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Pentax K-01

 
Pentax K-01 front
 
  • 16MP - APS-C Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Display
  • ISO 100 - 12800 (Raise to 25600)
  • Sensor based Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • Pentax KAF2 Mount
  • 561g - 122 x 79 x 58mm
  • Introduced May 2012
  • Read full specs
  • Alternatives
  • Lenses
  • Size Comparison
  • FAQ
Portability
76
Imaging
57
Features
68
Overall
61

Pentax K-01 overview

Pentax K-01 is Pentax's Entry-Level Mirrorless camera first launched on May of 2012. It has got a 16 MegaPixel, CMOS APS-C size sensor with a peak resolution of 4928 x 3264.

The K-01 comes in at #58 out of 117 in Entry-Level Mirrorless cameras and all around #305 out of 1465 for cameras in our list. You can check our Advanced camera finder to get camera results based on your personalized factors.

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Here is a graph of multiple criteria used in the scoring system.

Pentax K-01 Pros and Cons

Here is a selection of good and bad points of the Pentax K-01 based on things which are generally seen as crucial in a camera.

comes with HDMI port
comes with microphone port
decent sensor size (APS-C)
exports RAW files
focusing manually
good megapixels (16MP)
great battery power (540 shots)
great video quality (1920 x 1080 pxls)
has built in flash
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
interchangeable lenses (Pentax KAF2 mount)
offers face detect focus
screen size is good (3")
very good min ISO (100)
very good screen resolution (921 thousand dot)
display isn't selfie friendly
doesn't have phase detect auto focus
lack of headphone port
more heavy than competition (561g)
screen does not articulate
slow frames per second (6.0 fps)
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Pentax K-01 Sensor information

The specification of the sensor on the Pentax K-01 is 23.7mm x 15.7mm (APS-C). The 372 mm² sensor is able to resolve 4928 x 3264 pixels using aspect ratios of 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9. The camera boasts Image Stabilization (Sensor based). In body stabilization is better than digital stabilization since the latter can easily cause cropping.

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The CMOS sensor boasts 16MP and provides a native ISO range of 100 to 12800. The ISO can also be expanded electronically to a maximum of 25600. RAW files are saved therefore the user has more margin for error.

The graphic underneath illustrates the K-01's sensor size when compared to other common sizes. The K-01 sensor comes with a crop factor of 1.5 and is pointed out in green.

Pentax K-01 sensor size OM System OM-1 Set to Enhance Autofocus

To get a sense of specific aspect ratios, you should refer to the visual below.

Camera sensor aspect ratios

Pentax K-01 dimensions

Pentax K-01 weighs around 1.24 lb (561g / 19.79 oz) and the physical size of the camera is 122mm x 79mm x 58mm (4.8" x 3.1" x 2.3"). The weight of general Entry-Level Mirrorless camera is 329g and the Pentax K-01 is more heavy as compared with its competitors.

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Here is a picture of the Pentax K-01 beside a soda so you can have a sense of its size.

Pentax K-01 dimensions scale

The top view just below will illustrate the button layout on the K-01.

Pentax K-01 topview buttons dials

Pentax K-01 Lens information

The K-01 works with the Pentax KAF2 mount and has 17 lenses available in the market. Here is a few of the lenses we have in our collection that will fit the K-01.

ModelVisualizeFocal LengthApertureStabilizedWeight
Pentax-smc-DA-60-250mm-F4.0-ED-IF-SDM lensPentax smc DA 60-250mm F4.0 ED IF SDM60-250mmf/4.0 1040g
Venus-Laowa-100mm-F2.8-2X-Ultra-Macro-APO-Pentax-KAF2 lensVenus Laowa 100mm F2.8 2X Ultra Macro APO100mmf/2.8638g
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Samsung-D-Xenon-35mm-F2-AL lensSamsung D-Xenon 35mm F2 AL35mmf/2.0 195g
Samsung-D-Xenon-18-55mm-F3.5-5.6 lensSamsung D-Xenon 18-55mm F3.5-5.618-55mmf/3.5-5.6 225g
Samsung-D-Xenon-100mm-F2.8-macro lensSamsung D-Xenon 100mm F2.8 macro100mmf/2.8 345g
Samsung-D-Xenon-16-45mm-F4 lensSamsung D-Xenon 16-45mm F416-45mmf/4.0 365g
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Venus-Laowa-105mm-F2-Smooth-Trans-Focus-Pentax-KAF2 lensVenus Laowa 105mm F2 Smooth Trans Focus105mmf/2745g
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Pentax K-01 Connectivity

The K-01 has the following connectivity:

  • USB Yes
  • HDMI Yes

Cameras which include NFC and Bluetooth connectivity can be used wirelessly by smartphones. You can easily send pictures and usually adjust settings without connecting directly with the camera.

