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Pentax K-30

 
Pentax K-30 front
 
  • 16MP - APS-C Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 100 - 12800 (Push to 25600)
  • Sensor based Image Stabilization
  • 1/6000s Maximum Shutter
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • Pentax KAF2 Mount
  • 650g - 130 x 97 x 71mm
  • Introduced October 2012
  • Later Model is Pentax K-50
  • Read full specs
  • Alternatives
  • Lenses
  • Size Comparison
  • FAQ
Portability
63
Imaging
57
Features
66
Overall
60

Pentax K-30 summary

Pentax K-30 is Pentax's Advanced DSLR digital camera first launched on October of 2012. It has got a 16 MegaPixel, CMOS APS-C size sensor with a max resolution of 4928 x 3264.

Pentax brought out the updated Pentax K-50 (Read Full Comparison) in an effort to update this model.

The K-30 is positioned #46 out of 92 in Advanced DSLR cameras & over all #313 out of 1465 for digital cameras in our database. You should check our Advanced camera filter to find camera results based on your personal requirements.

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The following is a diagram of various factors used in the rating system.

Pentax K-30 history

The Pentax K-30 has a history of related digital cameras. Listed below, you can find all earlier and most recent models as well as main features.

ModelVisualizeResolutionSensor SizeMax fpsReleased
Pentax-K-3-Mark-III front thumbnailPentax K-3 III
K-30 vs K-3 III
26MPAPS-C12.0 fps2021
Pentax-KP front thumbnailPentax KP
K-30 vs KP
24MPAPS-C7.0 fps2017
Apple Innovates by Creating Next-Level Optical Stabilization for iPhone
Pentax-K-3-II front thumbnailPentax K-3 II
K-30 vs K-3 II
24MPAPS-C8.3 fps2015
Pentax-K-S1 front thumbnailPentax K-S1
K-30 vs K-S1
20MPAPS-C5.4 fps2014
Pentax-K-3 front thumbnailPentax K-3
K-30 vs K-3
24MPAPS-C8.0 fps2014
Pentax-K-50 front thumbnailPentax K-50
K-30 vs K-50
16MPAPS-C6.0 fps2013
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Pentax-K-5-IIs front thumbnailPentax K-5 IIs
K-30 vs K-5 IIs
16MPAPS-C7.0 fps2013
Pentax-K-5-II front thumbnailPentax K-5 II
K-30 vs K-5 II
16MPAPS-C7.0 fps2013
Pentax-K-30 front thumbnailPentax K-3016MPAPS-C6.0 fps2012
Pentax-K-5 front thumbnailPentax K-5
K-30 vs K-5
16MPAPS-C7.0 fps2010
Pentax-K-7 front thumbnailPentax K-7
K-30 vs K-7
15MPAPS-C5.0 fps2009
Japan-exclusive Leica Leitz Phone 3 features big sensor and new modes
Pentax-K20D front thumbnailPentax K20D
K-30 vs K20D
15MPAPS-C3.0 fps2008
Pentax-K10D front thumbnailPentax K10D
K-30 vs K10D
10MPAPS-C3.0 fps2006

Pentax K-30 Pros and Cons

Here is a shortlist of upsides and downsides of the Pentax K-30 based on features which are often considered useful in a digital camera.

change lenses (Pentax KAF2 mount)
decent sensor resolution (16 megapixels)
decent sized screen (3")
flash built-in
good minimum ISO (100)
great video quality (1920 x 1080 pixels)
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
has phase detect auto focus
high shutter speed (1/6,000 seconds)
manual focus
nice clear screen (921 thousand dot)
offers face detection focus
offers tracking autofocus
sensor size is nice (APS-C)
supports RAW files
weather sealing
does not have selfie friendly screen
lack of external microphone jack
lack of HDMI support
lack of headphone jack
low battery pack (410 CIPA)
max fps low (6.0 frames per second)
screen does not articulate
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Pentax K-30 Sensor specs

The Pentax K-30 is run by the Prime M processor chip. The sensor size in the Pentax K-30 is 23.7mm x 15.7mm (APS-C). The 372 mm² sensor is able to capture 4928 x 3264 pixels with aspect ratios of 3:2. The camera features Image Stabilization (Sensor based). In body stabilization is better than digital stabilization as the latter can produce cropping.

