Pentax Q7 Review

October 4, 2013 | Gavin Stoker | Rating star Rating star Rating star Rating star

Introduction

The new Pentax Q7 is one of the smallest and lightest interchangeable lens cameras currently available. At its heart is a new 1/1.7"-type back-illuminated CMOS sensor and the super-compact Q-mount lens system. The Pentax Q7 also features improved low-light auto focus, an upgraded Shake Reduction mechanism, full HD movie recording, in-camera HDR exposure blending, digital level function, Eye-Fi card compatibility, a multi-exposure mode and a 3-inch, 460,000-dot rear screen with an aspect ratio of 3:2. The Pentax Q7 is available in no less than 120 camera colour combinations (including three standard models) and is priced at £369.99 / $476.95 body-only, with a standard zoom for £399.99 / $499.99, or in a double-zoom kit for £539.99 / $699.99.

Ease of Use

Although Pentax’s inaugural, numberless ‘Q’ compact system camera was one of the last to join the mirror-less ‘CSC’ party, 2011 already seems like an age ago. On a positive note, the smaller than average size and lighter than usual weight of said model and subsequent Q10 was what, personally, we’d always hoped a true compact system camera would deliver, whilst the retro styling rested easy on the eye.

Perhaps inevitably, however, there was some sniping regarding what exactly the point of the Q system was, when a 12.4 megapixel, 1/2.3-inch sensor size (the same as that found in ordinary snapshots) fell not only short of CSC competitors, but also the APS-C sensor incorporating digital SLRs to which it hoped to offer an alternative. In addition, on a less sensitive note, there was the fact that photographers had yet another lens mount and system to invest in from scratch; even if there’s now an adapter that now allows the attachment of larger Pentax K-mount lenses for existing Pentax owners.

Keeping all bases covered, Pentax, latterly Pentax-Ricoh, or just the Ricoh Imaging Company as it is now confusingly known, has pressed ahead with both DSLRs, including recent K-500 and K-50 models, and CSCs, of which the Q7 is the very latest, following on directly from the Q10. The most notable bit of news this time around is that the ‘7’s sensor size is bigger at 1/1.7-inches, though the resolution hasn’t followed suit and has, perhaps sensibly, remained at 12 megapixels.

As with its latest DSLRs, the brand is offering the ‘7’ in a range of colours; we had the hard-to-miss canary yellow version in to take a look at, which was certainly a conversation starter with those who witnessed us using it. That said, whilst this and some of the other available colour choices can seem a tad eccentric if viewed in isolation, if you’re lucky enough to witness a larger display of ‘Q’ models stacked together in a Japanese camera store, then its impact is greater and what’s initially gimmicky starts to make some weird sort of sense. The suggestion would seem to be that in the Q7 we have a camera that, to use that well worn advertising cliché, can be ‘as individual as you are.’

This all has relevance to a review of this model as more so than most the Q7 will be sold on its looks. For one it is tiny compared to most rival system cameras, being almost the size of a credit or business card, albeit wider than your thumb in depth. Its official dimensions are 58x102x33.5mm and it weighs just 200g with lithium ion rechargeable battery and SD card inserted, but naturally without Q-mount lens attached.

Secondly both its diminutive proportions and wacky colour offerings conspire to make the camera look distinctly toy like. You’ll either think that’s cute or, if more serious minded, find it a turn off, but on a practical note the backplate buttons are so tiny as to require a precise fingernail operation; the rear LCD isn’t a touch screen here. That said we can imagine the Q7 being very popular with females, or simply those who prefer a device that is properly small and compact above the requirement for the ultimate in image quality that perhaps a larger sensor and bigger glass would ensure. No claims are being made for this camera as a professional tool.

Pentax Q7 Pentax Q7
Front Rear

Unsurprisingly the Q7 further omits an eye-level viewfinder, whilst its LCD is of the non-tilting, non-angle adjustable variety. Since we don’t get Wi-Fi either, we are offered Eye-Fi card compatibility as compensation to still enable wireless image transfer/back up. What’s included in the box however for a manufacturer’s asking price of £399.99 – with street prices inevitably lower still – is an impressively compact 5-15mm standard zoom, the colour of which matches the canary yellow camera body. Suggesting the opportunity to expand the system with further accessories we get a vacant hotshoe on the Pentax’s top plate, whilst there is a powerfully sprung pop-up flash provided that resembles a robotic pelican when erect.

