Full Pentax K1 Review on DP Review

[John Koerner]

Outshines everything but the D810 (at Base ISO) and A7rII (at higher ISOs), for a fraction of the price.

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/pentax-k-1

• "Image Quality is where the K-1 definitely outshines the majority of its competition at this price point, with the camera giving one of the best Raw dynamic range results we've ever seen, falling just short of the industry-leading Nikon D810. Low light Raw image quality is a match for just about anything on the market, falling just short of the class-leading Sony a7R II."

• "And, while single shot image quality is extremely good, it becomes absolutely outstanding in circumstances where you can use the Pixel Shift mode. This mode is a bit limited though as moving scene elements can cause artifacts, even after the camera's attempts at correction, leaving them useful exclusively for tripod-based work."

• "The K-1's 36MP full-frame sensor offers some of the best dynamic range and image quality available on the market, with results falling just short of the class-leading Nikon D810 in typical shooting, yet exceeding it in Pixel Shift mode."

Sounds like one helluva camera for $2,000

Complaints: So-so ergonomics, functionality, AF, and meager lens choices.

[Paul2660]

Yes, good review, thanks for posting. 

Best in use video I have seen is here, sorry it has an add, but it's worth the watch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87yGmD71nyA

I have switched to the K1 for most of my landscape work, keeping Nikon for a few specialty areas.

Dpreview pointed out most of the shortcomings. 

The lens issue to me is really a non issue as how many lenses to you need?  Pentax is a bit shy, but what they have out there are very impressive on the zoom side, and their older primes are still very good albeit non AF. 

I would like to see Sigma add a few more of the Art lenses to the K mount, namely the 20mm and soon to ship 85 1.4.

The pixel shift tech doesn't get enough air time, and took a beating at first from Dpreview. 

You can actually get away with quite a bit of motion (not 10 to 15mph winds).  The LR conversion does a very good job unless you have water (slow exposure times) and or excessive tree movement.  Silkypix handles both of these much better.  and now Iridient also. 

C1 has an excellent non Pixel shift conversion, and I surely hope Phase will add support for pixel shift (not holding out much hope however).

What may have been glossed over on the Dpreview article, is:

1.  Just how much cleaner the pixel shift files are even at base ISO (compared to both a D810, K1 at base iso) and  Phase One IQ100 at base ISO.  The details in the distance normally lost to haze are still quite sharp and very clean.
2.  The fact that in Pixel shift mode the K1 has by far the cleanest high ISO on the market, compared to D5, 1Dx MKII, 5DMKIII, etc.  up to 12K,  after that to me it's really a moot point anyway.  I realize you can't use this mode in all situations, but when you can at high ISO
     it's a game changer (sorry I know worn out Phrase).  Also in normal shutter mode, the ISO 100 to 6400 is very similar, possibly better than the D810 (based on the Dpreview actual side by side series)
3.  The resulting resolution in pixel shift, still amazes me.  Just take a normally shot 36MP image uprez it to 30 x 45 from any of the cameras mentioned then take a pixel shift image up to the same size 30 x 45 at 300 dpi, the side by side is very impressive.

I totally disagree with dpreview on battery life, in fact you more than likely can get a full day on 1 battery, and that is with a lot of Live View, I would say the battery life is 1/3 more than the best I have had with a D810. 

A few other points:

1.  Moving LCD, just what this allows for keeping perspective in line and not having to bend down for macro work or low to ground shooting for me is invaluable. 
2.  Weather proofed lenses and Camera, again invaluable, for creek shooting which I do a lot of, no other camera I know of can be dunked under water like the Pentax
3.  Focus Peaking on the LCD, HUGE advantage for outdoor shooting, where all other LCD's become next to impossible to see, the peaking is still very clear even in bright light.  Pentax does an excellent job with peaking also.  Not sure why Canon or Nikon can't offer this
     on their higher end bodies.  It's obviously not hard to do.
4.  Astrotracker, if you shoot at night you are going to want this.  First time you can now shoot the Milky Way below ISO 6400, with a normal F 2.8 lens (thus no need for coma prone F 1.4 lenses) and have the camera record up to 2 minutes with no star blur or trails.  The
    resulting images are stellar.
5.  If you really want to see just how much color/saturation and details are lost due to the bayer pattern, try Pixel shift (that alone was enough for me)  This is the first time such tech has been brought to 35mm, before only available on a 40K Hasselblad (which will not tolerate
    any movements) or the Olympus micro 4/3's line up.

I wish Pentax had brought this camera out 1 year earlier, but if you use it and shoot landscapes it's very well worth the consideration.

