Pentax K-1 Mark II 36MP Weather Resistant DSLR with 3.2" TFT LCD, Body Only, Black

I have loved Pentax cameras for over 40 years - approaching 45. My first serious camera was a Spotmatic F and it had the best ergonomics of any camera available at the time. Build quality was excellent, and the lenses were legendary. I had 10,000s of pictures through a pair of Spotmatics used at sport events for the local newspapers, AP, action, portrait, weddings, and college parties and high school graduations (you get the picture, no pun intended). Pentax was late to the game for serious digital photography, and I was no longer working as a professional, so I indulged in some Canon Powershots that were good - but never felt exactly right. A couple of years ago I got a Pentax K3 II, for a number of reasons (including shooting my kids sporting events and some serious overseas travel) and fell in love all over again. My K mount lens collection grows, and I really miss my old 85mm f1.8 portrait lens, but the quality of modern zooms is amazing. The ergonomics are stellar, as before. In legendary Houston flooding and 1" an hour storms, the K3 weather sealing held up just fine as did the lenses that claim weather sealing. I decided to go for the K1-II as there is finally a full frame camera with the Pentax ergonomics, weather sealing like the K3, and improved pixel shift. I will simply say that the quality is outstanding. Comparing night time 6-man football photographs (I swear the lighting is a couple of 100 watt bulbs at either end of the field) between the K1-II and K3 you can see the lower noise and higher quality of the K1-II. Putting the K1-II in APS-C mode means you give up full frame, but the improved sensor still gives higher quality than the K3. Another plus for action is your 300mm lens becomes 450mm using APS-C mode, and at the same time the sensor gives better results. Its a win all the way around. As for battery life, I used my 2 year old batteries from the K3 in the K1-II just to test. A full night of shooting, over 300 photos, and the battery still had not gone down 1 notch. I call that impressive. The K1-II can hold its own against any camera. The first photo (players in white and blue) was made using the Pentax K1-II and Pentax 55-300mm zoom lens at 108mm, 1/400 sec, f4.5 using APS-C mode. ASA 25600, that is twenty-five thousand six hundred. The second photo (two blue players) is the K3 II, same lens, 115mm, 1/640 sec, f5.6, ASA 25600. No retouching or cropping. Lighting on the (same) field is minimal. The lower noise on the K1-II is apparent.

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Update Aug 2018: I have had the opportunity to use the K-1mkII at NHRA events and off highway events and I objectively cannot find a gap in this camera. I wish the horizon correction option could be turned on and off from the main info menu like the KP but that is a nit. That is something you want to do for night long exposure work, I update images taken with both Pentax and Tamron glass. The night NHRA was sot at ISO 6400 and I have not seen better image quality by any other camera OEM at that ISO. Phenomenal. I did not purchase the K-1mkII from Amazon. But as I have commented on my Amazon KP purchase I wanted to share my thoughts on this model that I purchased from a NY store 2 months ago. I believe the K-1mkII took the best updates of the KP and put them in a FF package. The image quality is superb. I also bought the DFA 150-450 and this has become and unbeatable duo of camera and lens. An aspect of the K-1mkII I really like is the ability to work with a FF lens, a APS-C lens or shoot in 1:1 mode. Yes if you shoot in APS-C mode your effective pixels are less than a KP but since the pixels are larger I see amazing image quality even in that mode. The redwing blackbird attached is the APS C mode with the DFA at 450 making it essentially a 688mm handheld. BTW the fps in APS-C mode is 6.5 so good for sports that way. Autofocus on the K-1mkII is fast and accurate and the image of the swallow was caught that way. Folks have commented that getting a swallow in flight is very hard and it is, but made easier with the K-1mk2. If you are a Pentaxian, the K-1mkII is the time to add a FF back to your camera kit. If you are looking for your first FF DSLR, Pentax has so much more to offer for the money than Canon or Nikon. No one makes as durable, weather resistant and ability to allow you to be the creator of an image, not just taking a picture

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Granted, Ive only had it slightly less than 2 months. It takes really beautiful shots. I can still use all of my old lenses from my ancient *istDL. As I explore more I will update.

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Its a Pentax, whats not to love?!

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