Pentax K-50 Review 2026: (Part 1)

Pentax K-50 Review 2026: (Part 1)
February 2026, Carl Garrard

Pentax K-50 Review (updated for the modern market): You'd think that enthusiasts would be uncontrollably jumping for joy because of the kind of DSLRS we get today for the used prices they are set at. But alas, I still see comment after comment about pricing and lack of features and all sorts of other nonsense. Pentax threw the gauntlet at those customers with the K50. It's both reasonably priced and spec'd to the hilt, and can and has come with a class leading weather resistant kit lens to boot. There's simply no arguing that the K50 is a lot of camera for the price by anyone, especially these days with used prices. And when you dig deeper than looking over spec sheets and price, you'll find that there's even more to like about this camera too. While Pentax has largely stopped development and production on DSLR's they left some decent cameras in the wake of the good ol days. 

Pentax K-50 Review: First impressions and Specifications 

Pentax has threw a barrage at Canon, Nikon, and Sony DSLRS at the time with the introduction of the K50. Not only is this camera better priced than what their rivals offered, but it's better featured, weather sealed, and has much better image quality with a minimal loss of total resolution in comparison to most of its rivals. In fact, when you compared the K-50 to the Rebel cameras of its time (like the T5i and SL1) side by side feature to feature, the Rebels really didn't stand a chance> Today for the same price, you can get a Canon 7D or Nikon D7000, so it really comes down to weather sealing and feature comparisons. In my mind, Pentax always did the  best weather sealing- I've never been afraid to take one into the rain or a storm and that includes their WR lenses.

Available in a zillion color combinations, this is one of my favorites

This camera is loaded, and for it's price it's in the category of too good to pass up for DSLR shooters who are animate about an optical finder. At one time in the past, the spec list on the K-50 would classify this camera as a pro level DLSR. Today you can get one for about $200-350 bucks USD body only. Add a hundred bucks for a weather sealed and excellent 18-55mm WR kit lens at the most. 


At one point you could have customized it by special ordering one on Pentax's website for just a bit more cost, in just about any color combination you wanted. Nowadays Ebay has plenty for sale in various color combinations if you keep an eye out.

Pentax K-50 Review: Quick background 

I've owned and shot with every single Pentax DSLR made. I know Pentax DSLRS well. They are some of my favorite DSLR's to shoot with in bad weather. I'm brand agnostic as I always say, but because I'm mainly an outdoor photographer, the massive customization and feature list appeal greatly to someone who needs a more compact form factor in the outdoors. Pentax DSLRS consistently rank very high on my approval list for such tasks but it's mainly about the confidence I have shooting with them in bad weather for me.

That said, I'm probably a bit more critical than a typical reviewer of Pentax cameras because of what I've come to expect from them through experience. I've seen them make some brilliant cameras in the past and therefore expect them to hold themselves to that level of excellence. Pentax has come very close to making the perfect DSLR for my needs a couple of times, but just felt short. 

The K-30 didn't impress, I didn't like it's looks and a few other niggles that I've quickly forgotten. The K-50 has a no-nonsense exterior that I appreciate and come to expect from Pentax, so it's made a good impression on me at least that far. And large in part it's a K-30 underneath a new skin with a slightly better reliability rating.

Nice LCD Screen, good external controls, comfortable, and a clean layout- it's a joy for still shooters.

Pentax K-50 Review: After using the K-50, digging into it's menus and exploring it's features, I've come up with a pro and con list. To potential buyers- pay special attention to these lists and the length of each. These lists are what may be very important to you when you actually use the camera (as opposed to talking about it to others). These lists are based on a real life usage/value perspective of what you are getting. To be honest I'm sure I missed some other things I like about this camera in this list, but these all came to mind first.

Weather sealing in red for $200-350bucks? Worth the price of admission alone?

Pentax K-50 Review: What I like about the K-50

• Build/design similar in quality and feel to the K20/10 DSLRS
• Weather Sealed (kit comes with WR kit lens too)
• Excellent optical finder- 100% accurate and bright/large
• Dual customizable control dials (properly placed and angled)
• Excellent Jpeg engine 
• Excellent Raw IQ 
• DNG format raw files
• Customizable buttons and dials aplenty
• Sturdy grip
• Big bang for the buck if you need weather sealing
• Star trails mode (using bulb setting)
• Auto ISO programing through entire ISO range
• Dual battery type options (this can  be handy)
• Recessed strap lugs (hand comfort)
• Excellent array of digital filters, custom color modes, art filters, and scene modes
• Extensive in camera post processing (much better than any brand)
• Focus peaking in live view
• Serviceable auto focusing in both regular and live view focusing
• Custom user modes on main mode dial
• Placement of controls and buttons is very good and logical
• Quiet pop up flash (might be handy you never know)
• Wide range of EV adjustment
• Multi shot mode, allows up to 9 exposures on one raw or jpeg file (and both simultaneously)
• Bulb mode allows one press and hold or one press to start and one to finish (important if you leave your remote at home)
• Image stabilization used for multiple functions (auto horizon correction, hand shake, star trails, dust reduction)
• Wide range of ISO selection for its time
• Excellent long exposure camera (mix of features, IQ, and implementation)
• Dedicated AF assist lamp
• Catch-in (trap) focus mode (unique to Pentax, can be handy in some situations)
• Well sorted  menu system
• 12 LCD display color choices, really, 12?
• Customizable LCD brightness and color control
• Custom menu system is extensive
• Kind of a budget K5II
• 1/6000th top shutter speed is better than rival lower priced DSLR's

