Ricoh's introduction of the new APS-C format SLR "PENTAX K-3 Mark III" has become a hot topic. Doesn't it sound as good as the "mirrorless machine with cutting-edge specs"?
The basic function of a single-lens reflex camera, or rather the structure itself, is to reflect the light passing through the photographic lens with a mirror, project it on the screen, and then make an erect image with a prism and observe it with the naked eye for framing. During exposure, the mirror is flipped up, the shutter is opened, and the light is sent to the sensor. Even if there is, it cannot be wiped off. The set of sequences remains unchanged.
Still, other camera makers have little hope of developing a single-lens reflex camera as a new product.
Column Koichi Akagi's "Akagi Camera"
Part 3: Regarding the PENTAX SLR Declaration (Silver Salt Edition)
Column Koichi Akagi's "Akagi Camera"
The 4th: PENTAX SLR Declaration (Digital version)
At the beginning, I wrote that the advanced specs were not adopted, but the size of the viewfinder relative to the APS-C sensor or body size, the sharpness of the shutter, and the operating sound. The K-3 Mark III has a high-class feel that I hadn't felt before with PENTAX APS-C SLRs, but it resonated strongly with me as a tool. The specs are too much for me. Well, the appearance of the K-3 Mark III was meaningful even if it made me think that there was still more to do.
Since single-lens reflex cameras switched to autofocus, optical viewfinders have become all the better if they are bright. Models are scattered here and there, but this is especially noticeable in models below the middle class. In order to further reduce costs, a pentamirror type is adopted in which the pentaprism is replaced by a mirror.
However, even if the viewfinder's performance is degraded and its structure is simplified, the comfort of looking through the optical viewfinder with the naked eye is unique and cannot be obtained with EVF or live view. .
As a proof of that, it is good that the EVF has evolved, but when I praise this, I often write that "this EVF is comparable to the viewfinder of a single-lens reflex camera". This is probably because the appearance of the SLR viewfinder is one of the criteria for camera evaluation.
No matter how much EVF evolves, I feel that it is fundamentally incompatible with OVF. This is not a commentary on spec comparisons, such as delay display, but it is a physiological problem of sensing direct light with the naked eye.
Of course, Live View shooting is possible with the K-3 Mark III. Although it is not image plane phase difference AF, it is an impression that contrast AF operates at quite a speed. Depending on how you think about it, you can think of it as a hybrid camera that incorporates a mirrorless camera inside a single-lens reflex camera.
When I say, "OVF is better than EVF!" After all, not only the K-3 Mark III, but also a film SLR camera is still in use, so it's not easy to quit SLR.
In terms of Pentax, I still play with the flagship LX, admire the Jamira style of the MZ-S, attach the Super Takumar 35mm F3. Looking through the viewfinder, I pressed the shutter while thinking about Daido Moriyama, who created "Light and Shadow" while struggling with focusing.
Also, Pentax itself did not hesitate to develop a mirrorless camera. Before Ricoh, we had been developing an attractive little mirrorless camera called "PENTAX Q" (2011), and in 2012 we released the PENTAX K-01, which we will be discussing here.
News
Pentax announces K-01 mirrorless camera with K mount overseas
News
Pentax Announces K-mount Mirrorless Camera “K-01” in Japan
News
[CP+] Pentax Ricoh will jointly open a booth
~ Pentax "K-01" and Ricoh "A16 24-85mm" are prosperous
Yes. Sorry I made you wait. This time, in commemoration of the introduction of the K-3 Mark III (laughs), I would like to talk about the K-01, a mirrorless camera equipped with the same APS-C format sensor. This may be the opposite of Ricoh's recent product development, and I may get mad at you, but you can't make something that used to exist disappear, and I am an active user myself.
PENTAX K-01 is currently discontinued, and there is no talk of a successor at the moment, so it is probably unlikely. However, when I re-verify this, I feel that the concept of the K-3 Mark III can be seen more sharply, and I can imagine where Pentax is going in the future. is coming.
I remember that K-01 appeared suddenly. Pentax single-lens reflex cameras with the "K" name also existed in the era of the M42 mount, but I prefer the three cameras K2, KX, and KM that were attached when the bayonet K mount was adopted. leaves a deep impression. Digital SLRs with similar names like K-m and K-x also came out later. That's why I didn't think that the letter "K" would continue to be included even if it became mirrorless.
However, the following number "01" seems to have distanced itself from the single-lens reflex camera a little, and I felt that it was a strong determination and the beginning of a new series.
At first, styling by Marc Newson became a hot topic. The design was based on the concepts of "timelessness," "reliability," and "feel."
