Few more Pentax K-01 details

By PR admin | Published: January 26, 2012

Here are few more details on the upcoming Pentax K-01 mirrorless interchangeable lens camera:

  • The camera is designed by a famous designer
  • The new 40mm f/2.8 pancake lens is less than 1 centimeter thick and my understanding is that it will work only with the new K-01 body
  • The Pentax K-01 and the 40mm lens are covered with some kind of rubber-like material for better grip
  • The K-01 will have an external mic output for video recording

Related posts:

  1. This is how the Pentax K-01 should look like
  2. Pentax K-01 US pricing
  3. Pentax K-01 now available for pre-order
  4. Pentax will announce their 2012 plans at the CP+ show, here are the details
  5. More Pentax 645D details

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  • Dummy00002

    Pentax never fail to amaze me. Their product never make any sense to anybody and still they keep on trying.

    • DigiFilm

      I’m not a Pentax shooter, but just curious if it is K100, K10, K200, K20, K5, KR, KX, 645D, or all of their high quality primes that don’t make sense?

    • Smarty00001

      Some people never fail to amaze me. They probably never use any Pentax product before and still they keep on commenting.

      • Troll of Bifröst

        Guys, obviously this is a prime example of a low grade troll wannabe. Just leave it be.

    • sylvaner

      I can’t understand people who hate Pentax. WHY?

      • D0n

        I read an article recently that some companies are hiring marketing firms tat specialize in hiring trolls to bash their competitors products online. Sort of anti-viral marketing.
        I suspect certain Canikon brands have done this.

    • Anonymous

      I’m glad they’re doing something completely different. The mirrorless market is crowded as it is, this seems to be aimed more towards the dslr users.

      • Harold Ellis

        sorry but 40 f2.8 on APS is aiming at nobody.

        • http://twitter.com/#!/57thStIncident 57thStIncident

          I’m inclined to agree that it’s not the very best choice for an ‘only’ lens, it’s a little long for general-purpose. However, combine with a second lens a bit wider (like a DA21/3.2) and you have a pretty good (and tiny) two lens kit. I have the FA43/1.9 and it feels more useful to me than either 35 or 50mm.

          You would think that if they’re making a new lens, if they’re thinking of bundling it in a kit they’d go for something more like 30-35mm though. Possibly they just want to leverage the very good design for a very compact 40mm that they already have.

          Maybe the idea is that it’s just useful enough to encourage more lens purchases. :-/

          • Harold Ellis

            if there would be competition, then no doubt, but so?
            you need big aperture lenses to get some kind of DOF on APS and if camera is not T-shirt/jacket pocketable anymore, i can as well take DSLR.

          • Harold Ellis

            *would be NO competition*

          • http://twitter.com/#!/57thStIncident 57thStIncident

            Not all photography needs extra-slim DoF. A lot of pictures actually benefit from the extra DoF.

            That said, you’d need a 30/2 on m4/3 to match the field of view & DoF control of a 40/2.8 on APS-C. I also think it’s reasonable to say that you get that stop of light-gathering back with the excellent Sony 16mp APS-C sensor high-ISO performance.

            There aren’t many lenses on m4/3 as fast as f/2. What comes to mind is the expensive and largish 25/1.4 and more budget-friendly 20/1.7. It’s fair to say that either are probably more desirable from a focal-length and speed perspective as a single, standard prime. Use of the larger 25/1.4 though will somewhat negate the size advantage of a m4/3 body.

            Since this camera is K-mount compatible though, there’s nothing stopping you from mounting a Sigma 30/1.4, or Pentax FA31/1.8, FA35/2, DA35/2.8 Macro, or DA-L35/2.4, all fine choices with their own advantages — and all featuring autofocus (presumeably), and probably stabilized as well (though we’ll have to see if the body includes sensor-based SR).

            So, if you want to use your DSLR, that’s great. Consider though that even a m4/3 + 20/1.7 combination is only borderline ‘pocketable’ as well. The other good choice here might be APS-C Samsung NX200 + 30/2 pancake.

          • Harold Ellis

            yes, not all, but i prefer to have a choice should i need it.
            i know it is my problem, but this kind of cheap cameras with cheap disposable electronic sold for high end prices does not attract me a little.

  • WoutK89

    So the red swoosh will come to Pentax?

  • Don

    YES!
    this is the camera I’ve been waiting for!
    all my k-mount lenses, better video shooting…
    I will probably buy two!
    my old k-10′s and and my kr are about to get company!

  • pavel

    It sounds like camera for me. just, please, make sure it has in-body IS and APS-C or bigger sensor and register distance short enough to mount pretty much any lens ever made.
    Weatherproof would be a plus.
    I don’t shoot Pentax anymore but I did for 2 years and Pentax knows how to design a good photographer camera better than any other maker. I will buy this one regardless of price is done well.

