Upgrade Guide
Pentax K-S1→Pentax KF
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Worthwhile
Clear improvements over the K-S1. Whether it justifies the cost depends on which upgrades matter most to your shooting.
What's new in the KF
-
Resolution24MP vs 20MP (+4MP)
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Weather sealingAdded — fully sealed body
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Generation8 years newer (2022 vs 2014)
Suitability by genre
Base scores — computed from verified specs for an enthusiast shooting photo and video. The Upgrade Checker adjusts them for your skill level.
| Genre | K-S1 | KF | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | +0.4 | ||
| Street | — | ||
| Travel | +0.4 | ||
| Wedding & Events | +0.8 | ||
| Documentary | +1.3 | ||
| Sports & Action | +0.5 | ||
| Landscape | +1.9 | ||
| Wildlife | +0.6 | ||
| Casual | +0.8 | ||
| Food | +1.3 | ||
| Macro | +1.0 | ||
| Architecture | +1.6 | ||
| Astrophotography | +0.6 | ||
| Vlogging & Video | — | ||
| Fun & simple | — |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | K-S1 | KF | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £72 used | £849 | |
| Released | 2014 | 2022 | ↑ |
| Sensor | 20.12MP APS-C CMOS | 24.2MP APS-C CMOS | |
| Resolution | 20MP | 24MP | ↑ |
| Video | Full HD 1080p/30 | 1080p/60p | |
| Autofocus | SAFOX IX i+ phase-detect AF, 11 points (9 cross-type) | SAFOX 13 phase-detect AF with 11 points | |
| Stabilisation | Sensor-shift Shake Reduction | In-body Shake Reduction (SR II), up to 5.5 stops | |
| Burst Rate | 5.4fps | 6fps | ↑ |
| Battery Life | ~410 shots (CIPA) | ~410 shots (CIPA) | |
| Weight | 558g (with battery) | 643g (body only) | ↓ |
| Weather Sealed | Not weather sealed | Yes | ↑ |
| Viewfinder | Pentaprism, ~100%, 0.95x | Optical pentamirror, 0.95× magnification, ~100% coverage | |
| Screen | 3.0" fixed LCD, 921k dots | 3.0" fully articulating LCD, 1.04M dots (no touch) | |
| Mount | Pentax KAF2 (K-mount) | Pentax KF-mount | |
| Memory Cards | Single SD slot | Single SD UHS-I slot |
Compare side-by-side
⚖️ Compare these cameras
See K-S1 and KF next to each other with our interactive comparison tool.
Get a personalised upgrade score
Run the upgrade checker →
Tell us what you shoot and we'll score the KF against your specific genres — not just specs.
Other upgrades from the K-S1
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Camera family history