My normal sample crop didn't work because of some odd depth-of-field issues, but this shows how well the K-01's noise and JPEG processing preserves image detail as high as ISO 1600.
Image quality at ISO 1600 was excellent. Color differences aside, there's hardly any difference between the JPEG and what I could do with the raw version.
(1/60 sec, f5, ISO 1600, spot metering, AWB, 40mm lens)
One reason the K-01 nails the quality at ISO 1600 is because the image comes off the sensor with amazingly little noise, and what there is looks very fine-grained.
(1/60 sec, f10, ISO 1600, spot metering, AWB, 40mm lens)
Pentax has always had poor default color settings; as you can see, it pushes the saturation on blues and purples so much they shift and lose midtone detail, and the pinks look unnatural. The Natural option, though, renders much better, more accurate color.
For its class, the K-01's tonal range isn't bad -- a large chunk of highlights are recoverable, but there isn't a lot of data in the really flat, blown-out areas.
(1/160 sec, f4, ISO 100, spot metering, AWB, 16-50mm DA* mm lens at 21mm)
The new pancake 40mm prime isn't a great lens. It's sharp, but as we've seen here prone to fringing and its out-of-focus highlights have the look of a cheap consumer lens.
(1/160 sec, f8, ISO 100, multisegment metering, AWB, 40mm lens)
