Hi Photographer friends,
No more rumors, here's the Pentax K-01
PENTAX RICOH IMAGING AMERICAS CORPORATION introduces the Marc Newson designed PENTAX K-01* interchangeable lens camera (ILC). The new PENTAX K-01 is another bold effort from the manufacturer that is known for pushing camera size, color, durability, and now, design, to the limit. Widely known for designing a wide range of objects from furniture and household products to bicycles, cars, aircraft and yachts, Marc Newson has had collected works displayed in The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City and many other major museums.
*prounouced kay zero one.
The contemporary, timeless K-01 houses a full array of advanced functions and user-friendly features in a camera body with remarkable form and function. The elimination of an optical viewfinder and quick-return mirror gave Newson more freedom in designing the camera body, and the K-01 showcases Newson originality in every detail. Available in black, white and Newson’s signature yellow colors, the K-01 features the designer’s autograph logo stamp on the bottom of each camera.
The famed designer’s touch also is evident in a new smc PENTAX-DA 40mm F2.8 XS interchangeable lens. As the world’s thinnest interchangeable lens,* the new 40mm combines with the PENTAX K-01 camera body to deliver a unique ILC system that is perfect for photographers who are as keen on design as they are on performance. Together, the K-01 and 40mm lens system mark the intersection where high technology and high design meet.
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.
Additional information is available here: www.pentaximaging.com/news and a video interview with Mark Newson regarding the K-01design may be viewed here: www.youtube.com/pentaxian1 Images of other Marc Newson creations are available here.
8 comments:
I think this a great move by Pentax. Very distictive and well built. Better IQ than the K5 so Iv'e been told.
Now that Ricoh has purchased the assets of Pentax, I believe we will see a great improvement in the next few years. Ricoh, already a camera manufacturer, will use Pentax's expertise to push the envelope and actually give some competition to Nikon and Canon. The photography business is at a crossroad, DSLRs will soon go away and be replaced with other types of digital cameras. That is an opportunity for any company to grab a bigger share of that new market. The younger generation is pushing the big DSLRs out of the way and want something more portable and with the capabilities of integration with computers, cell phones, internet, etc. Of course, I'm not Nostradamus, and I can't predict the future, but it seems to be the logical direction of the world we live in.
What a shame it hasn't got a viewfinder - either OVF or EVF. I hope when Pentax produces a 35mm sensor CSC it will have a viewfinder. If so, I will buy it. If not, I won't.
lan47,
I'm not so sure about that. It is evident to me that the new "Boss" Ricoh wanted Pentax to introduce a new camera A.S.A.P. and the K-01 is it. There is a possibility that an EVF could be mounted on the camera flash, using the contacts there to transmit a digital image. Maybe they just couldn't make it happen soon enough. A separate EVF would bring more cash to them on the long run. Just more electronic and firmware.
An EVF mounted on top is very much a second best solution. It should be built in.
lan47,
Agreed, but a second "best" solution would be okay by me...better than no solution. I hope they do come up with an EVF or OVF, even if it's an additional thought. I am more interested in the image quality, and we should find out about that soon.
K-5 sensor I gather so IQ should be OK.
I would prefer the viewfinder was built in.
In the rush to get a new Ricoh Pentax out I feel they didn't consider the future line of cameras carefully. It would have made more sense for the K-01 to be APS-C sensor but with a new mount like the as happened with the micro 4/3rds cameras. That is thinner body with smaller lenses mounted closer to the sensor. It could have an adaptor for K mount lenses. Then a 35 mm sensor body more the size of the K-01 taking K mount lenses.
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