Reasons to choose K-01
Released in 2012, K-01 has about 372 mm² of sensor area, 16.3 MP effective resolution, and a 561 g body. Use these values to narrow the field, not as an overall image-quality score.
Side-by-side comparison
Pentax K-01
vs Pentax K-5
VS
Sensor area
372 mm²
K-01371 mm²
K-5- Area ratio
- 1:1
- Absolute difference
- 2 mm²
- Relative difference
- 0.4%
The K-01 has the larger sensor area. More area usually means greater light-gathering potential, though real image quality still depends on sensor architecture and generation.
These cameras were released 2 years apart. Consider sensor generation when comparing pixel metrics.
Key specification differences
K-01MetricK-5
16.3 MPEffective pixels16.3 MP
23.7 × 15.7Sensor23.6 × 15.7
4.78 µmPixel pitch4.77 µm
22.83 µm²Pixel area22.73 µm²
4.38 MP/cm²Pixel density4.4 MP/cm²
1.52Crop factor1.53
—Maximum video—
561 gWeight740 g
SD/SDHC/SDXCStorageSDHC, Secure Digital
Lithium-Ion D-LI90 rechargeable battery Li-ion batteryBatteryLithium-Ion D-LI90 rechargeable battery Li-ion battery
Amber marks the value that is generally preferable in this comparison context. It is not an overall camera score.
How to choose between these cameras
The K-01 has the larger sensor area. The K-01 has the lighter body. The K-01 and K-5 have the same effective resolution. The K-01 is the newer release. Also consider the lens system and subjects you shoot.
Reasons to choose K-5
Released in 2010, K-5 has about 371 mm² of sensor area, 16.3 MP effective resolution, and a 740 g body. Use these values to narrow the field, not as an overall image-quality score.