Pentax K-S1 Review

Main Features

20MP - APS-C CMOS Sensor

No Optical low-pass (anti-aliasing) filter

ISO 100 - 51200

Sensor-shift Image Stabilization

3″ Fixed Type Screen

Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder

5. 4 fps continuous shooting

1920 x 1080 video resolution

558g. 121 x 93 x 70 mm

Replaced by Pentax K-S2

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Pentax K-S1 Overview

First introduced in August 2014 , Pentax K-S1 is a 20.0MP Semi-Pro DSLR camera with a APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm ) sized CMOS sensor. Pentax later replaced K-S1 with K-S2. Follow the link to read our in-depth comparison of these cameras:
Compare Pentax K-S1 vs Pentax K-S2

Pentax K-S1 has an Overall Score of 73/100 and ranked #67 out of 199 in DSLR cameras (Top 10 DSLR), and ranked #143 out of 1145 in all Cameras (Top 10 Overall).

Pentax K-S1 Type Scores

Imaging

Features

Value for Money

Portability

Overall Score

Check our Smart Finder Tool to filter, sort and compare all digital cameras

Pentax K-S1 Compared to other DSLR Cameras

Now let's get in to more details of Pentax K-S1's specs and feature, and list out its pros and cons compared to average cameras in its class.

PROs

Image Stabilization

1920 x 1080 Max Video Resolution

Optical Built-in Viewfinder

Face Detection Focusing

20.0MP - High Resolution Sensor

51.200 Max ISO

11 Focus Points

921k dots LCD Resolution

1/6000s High Shutter Speed

5.4fps Fast Continuous Shooting

558g Light Body

Good Low Light ISO - 1061

Flash Sync Port

AF Micro Adjustment (Fine Tune)

Illuminated Buttons

Buy Pentax K-S1 from or B&H PHOTO

CONs

No Wireless Connection

No Articulating Screen

No Touch Screen

Low Battery Life: 410 shots

No Environmental Sealing

Pentax K-S1 Lens Mount and Lenses

Pentax K-S1 has a Pentax KAF2 lens mount and currently there are 144 native lenses available for this mount. Pentax K mount has backward compatibility for all the K mount lenses produced since 1975 so Pentax users has access to a large selection of manual era native lenses in addition to the modern AF lenses.

K-S1 also has a Sensor based Image Stabilization system which means that all of these lenses will be stabilized when used on K-S1. Sensor based image stabilization is one of the most useful features that you can have in an ILC. There are also 22 lenses with weather sealing for K-S1 but bear in mind that K-S1 body doesn't have weather sealings.

Here are some of the most popular Pentax K-S1 Lenses on Camera Decision:

Popular Pentax K-S1 Lenses

	Focal Length on K-S1	Max Aperture	Weight	Focusing	Price
Pentax smc FA 50mm F1.4	75mm	F1.4	220gr	AF	$299.00
HD Pentax DA 55-300mm F4.0-5.8 ED WR	82.5-450mm	F4.0 - F5.8	466gr	AF	$404.49
Pentax DA 18-50mm F4.5-5.6 DC WR RE	27-75mm	F4.0 - F5.6	158gr	AF	$290.49
Pentax D FA 70-200mm F2.8ED DC AW	105-300mm	F2.8	1755gr	AF	$1,596.95
HD Pentax D FA 24-70mm F2.8 ED SDM WR	36-105mm	F2.8	787gr	AF	$1,089.99

Check our Pentax K-S1 Lenses page or use our Smart Lens Finder tool for more detailed lens search.

Pentax K-S1 Sensor and Photography Features

Pentax K-S1 has a 20.0MP APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Prime MII processor. You can shoot at maximum resolution of 5472 x 3648 pixels with aspect ratios of and 3:2. K-S1 has a native ISO range of 100 - 51200 and it can save files in RAW format which gives you a wider room for post processing.