Since it is a mirrorless camera, there is no need to inflate the upper part of the body. This is a good accent, and the size of the "PENTAX" logo is well balanced, and I felt that even if it was a mirrorless camera, it would naturally fit in.
The inside of the mount looks like a tunnel. The shutter closes when the lens is removed.The biggest point of the K-01 is that it adopted the K mount (more precisely, the KAF2 mount). It used the same flange focal length as a regular PENTAX SLR camera.
Still, when I heard the news about the K-01, I found it hard to believe that the K-mount was adopted. rice field. "Why can conventional K-mount lenses be used as they are?" I had a strong suspicion that there was some kind of mount adapter-like mechanism behind the scenes. Until I saw the real thing, I didn't think the body was so thick (laughs).
The first thing I did when I picked up the PENTAX K-01 was to remove the lens and take a close look at the deep space inside the mount. I put my finger in it meaninglessly and confirmed the mirror box without a mirror like a mini car garage. And I was frankly moved by the development concept, which was like a self-reliant approach to making a mirrorless camera by removing the mirror from an SLR camera. At that time, I accidentally hit my knee.
I felt that the naming of K-01 is not an extension of the K series so far, but rather to protect the K mount even if it becomes mirrorless. To reiterate, the K-01 has the same flange focal length as PENTAX digital SLRs, so the body is thick enough to make the K-01 look a little fatter. Did you think about getting the famous Marc Newson to put together that fat feeling somehow?
I don't know why Ricoh stuck to the K mount, but changing the lens mount and rebuilding the system from scratch is expensive and risky, It may be that he wanted to express his intention that PENTAX is PENTAX.
smc PENTAX 50mm F1.4Introduced in 1976, it was the first K-mount 50mm F1.4. This lens is well made. The K-01 has an angle of view equivalent to 75mm. It is easy to enlarge the displayed image, but framing is difficult if the surroundings are bright. PENTAX K-01 smc PENTAX 50mm F1.4 (F2 1/2,000 sec) ISO 400 Shooting close to the shortest shooting distance and open aperture. The overall contrast doesn't rise, and the highlights are blurred, but the focal point is surprisingly sharp. PENTAX K-01 smc PENTAX 50mm F1.4 (F1.4, 1/1,000 sec) ISO 200The body exterior is made of engineering plastic, but the finish is quite good. However, when I look at the individual I have, the white body I got seems to have turned slightly yellow over time. Is it just my imagination?
The dials are made of aluminum and are elaborate, and the texture and operation feel are good. It's a part of commitment. The raised part is a pop-up strobe. Equipped with the familiar green button on Pentax machines, even when using an old-type lens and using it in manual mode, you can shoot with proper exposure.
Built-in strobe. It pops up in a pop-up style. I think the position above the optical axis is good. upper body. The positional relationship between the green button and the recording button is bimyo. You can also customize it, but it's not a very easy position to push. media slot. This is probably the part I hate the most about K-01. I flipped up the squishy rubber, opened the fairly sturdy cover, and inserted the SD card. Lenses operating with in-body AF, such as FA lenses, will make noise, and there will be oversearch movements that pass the in-focus position and return to the best point, but for general stationary subjects I don't think you'll have any trouble shooting the .What surprised me was that they developed an ultra-thin interchangeable lens "smc PENTAX-DA 40mmF2.8 XS" to match the K-01. Instead of this pancake, I tried to make the whole camera look thin, like a mirrorless camera, by preparing a thick lens like a “salt salad rice cracker”. It's a painful effort. I was very impressed with this when it was released.
The fact that the PENTAX K-01 has become a “mirrorless camera” is partly due to the newly developed ultra-thin smc PENTAX-DA 40mmF2.8 XS lens. Even though the K-01 has been discontinued, this lens has survived as a current product and can also be used with the latest PENTAX K-3 Mark III. evening. SR (in-body image stabilization) performance will be inferior to current cameras. But it's definitely practical. Expecting the light trails of the train, I could have predicted in advance that the shutter speed would be slow, so I pressed the shutter hand-held. It is common knowledge that the optical performance of a lens declines when it is pursued to be smaller and lighter, but this lens has excellent performance. PENTAX K-01 smc PENTAX-DA 40mmF2.8 XS (F7.1, 1/10 sec) Speaking of pancake type lenses with ISO 400K mount, smc PENTAX-M 40mm F2.8 (left) is representative. I compared the thickness of the lens with DA40mm XS. There are things that cannot be simply compared, such as the difference in the image circle, the fact that it is an MF lens, and the presence or absence of a distance index, but I can imagine that the engineers in optical design and mechanical design must have put in a lot of effort.Pentax AF single-lens reflex cameras that use the K mount, from entry-level models to flagship models, did not remove the built-in AF motor. All models have a coupler on the mount. K-01 is no exception.
