Pentax K-r Review (Will Ricoh Kill Pentax?)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 19 ก.ย. 2024
- Recently, it was announced that Ricoh is set to buy the Pentax camera business from Hoya for $128 million. This upset Kai, our presenter, who had planned to buy Pentax for himself, but unfortunately someone else got their first. So, he begged to review the Pentax K-r(bit.ly/PentaxK-r) before it's gone forever....but there's one little surprise at the end - what could it be?
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Pentax has the BEST low/mid range DSLR's of any company out there when it comes to price/performance ratio (features, flexibility, ISO noise, low light, AF speed, etc..) and also some of the best (if not THE best) prime lenses. And this comes from weeks of researching/comparing/trying out canon/nikon/sony/pentax DSLR's. The "stigma" the brand may or may not have is irrelevant to everyone except those who go out to "be seen" - and those are not photographers. They are just snobs.
Proud Pentax owner.
You skipped reviewing the K-30, now please at least review the K-50. And man, you're review is like 90% opposite to what most other reviews say. I got the K-r when a friend got a 1000D. If you're complaining about 'flappy bits' and the buttons, take up a 1000D (I guess you have).
I still have my Pentax *ist DL 6.1 Megapixel DSLR camera that I purchased 10 years ago. I shoot with it almost every day and love it. Remember, cameras don't take good pictures. People do.
I think it looks cool. Like a stormtrooper.
Yeah, come to think of it, it kinda does remind me of that as well ; )
LOL that's a great reason to buy a camera
Low light + Pentax K-50 = Absolutely Stunning !!
Yellow tint....he's already yellow. That had me in stitches!
My first camera was a Pentax K1000, I learnt photography on that thing. It had such an impact that I now use a Pentax K-50 almost using it like a manual camera except for auto-focus lenses. The best thing is in-camera shake reduction on 1970's lenses! It's quite satisfying buying cheap lenses on ebay, cleaning up the elements and then taking beautiful photos with them. I feel this review didn't take into account the camera hobbyist. It was also too nit-picky about the aesthetics which are subjective anyway. My K-50 is white which is a godsend for live band photography being able to see where the buttons are in the dark. Couple that with the fast frame rate continual shooting, high iso and it's the perfect choice for band photography.
To add to the question of why you'd go with a Pentax over Canikon, especially as a beginner, Pentax has had the forethought to make its new digital slrs with unprecedented backward compatibility. All the digital bodies are compatible with the old K-mount lenses, which means you can walk into any thrift store or antique camera store, pick out quality glass from the 70's or 80's, and it will fit on your camera. That's something that Canikon will likely never do.
Another reason to go with Pentax is later on you can always upgrade to the K-5. A beautiful camera and the one I use personally. It is comparable to the Nikon D7000 and honestly, you can't go wrong with either. I suggest playing around with both brands as much as you can before you buy. Cameras are very personal from user to user. There is no real true winner. Every camera has at least one feature that will make someone prefer it over another. It just depends on how you shoot.
You should review the Pentax K30. Love that camera.
Pentax seems way more interesting than canon and/or nikon. That unique and non-mainstream feeling...
couldnt stop laughing when he was doing the beat sound LMAO!
Absolutely love my Pentax K-3, plus the lens selection is pretty good.
It's not loud, it's not a sledgehammer! The kit lens is driven by the camera motor. Due to tolerances, it's invariably slightly louder than Canon/Nikon/Sony where the motor must be inside the lens. But it provides better support for old lenses, and thus gives you +1 feature at no higher price. But if someone is really used to it being more silent and vibrating less, that can just feel... irksome, making them think "is this broken?"
This is the first time I saw Kai without a hat and laughing a lot :P
As I understand it. Kai witnessed Sony trying to kill his parents when he was still just a baby. Sony tried to kill Kai too, but was unsuccessful. Kai survived with a lightening-shaped scar on his forehead.
Wow! This video reminds me of the emotions I felt when Mothra sacrificed herself to protect her baby grubs from Godzilla. The sadness became beauty and we all shouted (in broken English) "Mossura! Mossura! Why you cry? Then Mothra, broken and dying, weakly riffled her kaleidoscope wings and breathed her last. But wait! The precious grubs escaped! There is hope after all. Yes Hope, Change, and precious grubs. Ah... grubs.
lmao "lets see yellow, oh no wait, he's already yellow"
"Yellow tint... he's already yellow." hahahaha xD
The Kai Special Edition Pentax K-r at the end actually looks quite decent.
2016, still going! Looking forward to your hands-on review of the full-frame K-1, and perhaps a retrospective on this post.
I want to shoot with that greenified Pentax. Matches quite nicely with my ghillie suit.
