[hcarvalhoalves]

Yep, 1600 iso looks impressive.
If the price drops heavily, for macro & tele, why not ?

The ISO 1600 sample looks like crap to me, it's noise reduction all the way. But then, it's up to standards considering the sensor.

Agree on the price drop part. If it drops to about $ 400, it might be something.

[ghelary]

Looking at the price issue, a Canon G12 currently trades for 470€ in France, the Pentax Q has been announced at 700€

230€ is quite a premium for interchangable lens system, but street will be significantly lower than that, so we are looking at a 100/150€ premium. Looking at the Ricoh system, Pentax is not so lost in the "odd camera" system.

Is it worth it? Well the market will tell. but I think it would be a sucess with wild life photography as it would allow to get high magnification with light gear and most likely better results than with digiscopy (the 77ltd would be equivalent to 300mm on APSC and a 200mm lens to 700mm)

And people shall bear in mind that rumors predicted 2 mirrorless camera systems, so that leaves room for a big sensor camera in the future (may be in K-mount?)

[Unsinkable II]

However what is their target audience?

1. A regular point-and-shooter wanting better image quality? --- Get an LX5/S95/XZ-1 and save a lot of $$$, eliminate lens-changing inconvenience, and in all likelihood get better images.

2. A DSRL-owner wanting a second, smaller, camera? --- Get a GF3 with the 14 or 20mm, or a NEX-C3 with the 20mm and have hugely better IQ for a small size trade-off. Oh, and still save $$.

3. Someone wanting a do-it-all mini system and expecting Pentax to bring out an ultra-wide and a super telephoto lens in the Q mount? --- Get a Sony HX9v with incredible wide-angle portrait stitch panoramas, 384mm zoom, image-stacking noise reduction, 10FPS, 1080/60P video, and GPS. All for $350 ($300 here in Hong Kong).

4. Someone wanting a fun mini system? --- Bingo! Except the price for the body and lenses is 2 to 3 times too high. I can almost get a Oly XZ-1 with its 1/1.7" sensor and F1.8-2.5 zoom lens for the price of Pentax's far slower, narrower-range, Q-mount zoom alone!!!

It's fun and cute, I'll grant it that. But the pricing is pure comedy.

[Christine Tham]

Wow, what an interesting camera and lens selection!

Once again, Pentax shows they think differently from other camera makers. Sometimes I think Pentax has me in mind when they design cameras - they seem to instinctively know what I like.

I really like the concept, wondering if the image quality will be good enough.

I was going to buy the Panasonic GF3 or G3, now I am going to seriously consider the Q instead.

Hope it will be on show at the PMA this weekend.

[NicoleAu]

Yeah it is on show at the PMA this weekend Chris.

[calsan]

I think it's great for Pentax users. If you've been to Japan, you will know that this will probably be a big hit.
That means more money for Pentax and that's good news for any Pentax fan as it will pay for more development across all Pentax systems.
No one is forcing you to sell your current dslr and get this, so quit whining everyone!

[yeatzee]

The bastard child of Pentax....... honestly I couldn't possibly describe the disappointment I feel when looking at this.


PENTAX......the death of pentax.

[RonHendriks1966]

I like this thing a lot!

[RonHendriks1966]

I wonder how long it takes before we see this Q with an adapter to K-mount lenses attached to a moderate zoom like FA*250-600mm/f5.6









Are you?

[Spag]

This thing will probably be a success in Japan. And that's where Pentax makes most of its $$$, so I can understand that they bring such products, aimed at Japanese customers, on the market.

[BobBlazevic]

Most of the talk so far sounds just like the talk when Pentax brought out the Auto 110.
At the time Pentax achieved the smallest interchangeable lens system ever. It was not the best idea because of the small film size. How did that work out?

And now they have done it with digital.

[sifun]

okay i'm going to just say that even with a 1/1.7, you won't get much depth of field.

I just hope they have fantastic sensor in that 1/2.33, but i know its just hopeful...

Hoping they got rid of the antialiasing filter

[stanleyk]

Wow, what an interesting camera and lens selection!

Once again, Pentax shows they think differently from other camera makers. Sometimes I think Pentax has me in mind when they design cameras - they seem to instinctively know what I like.

I really like the concept, wondering if the image quality will be good enough.

I was going to buy the Panasonic GF3 or G3, now I am going to seriously consider the Q instead.

Hope it will be on show at the PMA this weekend.

I was all set to say no to this because I didn't like the white/cream color. But it's also black and they have toy lenses!!! The toy lenses sealed it for me. I'm getting the black and the two toy lenses. I think it's a great idea but I'm not sure if it will sell. This is a pretty good measured response (although I still don't like the white colored one):

The Online Photographer: The Pentax Q System

[juu]

I wonder how long it takes before we see this Q with an adapter to K-mount lenses attached to a moderate zoom like FA*250-600mm/f5.6

At about the same time as a K-mount adapter with a built-in shutter arrives. Could be a while though, as the Chinese metal working shops which produce all the m43/NEX adapters won't build one.

[openyourap]

Face it, most people toting DSLRs would be much better off with a digicam. They "want to get into photography a bit more", but don't graduate past the kit lens and auto mode. No reading manuals; No understanding of metering modes, exposure compensation, shutters or apertures; No lurking on photography forums. They instinctively hold a camera at arms length. They're not particularly price sensitive and they value form over function.

This is a camera aimed at them.

If you're all about IQ and shallow depth of field, move on to another part of the forum, or indulge in the pointless flagellation fest until the K-mount shooter is announced in August.

There are, however, a few "serious" photographers for whom this camera will be of interest.

• Strobists (sync to 1/2000)
• Macro-photographers (small format= big depth of field)
• Birders/digi-scopers (great crop zoom and the possibility of mounting directly to a spotting scope with little addition to the weight of your kit)