Pentax K-S1 is not the highest resolution APS-C camera. Sigma Quattro with its 29.0MP sensor is leading in this class. Check the comparison of Pentax K-S1 vs Sigma Quattro or take a look at Highest resolution DSLR cameras list.

Anti-Aliasing Filter

Another important feature about Pentax K-S1's sensor is the lack of anti-alias (Low-pass) filter. Removing anti-aliasing filter increases the sharpness and level of detail but on the other side it also increases the chance of moire occurring in certain scenes.

Let's look at how the size of the Pentax K-S1's APS-C sensor compares with other standard sensor sizes.

Pentax K-S1 Physical Specs

Pentax K-S1 weighs 558 g (1.23 lb / 19.68 oz) and has external dimensions of 121 x 93 x 70 mm (4.76 x 3.66 x 2.76″). Considering that the average weight of DSLR type cameras is 773g, Pentax K-S1 is a remarkably light camera for its class. With a thickness of 70mm, it has an average thickness for its class.

Weight Comparison

DSLR Cameras

Pentax K-S1

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Thickness Comparison

DSLR Cameras

Pentax K-S1

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Here is the front and top view image of Pentax K-S1 with the dimensions:

In order to give you a better idea about the real life size of Pentax K-S1, we have added an image of how it looks next to a credit card and an AA type battery.

Now lets compare the weight and thickness of Pentax K-S1 with its main competitors:

Pentax K-S1 Size Compared to Main Competitors

Model	Sensor	Weight	vs K-S1	Thickness	vs K-S1
Pentax K-S2	20.0MP - APS-C	678g	120g heavier	73mm	3mm thicker
Pentax K-50	16.0MP - APS-C	650g	92g heavier	71mm	1mm thicker
Nikon D3300	24.0MP - APS-C	430g	128g lighter	76mm	6mm thicker
Nikon D5300	24.0MP - APS-C	480g	78g lighter	76mm	6mm thicker
Canon 100D	18.0MP - APS-C	407g	151g lighter	69mm	1mm thinner
Nikon D3200	24.0MP - APS-C	505g	53g lighter	77mm	7mm thicker
Nikon D5200	24.0MP - APS-C	555g	3g lighter	78mm	8mm thicker
Canon 700D	18.0MP - APS-C	580g	22g heavier	79mm	9mm thicker

Pentax K-S1 doesn't have any environmental sealings on its body so you got to be extra careful to protect it against water and dust. If you shoot under these conditions very often, consider checking Top DSLR Cameras with Weather Sealing page.

One of our favourite features on Pentax K-S1 is its illuminated buttons which makes it easier to find and press the right buttons under dark conditions.

Pentax K-S1 Other Features

LCD and Viewfinder

Pentax K-S1 has a Fixed Type 3″ LCD screen with a resolution of 921k dots. Both the screen size and the screen resolution is up to the standards of this class.

K-S1 has a built-in Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder. The viewfinder has a coverage of 100% and a magnification ratio of 0.64x. 100% coverage ensures that what you see in the viewfinder while shooting matches exactly what you will get later in your image, helping accurate framing your shots and minimizes the need for cropping images later.

Max Shutter speed
Pentax K-S1 can shoot continuously at max speed of 5. 4 fps and has max shutter speed of 1/6000 sec.

Flash
K-S1 has a built-in flash, and it also has a flash shoe to mount your external flashes too.

Focusing
Pentax K-S1 features both Contrast Detection and Phase Detection autofocus (AF) systems which ensures speed and accuracy of focusing in most situations. The AF system has 11 points to choose from.

Pentax K-S1 also features Face detection AF where it intelligently detects the faces in the frame and locks the focus automatically.

Video Features
With Pentax K-S1, you can record your videos at a highest resolution of 1920 x 1080 at 30,25,24 fps and save in and H.264 formats. Full HD resolution of Pentax K-S1 will be adequate in most of the situations. But if you are after the highest resolution videos available, see our list of Top Cameras with 4K (Ultra-HD) Video.

