Camera Test | SLR and System CamerasBulky mirrorless system camera with
legacy-compatible Pentax K lens mount.
Good:APS-C CMOS sensor with moderate
16-megapixel resolution and ultrasonic dust-off.
Sensor shift image stabilization inactive
when self-timer in use. Robust metal body with
large main switch, mode dial and ‘E-dial’
(settings dial). Configurable function buttons.
High-resolution 3-inch monitor with a wide
angle of view. Clear, scroll-free, tab-driven menu
system. Direct settings via INFO screen icons.
Comprehensive data display. 81-area AF works
well in low light. Effective green assist lamp.
Manual focus with variable monitor image
zoom. Interval timer shooting mode. User
adjustable auto ISO limits. Built-in flash
powerful, with good positioning and fast recycle
times. Powerful, high-capacity battery. Card slot
not too close to the tripod thread.
Not so good:Heavy, bulky ‘designer’ body too
smooth, making handling tricky. Soft rubber
caps on side connectors and card slot don’t
close firmly, and sometimes open during
one-handed operation. Function buttons
precise but too small and flat. Static monitor
with no anti-glare coating. No optional
viewfinder. AF loud and slow with pancake test
lens in photo and video modes. Loud focal plane
shutter. Short sequences in continuous mode.
AF only possible in video mode by pressing
separate button. 32 kHz audio recording. High
purchase price.
Test results: Consistently high maximum
contrast up to ISO 1600, satisfactory up to ISO
6400 and dropping off quickly thereafter. Very
god white balance and ColorChecker results.
Good signal-to-noise ratio up to ISO 400, okay
up to ISO 3200 but deteriorating therafter. Visual
noise values similar. Resolution only good at ISO
100, but satisfactory up to ISO 1600 (rapid fall-off
at higher values). Fairly fast JPEG sequences,
slow RAW sequences, but both ‘endless’.
Average startup time and typically slow
contrast-based AF, especially in low light.Image quality:Bright, intense, slightly warm
colors under lab conditions in daylight. Orangetest sticker appears bright red. Good but
unreliable sharpness and detail definition at
small apertures. Very few moirés. Balanced but
variable exposure. Fringing well compensated
only at f11 and beyond. Very clean images at ISO
100, slight noise at ISO 200. ISO 400 similar but
slightly weaker looking. More obvious noise and
imprecise edge detail at ISO 800 (limit for 100%
viewing). Frayed edge detail and color artifacts
at ISO 1600 (limit for full-screen viewing). Also
loss of detail and texture and heavy smoothing
due to automatic noise reduction. Sharpness
and texture rapidly deteriorating at ISO 3200
and above. Images washed out at ISO 6400 and
with significant green/magenta color noise
thereafter.Outdoor images comparable, with good color
rendition and slightly variable exposure. Good
sharpness and detail rendition at small
apertures. Clean images up to ISO 400 with
obvious fall-off at ISO 800. Obvious noise
artifacts at ISO 1600 and dull images at higher
values.Pentax K-01
ISO 100 ISO 400 ISO 1600 ISO 6400