Pentax KF

The Pentax KF is an APS-C DSLR released in 2022. It has an optical pentaprism viewfinder, so you compose through glass rather than on a screen.

The body measures 126 x 93 x 74mm and weighs 688g, and weather sealing plus in-body stabilisation make it a good fit for outdoor shooting in changeable conditions.

It suits stills photographers who enjoy an optical viewfinder, from landscape walkers to travellers who value the built-in GPS. Video stops at Full HD and there is no wireless connection, so anyone focused on video or instant sharing should factor that in.

At the heart of the camera sits a 24-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor with the Prime MII processor. That resolution leaves room to crop, which helps when you cannot get as close to a subject as you would like.

In-body stabilisation is one of the defining strengths. Because it works in the body rather than the lens, it steadies handheld shots with any lens mounted via the KAF2 mount, including lenses with no stabilisation of their own, so slower shutter speeds stay usable handheld.

Autofocus relies on 11 points, a small array that keeps focus placement simple. The 6fps figure is a maximum burst rate, suited to occasional action rather than long fast sequences.

Sensitivity runs from ISO 100 to 102400, and the shutter reaches 1/6000s. That fast top speed helps when freezing motion or shooting wide aperture lenses in strong light.

The Pentax KF records video up to Full HD, and saved clips use the MPEG-4 or MOV file formats.

The maximum frame rate is 60fps, the upper limit of what the camera offers. Since this is a DSLR, you compose footage on the screen using live view rather than through the optical finder.

In-body stabilisation helps here too, smoothing camera shake when you shoot handheld. It does nothing for subject movement, so fast action still needs careful technique.

There is no 4K mode, so no spare resolution for cropping or reframing a shot in the edit. There is also no built-in timelapse function, which anyone working with those techniques will need to plan around.

The 3-inch TFT LCD carries just over a million dots, so playback and menus look crisp. It also flips, which makes shooting at ground level or above a crowd far more practical.

There is no touch input, so settings are changed through the physical controls rather than the screen.

Weather sealing protects the body against dust and moisture in the field. GPS tags frames with location data, useful for landscape and travel photographers who want a record of where each shot was taken.

You get both a built-in flash and support for an external unit, covering everything from a quick fill to proper lighting setups. With no Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, there is no wireless route for transferring images.

Photos record to a single SD, SDHC or SDXC card with UHS-I support, which allows faster cards to work at their intended speed. There is no second slot, so no in-camera backup; a spare card in the bag covers long shoots.

The D-LI109 battery is rated at 410 shots per charge. Treat that as a guide rather than a promise, since how you use the camera affects the result, and a second battery is sensible backup for longer shoots.

The battery charges over USB, so you can top it up from the same chargers you carry for other devices. It is still worth confirming your particular power bank or adapter works with the camera before you depend on it away from home.