Got to shoot with the K1 today...

Got to shoot a wonderful model from Wilhelmina today using the K1 and the new 24-70/2.8. Many thanks to Jim Malcolm of Ricoh Imaging for bringing the K-1 to NYC so I could shoot it. Pics in a bit after I go through it all. Cannot post a full res as the firmware is still not finalized, but I'm sure you folks will like it.

Overall from the two hours I got to spend with it, the K-1 is an incredible camera. It's on par with the top of the line Canons or Nikons. Seriously I now will get myself one, a great companion to my 645Z.

Feel free to ask questions below. Will be happy to talk about camera controls etc

Sandyramirez wrote:

Got to shoot a wonderful model from Wilhelmina today using the K1 and the new 24-70/2.8. Many thanks to Jim Malcolm of Ricoh Imaging for bringing the K-1 to NYC so I could shoot it. Pics in a bit after I go through it all. Cannot post a full res as the firmware is still not finalized, but I'm sure you folks will like it.

Overall from the two hours I got to spend with it, the K-1 is an incredible camera. It's on par with the top of the line Canons or Nikons. Seriously I now will get myself one, a great companion to my 645Z.

Feel free to ask questions below. Will be happy to talk about camera controls etc

What's your sense of AF responsiveness and accuracy at first blush?

I'm assuming you only got to shoot with the one lens, so observations will be limited to that combo.

Can you give us your impressions of the AF?

JNR wrote:

Sandyramirez wrote:

Got to shoot a wonderful model from Wilhelmina today using the K1 and the new 24-70/2.8. Many thanks to Jim Malcolm of Ricoh Imaging for bringing the K-1 to NYC so I could shoot it. Pics in a bit after I go through it all. Cannot post a full res as the firmware is still not finalized, but I'm sure you folks will like it.

Overall from the two hours I got to spend with it, the K-1 is an incredible camera. It's on par with the top of the line Canons or Nikons. Seriously I now will get myself one, a great companion to my 645Z.

Feel free to ask questions below. Will be happy to talk about camera controls etc

What's your sense of AF responsiveness and accuracy at first blush?

I'm assuming you only got to shoot with the one lens, so observations will be limited to that combo.

Great question! I really wanted to test that today so I did a lot of jumping across the field of view with the model and fast walking testing both the burst and clear of the buffer and the AF tracking. Using the 24-70 I would call it on par and slightly more accurate than the Canon 1DX. Very fast and accurate tracking, zero hunting even when the model was wearing an all black dress and a hit rate based on what I am seeing in the DNG files of about 97-98%.

The AF responsiveness is in a new league as far as Pentax DSLRs are concerned.

Winder wrote:

Can you give us your impressions of the AF?

Just replied above to that

Sandyramirez wrote:

JNR wrote:

Sandyramirez wrote:

Got to shoot a wonderful model from Wilhelmina today using the K1 and the new 24-70/2.8. Many thanks to Jim Malcolm of Ricoh Imaging for bringing the K-1 to NYC so I could shoot it. Pics in a bit after I go through it all. Cannot post a full res as the firmware is still not finalized, but I'm sure you folks will like it.

Overall from the two hours I got to spend with it, the K-1 is an incredible camera. It's on par with the top of the line Canons or Nikons. Seriously I now will get myself one, a great companion to my 645Z.

Feel free to ask questions below. Will be happy to talk about camera controls etc

What's your sense of AF responsiveness and accuracy at first blush?

I'm assuming you only got to shoot with the one lens, so observations will be limited to that combo.

Great question! I really wanted to test that today so I did a lot of jumping across the field of view with the model and fast walking testing both the burst and clear of the buffer and the AF tracking. Using the 24-70 I would call it on par and slightly more accurate than the Canon 1DX. Very fast and accurate tracking, zero hunting even when the model was wearing an all black dress and a hit rate based on what I am seeing in the DNG files of about 97-98%.

The AF responsiveness is in a new league as far as Pentax DSLRs are concerned.

Oh my, even if you're embellishing a bit, that practically qualifies as a new universe...

Thank you.  Today all modern cameras have amazing IQ.  The big question that will determine if I continue to use Pentax is the AF.  Sounds like good news.

Sandyramirez wrote:

JNR wrote:

Sandyramirez wrote:

Got to shoot a wonderful model from Wilhelmina today using the K1 and the new 24-70/2.8. Many thanks to Jim Malcolm of Ricoh Imaging for bringing the K-1 to NYC so I could shoot it. Pics in a bit after I go through it all. Cannot post a full res as the firmware is still not finalized, but I'm sure you folks will like it.

Overall from the two hours I got to spend with it, the K-1 is an incredible camera. It's on par with the top of the line Canons or Nikons. Seriously I now will get myself one, a great companion to my 645Z.

Feel free to ask questions below. Will be happy to talk about camera controls etc

What's your sense of AF responsiveness and accuracy at first blush?

I'm assuming you only got to shoot with the one lens, so observations will be limited to that combo.

