PentaxK-01 Mirrorless Digital Camera, Yellow (Body only)

I Got this on Amazon used at around $200. It was sold as 'like new.' The option chosen was for 'body only.' I Have no pressing need for a pancake lens. I already have the K3 and the K5. I keep the K3 in 7 Million Dollar Home Crumpler bag with an FA 31 1.8 and a DA 60-250. The K5 finds its home in a 5 Million Dollar Home Crumpler along with a DA 18-270, an FA 50 1.4 and a DA 10-17. The 5 Million is a smallish bag and when matched with that grouping, the K01 allows me to mount either the FA 50 1.4, when needed, for really shallow DOF or the DA 10-17(most of the time) for really wide angle. For wide angle, live view is often more than adequate. The zoom stays on my K5 and I am the only one who is allowed to handle the K5. I may hand over the K01 if we need someone else to take a family picture. Its a real no brainer, and easy to use for most folks who for the most part, do not seem to understand viewfinders anymore.Whereas my instincts are honed to the Pentax layout of the K3 and K5, the layout of the K01 was easy to get familiar with, though it became obvious that I would use it more for its automated features. These were the features that I felt could score for me readily. For example, the green AUTO setting on the K01 wheel can be programmed as either JPEG or RAW or RAW+, but which on my K5 and K3 is not programmable and only limited to JPEG. The green AUTO button is thus more powerful in the K01. The K01 wheel scene setting also opens up these built in scenes setting choices which are easy to get to and convenient (night scene, moving object, blue sky, candle light etc...). The AV and TV are there too, and these will be used more in the K01 camera than the M setting where my instincts are better tuned to the K3 and K5 layout and in practice limit me to those cameras(when it comes to the M setting).With the Five Million Dollar Crumpler, I can walk around with a small bag, change the lenses of the K01 and keep the zoom on my K5. I do not change the lenses often, preferring the wide angle, but I am glad that if I need to, in the field, that I may opt to do so with the much cheaper K01. My GPS stays mounted on my K5.The fact that the batteries are the same for all 3 Pentax cameras is great. I only need to purchase 1 kind of battery and bring only one kind of charger at any time for all my cameras. Thank you PENTAX !!!I have no problems with the design. Yellow makes it look less serious(more friendly), even though it a very serious package. Yellow makes it easier to find, whether it is out of - or in the bag(where it stays in one place anyway.) The layout of the top buttons does not bother me just because of the way in which I use the camera.If need something more discreet. . .I’ll pull out my iPhone.If I use the 7 Million Dollar Home Crumpler, I can bring all three cameras. How many cameras are kept in the bag with the lens mounted will depend on the lens but at least one (the K3 - of course) is always mounted.The picture quality of the K01 has also been outstanding. I shoot RAW or RAW+. I have no problem with the bringing K01 solo, but I have not yet done so on trips. Around the neighborhood jaunts have been really enjoyable although something about me missed the K5 or K3.All in all The Pentax K01 is a versatile and serious addition to my kit.At around $200, it is a true STEAL, and a KEEPER at that.

Yes I like it, and not only because of its color. It is handy.I still keep my K20d and use K-01 as a second camera mostly. But when in the mood, I put a couple of DA Limited lenses in my pocket and go for a walk with K-01 only.I wear glasses, and using optical viewfinder always was a bit clumsy for me. Also, I live in cold climate, and viefinder becomes covered with a hoar wery soon. So I don't miss the thing, pure LV without mirror lag is perfectly OK for me.Image quality is great. While I am a bit sceptical about bells&whistles, I used in-camera HDR several times and it works well. Camera also has a rich media processing abilities, not only posh image filters but even a basic video editor (which I also used once).With new firmware focusing speed for Tamrons 18-200 and 70-300 improved and is compatible with Pentax DSLRs now.Autofocus, however, is not always accurate and may miss the target. This probably occurs when the background has more contrast. What is sad that it may happen even when contarst background object is out of AF frame. This happens not very often, but each miss is annoying.Also, the rate of continuous shooting is low, which limits wild life genre for ex.Back to advatages, focus peaking and zooming the focusing area are extremely useful. Manual focusing is really easy now. Frankly speaking, only with K-01 I was able to focus my FA77 at 1.8 at the desired point ALWAYS. With phase AF its only a caprice of SAFOX, but even with Katz-eye split screen in manual mode its difficult for me: I just cannot see enough details in optical VF. With zoomed focusing area it becomes an easy task.Resume: very good spare camera with a bit too slow continuous shooting. At this price -- no reasons to skip.

This is just a great little camera. I've been shooting for about 55 years, 45 of that mostly with Pentax gear, and the K-01 has been a very pleasant surprise. I thought I'd never get over the lack of an optical viewfinder (and I did have trouble with that at first), but it's just a different kind of shooting, and a heck of a lot of fun!In a way, it reminds me of an old Chevy Nova SS 396: kind of a cute, unassuming body, but a barn-burning engine under the hood. The K-01 is a very capable machine, and has produced some truly remarkable images for me. For some reason, my little yellow camera always seems to be handy, and is never too much trouble to fire up and catch the moment.I have different equipment for various photographic purposes (I still shoot a lot of film) and some of my shooting involves lots & lots of gear. But when I'm vacationing, strolling around some town, I can just carry the K-01 with my Tamron 18-250mm zoom. This camera is so good that when I get back to the motel room, I don't regret not lugging 50 pounds of bodies, lenses, and lighting gear. (And by the way, the Pentax 540 flash unit works great with this camera.)To sum up, this camera is capable enough that you can get really intense with it, but it invites you not to. Relax, don't worry, have fun, and still get some truly fine results.

I had an old non-working Pentax film camera with a couple of good lenses and saw that this could use my old lenses. It does use the lenses, but depending on what type of lens you have, the functions are extremely limited. I was hoping I could set the aperture and F-stop manually, but with the lenses I had, the camera assumes a preset aperture, and you can only adjust the speed by changing the ISO speed. I was going to keep it anyway, except one of the main uses I would have for the camera is outdoor shots at airshows on bright days. There is no viewfinder, so you have to look at the display to frame your picture, and bright sun just makes it too hard to see. It did take excellent pictures, especially in low light. If you have more modern lenses, or buy the new lenses with the camera, and can do without a viewfinder, this would be a great camera. I loved the color, and the looks. I really wish I could have used my old lenses the way I wanted to.

The first shipment was lost in the mail and Stoneycreek replaced it with no issues. The replacement came in a really good condition. The box looked old but the camera it'self is in really good condition. Thanks for everything StoneyCreek.