Pentax K-50 Review: Improvements I'd like to see 

• Rubber thumb pad
• Pezio-ceramic dust reduction (high frequency dust reduction is much better)
• HDMI port added
• Rubberized area around tripod mount
• Easier to use SD card slot
• Quieter focusing (both PDAF and CD type)
• Better rechargeable lithium ion battery life (especially during live view use)
• Metal top and rear panel (internal frame is steel however)

As you can see, the list of what I like is much longer compared to the improvement list, that's why I decided to review this camera. The K50 offers a lot for the money.

Pentax K-50 Review: Shooting with the K-50

First serious day of shooting with the K50. It exhibited very respectful image quality for the price. This shot was made using one raw file, without layering or any photoshop tricks. Just solid post processing. This is what you can expect from a single exposure right out of the camera  (and more).

The K50's included kit lens is actually quite decent, scoring well on my tests in corner sharpness, contrast, distortion, and maximum magnification. Flare also well controlled, and color looks quite good. Pentax's kit lens is definitely a step above the competition, and twice so that it's weather sealed. 

Weather sealing gives you peace of mind for photographers on the move in the outdoors and sets Pentax out amongst all camera manufacturers out there. They do it better and on more cameras than any other brand did. On this day of shooting thunderstorms threatened, but didn't arrive. I wish they had, I was ready with my K-50 for the rain.

Detail at the telephoto setting is magnificent, and noise extremely low for ISO 400 (honestly thought it was 100 ISO before I checked the exif).

Not only am I glad the kit lens is weather sealed, but its maximum magnification and sharpness make it a very versatile all round lens. I'm not a lens snob, I don't care about how much a lens costs- it's how it performs that matters to me most. A versatile lens that covers roughly 27-90mm that has good "macro" capability too. It's very good for a kit lens and I actually like using it despite how noisy it is when it autofocuses. These can be had for almost nothing these days and it's a good starter lens for beginners or a lightweight weather sealed lens for outdoor types like myself. 

It's Jpegs are excellent with just a bit of tweaking on the settings in camera- best I've used (other than other Pentax DSLRS)- great tone and dynamic range, superb detail. The photog in the background is my old friend Keith Phillips- an excellent photographer and I hope he's living it up in heaven.

Autofocusing I found to be eager and accurate in varied lighting circumstances. This AF system is very similar to the K5's autofocusing, if not a bit improved in all types of lighting (more like the K5II in fact). In using both contrast detect and phase detect autofocus, I found the K-50 to be equally accurate- which actually surprised me. I find that contrast detect AF on DSLRS usually more accurate- albeit slower, so it's nice to see that Pentax worked this out (at least in good light).

Having most of the AF sensors being the cross type means that I'm more apt to experiment with focus points than I am with most DSLRS. Typically I use the center AF point almost 100% of the time, but if I need the camera to be in a fixed position, I can see the value of having the additional focus points (or when shooting action sequences wherein composition cannot be adjusting during shooting).

Pentax K-50 Review: Handling and Design

I use way too many cameras to tolerate a design that isn't comfortable or one that doesn't consider the active photographer that needs external controls to fall to hand second nature. Thankfully the K50 is comfortable to use, and its controls are well placed and considerate to the photographer.  I especially like the dual control dials, not just that it has them, but how they are angled and close to the digits that use them- just as important as having them- comfort matters.

The front control dial is angled upwards and close to the shooting finger as possible- a considerate design move that most brands (cough Sony EF mount/Nikon F) didn't do.

The grip of the K50 is spacious and mostly a very comfortable design. The lack of a rear thumb pad means that grip isn't as good as say, the K5, but it's still darn good. The divot for the middle finger is deep and aggressive, allowing for one handed controlled shooting when needed, and aids in comfort for long term use- again, another considerate design implementation that pleases a working photographer.

The lines of the K50 are clean, rounded, and nice to the touch. I like the way this camera feels in hand more than the K30 it replaces, but that's just me. Both the type of rubber and the cleaner softer rounded edges of its design make for a more pleasurable shooting experience. It may look traditional 'esque' but, it works better in the hand. I'm practical before style, so this suits me just fine.



Stay tuned for Part II of the K50 Review! And most of all...

Stay focused.

Carl Garrard