Oh dear...Pentax K-01

[Dr. Harout]

How would someone use a mid tele lens on that camera while looking on the LCD (not speaking of long teles)...

[Greg Beetham]

One way would be to have a cable for transferring the image to the KO (worn on the hip) connected to a proper camera (DSLR) which was mounted on the lens, then the KO could become a useful backup storage device, I can’t think of any other useful purpose in life for it at the moment.
Greg

[bakubo]

For the price of new photo gear you can easily travel. It is a choice.

By the way, the 'you' I used was the generic 'you', not you personally Doc.

Provided you have a visa granted
You have no idea how discriminating is to apply for a visa to an "elite" country

That is really unfortunate, Doc. I did a quick search and it looks like you can visit 51 countries without a visa/visa on arrival:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_requi ... n_citizens

All of North America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and many others require a visa for Armenian citizens though. I would be very happy if you could visit the U.S. so I am disappointed that it is so difficult. I just checked and I would also need a visa to visit Armenia.

For comparison I see that U.S. citizens can visit 169 countries without a visa/visa on arrival:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_requi ... S_citizens

Generally, British citizens have 171 countries:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_requi ... h_citizens

And Australian citizens have 166 countries:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_requi ... n_citizens

BTW, what are the impressions on the K-01 in Japan?

Up until yesterday I had not even heard of the K-01 so I don't know what people think of it here. I first saw something about it on this forum. The last time I was at a camera shop was on 1/29 when I happened to see the NEX 7 and I didn't see the K-01 then. I can say that from what I have seen of the K-01 it holds no interest for me.

[[SiC]]

Sweden: 173 countries

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_requi ... h_citizens

Swedish citizens can travel to 173 countries visa-free / with visa on arrival, ranking 1st together with Denmark and Finland in travel freedom according to the Index

[bakubo]

Swedish citizens can travel to 173 countries visa-free / with visa on arrival, ranking 1st together with Denmark and Finland in travel freedom according to the Index

So, the next question is where are you going to go?

I see that even Swedes need a visa for India though.

[bakubo]

I saw the Pentax K-01 yesterday while in Ikebukuro. They had a black and white one and a black and yellow one. I have no interest in this camera, but it was interesting to see and hold one. Quite a different sort of design, that's for sure. Seems like you are holding a big toy camera since it seems almost like the sort that Fisher-Price or some other company would make for little kids. Of course, I don't mean it is poorly made or anything like that, I am just talking about the looks and the big controls. The yellow is very yellow. One of them had a small zoom lens and the other had what they are calling a biscuit lens, the 40mm f2.8. Other companies such as Olympus and Panasonic call their short, almost flat lenses pancake lenses here, but I guess Pentax wanted to be different. Of course, they are all written in katakana. The Pentax biscuit lens for the K-01 is very thin. I would say it protrudes only about 5mm from the front of the camera and the only thing there is the focusing ring.

I wonder if Pentax will sell these? Certainly not to me. I haven't seen any advertising yet so I don't know who they are targeting. The next time I am at a bookstore I will try to remember to check out some of the photo mags to see if there are any ads for it and what the ads look like.

The camera I suppose isn't submergible, but with the huge controls and the large grip it looks like a small underwater camera ala Nikonos. If it could be used underwater then the design wouldn't be strange at all.

[bfitzgerald]

They might sell a few novelty wise or to folks in Japan. I can't see it being a huge hit for one obvious reason, no viewfinder (or option of one) at all
And yes it looks "toy like" too.

It does look like an underwater camera, they are frequently vivid colours on the body I suppose so that you don't lose it diving etc!

[bakubo]

The Pentax K-01 is just a reworked Pentax DSLR. It is the fastest and easiest way to have a mirrorless camera. The DSLRs have CDAF with LV when the mirror is locked up. The Pentax K-01 is just a Pentax DSLR with the mirror, pentaprism, and OVF removed. It has the same flange distance and mount so can use existing lenses. It is thick (same as DSLR), but it has a new style that some might find attractive. No EVF though in this model. If they had an accessory EVF that could be added and focus peaking then maybe some people with Pentax lenses would be interested in it. I wonder how is the CDAF when using the Pentax PDAF lenses?

[bfitzgerald]

If it had a built in EVF or an add on one yes some might be interested. Even so as it is I think it's a waste of resources for Pentax. They're pretty short on DSLR models right now and that would have been a better place to invest some cash. They badly need at least a 3 model line up..they've really only had a 2 for some time.

[bakubo]

The Pentax K-01 is just a reworked Pentax DSLR. It is the fastest and easiest way to have a mirrorless camera. The DSLRs have CDAF with LV when the mirror is locked up. The Pentax K-01 is just a Pentax DSLR with the mirror, pentaprism, and OVF removed. It has the same flange distance and mount so can use existing lenses. It is thick (same as DSLR), but it has a new style that some might find attractive. No EVF though in this model. If they had an accessory EVF that could be added and focus peaking then maybe some people with Pentax lenses would be interested in it. I wonder how is the CDAF when using the Pentax PDAF lenses?

A write-up about what the author thinks are current good looking cameras. He includes the K-01:

http://theonlinephotographer.typepad.co ... meras.html

I have played with the K-01 a few times and it sort of grows on you if you don't care about it having no VF. It is bigger and heavier than other mirrorless cameras, but it fits well in the hand and the controls are all big and easy to use. It certainly has a distinctive look. The AF using the 40mm biscuit lens and the kit lens seemed pretty fast in the store -- similar to NEX, but not as fast as m4/3. Of course, I still have no interest in it at all.