NEW: PENTAX K-01 interchangeable lens camera

[calsan]

February 02, 2012
PENTAX RICOH IMAGING AMERICAS CORPORATION INTRODUCES PENTAX K-01 DESIGNED BY MARC NEWSON
DENVER, CO February 2, 2012…When is a camera more than a photographer’s tool?  The answer is when it’s an object designed by Marc Newson, one of the most acclaimed and influential contemporary designers.

Key features of the PENTAX K-01 include:
• Durable machined aluminum frame under a stylish black, white, or yellow exterior.
• PENTAX mirrorless body design is compatible with 25+ million PENTAX K-mount lenses spanning decades.
• Large 16 megapixel APS-C sized CMOS image sensor with low noise image capture and multiple aspect ratios.
• Bright, high resolution 3 inch LCD with 920,000 dots.
• Full HD 1080p video capture at 30 FPS with h.264 compression (60 FPS at 720p) features outstanding video capture flexibility.
• Sensor-shift PENTAX Shake and Dust Reduction system is compatible with every mounted PENTAX lens.
• Fast 6 FPS burst mode is ideal for fast-action photography.
• Flexible ISO range of 100-25600 ensures gorgeous noise-free imaging in any lighting condition.
• Focus peaking mode provides fast and accurate manual focusing for critical focus applications.
* The world’s thinnest interchangeable lens for lens-interchangeable digital SLR cameras, as of February 1, 2012 (based on PENTAX’s research).
The K-01 will be available in yellow, black and white in March 2012 for $749.95USD (body only) and $899.95USD (lens kit including new DA 40mm XS) in Marc Newson designed packaging and with the Marc Newson designed strap.  The smc PENTAX-DA 40mm F2.8 XS unifocal interchangeable standard lens will ship at the same time for $249.95 USD.

Read full press release here

K-01 Yellow
K-01 Black
K-01 White

[tcom]

It looks certainly interesting.

It is basically a K-5 without mirror, the gain in size and weight is limited, but then, it takes all Pentax K mount lenses and together with the FA or DA limiteds, this camera could be a pretty good combo. However, I do not think that I am the target audience for this camera, at least not as long as I could not play with one.

[blackcloudbrew]

I may be wanting one of these but not quite yet. The design is a love it or hate it one. I'm in the love it group, but like you tcom, I want to play with it first.

[davidhampshire]

i think they are missing the boat with not putting a very good viewfinder on these cameras,    not sure about anyone else,  but if i use the lcd for any length of time,   it just makes my vision blurry ,    i  need an integrated viewfinder with diopter correction.     dave

[rei_vilo]

Actually, I don't get the idea.

The K-1 price is very close to the K-5's one, and lacks an optical viewfinder which is key for quality shooting.

Sure, I'm not concerned by this K-1.

[calsan]

I get it - it's for everyone who was born after 1992.
Not once have I handed my k-7 to anyone and they looked through the viewfinder.  Everyone tries to hold it at arms length to take a photo and I have to explain that it's a bit like a 'real camera like your father had' - only then they know what to do!

[blackcloudbrew]

Cal you hit the nail right on the head. Yep, that's it all right. I've had the same experience. That's it alright.

[barondla]

 Interesting camera. Even kind of like the looks. I tend to buy cameras that let me do things I can't already do. The Q allowed ultra small, always with you shooting and super telephoto/macro with adapted lenses.

 Having a hard time figuring out what the K-01 allows me to do that the K5 wouldn't. The only thing I come up with is video- which I have little interest in. A swivel lcd or efv would have helped or even a FF sensor( I am not a FF crazy). I like it but it doesn't seem to do much for me.
 
In my photo class there were 8 DSLR shooters. 3 had no idea that there were numbers in the viewfinder because they never use the finder. Arghhh. Between stuff like this and people who can do and fix every thing in Photoshop it is about to drive me nuts. The univerity makes them use film SLRs and develop their own film for their photo class.

 
Can understand Pentax selling K-01 for less without internal evf. Would have been nice to have the option to pay more for an external one. Think they would have sold even more cameras.

thanks
barondla