First things first: Pentax calls this “the smallest, lightest interchangeable lens camera in the world,” and they’re dead right. This camera is small. You thought your micro four-thirds camera was small, but it’s huge compared to the Pentax Q. It’s hard to appreciate just how small it is, until you put it next to something else that’s really small. Like an iPhone.
As you can see, the Q sits neatly atop the iPhone’s screen, not even touching the edges of its case. It’s tiny.
You might think, given the tiny proportions, that it’s not comfortable to hold. But to my surprise, it is. The front fascia is textured, providing a nice grippable surface. The fingers curl around it well, and the primary controls (shutter button and zoom wheel) fall neatly under the correct digits. Well, they do for me and my dainty journalist’s fingers. Those of you with larger, manlier hands might find it a tad more awkward.
In bright light, even in not-that-bright daylight, the rear screen was very hard to see clearly, which made composing shots difficult. It’s not a very sharp screen either, which made it hard to judge photo quality. Many of the images I initially considered unusable turned out to be just fine, once I’d viewed them on a computer screen.
The menus and controls are laid out sensibly, and it doesn’t take long to work out how to use them. Auto mode does all the thinking for you, just as it should. Spin the mode selector wheel to Aperture or Shutter speed priority, and the rear thumbwheel will adjust those settings as you’d expect it to. The front wheel, allowing quick access to four custom modes, is a nice touch. There’s a good selection of Scene modes, too. Landscape produced nice, rich color tones, while Night Scene HDR failed to impress.
The camera body is solid, and feels good in the hands, although it weighs only eight and a half ounces (242 grams).
I can’t say the same for the 8.5mm f1.9 prime lens, which feels plasticky, lightweight, and insubstantial. There’s really only a tiny amount of glass inside.
That’s because everything is small about this camera. It starts with the tiny sensor, which means you can have a tiny mount and a tiny lens, and therefore a tiny body to attach it all to.
That said: I was pleasantly surprised by what the Q and the 8.5mm team could produce. Pictures were, on the whole, sharper and better-defined than expected. There was more barrel distortion than I’d have liked. but colors were reproduced well, and the camera even coped admirably with the dull, grey, overcast British weather. It’s a shame the poor screen didn’t make it easy to see that immediately. But although better than expected, the picture quality wasn’t amazing. It was just… OK.
Having a tiny camera is great for many situations, but I’m not convinced the trade-offs here are worth it.
If you really want a tiny camera, I think you’d be better off with a good point-and-shoot. If you really want interchangeable lenses, you can get excellent results from something like a Nikon 1 or a micro four-thirds camera.
The Pentax seems to be trying to offer the best of both worlds, but I’m not convinced it succeeds. Yes, it’s the smallest interchangeable lens camera around, but there are plenty of other interchangeable lens cameras that are only just a little bit larger, and produce better results.
If the Q’s dainty retro good looks catch your eye, the good news is that the price has fallen hugely in the last couple of months. You can pick one up for just over $600 on Amazon.
There’s a lot to like about this camera: its design, ease of use, and effortless portability. But the tiny sensor means sacrifices have to be made with image quality.
[xrr rating=40%]
Product photos
Sample shots
