Japanese technology giant Ricoh on Wednesday announced a new DSLR camera that is compact and yet packs a punch. The Pentax KP incorporates all the top-tier features of the award-winning K-3 series.
To start with, the Pentax KP has a 24-megapixel CMOS sensor that is suitable for shooting in extremely low-light conditions, with sensitivity to ISO 819200. There is an electronic shutter option in live-view to enable high-speed shooting up to 1/24,000-second.
This will be the first Pentax APS-C DSLR camera to be equipped with the new generation SR II system, which uses a five-axis mechanism to reduce camera shake. The highlight of the DSLR undoubtedly is its compact body, made of durable, lightweight magnesium alloy. It further boasts an extremely slim profile for optimal comfort and handling.
“We designed the PENTAX KP to appeal to the world’s most discerning outdoor photographers, who will appreciate its rich and powerful feature set and rugged, compact design, whether they are shooting a landscape on a trek in Patagonia or capturing an eclipse,” said Kaz Eguchi, president, Ricoh Imaging Americas.
The Pentax KP captures high-resolution Full HD movie clips (1920 x 1080 pixels; 60i/30p frame rate) in the H-264 recording format as well. Other highlights include a 3.0-inch LCD monitor, a large D-LI90 Lithium-ion Battery, built-in Wi-Fi, on-board flash, user friendly interface with five USER mode settings and three control wheels like on the K-1. It also has a pre-programmed HDR mode.
As for the price tag, for those in the US it is going to cost $1099. The dustproof and weather-sealed DSLR is expected to start shipping on February 23.