K-S1 has a built-in Stereo microphone and a Mono speaker.
Pentax K-S1 doesn't have any connections for external microphones and headphones. If you need a DSLR camera with external microphone connectivity, consider Sony SLT-A33 or Nikon D5100 in a similar price range.

Connectivity and Storage

You can connect K-S1 to compatible devices via its HDMI port or USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) port.

Battery Pentax K-S1 is powered by battery which provides a shooting life of 410 according to CIPA standards. Considering that the average battery life of DSLR type cameras is 876 shots, Pentax K-S1 has a short battery life for its class so we strongly recommend K-S1 owners to buy some extra batteries.

Battery Life Comparison in Semi-Pro DSLR Cameras

Pentax K-S1

Min

Average

Max

Nikon D850 with its 1840shots is the model with longest battery life among Semi-Pro DSLR cameras. Check the comparison of Pentax K-S1 vs Nikon D850 or take a look at Longest Battery Life DSLR cameras list.

Pentax K-S1 Features Compared to Main Competitors

Model	Max Video	Battery Life	Wi-fi	Bluetooth	NFC
Pentax K-S2 >>Compare to K-S1	1920 x 1080	410shots	Yes	No	Yes
Pentax K-50 >>Compare to K-S1	1920 x 1080	410shots	No	No	No
Nikon D3300 >>Compare to K-S1	1920 x 1080	700shots	No	No	No
Nikon D5300 >>Compare to K-S1	1920 x 1080	600shots	Yes	No	No
Canon 100D >>Compare to K-S1	1920 x 1080	380shots	No	No	No
Nikon D3200 >>Compare to K-S1	1920 x 1080	540shots	No	No	No
Nikon D5200 >>Compare to K-S1	1920 x 1080	500shots	No	No	No
Canon 700D >>Compare to K-S1	1920 x 1080	440shots	No	No	No

Lowest Price
Current Lowest price for Pentax K-S1 is $256.99

What type of Photography is Pentax K-S1 Good for?

In this section, we review and score Pentax K-S1 in 5 different photography areas. This first spider web graph shows how the K-S1 compares with the average DSLR camera.
Hover your mouse over the points to see the score details for each photography type.

Pentax K-S1 for Portrait Photography

Pentax K-S1 has a score of 82 for Portrait Photography which makes it an EXCELLENT candidate for this type of photography.

Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Image Stabilization

Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling

Read the details of how we scored Pentax K-S1 for Portrait Photography

Pentax K-S1 for Street Photography

Pentax K-S1 has a score of 85 for Street Photography which makes it an EXCELLENT candidate for this type of photography.

Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing

Image Stabilization
Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Large Body

Read the details of how we scored Pentax K-S1 for Street Photography

Pentax K-S1 for Sports Photography

Pentax K-S1 has a score of 86 for Sports Photography which makes it an EXCELLENT candidate for this type of photography.

Fast Max shutter speed: 1/6000s
11 Focus Points
Good Low Light ISO
Good Ergonomics&Handling

Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Image Stabilization
Average Continuous Shooting: 5.4fps
Environmental Sealings

Read the details of how we scored Pentax K-S1 for Sports Photography

Pentax K-S1 for Daily Photography

Pentax K-S1 has a score of 72 for Daily Photography which makes it a GOOD candidate for this type of photography. If you are looking for a camera that is better suited to Daily Photography, we recommend you to check our Top 10 DSLR Cameras for Daily Photography list.

Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Large Body

558g
Body Thickness 70mm

Read the details of how we scored Pentax K-S1 for Daily Photography

Pentax K-S1 for Landscape Photography

Pentax K-S1 has a score of 60 for Landscape Photography which makes it a GOOD candidate for this type of photography. If you are looking for a camera that is better suited to Landscape Photography, we recommend you to check our Top 10 DSLR Cameras for Landscape Photography list.