Unlike other manufacturers, Ricoh didn't cut it short by saying, "For an entry-level model, remove the AF motor from the body." This is Ricoh's pride in maintaining the unchanging K mount, and I think it was useful in the development of the smc PENTAX-DA 40mm F2.8 XS. This is because I think it would be difficult to make a lens this thin with AF that uses an in-lens motor. Even if the latest motor had been adopted and the lens barrel had become thinner, the cost would surely have risen. It is good to have the spirit to apply the old technology and use it for the latest lens design.
By the way, this ultra-thin 40mm lens looks great on the K-3 Mark III. The filter diameter is only 27mm. This design concept is hentai, and it shows how important the design of the lens barrel is as a hobby item. Since it is 40mm, the angle of view of 35mm equivalent is a slightly longer standard lens equivalent to 60mm, but since the actual focal length is short, it can also be used as a standard angle of view lens with a deep depth of field.
The K-01's sensor is an APS-C size CMOS with approximately 16.28 million effective pixels. It seems to be based on the APS-C digital SLR "PENTAX K-5" at the time. The image processing engine is PRIME M. The setting sensitivity is ISO 100-12800. Custom up to ISO 25600 is also enough. Videos can also be recorded at 1,920 x 1,080/30fps.
The built-in microphone is stereo, and we are trying to show that it is an advantage for video shooting as a "mirrorless" camera, but basically it is considered to use a focal plane mechanical shutter for shooting. It seems to me that The maximum continuous shooting performance is about 6 frames per second. However, if you set the RAW setting or RAW + JPEG setting, the continuous shooting speed will decrease. However, the not-so-high specs, which are centered on "photography" photography, make me feel comfortable.
The operation dials and buttons around the camera are minimal or very simple. This is my personal favorite. This eliminates the need for an instruction manual and reduces the chances of getting lost in the settings.
smc PENTAX-FA 20mm F2.8 This lens is frequently used for both film and digital because I feel that it has outstanding performance even in the same class. This is one of my favorite FA series lenses, but the design of the barrel is not cool. Please reflect. PENTAX K-01 smc PENTAX-FA 20mm F2.8 (F8 1/1,000 sec) ISO 400smc PENTAX-FA SOFT 28mm F2.8 A soft focus lens with a focal length of 28mm, which is rare in the world. Depending on the aperture, the tone changes from soft to hard and soft. Personally, I'm not very good with soft lenses, so I don't have enough enthusiasm for the examples, but the K-01 suits me well (laughs) PENTAX K-01 smc PENTAX-FA SOFT 28mm F2.8 (F3.5・1/ 1,000 seconds) ISO 400smc PENTAX-F 100-300mm F4.5-5.6smc PENTAX-FA ☆80-200mmF2.8ED IF I also own it, but this time I didn't bring it with me because it was too heavy. Taken with this lens that was on sale. It looks like an old water bottle. A really bad lens. But if you can shoot like this, it will be practical. PENTAX K-01 smc PENTAX-F 100-300mm F4.5-5.6 (F5.6, 1/500 sec) ISO 400K-01 did not have a built-in or external viewfinder . The method is to use the 3-inch, approximately 920,000-dot fixed rear monitor to do everything from framing to checking the focus.
Naturally, the visibility of the LCD monitor becomes difficult especially when the surroundings are bright, such as during the daytime. In such a case, I give up and shoot on intuition. Considering the development concept of this machine, I think that the shooting itself may be somewhat rough.
It's great that it has SR (in-body image stabilization). The effect is about 3 steps and a little less expected, but the function is sufficient. Since the camera does not have a viewfinder, you cannot support the camera with your face, so I felt that image stabilization was a must.
Why the K-01 didn't end up being very popular. I think there is also a part of it that is "what a mirrorless machine" that it remains unchanged with the K mount. But most of all, I think it's because there was no dedicated viewfinder, whether built-in or external.
smc PENTAX-D FA MACRO 100mmF2.8 As I was walking down the street, a rose flower suddenly fell in front of me, so I took a quick shot. There is only a macro lens, and even the smallest details are reproduced. It's a name you can trust. The design is more sophisticated than the previous lens, but the current product does not have an aperture ring. PENTAX K-01 smc PENTAX-D FA MACRO 100mmF2.8 (F10 1/800 second) ISO 400 tool. If you take a closer look at even ordinary objects, you will find that they have attractive forms and designs. I am shooting with a 100mm medium-telephoto macro, but it would be easier to focus in the macro area if the AF area could be made a little smaller. PENTAX K-01 smc PENTAX-D FA MACRO 100mmF2.8 (F4, 1/1,000 sec) ISO 400 Basically, the state of emergency has been declared and people are told to stay at home, so I can shoot subjects in a limited space. I have to look for it. This is the bobbin that was stuck in the sewing machine. SR (in-body image stabilization) works. PENTAX K-01 smc PENTAX-D FA MACRO 100mmF2.8 (F3.2, 1/125 sec) ISO 1600With a compact digital camera like the Ricoh GR, snapshots are often taken When you are there, you can roughly understand the shooting range of the lens without relying on the viewfinder or LCD monitor, so you don't feel like you're looking through the viewfinder and framing exactly.
