Canon 50D copies & improves on Pentax - Page 3

*séamuis* · 08-28-2008, 04:34 AM

The Leica M8 has let down certain professionals and is too expensive for semi-pros. Most buy it as a toy to sit on the mantel. Bring on the Pentax Limited Blackbody -- a compact all-metal DSLR that will position Pentax as the new Leica.

OK, it may not be cheap, but it could be the new Pentax flagship model.

if it has weather sealing and interchangeable finders I will buy it without hesitation hell I might even sell my MX and a few others to help fund it. but I don't think such a body will really appeal to the mass 'pro' segment. and for the record I DO NOT want pentax to be the next leica. what good would it do to only be coveted because your expensive and 'limited'? to sit on some guys shelf just because he has too much money and nothing to spend it on? besides it would take years many years to take up a position like that. just not going to happen.

ftpaddict · 08-28-2008, 04:41 AM

And I'm so sure that the 2 extra fps and 0.3 megapixels more will make you a much better photographer.

rparmar · 08-28-2008, 06:17 AM

Originally Posted by séamuis

if it has weather sealing and interchangeable finders I will buy it without hesitation hell I might even sell my MX and a few others to help fund it. but I don't think such a body will really appeal to the mass 'pro' segment. and for the record I DO NOT want pentax to be the next leica. what good would it do to only be coveted because your expensive and 'limited'? to sit on some guys shelf just because he has too much money and nothing to spend it on? besides it would take years many years to take up a position like that. just not going to happen.

Of course I do not want Pentax to be Leica. Nor do I want to them to magically jump into the rangefinder market. What I want is for them to offer a body that can take the abuses of professional use, like the old Leicas could. And I want a body significantly smaller and lighter than the current bodies (the *ist shows this can happen). No modes -- direct photo parameter control. Minimum number of controls to reduce weak points. Sealed. 6MP if this is required to keep cost realistic.

*séamuis* · 08-28-2008, 06:25 AM

Originally Posted by rparmar

Of course I do not want Pentax to be Leica. Nor do I want to them to magically jump into the rangefinder market. What I want is for them to offer a body that can take the abuses of professional use, like the old Leica's could. And I want a body significantly smaller and lighter than the current bodies (the *ist shows this can happen). No modes -- direct photo parameter control. Minimum number of controls to reduce weak points. Sealed. 6MP if this is required to keep cost realistic.

then you and I want pretty much the same thing, except of course I am still pushing interchangeable finders.

GaryML · 08-28-2008, 11:59 AM

Originally Posted by ftpaddict

And I'm so sure that the 2 extra fps and 0.3 megapixels more will make you a much better photographer.

For my use, 10 MP is enough resolution. Personally, I would like better high ISO performance rather than more pixels in my next camera. However, the unsophisticated consumer who believes the more MP the better will go for the camera on the shelf with the most megapixels.

The 50D is rated at 6.3 fps. The K20D is rated at 3 fps. Assuming the Canon performs close to its rating, the 50D has more than double the frame rate of the K20D.

No camera makes you a "better photographer." And for many uses, the frame rate has no impact whatsoever. But shooting action sports, having *double* the frame rate can be a real benefit in getting that split-second action shot of the player making the leaping catch, the pole vaulter skimming the crossbar, etc. Just 2 or 3 extra frames within that one second of the decisive moment can be the difference between getting and missing the shot.

I'm not going to pay $5000 for a Canon 1D Mk. III or Nikon D3 to get 9+ fps. But given a choice at the camera store, I might pay a few hundred dollars extra for 6+ fps with the Canon 50D or the Nikon D300 as compared to 3 fps for the Pentax. Add in the better AF speed and tracking, bigger LCD with three times the resolution, etc. and it's a no-brainer as to which camera to pick. And I think that a lot of other potential customers will reach the same conclusion.

*Blue* · 08-28-2008, 01:15 PM

Originally Posted by rparmar

The Leica M8 has let down certain professionals and is too expensive for semi-pros. Most buy it as a toy to sit on the mantel. Bring on the Pentax Limited Blackbody -- a compact all-metal DSLR that will position Pentax as the new Leica.

