[eddie1960]

the half size images on imaging resource aren't bad at all for a pre production unit

Dave i think the super telephoto is sill on the lens map and there is a lens due in September

and i don't know that most of the lenses are toy lenses, these 4 lenses are hardly made for apsc cameras, Wait and see what comes in September when typically all the big releases come (from all companies not just Pentax)
best time to announce is then with stock hitting shelves at the higher initial release price in time for the hi volume christmas sales season

[timh]

I really don't like the direction Pentax is heading. Looks like I will need to start saving money (not buy Pentax stuff) so I can jump ship to a camera maker that caters to the high-end user.

That doesn't bother me so much (if everyone jumps ship, maybe the price of FA Ltds will drop), I just feel bad for Pentax... They've regained a lot of credibility as a serious camera maker in the last few years and are starting to generate interest among Canon and Nikon users. But now it seems they're about to release the Sinclair C5 of camera systems and undo all that reputation building. Sigh.

[junyo]

It is a tiny system:

It's not that tiny:

I'm a huge advocate of small, 'good enough' cameras, but this makes zero sense to me, or any person who does the slightest research. I can get nearly as small, with a much better IQ potential, for less. Unless size is my only consideration, why would I buy this? For the novelty of carrying around a bunch of metal and glass baubles in my pocket? To finally have a camera smaller than the hot shoe flash? Because my arms are too weak to hold up the extra .9 ounces the Nex weighs?

It's cute and all, and perhaps in the Japanese home market that will work, but as you mention, it's a bit dear for cute. And it's kind of disappointing that Pentax would release something that, in the most charitable read, is more about style than substance.

[ogl]

Pentax Q seems to me it's the result of hopelessness of Hoya marketing department.
Pentax could return to the market of top compact cameras, but can't...
Useless slow lenses with so tiny sensor for huge price.

I see that this camera is "Singularity for singularity" or "Size for size"
and I don't see in which aspect Pentax Q better than competitors...
Slow zoom. Three TOY lenses. Strange standart lens.
Where is Pentax Q better than XZ-1 or LX-5?

[Blue]

I am guessing who ever decided to come up with all those fan-dangle colours for the k-r. Atleast the white is more subdued than a bright pink. When those colourful cameras came out I had a twinge of shame toward Pentax and had the urge to hide when a few of my friends (Canikon users) brought them up in conversation. Sure some people might really like the colours, and yes it had reasonable performance but it just wasn't my kettle of fish. Neither is this.

And yes they should have gone for a k-mount, but there was probably a hole bunch of design restrictions.

You can always bring up Canon's new red dSLR and hen-shit brown one.

Canon U.S.A. : Consumer & Home Office : EOS Rebel T3 18-55mm IS II Kit

[contrabass]

I have very mixed feelings about this system. I like how tiny it is-- the photos of it on a keychain really bring that home. I could see bringing this absolutely everywhere with me. I also could see taking this, and my Pentax MX system, on a trip somewhere, in the same space that I take *just* my Canon EOS DSLR system. Q for quick snaps; film for when I'm trying to be Ansel.

Maybe IQ from the "backlit" sensor will be pretty good? Does anyone else using this tiny sensor have the "backlit" feature?

But the price? For $300 with the prime lens, I'd order one right now. For $800 with lens, I doubt I'll ever even see one in person.

I agree with those that say Pentax is banking on runaway popularity in Japan, especially with the cheap "toy" lenses.

Hmmm....

[Blue]

Pentax Q seems to me it's the result of hopelessness of Hoya marketing department.
Pentax could return to the market of top compact cameras, but can't...
Useless slow lenses with so tiny sensor for huge price.

I see that this camera is "Singularity for singularity" or "Size for size"
and I don't see in which aspect Pentax Q better than competitors...
Slow zoom. Three TOY lenses. Strange standart lens.
Where is Pentax Q better than XZ-1 or LX-5?

The LX3/LX5 have bigger sensors.

[legacyb4]

Neat looking lenses though... wonder about the "Toy" labelling though.

Pentax announces four additional Q mount lenses

[UdonUdon]

I really don't like the direction Pentax is heading. Looks like I will need to start saving money (not buy Pentax stuff) so I can jump ship to a camera maker that caters to the high-end user.

Whoa whoa whoa, you do know that Pentax has had an entire line of P&S for a while, right? Pentax was never purely for high-end users. That job is for Hasselblad, Mamiya-Sekkor, Carl Zeiss, and Voigtlander.

Did you forget about the Auto 110, the Optios, the Espios, IQ-Zoom, and PCs?

Did you also forget that Pentax came out with the 645d, K-5, and K-r last October? What about the GPS system that was released a few weeks ago?

There is no "direction changing" here. They've been working on the Q system for 5 years.

[ogl]

If Pentax put 1" sensor to Pentax Q, a lot of users think about Pentax Q in different way...even psychologically...

[ogl]

They've been working on the Q system for 5 years.

it's joke of day!!! good.

[Supernaut]

From what I understand the colorful K-x/r is selling well. I suppose this is another product from Pentax that are not targeted towards me but is judged to generate sales. I'm perfectly fine with that.

[UdonUdon]

it's joke of day!!! good.

The Online Photographer

"Here's another fun fact about the Q system: Pentax engineers have actually been working on it for five years. They started the project before there was a sensor good enough for it, apparently trusting that, given the known pace of development, a good enough sensor would be along eventually. Only when Sony's latest back-illuminated CMOS sensor become available did Pentax finish the project and bring the product to completion."

[eddie1960]

From what I understand the colorful K-x/r is selling well. I suppose this is another product from Pentax that are not targeted towards me but is judged to generate sales. I'm perfectly fine with that.

Exactly

Every time they release a crazy ass limited in multiple colours there is a great wailing and gnashing of teeth here saying it's a bad idea it'll kill sales .....
then it sells out in a heartbeat and generates brand awareness. it positions Pentax as the brand for someone different who isn't going with the crowd. how is the Q any different than that.
anything that makes the brand sales stronger is fine with me, even if it's not the camera I want
I didn't want a Superzoom like the X90 either, but it did OK for Pentax
I don't want a rugged waterproof ps either but those seem to sell pretty well
I'd give my right n*t for a 645d but i would hardly call that a high volume mass market piece of gear. in unit's i'm guessing this will outsell the total 645d units in about 2 days max

[ogl]

OK. Who can explain the value of interchangeable lenses for such tiny sensor?
No any value at all. ZERO.
It's absurd idea. No need to make 8.5/1.9 fixed lens and 5-15/2.8-4.5...
No 24 mm and no tele (just 83 mm)...If it's top compact, fixed lens is too slow...Zoom is too ordinary andslow too...27.5mm-83.0mm/f16-f25....