PENTAX K-1

I have waited some time to get my first full frame DSLR and it is a revelation, even though I have had a KM & a K7, the K1 is a major step forward in quality and functionality. In film terms I have had Spotmatic, twin lens reflex & medium format Mamiya 645, so at least I have a solid background in cameras. I particularly like the tiltable LCD monitor for low level shots & the GPS is a significant facility to me. The viewfinder is excellent & the response from camera overall is much faster than the K7 especially the Live View which is instant and "useable" now. Although it is feasible to use APSC based lenses, I can't see the point of getting a full-frame camera. Fortunately a good proportion of my existing lenses have transferred with full-frame coverage. Although I have seen comments about the lack of built in flash I am quite happy as the other built in flashes are not upto much and aren't flexible for bounce & control. Get the Pentax AF201FG, which is light, compact and provides good cover. My overall view is that the Pentax K1 is a truly great camera that I will enjoy for years to come.

Having wanted a full frame digital for a while, I am only too glad Pentax stepped up their game and produced a full frame. For me, I probably will not use all of the advanced features, but it gives me the opportunity to use all the manual focus Pentax glass i have accumulated over the years for my film cameras on a digital body. Now if they did a digital version of their LX film body, I would be at the top of the queue, but this is the next best thing without having to resort to mirrorless and an appropriate adapter for my lenses. The image stabilisation is extraordinary. So much so, I can comfortably shoot with my 300mm green star prime lens and get incredible images, all hand held. That is a weighty combo, and in the hands of a weakling too. Portraits with the old 50mm 1.4 smc A lens are wonderful. The versatility of this setup with their modern 105mm zoom autofocus thingy is great if you want a single lens solution and is perfect for travel if you must have an SLR.

Built by Ricoh, here is their first ever D-SLR full frame. As Pentax was my first ever SLR camera, many moons ago, it is awesome news that they are back in the market. The Good It may not be up there with the top Sony, Nikon & Canons, but the images produced are of a professional quality - helped by a high ISO's in JPG . . . and the RAW files are superb. You'll find tons of features and a natty 36MP imaged stabilized camera that is, handily, fully weather-sealed. The price is very competitive too! The Not-So-Good Videoing with the Pentax isn't a fun experience due to low quality and lack of available options. The auto white balance isn't always consistent in use, which is a shame. 4.4fps shooting rate was shocking surprise; particularly after having been use to 10fps from my Sonys . . . and not having a built in flash is a serious omission, in my book. Other than that, there isn't much to fault it. I would certainly recommend this camera, and rate it around 4.2/4.3 out of 5. As that isn't an option, it gets a 4.

This is a beast of a camera! This camera gives you control of everything you could possibly want to adjust when taking photos. The auto focus isn't as good as the latest Sony alpha cameras but it gets the job done. This cameras weather sealing and build quality is great but, some might find it a bit heavy. Coupled with a suitable weather sealed lenses this camera could go anywhere (except underwater). This camera is probably the best landscape camera on the market, with a combination of features not found on other cameras at this price point.

Delighted with performance and excellent handling. Everything seems to work well. It has the original version 1.0 of camera software though, so I will be upgrading this to the latest version, though I have no issues with it as it is. It is an absolute delight to use.

First full frame, well made, good image quality. I am enjoying using it.

I've used Pentax since the late 1970's. They last it a bit when Pentax 1st went digital - BUT this is fantastic comeback and a fantastic camera throughout. And well worth the wait.