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The CMOS sensor has 16 megapixels and provides a standard ISO range of 100 - 12800. The ISO can be expanded electronically to a maximum of 25600. RAW format is supported which means that the user has more margin for error.

The image underneath illustrates the K-30's sensor size in comparison to other popular sizes. The K-30 sensor has a crop factor of 1.5 and is showcased in green.

Pentax K-30 sensor size Meta to Introduce 'AI-Generated' Labels for Media starting next month

To get a sense of different aspect ratios, you can refer to the graphic below.

Camera sensor aspect ratios

Pentax K-30 dimensions

Pentax K-30 weighs in at 1.43 lbs (650 grams / 22.93 ounces) & has outside measurements of 130mm x 97mm x 71mm (5.1" x 3.8" x 2.8"). The weight of typical Advanced DSLR camera is 776 grams so the Pentax K-30 is less heavy compared to its rivals.

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Down below is a image of the Pentax K-30 next to a soda so you can get a sense of its size.

Pentax K-30 dimensions scale

The top view just below will highlight the button arrangement on the K-30.

Pentax K-30 topview buttons dials

Pentax K-30 Lens details

The K-30 fits the Pentax KAF2 mount and has 17 lenses to select from. Here is a few of the lenses we have in our collection that will work with the K-30.

ModelVisualizeFocal LengthApertureStabilizedWeight
Venus-Laowa-100mm-F2.8-2X-Ultra-Macro-APO-Pentax-KAF2 lensVenus Laowa 100mm F2.8 2X Ultra Macro APO100mmf/2.8638g
Samsung-D-Xenon-16-45mm-F4 lensSamsung D-Xenon 16-45mm F416-45mmf/4.0 365g
Photography Glossary
Venus-Laowa-105mm-F2-Smooth-Trans-Focus-Pentax-KAF2 lensVenus Laowa 105mm F2 Smooth Trans Focus105mmf/2745g
Samsung-D-Xenon-100mm-F2.8-macro lensSamsung D-Xenon 100mm F2.8 macro100mmf/2.8 345g
Pentax-smc-DA-50-135mm-F2.8-ED-IF-SDM lensPentax smc DA 50-135mm F2.8 ED IF SDM50-135mmf/2.8 685g
Samsung-D-Xenon-10-17mm-F3.5-4.5-Fisheye lensSamsung D-Xenon 10-17mm F3.5-4.5 Fisheye10-17mmf/3.5-4.5 320g
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HD-Pentax-DA-55-300mm-F4.0-5.8-ED-WR lensHD Pentax DA 55-300mm F4.0-5.8 ED WR55-300mmf/4.0-5.8 466g
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Pentax K-30 Connectivity

The K-30 has the following connectivity:

  • USB Yes
  • GPS Yes

Digital cameras that come with NFC and / or Bluetooth compatibility can be used wirelessly via smartphones. You will be able to copy images and in some cases adjust camera settings without the hassle of connecting directly with the camera.

Several apps also enable a Liveview and hit the shutter in case you are not near the camera. If the camera features a HDMI port, it can be attached to an external screen. A lot of cameras enable you to recharge the battery pack using the USB port.

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Pentax K-30 Video details

The max video resolution in the Pentax K-30 is 1920 x 1080 and you can save in MPEG-4 and H.264 file format. 1080p resolution gives you an excellent balance in video quality vs file size but 1080p isn't going to leave you with any room to downsample. The body does not have a microphone and / or headphone socket which means you have zero control over the audio. It is perhaps a better idea to order a different model in case you need decent audio for your videos.

