Pentax Q-S1 takes the Q-series back to basics with a brand-new body

posted Monday, August 4, 2014 at 6:29 PM EDT

Back in 2011, Pentax launched its first compact system camera, the tiny little Pentax Q. Now Ricoh -- current owner of the Pentax brand -- takes the Q-series back to those roots with the Pentax Q-S1, a camera which returns to a body more reminiscent of the original Q, but with the advantages of later models incorporated into the design.

In true Pentax fashion, the original Q was extremely small, yet had surprisingly good handling. Unfortunately, to achieve its extremely small body size, Pentax opted for an equally-tiny 1/2.3-inch type sensor that led many to dismiss it out of hand. Last year, a larger 1/1.7-inch type sensor came to the Q-series in the Pentax Q7, but it lacked the solid magnesium-alloy body of the original Q. Now, Pentax takes the Q-series back to its roots with the Pentax Q-S1, a camera which pairs the larger sensor size of the Q7 with a body more reminiscent of the original Q.

Like its forebears, the Pentax Q-S1 is still a camera of extremes, aimed at those photographers for whom minimizing system size is the primary goal. If that describes you, however, the Q-S1 looks to be the most exciting Q-series camera to date -- on paper, at least! Its brand-new body now has smoother, cleaner lines than did any of its predecessors, and while we don't yet know whether it's polycarbonate or metallic, we do know that it now sports an aluminum quick dial and grip, which gives us cause for hope.

The Pentax Q-S1 will be available in a wide range of body colors, as are many of Pentax's cameras. There will be four standard color combinations (Black, Pure White / Cream, Gunmetal / Carmine Red, and Champagne Gold / Cream), and it will be possible to custom-order your own color combination from a further 36 possible choices, as well.

Available from August 2014, the Pentax Q-S1 will list for around US$500 in a kit with the Pentax-02 Standard Zoom kit lens. (On the Q-S1, this 5-15mm f/2.8-4.5 optic is equivalent to a 23-69mm wide zoom, after accounting for the focal length crop.) There are body-only or twin-lens (02 Standard Zoom and 06 Tele Zoom) kits available as well.

Find out lots more about the latest Q-series compact system camera in our Pentax Q-S1 preview!

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