Pentax K-S1

Pentax K-S1 is Pentax's Advanced DSLR camera initially introduced on August of 2014. It uses a 20 MegaPixel, CMOS APS-C size sensor with a full resolution of 5472 x 3648.

Pentax released the updated Pentax K-S2 (Read Full Comparison) in an effort to replace this camera.

The K-S1 comes in at #40 out of 92 in Advanced DSLR cameras & overall #226 out of 1465 for digital cameras in our database. Please look at our Smart camera search to see camera rankings based on your personal criteria.

Here is a diagram of specific factors used in the rating system.

The Pentax K-S1 has a history of related digital cameras. Underneath, you can find all earlier and most recent models along with important specs.

You can look at the K-S1 from different angles in the gallery here.

Here is a shortlist of advantages and drawbacks of the Pentax K-S1 based on features which are often regarded as useful in a camera.

The Pentax K-S1 is powered by the Prime MII processor. The sensor dimension in the Pentax K-S1 is 23.5mm x 15.6mm (APS-C). The 367 mm² sensor is able to capture 5472 x 3648 pixels using aspect ratios of 3:2. The camera features Image Stabilization (Sensor based). In body stabilization is more desirable than digital stabilization as the latter can produce cropping.

Photography Glossary

The CMOS sensor has 20MP and supports a native ISO range of 100 - 51200. RAW files are supported so you have more margin for error.

Pentax made the decision to omit the anti-alias filter on the Pentax K-S1. This can result in more clear photos but may create moire in some conditions.

The image underneath shows the K-S1's sensor size in comparison to other common sizes. The K-S1 sensor has a crop factor of 1.5 and is highlighted in green.

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

Pentax K-S1 weighs about 1.23 pounds (558 grams or 19.68 oz) & has exterior measurements of 121mm x 93mm x 70mm (4.8" x 3.7" x 2.8"). The weight of average Advanced DSLR camera is 776 grams so the Pentax K-S1 is less heavy as compared to various competitors.

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Here is a image of the Pentax K-S1 alongside a soda so you can get a feel for its size.

The top view just below will highlight the button design on the K-S1.

The K-S1 uses the Pentax KAF2 mount and has 17 lenses available for sale. Here is a small number of the lenses we have in our database that will work with the K-S1.

ModelVisualizeFocal LengthApertureStabilizedWeight

Venus Laowa 105mm F2 Smooth Trans Focus105mmf/2745g

Samsung D-Xenon 50-200 F4-5.6 ED50-200mmf/4.0-5.6 255g

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Venus Laowa 25mm F2.8 2.5-5X Ultra Macro25mmf/2.8400g

Samsung D-Xenon 18-250mm F3.5-6.318-250mmf/3.5-6.3 455g

Samsung D-Xenon 12-24mm F4 ED12-24mmf/4.0 430g

Venus Laowa 100mm F2.8 2X Ultra Macro APO100mmf/2.8638g

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HD Pentax DA 55-300mm F4.0-5.8 ED WR55-300mmf/4.0-5.8 466g

The K-S1 has the following connectivity:

• USB Yes
• Wireless Yes
• HDMI Yes
• GPS Yes

Digital cameras that include NFC and Bluetooth connectivity are able to be used wirelessly with smartphones. You can easily copy pictures and oftentimes change settings with no need to connect straight with the camera.

Some apps also stream a Liveview and release the shutter in case you are not close to the camera. If the camera includes a HDMI port, it can easily be attached to an external screen. Virtually all cameras enable you to charge the battery pack using the USB socket.

The highest possible video resolution in the Pentax K-S1 is 1920 x 1080 and you can record in H.264 format. 1080p resolution provides a good balance between quality versus file size but 1080p will not give you any room to downsample. The body does not offer a microphone and headphone jack so you have got absolutely no control over the audio. It is probably best to find an alternative model in case you require good audio for your video clips.

Pentax K-S1 does not have environment proofing so rainy conditions may affect the camera.

The Pentax K-S1 houses a 3" fixed screen having a resolution of 921k dots.

Please be aware that the screen has no touch support.

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The View Finder specs for Pentax K-S1 are the following:

• ViewFinder Optical (pentaprism)
• Coverage 100 percent
• Magnification 0.64x

For sunny outdoor situations that make the camera displays washed out and difficult to see, viewfinders will be quite valuable.

Pentax K-S1 is able to shoot continuously at 5.4 frames per second. The highest shutter speed is 1/6000 sec.

Pentax K-S1 features both in-built flash together with external flash support.

Pentax K-S1 features both Phase Detect AF as well as Contrast Detect AF. Phase Detection autofocusing is a lot more quicker and precise as compared to Contrast Detect autofocusing. The camera boasts Face detect which makes it helpful for taking photos of people.

The Sensor boasts 11 focus points to pick from. It also boasts Tracking AF for subjects on the move. Pentax K-S1 comes with manual focus when required during low light conditions or you need more precise focus control.

The battery life (D-LI109) in the Pentax K-S1 is designed to last for 410 photographs based on the CIPA specifications making it less in comparison with it's competition. The average Advanced DSLR camera battery life is 909. Nikon D780 comes with the best (2260) battery life within this class of cameras.

Here is a list of Advanced DSLR cameras with the best battery life:

ModelVisualizeBattery LifeRAWNFCBluetooth

Nikon D780
K-S1 vs D7802260 yesnoyes

Nikon D850
K-S1 vs D8501840 yesyesyes

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Nikon Df
K-S1 vs Df1400 yesnono

Canon 90D
K-S1 vs 90D1300 yesnoyes

Nikon D500
K-S1 vs D5001240 yesyesyes

The following bar chart presents a rundown of the Pentax K-S1 for varying forms of photography. To understand more, go to the specific paragraph underneath.

The Pentax K-S1 has a points total of 77 which is very high, meaning that it is a wonderful choice to use for portraits. Taking portrait images favors heavily to sensor specs, support for RAW files & flexibility to utilize off-camera flash.

Getting a very good rating of 73, the Pentax K-S1 is a respectable option to buy for street photography. A good street photography camera gives a good balance of picture quality plus portability.

A above average sports photography rating of 69 suggests the Pentax K-S1 is a respectable fit for taking photos of sports. A camera must have fantastic tracking and shutter speeds for sports photography.

Portability is super crucial in selecting a camera for travel. All round, the Pentax K-S1 gets a moderate 60 for a travel camera which makes it somewhat suited for your vacations.

For anybody who is planning to purchase a digital camera for landscape pictures, the most important factor will be image quality. The Pentax K-S1 with it's nice score of 73 for a landscape camera is a good pick within the current marketplace.

A vlogging camera should have a moving screen, microphone port and preferably image stabilization. Taking all things into account, the Pentax K-S1 is just not appropriate for vlogging as it receives a low rating of 33.

If you need alternatives to the K-S1, here is a number of the top rated cameras which fall into the family of Advanced DSLR.

The diagram followed below shows you a summary of the K-S1 compared to it's top ranked rivals suggested above.

There are more cameras you might look into as alternative options. To go through a full comparison, go to the "compare" link.