Kai really shows his bias against Pentax here. He mentions the in-body image stabilisation, high ISO, high frame rate, but concludes by saying that the K-r is not different enough. He also did not highlight the bright viewfinder, AA battery option, etc.
Digitalrev totally forgets the unique part of pentax, their limited prime lenses which are really excellent lenses to begin with, metal barreled high quality optics, this in combination with the excellent K5 body makes it a very unique system compared to Nikon and Canon. Lightweight but very durable. Ideal for street photography combined with the silent shutter of the K5.
11:10 Grass is truly greener on the other side of the lens.
You know Kai's way more hilarious when he compares cameras!
I was given a Pentax S2 by my Grandfather the other day, a lovely little camera.
I think it's adorable how he actually put some effort into customizing this one, and it turned out pretty great. Hard to believe it was Kai...
this is actually pretty good camera, i mean, where else could you see a 6fps entry level? and its ISO performance is something else; still pretty clean @ around 6k
Agreed, I was groaning when I noticed he lacked to mention the fact that there is LOADS of legacy glass begging for a new life with a Beginner...
DigitalRevCom, please. I normally enjoy and look forward to your reviews. However, your review of the K-r was one of the least helpful, least insightful videos to date. Yes, the K-r was available in a variety of colors, but that should have been a side note during a review of the typical BLACK version. Why do you harp on the fact that the budget kit lens is noisy? It's a "budget" lens for a reason, never minding Pentax kit lenses typically outperform other brands' kit glass. Lazy review.
K-3 Review would be awesome!
The K-r is a great entry level slr, it looks quite nice on white actually.. The tones and sharpness are really good for what it costs. In the end it comes to what you're really looking for in photo gear. Pentax has so much history.. what's going to happen after Ricoh management? Let's hope for the best.
On a side note, did you guys know that Alamby and Kai are actually going out??
I saw an Asian tourist at the mall with this camera around her neck. I wanted to approach her and ask her if I could see her camera. Haha.
Kai does not want to review the k-5 because he would have to acknowledge that it is an excellent camera, when he is clearly only interested in marginalizing a camera company that he sees beneath the big guys despite it consistently producing better gear for the amateur photographer at a better price point. All the more absurd when Ricoh has indicated their investment in growing Pentax as a company time and time again with far more enthusiasm than Hoya, and with four new pentax bodies coming.
08:09 Pentax Function: DJ scratching the player mode button!
"its like no other - i think I just stole somebody's slogan"
great, now Sony will be TWICE as pissed at you, Kai.
SERIOUSLY. I was around youtube last night and I was like : "I wish DigitalRev made a Pentax review". I just saw this and I was like o_O xD
i sell canons and nikons everyday as a job, but find the grip on my k-x and having held the k-5, easily the most comfortable cameras to hold. Pentax take time and care when producing a camera, hence 2 models every 2-3 years = less, yet happier buyers.
I, like many others urge a k-5 review/comparison despite 95% of these people knowing the outcome.
The white models (mine) do have a cheaper feel, but it's how you use it.
Let's not forget Pentax really has history... :)
I think it's not very cool to take an entry-level DSLR and make fun of one whole brand. Pentax has roots in photography... just like Leica.
And K-5 is still one of the best crop-sized sensor DSLR's around. I would've liked to see a review of that one...
(PS: I am not a Pentax user... Sony & Fujifilm kinda guy)
Pentax was my first camera as well. I hope Ricoh doesn't damage them too much.
I'd contest the other fellow suggesting the Canon, the Pentax is spot on for IQ, and has *loads* of cheap legacy glass that is just begging for a new life for a beginner. (And they're stabilized at no cost to you, thanks to the Shake Reduction in the body)
Pentax *does* make a black version of the K-r, don't know Kai wanted to use the white one to be honest.
The only real complaint I'd recognize about the K-r though, is the flash is plasticy. Never accidentally misplaced a lens on it...
A very odd ending... Pentax will live on. As Kai says, the brand has a great heritage which can yet be revived. The top end Pentax dSLRs are pretty good value for money for the spec, while this humble K-r is really just the digital version of the venerable basic K1000, itself just a K mount update of the classic Spotmatic.
Gotta love the K-r's ability to use AA batteries in a pinch when the rechargeable battery is depleted. That's the reason the grip is so big on this camera. All in all, the body is smaller than most other DSLRs. Funny review!
Make that "pimp my dslr back to nature".
As it's an ENTRY LEVEL camera, the user won't most likely be used to where other brands put their depth-of-field preview buttons.
Anyway. The camera doesn't have to be that different. It's a very good solid camera compared to its competition. The difference is in the fantastic set of lenses you get. If you do want the normal stuff, you can also get that, you do have Tokina, Tamron and Sigma out there.