From the front the Q7 looks its best, resembling a shrunken DSLR and signifying, outwardly at least, that this is a better proposition for better photos than your 3x pocket snapshot or smartphone. However the smaller form factor has thrown up some compromises naturally. A case in point: the bulb for the flash is located top right of the lens mount, sufficiently close to the camera’s edge that a stray fingertip can partially block it leaving a shadowy black ‘smudge’ visible in the image. Interestingly the flash doesn’t actually have to be manually raised for it to fire as, unlike most competing CSC’s that sink a pop-up flash into their top plates, the flash window remains constantly visible at the front, retaining its line of fire to our subject.

Otherwise the Pentax Q7’s control layout is a mix of the conventional and the less so. Over at the opposite side of the lens mount, located top left if viewed from the front, we find a more familiar pin-prick of a porthole housing the AF assist lamp/self timer indicator. This is housed next to the ridged edge of a small, penny-shaped shooting mode dial, its positioning meaning that it falls under the forefinger. Here we have a snug eight options to choose from when setting up our shots, from the familiar all auto and video mode options, through program, shutter priority, aperture priority and manual settings, to a comprehensive 21-option selection of scene modes. The last setting on the dial, the enigmatic ‘BC’, is not a date reference to the charmingly archaic design but translates here as ‘Blur Control’, a means by which users can selectively blur their subjects’ surroundings via a partial rotation of the Q7’s rear command dial. The latter is the exact same size as the shooting mode wheel, and conveniently sits just behind it on the camera’s top plate. The small form factor here at least ensures that no control or button is too much of a stretch to access quickly.

That being said even though not excessively fast/bright at a maximum aperture of f/2.8 (running up to f/4.5), we did manage to achieve an attractive ‘bokeh’ with the manual use of the Q7’s supplied zoom. That’s not that bad a spec for a bundled zoom lens.

Staying at the front of the camera, below the shooting mode dial we get a narrow yet comfortably rounded handgrip with leather effect padding. There’s enough room here for two fingers to curl around the grip, whilst the user’s forefinger hovers between the shooting mode wheel and the raised shutter release button to the left of it. Unusually, this padding is mirrored on the opposite side of the lens. It almost looks as if the Q7 is sporting a pair of sideburns when the camera’s viewed lens on.

And in truth it is more a visual thing than a practical concern. Though the camera can be held in both hands, a further front-mounted dial on the bottom right side of the lens slightly interferes with this. Settings on this dial are numbered one to four and out of the box we are provided with access to image-enhancing colour settings, applied at the time images are captured. These are the self explanatory ‘Brilliant Colour’, the colour isolating ‘Unicolour Bold’, the desaturated tones of ‘Vintage Colour’ plus a Cross Processing-style option. These are in addition to a set of effects filters accessed via the main menu button on the backplate, and present ready-made options to fall back on in an instant if you want to add extra visual ‘oomph’ when conditions are dull.

Pentax Q7 Pentax Q7
Side

Side

A note of caution; whilst it’s a fun feature, we did find this front-facing dial easy to jog when fetching the camera out of a jacket pocket or bag, so became gradually accustomed to checking we hadn’t accidentally arrived at an option we didn’t want before lining up a shot. In bright sunlight it isn’t always easy to tell via backscreen alone, which somehow feels smaller than the 3-inches quoted on the spec sheet. Resolution is a fairly ordinary 460k dots by current standards; put simply, whilst adequate it lacks a certain wow.

We’ve mentioned at least three of the controls on the top plate already. Add to these a small, partially recessed power button and an identically sized playback button, mirroring each other at either side of the hotshoe. To the left of the playback button, if looking down on the camera and viewing it from the back, is a slider switch for raising the pop-up flash which literally springs to attention; plus, as we noted earlier, the flash doesn’t actually need to be raised for it still to work – but the further away from the lens it is the less chance of red eye, naturally. The flash settings here are pretty comprehensive too: we get auto flash, auto with red eye reduction, forced flash, forced flash with red eye reduction, slow sync, slow sync with red eye reduction, trailing curtain sync and off.

Though the Pentax Q7 may outwardly seem quite toy-like and cute, switch the camera on and you begin to get the impression that its maker is taking things a little more seriously than first impressions might give us rise to believe. A case in point is that the camera powers up in a second or so, meaning that, as with an entry-level DSLR, we never felt in danger of missing the moment we anticipated before firing the Q7 up. Squeeze the shutter release button down halfway and there’s a momentary pause before auto focus points appear on screen highlighted in green, the image visibly adjusting for focus and exposure. Squeeze the shutter release button down fully and a Large size, maximum resolution JPEG image is written to memory in all of two seconds. There’s also the option to shoot in Raw or Raw + JPEG. Image aspect ratios offered are 16:9, 3:2, 4:3 and perhaps more unusually 1:1.

