Pentax Q Interchangeable Lens System

New mirrorless digital body with 5-lenses

By PF Staff in Pentax Announcements on Jun 23, 2011

Following this morning's press releases from Pentax Japan and Pentax USA, we have confirmed that the new Pentax Q interchangeable lens digital camera will be launched along with a total of 5 lenses and accompanying accessories.

In a nutshell, the new camera body will be the lightest and smallest interchangeable-lens digital camera in the world.  It will feature a high-performance backlit 12.4 megapixel CMOS sensor, loaded with the latest in technology from Pentax.  Although the sensor's small size (1/2.33") does not sound promising, we may yet be surprised by the innovation in this sensor!  The Pentax Q will also boast several features found in Pentax DSLRs, such as sensor-shift Shake Reduction; ultrasonic Dust Removal II; and P, Tv, Av, and M modes. It supports full-HD video recording at 30FPS and has a fast image framerate of 5FPS with a top shutter speed of 1/2000s.  Its flash sync speed will be 1/2000s, but only when the built-in flash is used with the kit lens or the zoom lens.

For full specifications of the Pentax Q body, please visit our camera database.

The Pentax Q lens system is brand-new and differs significantly from the original K-mount system currently used by Pentax DSLRs: the Q lenses have been stripped of several features and made much smaller.  They all feature built-in autofocus motors.

The launch lens lineup will consist of 5 lenses in two main categories:

"High Performance Lenses", which are designed to deliver maximum image quality:

• 01 Standard Prime (47mm F1.9) (Kit lens)
• 02 Standard Zoom (27.5-80mm F2.8-4.5) ($299)

and "Unique Lenses", which deliver fancy lens effects (and not much more):

• 03 Fish Eye ($129)
• 04 Toy Wide-Angle ($79)
• 05 Toy Telephoto  ($79)

Please visit our lens database for details on these lenses.  Please note that while the high performance lenses feature metal mounts and support filters and hoods, the unique lenses do not.  Overall, it appears that a rectilinear ultra-wide angle lens, as well as an extreme-telephoto lens, is missing from the current lineup, and we hope to see them as future additions to the system.

Accessories offered for the Q system will include lens hoods for the high performance lenses, a polarizing filter, a camera case, and an optical viewfinder designed for the 47mm kit lens.

The system is expected to become available in the US this September.  The Pentax Q will be available in two colors (silver and black) and will cost about $799 (together with the kit lens, which cannot be purchased separately).  As we near the US launch date, expect a dedicated Pentax Q forum to be opened on our site!

In 1979, Pentax successfully marketed the world's smallest film SLR, the Auto 110 (pictured above), and conceptually, its system seems quite similar to that of the Pentax Q.  Designing small cameras is thus nothing new for Pentax, and we hope that the Q will deliver solid performance and satisfy users once it becomes available as the Auto 110 did years ago!

Discuss this news on the forum