Okay, so now you’re calling even more into question reviews on the Pentax K-1. Now, you’re asking, what about the professional review articles? Well, I’m going to look into those.
20161216/https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/pentax-k-1
20161216/https://www.cnet.com/products/pentax-k-1-review/
20161216/http://imaging-resource.com/PRODS/pentax-k1/pentax-k1A.HTM
20161216/http://imaging-resource.com/PRODS/pentax-k1/pentax-k1TECH.HTM
20161216/http://imaging-resource.com/PRODS/pentax-k1/pentax-k1-field-test.htm
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Let’s look at some of the impressive showcases of how high the resolution of the Pentax K-1 goes.
20161216/http://216.18.212.226/PRODS/pentax-k1/FULLRES/YIMGP1253.JPG
20161216/http://216.18.212.226/PRODS/pentax-k1/FULLRES/YIMGP1254-psr-no-mcomp.JPGIndeed, I must admit, those are pretty good pictures. Oh yeah, and I really wonder about this. Well, concede. Do you really need high resolution for video? Oh sure, it always looks nicer with high resolution, it’s just that my concern is that, well, the purpose of high resolution still photographs is to be able to look around almost as if you were there yourself. You know, you have the freedom to explore, pan, well, in 3D, look around! But that’s not really the purpose of video. Video, instead, is to show you a directed stream of images as seen from a camera, possibly as scheduled by a movie director. That is a very different motive than still photography.
Again, the issue brought up at hand here is the fact that this DLSR does not offer top-of-the-line video recording and is in many ways meant to be more of a still camera. Video is even touted as being a little bit burry from the reviews. It does have a good price, but in some ways, the Nikon D750 is comparable to the quality and price of this Pentax camera. On one hand, the autofocus system and image stabilization system on this camera is not quite as good as those of competitors. On the other hand, this camera has some very competitive features in being able to adjust and tweak settings over the Nikon camera especially, and even a little better than the Canon camera.
From the field test article:
You’ll certainly find better video quality and feature sets in competing cameras, even ones which cost noticeably less.
- Really? Well, I’d be shocked. Should I keep searching? Or should I still go with this camera? Well, I do indeed want as much compatibility as possible, so that is really something to consider. “More features” wasn’t entirely in my original requirements, but I was sort of hoping that I could get video with ease, given that this is a DSLR and implementing video should therefore not be as troublesome. If only the card writing electronics supported the faster standard, UHS-II. Well, I guess for that reason, implementing video is somewhat troublesome.
Indeed, some of the really good features are manual focus assist and an LED near the lens mount to help you align lenses for changing in the dark.
Well, you know what? I kind of like being able to have the uniqueness. And besides, the lower cost is really the kind of competitive thing I am looking for. So let’s leave things at that for now and see if Ricoh/Pentax has better offerings in the future.
Again, even looking back at Canon’s offerings in the future, just like the time that I looked in the past, Canon still offers the very highest resolution sensors among all DSLR camera brands. It’s also a lot more expensive than the Pentax K-1. Yes, so definitely, I’m emphasizing this fact, I want to get a camera that gives me the best quality per price point that is full frame and compatible with my existing lenses.
20161216/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canon_EOS_5DS
Again, from the reviews above, I think that it is probably conceivable that if you want to get an image resolution significantly higher than that of traditional 35 mm film, you almost definitely should go with a larger sensor camera such as a medium format DSLR.
20161216/http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/pentax-k1/pentax-k1-conclusion.htm
Yeah, the above review notes that there are limitations in the memory card speed, and that is one reason why buffering needs to be used for multi-shot modes. And again, we note that the camera has a slow boot time. Only UHS-I card speeds, not UHS-II card speeds.
Oh yeah, what does Wikipedia have to say about UHS-II? Yes, here we have it.
20161216/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secure_Digital#Ultra_High_Speed_.28UHS.29_bus
More reviews:
20161216/http://www.photographyblog.com/reviews/pentax_k1_review
Oh yeah, and important point. Shutter release on the K-1 is quiet, which is good for nature and candid photography.
In the Shutter & Aperture-Priority mode the camera selects the most appropriate ISO speed for a shutter speed and aperture combination, allowing you to use ISO sensitivity as a third factor in determining the correct exposure. As digital cameras have always offered the unique ability to instantly change the sensitivity, it’s surprising that Pentax are still the only manufacturer to allow you to use ISO in this way.
Wow, well there we go. We’re going for a good one! Yeah, it has its limitations, but it also has its strengths, and again, I reiterate, one of its best strengths is its price.
Wait. “Slow startup time” means it takes around one second to turn on, which by other publications, “is very quick.” So being around 2 seconds is at the threshold of being “too slow” in this case.
Oh yeah, and good news. The camera does in fact allow for continuous shooting at slow rates, like one per second. So you don’t need to worry about being thrown out of continuous shooting mode at the end of the time interval.