As video mode exists as a setting on the top plate shooting mode dial, on the Q7 recording starts and ends with an initial and subsequent press of the shutter release button. Complete novices may find it tricksy to adjust focus using the manual lens ring, but like anything it’s possible with a bit of practice, the LCD screen just large enough to tell whether the subject’s sharp or not.

Even those who think small is beautiful may have cause to pause as we review the back of the Q7 however. As flagged up in our intro, the camera’s rear features buttons so small as to require fingernail (as opposed to fingertip) precision to operate. It’s achievable but is verging on the fiddly. As said controls are arranged to the right of the LCD screen, it’s the thumbnail of your right hand that does all the work.

Top right of the backplate is an exposure compensation control button; press this and we get the usual range of +/- 3EV offered, an on-screen slider provided for adjustment.

Beneath this again we find a green ‘easy mode’ button that doubles up as a dedicated delete control when in playback. This sits above a familiar four-way control pad arranged as a set of cross keys. At twelve o’clock is a setting for ISO. With the camera in auto mode, settings can be adjusted so that it operates within different parameters – for example ISO100-200, 100-400, 100-800, 100-1600, 100-3200, 100-6400, or 100-12800. Twist the dial to program mode instead and we have the chance to go for the same or instead manually choose all individual points in between via a rotation of the command dial at the back edge of the top plate. At three o’clock on the backplate pad meanwhile we find a self-timer setting that also doubles up as a drive mode button. Thus we have the option of single shot or continuous shooting, using the camera with an optional remote, placing the camera in exposure bracketing (+/- 3EV) or multi exposure modes, as well as accessing interval shooting; so, though it is perfectly possible to just point and shoot, more creative options are provided within the Q7 than initially meets the eye.

Pentax Q7 Pentax Q7
Top Pop-up Flash

At six o’clock on the cross key selection we have a white balance button, with a full selection of daylight and artificial light balance options plus the ability to set white balance manually if you happen to have a piece of white paper or white board to hand. The final ‘key’ of the line up positioned at nine o’clock is for the flash options, as already covered.

Bottom right of the backplate we have the Q7’s final two controls in the self-explanatory info and menu. Whilst a press of the former brings up a comprehensive array of options that basically floods the screen with information reducing the captured image to small thumbnail in the corner or selectively subtracts it to let the shot ‘breathe’, in capture mode we are handily – and unexpectedly – presented with a graphical display of key shooting settings. Think the ‘Quick Menu’ of Panasonic Lumix compacts, but on steroids. Here we are offered custom control over the image – choose from bright, natural, portrait, landscape, vibrant, radiant, muted, bleach bypass, reversal film, monochrome or cross-processing options.

Next up, digital filters are accessible via this button also. The almost exhaustive options in this mode are toy camera, high contrast, shading, tone expansion, invert colour, extract colour, unicolour bold, water colour, posterisation, a slimming mode, plus fish eye. The third icon offers a trio of high dynamic range options: either auto, HDR1 or HDR 2 mode, depending on how pronounced you’d like the effect to be.

Highlight correction and shadow correction options are up next (both either auto, on, or off), followed by a choice of three metering modes: the all-encompassing multi segment, centre weighted or spot. The seventh option in the custom menu meanwhile allows us to turn on or off an in-camera neutral density filter, whilst the eighth offers us the ability to switch between auto and manual focus – something it might have been worthwhile offering a dedicated button or lever for elsewhere on the body perhaps? Next we have the ability to swap auto focus method and either to use multiple AF points which we relied on in the main, manually select your AF point, chose spot or tracking AF, or finally go for face detection. Focus peaking, distortion correction, as aspect ratio, image capture format, resolution and activation of built-in shake reductions make up the final options here – so a comprehensive selection by any estimation.

Some of the above options can additionally be accessed – though not quite as quickly or as readily – via a press of the ‘menu’ button located alongside ‘info’. Menu options are divided into a DSLR-like series of numbered folders, split between stills options, video options (which includes the ability to utilize each of the digital filters accessible in stills mode), plus the usual playback, set up and custom menu options – the latter enabling such features as being able to access the focus ring even when shooting in AF mode and, as previously stated, fire the flash when retracted. Otherwise, via the same menu, both these options can be turned off. It all adds up to the impression that the Q7 is pitched at some hitherto undiscovered market that may or may not exist between complete amateurs and photo enthusiasts.