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Pentax K-30 Weather Sealing

Pentax K-30 has weather proofing making it a very good option for use in rough conditions. This is particularly helpful in case you are not sure about the elements you might encounter in outdoor photography.

Pentax K-30 Screen and Viewfinder

The Pentax K-30 has got a 3 inch fixed display screen with a resolution of 921 thousand dots.

Sadly the display screen isn't a touch screen.

Pentax K-30 screen and viewfinder Pentax 17 Pre-Orders Outperform Expectations by a Landslide

The View Finder details for Pentax K-30 are as follows:

  • ViewFinder Optical (pentaprism)
  • ViewFinder Coverage 100%
  • ViewFinder Magnification 0.61x

Viewfinders can be rather beneficial in sunny outdoor situations which can make the camera screen washed out and hard to see.

Pentax K-30 Shutter details

Pentax K-30 continuous shooting rate is 6.0 frames per second. The max shutter speed is 1/6000 seconds.

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Pentax K-30 Flash and Hot shoe details

Pentax K-30 features both built in flash along with external flash support. The highest flash sync is 1/180 seconds.

Pentax K-30 Autofocusing details

Pentax K-30 features both Phase Detect Auto Focus as well as Contrast Detect Auto Focus. Phase Detection focusing is a lot more faster & accurate compared to Contrast Detect focusing. The camera has got Face detection which is helpful for portrait photography.

The AF system has got 11 focus points to choose from. It also has Tracking Auto Focus for moving things. Pentax K-30 has the ability to use manual focus when needed in low light conditions or you want to have more precise control on focus.

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Pentax K-30 Battery life

The battery pack (D-LI109,4 x AA) for the Pentax K-30 is made to last for 410 images based on the CIPA requirements making it lower as compared to it's rivals. The usual Advanced DSLR camera battery life is 909. Nikon D780 has the maximum (2260) battery life in this category of cameras.

Listed below is a collection of Advanced DSLR cameras with the strongest battery life:

ModelVisualizeBattery LifeRAWNFCBluetooth
Nikon-D850 front thumbnailNikon D850
K-30 vs D850
1840 yesyesyes
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Nikon-Df front thumbnailNikon Df
K-30 vs Df
1400 yesnono
Canon-EOS-90D front thumbnailCanon 90D
K-30 vs 90D
1300 yesnoyes
Nikon-D500 front thumbnailNikon D500
K-30 vs D500
1240 yesyesyes

Pentax K-30 for various styles of photography

The following chart gives a outline of the Pentax K-30 for various styles of photography. To find out more, go to the specific paragraph underneath.

Pentax K-30 as a Portrait photography camera

The Pentax K-30 receives a points total of 74 which is very good, and means the camera is a very decent option to use for portraits. Shooting portraits leans greatly towards sensor dimensions, RAW support and option to utilize external lighting.

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has manual focus
megapixel count good (16 megapixels)
sensor size is decent (APS-C)
provides face detect focus
delivers RAW files

Pentax K-30 Street photography highlights

Coming in at a nice points total of 68, the Pentax K-30 is a respectable fit to use in street photography. A good street photography camera features a good balance of image quality and portability.

Photography Glossary
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
decent sensor size (APS-C)
exports RAW files
environment proof
no moving screen

Sports photography with Pentax K-30

A very good sports photography score of 67 indicates the Pentax K-30 is a good pick for shooting sports. A camera needs great tracking and fast continuous shooting for sports photography.

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great max shutter speed (1/6,000s)
image stabilization (Sensor based)
MP count decent (16 megapixels)
sensor size is good (APS-C)
offers tracking focus
weather proofing
supports phase detect autofocus
slow frames per second (6.0 fps)
bad battery power (410 per charge)

Pentax K-30 Travel photography information

Size is super important when buying a travel camera. All round, the Pentax K-30 gets a modest 60 as a travel camera which is reasonably suitable to take on your journeys.