    • Dan

      Your wishlist sound reasonable exept the short register distance. If it is K-mount like rumored then it has a substancially longer register distance than any other mirrorless…

      • pavel

        I don’t believe it will be directly mechanically made for K-mount. Then, the camera would be very thick.
        Compatibility can also mean, that attaching K-mount lenses with an adapter would retain all and every function of the lens as it would be attached on Pentax DSLR. That probably includes mechanical AF actuator.

  • Camaman

    This is gonna be one strange camera… :-)

  • Boob

    Lets hope for more weirdness… m42 screwmount FTW!

    (no other reason than I acquired* a frikken bag of them a few months back along with a decent Mamiya body for $25… pretty much worthless to me. Many Pentax primes… Takumar wide angles… Sears superzooms in m42??? YEAH! got ‘em!)

    * estate sale: “you buy the body, you HAVE to take those lenses too”… cripes…. 1st gen 645 not worth it.
    ** Rambling!

    • http://leicaglow.com Axel

      That’s very funny. Kinda what I was thinking. Drop the Pentax K mount and go back to the 42 SM. That way all those Ricoh lenses will also fit the Pentax again. I hope they don’t ruin the Pentax though. In the old days, Ricoh cameras were really crappy, build wise.

      • http://twitter.com/#!/57thStIncident 57thStIncident

        M42 Screwmount is one of the few mounts that actually adapts very well to K-mount, because Pentax designed K-mount to allow it — register distance is identical, and the K-mount diameter is just large enough to fit a simple adapter inside it. So no reason to ‘drop’ K-mount. The thing about M42 mount however is that very little can be adapted TO it, because its diameter is quite small (bayonet ‘teeth’ generally won’t fit) and register distance deep.

  • bob

    aps-h sensor size?

    That would result in 52 mm in 35 equivalent for the prime lens.

    • WoutK89

      APS-H = 1.3x crop.
      35 x 1.3 = 45.5mm

      • geecen

        What bob is saying is that 40mm (the length of the announced lens) x 1.3 = 52mm equivalent in 35mm format.

  • Joe

    “The camera is designed by a famous designer”

    Uh-oh.

    • preston

      I’m guessing you think it will be all about looks at the expense of functionality and ergonomics? (this is serious question – I’m actually curious, not trying to be a dick)

      I would like to see what a camera design by Zaha Hadid or Frank Gehry. A real “hey everybody, look at me!” camera :)

      • pavel

        Nikons are designed by “famous designer”. As well as many other point-and-shoot were in the past decades.
        These designers are don’t work at look only; they work with function of the device.
        Porsche is one of the well-known industrial designer studio and IMO, they do usually a very good job. Including camera business

    • JG10

      Thought the exact same thing Joe. LOL!

    • Vlad

      Well, an actual industrial designer designs much more than the looks of a camera, but most people for some reason believe otherwise.

      • Stu McConaghy

        Exactly. Colani’s camera designs for Canon (T-90/EOS) were always very nice.

  • sunny16

    I would doubt very much that this DA40/2.8 ‘XS’ lens will work only on this supposed body. In all likelihood, it will be the same as the existing DA 40/2.8, just with a different finish.

    • http://twitter.com/#!/57thStIncident 57thStIncident

      Could be that these lenses can take advantage of generous register distance and intrude inside the empty mirror box. Another possibility might be a new autofocus design.

  • BP2012

    We want K-1 not K-01.
    Big heavy fullframe DSLR with ridicoulously high frames/s.

  • bidou

    “The camera is designed by a famous designer”

    Please please please, just hope they didn’t hire Karim Rashid.

    • .scorp

      the designer seems to be Marc Newson

  • J

    The DA 40 2,8 is an exceptional lens. It’s almost as good as a lens gets. I use it on my k-5 and it’s a very nice combo. It’s über sharp corner to corner at f2,8, maximum sharpness is reached at f4. The “small” aperture is big enough with the iso performance and SR in a camera with the k-5 sensor and SR. The AF is super fast too.

    And BTW I’ve read that FL’s up to 60mm (I think) is counted as a normal FL. I like the FL, if you don’t get another lens.

    Why bitch about what kit lens it will be shipped with? Go complain about the 16mm prime that comes with the NEX. That FL is suprisingly stupid for a kit lens IMO.

    The da 40 will kick ANY kit lens that’s ever been made in IQ and size.

  • Carl

    *fingers crossed*

    Hope the new 40 will work on my current K7, especially if it turns out to be (weather resistant!)
    If would be a immediate replacement for my current Kx backup body.
    BTW Pretty certain there will be a kit zoom of some sort aswell just in another bundle. They will probably re-hash the Kx/Kr coloured 18-55 zooms but may make a super compact model that ONLY fits in the K-01 (protruding rear lens elements-super compact 16-45 would be VERY cool).
    To me this makes more sense especially for the video users and exisiting Pentax owners as they wouldn’t likely put a kit zoom with their larger camera but with a Prime they would.

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