The rechargeable lithium ion battery of the Q7 is good for up to 260 shots, slightly bettering the performance of something like the Nikon J3 at 230 shots, but is in truth pretty average when compared to the market as a whole. Rather than being a bottom loader, on the Pentax the battery in inserted into one side of the camera, whilst a slot for manner of SD media exists on the opposite side. Thus both can be added or removed easily when the camera is mounted on a tripod, for which a central screw thread is provided on the base.

So, what of the images the Q7 produces? Is it a case of seven deadly sins or the magnificent seven? Read on to find out…

Image Quality

All of the sample images in this review were taken using the 12 megapixel Best JPEG setting, which gives an average image size of around 3.5Mb.

OK, whilst inevitably the 1/1.7-inch sensor at the heart of the Q7 isn’t a direct replacement for the performance of an APS-C sensor in a DSLR or a CSC such as the Canon M, and its lens can’t hope to match a physically larger piece of glass, the Q7’s imaging performance largely falls into line with what we expected of a camera that plugs the gap between pocket snapshot and full-blown DSLR.

In other words, whilst at worst images can resemble common or garden snaps, get some good light and an interesting subject and it’s clear plenty of detail is capable of being captured throughout the frame. Added to this the f/2.8 maximum aperture of the kit lens isn’t bad for a zoom and still allowed us to achieve some shallow depth of field effects. Plus, used diligently and sparingly, there’s the advantage to ‘dial in’ a bit more contrast and colour via the knob on the front of the Q7 if it would suit scene and subject, which provides both the fun and visual punch otherwise missing.

For indoor photography utilising natural light, the Pentax Q7’s manually selectable ISO options stretch from ISO 100 to ISO 12800. Noticeably the results at the two top settings of ISO 6400 and ISO 12800 are increasingly noisy in appearance, with colours visibly wandering. However at ISO 3200 and below we were much happier with what we got; thankfully too the camera’s ISO settings can be limited to operate within the parameters of ISO 100-3200, so you can avoid the camera stretching its capabilities further than you might be happy with.

Noise

There are 7 ISO settings available on the Pentax Q7. Here are some 100% crops which show the noise levels for each ISO setting, with JPEG on the left and the RAW equivalent on the right:

ISO 100 (100% Crop)

ISO 200 (100% Crop)

iso100.jpg iso200.jpg
   

ISO 400 (100% Crop)

ISO 800 (100% Crop)

iso400.jpg iso800.jpg
   

ISO 1600 (100% Crop)

ISO 3200 (100% Crop)

iso1600.jpg iso3200.jpg
   

ISO 6400 (100% Crop)

ISO 12800 (100% Crop)

iso6400.jpg iso12800.jpg

Sharpening

Here are two 100% crops which have been Saved as Web - Quality 50 in Photoshop. The right-hand image has had some sharpening applied in Photoshop. The out-of-the camera images are soft at the default sharpening setting and benefit from some further sharpening in a program like Adobe Photoshop. You can also change the in-camera sharpening level to suit your tastes.

Original (100% Crop)

Sharpened (100% Crop)

sharpen1.jpg sharpen1a.jpg
   
sharpen2.jpg sharpen2a.jpg

Flash

The flash modes include Auto, Auto + Red-eye Reduction, Flash On, Flash On + Red-eye Reduction, Slow-speed Sync, Slow-speed Sync + Red-eye Reduction, Trailing Curtain Sync, and Flash Off. These shots of a white wall were taken at a distance of 1.5 metres.

Flash Off - Wide Angle (27mm)

Flash On - Wide Angle (27mm)

ISO 64 ISO 64
   

Flash Off - Wide Angle (84mm)

Flash On - Wide Angle (84mm)

ISO 64 ISO 64

And here are some portrait shots. As you can see, neither the Flash On setting or the Red-eye Reduction option caused any amount of red-eye.

Flash On

Flash On (100% Crop)
flash_on.jpg flash_on1.jpg
   

Red-eye Reduction

Red-eye Reduction (100% Crop)

flash_redeye.jpg flash_redeye1.jpg

Night

The Pentax Q7 lets you dial in shutter speeds of up to 30 seconds and has a Bulb mode as well, which is very good news if you are seriously interested in night photography. The shot below was taken using a shutter speed of 0.6 second at ISO 1600.

Night

Night (100% Crop)

night1.jpg night1a.jpg

Sample Images

This is a selection of sample images from the Pentax Q7 camera, which were all taken using the 12 megapixel Best JPEG setting. The thumbnails below link to the full-sized versions, which have not been altered in any way.

