15 Awesome Pentax Features You NEED To Try

[@KobieMC]

Just goes to show that PENTAX is made by photographers, for photographers. Great vid bud!

[@LeeIveson]

Yep I think what they lack in marketing they make up for in features! Thanks mate

[@renerazon4008]

Well said Kobie.👍

[@KobieMC]

@@renerazon4008 Thank you 👍🏽

[@b.2221]

Great tips Lee , and having recently got the K3iii the most sensational button of them all is the get me back home Green Button it is simply sensational when I get too adventurous with trying different features out LOLL 😂.

[@LeeIveson]

Haha thanks mate. That's what it should have been called the "beam me up scotty" button 🤣

[@kcphotogeek6207]

In playback you can also compare 2 photos side by side, handy if you’re experimenting

[@LeeIveson]

I'll have to try that one!

[@KobieMC]

I believe the compare 2 images side by side is only on the K-7 and K-5 series. Unless there's a way to set it up for the K-3/II/III.

[@kcphotogeek6207]

@@KobieMC Pentax Q too, find it useful for macro on the K5, thought it would have been on the K3

[@kcphotogeek6207]

Cool video Lee, Pentax really are the photo nerds brand. Think Lumix are the closest for pure feature packing, if you have a Lumix and Pentax I’m not sure there’s anything you can’t do.

[@LeeIveson]

Well I may have a video coming soon about a totally new camera to me at least, which is jam packed full of features, maybe even more than Pentax!

[@kcphotogeek6207]

@@LeeIveson hmmm maybe an Olympus if not a Lumix 🤔

[@gamingwithstand6886]

Another great feature Pentax has is using IBIS to shake the sensor as a moire filter. Moire is not really a issue because DXO PhotoLab and DXO PureRaw have the best moire remover but before then I had to use Adobe Lightroom with the brush. It was a huge headache at weddings when the groom and groomsmen had gray suits on. Those suits have a pattern that are notorious for moire.

[@LeeIveson]

This is a good point, I've never used DXO so that's a nice feature they have.

[@orzellezro]

As a relatively new Pentaxian I find your videos extremely helpful and informative. Keep up the good work.👍

[@LeeIveson]

Thanks mate, I'm glad they are of help to you. ✌

[@scrptwic]

Thanks Lee another great video Pentax cameras are stacked full of features most other cameras do not have. Cannon just got Pixel Shift in there high end model and most other camera brands don't have a built Iin Intervalumter

[@leegibson9121]

Thanks for the really interesting and useful tips, they are really helpful. I can't wait to try out catch in focus. Thank you.

[@Needacreate]

Valuable content, as usual, Lee. Ricoh Imaging marketing department, take note. As a pretty generalist photographer, I would find it hard to even point out my favourite of these features. I guess it's the whole package, the Swiss Army knife effect of it all, the clear message that this is gear that has been designed to give you great results under a broad range of conditions and to make your photographic experience as enjoyable as possible.

[@LeeIveson]

I'm looking forward to testing the CIF feature, I think there's definitely some potential there.

[@Needacreate]

@@LeeIveson I take it you mean the AF Hold feature, if I go by your video? 😅 Easy to get mixed up with all of those. At the end of the day, it's about what they give you and us being able to put them to meaningful use.

[@LeeIveson]

@@Needacreate Haha yes AF hold. It's been a long day 😴

[@andig4780]

Thanks a lot. Very good video, as always

[@LeeIveson]

Cheers Andi

[@lisahuston9794]

Great bonus feature Lee. I love my k1 but always have issues when in a fast AF scenario. Looking forward to your full explanation on this feature.

[@LeeIveson]

Thanks Lisa, I'll be working on that video soon!

[@slimphotog]

#8 I used to crop photos in-camera on the sidelines at sporting events during free moments, then save the edited image. Much easier and faster than transferring it to my phone via WiFi and opening up another app.

[@LeeIveson]

Never thought of doing that, I'd end up eating the battery up with the amount of shots I take at the Motocross.

[@andrecockell9048]

Thanks for a great video. I have a K50, with aperture block failure. I use it with old manual lenses, with the body set up for stop down metering. Even with a fault it still offers more than many cameras twice the original price!