Paul C

[henrikfoto]

Can other lens-brands be adopted to the K1?
Like the old Contax c/y lenses, Leica R etc?

[John Koerner]

Paul,

Great video.

Kinda long (18 min), but definitely worth the watch. Thanks for taking the time to share. (Both Nick and Chris gave great commentary and it was a fun, enlightening presentation )

The takeaway here is that it has the best image quality of any ~$2,000 camera, comparable to the D810 and A7rII, even surpassing them in ideal conditions where pixel-shift is maximized.

Another valuable takeaway is that pixel-shift rendering is best-accomplished in Pentax' proprietary software, not in Lightroom

Thank you for posting all of this information, and I very much look forward to seeing your images

Jack

[shadowblade]

The takeaway here is that it has the best image quality of any ~$2,000 camera, comparable to the D810 and A7rII, even surpassing them in ideal conditions where pixel-shift is maximized.

Great. So they managed to extract a bit more out of a four-year-old sensor that's already being used in a few other bodies.

Show me how to put a lens in front of it that can actually take advantage of all that image quality, covering typical landscape focal lengths from 14-400mm - Zeiss Otus, Sigma Art, Canon zooms, Leica primes, etc. - and it might actually be interesting.

Until then, it's mostly a curiosity. Vintage Pentax glass just doesn't have the optical quality to take advantage of all that resolution, and the mount isn't compatible with most other lenses. When Sony/Nikon/Canon introduce pixel shit or something similar, then it'll be much more useful.

[John Koerner]

Great. So they managed to extract a bit more out of a four-year-old sensor that's already being used in a few other bodies.

Age means nothing.

In 4 years, Nikon's D5 barely passed its previous D4s. (The real advancement was in AF.)
In 4 years, Canon's 1Dx II did surpass Canon's previous generation, which was woefully-underachieving, but it still either barely equals (or falls short of) the best in its class today.

This kind of lateral technology Pentax brings to the table means elder sensors can be tweaked to surpass everything in their class too.

Show me how to put a lens in front of it that can actually take advantage of all that image quality, covering typical landscape focal lengths from 14-400mm - Zeiss Otus, Sigma Art, Canon zooms, Leica primes, etc. - and it might actually be interesting.

I agree with you.

I will not be selling my D500 or D810, because I can do so much more with these tools than with a Pentax K1.

Still, the technology is interesting, period, and is worthy of our respect and attention.

Until then, it's mostly a curiosity. Vintage Pentax glass just doesn't have the optical quality to take advantage of all that resolution, and the mount isn't compatible with most other lenses. When Sony/Nikon/Canon introduce pixel shit or something similar, then it'll be much more useful.

To me, it seems upward sensor technology has somewhat plateaued, which means this kind of lateral technology Pentax is deploying (fine-tuning existing technology) will become more and more prevalent.

Also, with a few business deals, Zeiss/Sigma could be designing some glass that makes the Pentax more interesting.

Certainly, Nikon/Canon/Sony mirroring the technology will also be interesting.

Fanciers like Paul, whose work falls within the Pentax' existing parameters, have a definite reason to be excited.

[Paul2660]

Great. So they managed to extract a bit more out of a four-year-old sensor that's already being used in a few other bodies.

Show me how to put a lens in front of it that can actually take advantage of all that image quality, covering typical landscape focal lengths from 14-400mm - Zeiss Otus, Sigma Art, Canon zooms, Leica primes, etc. - and it might actually be interesting.

Until then, it's mostly a curiosity. Vintage Pentax glass just doesn't have the optical quality to take advantage of all that resolution, and the mount isn't compatible with most other lenses. When Sony/Nikon/Canon introduce pixel shit or something similar, then it'll be much more useful.

I believe that is a common misconception, but I will leave it at that.   

Pentax has some very good glass, in the 15-30, 70-200 and 24-70.  Yes all zooms, but more than able to stand up to the latest from Nikon (can't speak to Canon as I don't own any).  On the the long telephoto side, yes a bit lacking and more than likely will stay that way. 

I will also say, don't rule out the benefits from pixel shift.  There are plenty of reviews out now showing just how much more quality can be obtained with this method of capture.  Preview, Imaging Resource both have some very good examples comparing the current top end cameras from Canon and Nikon to the K1 pixel shift. 

The difference was enough for me, never thought I would say that but the results are impressive. 

All other cameras are still held back by the Bayer Pattern, the issues of interpolation for color.  This solution from Pentax is very impressive.  It's a different method than the Olympus solution which just grows the file larger in size.    There is plenty of good literature out there on the technology. 