Sample RAW Images

The Pentax Q7 enables users to capture RAW and JPEG format files in the DNG format. We've provided some Pentax RAW (DNG) samples for you to download (thumbnail images shown below are not 100% representative).

Sample Movie & Video

The Pentax Q7 can record HD video in the Quicktime (MOV) format. This is a sample movie at the highest quality setting of 1920x1280 pixels at 30 frames per second. Please note that this 36 second movie is 58.6Mb in size.

Product Images

Pentax Q7

Front of the Camera

 
Pentax Q7

Front of the Camera / Pop-up Flash

 
Pentax Q7

Side of the Camera

 
Pentax Q7

Side of the Camera

 
Pentax Q7

Side of the Camera

 
Pentax Q7

Side of the Camera

 
Pentax Q7

Rear of the Camera

 
Pentax Q7

Rear of the Camera / Image Displayed

 
Pentax Q7

Top of the Camera

 

Pentax Q7

Side of the Camera

 
Pentax Q7

Side of the Camera

Conclusion

So the smallest mirrorless camera on the block gets a generally successful upgrade and can be considered the most well realized Q camera yet. As with its predecessors we can visualise the smaller format, pack of playing cards-size of the Pentax Q7 going down a storm in the Far East. But, unless deliberately looking for a camera that will allow a more covert/candid shooting style, many Western users might prefer a compact with a bit more meat on its bones, by which we mean bigger buttons and a larger grip. Though they feature neither of these things competition exists in the likes of the Nikon 1 J3 and the Canon EOS M now its had several price drops, plus the newer Samsung NX2000 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF6, the latter being a far better option all round for a price tag that’s currently in the Q7’s vicinity, even if it is (relatively speaking) bulky in comparison.

In terms of picture quality this is where the Q7, whilst by no means terrible, nevertheless falls down, being neither a match for fellow CSC’s in this price bracket nor entry level digital SLRs it might offer an alternative to, As it is, we would neither suggest it as a replacement for or alternative to a DSLR. There are more bells and whistles here to help you make a better fist of what might otherwise be a fairly run of the mill snapshot-type image, but the basics of a larger sensor and bigger glass are always going to be missing, so it can rather feel like shooting with one hand behind your back at times.

In conclusion if you equate small with beautiful then the retro-styled Pentax Q7 is worth further investigation. This may also mean you’ll take it out with you more and achieve shots you might not otherwise have attempted. Yet whilst it looks great and is a lot of fun, predictably there are still better compromises between image quality and smaller form factor to be found elsewhere.

4 stars

Ratings (out of 5)
Design 4
Features 4
Ease-of-use 4
Image quality 3.5
Value for money 4

Main Rivals

Listed below are some of the rivals of the Pentax Q7.

Canon EOS M

The Canon EOS M is a new compact system camera that boasts 18 megapixels, full 1080p high-definition videos with continuous auto-focusing, and a touch-screen interface. Other key features of the EOS M include a 3-inch LCD screen with 1,040k dot resolution, ISO range of 100-25,600, and a flash hotshoe. Is Canon's new mirrorless model a real contender? Read our Canon EOS M review to find out...

Fujifilm X-A1

The Fujifilm X-A1 is a new entry-level compact system camera. The retro-styled X-A1 offers a 16 megapixel APS-C sensor, built-in flash and hotshoe, wi-fi connectivity, 5.6fps burst shooting, tilting LCD screen and Full HD video recording. Read our in-depth Fujifilm X-A1 review now...

Nikon 1 J3

The Nikon 1 J3 is the new mid-range model in Nikon's compact system camera line-up. The J3 offers more megapixels, a smaller and lighter body, and a more simplified control layout than its predecessor, the 4-month-old J2. Read our in-depth Nikon 1 J3 review now...

Nikon 1 S1

The Nikon 1 S1 is the new entry-level model in Nikon's compact system camera line-up. The S1 offers 10 megapixels, 60fps burst shooting, 1080p movies, a 3-inch LCD screen, and a small and light body. Read our in-depth Nikon 1 S1 review now...

Olympus E-PM2

The brand new Olympus E-PM2 is one of the smallest compact system cameras on the market. Also known as the PEN Mini, the svelte EPM2 has exactly the same image sensor and processing engine as the flagship OM-D E-M5. It also boasts the World's fastest autofocus system, a 3 inch LCD touchscreen display, full 1080p HD movies, and an extensive range of creative filters. Read our Olympus E-PM2 review to find out if it's the perfect upgrade from a compact camera.

