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Detailed review of the Pentax K-r

INTRODUCTION

The Pentax K-r is an entry-level DSLR camera for the price. It has quite decent functionality: 12.4 megapixel sensor, PRIME II processor, sensor shift image stabilization system, continuous shooting at up to 6 frames / second, minimum shutter speed up to 1/6000 second, maximum light sensitivity 25600, in-camera processing of RAW files, HDR and interval shooting, HD video 1280x720 - this is just a short list of the parameters of this model.

MAIN CHARACTERISTICS

Optical sensor

12.4 megapixels; resolution - 4288x2848; sensor format - APS-C (physical size - 23.6x15.8 mm)

Optical system

Mounts PENTAX K-, KA-, KAF-, KAF2-, KAF3-, one and a half focal length ratio. For testing we used the SMC Pentax DA 17-70 f / 4 AL [IF] SDM lens (25-105 mm equivalent).

Information carrier

SD or SDHC memory card

Screen

3 inches, 910 thousand dots

File format

Photo - RAW (PEF or DNG), JPEG, JPEG + RAW; video - AVI (mJPEG) up to 1280x720 (16: 9 aspect ratio) at 25 fps, with monaural audio

Interfaces

Joint AV / USB output, DC input, remote control

Dimensions

125x97x68 mm

Position in the ruler

Between K-x and K-5

For those who follow the situation on the photographic equipment market, the release of the review of the Pentax K-r DSLR camera may come as a surprise. After all, this model cannot be called new in any way - it came out about two years ago.

I usually devote a review to every DSLR that comes on the market, with the exception of professional grade models. But it so happened that Pentax K-r was forgotten - and now I decided to correct this injustice.

For starters, I want to point out that the Pentax K-r is very similar to the previous K-x model. I've done a fairly detailed review of K-x, and a lot of what was said there remains true for K-r, both in terms of functions, and in terms of the graphical interface and menu structure. The reviewed model uses a matrix of the same format as in the K-x (12 megapixel CMOS), as well as a Prime II processor that forms the image.

But there are also noticeable differences. First, this is the appearance in the viewfinder of the highlight of the points at which AF was triggered. This feature was missing in the K-x - and this was the main drawback of the previous model. This is simply unacceptable for modern DSLRs, and the manufacturer decided to fix this disadvantage. There are other important improvements as well.

To simplify the comparison process, I will give the main characteristics of the Pentax K-x and K-r in a tabular form.

Model

Pentax K-x

Pentax K-r

Matrix type

12.4 megapixels

CMOS

Frame resolution

4288x2848

Matrix format and physical size

APS-C

(23.6x15.8 mm)

Control processor

Prime II

AF system

SAFOX VIII

11 points

Viewfinder AF Confirmation

Not

there is

Sensitivity range

ISO 100 - 12800

ISO 100 - 25600

Image stabilization system

On matrix shift

Display

2.7 inch

230 thousand pixels

Fixed

3.0 inch

921K pixels

Fixed

Viewfinder

Pentamirror

Magnification factor 0.85x

Coverage 96%

Continuous shooting

4.7 fps

6.0 fps

Filming

HD 1280x720p

640x480 @ 30/15

Sound when shooting video

Mono

RAW format support

there is

HDMI output

Not

IrSimple wireless interface

Not

there is

AF illuminator

Not

there is

dimensions

(according to the manufacturer)

123 x 92 x 68 mm

125 x 97 x 68 mm

Weight (with battery)

580 g

598 gr.

CONTROLS AND DESIGN

The Pentax K-r is a small but solidly built camera. A bit angular, but in the hand it is quite comfortable, the grip is confident. It is slightly smaller than the older model of the K-5 line (this is due to the use of a pentamirror, and not a glass pentaprism - which is typical of younger DSLRs), but it also looks very high quality.

An autofocus lamp (this lamp is not available in the K-x model) has found its place between the handle and the lens, and on the handle is the receiving window of the remote control system.

The mode dial is set to the traditional place for "junior" DSLRs - the right side of the rear panel. In older models, an LCD screen is usually located here, and the mode dial is either completely abolished, or moves under the left hand. The disc rotates with optimal effort, and has many positions - which means that switching the camera to the appropriate modes is quick, without unnecessary diving into the menu.