Live-view
Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor

Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
No Environmental Sealings

Read the details of how we scored Pentax K-S1 for Landscape Photography

Pentax K-S1 Alternatives

In this section, we analyse how Pentax K-S1 compares with other DSLR cameras within a similar price range. In the Bubble chart below, you can see Overall Score vs Price comparison of K-S1 and the top 10 contenders in the same range. Hover your mouse on the bubbles to see the details of the cameras.

Read a more detailed analysis of Pentax K-S1 alternatives.

Popular Comparisons of Pentax K-S1

Here is the eight most popular comparisons of Pentax K-S1 amongst Camera Decision readers.

Pentax K-S2

Compare

Pentax K-50

Compare

Nikon D3300

Compare

Nikon D5300

Compare

Canon 100D

Compare

Nikon D3200

Compare

Nikon D5200

Compare

Canon 700D

Compare

Pentax K-S1 Alternatives in Mirrorless Cameras

It would also be interesting to compare Pentax K-S1 with Mirrorless Cameras. Below we have listed 4 highest ranked Mirrorless cameras in Pentax K-S1's price range.

Sony NEX-6

Compare

Panasonic GF7

Compare

Fujifilm X-A2

Compare

Olympus E-P3

Compare

Olympus E-PL6

Compare

Panasonic G3

Compare

Fujifilm X-A1

Compare

Pentax Q-S1

Compare

Frequently Asked Questions about Pentax K-S1

Does the Pentax K-S1 have Image Stabilization?
Does the Pentax K-S1 have RAW support?
Does the Pentax K-S1 have Weather Sealing?
Does the Pentax K-S1 have built-in GPS?
What is the Max ISO of Pentax K-S1?
What is the Sensor Size of Pentax K-S1?
is the Pentax K-S1 a Full Frame (FF) camera?
Does the Pentax K-S1 have Touch Screen?
Does the Pentax K-S1 have built-in Wireless?
What is the Max Continuous Shooting Speed (fps) of Pentax K-S1?

Pentax K-S1 Detailed Specifications

General
Brand	Pentax
Model	Pentax K-S1
Announced	2014-08-27
Body Type	Mid-size SLR
Price	$256.99
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	Pentax KAF2
Number of Lenses	144
Focal Length Multiplier	1.5x
Macro Focus Range	n/a
Screen
Screen Type	Fixed Type
Screen Size	3″
Screen Resolution	921k dots
Live View
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder Resolution	no electronic viewfinder
Viewfinder Coverage	100%
Viewfinder Magnification	0.64
Photography Features
Min Shutter Speed	30s
Max Shutter Speed	1/6000s
Continuous Shooting	5.4 fps
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Exposure Compensation	Yes
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	10.00 m (at ISO 100)
Flash Modes	Auto, auto + redeye, on, on + redeye reduction, slow sync, trailing curtain sync, manual
External Flash
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Exposure Modes
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	78
DxO Color Depth	23.5
DxO Dynamic Range	13.0
DxO Low Light ISO	1061
	Report a correction

Sensor
Sensor Type	CMOS
Sensor Size	APS-C
Sensor Dimensions	23.5 x 15.6 mm
Sensor Area	366.60mm²
Sensor Resolution	20 megapixels
Max Image Resolution	5472 x 3648
Max Native ISO	51,200
Min Native ISO	100
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points	11
Number of Cross Focus Points	Unknown
Video Features
Video Resolutions	1920 x 1080 (30,25,24 fps), 1280 x 720 (60,50 fps)
Max Video Resolution	1920 x 1080
Video Formats	H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	Eye-Fi Connected
HDMI
USB	USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Water Proof
Dust Proof
Shock Proof
Crush Proof
Freeze Proof
Weight	558g
Physical Dimensions	121 x 93 x 70mm
Battery Life	410 shots
Battery Type	Battery Pack
Battery Model	D-LI109
Other Features
Self Timer	Yes ( 2 or 12 seconds)
Timelapse Recording
GPS	Optional
Storage Type	SD/SDHC/SDXC
Storage Slots	1