Pentax Ricoh today introduced the Pentax K-50 DSLR featuring advanced functionality beyond its mid-level classification. Ideal for photographers looking to transcend traditional DSLR offerings, the Pentax K-50 combines a uniquely advanced feature set with a consumer-friendly price tag. Rivaling many cameras higher in class, the K-50 boasts a long list of advanced specifications not found in other mid-level DSLRs. The K-50 is available in 120 brilliant and eye-catching color combinations and sets a new standard in the customization of electronics. Pentax’s Color to Order system takes advantage of a newly architected supply chain management system that is built to empower consumers to design the product they want.
Thanks to the 81 seals set in its compact, lightweight, portable body, the K-50 is built to be weather-resistant, dustproof and cold-resistant, even at temperatures as low as -10°C. This means that the K-50 can be taken along on outdoor activities such as camping, mountaineering and sports, for the joy of high-quality digital SLR photography without worrying about weather conditions. Its compact, functional body is carefully contoured with delicate curves, assuring that even a photographer with a small hand will have a firm grip of the camera.
The K-50 features the state-of-the-art CMOS image sensor with a large image-capturing area measuring 23.7mm by 15.7mm, to assure high-speed image data readout. This image sensor is coupled with PRIME M — the same high-performance imaging engine incorporated in upper-class models — to deliver super-high-resolution, rich-gradation digital images with approximately 16.28 effective megapixels. The K-50 also offers super-high-sensitivity shooting at a top sensitivity of ISO 51200, allowing the photographer to handhold the camera for beautiful nighttime snapshots.
The Pentax-developed SR (Shake Reduction) mechanism effectively compensates the adverse effect of camera shake to deliver sharp, blur-free images, even under shake-prone conditions such as when using a telephoto lens, shooting in the dark without flash illumination, or taking landscapes at twilight. This innovative mechanism works with almost all PENTAX interchangeable lenses — even those developed for film-format cameras.
The K-50 captures high-resolution, full HD movie clips (1920 x 1080 pixels) in the H.264 recording format, with a choice of frame rate (30, 25 or 24 frames per second). It even comes with creative image-processing tools. The K-50 features a glass prism finder with nearly 100% field of view and approximately 0.92-times magnification (with a 50mm F1.4 lens at infinity) to cover the entire field of view for easy focusing and framing.
The K-50’s 100% field of view viewfinder, innovative shake reduction system, four optional interchangeable focusing screens and a fast shutter with the ability to shoot at speeds up to 1/6000 of a second enable photographers to push the boundaries of high-speed shooting while providing total confidence that their vision is framed accurately and captured in complete focus. And, with new Eye-fi SD card compatibility built in photo and video sharing a breeze! Users can enable automatic transmission of images and video to a smartphone for rapid sharing and even select their favorite images and re-size them before transmission.
In addition to the standard rechargeable lithium-ion battery capable of capturing approximately 480 images with a single recharge, the K-50 can also be powered by four AA-size batteries using the optional D-BH109 AA Battery Holder. The K-50 DSLR is available with a suggested retail price of $699.95 for body only, $779.95 for the kit including DA-L 18-55mm WR lens and $879.95 for the dual lens kit including the DA-L 18-55mm WR and DA-L 50-200mm WR lenses.
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