The shutter button is in a fairly convenient place. The stroke to the position of incomplete pressing is short, which is good, because this position is noticeably separated from the pressing of the button itself, which requires much more physical effort.

Along the edges of the shutter button is a lever for activating the camera's power. Nearby has found its place an exposure compensation key and a programmable "green" key. Both of them are in an accessible place, and are conveniently pressed with the index finger of the right hand.

The display on the rear panel has a high resolution of 920 thousand pixels - the picture is sharp, high-quality, the colors are realistic. Pentax engineers do not make the screen rotatable - in the K-x, and in the older models K-5, K-7, it is rigidly fixed. Apparently, at the same time, the reliability of the device is higher, but the rotary monitor significantly expands the capabilities of the "live view" mode ("live view", also known as the "live view" mode, with sighting on the display) when photographing from unusual angles - with arms outstretched in a crowd, from the ground, in macro photography.

The button, located in the upper left corner of the rear panel, activates the flash during shooting, and in the "Playback" mode serves to delete the footage.

Below the image, in the lower bar of the optical viewfinder, the current shooting parameters are displayed. The Pentax K-r corrects a flaw that was present in the K-x model - the points (or point) at which the autofocus was triggered are now highlighted in red.

The control wheel is very comfortable - it is exactly under the thumb, turns easily and has clear positions. In the instructions, the manufacturer calls it the "Selection Selector", but its functions are, in fact, not limited to "selection" only. The wheel is multifunctional - it is used to select the value of parameters, and to navigate the menu, and to select the scale in the "Playback" mode.

On the right side of the rear panel, a small nudge is made, in which the thumb should rest, and above it is the AF / AE-L key (fixing focus and exposure), the function of which can be reassigned. This key is slightly moved outside the area of ​​activity of the thumb, (its boundaries outlines the same influx). Despite this, to the touch it is instantly and clearly perceived - which cannot be said about the Navipad keys. They are made surprisingly slick, smooth, only slightly protruding above the body. As long as you keep your thumb on the navipad, you can see where the buttons are. But after the thumb has left them (in order, for example, to turn the control wheel), when returning it back, it is no longer so easy to get into the required position, especially when working in winter, when you are wearing gloves. You have to either fidget with your finger, literally feeling the entire navipad, or just look at it, taking your eyes off the viewfinder eyepiece - not catastrophic for former users of compact cameras who are already used to changing parameters using a monitor. There are four buttons in a column to the right of the monitor. The "Play" button enables playback of footage (photos and videos). Slightly below is the LV button, which turns on the "live view" mode, in which the image appears on the screen, like in compact cameras. The INFO key changes the information display mode, there are three of them - the display is off, the control panel and the status screen with the main parameters. Finally, the fourth key in the column - MENU, as you already understood, it turns on the in-camera menu.

Speaking about the Pentax K-r, it is impossible not to say about the variety of color schemes in which this model is made. The company called 4 colors “basic” - black, red, blue and white. Even this is enough, because such a variety can be considered a rarity. In addition, K-r cameras are produced in limited editions, and they can still be found in stores, in other, very rare colors - purple, yellow, brown, pink. K-r owners have a chance to stand out from other DSLR owners by following their own unique style.

PARAMETER CONTROL, DISPLAY

On the screen, in status mode, the parameters that are active at the moment are highlighted in blue, that is, they respond to pressing the keys corresponding to them. The command dial and navigation buttons usually work. Pressing the center button on the navipad allows you to set the AF point selection mode. At the top of the screen, various options are displayed that are flipped by rotating the control dial, among them: automatic selection from all 11 possible points, from 5 center points, manual selection of one of 11 points (the point is moved with the navigation buttons), or using only the center point.

Pressing the INFO key switches the screen operation mode from "Status Screen" to "Control Panel", or to "Information Panel". Formally, this is a quick access menu to the main functions of the device. It is very convenient - you can simultaneously see all the current settings, while you can quickly access any of them (using the navigation buttons) and make a correction (by rotating the control dial). You can press the "OK" button on the active parameter, and then a page with more detailed settings will open. For example, the first parameter is named "My Image". This refers to the presets related to the picture settings. They are sometimes also called Picture Styles, or Color Schemes. The Pentax K-r has nine color styles. 7 of them were also in the K-x model - Natural, Portrait, Vivid, Landscape, Art, Monochrome and Faded. In addition, there are two new ones - Reversal film (slide) and Bleach Bypass (in the Russian menu - Bleaching, but in reality - an imitation of skipping the bleaching stage when processing color film).

