Pentax has launched a quartet of recolored versions of its K-1 Mark II DSLR, which was first released in 2018 and is currently the company’s flagship K Series camera. The K-1 Mark II J Limited 01 DSLR seems to be available only in Japan, which was also the case for the company’s previous J Limited camera. The Pentax KP J Limited in 2019 was well-received, so Pentax has opted to develop J Limited as a formal factory brand.
The K-1 II J Limited 01 will be built on a made-to-order basis and comes with numerous changes compared to the mass-produced K-1 II. The Limited version must be hand-built due to the special color painting and parts changes, which cannot be performed in mass production.
The K-1 II J Limited 01 has a custom wood grip carved from North American walnut. The grip is hand-finished by craftsmen from Miroku Techno Wood Co., Ltd. This same group also crafts wooden handles for luxury cars. The wood grip, which has a nine-layer coating, is dyed using ‘high-grade ink.’
Rubber grips are also used on both sides of the main camera body. The dimpled rubber has an improved design, which Pentax states offers a better grip than previous models. The grip has a special ‘J Limited 01′ mark applied.
Citizen Watch Co., Ltd.’s surface hardening technology, Duratect Gold, is applied to the lens mount. This process uses ionized titanium and gold to improve surface hardness and give the mount a more sophisticated, elegant appearance.
The K-1 II J Limited 01 has a removable top cover with a different silhouette than the standard pentaprism. In a translated press release, Pentax says, ‘A brass “top cover A” can be layered on top of the resin “top cover B” to create a W top cover structure that allows the appearance to be changed according to the lens to be worn and the style of the day.”
Pentax, in cooperation with photographers Kazutoshi Yoshimura and Takukei Seo, has added special shooting modes to the J Limited 01. The modes, PH-mode Yoshimura and PH-mode T, reproduce the photographers’ settings when capturing landscapes images.
Other features and specifications are identical with the K-1 Mark II, including the camera’s 36MP full-frame image sensor, 5-axis image stabilization, 33-point autofocus system, handheld Pixel Shift mode and 1080/30p video recording.
Every week, we ask newsletter subscribers a question about gear, creativity or life. Last week we asked readers: What’s a camera you used to own that you regret letting go of, and why?
Many wrote in to share thoughtful and surprising responses. It was curious to see just how many shout-outs we saw for older film cameras.
Many regretted leaving behind high-end SLRs when they moved to digital. In hindsight it seems a new appreciation has grown for the simplicity and engineering of classic cameras.
A strong subset of responses congregated around medium-format cameras as well (you can count me among that group), which tended to deliver a slower, more deliberate process than 35mm, in part because the cameras generally weren’t designed for moving quickly.
Here are three of our favorite responses:
1.Canon F1
Canon’s first SLR designed for the professional market.
Image credit: Steve H/DPReview
Phil A: “I sold a Canon F1, some lenses and accessories to buy the first Nikon DSLR. Big mistake.”
2. NIKON F3P
The Nikon F3P was a modified F3 created for photojournalists. It was made to be extra durable with special seals for dust and sand resistance and removed the film door release lock, self-timer and multiple-exposure lever.
Image credit: Arne List/Wikipedia
Stephen E Lawrence: “The NIKON F3P, as it’s a working Pro camera that never failed me as a NPS member using it was easy to use, felt like a precision piece that it was and took great pictures every time.”
3. NIKON F2
The Nikon F2 was the company’s last all-metal mechanically-controlled professional-level Nikon SLR.
Image credit: Photopath/Wikipedia
A DPReview reader wrote: “NIKON F2. The F2 was the best looking 35mm film camera ever made. Also loved the sound of the F2 titanium shutter. Perfect. Such a satisfying camera to use and own.”
What’s your take? Let us know in the comments.
If you want to participate in the next question, sign up for the newsletter. It’s the best photography, camera and gear news, delivered right to your inbox.
And we don’t just stop at the news. Newsletter subscriber benefits include behind-the-scenes articles, letters to the editor, exclusive contests, sneak peeks on what we’re working on, ways to share feedback directly with DPReview editors to help us shape future stories and more! There is no AI here, only real people writing the newsletters and reading your feedback (me!)
Every week, we ask newsletter subscribers a question about gear, creativity or life. Last week we asked readers: What’s a camera you used to own that you regret letting go of, and why?
