Pentax announces K-50 and K-500 mid- and entry-level DSLRs

Pentax has refreshed its entry level DSLR lineup with the announcement of the K-50 and K-500. The K50 is an update of the K-30, featuring less controversial styling and slightly tweaked processing, helping it offer a maximum ISO of 51,200. The K-500, meanwhile, gets most of the K-50’s features – the main loss being weather sealing – in a less expensive package. While not radically different from the K-30, both cameras bring twin dial controls and 100% glass prism viewfinders to price points ($799 and $599 respectively), where both those features are rare. Alongside the cameras, Pentax is launching revised, DA-L versions of its 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 WR and 55-200mm F4-5.6 WR lenses.

We had a chance to shoot a real-world samples gallery with the K-50 at the cameras’ New York launch:

Click here for our Pentax K-50 First Look with samples

Jump to:

• Press Release
• Specifications
• Additional K-50 Images
• Additional K-500 Images

Press Release:

PENTAX RICOH IMAGING Breaks Tradition with Serious Specifications and Serious Color

PENTAX enhances product offering with two new cameras and two new lenses

Denver, CO (June 12, 2013) — PENTAX RICOH IMAGING AMERICAS CORPORATION 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 and 120 color combinations to meet an important additional demand of the creative consumer: personal style.

Rivaling many cameras higher in class, the K-50 boasts a long list of advanced specifications not found in other  mid-level DSLRs. Beginning with its 81weather seals, the K-50 incorporates PENTAX’s long-standing heritage of weather-resistant products making cameras that extend shooting environments to wet, rainy or snowy conditions.  Building on this leading advantage, the K-50 features high-speed continuous shooting at approximately six frames per second, super-high-sensitivity shooting at ISO settings up to 51200 and high-precision SAFOX IXi+ autofocus with accurate subject tracking, guaranteeing crisp images even when in low-light or with a fast moving subject. Additionally, 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 resize them before transmission.

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.

“The K-50 introduces features that raise the bar in the mid-level DSLR class,” said Jim Malcolm, executive vice president, PENTAX RICOH IMAGING AMERICA. “Not only do the hardware and software specs outclass competitors, the Color to Order system is an industry first making it a truly unique offering among a sea of similarity.”

PENTAX has also strengthened its weather-sealed lens lineup with the debut of two new lenses; the smc PENTAX-DA L 18-55mm F3.5-5.6AL WR, and smc PENTAX-DA L 50-200 F4-5.6ED WR.  The addition of these two lenses expands PENTAX’s extensive line of weather-sealed lenses which offer a wide variety of focal lengths and shooting perspectives ensuring there is a lens appropriate for many different shooting and weather scenarios.

Also introduced today is the PENTAX K-500, an entry-level DSLR that augments PENTAX’s DSLR lineup by including advanced features uncommon to the entry-level class. Ideal for families and casual photographers with rigorous demands, the K-500 features a 16 megapixel APS-C CMOS image sensor, fast continuous shooting, high sensitivity shooting up to ISO 51200, 100% field of view, in-body shake reduction, and an advanced auto focus module. Operating on four AA batteries, the K-500 guarantees ultimate flexibility and accessibility to a power source when travelling or in remote locations. In addition, the K-500’s wide selection of simple user-modes and creative tools enable limitless personalized expressions while its intuitive ergonomics and menu layout make the K-500 approachable and comfortable to use.

Both the K-50 and K-500 are built around PENTAX’s acclaimed K-mount system. Thanks to the lasting commitment PENTAX has made to the K-mount photographers are able to use any of the 25 million K-mount lenses that have been manufactured over the life of the mount. Access to this wide a selection is unparalleled and opens up many new perspectives for photographers encouraging boundless creativity.

Pricing and Availability

The K-50 DSLR is available to order today in a choice of 120 color combinations at pentaximaging.com and retail outlets nationwide in July 2013 with a suggested retail price of $699.95 for body only, $799.95 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. The K-500 DSLR will be available at retail outlets nationwide and online in July 2013 with a suggested retail price of $599.95 for the kit including the DA-L 18-55mm lens and $699.95 for the dual lens kit including the DA-L 18-55mm and DA-L 50-200mm lenses.

Pentax K50 and K500 specifications

Additional K-50 images

Additional K-500 images

Pentax K-50

Pentax K-500

Comments

Earth to Pentax….no more entry level cameras. Good lord, you’ve got more entry level cameras then Klinger has dresses.

If you want a mid-range traditionalist dSLR, Ricoh-Pentax has you covered better than anyone.

Unfortunately,

1. the tradationalist dSLR user base has gone upmarket.
2. the entry level segment has gone mirrorless.
3. technology pace has slowed such that the high-end model from a year or so back is cheaper and better than the just-released mid-range model.
4. sadly, the entry/mid level market is *still* megapixel driven. “oh, it only has 16 megapixels. The Nikon D5200 has *twenty four*…”

I wish them every success with this, but I fear they are fighting a losing battle.

