In the last 3 weeks I've had an opportunity to use this camera in bright sunlight, low light, snow, rain and indoors. In every instance, the image quality has been excellent consistently. The 2 lenses I have used have been the kit lens 40mm XS and the 43mm Ltd. While the latter is sharper and faster, the kit lens was able to hold its own in everything but the darkest scenes.

What I liked about the camera. First the UI. Coming to the K-01 from the K-5 made it very easy to understand the menu system and customize the settings. There are a number of external and customizable buttons but not so many that the camera feels like a gadget. Secondly the heft. I know, I know, but it grows on you and while it seems large by P&S and MFT standards, it seems more compact and manageable than a DSLR. And the heft helps in a number of situations, especially when trying to pan or trying to take shots at low shutter speeds ... using two hands to steady this camera is easier than trying the same with a camera half its size. Thirdly, the ability to use almost any Pentax lens produced in the last 30 or so years. And focus peaking works well with both AF and MF lenses. Fourthly, a dedicated HDR mode, allowing you to pretty much choose HDR in a wide variety of light situations and film simulations that make for some amazing effects. Fifthly. the LCD screen. Crisp and clear, quashing any remorse you may feel due to the lack of an EVF. Lastly, and MOST importantly, the 16MP APS-C sensor aside, the image quality can't be matched by any camera at this price point ($300+). In fact, for the most part, the K-01 matches the K-5's pretty stellar image quality. And JPEG images are pretty impressive, though RAW files are even better.

What I didn't like so much. Slower AF than its competitors in any kind of or low light or where speed is of the essence. Despite the firmware fix (which did improve the AF speed considerably), focusing can sometimes still be an issue when shooting on the street or at and after sunset. RAW writing speed than almost makes you want to stick to JPEGs most of the time except when shooting portraits or still life. The lack of a second control dial which would have done away with the need for having to press the exposure button each time you need to toggle between aperture size and shutter speed when in Manual mode. And lastly, the noisy autofocus that sometimes distracts both the shooter and the subject of a candid shot.

The best uses of this camera, to my mind, include portraiture, architecture, still life, travel, low light and, at a pinch, street photography. As with most mirrorless cameras, wildlife and sport are not the best ideas. And if you do not have/ are not sure that you want to invest in a library of Pentax lenses, then this camera is really not for you. But if you are not already invested with another legacy system, are looking to upgrade from a point and shoot, prefer to avoid the bulk of a DSLR and value image quality above all else, then you may want to consider the K-01. At the current price, you'd be hard pressed to find a better and more able tool.