Pentax Kx

	Pentax Kx
Type:	digital reflex camera with interchangeable lenses, TTL automatic exposure, autofocus and integrated P-TTL flash unit
Lens connection :	Pentax K AF2
Image sensor :	CMOS image sensor with primary color filter
Resolution :	12.4 megapixels
Format factor :	1.5
Aspect ratio :	3: 2
File formats :	JPEG, PEF (PENTAX's own RAW format) , DNG, AVI
Exposure index :	100–6,400 expandable to ISO 12,800
Viewfinder :	Fixed penta mirror viewfinder, diopter correction
Field of view :	96%
Enlargement:	approx. 0.85 times
Viewfinder display:	digital image preview and live view, magnifying glass function, menu screen
Screen :	TFT color LCD
Size:	2.7 inch wide angle
Resolution:	230,000 pixels
Operating modes:	Single picture, series picture, self-timer, video
Frame rate :	Max. 4.7 shots / second
Number of continuous exposures:	High resolution: 17 JPEG, 5 RAW
AF points:	11
AF modes:	Auto, single AF, tracking AF
Closure :	electronically controlled, vertically running slat slot shutter
Shutter speed :	1 / 6,000 s to 30 s and B.
Lightning :	automatically activated P-TTL flash unit
Guide number :	16
Flash functions:	Pre-flash to reduce the red-eye effect, wireless flash with PENTAX system flash units
Color space :	sRGB, Adobe
Storage media :	SD memory card , SDHC memory card
Data interface :	USB 2.0 Hi-Speed / AV
Power supply:	4 × type AA batteries or Ni-Mh rechargeable batteries or external power pack (special accessory)
Dimensions:	(H × W × D) 91.5 mm × 122.5 mm × 67.5 mm
Weight:	515 g (housing only), 580 g (including card and battery)

The Pentax Kx is a digital SLR camera from the Pentax brand with a 12 megapixel sensor. It was launched in September 2009.

description

The Kx is a very compact DSLR with a plastic housing. It is lighter than other digital Pentax SLR cameras, but has no splash protection , such as the K10D , K20D , K200D , K-7 and K-5 have, and is usually sold with a lightweight kit lens (DA-L) . Compared to the higher quality K-7, which appeared almost at the same time, it shows improvements in terms of maximum sensitivity and image noise , as well as a shorter shutter speed (up to 1/6000 s). In addition to traditional black, the Kx is offered - especially in Japan - in a wide range of different camera body colors. In October 2010, the successor model Kr, equipped with a larger and higher resolution display, came onto the market.

In contrast to comparable models from other suppliers, the Kx is operated with 4 standard AA format batteries. With a set of rechargeable NiMH batteries with a nominal capacity of 2,000 mAh - depending on the frequency of use of the flash - between 500 and 1000 photos can be taken. A power supply unit with a battery compartment adapter is available as an accessory.

More functions

Live view with contrast autofocus
HD 720p video at 24 fps
opto-magnetic image stabilizer in the camera housing. This allows image stabilization with any lenses. Third-party lenses or older Pentax lenses that do not transmit their focal length to the camera can be adjusted manually in the camera menu. The built-in image stabilizer does not work in the self-timer , remote control setting , long exposure and HDR recording settings .
HDR ( High Dynamic Range )
The autofocus supports both lenses with an integrated AF motor and conventional pole AF.
optional infrared remote control
Control of Pentax system flash units via the built-in flash unit

High Dynamic Range (HDR)

In HDR mode, the camera takes 3 pictures with different exposure settings, which are then combined into a single JPEG image. Since each of the 3 individual images has to be identical to the other two in terms of camera position, a tripod is definitely recommended for HDR recordings.

RAW formats

The camera can record in two different RAW formats, on the one hand the manufacturer's own PEF format and on the other hand the open standard format Adobe Digital Negative (DNG). Furthermore, each image can be stored in RAW and JPEG format at the same time . Copyright information and the name of the photographer can be embedded directly into the Exif data of the images by the camera . This also applies to the JPEGs. The included Camera Utility 4 for Windows and macOS is both a file browser and a RAW developer and is based on a version of the Silkypix Developer Studio.

Video function

The camera is able to record HD videos. The camera uses the license-free MJPEG codec (which works similarly to the DV codec) for video recording, which generates relatively large video files, but compresses them less than AVCHD, for example . The advantage here is that every single image is an actual full image, while AVCHD only saves the changes in a series of images (GOP). This also has a positive effect on the performance of the editing system, since MJPEG requires less processor performance than AVCHD, which enables faster and easier editing and editing of the videos, whereas AVCHD videos are first transcoded into a less compressed intermediate format for easier editing have to.

Videos can be recorded in either HD (1280 × 720 p) or SD (640 × 416 pixels), each at 24 frames per second. They are saved as AVI files. The sound of the videos is uncompressed PCM wave with a sampling frequency of 32 kilohertz and a word length of 16 bit mono. There is no connection socket for external microphones. Videos can also be recorded silently. Whether a video is to be recorded with or without sound must be set beforehand. The recording time is limited to 25 minutes or the maximum file size of four gigabytes , as this is the maximum file size for FAT32 (the file format used for memory cards). In the best recording quality (HD fine) with sound, this corresponds to about twelve minutes. When the maximum file size of a video is reached, the recording is automatically stopped and saved. A follow-up recording must be started manually. Video recording is also possible with image stabilization, but the noises from the stabilizer are transferred to the built-in microphone, so that recordings with sound only make sense with an external recording device.

Firmware

The firmware updates for the Pentax Kx have fixed the following issues:

Compatibility with SDXC memory cards (since FW 1.02).
The "cross-processing" effect was given more color combinations to choose from in video mode (since FW 1.01).
The ability to assign the “Crossprocessing” effect to the green button has been added.
Improved accuracy of the battery level display under certain conditions and improved stability and work performance.