Using the Pentax full frame K-1, a hands on review experience

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The Pentax K-1, some first impressions

The full frame Pentax K-1 body that I was able to test for a few days, was a pre-production model with an early firmware. Although the camera was fully functional, these are my personal experiences and are to be interpreted as indicative of the final properties. It goes without saying that the statements in this text relate to a strictly personal opinion.

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In 2001 Pentax was in the news with a prototype of its first digital full frame camera, the MZ-D.
Now, 15 years later, its first full frame camera is finally here. Spring 2016, the first digital full frame camera from Pentax is launched.

Ergonomics.

The past few days I have had the opportunity to work with this camera and I can already tell you now: it was love at first sight!
Following the K-7, K-5 and K-3 the ergonomics of this camera are very well thought out. Users who are familiar with Pentax’s digital system can start using the camera right away. No need to browse through extensive manuals!. The lines of the body and the notches in the hand grip are placed in exactly the right place. I also found that once again, the angle of the jog dial on the front is just right.
The prism in the viewfinder is obviously bigger and with its slightly raised dome it is reminiscent of the classic line of the Pentax 67 medium format camera.
I was also pleasantly surprised when I discovered that my Mestos L-bracket that normally sits under my K-3 also fits on the battery grip of the K-1. An indication that the camera is of similar size and dimension.
In time, I will have to replace this L-bracket though as the HDMI and battery doors are placed at a different position and are blocked by the bracket.

The LCD display at the top of the camera has become considerably smaller and the lost space is filled with two extra wheels to adjust camera settings. The wheel besides the prism selects one of the nine most frequently used settings such as ISO, exposure compensation, bracketing, etc. With the wheel above your thumb you change the selected value.
If you are shooting in manual mode, you can shoot without having to dig through menus. With your thumb you control aperture. Shutter speed is controlled with your index finger and the new dial can be set to control ISO.
All settings are available so you can focus entirely on getting the image right!
I personally use exposure compensation quite often and with gloves on this used to be tricky. This additional dial provides much easier access to this setting, even with gloves on.

New is also the high-quality 3.2″ display on the back of the camera. It can not only be folded upwards, but also lateral adjustments are possible. It ensures a good line of sight on your screen in most situations. Previously I rarely made use of live view. The often uncomfortable position that I had to place myself in to watch the creen made it awkward. I noticed immediately that this screen really makes things much easier. When making double-exposures live view even gives a preview of your final results for the two (or more) combined images.

As a nature and wildlife photographer, Pentax continues to amaze me with their useful additions to new models. The highly durable magnesium alloy frame inside the camera creates an extremely sturdy camera that can take a beating. 87(!) weather seals protect it from moisture and dust. Once I picked the camera up, I instantly got the feeling that his body will not let you down.
The built in GPS also has its advantages. No more writing in my little black book to pen down potentially interesting photo places; I can look up the coordinates just by looking into the image info!
If it’s the middle of the day and you are asking yourself where the sun rises or sets in a new location? The compass on the back shows me where East and West is located
Changing your lens, memory card or settings in a pitch-dark place? The Pentax K-1 has a series of white LED lights on the body that can be switched on to help out in these situations. Handy!

User experiences.
The camera was delivered with the DFA 150-450mm (already known and used by me), the new and compact DFA 28-105mm and a DFA* 70-200/2.8.
With such an early production model and the early version of the firmware, it is difficult to draw conclusions about the final autofocus performance, but the camera felt very accurate. Focus lock (also indicated by a subtle flash of red in the viewfinder, but which can also be put off) was achieved fast and the selected focus point was very sharp in the final image.
Pentax writes in its press release the following:
“The center sensor and the two sensors located just above and below it are designed to detect the light flux of an F2.8 lens, making it easy to obtain pinpoint focus on a subject when using a large-aperture lens.”
Using my own (and older) FA* f2.8 lenses I indeed noticed a significant improvement over previous bodies. Good to experience that this is not an empty marketing slogan!

Although I am not allowed to show images at 100%, I’ve obviously done a brick wall test. The resolution of this sensor without a fixed AA filter is breathtaking. It boasts a sharpness that we (apart from the Pentax 645Z) have not seen previously in a Pentax product.
As expected, the results of digitally optimized lenses were very good, but my older favorites like the A* 200/4.0 macro, the A* 85/1.4 and the FA* 28-70/2.8 showed that they were also capable of delivering excellent results in combination with this sensor. I expect that many users with older lenses of good optical quality will be very happy with this camera.
The improved 5-axis shake-reduction allows for a theoretical improvement of five stops. For example, where we previously needed a shutter speed of 1/500s, we now come away with 1/15s! An amazing piece of technology where all K-mount lenses ever produced will benefit from.
The K-1 is provided with a Pixel Shift Resolution System. This function captures four sequential images, shifting the Shake Reduction sensor-shift assembly by one pixel between shots. The result is both full color capture at every pixel location, and reduced noise levels as well. The Pentax K-1 can now detect and account for subjects that moved between frames. I shot some handheld images and my first impression is that there is indeed an increased resolution noticeable. All these images are also saved in the final file. A K-1 DNG file is approximately 50 megapixels, the files with pixel shift resolution turned on approximately 170 megabytes in size.

I often photograph moving subjects and compared to the 8.3 frames per second of the Pentax K-3, the 4.4 frames per second feel somewhat meager on paper. Although I have not photographed some real action yet, this rate was still more than enough to make a small (sharp) series of a heron in flight.
For additional fps speed you can switch back to the crop mode in which all APS-C lenses can be used. The images that you are left with are over 15 megapixels in size and the rate will be 6.5 frames per second with a buffer of 50 RAW images instead of 17 images.
The new AF frame in the viewfinder is enlarged so that the 33 AF points have a good coverage of the sensor. The AF point is black (formerly bright red) in focusing and a subtle red flash indicates that proper focus is achieved. I found that this new viewfinder gives a more pleasant experience for me.

In previous models, switching on all in-camera lens corrections were giving some delay in processing and writing of the image files. With the K-1 I did not have the feeling that there was any lag in processing these corrections. I am in favor of getting the best possible images straight from the camera, so when lens distortion, aberration, vignetting and diffraction are already corrected in the camera, all the better!

The manufacturer rated 300.000(!) Shutter movements are obviously fantastic, especially considering the fact that previous models were guaranteed to 150.000. The K-1 can measure itself here with the top models from other manufacturers. The shutter sound is quiet and is not intrusive at all. In both the observation of wildlife as in working in quiet surroundings no disturbing factor.

The time was unfortunately too short to test the film qualities and therefore I won’t comment of this part of the camera.
The Pentax K-1 is without a doubt a very well equipped camera, with a clear “outdoor” DNA. The features that make the life of a nature and wildlife photographer easier are all back from previous models and have been enhanced with new techniques and possibilities. I expect that the developers again managed to make the most of this 36 megapixel sensor for a faithful reproduction of the scenes in front of us.
Am I surprised by this camera? No not really. With the K-3 and the 645Z, Ricoh-Pentax has already shown that they make excellent cameras. The price-quality value of this camera is fantastic and it will not surprise me that this camera is going to be very well received by the general public.

Mike Muizebelt

Mike Muizebelt is a nature photographer with over 30 years of experience. His goal and passion is to discover, document and share the beauty of our nature. During his travels to Africa and Asia, but also to the unspoiled parts of Europe, he photographs images that stimulate the senses and let the viewer enjoy the beauty of nature and wildlife around us. He is a versatile photographer who creates landscapes, macro images, abstracts or intimate portraits with the same enthusiasm.
Stay in touch with Mike by liking his facebook page