Pentax show they can put out well crafted photographer geared (dual dials, 100% prism VF), great bang per buck bodies. Sadly they insist on huge price increases on their lens range pretty much wiping out any interest most buyers might have.

Ricoh are doing exactly the same as Hoya did, price gouging on lenses. It really hurts Pentax and their potential.

I don’t know where you live (US?) and what exactly you are referring to, and what do you expect, but where I live the prices of Pentax lenses were same for years, and have, in fact, dropped a little recently and lenses are more affordable than ever.
So we are quite happy with Pentax, thank you.

After the Leica’s announcement a day before and after seeing what Leica thinks an interesting and smart camera is for today’s times and sensitivities, these new offers from Pentax Ricoh look like a sudden discovery of fresh air and sanity.

I’m a huge fan of the K-30. It’s 100% Pentaprism VF, great ergonomics, and weather sealing really separate it from other entry to mid-level bodies.

The only thing about Pentax that bother me is for some reason they started raising the prices of their lenses. Even the older screw driver, non-SDM zooms, and all the DA* primes, the 100 2.8 WR macro, and most significantly for me, the 16-50 2.8 and 50-135 2.8, which they almost doubled in price. These are APS-C lenses, that Pentax is pricing like FF glass.
But the bodies are great – the superb K-5, the K-30, and now these two cameras. That’s a heck of a line-up. Two command dials and a 100% finder on all bodies. I’m impressed.

Just what they needed to have a lineup of models like Sony, Canon, Nikon, although not clear if K-30 continues. Not difficult to engineer, as opposed to doing a full frame camera.

I like it. Pentax is getting itself in gear and doing things a little bit different from the competition. I do prefer the weather sealed version for my use. I was certain I would get a K-5II but now I may give this one a look.

100% Glass prism viewfinder, dual dial controls, what appears to be good ergonomics similar to other Pentax’s, weather sealing if you like, shake reduction for any lens you mount, a stellar/proven sensor that it terrific at higher ISOs and a price that seems to be competitive to competitors’ cameras that do not have these features (except for maybe the Sony sensor)…looks like an excellent value for those who really scruitize what they need.

I’m sorry about the toning down of the K-50’s design compared to the K-30. Was it really too much for potential buyers to swallow? I can understand it up to a point for the K-01, but the K-30 looked fabulous, in my opinion. There are enough melted soaps coming out from CanoSonyKons. Other than that, I love the gazillion color combinations on offer. I wished I had that option for the K-5… (I’m not commending on specs as I’m sure they will both be excellent stills cameras in their categories).

BTW, unless I missed it, this story doesn’t mention that both models have focus peaking, which, together with IBIS and green button metering, makes macro shooting and use of old manual focus lenses very nice. I picked up a cheap K-01 with focus peaking awhile back and love it with a classic Vivitar 105mm Series II macro lens.

All cameras based on the ‘Prime M’ processor has come with focus peaking (K-01, K-30) so I would assume that these two also will.

Got a brand new K30 state of art camera.. period.

Intelligent offerings. Not crippled like the competition and having genuine usability extras like the twin dial setup and pentaprism viewfinder.

Not sure I’d buy into the Pentax system from scratch, but these have enough great features for their price that they should keep up the pressure on the big boys. Glad to see it!

Nice! I like! 🙂

Ive wanted an orange pentax for ages. but im now too old. shame because they look fantastic.

How does that saying go . . . you’re only as old as you feel? <grin>

I feel a midlife crisis coming on. No, i cant, the wife would defo notice if i started using an orange pentax.

LOL!

HaHaHa!!!

@timedrun – But, if you make a big fuss of painting your current camera orange, will she notice when it slightly changes shape and the paint job gets better, 3-4 weeks later?

After all, there aren’t orange cameras in store, so you can’t have bought it like that.

Aah, I like, she will never know. Although she did notice when I upgraded (for want of a better word) from an NX10 to an NX11. And even Samsung cant tell the difference between those two models.

This is great news. A pair of cameras, one with sealing one without. Both have the superb 16MP sensor and the new processor from the K-5II.

Next stop K-5 replacement in a couple of months, and then the big news – Full Frame.
Loving it!

Keep it up Pentax.

The K-5 was only announced in September 2012.
There is no way it will be replaced in a couple of month.
(Unless with a minor cosmetic upgrade like the K-50 announcement)

The K-5 was announced in late 2010, I know, I got one. The mk2 was Sept 2012 as a tweak with improved AF system expecially in low light. The time is right of a full on replacement.

Ah! I understand. Then as you say, the replacement could be here this year.

The last great appearance of Pentax was in Michael Frank’s “Popsicle Toes”.

These days, folks who knew the brand of long ago still use them, and with their next generation of siblings who were influenced by family preferences.

.

That’s a pretty sweeping statement. I bought my K5 last year based on the reviews on this site. They just seemed to be offering the best camera for the money, I wasn’t going by the brand at all.

I LOVE PENTAX!!! GOGO PENTAX!!! GAMBATTE