How much dynamic range does the Pentax K-S1 offer?

According to measurements carried out by DXO Mark, the sensor in the Pentax K-S1 provides a maximum of 13.0 EV of dynamic range (DR). DR is defined as the ratio between the highest and lowest brightness a camera can capture. A value of 12 EV or above is considered excellent.

High dynamic range of a camera sensor is particularly desirable for scenes with a mix of very bright and very dark parts, such as in some landscape photography settings. It helps to avoid that highlights get washed out or that detail in shadows is lost.

Sensor specs and performance

The table below compares the sensor specs of the Pentax K-S1 to those of several similar cameras. The reported DXO values are indicators of the sensor's imaging quality (higher is better). In addition to dynamic range (DXO Landscape), the listing also covers color depth (DXO Portrait) and high-ISO noise (DXO Sports). Larger sensor cameras tend to outperform cameras of the same generation that are equipped with a smaller imager. On the other hand, larger sensors are more expensive and require bigger and heavier lenses than smaller light receptors.

Sensor Characteristics

#		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Pentax K-S1	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	23.5	13.0	1061	78
2.		Canon 750D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.7	12.0	919	71
3.		Canon 760D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.6	12.0	915	70
4.		Nikon D5300	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.0	13.9	1338	83
5.		Pentax K-S2	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	23.6	12.9	1514	79
6.		Pentax K-3 II	APS-C	24.1	6016	4000	1080/60i	23.6	13.6	1106	80
7.		Pentax K-50	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.7	13.0	1120	79
8.		Pentax K-500	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.7	13.1	1087	79
9.		Pentax K-3	APS-C	24.1	6016	4000	1080/60i	23.7	13.4	1216	80
10.		Sony A68	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60i	24.1	13.5	701	79
11.		Sony A58	APS-C	19.8	5456	3632	1080/60i	23.3	12.5	753	74
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

In the United States, the K-S1 was initially launched in August 2014 at a price of $749.

Check K-S1 offers at
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Camera to camera comparisons

In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities with other camera models, just make your choice using the following search menu. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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