[Paul Ewins]

I popped into Michael's Cameras in Melbourne this morning to enquire about the availability of the 06 zoom as I wanted to get one for my girlfriend for her birthday. They called CR Kennedy who said that they expected to get their first batch - 10 lenses - in early to mid November. I ordered one and was given a price of $379 (expected RRP is apparently $400) although the salesman said it could come in a little cheaper by the time it actually arrived. It's a bit of a markup on the expected US price but by the time you factor in postage and GST I probably wouldn't save much and it probably wouldn't arrive any sooner so buying locally made sense.

[barondla]

Can't wait to get your take on this lens. 06 will vindicate the Q system.
thanks
barondla

[VladimirYo]

06 will vindicate the Q system.

Why do you think so?

[barondla]

Because all the other mirrorless systems fall apart in the telephoto end ( if compactness is a consideration). The Nex are neat with the pancake prime but get silly with a tele zoom on them. They are almost as big as K-5setup and far harder to use. m43 does a little better but not much. Friend brought in an OMD. It was very nicely made and size was okay ( not in Q range ). It is a tweener. Not as big as a small dslr but way too big to be pocketable. Might make a good 1st camera system for someone but not a very good 2nd one. Friend took off the kit zoom and got out an Olympus 300 zoom. It was as big as a Pentax 55-300! To make the lenses smaller many companies make the tele zooms ever slower. Less light makes af harder and approaches more diffraction problems. The Nikon 1has a wide kit lens that is bigger than M43! No idea what hppened here.

The small sensor Q ( that many laughed at on introduction) actually has a high speed prime, ultra small wide zoom, and now a tiny high speed constant aperture 2.8 tele zoom. The whole system fits in your hand at the same time. A truly compact system has been born. This will sell the Q and make other systems look lacking.

Many "experts" point to the Q small sensor and say we give up image quality. They never stop to consider how much quality the other companies throw away by making their lenses too small. Try to find a good Nex lens!

The Q is on a roll. It is the world's best second system and the only one you can throw in the bag with your main system- without noticing it. You can actually carry a spare camera system in your main bag! Nothing else like the Q. And it is FUN.
thanks
barondla

[crewl1]

the only one you can throw in the bag with your main system- without noticing it. You can actually carry a spare camera system in your main bag!

This. +1

[pico]

This is exactly why I can't wait for the Pentax 06 tele zoom and try it out at F2.8. I was drawn by the tiny size of the lenses and the body itself but the quick access menus and the handling was really the surprise...I love shooting with this camera! I was really close to purchasing the Lumix FZ200 for the F2.8 lens (which if I may be mistaken, but also has a tiny sensor)...the Q is just more flexible with the variety of lenses. Even with the 06 lens, I feel like the body+lens is still going to be smaller than most bridge cameras.

[VladimirYo]

2 barondla
Thank you. Now I'm looking for more images by Q06 from customers.