Yay finally a Pentax Review! Thanks DigitalRev = D
(Could you guys review the K5 Please???? Thanks!!)
It is possible that he is half-heartedly joking around. He does admit in his review of Sony gear that they’ve got some great stuff going on. Canon and Nikon are also strong brands though and companies like Sony and Pentax are lacking a little bit when stacked up. I’d prefer Canon or Nikon over Sony or Pentax for those reasons. I trust that they are a brand that will be around and have a strong lineup for a long time to come.
Pentax was owned by Xerox and Honeywell for quite some time too ... not all Pentax cams use Sony sensors but most do these days. K-7 has a Samsung sensor, great but never even close to Sony, especially in low light conditions. Pentax is a great brand! if its entry level cameras aren't built strong, especially its older film models, its top of the range ones are just as good as the other guys! and Pentax lenses ARE among the best with affordable prices only a few others might offer.
I can see what you're saying with the idea that Pentax is ignored because it doesn't stand out. It's a fair question to ask why would you buy it over Canon of Nikon. But I think it should be pointed out that the Pentax does include in body Image Stabilization which is nice, the option for multi-power types (AA batteries or the battery pack), and since the lens mount hasn't changed much in 30+ years you get access to good glass at cheap prices.
Those all seemed like good things to mention to me
Am I right in suspecting that Lok finally got a fader ND for his lens? This video looks a lot better than the ones before, there seems to be some bokeh in the video.
8:08 sounds like my neighbor's water sprinkler
did u use that cam in hdr tutorial ???
haha zombie guy , i laughed so hard that i almost feel warm in my pants
"Apart from all those hidious atrocities I´ve just mentioned ..... it´s alright!" Whatever you took in before shooting this, it worked! :-)
It looks like a lot of sections used an ND filter for proper video shutter speeds! Finally! Less jerky motion. This has been my sole pet peeve for some time!
"yellow tint ... he's already yellow, lol" .... hahaha
7:40 No idea but I found that hilarious XD
So Kai says "jump in one foot and every follows".
Pentax K-r is best design and built than any Nikon Canon at it price range and more. Just take it in your hands and see.
Yellow tint...He's already yellow. LOL
Yeah, i know that situation. It's like the market is dominated by 3 brands and Pentax remains the underdog due to no comercials on TV whatsoever. So the people almost don't know that pentax exist. They are being so overlooked. And it's sad that people usually buy a camera only because of the brand. I sent you a note :)
I love my Pentax K5 and the lens are brilliant. I thought the "review" seemed a bit childish!!!!
Lol DRTV is exactly like top gear, when reviewing something people can afford they take just the piss, but when reviewing something like a 7D there deadly serious...
The problem seems to be he's comparing it with pro slrs. The build is actually very good for the price, better than nikons and canons in fact
I used to keep skipping over this video. Now I'm kicking myself, for NOT viewing it back when... I now understand, where the Kr "Bush Ed." came from, and some of the best candid silliness caught (that D@mn Footballer XD )
The Pentax DSLRs are generally great but it's becoming harder to compete there against Canon and Nikon as the market is slowly saturating. Pentax should stay within the competition, not behind the competition.
kai "squatting like a mainlander" @ 7:00
Amazing camera kit lens 55mm is good loads of filters which you add post shot so keeping the original plus the effect shot.Nice fast focusing and sensitive in low light and a great shutter speed.The menu system is fast and a really great auto mode for newbies
I just upgraded my white k-x to a silver k-5... but i still wouldn't mind seeing you do a k-5 review!
The thing is though, even with the quality products they bring to the market place, they don’t quite stack up to Canon or Nikon. Love them or hate them, they’re still both robust companies, both have been market leaders, and both have a robust lineup that outshines Pentax and Sony in a couple of ways. This isn’t to say that Pentax or Sony don’t have quality gear. They just aren't the behemoth that Nikon and Canon have become and don’t have the advantages that it brings.
Kai.
You claim wrog location of lens release button. In C/N you have DOF previev there. Cause sometimes you need to chnge lenses, and sometimes you need to do it fast, please made simple test:
- Compare how fast can you change lenses with Canon/Nikon/Pentax cameras ?!
Take shot (ups need to change to tele lens), change lens, take next shot.
With Pentax you can do it without taking your right hand off from camera :)
personally I think that DSLR looks pretty good. The white color looks very nice. Why do people like their DSLRs black? so that anyone who has enough money for a DSLR can look professional even though their pictures come out worse than a 10 dollar point and shoot.
