Photography News Issue 30

Photography News Issue 30 absolutephoto.com

News

Pentax goes full-frame

Mark Cheetham, Ricoh Imaging

The rumours of a full-frame Pentax DSLRhave beenaround for years and a prototype was shown back in 2014. Now the K-1 is finally here and due in the shops mid-April. Before we get to the camera’s features – and there are plenty – let’s start with the price. Body only it’s £1599.99. That is an attractive number for the features and resolution on offer, so while the K-1 will probably find most favour among existing Pentax users, those uncommitted to a system right now should take note. The K-1 houses a 35.9x24mm full-frame CMOS sensor with a 36.4-megapixel resolution capable of 14-bit Raw capture. For maximum sharpness there is no optical low-pass filter and imageprocessing ishandled by a new PRIME IV processor which claims todeliver superb imagequality with smooth tonal reproduction and top-quality ISO performance of up to 204,800. The K-1 also has an AA Filter Simulator in case of moiré which is adjustable in strength. Like other Pentax DSLRs, the K-1 uses a sensor-based Shake Reduction system, this time a five-axis version, called SR II. This reduces shake caused by roll, yaw and vertical and horizontal shift. It’s said to have a 5EV benefit and the camera auto detects the direction of movement so when panning you get the desired effect without preselecting amode. Astrotracer mode uses this sensor shift technology to track stars during long exposures so you can capture them without trails and there’s also the Pixel Shift Resolution system which has the camera capture four images of the same scene, moving the sensor by one pixel between each shot

and then merging them into a single frame. This captures 67% more light for more truthful colour rendition. Autofocus is handled by a new SAFOX 12 sensor module with 33 AF points across the frame. Of these, the 25 central ones are cross-type while the Real Time Scene Analysis system gives an improved tracking performance on moving subjects. Alliedtothis,thecamera'scontinuous shooting can hit amaximum4.4fps. The K-1 sports a flexible, tilt-type LCD monitor with a 3.2in screen and a 1037K dot resolution. The tilting mechanism, with its four support railsmeans the screencanbe adjusted to lots of angles yet it’s strong enough to dangle the camera complete with lens and grip from it (see below). The monitor itself is an airtight design for improved visibility in bright daylight. And with the help of 87 seals, the K-1 body is dust proof, weather- and cold-resistant to as low as -10°C. An optical viewfinder provides a near 100% view and the bright image should enable easier manual focusing. Key camera information can also be superimposed over the viewfinder image itself to enhance handling. A feature not seen on any camera before is Pentax’s Operation Assist Light function which aids using the K-1 in darkness. LEDs light up parts of the camera helping you see what’s going on without a torch so, for example, the lens mount is lit, letting you change glass without fumbling. Other notable features of the K-1 include Wi-Fi, Full HD video, an integral GPS module, dual SD card slots and an ultrasonic vibration sensor cleaning mechanism. The

“The Pentax K-1 is aimed at the high-end enthusiast market but with its resolution and features it will attract some professionals as well. Existing Pentax users who have been waiting over ten years for it have an important part to play. We promised it in the past but it never arrived and I think existing Pentax users will form the backbone of the user base for it. “Saying that, the K-1 has enough features and benefits over the competition and, especially at the price point, will bring in users from other systems. “The camera is priced to attract users of CSCs because there are benefits of a full-frame sensor. We have also kept in mind where Pentax is right now with its existing APS-C cameras and how they are priced. If the K-1 came out at £2500 body I think it would alienate existing users. £1599.99 for the body is an aggressive price for its feature set but personally I think that is where we need to be to sell volume of the product. “When you look at the feature set, the things that stand out to me are build quality which is superb, the five-axis image stabilisation which is new to us and the high ISO performance. One of things users of the medium-format Pentax 645Z have told us is how easy to use the Raw files from that camera are, how superb the shadows look and how flexible the files are to work with. If the Raws from the K-1, PEFs and DNGs, react in the same way, we know they will be very easy to work with. “One feature that I really like, and is on our other cameras such as the K-3 II. but it sometimes gets forgotten about, is Composition Adjust. In Live View, using this feature you can move up or down and tilt the sensor. So when shooting macro really close up you can adjust composition without moving the camera on its tripod. For landscape, there is a feature in the menu called Auto Horizon Correction that will tilt the sensor to correct the horizon, too. “Astrotracer also uses the moving sensor where you shoot long exposures of the stars, causing them to remain as light sources rather than trails. The camera’s GPS system works out the movement of the Earth and tilts the sensor accordingly to keep the stars as stars.”

K-1 also accepts the optional D-BG6 power grip that takes six AA cells as well as the camera’s li-ion rechargeable battery. This grip boasts the same level of dust and weather- resistant construction as the K-1 body. While the Pentax K-1 doesn’t offer anything truly innovative (bar its LEDs), what it has is impressive and will make it appealing to current Pentax users and those uncommitted to a full-frame system. Its 36.4-megapixel sensor gives enough resolution for most and its promise of a leading high ISOperformance gives extra appeal. We’ll be giving the K-1 a full test as soon as a sample arrives. At the K-1 launch, Pentax also introduced two full-frame/APS-C compatible lenses, the FA 15-30mm f/2.8ED SDM WR and the FA 28-

105mm f/3.5-5.6 ED DC WR, priced at £1499.99 and £549.99 respectively and both available later this spring. The fast aperture FA 15-30mm f/2.8 ED SDMWR has an 18 element in 13 group construction, with three extra-low dispersion (ED) elements to help deliver excellent image sharpness with minimal CA, distortion and coma. AF is handled by a Supersonic Direct-drive Motor (SDM) for near-silent, fast operation. The FA 28-105mm f/3.5-5.6 ED DC WRshouldbeagoodstandardlensfor the K-1. It has an optical construction of 15 elements in 11 groups with two aspherical and one ED. The lens has HD multi-layer coating, a quick-shift focus and is weather-resistant.

ricoh-imaging.co.uk

Hands on

At the Pentax K-1’s launch I got to spend a little time with a pre-production sample, so while I can report on its general handling its actual performance will have to wait. First impressions are very positive. It feels great to hold and the contoured handgrip fitted my paws well. It felt comfortable and secure enough to carry one-handed. The close proximity of the shutter release to the ISO and exposure compensation buttons made changing those settings while the camera was up to the eye very easy. The bright optical viewfinder shows 100% of the image and the information strip across the bottom is excellent. At this early stage and without using the K-1 properly, my favourite control was the speed function dial. It is a firmly click-stopped knob that lets you select a common function without having to go into a menu or use a function button. Here, for example, you can select exposure bracketing, HDR or Wi-Fi very quickly and with just one control. On the left side of the top-plate is the exposure mode dial with the usual PASM options but also modes such as TAv that existing Pentax users will be familiar with.

There are few full-frame DSLRs with articulating monitors and the K-1 joins that exclusive club. Pentax calls the K-1’s a Flex-tilt monitor and it does more than just fold out. The monitor is anchored by four supporting struts so it’s flexible and can be set at 90° for waist-level shooting or just angled for tripod use or low-level shooting. The mounting system is robust and I was dangling the camera

with lens by its monitor with no signs of distress from the fixtures. There’s no reason why you'd do this in reality but it demonstrates the K-1’s build quality. It will be interesting to see how the supporting system handles grit and sand getting into the struts. WC