PENTAX · PENTAX K

KF

Released November 2022

A 24.24-megapixel APS-C DSLR with an optical pentaprism, sensor stabilisation, a vari-angle screen and weather-resistant construction.

Type: DSLR
Sensor: APS-C
Megapixels: 24.24
Lens: PENTAX KAF2 bayonet mount
Video: 1920 × 1080 at 30 fps
Body weight: 625 g

What reviewers say

Both praise the sturdy body, clear viewfinder, flexible screen and still-image quality, but see little reason for K-70 owners to upgrade. Digital Camera World finds autofocus particularly noisy and hesitant with older screw-drive lenses. Tom's Guide finds useful tracking in bright conditions but poor low-light response, occasional freezes in its test unit and uncomfortable weight over long outings. Both criticise the limited video capabilities.

From digitalcameraworld.com and tomsguide.com

Specifications

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Image and sensor

Camera type: DSLR
Sensor format: APS-C
Sensor type: CMOS without an optical low-pass filter
Sensor dimensions: 23.5 × 15.6 mm
Effective resolution: 24.24 MP
Largest image: 6000 × 4000
RAW recording: Yes
Standard ISO range: 100–102400
Sensor detail: 24.24 effective and 24.78 total megapixels; primary-colour CMOS without an optical low-pass filter; sensor-shift anti-aliasing simulator with selectable strength
Image formats: 14-bit PEF or DNG RAW, JPEG and simultaneous RAW/JPEG; 6000×4000 single-shot native output. Pixel Shift Resolution combines four sensor-shifted exposures, requires a stable camera and can show movement artefacts
ISO detail: Standard ISO 100–102400; no separately expanded range specified
Image processor: PRIME MII with an accelerator unit (maker launch notice)

Lens and shooting

Lens mount: PENTAX KAF2 bayonet mount
Stabilisation: Sensor shift
Maximum continuous burst: 6 fps
Lens detail: KAF4, KAF3, KAF2, KAF and KA lenses; KAF2 power-zoom operation is not supported. Autofocus behaviour depends on in-lens motor or the body screw drive
Autofocus: Through-viewfinder SAFOX X phase detection with eleven points including nine central cross-type points; EV −3 to 18 at ISO 100. Live-view hybrid sensor phase/contrast autofocus with face detection, tracking, multiple/select/spot areas and focus peaking
Shutter: Mechanical focal-plane 1/6000–30 seconds and Bulb; timed Bulb 10 seconds–20 minutes; electronic shutter for Pixel Shift Resolution rather than a general high-speed electronic mode
Burst detail: Approximately 6 fps at ISO 100, up to 40 highest-quality large JPEGs, ten RAW or eight RAW/JPEG pairs; 3 fps low-speed mode up to 100 JPEGs, sixteen RAW or eleven pairs
Stabilisation detail: Sensor-shift SR; maker claims 4.5 shutter stops in launch notice. Pixel Shift Resolution has selectable subject-motion correction, which cannot correct every moving subject. Astrotracer needs optional O-GPS2; no built-in GPS inferred
Flash: Built-in retractable P-TTL flash, guide number approximately 12 at ISO 100 in metres; 28mm full-frame-equivalent coverage; 1/180-second sync and external dedicated-flash support
Exposure controls: PASM, sensitivity priority and combined shutter/aperture priority; 77-segment metering and ±5 EV compensation

Video

Highest video resolution: 1920 × 1080 at 30 fps
Video detail: H.264 MOV, Full HD 1920×1080 at 30/25/24p or 60i/50i; interlaced rates are fields, not progressive frames. HD 1280×720 at 60/50p; approximately 25-minute or 4 GB clip limit with temperature shutdown. 4K interval movies combine still exposures and are not real-time 4K capture
Audio: Built-in stereo microphone, external stereo microphone input, adjustable recording level; microphone and cable switch share a 3.5 mm terminal

Screen and viewfinder

Viewfinder: Optical
Screen size: 3″
Screen dots: 1,037,000
Touchscreen: No
Tilting screen: Yes
Display detail: Vari-angle three-inch TFT, approximately 1.037 million dots, air-gapless construction and tempered-glass front; not touch-sensitive (Digital Camera World). Outdoor-view and red night-vision adjustments
Viewfinder detail: Optical pentaprism, approximately 100% coverage and 0.95× magnification with FA 50mm F1.4 at infinity; approximately 20.5 mm eye relief from view window; interchangeable Natural-Bright-Matte III screen

Connections and design

Wi-Fi: Yes
Battery life (maker's claim): 460 photographs
Body weight: 625 g
Release detail: Maker Japanese notice confirms 25 November 2022 local sale; earliest worldwide or UK day unconfirmed, so month precision retained. Later Ricoh notice announces ending current K-series production; surviving range pages do not prove ongoing production
Recording media: One SD/SDHC/SDXC slot supporting UHS-I
Ports: USB 2.0 Micro-B, Type D micro-HDMI, combined 3.5 mm stereo microphone/cable-switch input; USB-C is on the external battery charger, not the camera body
Wireless connections: Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11b/g/n at 2.4 GHz; maker lists channels 1–11. No Bluetooth stated in read specification
Battery life detail: D-LI109 lithium-ion battery; approximately 460 CIPA shots without flash or 400 with 50% flash use at 23°C; approximately 250 minutes playback
Charging: Supplied D-BC186 external battery charger with USB power adapter, plug and USB cable; optional K-AC168 AC adapter kit. No in-camera USB charging inferred from Tom's Guide's ambiguous battery wording
Dimensions: Approximately 125.5 × 93 × 74 mm, excluding protrusions
Weight detail: Approximately 625 g body only or 684 g with battery and SD card; pictured 18–55mm lens excluded from these weights
Materials: Maker dust and weather-resistant construction with 100 sealing points; −10 to 40°C operating range, up to 85% humidity without condensation; not waterproof
Colours: Black; original Crystal Blue and Crystal White finishes each limited to 700 worldwide, retained as cosmetic variants
In the box: O-ST132 strap, D-LI109 battery, D-BC186 charger, USB power adapter and plug, I-USB166 cable, S-SW186 software CD, FR eyecup, FK hot-shoe cover and body-mount cover; kit includes 18–55 WR lens

Pros and cons

Pros

Sensor-shift stabilisation and pixel-shift composites
Optical pentaprism with approximately 100% coverage
Weather-resistant body rated for operation down to −10°C

Cons

Full HD video rather than real-time 4K
One UHS-I SD card slot
RAW burst buffer of approximately ten frames

Closest rivals

Model	Type	Sensor	Megapixels	Lens	Video	Body weight	Released
PENTAXK-3 Mark III Monochrome	DSLR	APS-C	25.73	PENTAX KAF2 bayonet mount	3840 × 2160 at 30 fps	735 g	Apr 2023
CanonEOS 250D	DSLR	APS-C	24.1	Canon EF / EF-S	3840 × 2160 at 25 fps	402 g	Apr 2019
CanonEOS 2000D	DSLR	APS-C	24.1	Canon EF / EF-S	1920 × 1080 at 29.97 fps	427 g	Mar 2018

Sources

Photo: news.ricoh-imaging.co.jp

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