Dear Pentax

[ratjadi]

Dear Pentax,

i don't know if someone from Pentax is really reading this, but i still try:

I love my K20D, but I want one change which can accomplished in firmware. The raw-jpeg-button is useless to me (and I think many people) because I only shoot raw all the time. Please give us an option to reassing this button with something more useful:

1. show the number of shots remaining
2. true mirror lockup (whithout the self timer)
3. engage AF (why not, this could come handy since you crippeled the vertical grip )
4. maybe onther customizeable quick menu (there are some custum functions that I need more often, and most of them I never touch)


Maybe others have different interesting suggestions.

The thing with custom functions is another thing. It would be great if I had the option to save the current state of CFs in the user setting, and even greater if I had more than one user setting.

thanks
Andreas

[SpecialK]

Originally Posted by cromagnonrand

Besides the many good ideas already posted, I would like Pentax to continue to make a nice beefy DSLR for my big hands. They can also make a smaller DSLR for people with more normal sized or even girlie hands.

Maybe try some of that "camera armor" on it?

[ratjadi]

Since I posted above I am ever more taken with the idea to use the (to me) useless RAW-JPEG button for AF.

Is there someone around who would support this request? Having also a voice with weight at Pentax?

Think about it, better take the camera and try to imagine how it would operate. I think it would be great, at the same moment solving the problem of the vertical grip missing AF button.

Please support the idea, I need this firmware update! ;-)))

thanks
Andreas

[bobkido]

As beginner, I can only wish for one thing. Better low light sensitivity for the K20 D . I am just a beginner mind you, but you have to by a F1.4 to use at night! expensive. Just a thought. Oh video camera full HD video would be great too like the new Canon 5D mark II would be great. Don't follow be the leader!

[bobkido]

Oh please start getting some balls when it comes to promotion and advertising. I know your smaller but some effort would be great too.

[miniheli]

Dear Pentax.

I know making money for Pentax is high on the list. I know you might say a old looking classic style looking/feeling camera might not make allot of money in todays world of digi this and digi that. But the truth is, it may or may not make allot of cash for the company to grow on. Please please PLEASE!! Consider producing a high performance digital camera with the look/feel and classic basic functions of those old "timeless" film cameras we all love such as the Spotmatic. I know, now in the days of digital photography, who needs or even cares for old looking things right? WRONG!! Might I ask you, why do people collect classic cars? Why are we never bored of those great classic rock singers such as the great John Lennon, even after listening to them for hours on end? Why do auto manufacturers such as ford bring back the true classic mustang and bring it back with a slightly more modern look and technological advances in it? Ill tell you why, because some people like me hate following the ever increasing speed of the digital camera trend! It used to be that every year I learn that there is a new camera out on the market for consumers, now it seems like every single month there’s something new out. People that like the classic styles have good reason to love those items, and that reason of course is to escape from this fast trend. I’m tired of looking at the latest and "greatest" products coming out every month. For example, when I was about 13 years old I spent $3,000 on a pc ( I know im an idiot, I should have built it myself) after that purchase was made, I felt superior, wait let me rephrase that, I felt like I had GODS computer. Me and my holy gaming computer were kicking butt on those addicting internet games. After a year, I found out that the company I bought it from had a upgraded version with even newer hardware. I felt devastated; I wanted to kill my self! How can it be? I bought the latest and greatest technology just for it to be beaten a year later. That was about 6 years ago, now a days motherboards, grafixcards, ram companies are pumping out new products like crazy!! Here I am trying to build a pc, shopping online for the best parts but every month I check up on the online shops, there are even newer products from that particular company!! Its literally making me sick So this is my main point. Consumers are sort of tired of worrying about how long there product will last until a newer "better" version comes out. Believe me, I am a man with more hobbies than you can count, and many of these hobbies are rather pricy. I have seen companies that shocked the world with their marvelous products that they spent years perfecting a single concept or design. These designs become sonomous with the company's image. This long time perfecting of a product makes them classics. Now companies are mass producing items such as cameras like crazy, immediately diving into the trend or what’s hip this year. Don’t get me wrong there is nothing wrong with mass producing great items, but if the company shifts its focus from worrying about how to keep things "timeless" to thinking about, next year’s k30d and k300d, you sort of lose touch with what the company was founded on. I was on my 11th story balcony when I heard the "great" news that pentax is releasing a girly camera??? My jaw dropped all the way to the 2nd floor. I was like "what is that thing, is it even a camera, Barbie?" . There are many companies going towards the following trend, I just hope pentax isn’t doing the same.

This may or may not be a inspiring story. I just turned 19 years old today. I am currently enrolled in a photo 1 class in my college. I absolutely love it! Most of the students in my class are about my age, a young 18-24 years of age. In the beginning the class I was confused, which cameras should I get? Than a even more nervous question arose, should I do film or digital? To make this long part of the story short, I decided to go with film, you know why? You guessed it, because It was timeless and simple. Of course the looks won me over as well as its features, such as the top knobs dedicated for shutter speed. It’s a Spotmatic and loves everything about it (I thank the nice people on this forum for helping me decide on which camera I should purchase). Of course I was sort of hesitant since I had to buy used, I wished I could have bought my Spotmatic brand new but obviously Pentax does not make them anymore. I am still however very happy with my purchase, it is a great camera. Anyways, I thought I was going to be the only one in my class to have a film camera, to my surprise, 6 students including me have a 35mm camera. Keep in mind the class room is very small and only holds around 20 or so students. The rest were using digital. But I do strongly believe that film is making a comeback, not only because of its image quality, but also because of its ease of use and looks. Young people still love the old style cameras, soooo why not make a mix of the new and the old in the form of a Pentax? It doesn’t have to look 100% like a 1965 camera. It could be a camera that is in fact a digital cam but have a classic twist to it.