But I fully agree that if Sony were to add a similar solution (pixel shift) to a follow on A7rII, then that would be a huge advantage for a lot of photographers, as they would gain the benefits of this technology in a mirrorless body, and be able to use most if not all of their current Canon or Nikon glass.  I also don't see Canon or Nikon ever doing this as it would require Sensor stabilization which they don't current use, and that would also have a possible issue with their IS and VR glass. 

Paul C

[Paul2660]

Can other lens-brands be adopted to the K1?
Like the old Contax c/y lenses, Leica R etc?

Over on getdpi, there are quite a few K1 users that have modified older glass, Not sure if Leica but for sure Contax.  Several users of the wonderful 35mm shift lens.  Also you can still find the Zeiss ZK glass on eBay, so far I have found the 35mm F2, 25mm F2.8, 50mm 1.4 and 85mm 1.4.  Not sure if Zeiss made the wonderful 21mm in the ZK mount, but if they did I sure would love to find one.


Paul C

[shadowblade]

I believe that is a common misconception, but I will leave it at that.   

Pentax has some very good glass, in the 15-30, 70-200 and 24-70.  Yes all zooms, but more than able to stand up to the latest from Nikon (can't speak to Canon as I don't own any).  On the the long telephoto side, yes a bit lacking and more than likely will stay that way. 

Nothing wrong with zooms - they're usually the most practical solution for landscape photography when you're not stitching, since you can't exactly foot-zoom 500m off a cliff to Change your field of view for a prime. And the current offerings from Canon, and particularly the new Sony GM lenses, are prime-sharp - doubly so when both are stopped down to landscape apertures (check out Photozone's measurements). The Nikon ones are close, but not quite up there across the entire image circle (with the exception of the 14-24).

I will also say, don't rule out the benefits from pixel shift.  There are plenty of reviews out now showing just how much more quality can be obtained with this method of capture.  Preview, Imaging Resource both have some very good examples comparing the current top end cameras from Canon and Nikon to the K1 pixel shift. 

Have you seen the output from a Sigma Foveon sensor? It's excellent, subject to ISO limitations. And it's mostly due to having individual RGB measurements for each pixel instead of relying on interpolation. This is essentially what pixel-shift does - it takes several images to give you a full set of RGB images for each pixel - except it has more issues with subject movement and doesn't suffer from Foveon's ISO issues (which, I suspect, are due to underdeveloped technology, like the early versions of Exmor in the D3x and A900). But the best sensor in the world can't overcome a limited lens selection.

If only someone other than Sigma held the patents for Foveon - I can only imagine what Sony might have achieved through combining Foveon and Exmor. Even if Sigma just released it as a full-frame, 50x3MP mirrorless body with no other features, it would probably sell extremely well as a landscape/non-action body. After all, the original A7r was essentially just a sensor with no other features, reliant on third-party lenses, and became immensely popular.

[skierd]

While Pentax doesn't rate it as a * lens, the DFA 150-450 is quite impressive as well. And the old FA*250-600 pops up for sale from time to time too. 

I am curious to hear what lenses people feel that the Pentax system is missing. 15mm to 560mm with modern AF glass, and while the FA Limiteds aren't silent AF they're wonderful lenses. If Pentax updates them I hope they get weather sealing and DC or whatever drive they're using now without changing the optics.

Is it the lack of multiple 3rd party options for the same focal ranges?  How many knockoffs and 2nd tier lenses does a system need to be 'complete'?

[shadowblade]

While Pentax doesn't rate it as a * lens, the DFA 150-450 is quite impressive as well. And the old FA*250-600 pops up for sale from time to time too. 

I am curious to hear what lenses people feel that the Pentax system is missing. 15mm to 560mm with modern AF glass, and while the FA Limiteds aren't silent AF they're wonderful lenses. If Pentax updates them I hope they get weather sealing and DC or whatever drive they're using now without changing the optics.

Is it the lack of multiple 3rd party options for the same focal ranges?  How many knockoffs and 2nd tier lenses does a system need to be 'complete'?

Sure, it's decent glass. But it's not as sharp corner-to-corner as the best zooms from Canon or Sony.

And that's just the start of it. With its specifications, it screams 'landscape/non-action camera'. It's not just up against the Canon and Sony zooms. For its most advantageous applications, it's up against Zeiss Otus lenses and Sigma's super-sharp Art line.

It's the same thing that also held back the D800/D800e a bit, and led the A7r to stardom - you couldn't use the best third-party lenses on the D800 (although the advent of Zeiss Otus and Sigma Art mostly fixed that), while, with the A7r, you could stick almost any lens you wanted in front of it.