Of interest is the HDR function, which is also the expansion of the dynamic range by combining frames taken at different exposures. In fact, bright fragments are borrowed from dark images, on the contrary, dark ones from light areas, as a result, a frame with an expanded range of brightness levels is obtained, close to that which our eye sees. In this case, the width of the bracket can be adjusted.

The Pentax K-r has many different image processing options - cross-process, digital filters. In fact, these are the effects of the processor's post-processing of the image, which are superimposed on the images immediately after shooting and radically change the color rendition, character and even geometry.

VIDEO CAPTURE, CAPTURE MODES

The mode dial has fourteen positions. Firstly, this is the classic set of PASM exposure modes (however, traditionally for Pentax, the aperture and shutter speeds are indicated not by S and A, but by Tv and Av, respectively). Turning the dial is accompanied by the display of the name of the currently active mode.

Auto Picture is a simplified (very convenient for beginners) mode, in which the device itself selects a scene program that is more suitable for the current shooting conditions. The list of available parameters, at the same time, is significantly limited (for example, the white balance is fixed in the Auto position), and for some settings the safest value is highlighted in green - Multi-segment mode for metering, Auto-ISO for sensitivity, etc.

A kind of ISO priority mode (in Pentax cameras it occurs quite often and is designated as "Sv") - you determine the ISO value, and the camera itself selects the aperture / shutter speed pair.Actually, the software machine mode works in a similar way (when setting any sensitivity, with the exception of Auto-ISO), but Sv is more convenient - you do not need to press any keys to adjust the ISO sensitivity, this parameter is active - it can be adjusted immediately by turning the wheel management.

Live mode is invoked by the LV button on the rear panel. On the screen, in addition to the image, a lot of information is displayed - the number of frames, the values ​​of various parameters, the focus area, and even a live histogram. It is possible to enable manual focusing, and during automatic focusing, the camera uses the contrast method - directly from the image from the matrix, as in compact cameras. In this case, the autofocusing speed is lower than when using a conventional phase system typical of SLR cameras, but in the case of the Pentax K-r the difference is not so noticeable, and AF in the "live view" mode works pretty well. At the moment when autofocus is triggered (as well as during manual focusing), the area in which the focus was made is displayed in an enlarged format.

The video screen is very similar to that of the LV. It is possible to set the aperture value before the start of shooting. During video recording, you can enter exposure compensation. Together with the rest of the SLR camera's capabilities - manual focusing and zooming - we get a very powerful system for controlling the image and depth of field in particular, which is inaccessible not only to compact devices, but also to household video cameras. A very rare (and perhaps unique) feature of the Pentax K-r is that it saves the last shot from the buffer in RAW format, even if you shot in regular JPEG. After shooting, having seen that the frame was interesting, you can save it for further processing. This is a very useful feature.

INTERVAL SHOOTING MENU

Pressing the MENU key takes you to what is commonly referred to as "intra-chamber" (as opposed to the various quick access menus in which most of the parameters are displayed simultaneously.

The K-r in-chamber menu is very diverse. It is divided into four main sections - Shooting Menu, Playback Menu, Settings Menu, and My Settings menu.

With the Pentax K-r, you can take time-lapse photography - single shots with a specific interval between them. Subsequently, these frames can be combined into one common video on an external video editor, the device itself is not able to do this. Such a video can have Full HD resolution (in comparison with the usual video recording for Pentax K-r, which this unit can conduct in a resolution of 1280x720). There can be up to 999 images in total, the largest interval between them is one day. You can also set the start time for taking pictures (the maximum delay is 24 hours).

As in the older model Pentax K-5, the Kr has a rare "feature" - adjusting the intensity of the noise reduction system, namely - in addition to the standard adjustment (Auto, Weak, Normal, Off and Strong), there is an option "Personal", it allows you to set specific values ​​for different light sensitivities.