Panasonic Lumix GF6

The Panasonic Lumix GF6 is a new entry-level compact system camera that offers a lot of cutting-edge features for not a lot of money. The diminutive GF6 has a tilting LCD screen, built-in wireless and NFC connectivity, fast 0.09 second auto-focusing, a 16 megapixel Micro Four Thirds sensor, 1080i HD video, and a touchscreen interface. Read our Panasonic Lumix GF6 review, complete with full-size JPEG and RAW sample images...

Samsung NX2000

The Samsung NX2000 is a new entry-level compact system camera with a lot of bells and whistles. Featuring a 20 megapixel APS-C sensor, full 1080p video, ISO 100-25,600, a 3.7-inch touchscreen, 8.6fps continuous shooting and Wi-fi / NFC connectivity, is this the best budget mirrorless camera? Read our Samsung NX2000 review to find out...

Sony NEX-3N

The NEX-3N is Sony's new entry-level compact system camera for 2013. Billed as the "world’s smallest, lightest interchangeable lens camera", the NEX-3N is also one of the cheapest mirrorless cameras on the market. It features a 16 megapixel APS-C sensor, 1080i HD movies, 3 inch tilting screen and built-in flash. Read our in-depth Sony NEX-3N review, complete with sample JPEGs, RAW files and movies.

Review Roundup

Reviews of the Pentax Q7 from around the web.

trustedreviews.com »

Pentax’s Q series was first launched just over two years ago, and it represented a new approach to the Compact System Camera (CSC) market. Pentax took the route of making the Q range as small as possible, and although it achieved this goal in doing so it had to utilise smaller sensors than competing CSCs.
Read the full review »

whatdigitalcamera.com »

The Pentax Q7 is the latest model in the manufacturer's Q-system – a tiny interchangeable-lens format based around the sorts of sensors usually found in compact cameras.
Read the full review »

ephotozine.com »

Announced in June 2013, the Pentax Q7 is the flagship model in the Q series. It has a larger image sensor and there are a choice of 20 body colours and six grip colours giving 120 possible colour combinations. The Q7 is due to be launched in September 2013 with an RRP of £369.99 body only and £399.99 with the 5-15mm kit lens.
Read the full review »

digitalcamerareview.com »

Ricoh's tagline for the Pentax Q7 is, "Real Camera. Real small. Real fun." So, we at DigitalCameraReview.com wanted to find out if these three statements were really true. Straight out of the box we could see why the first two sentences in the tagline are "Real camera. Real small." The Q7 is a compact ILC that has some very pronounced toy-like characteristics--especially when used by someone with large hands. But the real question remains: Is the Pentax Q7 real fun? Stick around as we answer that question during our review.
Read the full review »

thephoblographer.com »

I received word of the Pentax Q7 from Chris Gampat about a month and a half ago. It was the next review unit coming in, and since my time was mostly free, I said I would take the review. The loaner agreement disappeared into the ether of cyberspace, and a package arrived at my door some number of days later. When I opened it, I thought, “Something must be wrong.”
Read the full review »

Specifications

Type
Camera Type Lens-interchangeable SL digital-still camera
Sensor
Type CMOS sensor, with primary colour filter
Size

1/1.7-inch

Total Pixels

Approx. 12.76 MP

Effective Pixels

Approx. 12.4 MP

Still

File formats: RAW (DNG), JPEG (Exif 2.3), DCF2.0 compliant

JPEG
[4:3]L:12M(4000x3000),M:7M(3072x2304),S:3M(1920x1440)
[3:2]L:10M(4000x2664),M:6M(3072x2048),S:2M(1920x1280)
[16:9]L:9M(4000x2248),M:5M(3072x1728),S:2M(1920x1080)
[1:1]L:9M(2992x2992),M:5M(2304x2304),2M(1440x1440)

RAW
[4:3]12M(4000x3000)

Quality level:

RAW (12bit): DNG
JPEG: ★★★ (best), ★★ (better),  ★ (good)

RAW and JPEG simultaneously recordable

Color Space: sRGB, AdobeRGB

Sensitivity AUTO : ISO 100 to 12800 (1/3 EV steps)
Bulb mode : up to ISO 1600
Shake Reduction
Sensor shift Shake reduction
Sensor Cleaning

Image sensor cleaning using ultrasonic vibrations ‘DRII’

Lens
Mount

PENTAX bayonet Q-mount

Compatible Lens: Q-mount lenses

Focusing System
Type

Contrast detection AF

Functions

Brightness Range: EV0 to 18(ISO100)

