Pentax K-1 Mark II: What you need to know

Pentax K-1 Mark II: What you need to know

The Pentax K-1 was one of the most-anticipated cameras in recent memory. After many starts-and-stops, this full-frame DSLR finally arrived in 2016, much to the delight of Pentax photographers. It offered superb image quality from its 36MP CMOS sensor, 5-axis in-body image stabilization with several tricks up its sleeve, a unique (to say the least) articulating LCD and a body built like a tank.

The K-1 Mark II carries all of that over, but improves upon the K-1's image quality thanks to a new 'accelerator unit' while adding the ability to use the Pixel Shift high-res mode without a tripod. Ricoh also mentions that the Mark II's AF tracking algorithms have been improved.

Image Quality Enhancements

The K-1 II's main addition is an 'accelerator unit,' which is a pre-processor that sits between the 36MP CMOS sensor and the PRIME IV image processor. Ricoh says that this pre-processor increases the signal-to-noise ratio, thus reducing noise, which implies it's a a noise reduction process. Ricoh told us that the accelerator unit, which was found on other Pentax models like the K-70, was not ready for the K-1 when it launched.

Thus, the company has increased the top ISO to 819,200 - a big jump from 209,400 on the original model. We'd be shocked if anything near that ISO is usable, seeing how the K-1 looked at 209,400 (hint: poor, like all cameras in its class), but we'll find out soon enough.

Ricoh says that 'deep blues' and 'lively greens' are more 'true to life,' as well.

The unit does put the hurt on battery life, though, reducing it to 670 shots per charge from 760 shots on the original K-1.

Pentax K-1 II: Shifting Pixels

Pixel Shift is a clever feature first seen on the K-3 II that uses the in-body image stabilization system to create a high resolution image by combining four images that are offset by a single pixel. This process cancels out the Bayer color array used on nearly all digital cameras, which both eliminates color aliasing and artifacts and removes the need to demosaic, thus improving resolution.

Pixel Shift is best-suited for shooting still objects on a tripod. On the K-1 II Ricoh is trying something that sounds a bit crazy, by using the natural shake of your hands to collect the four images needed to combine into a single high-res image. Ricoh calls this called Dynamic Pixel Shift Resolution mode, and we can't wait to see how well it works.

What hasn't changed

As mentioned earlier, the K-1 II retains the 36MP full-frame CMOS sensor from its predecessor, along with its PRIME IV image processor, 33-point AF system and 5-axis in-body image stabilization. In addition to its Pixel Shift and shake reduction duties, the IBIS system also allows for automatic horizon correction and AA-filter simulation.

The unique 'Cross-Tilt' LCD makes an appearance on the Mark II, complete with LEDs that can shed light on nearby controls. You can compose your photos through a large pentaprism viewfinder with a magnification of 0.70x and 100% coverage (naturally).

The built-in GPS on the K-1 II not only allows for geolocation but is also used for the camera's Astrotracer feature, which lets you capture celestial bodies without star trails.

We could keep listing the K-1 II's features, but since they're identical to those on the original, check out our review of that camera for all the details.

Good News for K-1 owners

Nobody wants to be left out in the cold when their camera gets replaced. Ricoh hasn't forgotten this, and will be giving current K-1 owners the opportunity to upgrade to the K-1 Mark II for a limited time.

Between May 21st and September 30th (in North America), K-1 owners can ship their cameras to a Ricoh service center, where the logic board will be replaced with the one found in the Mark II. Pricing for the upgrade is set at $550 in the US and $690 CAD in Canada.

Pricing and Availability

The K-1 Mark II will begin shipping this April. It will be sold body-only for $1999 or with the HD Pentax-D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6 ED DC WR lens for $2399.

If you're a current K-1 owner, are you thinking about upgrading to the Mark II? Let us know in the comments.

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