Pentax KP review

It’s another interesting 24-megapixel SLR from Pentax, but what does the Pentax KP have that the cheaper K-70 doesn’t?

Pentax KP review

Digital Camera World Verdict

The Pentax KP is an interesting camera, but it lags behind the cheaper K-70 in a couple of key areas and doesn’t deliver enough to justify its much higher price. It’s compact, sturdy and packed with photographic features, but we’re left thinking Pentax should now invest in rationalising and modernising its lens range, not launching new cameras.

Pros

  • +

    Tough, weatherproof construction

  • +

    In-body image stabilization

  • +

    ISO 819,200 maximum

Cons

  • -

    Expensive compared to the K-70

  • -

    No hybrid AF system

  • -

    Weak battery life for a DSLR

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The KP’s headline specification is its maximum ISO 819,200 sensitivity setting. You also get Pentax’s SR Shake Reduction System II system; a high-resolution Pixel Shift mode; an anti-aliasing filter ‘simulation’; and a magnesium alloy body with 67 seals to make it dustproof, weather-resistant and ‘freezeproof’ down to -10°C.

The KP also offers a range of interesting photographic options, including depth of field bracketing and motion (shutter speed) bracketing with no exposure shift. Pentax may seem a minority DSLR brand in today's market, but it does have the support of a growing list of Pentax lenses to go with it.

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