[@LeeIveson]

I've never experienced the aperture block myself, but like you have pointed out there's work arounds if you don't want to have it repaired.

[@majun26]

I've had a few Pentax over the years, but I just got a Kp at the second hand shop on a crazy deal with the 16-85 HD ad 55-300 PLM and its crazy, I've had Pentax cameras before that have tons of amazig features, but with this Kp, not only is it great to use, the files are amazing, they're almost as good as my full frame camera, but in some ways, they're actually better. Its freaking me out, because I got a crazy deal on it, but its murdering my other cameras that I paid more for. This Kp had long been my dream camera, I never thought I'd have one. Now I want the monocrhome K3iii, that's my new dream camera. I've been buying lotto tickets since I heard about it lol.

[@LeeIveson]

Haha yeah your going to need the lotto tickets for that mono K33 😆 The KP is a beast! I'm just put of by how the grip looks.

[@michaelgosling-p1q]

Really interesting have just got my 3rd pentax k1ii time to check these settings out

[@eldorado5650]

Your content is so valuable like always, Lee. We're lucky to have you as Pentaxian. That AF hold is just a cracker of a feature. You use it for motorsport and is essential for birding, especially with screw-driven lenses, as well. Cheers.

[@LeeIveson]

Thanks mate, that's very much appreciated! Yes the AF hold feature is great, it's something I'm now experimenting with to find out the limitations on how far it can be pushed! As you say it's great for the stuff I shoot & likewise for any birding it would be great too. Cheers

[@dansloss2566]

Good reminders of the features, thank you.

[@LeeIveson]

Great features need to be talked about. Cheers Dan

[@GODSPEEDseven]

Just as with any brand, Pentax cameras aren't perfect.. But damn!! Pentax offers so many tools in their cameras for pretty much any use-case scenario. On top of it, they offer most of these tools even in their entry-level cameras! The bright pentaprism viewfinder is a big plus in my book. I think, one of the major pros of Pentax has always been how feature-packed they are for the cost. Take the K-70 that is currently on sale everywhere... I have no worries that it can compete with ANY other modern camera out there. The sensor, colours, viewfinder and all the options, even Pixel Shift.. and tight well-built WEATHER-SEALED body, make it a real competitor, especially at the cost. I think, sadly, they are often overlooked. Anyways, nice vid Lee! -PS- Thank you for reminding us of the AF-Hold feature.... I'm going to have fun with it this weekend! 🍻

[@LeeIveson]

That's the best part, most of these features go years back and can be found in the entry level models! I'll be doing the same, it's an AF Hold weekend 📷

[@shawndonnelly5317]

Thank you for another great video Lee.

[@LeeIveson]

Cheers Shawn.

[@pathogan4854]

Great tips Lee I really needto spend more time with my K70 I dont know it at all really !!

[@LeeIveson]

Thanks Pat. Sometimes it's nice to just sit down and play with the menus to see what they do.

[@williamsiviter8760]

Thanks

[@LeeIveson]

No problem👍

[@leehaze1]

Excellent video. I was meaning to make a similar video for a while now. Now I don't need to. You did a lot better job than I would have. Plus you saved me a few hours of work. lol Cheers!

[@LeeIveson]

Haha well you can still make it Lee, there's a few features I missed out too! Cheers mate

[@mamumonkan]

could you do a video on how to shoot the K1 in SILENT ELECTRONIC SHUTTER MODE - please :)

[@LeeIveson]

I don't own the K1 I'm afraid

[@ykchan917]

That’s great! Currently I’m interested in the k1ii for wedding/family and my street/documentary work too. Do u know if the k1ii have catch in focus and if there’s any restriction of lens paired on it? Thx a lot mate！

[@LeeIveson]

@ykchan917 Yes the K1ii has catch in focus I'm pretty sure of it. And it will work with any K mount lens, although be careful of some of the vintage lenses as some have a pin that can get stuck in the mount, you can remove the pin from those lenses. Cheers

[@ykchan917]

@@LeeIveson Great! Thx for the tip! It works with the FA limited lens right? Coz it doesn't seem to have a af/mf button on the lens

[@LeeIveson]

