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Pentax K-01 a little review

Hello Everyone,

I recently acquired a Pentax K-01 mirrorless camera and I thought I would share my thoughts about it.

First and foremost You'll notice that the design of this camera is a bit different from what you have prob. have seen in the past. The camera was designed by Marc Newson ( a mutli award winner that designs for car, clothing, and furniture companies to name a few ). I personally love the design. This is where most people, at first, have problems with the camera. It is, in my opinion, very forward thinking. I have to give a healthy clap to pentax/ricoh for taking such a risk with the design. From what I have read many reviewers have a problem with the button layout. I personally do not have a problem with it's layout. Everything in my opinion is laid out really well. It's been said that the green button is a bit too far for your thumb to touch but truly....I tend to just press the button with my other hand. I don't find it that difficult to do or that time consuming.

I think that I should prob. talk about my style of shooting, it'll help with why using this camera is so easy for me to use.

I am a portrait shooter. If not that a fashion shooter. And if not that, it's lifestyle. My subjects tend to be in a controlled setting where my exposures don't change that drastically in a split second. Also, my subjects tend not to be moving blazing fast( think sports speed ) so I don't need blazing speed in my AF. What I'm always looking for are things that compliment my style. First and foremost is image quality. The second thing I always look for is the way the camera actually shoots. It's ethos of image making. And lastly, I look for that little bit of, " je ne sais quoi ". That little bit of something that pushes the camera over the edge. it could be a little thing or an obvious thing but it def. is a thing. Here are two examples....I love my Nikon D800 because it is a powerhouse of an image maker. All those megapixels go a very long way in making very beautiful images. I no longer feel the need for a digital medium format. If I do need a Medium Format, I carry my Hassy 201f or my Mamiya 6. My other example is my M6. I love that camera. It's intimate. It allows me to go into situations and not be such a target. Its small enough to be discrete and powerful enough to create beautiful images.

So that's that. A look into my needs for a camera and now let's go back to the K-01.

Why do I love it so much?

Let's go back to the design. I think it is a great looking camera. One of those things that needs investigation. Something that you need to look at to appreciate its beauty. It's kinda like swedish design, think Saab. Lines that are created with purpose other than beauty but the line itself is beautiful. I talked previously about the button layout and how others feel that the GREEN function button is a bit to far away from your thumb. I completely agree but I also don't think it is that big of a deal. It basically takes one extra sec to press that button. And again, in my style that extra second can be found. The sun and the light does not change that much where you can't take an extra second to guarantee your light readings. And seriously, the extra swivel of your wrist to touch the green button isn't that far or difficult. It really amazes me that people brought it up. I guess when you are writing or reviewing cameras you must find fault somewhere to talk about the thing you are reviewing. And while I am on this kick about finding fault, there are reports that the memory card door is horribly designed. That the rubber is an inconvenience to close. Again, it only takes a sec. Are we such a, " want it now " society that we can't take that second to close a door.

And I think, thats where most people have fault with this camera. It's that they can't be bothered to waste time with such things. But again, what I shoot doesn't require me to be super quick. Portraits and Fashion photography doesn't require you to be so rushed. There is time to breathe. There is time for models to get dressed. There is time for you to use a hand hold meter and get your exposures correct. There is time for you to press a green button and close a door. Well at least on my photo shoots there are.

Now let's get to the nitty gritty.....Image Quality.

The image quality is outstanding. I've only been shooting in jpeg and I can't express that once I start shooting RAW it'll be amazing. So let's just say, I have yet to create outstanding outstanding images but for now I am happy to show you these.