Quirky new Pentax camera combines design, function

— -- In a world of ever-shrinking interchangeable lens cameras, the mirrorless Pentax K-01 stands out from the crowd with a boxy, unique design by famed industrial designer Marc Newson.

We spent some hands-on time with the quirky new camera at the CP+ photography show in Yokohama, Japan. In person, the camera certainly defies conventional classification, as it is technically neither a DSLR nor a compact system camera. That leaves it out on its own, seemingly destined for the island of misfit cameras.

The K-01 is roughly the size of an average DSLR, with a DSLR-sized image sensor and the ability to attach any of Pentax's K-mount lenses. It's not going to fit in your pocket, but we get the feeling that those who will buy the Newson-designed camera aren't planning on hiding it once they do. It's a piece of modernist design, created as much as an expression of Newson's creative philosophy as a photographer's tool.

Ignoring the aesthetics, the camera could be a potent performer with its shockingly thin 40mm kit lens. Regardless of how well the body is received, we won't be surprised to see the 40mm XS lens attached to all manner of cameras in the near future. We have some qualms with the functionality of the body design (some questionable button placement seems to shirk ergonomics altogether), but it has all the guts of a prosumer DSLR in a body slightly smaller than Pentax's premier DSLR, the Pentax K-5.

Whether you feel the K-01 is a work of art or a piece of work, it is a capable camera that can fit alongside any DSLR in Pentax's current lineup. Its grip isn't nearly as comfortable as those found on most DSLRs, but its high quality image sensor and fast shot-to-shot time make it more powerful than Pentax's current entry-level model, the K-r.

That the $749 K-01 is priced between the K-5 and the K-r is no accident, and it's a gap in Pentax's lineup that has been crying for a new entry for some time. We're not sure the K-01 is the ideal camera to fill that role, but it will certainly turn heads and keep people talking —which was probably Pentax's aim all along.

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To read more of Reviewed.com's coverage of the CP+ Photography Show in Japan, visit DigitalCameraInfo.com. Reviewed.com is a division of USA TODAY.