Oh yeah, note that this camera has an “AF assist” light.
Also, a general word. Based off of reading the historic 1984 Pentax SLR camera manual, various online photography websites, the modern manual, and these Pentax camera reviews, I can definitely say that reading the original manual, websites, and reviews are recommended first reading, as they integrate photos, discussion of artistic options, and the related techniques together, and provide some articles that are nice to read with good flowing English prose. Uh, yeah, actually, natural language is important here, despite how much I hate it in technical contexts. For operating your specific camera, the official Ricoh manual provides the raw technical information in a not-so-pretty black and white printout. But, just remember, as is said on the photography reviews and websites, this camera is definitely designed for photographers, by photographers.
Did I not write this down? Anyways, from all the photography review websites, it has been revealed that the Pentax K-1 actually does have a limited form of 4K video recording: “interval recording.” I’m guessing that this is like the ability to record 4K video for a maximum of three minutes. Which, I am told, is not considered real video recording. But, but, wait… no, that’s not actually it. The thing here is that the minimum interval recording time is 2 seconds, which is much too slow for video, of course. So there you go. It actually doesn’t support video.
20161218/https://www.ephotozine.com/article/pentax-k-1-expert-review-28884
Oh yeah, note that all the review articles are a great source of images of the camera exterior and interior components.
Oh, so the illuminated controls actually are available on the Nikon D5, it’s just that not many cameras have that, and the Nikon D5 is considerably more expensive.
20161218/https://luminous-landscape.com/pentax-k-1-review/
Again, we’re told, not the prettiest looking camera. Yeah, I know, but I’m really cost concerned too, and this I’m told is where Pentax soars with iron-heart compatibility with the historic line of gear.
Oh, but be forewarned. Straps on tripod-mounted cameras are a tangle hazard and can get meddled by the wind, so you might want to remove the strap when shooting on a tripod. Then again, if you are still wearing the strap, this might not be an issue. Or would it?
Again, as I have observed in the test image of the Knoxville bridge, and as we also have commentary here, there is an issue that the sharpness of the edges of the image is usually less than that of the center of the image. Yeah, one idea I thought of to combat this is to composite multiple images together of different focus or angle. I believe this may have something to do with default chromatic aberration correction, but that is just my own guess.
Oh yeah, and you were wondering. That key word. “Lens hood.” The thing that you put in front of the camera lens that reduces glare and improves contrast.
20161218/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lens_hood
And likewise for stage lights, “barn doors.” So those things you were putting on your own drawings of computer lighting setups but not knowing exactly what those things were.
20161218/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stage_lighting_accessories#Barn_doors
Likewise for cameras, but much less interesting in my opinion.
20161218/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matte_box
Okay, there are still more reviews out there, so I better save my search query.
20161218/DuckDuckGo pentax k-1 review
But now, I’m moving on to looking at the actual camera manual.
The camera manual is a whole lot less pretty than the 1984 manual. Unlike the 1984 manual, this is purely a manual covering the technical operation of the camera and makes no mention on photographic creative and artistic techniques. The manual is printed all in black, white, and shades of gray. Then again, the manual has to cover a whole lot more technical ground given the increased complexity of the technology, and it is overall bigger and much longer than the 1984 manual.
20161216/http://www.ricoh-imaging.co.jp/english/support/download_manual.html
20161216/http://www.ricoh-imaging.co.jp/english/support/man-pdf/k-1.pdf
20161216/http://www.ricoh-imaging.co.jp/english/support/man-pdf/k-1_tc.pdf
- NOTE: The “tc” manual is in Chinese. Traditional Chinese? Doesn’t look like it.
A little bit concerned at first, but don’t worry, there is indeed a depth of field preview mode.
And what about flash compatibility? Ut oh, I don’t see my particular flash unit listed, AF200T. Is it still compatible? Well, well, there are mentions that the AF200T indeed works well for the K-7 and K-5 cameras, and maybe even the K-3 camera. So, I guess if I could assume compatibility with the K-1 camera with all flash units of these other cameras, I would be in good business.
20161216/https://www.pentaxuser.com/forum/topic/af200t-flash-with-k7-30806
20161216/http://kmp.bdimitrov.de/flashes/TTL/index.html
20161216/http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/58-troubleshooting-beginner-help/91378-pentax-k-x-flash-len-compatibility.html
20161216/https://www.pentaxuser.com/forum/topic/flash-compatibility-49573/p-0
Oh yeah, and this was also noted many times in the reviews that the camera was designed to use compatible battery packs and chargers with the rest of the Pentax line, which is a very welcome feature for photographers.
Bingo!
The Pentax K-1 will be compatible with Pentax’s lineup of TTL flashes as well.
20161216/http://www.adorama.com/ipxk1.html
Also note from discussion on the various linked articles above, the AF200T is indeed a TTL flash unit, not a p-TTL flash unit apparently. But that should be just okay, here.