Focus mode: AF/MF switching

Autofocus Method: Face Detection, Tracking, Multi-point, Select, Spot

AF Assist Light: Dedicated LED AF assist light

Assist: OFF/ x2/ x4

Focus Peaking: OFF/ON

Screen
Type

Type: 3’’ TFT color LCD monitor, wide-angle viewing, AR Coat

Brightness and colors adjustable

Display: Field of View: approx. 100%, Electronic Level, Grid display (4x4 Grid, Golden Section, Scale display), Bright area warning, Histogram

Resolution

460k dots

Shutter
Speed

Lens shutter: 1/2000 - 30 seconds 

(1/3EV step, 1/8000 - 30 seconds when Electronic Shutter setting is enabled), Bulb

*Shooting at 1/8000 - 2 seconds with Electronic Shutter and Bulb shooting are not available when using a lens that has no lens shutter.

X-Synchronization

Lens shutter: 1/2000 seconds, Electronic shutter: 1/13 seconds

Exposure system
Metering

TTL image sensor metering, segment metering, centerweighted metering, and spot metering

Exposure Modes

Auto Picture mode:
Standard, Portrait, Landscape, Macro, Night Scene Portrait, Night Scene, Blue Sky, Forest

Scene Mode:
Portrait, Landscape, Macro, Moving Object, Night Scene Portrait, Sunset, Blue Sky, Forest, Night Scene, Night Scene HDR*, Night Snap, HDR*, Quick Macro*, Food, Pet, Kids, Surf&Snow, Backlight Silhouette, Candlelight, Stage Lighting, Museum

Program Auto Exposure, Shutter Priority, Aperture Priority, Manual Exposure, Bulb, Blur Control*
* JPEG Only

Aperture: From wide open to F8  *Not available when using a lens that has no lens shutter

ND Filter: Off/On  *Not available when using a lens that has no lens shutter.

Auto Exposure Lock

Can be assigned to the green/delete button from the menu.
Continuous as long as the shutter release button is pressed halfway.

Compensation

Exposure Compensation: EV1 - 17 (ISO 100, F1.9 lens), +2EV using the Electronic Shutter setting or using the ND filter

EV Compensation: ± 3EV (1/3EV step)

Flash
Type

Built-in retractable P-TTL flash

Guide Number

Guide number: approx. 4.9 (ISO100/m) / approx. 7 (ISO200/m)

Modes P-TTL, Red-eye Reduction, Slow-speed Sync, Trailing Curtain Sync
Angle of View Coverage Wide-angle lens, equivalent to 28mm in 35mm format
Exposure Compensation  -2.0 to + 1.0 EV
Exposure Parameters
Modes

Drive Modes

Mode Selection: Single frame, Continuous (Hi, Lo), Self-timer (12s, 2s), Remote Control (0 sec., 3 sec., continuous), Exposure Bracketing (3 frames, remote control), Multi-exposure (0 sec., Self-time, remote control), Interval Shooting

Continuous Shooting: 

Approx. 5 fps, JPEG (12M / ★★★ / Continuous Hi): up to 5 frames,
Approx. 1.5 fps, JPEG (12M / ★★★ / Continuous Lo): up to 100 frames

Capture Functions

Custom Image: Bright, Natural, Portrait, Landscape, Vibrant, Radiant, Muted, Bleach Bypass, Reversal Film, Monochrome, Cross Processing

Noise Reduction: High-ISO NR

Dynamic Range Setting: Highlight Correction, Shadow Correction

Lens Correction: Distortion Correction

HDR Capture: Auto, HDR 1, HDR 2

Multi-exposure: Number of shots: 2-9, Exposure adjusted automatically

Interval Shooting: 

Shooting interval: 3 sec. to 24 hr., Start Interval setting: immediately from the set time, Number of shots: up to 999 images

Smart Effect: 

Brilliant Color, Unicolor Bold, Vintage Color, Cross Processing, Warm Fade, Tone Expansion, Bold Monochrome, Water Color, Vibrant Color Enhance, USER 1 to 3

White Balance

Auto: TTL by CMOS image sensor

Preset: Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Fluorescent Light (D:Daylight Color, N:Daylight White, W:Cool White, L:Warm White), Tungsten, Flash, CTE, Manual

Manual: Configuration using the display screen (up to 3 settings can be saved), Copying the white balance setting of a captured image

Fine Adjustment: Adjustable ±7 steps on A-B axis or G-M axis

Digital Filter

Toy Camera, High Contrast, Shading, Slim, HDR, Invert Color, Extract Color, Color, Water Color, Posterization, Fish-eye

Movie
Recording

File Format: MPEG–4 AVC/H.264

Recorded Pixels: 

FullHD(1920x1080,16:9,30fps/25fps/24fps),
HD(1280x720,16:9,30fps/25fps/24fps),
VGA(640x480,4:3,30fps/25fps/24fps)

Sound: Built-in monaural microphone

Recording Time: Up to 25 minutes; automatically stops recording if the internal temperature of the camera becomes high.