OK, it may not be cheap, but it could be the new Pentax flagship model.

Call it the LX-d Limited.

*séamuis* · 08-29-2008, 06:19 AM

Originally Posted by Blue

Call it the LX-d Limited.

NO. geez why does everyone want to throw 'Limited' on everything? you don't have to call it limited to use limited lenses on it, just build it small and simple! Im not sure about the LXD but definitely dont tag limited on at the end.

rparmar · 08-29-2008, 07:10 AM

Originally Posted by séamuis

NO. geez why does everyone want to throw 'Limited' on everything?

Pentax has some strange naming ideas. But if the body is built to match the Limited lenses it would be consistent to call it Limited as well.

My pet peeve is the silly numeric codes: K10D, K20D, K100D. Having to count how many zeroes there are in order to figure out where a model lies in a line-up is hardly user-friendly. Yes, we know the K1000 was a great camera and it's nice to pay it homage, but how many dudes walking into a store care?

More straightforward names would sell more cameras. Not that the competition do any better.

*séamuis* · 08-29-2008, 07:36 AM

yea but I think other thank being just plain crappy in my opinion, tagging 'Limited' on the camera serves to separate it and make it almost a novelty in a way. something people buy the way they might buy a leica M8. I think it would do pentax far more good to have a camera such as that to be seen and advertised as a serious player in the camera world and a serious camera in the Pentax lineup, not some on the side 'novelty' camera to go with some small lenses. I know such a camera would be just as good and well built as any other pentax but I know it would be seen as something completely different if tagged 'Limited'.

*Blue* · 08-29-2008, 08:34 AM

I think Pentax should look into a LX-D and update the LX as an LX-5.

As far as the limited goes, that refers to the fact that in addition to top optics they are built with metal barrels etc. I see absolutely no problem using that to refer to a comparable body. As far as "novelty" goes, Pentax is sort of a novelty in the photography world.

*séamuis* · 08-29-2008, 08:44 AM

As far as "novelty" goes, Pentax is sort of a novelty in the photography world.

I completely disagree, if they would have always been considered as such they would have never survived this long, period. and I don't think they are seen as such now either. I also think its a bit ridiculous that anyone would consider them as such. different? yes. novelty? no.

Nick_b · 08-29-2008, 09:37 AM

How does the name you place on something make it a novelty?

"A rose by any other name would smell as sweet"

Juliet

*séamuis* · 08-29-2008, 09:44 AM

it depends on the product really. can you honestly tell me that a 'Limited' camera, knowing about the 'Limited lenses sounds like a serious camera in line with the K20D or any other camera in its class or higher? maybe its just me but that screams novelty and I don't think it would be good for pentax to separate such a camera in that way.

is love like a camera company?

Nick_b · 08-29-2008, 10:07 AM

Originally Posted by séamuis

it depends on the product really. can you honestly tell me that a 'Limited' camera, knowing about the 'Limited lenses sounds like a serious camera in line with the K20D or any other camera in its class or higher? maybe its just me but that screams novelty and I don't think it would be good for pentax to separate such a camera in that way.

is love like a camera company?

I love my camera!

personally like the idea of calling a small old school style camera "Limited". If the features are there and the style is right then it really doesn't matter what you call it but "Limited" has a nice ring to it, and it also congers up images of MF film cameras.

**Damn Brit** · 08-29-2008, 03:10 PM

Originally Posted by Nick_b

How does the name you place on something make it a novelty?

"A rose by any other name would smell as sweet"

Juliet

Have you smelt roses recently? Fragrant roses seem to get more diseases, they can't seem to breed fragrance and disease resistance into roses. That, along with a blue rose, is the holy grail.

I fail to understand why Hoya/Pentax haven't made a bigger deal of IS. If you compare lens prices and camera prices, the savings on building similarly performing set ups are astronomical.