Pentax K-50 review

A weatherproof all-rounder well-suited to beginners

Pentax K-50
The Pentax K-50 is a good option for those new to photography looking to shoot outside a lot.

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

We've been pretty impressed with the performance of Pentax cameras of late, which it perhaps ultimately owes to the Sony sensor which lies at its heart. We have come to expect Sony sensors to be excellent, and the K-50 is thankfully no different.

Colours straight from the camera are bright and punchy. It's interesting to compare the JPEG image output with the raw format (DNG) files, which show noticeably more muted colours – the idea is obviously to give you the most scope with raw format files, while making JPEG images look pleasing if you want to do minimal post processing work – something which is more likely with entry-level cameras.

Detail resolution is generally good, with little evidence of image smoothing or smudging especially at the lower end of the sensitivity scale. The K-50 comes with an 18-55mm lens as part of its kit package. This lens is an adequate performer for all-round work, giving a flexible focal length. Probably the biggest gripe we have with this lens is the loud noise it makes while focusing, otherwise it's a good optic to get you started with.

Pentax K-50

The kit lens isn't bad, but can be changed

Other Pentax cameras we've tested have had slight problems with the metering system, and it seems as if the K-50 is suffering from the same affliction. The camera has a tendency to underexpose in certain conditions, such as high contrast, so you may need to either dial in some exposure compensation, or change the metering mode to spot metering to get better results. Where the light is a bit more stable, the camera has less of a problem and produces pleasingly exposed images.

Automatic white balance does a good job of accurately representing colours, even when shooting under artificial or mixed lighting conditions. You can change the automatic setting to a more appropriate one if you prefer, but we found that wasn't generally necessary in the majority of conditions.

One of the improvements this camera sees over the K-30 is the improved processor and therefore improved sensitivity range. Images taken at high sensitivities, such as ISO 1600, display a good level of detail, without introducing too much noise into the equation. Images taken at ISO 3200 are also very good, although if you examine them very closely you will find examples of some image smoothing, as is to be expected. When sharing the images at normal web sizes, or printing them at A4 or below, we'd be happy to use up to ISO 3200 without worrying too much about reduction in quality. For the best quality, I would be inclined to keep sensitivity below 1600 though.

Autofocus

Autofocusing is generally pretty swift, especially when using one of the 9 cross-type AF points. We found that although focusing speeds dropped in low light, it wasn't too concerning, although there is the aforementioned noise of the focusing mechanism to worry about when shooting in quiet environments with the kit lens. Luckily, the lens doesn't hunt about too badly to make the situation worse. I found on a couple of occasions the camera presented a false positive in terms of focusing, especially when shooting in limited lighting conditions, but overall it wasn't too bad.

Pentax has included a number of digital filters that can be used with the K-50, presumably in a bid to appeal to the Instagram crowd. Unfortunately, some of these filters leave a lot to be desired, with some strange, slightly old-fashioned (but not in a good way) choices. It's worth experimenting with them though, to see if you like any of them. It's also a shame that you can't use these when shooting in raw format, so if you use one, you'll be stuck with it forever.

It's perhaps therefore more advisable to experiment instead with Custom Images, which allows you to shoot in raw format, and gives you more control over the look of your image. There are plenty of creative options here, such as Cross Process and Monochrome, so I found using these was much more interesting than the filters that are offered.

Amy Davies

Amy has been writing about cameras, photography and associated tech since 2009. Amy was once part of the photography testing team for Future Publishing working across TechRadar, Digital Camera, PhotoPlus, N Photo and Photography Week. For her photography, she has won awards and has been exhibited. She often partakes in unusual projects - including one intense year where she used a different camera every single day. Amy is currently the Features Editor at Amateur Photographer magazine, and in her increasingly little spare time works across a number of high-profile publications including Wired, Stuff, Digital Camera World, Expert Reviews, and just a little off-tangent, PetsRadar. 

Latest in DSLRs
Nikon Df DSLR camera on a wooden surface by large window, with dusk light
Forget Fujifilm, I've retested 2013's Nikon Df DSLR and it's the ultimate retro camera for these 6 reasons
Monochrome image of a distant wind farm alongside a Canon DSLR camera in the hand with black background
You don't really need a new camera – a $200,000 photo prize was just won with this old Canon DSLR
Photographer holding the Nikon D800 DSLR camera up to their eye while leaning on a tree trunk surrounded by bluebells
I used my DSLR for the first time in years since switching to mirrorless – here are four things I learned
Two cameras sitting next to each other on a wooden table
If DSLR cameras are dead, why are they still so popular? Here are 5 reasons
Prouct photo of the Pentax K-3 Mark III Monochrome with a 16-50mm f/2.8 attached
Pentax K-3 Mark III Monochrome review: one love
Canon EOS 4000D with 18-55mm lens attached on red background beside a lowest ever price text
This Canon beginner DSLR is so cheap right now it might even tempt you away from mirrorless
Latest in Reviews
WWE 2K25
I've spent days in the ring with WWE 2K25, and it's like a five-star match ruined by the Million Dollar Man
Curaprox Hydrosonic Pro electric toothbrush
Curaprox Hydrosonic Pro review: A powerful seven-mode, Swiss-made sonic brush
Atelier Yumia
I was already sold on Atelier Yumia as an RPG, but I wasn’t expecting it to have my favorite crafting system in all of gaming
Alienware 27 AW2725Q monitor on desk displaying a scene from Cyberpunk 2077
I played games with Alienware's new 27-inch 4K OLED monitor and now I don't want to see another LCD panel
MacBook Air 15-inch with M4 chip on a creative's desk with screen open
I've reviewed the Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M4) - and it remains the best 15-inch laptop I'd recommend for most people
Samsung Music Frame on a table beside some books and a vase
I spent six weeks listening to the Samsung Music Frame and it kept missing the beat