Upgrade Guide
Pentax KF→Pentax K-S1
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Skip it
The K-S1 offers little measurable spec improvement over the KF. Spend the money on glass instead.
Unchanged or similar
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Resolution20MP (down from 24MP — optimised for low light)
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Weather sealingNot present in new body
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 | KF | K-S1 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | -0.4 | ||
| Street | — | ||
| Travel | -0.4 | ||
| Wedding & Events | -0.8 | ||
| Vlogging & Video | — | ||
| 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 | ||
| Fun & simple | — |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | KF | K-S1 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £849 | £72 used | |
| Released | 2022 | 2014 | ↓ |
| Sensor | 24.2MP APS-C CMOS | 20.12MP APS-C CMOS | |
| Resolution | 24MP | 20MP | ↓ |
| Video | 1080p/60p | Full HD 1080p/30 | |
| Autofocus | SAFOX 13 phase-detect AF with 11 points | SAFOX IX i+ phase-detect AF, 11 points (9 cross-type) | |
| Stabilisation | In-body Shake Reduction (SR II), up to 5.5 stops | Sensor-shift Shake Reduction | |
| Burst Rate | 6fps | 5.4fps | ↓ |
| Battery Life | ~410 shots (CIPA) | ~410 shots (CIPA) | |
| Weight | 643g (body only) | 558g (with battery) | ↑ |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Not weather sealed | ↓ |
| Viewfinder | Optical pentamirror, 0.95× magnification, ~100% coverage | Pentaprism, ~100%, 0.95x | |
| Screen | 3.0" fully articulating LCD, 1.04M dots (no touch) | 3.0" fixed LCD, 921k dots | |
| Mount | Pentax KF-mount | Pentax KAF2 (K-mount) | |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | Single SD slot |
Compare side-by-side
⚖️ Compare these cameras
See KF and K-S1 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 K-S1 against your specific genres — not just specs.
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