Custom Image: Bright, Natural, Portrait, Landscape, Vibrant, Radiant, Muted, Bleach Bypass, Reversal Film, Monochrome, Cross Processing

Digital Filter: Toy Camera, High Contrast, Shading, Tone Expansion,  Invert Color, Extract Color, Unicolor Bold,  Water Color, Posterization, Slim, Fish-eye

Interval Movie: 

Recording interval: 3 sec., 5 sec., 10 sec., 30 sec., 1 min., 5 min., 10 min., 30 min., 1 hr.,
Recording time: 12 sec. to 99 hr.
Start Interval setting: immediately, from the set time

Playback
Digital Filter

Base Parameter Adjustment, Toy Camera, High Contrast, Shading, Tone Expansion, Invert Color, Extract Color, Unicolor Bold, Water Color, Posterization, Slim, Fish-eye, Retro, Soft, Sketch Filter, Miniature, Soft, Starburst

Options

Playback View: 

Single frame, multi-image display (4, 9, 30, 56 segmentation), display magnification
(up to 16x, scrolling and quick magnification available), rotating, histogram (Y histogram, RGB histogram), bright area warning, detailed inf, folder display, Date display, Slideshow

Delete: Delete single image, delete all images, select & delete, delete folder, delete instant review image

RAW Development: File Format (JPEG), Aspect Ratio, Color Space, Custom Image, White Balance, Sensitivity, High-ISO NR, Shadow Correction, Distortion Correction

Edit: Resize, Cropping (aspect ratio adjustment available), Index, Movie Editing (divide or delete selected frames), Capturing a JPEG still picture from a movie, Red-eye Edit, Saving buffer as a RAW file

Storage
External

SD, SDHC, SDXC Memory Card and Eye-Fi Card

File Format

RAW (DNG), JPEG (Exif 2.3), DCF2.0 compliant

File Name

Storage Folder: Date (100_1018, 100_1019...)/PENTX (100PENTX, 101PENTX...)

Special Features
Features

Custom Functions: 16 items

Mode Memory: 10 items

Button/ Dial Customization: Green/Delete button: Green Button, Preview, One Push File Format, AE Lock, Enable AF Quick Dial: Smart Effect, Custom Image, Digital Filter, Aspect Ratio

World Time: World Time settings for 75 cities (28 time zones)

Language

English, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Finnish, Polish, Czech, Hungarian, Turkish, Greek, Russian, Korean, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, and Japanese

Interface
Interface

Connection Port: USB 2.0 (high-speed compatible) / AV output terminal, HDMI output terminal (Type D)

USB Connection: MSC/PTP

Video Output Format: NTSC/PAL

Power
Source

Battery Type: Rechargeable Lithium-ion Battery D-LI68

AC Adapter: AC Adapter Kit K-AC115 (optional)

Performance

Number of recordable images: approx. 250 images (with 50% flash usage),
approx. 260 images (without flash usage)
Playback time: approx. 160 minutes
* Using a new lithium-ion battery under the temperature at 23 °C, Tested in compliance with CIPA standard.

Dimensions
Height 58mm
Width 102mm
Depth 33.5mm
Weight

200g (loaded with battery and SD card), 180g (body only)

 

Compatibility
PC

Windows XP (SP3 or later, 32-bit Home/Pro), Windows Vista(32-bit, 64-bit), Windows 7 (32-bit, 64-bit), Windows 8

Mac

Mac OS X 10.5, 10.6, or 10.7

Accessories
Included Software

SILKYPIX Developer Studio 3.0 LE

Kit Content

USB Cable I-USB7
Strap O-ST131
Rechargeable Lithium-ion Battery D-LI68
Battery Charger D-BC68P
Software (CDROM) S-SW133

Mounted on the camera:
Hot shoe cover FK
Body mount cover

Optional

Rechargeable battery lithium-Ion D-LI68
Battery charger K-BC115E
AC Adapter K-AC115E
D-DC Coupler D-DC115
AV Cable I-AVC7
USB Cable I-USB7
Micro-HDMI cable
Remote Control F
Remote Control O-RC1
External viewfinder O-VF1
100FL Filter
Multibag grey
Multibag white
Small neoprene case
Large neoprene case

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