If you want Pentax back in business, you should review the K5 :) That seems to be a killer one
I have to agree with a lot of the sentiments Kai shares about Pentax's poor build quality on it's lower-end models. However the amazing K-5 has been recognized by so many authorities as one of the very best DSLR's in it's class... I would almost PAY to see Kai review one with a few of the 'Big Two' (or 3) head to head for comparison. Come on DigitalRev! Bring home the bacon! This is what we've suscribed for! ;-D
Pentax is still alive. Doing better than ever, actually.
And yes. They're not Sony - They're better.(Other than the fact that it seems there will never be a FF Pentax :/)
this chinese man always is biased towards nikons (and sometimes canons), it is not his fault, apparently all chinese care about "brands" and "makes", if the camera hasn't got the right logo it is simply not good enough ..
I think it's pretty stupid to put effects on a dslr. No one really uses them, and it will only make the camera more expensive, while it's supposed to be cheap...
I use Pentax, with a K-x and K-5, and yeah, they're not that different from other brands, but I like them. There's no massive reason to buy other cameras, as it'll all depend on you anyway, so I bought my K-x because it was cheap, and also because it wasn't a Canon or a Nikon and I'm like that. Sony never crossed my mind.
And I quite like Kai as a reviewer. He's a bit of a tool, but in a way that's entertaining to watch. I'd love to review in a style like this. Might make an attempt soon.
That's one way to save Pentax: Pentax-the Chia Pet.
They should make that green mossy stuff from the end of the video, and make it like..a skin for other models :) i would totally buy it!
I bought one last week and I am over the moon with it
Yeah, well, a company’s continued existence isn't always a clear sign of its stability. Pentax has been a player for a while, but through my life they've never been a big player. They had a stronger presence in the days of film, but with digital cameras they have lost that footing some. This isn't fear mongering; I’m not sitting here saying Pentax is slated to die. As far as Sony, they pretty much brought the Minolta legacy back from death. Both companies are strong contenders.
The bigger guy with man boobs actually has something called Gynaecomastia. It's due to an unusual enlargement of mammary glands. The only remedy is a very expensive operation. Sort of like making fun of someone born w/o a limb.
i really fancied that bonzai tree/zen garden creation u guys made towards the end there.
hahaha "its like owning a D3S and taking pictures of bottle caps"
1:01 LOL his pose
Pentax were the first to have Tav mode. Now, after years of complaining about not being able to use explosure comp in M mode with auto iso, other brands are starting to implement that.
For a dying business, Pentax sure is making waves, and sales didn't really drop with Hoya.
Society judges brands through marketing visibility, not real tests of the brand's products. When people don't see it often, they think it's bad that's why they don't sell.
If that's so, then does that mean Panasonic, Leica, Hasselblad, and Phase One suck? I don't see them often....
@wefdeas Lok is the man in the video behind the camera, and he films with the Canon 5D Mark II plus a handheld camera rig on some occasions. It's not the T2i.
11 autofocus points... 9 of which are actually cross-type. No other entry-level DSLR has that.
There was no mention of support for all the wonderful Pentax lenses (film and digital). Being a photography major, I like the K-r but love the lenses.
Welcome viewer 307! we've been waiting for ya
K-r is great camera as any other Pentax dslr. Pentax pays attention to the biuld quality (Sorry canon, you don't) and they put as many functions as others if not more. Then there is a price. Sure, pentax became more expensive than they used to be however they are still cheaper than Canikons and still no worse. Moreover, with K-5 in the front you can't go wrong with pentax. They are different and that makes pentax an interesting option
I love that ECO PENTAX at the end. They should make this serial. I would buy it. :D
Kai didn't want to buy >>a
For my first DSLR, I got a Pentax K-r with a Sigma 17-70mm HSM Macro lens this June. Best-rated lens in the average person's price range with a very convenient zoom range.
Also, if you look at the Pentax K-r image quality ratings on DXOMark.com, and look closely at the comparison shots made on dpreview.com, the K-r knocks the MORE EXPENSIVE Canon and Nikon entry-level competitors out of the park.
I like Pentax, own a K-5 and don't agree with a number of comments in the review. Comparing the kit lens to an L series - even by only mentioning that - seems stupid. And if the switches on the back are anything like on my K-5, they are solid. But people saying "test the K-5 with some limiteds instead" don't get the point. Why shouldn't the entry-level model with the kit lens of any DSLR manufacturer get tested for what it is? Sure I'd like a K-5 review by Kai too, but that's a different matter.
the k-r in the review actually looks like storm strooper, quite cool
@Thejiminatorful
In what way did he "completely contradict himself"? He criticised the noise of the lens and the build/finish quality but he praised the image quality, the noise performance and the high continuous rate compared to its contemporaries. Praising one aspect of something while criticising another aspect IS NOT contradicting yourself, it's called "reviewing".
Kai: Its bloody ugly bugger which wanker designed this thin? Kai: I quite like this camera...