Pentax No love for the Pentax MX-1

stillshunter

Super Moderator Emeritus
Location
Down Under
Name
Mark
This camera had never really entered my consciousness, actually I never knew it even existed. But I spied it out of the corner of my eye the other day at the store, and I've not been able to shake it ever since. Love that the top and bottom plates are made brass. Oh man I want to buy a black paint one just to watch it wear. :cloud-9-039:

Read a little more about it, but noticed that it's gotten little to no mention on here....and it does qualify as a Serious Compact doesn't it? I assumed it was in the same class as the Panasonic LX-7 or Olympus XZ-2 (which it shares a lot of innards with) or Canon G15, etc. all of whom get more press that it. Hmmmm....

Anyone with an opinion?
 
Dont go back to the shop and hold it
You will want it !
It feels solid in the hand. If I had to go out and buy a compact camera today the MX-1 would be it.
Check it out below

Pentax MX-1 Hands-On Field Test - YouTube
Yes I made the fatal mistake of watching that video. Hey I certainly don't need it and a lot of other small sensor compacts make more sense, but you're right I am afraid of what will happen when I take that brassy goodness in hand at the store...

So do you own one?
 
I had the hots for it when I first saw it. But I'm done with small sensor cameras. They always leave me wanting more. If I were to be OK with the IQ and I didn't already have a beautiful small form factor camera (the X100s), then I would own one for sure. Maybe when they get clearanced. I would think an MX-2 should be along fairly soon.
 
I think I'm with Luke on this one (re: small sensors). Mark, if you are interested in selling another camera, then I think you should buy it, as I can't imagine you being happy with it for long!
 
I also, am not buying any sensor smaller than the 4/3 format (at least I don't plan to :redface:). Even the 4/3, leaves me wanting "cleaner" images. But the E-p3 does almost "good enough". So until the money allows some discretionary spending, I must avoid reviews! :)
 
Post the RX100's 1" sensor, the acceptable sensor size in a compact camera has been inexorably pushed upwards. Ever since Sony showed what's possible in a small form factor, any camera of comparable size or larger just does not make as compelling an argument for its existence, without a large(ish) sensor.
 
Either I'm misreading Rajiv's post or I disagree.

To me the camera size and the sensor size are different discussions.

I love the IQ of the RX100 and for me, it is the new benchmark for minimum performance that personally satisfies me. But for me, I'm totally fine with the camera being bigger.

Tiny cameras don't interest me. The only small camera that has ever really felt good in my hand is the GR. I prefer my cameras to be closer in size to the X100. I think the MX-1 is a good sized camera, but I would just want a bigger sensor in there.....the one from the RX100 would be fine. And I understand the lens would need to be either bigger or slower or have a shorter zoom range. I'm ready to accept those limitations.
 
MX-1 is basically the clone of Olympus XZ-2. The lens and the sensor are the same. The controls of Pentax, with only one control wheel, are inferior to Olympus. The MX-1 has no provision for an external EVF. It's also more expensive than XZ-2 in certain parts of the world; I don't know why anybody would buy it instead of XZ-2.

Some boring shots taken with the MX-1:

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And some shots of the camera itself; it's a good-looking beast, that's for sure!

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To my eyes, these sensor sizes struggle to get saturated colors. You can boost them artificially but they never look quite right. The RX100 gets closest, but even then it always looks a little behind.

Frankly, after using XTran, I am finding almost all other sensors feel a bit flat, excepting maybe my 6D. But that's a different issue.
 
While at one level, I find the MX-1 very nice (and might even pick one up if it went on close out for, say, $199), I suspect the era of the 1/1.7" enthusiast compact is rapidly drawing to a close. Just as camera phones are squeezing out the 1/2.3" consumer compact, the bar is being raised across the board for virtually every class of camera. Enthusiasts are demanding 1-inch sensors in very compact cameras and APS-C sensors seem to be finding thier way into more cameras that are about the size of the MX-1 and XZ-1. Cameras that stick with sensors this small need to distinguish themselves in some other way. At least the LX-7 has that very fast lens that starts at f/1.4. Perhaps built-in viewfinders and weather resistance would help. On the other hand, sensor technology continues to inch forward. When one can still get great image quality at ISO 3200 with a 1/1.7" sensor, I'll change my mind.
 
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