This is the Lumix L1 from Panasonic and Leica which makes their own version of this camera.
http://www.photokina-show.com/news_i...nasonic_l1.jpg

http://www.dphotojournal.com/wp-cont...nic-dmc-l1.jpg

http://www.digitalcamerareview.com/assets/5685.jpg

http://www.cameratown.com/assets/new...a_Digilux3.jpg

Thieve done it, but they discontinued the Panasonic version. But as you can see its absolutely gorgeous and even though its digital, it can sure stand the test of time.




These are the features I would expect from a camera like this. Anybody else can add to this list.
1. Dedicated ISO, Shutter Speed top knobs
2. Aperture rings
3. Look and feel of a oldie Pentax but yet more of a modern look
4. Controls in the menu being as simple and easy to navigate through
5. Similar weight
6. Long list of optional accessories
7. Weather proof sealing’s
8. Live view
9. IS
10.Sturdy body
11.
12.
13.
14............................................ . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. ... ... ... ... .... .... ..... ..............


All of this is easier said I mean typed than done. O man but it would be so cool!

Right now, it’s only a dream, but it can become reality. ZZzzzZzzzzZzZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzz.....

[K-xx-500-user]

In terms of lenses please consider these alternate line-up's:


1. DA* 14 f/2.8 (or wider!)
2. DA* 30 f/1.4 (or faster!)
3. DA* 50-135 f/2.8
4. DA* 300 f/4
5. DA* 1.4x TC
6. DA* 2.0x TC
(full weather sealing)


1. DA 15 f/4 Limited
2. DA 28 f/1.4 Limited (or faster!)
3. DA* 50-135 f/2.8
4. DA* 300 f/4
5. DA* 1.4x TC
6. DA* 2.0x TC
(more manageable)

[K-xx-500-user]

Oh, and [after reading the 'new Samsung' article] please keep the gizmo's to a seperate line ie. I'd rather have less features, but more usability - a pro/enthusiast purity please.

[anomaly]

- Mirror lockup would be appreciated.

- A flash meter inside the camera. Strobists would flock! I am sure it could be done.

[thibs]

Originally Posted by anomaly

- Mirror lockup would be appreciated.

- A flash meter inside the camera. Strobists would flock! I am sure it could be done.

If I remember well, Contax RTSiii had a built-in flash meter.

[ogl]

Originally Posted by K-xx-500-user

In terms of lenses please consider these alternate line-up's:


1. DA* 14 f/2.8 (or wider!)
2. DA* 30 f/1.4 (or faster!)



2. DA 28 f/1.4 Limited (or faster!)

it's silly to make DA28 and DA30 IMO.
as for wide-angle (wider than 14 mm) - I think it will be zoom lens.

[K-xx-500-user]

Originally Posted by ogl

it's silly to make DA28 and DA30 IMO.

But not 14 & 15?

Originally Posted by ogl

as for wide-angle (wider than 14 mm) - I think it will be zoom lens.

Maybe it will. But this is my suggestion.

[ariahspam]

Originally Posted by miniheli

These are the features I would expect from a camera like this. Anybody else can add to this list.
1. Dedicated ISO, Shutter Speed top knobs
2. Aperture rings

k10d or k20d on manual mode:

dial1: aperture
dial2: shutter
ok+dial: ISO
ev+dial: EV compensation

It beats having more dials.

Yes, it would be nice having collector's edition, the closest would be k10d grand prix edition, (mainly for the leather strap). But you have to consider the distribution costs and added logistics for a single additional product is inmense (they were ready to launch 645 but because added costs would be more expensive than the projected income, it never made launch). And with the economy not looking good nowadays, it is very questionable.

[gremlindesign]

I think that pentax should take the best parts of thier best film cameras and put them in a digital body. it's time.
Basically i want my "MZ-D". Take the MZ-S, throw in the PZ-1's faster shutter, put a nice 16mp plus sensor behind it, give it the LX's near bulletproof construction and available accessories, Live View without mirror up, and better backwards compatability with pre A-Series glass. Oh, allow both TTL *and* P-TTL please.

Lenses? Keep making full frame, as well as APS-C. More primes. Totally agree about a new 85mm f1.4. Make sure they keep the screw-drive AF, and put the aperture ring back on. A slew of new D-FA lenses would make me a very happy pentaxian.

Dream Setup? 18mp MZ-D with a D-FA 17-70mm f2.8. Aww yeah.

[eurostar]

I would like:

1) a true mirror lock-up
2) no protrunding pentaprism, to allow correct use of all the past accessories and lenses (I can't even turn 90 decrees my A*200/4 macro on K10/20D).
3) three user positions on mode dial, and let any parameters, including multiexposure and AF mode be recorded into them.

With those three things included in a K20D, I would be satisfied enough not to change body for ten years... but... maybe Pentax would not like it...