One of the features of K-r is the ability to send files via the IrSimple wireless infrared interface. Therefore, you can exchange data with other cameras or a computer that supports this technology. The function is very useful, but support for the more widespread Wi-Fi or at least Bluetooth would have looked better.

The menu item "My settings" allows you to configure the nuances of the camera in accordance with your personal requirements. The options for setting up the device are quite diverse.

PLAYBACK MODE

There are four options for displaying information - an empty frame, a few parameters at the bottom (in one line), an added histogram (while pressing the "Down" or "Up" buttons on the navigation pad calls a detailed histogram for each RGB channel), and detailed parameters. The last option pleases in that it displays in detail not only shooting parameters, but also image processing settings, and these are: Contrast, Compensation of shadows, highlights, Saturation, etc.However, when the images are downloaded to a computer, it will be possible to see all the information only when using the "native" software, and all third-party viewers will not be able to extract this information in a readable form. You can add copyright information to pictures. Two fields are available, their contents can be entered using the virtual keyboard.

In the list of possibilities for in-camera editing, there is a function of converting images into JPEG format. The settings for this conversion are quite wide: the choice of resolution and compression rate for JPEG, white balance, color styles, shadow compensation, sensitivity (within a limited range), noise reduction at high ISO values, correction of chromatic aberration and distortion. The file can be saved in AdobeRGB or sRGB format.

The function "Compare two shots" divides the screen into two equal parts, for each part you can select a shot (therefore, they do not have to be adjacent, following each other). Pictures can be scaled together, as well as moved the zoomed area across the frame - either synchronously or independently. This is a very useful function that will help you evaluate the pictures “in the field” and choose the most successful one.

CONCLUSION AND EVALUATION

Benefits

  • Small (for a SLR camera) dimensions and weight, comfortable grip
  • Variety of body color options
  • Built-in optical stabilization system
  • Large 3-inch 921K-pixel high-definition screen
  • Adjusting the display color
  • Quite high for an amateur camera, continuous shooting speed (up to 6 frames per second)
  • Fine-tuning the white balance, separately for each preset
  • Comprehensive image processing capabilities, customizable digital filters
  • The ability to save the last frame in RAW, even if it was shot in JPEG format
  • In-camera processing of RAW files, converting them to JPEG
  • Correction of chromatic aberration and distortion
  • Highlight correction is a great way to combat overexposure
  • Expand dynamic range by merging 3 frames
  • Independent setting of intensity of noise reduction for different values ​​of sensitivity
  • In the view mode, the function of comparing two frames is well implemented
  • Preservation of copyright information in the EXIF ​​file
  • Video recording in HD format 1280x720, progressive scan
  • The ability to use a lithium-ion battery, or AA cells (with an appropriate adapter)

disadvantages

  • Navipad keys are too smooth, poorly perceived tactile
  • A non-rotating screen limits the possibilities of the "live view" mode
  • When filming - no Full-HD resolution, monaural sound
  • Aperture setting and autofocus are only possible before shooting
  • No HDMI output

Ergonomics

9/10

Some aspects of ergonomics are worth mentioning in a negative sense - the Navipad keys are poorly perceived tactilely, and the non-rotating screen limits the possibilities potentially provided by Live View mode. Nevertheless, the Pentax K-r control system is simple and convenient. All controls are in the right places, the configuration options are quite diverse and wide, the interface logic is not satisfactory.

Functions

9/10

Excellent characteristics of the main parameters, numerous auxiliary functions, flexible settings. Perhaps, at the moment, video shooting is a relatively weak point - some competitors offer high-definition video, and even with a rotary screen, which gives more options.

Quality

pictures

9/10

The pictures are of high quality, although the 12-megapixel sensor limits the resolution a little. There is an impressive list of functions for in-camera image enhancement - both in terms of technology (HDR, chromatic aberration and distortion correction, RAW processing, and others), and for the sake of obtaining artistic effects.

Price/

quality

9/10

The device falls into the price range of entry-level SLR cameras, but the richness of functions allows it to be ranked as "average".

General

appraisal

9/10

The Pentax K-r is a very solid camera, a worthy start for a beginner looking to enter the world of DSLR photography.In terms of many aspects (ergonomics, functionality) - it is not inferior even to the older brother of the K-5. Despite the fact that today the Pentax K-r is no longer a novelty, this device deserves close consideration.

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