? (Ben Hawkins, Deputy Editor PP)

A. I don’t know a huge amount about Marc Newson’s background. He’s been a designer for a long time and has been involved with some key designs, more recently working with G-Star. His emphasis is on cool and trendy so he’s got a lot of heritage and all of his designs are very visual – photography plays a huge part in this.

Q. Most CSCs are marketed on their portability and size. Is there any reason why the K-01 is larger than most? (Tom Calton, Technical Writer DP)

A. We’re not classifying the K-01 as a CSC; it’s an interchangeable lens stills camera.

Q. Would you class the K-01 as just a bit of fun or a serious release in the Pentax lineup? (Ed Godden, Technique Writer, PP)

A. The K-01 is a dead serious camera. We’ve spent a lot of time and money developing it and putting in all the technology that’s there. If it was just a bit of fun it would be coming out a lot less expensive with perhaps lightweight features, whereas it’s got everything you can expect from a really good performing camera. We’re very seriously behind it and with future lenses on the roadmap it shows we’re committed to it. It’s not a one-off.

Q. The K-01 is clearly stylish but is there any future idea of colour-coding lenses? (Kingsley Singleton, Deputy Editor, Digital Photo)

A. I’m not aware of any colour-coded lenses that will be available with the K-01. We’re not saying you can’t paint them yourself, but I’m not aware of any plans for specifically coloured lenses.

Q. Has the 40mm f/2.8 pancake lens been designed for the K-01 and this camera alone? (Michael Topham, Technical Editor, DP)

A. The 40mm f/2.8 pancake lens will work with other Pentax cameras but it was designed with this camera in mind. The lens and the body look nice together.

Q. Are Pentax envisaging that this camera will appeal to a younger audience? (Adam Atkins, Technical Writer, DP)

A. I don’t think age has got anything to do with it. I think people who are 70 or 80 will think the K-01 is a great camera and will like its design and people who are 16 or 17 will like its design, too, because it’s so strong to look at. It’s not designed for an age group, more for an interest group and people who are interested in cameras that look great and perform well. I don’t think we’re catering for them all but I don’t think things split down by the category of age. Traditionally your demographic would work by targeting it at a male in the 18-24 age group but the world has changed and people interact with products differently now. Things don’t seem to follow those age lines anymore. My Mum and Dad think a smart phone is an alien thing. All they want is a phone that makes telephone calls and that’s it, but my Uncle loves his gadgets. They’re of a similar age but have a very different approach towards technology and that follows through to cameras so it doesn’t split down age lines.

Q. What’s the reasoning behind such a small lens being designed for such a large body? (Andrew James, Editor in Chief, PP)

A. I personally wasn’t involved in the design of the K-01 but I believe the two items sit nicely together. The 40mm lens is roughly equivalent to a standard focal length so it’s what most would expect to have with this camera and, being a fast prime, getting creative with depth-of-field is a great option.

Q. The mode dial is tucked in a long way on the top-plate. Why was it not positioned so that the thumb could access it more easily? (Ben Hawkins, Deputy Editor, PP)

A. I suggest people try it. I personally can access it with my finger very easily from where it is. I don’t think it’s tucked away at all. Perhaps the images do it an injustice.

For more information about the K-01 and its specification, click below.

http://www.pentax.co.uk/en/digital-mirrorless/specifications/K01.html)