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I shot with a DSLR for the first time in years. I didn’t hate it. The Pentax K-1 Mark II is a nod to the era of oversized cameras

Hillary K. Grigonis

19 September 2025

I’m not going back, but shooting with the Pentax K-1 Mark II was a good reminder that it isn’t always about the latest tech

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(Image credit: Hillary K Grigonis / Future)

The cameras topping the best-seller charts right now are often the smallest options – but the limited real estate often means sacrificing some tactile controls. I went the opposite route when I picked up a short-term loan of the Pentax K-1 Mark II.

When I picked up the Pentax K-1 Mark II a few weeks ago, it was my first time using a DSLR since I traded mine in for a mirrorless a few years ago. The experience isn’t tempting me to revert back to the bulkier interchangeable lens camera system, but it is reminding me of the perks of the classic format – and that you don’t have to have the latest, greatest camera to be enamoured with the photographs.
The Pentax K-1 Mark II launched back in 2018. (Pentax confirmed the development of the Pentax K-1 Mark III in 2023, but there’s still relatively few official details beyond rumors.) Seven years is a long time for the pace of technology, yet too short to be really considered “retro.”

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Still, I’m enamoured with the images that I’ve captured with it so far. The sharpness doesn’t have the razor-thin clarity of some mirrorless optics, and there are plenty of cameras with specs higher than the 36.4 MP full-frame sensor. But I’m rather in love with the colors and contrast on some of the unedited JPEGs that I shot.

Image 1 of 2

(Image credit: Future)

Unedited JPEGs

(Image credit: Future)

Mirrorless cameras are undoubtedly the future, but the experience of using a DSLR still feels quite a bit different. The grip on the K-1 Mark II gives my hand far more to wrap around, and the larger space leaves more real estate for a plethora of controls. Enough controls that it almost becomes hard to remember where they all are, at least at the start.
The optical viewfinder is one of the DSLR-standard features that’s incredibly hard to find on mirrorless. (Cameras like the Fujifilm X-Pro3 have a hybrid viewfinder with an optical and digital option.) On the one hand, the optical viewfinder doesn’t allow you to preview your exposure or color profile. But on the other hand, we’re already bombarded with enough screens, and exposure preview can be a downside in scenarios like exposing with flash.
Then, of course, there’s the battery life. I’ve shot portraits, landscapes, macro, and astrophotography, totalling more than 800 photos. I still haven’t charged the battery since the first time that I pulled it out of the box, and the battery life indicator is still at 75 percent.

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What I really missed was the autofocus system on mirrorless cameras. Yes, when mirrorless cameras first came out, DSLRs still had the better focusing system. But eye-detection autofocus is a major perk, not to mention the ability to place the focus point far closer to the edges.
Am I going back to DSLRs? No, I don’t plan to go back, I love the lighter weight and autofocusing perks too much, not to mention DSLRs are no longer the focus of most advancements in imaging.
But I think there’s a lot of pressure in the photography community sometimes to conform to the latest tech and trends. I love my mirrorless camera, but no judgment here if you prefer those beefy grips, plethora of controls, and envious battery life of a DSLR.

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Hillary K. Grigonis

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With more than a decade of experience writing about cameras and technology, Hillary K. Grigonis leads the US coverage for Digital Camera World. Her work has appeared in Business Insider, Digital Trends, Pocket-lint, Rangefinder, The Phoblographer, and more. Her wedding and portrait photography favors a journalistic style. She’s a former Nikon shooter and a current Fujifilm user, but has tested a wide range of cameras and lenses across multiple brands. Hillary is also a licensed drone pilot.

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