[Adam]

Indeed, just tested with the last firmware and it doesn't work while recording. And pressing the green button does nothing.

Didn't see your post when I made mine. Too bad...so your green button was mapped to enable focus peaking?

Adam
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[NickLarsson]

Didn't see your post when I made mine. Too bad...so your green button was mapped to enable focus peaking?

Yes, and it's working for still and in movie mode, but not during recording.

Is it working for you ?

[barondla]

Panoguy, this is an excellent report that answers many important questions. Can't wait for this adapter to arrive. The focal length input looks great and seems to have more adjustment range than the K5! Love the 10 lens memory.

A few questions.
1. Since it is the DA300 tripod adapter, we can rotate between horizontal and vertical? If so this would make the adapter worth the price to me ( without the shutter and electronics).

2. Did you happen to try the 35 macro, Q<PK adapter with flash?

thanks
barondla

I am excited! Q fun is about to shift to a higher gear.

[GXRUser]

Thank you very much for very useful information.

Are you able to input shake reduction manually without the pentax K to Q adapter attached?

Also, I shot a few more images of the adapter itself and the "mini-macro combo" above! To answer some questions for those who haven't handled the adapter or the Q10.

First, the Pentax K-mount to Q-mount adapter has electrical contacts on the back, and you can see they are recessed, so most likely other adapters will not function the same. Dan at Pentax Canada didn't know if the contacts were exclusively for the internal shutter, or if they also enabled the focal-length input option. We didn't have an off-brand Q adapter to compare to.






Next, yes, you can input the focal length of your lens for shake reduction. Because of the crop factor and variability of types of lenses you can attach, you input the computed *equivalent focal length* with the 5.5x multiplier, and the Q10 will remember the last 10 you used for quick recall later. Note that it goes up to 9999.9mm for those of you with a 1200mm f/8 lens and 1.4x TC.






Finally, what you see below is a very compact 200mm Macro setup, and the Q10 does a great job with longer lenses and stabilization! (But it was Pre-Production, so Dan wouldn't let me use my own SD card...) Also note that the Pentax K to Q Adapter has the same removable tripod mount foot as found on the DA*300mm and DA*60-250mm. Dan from Pentax Canada used the foot from their DA*300mm for the video and these shots.

[GXRUser]

So if you had an opportunity to choose a Q or Q10, which would you choose and why? (and why is black not planned for North American Sale?)

Oh yeah, my .02 CAD...

My general impressions of the Q10 were very positive, and my wife said "ooh, it's a cute little spy camera" so I'll definitely be getting one to share, but I'll also get the adapter for *my* lenses. A bit strange to use the LCD as a finder, but I'm sure I'll get used to it!

Now I don't own an original Q, but the Q10 is definitely not as "solid" as the magnesium-bodied Q I've handled before. It is very light and plastic-bodied, with the same 3.0" screen they've used forever, so it is quite apparent why they can list it for $600 (with the zoom) now. That said, all the controls felt very good and the focus (with the native AF lenses) was quite quick, but not PDAF quick. There was also no "video lag" as you panned around, or perceptible hesitation when you press the shutter button, which were two things I'd read about in original Q reviews.

When using it with the adapter and DA*300/4 (which is what I'm interested in), I definitely saw a need for a tripod and red-dot finder. It was crazy to try to frame something at 1650mm equiv! I could still easily hold and focus that big lens with one hand and keep my other hand on the very grippy grip side, with my finger on the shutter button. The SR eliminated lots of camera shake as well. We shot multiple images in the exhibit hall at 1650mm, f/4, 1/250, ISO3200, and they were all basically free of motion blur! Again, because it was Pre-Production (firmware 0.7) they were shot on the Pentax rep's SD card, so I can't share those with you, but the noise wasn't horrible at ISO3200 and the colors seemed pretty good.

[panoguy]

Panoguy, this is an excellent report that answers many important questions. Can't wait for this adapter to arrive. The focal length input looks great and seems to have more adjustment range than the K5! Love the 10 lens memory.

A few questions.
1. Since it is the DA300 tripod adapter, we can rotate between horizontal and vertical? If so this would make the adapter worth the price to me ( without the shutter and electronics).

Not quite. To be clear, the adapter has the same pair of slots that accept the detachable foot as found on the DA*60-250mm and DA*300mm. I don't know if the adapter comes with a foot or not, and I certainly didn't see any way to rotate the part of the adapter with the slots (no lock/unlock screw).

2. Did you happen to try the 35 macro, Q<PK adapter with flash?

I completely forgot about testing the leaf-shutter! Let's hope someone else in Toronto goes to the show this weekend and tries it out... besides, I'm not a strobist by any stretch.

Are you able to input shake reduction manually without the pentax K to Q adapter attached?

Actually, now that you mention it, yes I did just that. The Q10 (with this early firmware, anyhow) seemed to function the same with or without any lens attached at all. I did play with the focal length adjustment while there was no lens or adapter attached (it's greyed out when a native Q-mount lens is attached), so that must mean it's possible with any old adapter... but then again, this is not final firmware.

