Pentax K-X, Digital Single Lens Reflex, test results.

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Pentax K-X, Digital Single Lens Reflex. Photograph gallery. (Click an image for full resolution versions)

This is straight out of the camera in automatic mode, with the 18-55mm lens, in fading evening light. As with all images on this page - click on the image to download the file exactly as it came out of the camera.

Although the camera allows the photographer to select JPEG or RAW format, at the moment I am using it in JPEG format. This applies to all test shots on this page.

This is part of the "Jurassic Coast" in Dorset, UK. In the distance is a spec, about 4 pixels high on the original file is a tower, 2.7 miles away. A bit further down the page I conducted a frankly outrageous test and popped an old 42mm screw mount 500mm Paragon telephoto and a screw mount teleconverter on the camera, just because I could.

This was taken in "Sport Mode". The camera will knock out 4.5 frames per second, if you don't lift off the shutter. This was with the 50-200mm lens, used in the 200mm position.

It depicts Douglas C47 against a stormy leaden grey sky. This famous example dropped paratroops on D-Day, 6th June 1944 and is seen here at Kemble Airfield in the Cotswolds shortly before finally being retired back to the USA.

This is straight out of the camera in automatic mode, with the 18-55mm lens, in fading evening light, this time in macro. ASA was dialed up to 800 and the shutter set at 1/60th, hand held. The anti vibration has done a good job of saving this image of this Abutilon flower. I ought to point out that Abutilon flowers normally hang down but I propped this one up to show it off.

These two images were taken using a 1968 SMC Pentax 105mm screw mount Telephoto, attached to a similar era set of close up bellows. On the tip of the shell, are some hairs and dust - not on the sensor, actually on the shell itself. The shell image is larger than 1:1, even on this page...

Below are two images of the camera, first fitted with the bellows, then the outrageous 500mm experiment!

Pentax K-X with 1968 screwmount lens attached

This image was acquired by mating a rather poor quality Paragon 500mm lens to a 2x teleconverter to double both the focal length and all the inaccuracies. The tower was 2.7 miles away, and is the indistinct spec on the cliff in the distance on the topmost picture on this page, taken from the same spot. I confess, a certain amount of sharpening was needed to get it presentable. But fair play to this little Pentax K-x, it let me do it. Rather than restricting me, it allows me to try things, and that makes it fun.

Mounted on a tripod, the K-x doesn't have a cable release facility, instead you use a short two second delayed release. In this mode, the mirror retracts as soon as the shutter is pressed, a delay of two seconds elapses whilst the vibrations damp out, before the shutter releases.

Using the Paragon 500mm lens again, but on its own. Again tripod mounted, fortunately I was able to use the two second delay, as this chap was being quite obligingly still. Even so, it was dark and the ASA was set at 800, and some sharpening was applied to get the best from the Paragon. This has pecked up the noise somewhat.

When used with these old lenses, manual mode is the only exposure mode to use.

In truth, this combination is pushing it somewhat and the chromatic aberration is impressive. Spot the blue halo around the water droplets hanging beneath the fir tree.

The Pentax K-x looks to be full of promise though, and makes a very welcome addition to the museum, representing the change of photography from Silver Halides, to digital capture.