[Jimby_99]

Have you seen this site (Leitax)...offering Pentax mount conversions for Leica lens.  Several posters on other forums have successfully converted lenses and posted results.

Leitax

[Paul2660]

Actually I found latest zooms from Pentax have no problem with corner to corner sharpness.  I have been pleasantly surprised by the results.

15-30 24-70 and 70-200.

I would rate them as good as any Sony zoom I have used or Nikon that I currently use.

Nikon. 24-70 nonVR  version. 14-24 and 70-200. All are very close if not the same to the same Pentax zooms.

Sure enough the K1 is not for the action shooter.   But for landscape work it's a dream.

Paul C

[John Koerner]

Sure enough the K1 is not for the action shooter.   But for landscape work it's a dream.

Paul C

Do you have it yet, Paul, or is it on your wish list?

I have seen some images posted from this camera, and they were delightful.

Look forward to seeing yours!

[shadowblade]

Actually I found latest zooms from Pentax have no problem with corner to corner sharpness.  I have been pleasantly surprised by the results.

15-30 24-70 and 70-200.

I would rate them as good as any Sony zoom I have used or Nikon that I currently use.

Nikon. 24-70 nonVR  version. 14-24 and 70-200. All are very close if not the same to the same Pentax zooms.

Sure enough the K1 is not for the action shooter.   But for landscape work it's a dream.

Paul C

Check out the new Sony 24-70 GM. That thing takes 'sharp' to a whole new level.

The Nikon 24-70 and 70-200 also don't quite match the Canon equivalents, especially in corner sharpness and CA.

[shadowblade]

Have you seen this site (Leitax)...offering Pentax mount conversions for Leica lens.  Several posters on other forums have successfully converted lenses and posted results.

Leitax

Yep, I've seen them. Unfortunately, it's only Leica R lenses - essentially legacy gear which is not as sharp as the current M lenses. It didn't need to be because it was meant for film. M lenses can't be converted because the Pentax flange distance is too long.

[David Eichler]

Great. So they managed to extract a bit more out of a four-year-old sensor that's already being used in a few other bodies.

Show me how to put a lens in front of it that can actually take advantage of all that image quality, covering typical landscape focal lengths from 14-400mm - Zeiss Otus, Sigma Art, Canon zooms, Leica primes, etc. - and it might actually be interesting.

Until then, it's mostly a curiosity. Vintage Pentax glass just doesn't have the optical quality to take advantage of all that resolution, and the mount isn't compatible with most other lenses. When Sony/Nikon/Canon introduce pixel shit or something similar, then it'll be much more useful.

I think that is absurd as general criteria to apply to everyone. Pentax have to start somewhere. It is simply not feasible to bring out an entire full line of lenses along with a new format all at once. They have the mainstream range covered with 3 zooms and a few primes, that reportedly are of high quality. I think that is enough of a base from which to build. And, if they do build on that enough, then maybe Zeiss and Sigma will start to make their high end lenses in a Pentax mount.

[Jimby_99]

Different photographers have vastly different needs. 

Pentax has some excellent lenses, even the zooms.   I have both the new DFA 28-105mm and the DFA 15-30mm, and they are both very sharp. I also have about 20 other lenses, from current to third party to legacy.  Ultimately the best lens is the one you have with you 

For me, the K-1 allows me to get shots I would not otherwise be able to capture.  It's a nice combo of relevant advanced features, image quality, and price point.

[Paul2660]

Do you have it yet, Paul, or is it on your wish list?

I have seen some images posted from this camera, and they were delightful.

Look forward to seeing yours!

Hi John:

Yes, I have it and am still learning the best techniques.  The images will appear similar to the D810 files, if not the same (on the web), however the files need to be seen at 100% to really see the differences especially the significant gain in resolution that is added with Pixel shift, along with overall cleaner files.  I would be more than happy to send you a few raw Pixel shift files, just PM me with your email and I will set them up in my dropbox.  You can use LR on them in many cases, but you also may need to down load the Silkypix app, (30 day free trial) to get the overall best conversions.

Paul C

[John Koerner]

Hi John:

Yes, I have it and am still learning the best techniques.  The images will appear similar to the D810 files, if not the same (on the web), however the files need to be seen at 100% to really see the differences especially the significant gain in resolution that is added with Pixel shift, along with overall cleaner files.  I would be more than happy to send you a few raw Pixel shift files, just PM me with your email and I will set them up in my dropbox.  You can use LR on them in many cases, but you also may need to down load the Silkypix app, (30 day free trial) to get the overall best conversions.

Paul C

PM sent!

Thanks