Pentax K-30 review

It’s a little slow to switch on, taking 1.5 seconds to its first shot, but the K-30 raced through our other performance tests. It took 0.35 seconds between shots in normal use, or 2.3 seconds with the flash set to full power. Continuous mode ran at 5.7fps for 48 frames before slowing to 3fps. That’s comfortably the fastest performance we’ve seen from an SLR at this price. It fell to 4.9fps when we enabled continuous autofocus, but that’s still extremely competitive.

These results were only possible when lens distortion correction was disabled, though. With it enabled, the camera slowed to around 1fps after just six frames. Enabling chromatic aberration (CA) correction didn’t hamper performance, though. We can live with distortions but chromatic aberrations are much more annoying, so we’d happily leave the camera on these settings to exploit its top speeds. The Canon 650D demands that users make a tougher choice, with CA correction decimating continuous performance.

The K-30 is also much quicker than most SLRs at focusing in live view mode. Using the viewfinder and the 11-point phase-detect autofocus system is still by far the quickest way to shoot, but whereas most SLRs’ live view modes are virtually useless, this one is quick enough to use when the situation demands it.

The JPEGs look pretty good, but processing raw files (in this case using Photoshop Elements) shows what this camera is really capable of – click to enlarge

Videos are captured at 1080p at a choice of 24, 25 or 30fps. AVC compression gives clip lengths of up to 20 minutes (at 25fps) before the 4GB file limit stops play, but the camera shows a countdown so you know when it’s coming. Picture quality was good rather than excellent, with less detail than we’ve seen from other SLRs’ 1080p videos, plus the usual problems with moiré interference. Program, aperture-priority and manual exposure modes are available, but autofocus stops working as soon as recording commences. The screen’s sharp 921,000-dot resolution helps with manual focus, though, and there’s no need to switch to manual focus before adjusting – the focus ring is always operable. The zoom ring has a smooth action that’s particularly welcome for video capture, too. Our biggest concern with videos is that soundtracks were accompanied by a rhythmic chattering noise. With no microphone input, there’s no way to avoid this except by using a stand-alone audio recorder and syncing the picture and audio manually in editing software.

Skin tones are a tough test for noise levels, but the K-30 performs well in this ISO 1600 shot – click to enlarge

It’s rare that we see an SLR that struggles for photo quality, and the K-30 certainly had no such problems. Colours were lifelike and details were crisp into the corners of frames with the kit lens. The Canon 650D delivered slightly sharper details on default settings, but there was barely anything in it. The difference was much greater when comparing the X-30’s JPEGs to its raw output – processing raw files in Adobe Photoshop Elements or Lightroom revealed a lot more detail in fine textures. Still, this could be said of any SLR. Noise levels were impressively low, and level pegging with the 650D for raw output. Comparing JPEGs, the Pentax’s high-ISO shots were a little more grainy but had less multi-coloured blotches.

There’s a fair amount of grain by ISO 3200 but less blotchiness than in rival cameras – click to enlarge

This isn’t the best SLR for video, but for photography it’s almost impossible to fault. It has the biggest viewfinder, the fastest performance and the best controls at this price, and image quality is up there with the best. Weather sealing sweetens the deal even further, and makes it easy to overlook the quirky appearance. We’d gladly have these features rather than an HDMI port and longer battery life. It’s a resounding Best Buy.