PENTAX K-S2 / SHOOTING REPORT

The K-S2 is a DSLR packed with Pentax-ness and it's now the world's smallest weather resistant DSLR. The new vari-angle rear LCD even supports "selfie" shooting. And, it's easy to see even outdoor thanks to the bright RGB+White screen and "Airgapless LCD monitor" which has a resin layer applied between the LCD screen and the cover panel to reduce the internal reflection. And, it finally has built-in Wi-Fi and NFC to transfer images to portable devices. Of course, like other Pentax cameras, it comes in a wide range of colors. And, like the K-S1, it has the illuminating body parts.

( Photography : Z II / Text : 4beats )

The vari-angle LCD screen is helpful to keep our eye level in line with small animals like cats. The kit lens smc PENTAX-DA L18-50mm F4-5.6 DC WR RE did an excellent job in depicting the hair minutely. When collapsed, it's just 41mm long (short), which marks the shortest among standard zoom lenses. Together with the compact K-S2 body, you can create one of the smallest set. How sweet!

I wanted to shoot this wet flower in the rain, and I never needed to hesitate thanks to the weather-resistant body. With more than 100 sealed points, you never have to be afraid of rain and dust.

The soft light was covering the two. I raised ISO to 1600 and shot under to use the reflection on the floor and to express the people in silhouette. When I developed the image, I could see the waving texture of the shadow. This wide tonal gradation must be credited to the sensor and the imaging processor.

Let's check the highlight by shooting outdoor scenes. The gradation between the top white and the bright reflection is smooth and there's no unnatural color reproduction. With this wide dynamic range, you can enjoy wider choices of exposure.

The 20.12-megapixel sensor with no LPF captured the great detail of the scene with a deep perspective. The bubbling waves and grains look so realistic.

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With ISO3200, I shot the Tokyo Skytree in the night. The noise is noticeable when I see the image at the original size, but it's practically no problem. Normally, the lighted iron frame and buildings in the bottom are easily affected by noise, but it looks great. Actually, I did try ISO6400 and 12800 and I'm fine with the result of 6400. Of course, 12800 is noisy, but I was amazed by the ability to shoot with such a high sensitivity.

I tested the 3.5-step shake reduction with the shutter speed of 1/2 second. And, sometimes it successfully froze each wire. Sometimes, I failed to freeze at 1/8 second. I'm sure with better camera holding and softer shutter-button pressing, the rate will go up. And, together with high sensitivity performance, it's a great insurance.

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High-end performance in the friendly body

It looks like the K-S1 with a grip of the K-3. The flat top cover and the curve in the grip look simple and ergonomic. And, the indented sections around the front and real electric dials and buttons improve handling. And, it still has the 100% coverage optical viewfinder and the LPF selector to handle moire. The AF is fast. The continuous shooting capability is high. It has the 77-segment multi-pattern metering. And, it supports interval shooting and composite. What else do we need when it has no weak points?

The variable LCD is great news for all users. Pentax DLSR cameras never had it... not even the tilting one, but now it comes with a vari-angle one. Shoot from low and high angles, or shoot easy on the tripod. Turn on the liveview, flip and rotate it to the front, and it's ready for selfies. And, it's easier than other cameras because the "Wi-Fi" button now becomes the second shutter button automatically along with the movement of the LCD. Plus, it will tell you to push it by lighting up! Arigatoo, Pentax!

See what I meant by Pentax-ness? The K-S2 is small, weather-resistant, and packed with high functionality. Yet, it's fun, friendly, and easy to handle. Once you get this almost high-end camera, all you have to do is plan the next trip.

( 07.03.2015 )