See what PetaPixel says about the failure of Pentax in the mirrorless market, despite the efforts paid in the past two decades.
By the way, for what PP has listed out for the 37 interchangeable lens digital cameras wich Pentax has ever produced, I have bought more than one-third of all the models as follows:
From 2003 to 2021: My Pentax APS-C bodies acquired: *ist D/DS/DL2, K-100D, K-m, K-x, K-r, K-5, KP and K-3III, total 10 out of the 29 models produced.
From 2011 to 2014: I bought the original Q and the Q7, hence 2 out of 4.
From 2016 to 2021: I got the K-1, but I don't think Pentax has really produced 2 full-frame bodies as the K-1 II actually is just a mild variant of the original K-1.
From 2010 to 2014: I purchased the 645D, 1 out of 2 for the medium format bodies.
So, I acquired a total of 14 Pentax models out of the 37 that they have produced.
Besides what PP has mentioned about the causes the failure, which I generally agree with, I think from the user's perspective and practical point of view, the K-01 and the Q series failed in two major ways, which are the lack of EVF and fast Wi-Fi support. I consider that these are basic essential features nowadays, especially for mirrorless cameras and for easy social media sharing on-the-go. All in all, the external LCD monitor is really rather difficult to view under bright light environment outdoor. Without an EVF, it is indifferent to shoot blindly and composition and shooting have become rather difficult with such handicapped mirrorless cameras.
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Jabalung · 150 weeks ago
Derek · 150 weeks ago
The KP was a bit "cripple hammered":
- reduced RAW buffer, only 8 frames
- shutter life expectancy down to 100
- USB only 2.0
- only single card slot
- no GPS
- no metal any longer in the body frame, all plastic
- battery lasts for only 420 shots (embarrassing, worse than many mirrorless cams today).
Please make sure that none of the above would hurt you too much.
For carrying over Pentax lenses into a modern environment, you may consider the adapter LA-KE1 (by Monster for Sony E), which supports even screw-driven Pentax lenses. I don't own one, but if you deem your lens collection worthy enough to be carried over into modern times, at least as a starting point before upgrading gradually to modern mirrorless (high-performing but compact) lens designs, you might consider the LA-KE1.
RiceHigh 110p · 149 weeks ago
Jabalung · 143 weeks ago
I have been waiting for a 2nd hand KP to turn up but they are few and far between. At the end, I got a second hand K-70 and I am loving it. It is like a little brother of KP to me. My last purchase of Pentax DSLR was a K-5, hence, K-70 is already quite some upgrade for me technology-wise. I do also own a Sony A7III with the exact Monster adapter you mentioned. For some reason, I enjoy shooting with the K-70 more so than the Sony. There is magic in Pentax cameras (and lenses). It could be the ergonomics, the colours, the picture quality or something else. This little K-70 actually makes me wanna take more pictures.
RiceHigh 110p · 150 weeks ago
Jabalung · 143 weeks ago
RiceHigh 110p · 142 weeks ago
Derek · 150 weeks ago
3) The "triple A": autofocus, autofocus, autofocus. Pentax failed to adopt the opportunity to get rid of the DSLR misfocusing imprecisions, by not using mirrorless on-sensor phase detect AF technology.
With DSLR, there are so many reasons for the front/backfocusing hell (=that just one single "fine tuning" value per lens can't accommodate those reasons).
- chosen aperture
- chosen subject distance
- chosen focus point location (center versus off-center)
- zooms: chosen focal length
Which is the reason for that DSLR focus fine tuning hell, which causes more frustrations than solutions. All gone with mirrorless on-sensor focusing. New levels of sharpness reliability.
4) not exploiting the opportunity of having a new mount, with a reduced flange distance, which would have been a relief for many lens designs (higher optical quality for lesser size and weight).
5) not exploiting the EVF opportunities, such as
- live histogram
- live over/under-exposure warnings
- focus peaking (the successor of the old analog era split or micro-prism screens as inevitable aids for focusing lenses manually).
Instead, DSLR annoy with the burden of cycling through doing a test shot, review the result, on the back screen, correct settings, doing the next test short, etc. Sometimes (of aged 40 or older) accompanied with having to change glasses each time when switching between OFV and screen. Problems to view a back screen under broad daylight. A workflow which is an non-ergonomic annoyance.
In short, regarding the K-01, it is not enough to just rip out a mirror out of a cheap DSLR and call it "mirrorless" then. Because if it isn't accompanied with important technological key advances to make mirrorless worthwhile, then it becomes what the K-01 is: just a mirror-crippled DSLR running in LiveView only.
Ayrat · 149 weeks ago
bernhard1965 1p · 141 weeks ago
Best Regards
Bernhard