As more Pentax DSLR’s are sold, an ever-larger number of them are reaching people who are new to Pentax and aren’t sure which lenses they can use. By now everyone knows Pentax has the best backward compatibility, but most aren’t sure what capabilities you give up with various older lenses. The purpose of this page is to let you know what basic functionality you’ll have with any given range of lenses on your Pentax digital camera.
20161216/http://www.robertstech.com/compat.htm
Ah, lens rentals! Interesting, so this is a site I could go to for lens rentals. Something to consider if I want to use a lens but don’t want to buy and own it long term. It looks like they also do camera rentals, but I’m pretty sure I’d want to own the camera.
20161216/https://www.borrowlenses.com/product/Pentax-K1-Digital-SLR
Okay, so now I’m wondering. What’s the difference between TTL and p-TTL flash? Are they compatible? The short answer is, not really. TTL flash apparently can be used with DSLR cameras under some conditions, it’s just that the TTL technique of detecting light reflected off of the sensor to determine when to cut off the flash doesn’t work very well compared to film. The digital sensor just doesn’t have the right reflectivity. p-TTL works by sending out a pre-flash and using that to adjust image exposure.
20161216/http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/6-pentax-dslr-discussion/99153-difference-between-ttl-p-ttl-flash.html
So, flash unit compatibility is more complicated than you first thought.
Okay, let’s see if the K-5’s manual looks more promising in the technical specifications.
20161218/http://www.ricoh-imaging.co.jp/english/support/man-pdf/k-5.pdf
Hey, lucky me. The K-5 manual is written in almost exactly the same langauge as the K-1 manual is written in. Thus, I have my hopes high that if the flash AF200T worked with the K-5, so it will also work with the K-1. Indeed, of the limited number of flash units mentioned in the table, most of them are the same between the two different manuals.
Oh yeah, and the flash sync speed, you were wondering. Does it have to match? Apparently not. The K-5 has a sync speed of 1/180 sec. So, I’m assuming that the sync speed of 1/200 sec. for the K-1 should also be alright. I think this must be the fastest sync speed the camera supports, not the required sync speed of the flash modules.
AF200FG is mentioned many times in the K-5 manual. Does my historic manual happen to also mention the AF200FG? Nope, it doesn’t even make a single mention of that flash unit.
Interesting observations from the older manual. Motor drive for automatic multiple exposures? Digital camera back? Historically, these were add-on accessories to the basic camera unit, which was rather compact. Nowadays, these shapes and contours are built-into a single larger camera unit for professional models. Yeah, you can understand their motivation. More space for more engineering design opportunities. Also, there are smaller cameras available, but they are generally not modularly expandable up to the kinds of units you get built in the larger envelope. Full-frame cameras, for example.
And hey, the historic operating range? 50 degrees Celsius to -20 degrees Celsius. That’s a lower cold floor than is the case with the modern K-1 camera! The K-1 camera has an operating temperature from -10 degrees Celsius to 40 degrees Celsius.
Then again, well yes, DSLR cameras are more battery intensive than SLR cameras, and you do need to regulate the temperature that the battery operates at if you want to be able to take any pictures at all.
Well, this is important, better keep a direct link to the specifications for fast future reference.
20161221/http://ricoh-imaging.ca/en/products/cameras/K-1/specifications
Oh yeah, and the camera body will weigh 1 kilogram. Will my tripod be able to support it? Just barely. It has a load capacity of 2.5 pounds.
But, oh my goodness. Skimming the Wikipedia article on the kilogram kind of makes me dispair. We can hardly keep a consistent reference for the mass unit of one kilogram, so how much harder should we expect it to keep consistent metrics for a camera? Apparently, there are too many different variables at work to be able to account for them all and buy a new DSLR camera very similar to what you have setup for your historic vintage 1984 SLR camera.
Oh yeah, and for comparison, the K-5’s specification website.
20161221/http://www.ricoh-imaging.co.jp/english/products/k-5/spec.html
It turns out that the K-5 camera barely weighs any less, and the only dimension that is significantly different is the depth, which is 13 mm thicker. Yeah, like 1.3 centimeters.
So now you’re asking. How did the Pentax brand originate? Oh, yeah, I know this. Okay, I want to go back to review the Wikipedia article then and see what Wikipedia has to say about the recent history of the Pentax brand.
20161216/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentax
Oh yeah, and what about Kiron? They were an third-party camera lens manufacturer, who no longer exists. They never produced “economy” lenses, and the lenses were always manufactured in Japan. There you go. You’ve got some pretty impressive optical equipment right there. But, the company has since disbanded and no longer exist.
20161216/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiron_Lenses
Oh, and I might as well see if the Pentax camera Wikipedia article makes any comment as to the Pentax line of cameras having remarkable compatibility. Well, unfortunately, it doesn’t.
20161216/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentax_cameras