Many wrote in to share thoughtful and surprising responses. It was curious to see just how many shout-outs we saw for older film cameras.
Many regretted leaving behind high-end SLRs when they moved to digital. In hindsight it seems a new appreciation has grown for the simplicity and engineering of classic cameras.
A strong subset of responses congregated around medium-format cameras as well (you can count me among that group), which tended to deliver a slower, more deliberate process than 35mm, in part because the cameras generally weren’t designed for moving quickly.
Here are three of our favorite responses:
1.Canon F1
Canon’s first SLR designed for the professional market.
Image credit: Steve H/DPReview
Phil A: “I sold a Canon F1, some lenses and accessories to buy the first Nikon DSLR. Big mistake.”
2. NIKON F3P
The Nikon F3P was a modified F3 created for photojournalists. It was made to be extra durable with special seals for dust and sand resistance and removed the film door release lock, self-timer and multiple-exposure lever.
Image credit: Arne List/Wikipedia
Stephen E Lawrence: “The NIKON F3P, as it’s a working Pro camera that never failed me as a NPS member using it was easy to use, felt like a precision piece that it was and took great pictures every time.”
3. NIKON F2
The Nikon F2 was the company’s last all-metal mechanically-controlled professional-level Nikon SLR.
Image credit: Photopath/Wikipedia
A DPReview reader wrote: “NIKON F2. The F2 was the best looking 35mm film camera ever made. Also loved the sound of the F2 titanium shutter. Perfect. Such a satisfying camera to use and own.”
What’s your take? Let us know in the comments.
If you want to participate in the next question, sign up for the newsletter. It’s the best photography, camera and gear news, delivered right to your inbox.
And we don’t just stop at the news. Newsletter subscriber benefits include behind-the-scenes articles, letters to the editor, exclusive contests, sneak peeks on what we’re working on, ways to share feedback directly with DPReview editors to help us shape future stories and more! There is no AI here, only real people writing the newsletters and reading your feedback (me!)
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What was your first camera?
This year is DPReview’s 25th anniversary. Naturally, we’ve been thinking a lot about cameras from the past quarter century and even beyond. In that spirit, we thought it would be fun to update an article initially published a few years ago in which current and former DPReview editors share the cameras that gave them their start in photography.
We asked each editor two questions: “What was your first camera?” and “What was your first digital camera?” (For some, even their first camera was digital.) Read on to see what they were.
While we’re at it, tell us about your first camera in the comments. With such a diverse group of readers, we know there will be some interesting answers!
The Fujifilm X100VI is the sixth iteration of Fujifilm’s classically-styled large sensor compact. A 40MP X-Trans sensor, in-body stabilization and 6.2K video are the major updates, but do they make the camera better?
The Panasonic Lumix S5II launched the second generation of Panasonic’s full-frame mirrorless camera system and was the first Panasonic to feature phase detect autofocus. As our review reveals, it’s a heck of an all-around camera for both still and video shooters.
The latest Lumix puts a Four Thirds sensor in a full-frame body with boosted AF and a wealth of stills and video capabilities to create a Swiss Army Knife of a Micro Four Thirds camera.
The fourth camera in Leica’s SL series of full-frame mirrorless cameras sees the 60MP BSI sensor from the Q3 and M11 models arrive with a significant interface redesign.
The Nikon Zf is a 24MP full-frame mirrorless camera with classic looks that brings significant improvements to Nikon’s mid-price cameras. We just shot a sample reel to get a better feel for its video features and have added our impressions to the review.
What’s the best camera for around $2000? This price point gives you access to some of the most all-round capable cameras available. Excellent image quality, powerful autofocus and great looking video are the least you can expect. We’ve picked the models that really stand out.
What’s the best camera for travel? Good travel cameras should be small, versatile, and offer good image quality. In this buying guide we’ve rounded-up several great cameras for travel and recommended the best.
If you want a compact camera that produces great quality photos without the hassle of changing lenses, there are plenty of choices available for every budget. Read on to find out which portable enthusiast compacts are our favorites.
‘What’s the best mirrorless camera?’ We’re glad you asked.
Above $2500 cameras tend to become increasingly specialized, making it difficult to select a ‘best’ option. We case our eye over the options costing more than $2500 but less than $4000, to find the best all-rounder.