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weather sealing
resolution is good (16 megapixels)
built-in flash
terrible battery pack (410 shots)
does not feature selfie friendly display

Pentax K-30 Landscape photography advice

For anyone planning to choose a digital camera for landscape pictures, the biggest factor is going to be image quality. The Pentax K-30 with it's very good score of 73 for a landscape camera is a good pick among it's rivals.

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manual focus
change lenses (Pentax KAF2 mount)
screen size is good (3 inch)
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
MP count decent (16 megapixels)
sensor size is good (APS-C)
exports RAW formats
weather proofing
low battery power (410 CIPA)

Pentax K-30 Vlogging advice

A camera for vlogging ought to have a articulating display screen, mic port and ideally image stabilization. Taking everything into account, the Pentax K-30 is just not suitable for vlogging as it receives a dreadful score of 30.

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built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
supports face detect focus
high quality video (1920 x 1080 pixels)
doesn't have selfie friendly display
does not have mic port

Pentax K-30 Alternatives

If you are searching for alternatives to the K-30, here is a list of the highest rated cameras which fall into the class of Advanced DSLR.

The line chart here provides you an overview of the K-30 compared to it's highest rated competitors listed earlier.

There are more cameras you might take a look at as alternate options. To go through a extensive comparison, simply click on the "compare" link.

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Specifications

General Information
Manufacturer
Pentax
Model
Pentax K-30
Type
Advanced DSLR
Introduced
2012-10-29
Body design
Mid-size SLR
Sensor Information
Sensor type
CMOS
Chip
Prime M
Sensor size
APS-C
Sensor measurements
23.7 x 15.7mm
Sensor area
372.1mm²
Sensor resolution
16 megapixel
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio
3:2
Highest Possible resolution
4928 x 3264
RAW files
Maximum native ISO
12800
Maximum enhanced ISO
25600
Minimum native ISO
100
Autofocusing
Manual focus
Autofocus touch
Continuous autofocus
Autofocus single
Tracking autofocus
Selective autofocus
Autofocus center weighted
Autofocus multi area
Autofocus live view
Face detection autofocus
Contract detection autofocus
Phase detection autofocus
Number of focus points
11
Cross focus points
9
Lens
Lens mounting type
Pentax KAF2
Amount of lenses
151
Crop factor
1.5
Screen
Range of screen
Fixed Type
Screen diagonal
3"
Screen resolution
921 thousand dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch operation
Screen tech
TFT LCD monitor with brightness/color adjustment and AR coating
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type
Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder coverage
100%
Viewfinder magnification
0.61x
DXO scores
DXO Overall score
79
DXO Color Depth score
23.7
DXO Dynamic range score
13.0
DXO Low light score
1129
Features
Min shutter speed
30 secs
Max shutter speed
1/6000 secs
Continuous shutter speed
6.0 frames per second
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Expose Manually
Exposure compensation
Yes
Change white balance
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash range
12.00 m (at ISO 100)
Flash modes
Auto, On, Off, Red-eye,Slow Sync, Slow Sync+ Redeye, Trailing Curtain Sync, Wireless
Hot shoe
AEB
WB bracketing
Max flash sync
1/180 secs
Exposure
Multisegment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF area
Center weighted
Video features
Supported video resolutions
1920 x 1080 (30,25,24 fps), 1280 x 720 (60,50,30,25,24 fps), 640 x 424 (30,25,24 fps)
Maximum video resolution
1920x1080
Video format
MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone input
Headphone input
Connectivity
Wireless
None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB
USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS
Optional
Physical
Environment seal
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight
650 gr (1.43 pounds)
Dimensions
130 x 97 x 71mm (5.1" x 3.8" x 2.8")
Other
Battery life
410 photographs
Style of battery
Battery Pack
Battery model
D-LI109,4 x AA
Self timer
Yes ( 2 or 12 seconds)
Time lapse shooting
Storage media
SD/SDHC/SDXC
Storage slots
1
Launch price
$525