Here're some RAW-converted images taken with the Pentax Q.
Click on a thumbnail to view the original file (opens in a separate window). Please note that the originals are FULL SIZE samples
(=several megabytes) thus requiring a significant amount of bandwidth so please take care of the limited resources here.
Make
PENTAX
Model
PENTAX Q
ISO Speed
125
Focal Length
5.0mm
Aperture:
f/4.0
Exposure
1/250s
Make
PENTAX
Model
PENTAX Q
ISO Speed
125
Focal Length
9.7mm
Aperture:
f/4.5
Exposure
1/160s
Make
PENTAX
Model
PENTAX Q
ISO Speed
125
Focal Length
8.1mm
Aperture:
f/4.0
Exposure
1/800s
Make
PENTAX
Model
PENTAX Q
ISO Speed
125
Focal Length
5.1mm
Aperture:
f/4.0
Exposure
1/400s
Make
PENTAX
Model
PENTAX Q
ISO Speed
125
Focal Length
5.0mm
Aperture:
f/4.0
Exposure
1/1600s
Make
PENTAX
Model
PENTAX Q
ISO Speed
125
Focal Length
8.5mm
Aperture:
f/4.0
Exposure
1/500s
Make
PENTAX
Model
PENTAX Q
ISO Speed
250
Focal Length
15.0mm
Aperture:
f/5.6
Exposure
1/1600s
Make
PENTAX
Model
PENTAX Q
ISO Speed
250
Focal Length
6.2mm
Aperture:
f/4.0
Exposure
1/1250s
Make
PENTAX
Model
PENTAX Q
ISO Speed
125
Focal Length
5.0mm
Aperture:
f/5.6
Exposure
1/800s
Make
PENTAX
Model
PENTAX Q
ISO Speed
125
Focal Length
5.0mm
Aperture:
f/5.6
Exposure
1/1250s
Make
PENTAX
Model
PENTAX Q
ISO Speed
125
Focal Length
7.7mm
Aperture:
f/5.0
Exposure
1/1000s
Make
PENTAX
Model
PENTAX Q
ISO Speed
125
Focal Length
5.8mm
Aperture:
f/5.6
Exposure
1/1600s
Make
PENTAX
Model
PENTAX Q
ISO Speed
125
Focal Length
5.0mm
Aperture:
f/5.6
Exposure
1/1600s
Make
PENTAX
Model
PENTAX Q
ISO Speed
125
Focal Length
15.0mm
Aperture:
f/4.5
Exposure
1/1000s
Verdict
The Pentax Q system is not about DSLR-like image quality but about pushing the miniaturization
to the limits. The Pentax-02 Standard Zoom 5-15mm f/2.8-4.5 clearly supports this design
approach. Within the limits of its (sensor-)system it is also capable of delivering very
good results at that's throughout the zoom range. The sweet spot is around f/4. Diffraction
is already limiting the quality beyond so don't get fooled by the mainstream aperture settings
that you may be used to from your DSLR. Both vignetting as well as lateral CAs are very
well controlled. However, a very heavy amount of barrel distortion at 5mm can be an issue
in certain situations.
The build quality is very good thanks to a tightly assembled lens body made of pastic and metal
part based on a metal mount. At just 96g it feels somewhat more substantial than the Standard
Prime 8.5mm f/1.9 but it's still a dwarf compared to bigger format lenses.
The AF is both fast as well as virtually silent. It's also a joy to handle this lens on the Q. We used
the combo on a trip to Nepal. Its image quality certainly does not match bigger format systems.
However, it was a nice, albeit expensive, set for those occasions
where a big setup is simply not appropriate. You may argue that something like a Fuji X10
may also do the job in this case - even with a better image quality. However, the X-10 lacks
exchangeable lenses, making it less flexible.