Some apps also allow a Liveview and press the shutter when you aren't near the camera. If the camera provides a HDMI out, it can be connected to an external screen. Many cameras enable you to recharge the battery with the USB socket.

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Pentax K-01 Video information

The highest video resolution on the Pentax K-01 is 1920 x 1080 and it can record in MPEG-4 and H.264 format. 1080p resolution gives you an excellent balance in quality versus file size but FULL HD isn't going to leave you with much room to downsample. Although the body features a microphone jack, it is lacking a headphone jack which means you won't have the ability to monitor your audio levels.

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Pentax K-01 Weather Sealing

There is no weather sealing for the Pentax K-01 so you have to be cautious in wet and dusty situations.

Pentax K-01 Display and Viewfinder

The Pentax K-01 has got a 3 inch fixed display having a resolution of 921 thousand dots.

Please be aware that the display screen offers no touch support.

Pentax K-01 screen and viewfinder Sony Japan Introduces 5G Transmitter for Alpha Cameras

The View Finder specs regarding Pentax K-01 are the following:

  • ViewFinder None

In those sunny outdoor situations that make the camera screens washed out and challenging to view, viewfinders can be very useful.

Pentax K-01 Shutter information

Pentax K-01 is able to shoot continuously at 6.0 fps. The maximum shutter speed is 1/4000 sec.

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Pentax K-01 Flash and Hot shoe information

Pentax K-01 boasts both built in flash plus external flash ability. The maximum flash sync is 1/180 sec.

Pentax K-01 Autofocus information

Pentax K-01 boasts only Contrast Detect Auto Focus and is missing Phase Detect Auto Focus. Phase Detection focusing is a lot faster & exact as compared with Contrast Detect focusing. The camera has got Face detect which is helpful for people photography.

The Sensor has got 81 focus points to choose from. Pentax K-01 can use manual focus in case it is required in low light scenarios or you want to have more exact focus control.

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Pentax K-01 Battery life

The battery power (D-LI90) for the Pentax K-01 is made to last for 540 pictures as per the CIPA standards which is higher than average ın comparison with its class. The typical Entry-Level Mirrorless camera battery life is 343. Fujifilm X-S20 has the highest (750) battery life in this category of cameras.

Listed below is a list of Entry-Level Mirrorless cameras having the highest battery life:

ModelVisualizeBattery LifeRAWNFCBluetooth
OM System OM-1 Set to Enhance Autofocus
Pentax-K-01 front thumbnailPentax K-01540 yesnono

Pentax K-01 for specific categories of photography

The following illustration gives a summation of the Pentax K-01 for specific categories of photography. To view more, check out the specific section underneath.

Pentax K-01 Portrait photography factors

The Pentax K-01 receives a score of 74 which is very good, and means the camera is a good pick to use for portrait photography. Shooting portrait images favors greatly towards sensor size, RAW support & flexibility to utilize external flash.

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has manual focus
MP count decent (16 megapixels)
sensor size is decent (APS-C)
offers face detection autofocus
supports RAW files

Pentax K-01 as a Street photography camera

With a very good points tally of 66, the Pentax K-01 is a respectable option for street photography. A very good street photography camera features a fine balance of picture quality and portability.

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has image stabilization (Sensor based)
sensor size is decent (APS-C)
delivers RAW formats
screen is fixed
more heavy than competitors (561g)

Pentax K-01 Sports photography highlights

A very good sports photography points total of 61 suggests the Pentax K-01 is a respectable fit for photographing sports. A camera needs excellent focusing and fast continuous shooting for sports photography.

