[asw66]

I think so.

And in this connection, here's a link to a RiceHigh blog entry from about a year ago that speculates that the Q mount could handle a 1" sensor, such as we've seen in the recently-announced Sony RX100.

Throw in focus peaking and a few performance tweaks, and the next Q should present a compelling package.

[JinDesu]

It'd be nice to know if the Q lenses can cast a 1" sensor circle.

[jogiba]

I don't think the Q with 1/2.3" now could handle a 1" sensor and still have SR and not vignette with the current lenses.

[Anvh]

It really depends on the lens but the mount is atleast wide enough, one problem is though that the angle of the light hitting the corner will be quite great so the image that you actually gain might not be of that great quality, still good but probably not great. I wonder if they can make faster lenses for the sensor they have now, an f/0,5 sounds very interesting!

[Aristophanes]

The emerging leader is the Nikon V and J series IMO. Stellar reviews and design IMO. I have been vey impressed.

That said, other than sensor size 9ad price) the Q is also well designed and manufactured.

But the critical failure for the Q is way too small a sensor. It's not even in the right league with where it should be. Pentax I believe mis-calculated their rivals and released a mirrorless with too small a sensor, not understanding that Nikon and Canon and Sony (RX100) were going to enter the market close enough to m43 to make people look. Not the Q.

NOw, look at the throw diameter of the Q compared to the Nikon:

Compare camera dimensions side by side

Do you think a Nikon-sized sensor can get in there? You bet. And with the Pentax's shorter flange distance, the small size of the Q lenses will really stand out (caveat: if their image circle can meet the larger sensor).

I cannot see another Q coming out without a larger sensor, maybe even up to the 1" size (although Sony is fudging the 1" spec a lot).

[barondla]

Thought the field of view for the Q fisheye was kind of strange at 165 degrees. Most fisheyes are 180. What sensor size would take this lens to 180 degrees? Of course Pentx may be thinking of the FE as being circular on a much larger sensor.

It would be neat if Pentax sed a much larger sensor and still made the current one for a choice.
thanks
barondla

[Anvh]

Nikons lenses are quite big though for the sensor size... if you want mirrorless then m4/3 is the way to go, more establish system with 3rd party support

[northislander]

Im really thinking about getting a K01. I really love shooting with the Q but when I look side by side with my K5 as much fun as the Q is, size matters if your really after that sharp look (as of right now) so maybe the K01 isn't so bad after all. I think I may sell my k5 but I will always keep the Q just because its so dam cute and fun to use. If a Q with a better (maybe not bigger) but better sensor comes out I would buy in a heat beat. Sensors get better all the time with new nano technology maybe one day we Q users will have the worlds smallest ILC that takes photos with greater IQ than todays FFs do, maybe not for a few years yet but could happen.

What would be really cool is if we could send in our Qs and for a small fee get the newer better sensor installed and then shipped back to us. Sensor up grads better idea than that Rico camera lens thing. Be even better if one could just pop out the old sensor and put in the new ones as they come out at home.

[RonHendriks1966]

I think so, but only when the sensor can grow. Even when it just gets the size of the sensor used in Fujifilm X10, that means a sensorsurface double of Q. Keep it small and working with lenses. The Q is a nice and capable camera, but it lacks in image quality when iso goes up.

So it could need a nice longer and fast lens as well.

[barondla]

Don't think the Nikon 1 has done well- at least not in the US. They spent tons of money to promote it with Ashton. Have never seen anyone out using one. Look at the Amazon sales and it doesn't even show on their top 100 in sales. Our BB carries it and for a small camera it seems big. They display it with a lens shade attached that is huge.

Think the mirrorless action is m4/3 and Sony NEX.
thanks
barondla

[AndrewG NY]

I think a sensor size change for Q is a pipe dream. Like everyone else, I wish they'd based the system on something a little larger, probably the 1" sensor like Nikon. But I'm pretty sure this ship has sailed. If they do something else, it probably won't be ur-Q anymore.

I'd just like to see the system fleshed out -- firmware rough edges ironed out, a few more lenses. Better support for non-native lenses (flash & SR). I think it's a shame that they didn't include wireless P-TTL control capability with the built-in flash. All this should be done via firmware update. In another year or so, make a new body with refinements that couldn't be done in firmware -- maybe a faster CPU and updated sensor. Offer a second body at the same time that includes some form of eye-level viewfinder support. I'd rather it was built in because it would be more compact & sturdier this way.

[Anvh]

Dont worry so much about the sensor size, really just look back 2 years ago and compare them with the compacts off now the sensor will only get better and with the samll sensor size they also have a small lens size making the whole system very compact, it are camera's like the Sony NEX and the Samsung with the ASP-C sensor that have less of a future.

[Aristophanes]

Nikons lenses are quite big though for the sensor size... if you want mirrorless then m4/3 is the way to go, more establish system with 3rd party support

I have yet to see m43 pocketable, but the J1 with a 10mm is easily. The 10-30mm is very close. The Q is pocketable but it's price to sensor size dynamic kills it for me. When the Nikon V/J system drops in price that is where I will look.

[Anvh]

You Tube

You Tube

So m4/3 with the standard lens is more compact then the Nikon 1 with the standard lens and smaller sensor...


more data

M43
Panasonic 14/2.5, 56x21, 55 g
Panasonic X 14-42/3.5-5.6, 61x27, 95 g
Panasonic X 45-175/4-5.6, 62x90, 210 g
Olympus 14-150/4-5.6, 64x83, 280 g
Total weight: 640 g

Nikon 1
Nikkor 10/2.8, 56x22, 77 g
Nikkor 10-30/3.5-5.6, 58x42, 115 g
Nikkor 30-110/3.8-5.6, 60x61, 180 g
Nikkor 10-100/4.5-5.6, 77x95, 530 g
Total weight: 902 g

[Anvh]

And this is another good reason.

Voigtlaender - Nokton F0,95/25mm
Voigtlaender - Nokton F0,95/17,5mm