@ykchan917 If it's an AF lens, then it needs to have a manual switch on the lens body. (I've seen people using tinfoil to block some of the contacts on the lens mount but would not advise to do that!) If it is a manual lens, it needs to have the "A" auto apature. I'll make a short video on this topic to show what will & won't work with catch in focus. 👌

[@ykchan917]

@@LeeIveson Thank u so much for the reply! I think I’m going to have a second hand k1ii for my wedding and street work :)

[@skeletor4115]

the auto focus feature its something i want to try on my sports flics

[@LeeIveson]

Defiantly give it a try, if I'm honest the best thing I've found to help with shooting fast action with the K3 is using the 55-300 PLM, game changer in terms of AF speed & accuracy.

[@rogerbradbury9713]

One feature I use a lot is the digital preview. Besides using it to check exposure and composition without having to wait for an image to save, the test shots take up no card space. It's just the job for sorting out flash and ambient light balance. I have no idea if the digital preview is unique to Pentax or not; anybody know for sure? The green button is great; I use it to zero flash or ambient exposure compensation, set a manual exposure for the lighting conditions.

[@LeeIveson]

I never thought of doing that with the digital preview, to be honest I've never really know what it actually did 😅 I'm going to have to try that out now! Good shout 👏

[@xmeda]

IBIS today is standard in many other cameras. Lens AF calibration is pretty much standard on other cameras today too. Even some semi-auto options like Nikon cameras like D500 have. Green button is nice, agree. But to be honest while using Olympus cameras I don't miss it. It is great for beginners, but later when you know what are you doing all the time, it simply becomes unused (except M mode meterin with manual lenses). Catch in focus has very limited use and is not very precise with some lenses. WR today is quite standard for every hi-end body. Yes, pentax offers it even for entry level K70/KF, but in fact that camera cost quite a lot while offering substandard parameters. Astrotracer is nice and I have the hot-shoe dongle, but now competitor cameras can do similar thing with taking multiple pics and combining them in one while removing earth rotation without a need for calibration or dongle. DNG RAW is nice, but Pentax is not unique. In camera lens corrections only work for JPG, on the other hand Pentax lenses are not exactly popular in raw development software presets. Button customisation is present on many cameras on market and even my 2012 Olympus compact camera can re-program three buttons to desired functions. AF hold is unfortunately years beyond what many other cameras can do through subject detection and live AF tracking. Pentax used to be quite unique 10-12 years ago providing multiple interesting features that others did not have. But others evolved since that time while Pentax was transferred to Ricoh, lost most R&D and sicked to some strange ideas like FF DLSR competition without investment. The result is, that being new camera customer in 2023, I will barely find K mount interesting for any investment. If somebody wants APS-C today, I would suggest Fuji or Sony. (Canon killed system by limiting 3rd party support and Nikon has no IBIS in APS-C bodies so far). And I somebody wants FF body, then the K1 is years behind others and lens options are extremely limited to few new lenses and vintages. Sad, but reality. When they finally released 2015 spec K3III I was hoping for some improvements, but later they released KF and burried those hopes again. 645 is still dead. K3III monochrome based on 2 years old model and having $2000 price tag is april fools joke. And while others are releasing 3-5 modern lenses every year, Ricoh sleeps. :( At least my K3 still works.

[@LeeIveson]

Got to love the good ole K3!

[@mohnkern]

I wish you'd show where these features were in the menus

[@LeeIveson]

I'll get around to making an updated video showing how to get to all the features 👍

[@takuan650]

Nice video although the image quality is dreadful. I still use my K5IIs, the K3 and 5 ltd. primes when I want to create a certain look in my photos. For general use these cameras have serious shortcomings, in particular the AF and MF system is often unreliable, slow and inaccurate. My Pentax primes are the real treasure here. I use them on my Leica CL and Samsung NX500 with adapters with great results.

[@LeeIveson]

I think it depends on what you are shooting with these cameras. I shot 4 years worth of Motocross events with a K-70 & K3 in all weather conditions without to much to moan about. I'm not saying they are the best cameras for the job at all, but they are capable.

[@grahamhobbs3501]

The number of user modes is higher than many, too.

[@LeeIveson]

Yeah I think the K3 has 3, the KP had like 5 I think & the K3iii has 10 I want to say?