However, with an interchangeable lens type mirrorless camera, even if it is a simple one, the photographer may want to clearly know every corner of the unique world seen by the camera and lens. that comes out.
This is probably because the characteristics of field of view and depth of field change each time you change lenses or change the focal length of a zoom lens. At least for me, the biggest dissatisfaction with using the K-01 was the lack of a viewfinder.
HD PENTAX-DA 20-40mmF2.8-4ED Limited DC WR I can't remember the name of the lens, but it's a characteristic of PENTAX lenses to be particular about the barrel design of some lenses. Since there is no viewfinder, I tend to hold the camera closer to my chest than at eye level. PENTAX K-01 HD PENTAX-DA 20-40mm F2.8-4ED Limited DC WR (F10, 1/640 sec) ISO 400 Why is this an exaggerated camera when I come across a scene I want to shoot in the city? I sometimes hesitate to take pictures, but with the K-01, I take pictures honestly. Of course, the photographer may be honest. PENTAX K-01 HD PENTAX-DA 20-40mmF2.8-4ED Limited DC WR (F8, 1/1,000 sec) ISO 400 three-way intersection. I will also look at the monochrome gradation. The tone is the standard setting, but I tried to make the exposure a little harsher. The detail of the white wall came out well. This is my personal favorite depiction. However, since it felt smooth, I added a few particles. PENTAX K-01 HD PENTAX-DA 20-40mmF2.8-4ED Limited DC WR (F8, 1/2,000 sec) ISO 400K-3 Mark III showed a stance to review the performance of the optical viewfinder from scratch I don't want to think that it was because I had a complex with the K-01, but it is true that the attitude or approach to shooting is clearly different between the SLR and the K-01.
Then, if you were to accuse me of being a good mirrorless camera with a built-in viewfinder in the K-01, I would be at a loss for words. However, depending on the shooting conditions, there are times when you may want a viewfinder. I've been using the K-01 for about seven years, and I always end up coming to the conclusion that it's inevitable that it should have a viewfinder.
I believe that the resources created by developing the K-01 will be an asset for Ricoh, and we will learn from our failures. Even when using an excellent single-lens reflex camera such as the K-3 Mark III, there must be more than a few users who mainly shoot with live view for framing, so in many ways the K-01 should be a future product. We hope that it will be useful for development. The K-3 Mark III was born based on the idea that it is all about being an SLR, but I think it can also be useful as a mirrorless hybrid.
I myself get bored easily, but sometimes I can't stand a camera with only one shape. Rather than thinking about the superiority or inferiority of specs or the superiority or inferiority of single-lens reflex cameras and mirrorless cameras, when using a large aperture wide-angle lens or standard lens for the K-01, just like the existence of rangefinder cameras and single-lens reflex cameras Using high-precision contrast AF, and using a telephoto lens without a viewfinder would cause the holding balance to collapse, make framing difficult, and increase the risk of camera shake. I thought that it might be one of the means to let it go. This may sound far-fetched.
To be honest, I think it would be more fun to have cameras of various shapes and formats in this era. So I didn't dislike the direction of the K-01. I'm not saying that it should be revived as it is, but I think that K-01 can be used as fuel to do something new, and there are still other developments left.
The K-01 doesn't have an extremely high pixel count in today's general interpretation, but the reproducibility of details made me feel that I could fully understand the performance of the lens. It's famous. If you have an APS-C Pentax single-lens reflex camera, you should consider purchasing one. PENTAX K-01 HD PENTAX-DA 20-40mmF2.8-4ED Limited DC WR (F7.1, 1/320 sec) ISO 400 Under conditions with a slightly large contrast difference, the exposure when shooting is up to the camera. I thought again about the K-01 this time, but the exposure accuracy is quite high. The reproducibility of shadow details is also excellent. PENTAX K-01 HD PENTAX-DA 20-40mmF2.8-4ED Limited DC WR (F8, 1/1,000 sec) ISO 400 This rendering is also excellent. Each leaf is clearly defined, and the connection of gradations is truly wonderful. You can feel the excellent optical technology. PENTAX K-01 HD PENTAX-DA 20-40mmF2.8-4ED Limited DC WR (F8, 1/1,000 sec) ISO 400