Great question! I really wanted to test that today so I did a lot of jumping across the field of view with the model and fast walking testing both the burst and clear of the buffer and the AF tracking. Using the 24-70 I would call it on par and slightly more accurate than the Canon 1DX. Very fast and accurate tracking, zero hunting even when the model was wearing an all black dress and a hit rate based on what I am seeing in the DNG files of about 97-98%.

The AF responsiveness is in a new league as far as Pentax DSLRs are concerned.

Sounds great!

What about handling noise at 6400 and up?

JNR wrote:

Sandyramirez wrote:

JNR wrote:

Sandyramirez wrote:

Got to shoot a wonderful model from Wilhelmina today using the K1 and the new 24-70/2.8. Many thanks to Jim Malcolm of Ricoh Imaging for bringing the K-1 to NYC so I could shoot it. Pics in a bit after I go through it all. Cannot post a full res as the firmware is still not finalized, but I'm sure you folks will like it.

Overall from the two hours I got to spend with it, the K-1 is an incredible camera. It's on par with the top of the line Canons or Nikons. Seriously I now will get myself one, a great companion to my 645Z.

Feel free to ask questions below. Will be happy to talk about camera controls etc

What's your sense of AF responsiveness and accuracy at first blush?

I'm assuming you only got to shoot with the one lens, so observations will be limited to that combo.

Great question! I really wanted to test that today so I did a lot of jumping across the field of view with the model and fast walking testing both the burst and clear of the buffer and the AF tracking. Using the 24-70 I would call it on par and slightly more accurate than the Canon 1DX. Very fast and accurate tracking, zero hunting even when the model was wearing an all black dress and a hit rate based on what I am seeing in the DNG files of about 97-98%.

The AF responsiveness is in a new league as far as Pentax DSLRs are concerned.

Oh my, even if you're embellishing a bit, that practically qualifies as a new universe...

No embellishment. The AF with the new 24-70 is amazing. I tested the 70-200 last year on the K-3 and thought it was good, I'm sure on the new K-1 that lens will perfom just as well as the 24-70

Really up with a 1Dx? WOW

zakaria wrote:

Sandyramirez wrote:

JNR wrote:

Sandyramirez wrote:

Got to shoot a wonderful model from Wilhelmina today using the K1 and the new 24-70/2.8. Many thanks to Jim Malcolm of Ricoh Imaging for bringing the K-1 to NYC so I could shoot it. Pics in a bit after I go through it all. Cannot post a full res as the firmware is still not finalized, but I'm sure you folks will like it.

Overall from the two hours I got to spend with it, the K-1 is an incredible camera. It's on par with the top of the line Canons or Nikons. Seriously I now will get myself one, a great companion to my 645Z.

Feel free to ask questions below. Will be happy to talk about camera controls etc

What's your sense of AF responsiveness and accuracy at first blush?

I'm assuming you only got to shoot with the one lens, so observations will be limited to that combo.

Great question! I really wanted to test that today so I did a lot of jumping across the field of view with the model and fast walking testing both the burst and clear of the buffer and the AF tracking. Using the 24-70 I would call it on par and slightly more accurate than the Canon 1DX. Very fast and accurate tracking, zero hunting even when the model was wearing an all black dress and a hit rate based on what I am seeing in the DNG files of about 97-98%.

The AF responsiveness is in a new league as far as Pentax DSLRs are concerned.

Sounds great!

What about handling noise at 6400 and up?

Unfortunately I didn't really shoot above ISO 320 as we were doing a lot of street style fashion today and I had no need to go that high. If you go to Instagram, Jim Malcolm (@view360) has been doing a lot of high ISO work and can better answer that for you

ozdean wrote:

Really up with a 1Dx? WOW

Having used the 1Dx extensively in the past, yes on par with it as far as tracking and response with the 24-70/2.8

Winder wrote:

Thank you. Today all modern cameras have amazing IQ. The big question that will determine if I continue to use Pentax is the AF. Sounds like good news.

I agree. Where the K-3 can frustrating at times in the same applications as what I did today, the K1 was a total breeze.

robbo d wrote:

Im not far from going to FF and the D750 beckons, but your take on the AF is very interesting.

What apertures do you shoot your work in mainly ?

I completed a first swimwear shoot on the weekend for a local designer known to me and at my weddings so far,I avoid shooting wide because its often a disaster with my apsc gear.

Using focus points more is slightly better than focus and reposition. I too dislike the k3, its going to be one of the first items leaving to fund a FF purchase.....

For me the K1 would fill the spot my K3 currently occupies as a "responsive" camera to shoot certain things that the 645Z is not suited well for. I usually shoot between f/4 to f/5.6 on the 645Z and usually do the same with my other gear. Today I did however to test the limits shot a lot wide open at 2.8 with the 24-70 and was amazed how many shots the tracking focus nailed perfectly. My old 1Dx was no where as accurate at 2.8

Sounds interesteing re : AF improvements.

Out of curiosity, what king of tracking did you do ? Walking model or faster action ?

Thanks!