Brand new firmware for an 8-year-old DSLR? This is Pentax after all

Pentax does things a little differently. In a world where camera manufacturers are discontinuing their DSLR cameras and lenses to focus solely on modern mirrorless options, Pentax is still proudly producing DSLRs, and as of earlier this year, a new film camera.

It's not just the most recent DSLR cameras that are getting attention from the brand either as both the Pentax K-1 and Pentax K-1 II, 6-year-old and 8-year-old cameras respectively, receive new firmware updates.

• See our review of the new Pentax 17 film camera

The firmware notes for each camera are identical, and can be read as follows:

"New Firmware Updates (Version 2.50) f for the PENTAX K-1 Mark II and for the PENTAX K-1 have just been released:

Changes from V2.42 to V2.50

Improved stability for general performance.

* When this update is done, the contents of version 2.42 and earlier will be also updated.

* When this update is done, you will not be able to restore back to version 2.42 or earlier."

This firmware update may sound tame in comparison to the recent firmware updates we see on modern mirrorless cameras , but it is more aligned with updates for DSLRs .

Modern mirrorless technology enables manufacturers to change more with firmware than on DSLR cameras due to having fewer mechanical components and more electronic – we certainly live in a golden age of firmware!

But what this update does do, is fix issues that have been noted by the community and the fact that Ricoh Pentax is still taking these on board for older cameras means it listens and values its customer base. This, in turn, makes purchasing a newer Pentax camera a sounder investment, as you can expect it to be updated for at least the next 8 years!

Pentax is one of the few camera manufacturers making new DSLR cameras, and having recently got my hands on the Pentax K-3 Monochrome, they are extremely impressive and can quite easily compete with today's mirrorless offerings.

See our full Pentax K-1 II review and our guide to the best Pentax lenses

You may also be interested in our guides to the best Pentax camera , the best DSLR cameras , and the best monochrome cameras .