Thread: First impressions of my new K-01

My K-01 arrived yesterday from Adorama. I was a bit apprehensive, as I don't like buying things without fondling them first and the reviews of the K-01 are not that positive.

Upon opening the box and handling the camera for the first time, I had the following reactions:

The body really is as big and heavy as my K110D.

I like the build quality and feel of the controls. Great improvement over the dslr.

Why die they decide to use that flap for a cover over the memory card? It seems like a flimsy, cheap solution.

Once the battery was charged and a memory card installed, I shot a few pictures around the house (nothing that I would care to share).

The K40 lens from the kit seems to perform well. But it looks like a toy. This is my first prime lens on a digital. I was reminded how much I like primes. It's just that the ones from my MX and ME Super only work wide open aperture with the new cameras.

The camera balances well in the left hand with my old Sigma 35 to 70 Zoom. The focus/zoom ring falls to hand.

The autofocus for the 40 is much faster and quieter than the 18 to 55 that I bought with dslr.

I love the focus peaking and probably won't rely on autofocus often.

I bought this camera as a backup for the dslr, I think that it might be the other way around.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts! Make sure you update the firmware on the K-01, if the camera doesn't already have the latest firmware. It supposedly improves the AF speed significantly.

Originally Posted by Armanius

Thanks for sharing your thoughts! Make sure you update the firmware on the K-01, if the camera doesn't already have the latest firmware. It supposedly improves the AF speed significantly.

It has firmware 1.0. So I believe that has to be done.

Originally Posted by wrangler

... This is my first prime lens on a digital. I was reminded how much I like primes. It's just that the ones from my MX and ME Super only work wide open aperture with the new cameras.

Have you gone into the settings in your K110 to tell it to allow use of the aperture ring on older lenses? Thats what I've done, first on my K200 and now on my K5. You can set manually with the ring and it works a treat. Its off by default. (that is, I am assuming the K110D had that possibility, cannot see why it wouldnt) Should be able to do it with the K-01 as well.

Originally Posted by wrangler

It has firmware 1.0. So I believe that has to be done.

Check out how much faster the AF is on 1.01. Here's a video by John Flores. John is a SC.com member.

Pentax K-01 Firmware 1.01 AF Test - YouTube

Originally Posted by kyteflyer

Have you gone into the settings in your K110 to tell it to allow use of the aperture ring on older lenses? Thats what I've done, first on my K200 and now on my K5. You can set manually with the ring and it works a treat. Its off by default. (that is, I am assuming the K110D had that possibility, cannot see why it wouldnt) Should be able to do it with the K-01 as well.

I have made that change in setting for both of my digital cameras. The issue is that the lenses for the older film cameras have no "A" aperture setting; therefore, the camera has no way of knowing where the aperture is set. There appears to be no mechanical linkage to stop down the lenses and they operate only at full aperture.

I have a couple of screw mount lenses; one is a Soligar 180 mm with a preset aperture. It works perfectly with the digital cameras. The other is a 70 to 150 Super Takumar Zoom. It has a lever which allows the aperture to stop down. That lens also works with the new cameras.

Originally Posted by wrangler

The issue is that the lenses for the older film cameras have no "A" aperture setting; therefore, the camera has no way of knowing where the aperture is set. There appears to be no mechanical linkage to stop down the lenses and they operate only at full aperture.

No there isn't a mechanical linkage to the camera, if there was, there would be no need to use the aperture ring on the lens. I have three manual lenses designed for film, one K, one nothing in particular and one Minolta Rokkor which I was using with an adapter. Setting A in the camera allows the use of the aperture ring on the lens. are you saying you can't do that? Even the old screwmount lenses should have that. On my camera its under C settings (as it was on the K200D, K-x and K-r) and in my case its setting 27--> Using Aperture ring ---> permitted. Then, you'll find you can manually shift the Aperture ring to the setting you want. Its not going to register in the camera, and wont show up in EXIF, but you can use it.

theres a full set of howto for each digital camera at PF

No matter how I set up any of the three digital Pentax cameras that I have owned the K-M lenses that I own will not stop down the aperture. This experience concurs with the exceptions to lens compatibility in the manuals. The screw mount lenses that I have make provisions to stop down manually. Those lenses work fine. I have read about breaking off the lever that is used to stop down the lens in the old film cameras. I don't understand how that works and am not willing to sacrifice any of my lenses to try it. I think that if you use these lenses on these cameras you are shooting at wide open aperture; the higher shutter speeds available on dig cameras compensate. But what do I know, my learning curve is still vertical.

Originally Posted by Armanius

Thanks for sharing your thoughts! Make sure you update the firmware on the K-01, if the camera doesn't already have the latest firmware. It supposedly improves the AF speed significantly.

I made the update to the firmware. It is a definite improvement.

Originally Posted by wrangler

... I have read about breaking off the lever that is used to stop down the lens in the old film cameras. I don't understand how that works and am not willing to sacrifice any of my lenses to try it....

Good. That is a terrible thing to do to a Pentax lens. One of the other members did it to get a lens working with his K-01.