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image stabilization (Sensor based)
good resolution (16MP)
nice sensor size (APS-C)
good battery power (540 shots)
max frames per second very slow (6.0 frames per second)
lacks phase detect autofocus

Pentax K-01 as a Travel photography camera

Portability is really important when selecting a travel camera. Over-all, the Pentax K-01 gets a nice 65 as a travelling camera which is a respectable fit to take on your trips.

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great battery (540 shots)
good megapixels (16MP)
built-in flash
more heavy than competition in class (561 grams)
display is not selfie friendly

Pentax K-01 Landscape photography features

For anybody who is looking to pick a camera for landscape photography, the most significant aspect is going to be image quality. The Pentax K-01 and it's superb rating of 80 as a landscape camera is a terrific option amongst its rivals.

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has manual focus
interchangeable lenses (Pentax KAF2 mount)
pretty good screen size (3 inches)
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
good MP (16MP)
sensor size is decent (APS-C)
delivers RAW formats
great battery life (540 CIPA)

Pentax K-01 as a Vlogging camera

A camera for vlogging really should offer a moving display, mic input and preferably image stabilization. Considering every thing, the Pentax K-01 is not really suitable as a vlog camera as it gets a terrible rating of 34.

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has image stabilization (Sensor based)
has face detect focusing
video res high (1920 x 1080 pxls)
comes with microphone socket
does not have a selfie friendly screen
more heavy than others (561g)

Pentax K-01 Alternatives

If you are searching for replacements to the K-01, below is a selection of the top rated cameras which fall in to the category of Entry-Level Mirrorless.

The diagram underneath gives you a bird's eye view of the K-01 compared to it's highest ranking competitors mentioned earlier.

These are some more cameras you might see as alternatives. To review a complete comparison, go to the "compare" link.

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Specifications

General Information
Brand
Pentax
Model
Pentax K-01
Class
Entry-Level Mirrorless
Introduced
2012-05-30
Body design
SLR-style mirrorless
Sensor Information
Sensor type
CMOS
Sensor size
APS-C
Sensor measurements
23.7 x 15.7mm
Sensor area
372.1mm²
Sensor resolution
16 megapixel
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio
1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Highest resolution
4928 x 3264
RAW photos
Highest native ISO
12800
Highest boosted ISO
25600
Min native ISO
100
Autofocusing
Manual focus
AF touch
Continuous AF
Single AF
AF tracking
Selective AF
Center weighted AF
AF multi area
AF live view
Face detect AF
Contract detect AF
Phase detect AF
Number of focus points
81
Lens
Lens mounting type
Pentax KAF2
Total lenses
151
Focal length multiplier
1.5
Screen
Range of display
Fixed Type
Display diagonal
3"
Display resolution
921 thousand dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch display
Display tech
TFT LCD monitor
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder
None
DXO scores
DXO All around score
79
DXO Color Depth score
23.7
DXO Dynamic range score
12.9
DXO Low light score
1135
Features
Lowest shutter speed
30 seconds
Highest shutter speed
1/4000 seconds
Continuous shooting speed
6.0fps
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual exposure
Exposure compensation
Yes
Change WB
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash range
12.00 m (at ISO 100)
Flash modes
Auto, On, Off, Red-eye, Slow-speed Sync, Trailing Curtain Sync
Hot shoe
Auto exposure bracketing
White balance bracketing
Highest flash sync
1/180 seconds
Exposure
Multisegment exposure
Average exposure
Spot exposure
Partial exposure
AF area exposure
Center weighted exposure
Video features
Video resolutions
1920 x 1080 (30, 25, 24 fps),1280 x 720 (60, 50, 30, 25, 24 fps), 640 x 480 (30, 25, 24 fps)
Highest video resolution
1920x1080
Video data format
MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone jack
Headphone jack
Connectivity
Wireless
None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB
USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS
None
Physical
Environmental seal
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight
561g (1.24 pounds)
Physical dimensions
122 x 79 x 58mm (4.8" x 3.1" x 2.3")
Other
Battery life
540 images
Battery form
Battery Pack
Battery model
D-LI90
Self timer
Yes (2 or 12 sec)
Time lapse feature
Type of storage
SD/SDHC/SDXC
Storage slots
One
Retail price
$899