So if you had an opportunity to choose a Q or Q10, which would you choose and why? (and why is black not planned for North American Sale?)

Q10, definitely. For me, the value of the Q-mount is all in the focal length multiplier, so the big checkboxes are that SR is enabled with adapted lenses (check) and it has focus-peaking to help focus those lenses (check). If the image quality is at least as good as the Q (which it really should be), I can't really ask for much more... except maybe a quality AF wide-angle... and another, shorter constant f/2.8 zoom... and maybe a higher-resolution screen, etc., etc.

BTW, the color choices (in the Canadian part of North America, anyhow) are Silver, Red, and Black bodies. Silver finish is metallic, Red is glossy, and the Black is semi-matte. No idea why the US sellers don't offer the Black, but I'm debating between the Red and the Silver anyhow!

[Zygonyx]

...
First, the Pentax K-mount to Q-mount adapter has electrical contacts on the back, and you can see they are recessed, so most likely other adapters will not function the same. Dan at Pentax Canada didn't know if the contacts were exclusively for the internal shutter, or if they also enabled the focal-length input option. We didn't have an off-brand Q adapter to compare to.

Next, yes, you can input the focal length of your lens for shake reduction. Because of the crop factor and variability of types of lenses you can attach, you input the computed *equivalent focal length* with the 5.5x multiplier, and the Q10 will remember the last 10 you used for quick recall later. Note that it goes up to 9999.9mm for those of you with a 1200mm f/8 lens and 1.4x TC...

Good news the first picture !
Not any other Q to K adapter have contacts.
It shows there is an internal shutter, very important to get "normal" (above the current poor 1/13s) to high speed flash-synch.
Also it makes me hope that Pentax listened to some advise i made, to have the adaptor recognizing any K mount "chip mounted" lens.
Let's wait and see if this is confirmed... and if they are willing to update the first Q firmware to make it work with the focal lenght input function...

[Zygonyx]

No for my second point, this other photo shows there is no information transfer from the K side of the adapter...

[panoguy]

and if they are willing to update the first Q firmware to make it work with the focal lenght input function...

Historically, this doesn't seem probable, but then again this is now Ricoh. They might actually reward the early Q adopters with some enhancements via firmware! Pretty sure focus-peaking won't ever be added, since that's tied to the image processor, but a firmware update could add the ability to use SR on unrecognized (adapted) lenses with focal length input.

After I thought about it a bit, I realized that this new interface for entering focal length, with the 10-position memory, is probably an interface that will roll out in future DSLRs as well, just that the Q10 is the latest firmware to be created (my guess is that the K5 II and IIs would use the same K-5 interface, with most of the firmware updates going to the new AF and image processing for no AA filter).

[vonBaloney]

Historically, this doesn't seem probable, but then again this is now Ricoh. They might actually reward the early Q adopters with some enhancements via firmware! Pretty sure focus-peaking won't ever be added, since that's tied to the image processor, but a firmware update could add the ability to use SR on unrecognized (adapted) lenses with focal length input.

After I thought about it a bit, I realized that this new interface for entering focal length, with the 10-position memory, is probably an interface that will roll out in future DSLRs as well, just that the Q10 is the latest firmware to be created (my guess is that the K5 II and IIs would use the same K-5 interface, with most of the firmware updates going to the new AF and image processing for no AA filter).

It'd be nice to be able to enter the focal length anytime (on any camera), even to manually override what it is reading so that it can be adjusted for TCs with contacts, front converters, etc...

[stormtech]

It'd be nice to be able to enter the focal length anytime (on any camera), even to manually override what it is reading so that it can be adjusted for TCs with contacts, front converters, etc...

You can do that with a K-5 if my memory serves me correctly......record menu tab 4

[panoguy]

You can do that with a K-5 if my memory serves me correctly......record menu tab 4

That option is greyed out if the camera can read the lens focal length through the electrical contacts. I see why Baron vonBaloney is asking for this: if I put one of my Tamron Pz-AF teleconverters behind a lens, that focal length option on my K-5 is still greyed out because the TC is letting all signals through, including the (now incorrect) focal length of the original lens.

[vonBaloney]

That option is greyed out if the camera can read the lens focal length through the electrical contacts. I see why Baron vonBaloney is asking for this: if I put one of my Tamron Pz-AF teleconverters behind a lens, that focal length option on my K-5 is still greyed out because the TC is letting all signals through, including the (now incorrect) focal length of the original lens.

Yes, that's right, so now you are forced to turn off SR even though you need it even more...

[stormtech]

Well I learned something today! I never had a reason to try to change the focal length in that situation - the only TC I've had was the 1.7 F AF which of course does not have the info contacts.

[barondla]

So is it possible to cover or disconnect the electrial contact that reports the "wrong" focal length.
thanks
barondla