Sony A7: An Affordable Full-Frame for Pentax Lenses

Will this camera win the hearts of Pentax users?

By PF Staff in Photo Industry News on Oct 17, 2013

There's no doubt that in the past couple of years, Sony has been one of the biggest innovators within the photo industry.  In late 2012, Sony released the RX-1, the world's first compact digital camera to feature a full-frame sensor.  Last month, its QX-10 and QX-100 cameras were an attempt to revolutionize cell phone photography.  And today, Sony has announced two competitively-priced mirrorless cameras with full frame sensors: the Sony Alpha 7 (A7) and Alpha 7R (A7R).  The 24-megapixel A7 will retail or $1699 in the US, while its 36-megapixel big brother, the A7r, starts at $2299.

The Sony A7 is the world's first mirrorless interchangeable-lens camera with a full-frame sensor and autofocus support (the Leica M was the first without AF). It employs the Sony E-mount, the same mount used on the VG-900 full-frame camcorder.  The great thing about the E-mount is that when paired with the appropriate adapter, it can support Pentax K-mount DSLR lenses without the need for any corrective optics.  This makes the A7 a viable choice for users of legacy Pentax lenses that have been waiting for a full-frame camera.  And hence this news has made it to our homepage!

One of the key selling points of the Sony A7 its compactness.  Weighing in at just over 400 grams, it is lighter than any current Pentax DSLRs (not to mention Canon and Nikon full-frame DSLRs), yet it continues to have weather sealing.  And while it isn't as bulky as a DSLR, the A7 is still plenty wide and it has a large grip, making it easy to hold.  Let's take a look at the full specifications:

As the table above indicates, the A7 is a state-of-the-art camera, featuring a high-resolution electronic viewfinder, tilting LCD monitor, built-in Wi-Fi, and even NFC (Near Field Communications).  Its button layout also looks promising: the presence of dual control wheels, customizable buttons, and a dedicated exposure compensation button will likely satisfy just about any enthusiast photographer.  The new 24- and 36-megapixel sensors found in the A7 and A7r seem promising, and if their image quality can match that of the Nikon D600/D800, then Sony will surely see a lot of success with this camera.

Above: Sony A7 controls and LCD (click to enlarge)

As Pentax enthusiasts, we'd like to spend the remainder of this article discussing what this camera might mean to the Pentax community as a whole, rather than scrutinizing its every specification and feature.

Nikon D7100 Announced

New flagship APS-C body from Nikon

By PF Staff in Photo Industry News on Feb 21, 2013

Nikon has just launched the new D7100 DSLR which is replacing the D300s as their flagship APS-C body, and of course is succeeding the the current D7000.

Key specifications:

• 24.1 megapixel APS-C sensor
• ISO 100-6400 (expandable to 25,600)
• 51-point autofocus with 15 cross-type points
• 6FPS burst mode with up to 100 frames
• Full-HD video at up to 60FPS
• Dual SD card slots
• 3.2" LCD with 1,229,000 dots
• 100% viewfinder with OLED data readout
• In-camera HDR and wireless connectivity support
• Fully weather-sealed
• MSRP: $1199 (body-only)

This surprisingly-low price may say something about way in which the APS-C camera industry is headed.  With the Pentax K-5 available for just $739 and the Nikon D7000 for $899, and current high-end APS-C cameras selling in the low $1000's, the advanced APS-C DSLR may well be fully replaced by cameras employing 24x36mm full-frame sensors in the near future, with mirrorless offerings gaining an increasing presence among enthusiasts uninterested in shooting in a larger format.  Just over two years ago, the Pentax K-5 launched at a MSRP of $1749, and the Canon 7D was $1899, which is much much higher than anyone would be willing to pay today for such a camera.

While Nikon announcements are normally outside of our homepage coverage, we are sharing this news because we feel it's a fairly good prediction of what Pentax's upcoming APS-C flagship may bring to the table.  Recent rumors suggest that Pentax will be launching a 24-megapixel DSLR called the K-3 later this year to replace the K-5.  Given the success of the 24-megapixel sensor found in the Nikon D5200, and now the introduction of the 24-megapixel D7100, it's possible that Pentax will follow suit and employ the same sensor in their new DSLR.  As many of you know, the Pentax K-5 uses the same sensor as the D7000 but still managed to squeeze a little bit more out of it once the image test results came in, thanks to better in-camera signal processing!

Reflecting on the Pentax K-S1 Launch

A fresh take or a misguided concept?

By PF Staff in Photo Industry News on Aug 29, 2014

Pentax/Ricoh's recent announcement of the Pentax K-S1 DSLR leaves us with plenty to talk about, and in this article, we will be talking a closer look at what's new and how we think it will fare.  Let's start with a disclaimer: if you are reading this, you are most likely a Pentax enthusiast, so this camera is not designed with your needs in mind.  But we can still discuss the idea behind it and draw our own conclusions, of course!

The launch of the K-S1 is a bold attempt to regain customers.  In its press release, Ricoh Imaging Americas acknowledges that this camera targets "next generation Pentax owners" accustomed to "mobile interfaces".  The company hopes to accomplish this through a redesigned user interface that has done away with the traditional mode dial.  The camera itself also looks different than your old-fashioned DSLR: its grip, which reminds us of a compact mirrorless camera, has been lined with attention-grabbing LED lights and multicolored accents.  Some of the available color schemes look rather stylish and modern, such as the metallic blue and the white/grey (let's just look the other way with the Midnight Black and Sunset Orange). Thus, at first sight, the K-S1 seems like a well thought-out way to attract photographers who may have ditched their DSLRs years ago, and especially those who are looking for something a bit more next-gen.

What Are We Supposed to Make of the Pentax KP?

Old-school looks, new-school guts, and uncertain status

By deadwolfbones in Photo Industry News on Jan 30, 2017

Another winter, another CP+ trade show in Yokohama, and another new Pentax DSLR is nearly upon us. Over the past few years, Ricoh has made a habit of releasing new cameras at its big home event, and this year the star of the show is the all-new Pentax KP.

The first thing that hits you is the look: a little bit Nikon Df, a little bit Q, a little bit K-1, and a little bit ME Super. But in the end, it's all Pentax. The unique looks will be divisive—they've already earned their share of raves and retching on the forum—but they're not really the only thing that's interesting about this upper-midrange body.

Mirror, Mirror: The 645 Digital System at a Crossroads

The Fujifilm GFX 50S casts the aging 645Z in a new light

By deadwolfbones in Photo Industry News on Jan 20, 2017

In many ways, 2016 was a landmark year for Pentax and Ricoh. The company released its first full-frame digital SLR, a fantastic mid-range APS-C body, and a worthy addition to its increasingly popular Theta 360-degree camera lineup.

The first two achievements in particular helped bring Pentax up to par with its competition. The lack of a full-frame DSLR had for years been seen as a sign of Pentax's un-serious attitude to growing market share and attracting professional users, so releasing the formidable K-1 was a huge step forward. And the K-70, while still underwhelming in some ways, introduced a number of new, long-awaited technologies to the Pentax faithful: most notably, on-sensor PDAF for continuous video autofocus.