[CarlJF]

Q isn't on sale in Europe anymore. So maybe this would continue as a Japan only product, but probably it is on it's end.

Not only in Europe, It's almost impossible to find in North America and can't be ordered either.

Pentax may well say that the Q line is "continuing", but getting the product out of stores and not available for order is a rather unusual and dubtious way to continue or support a product line... To me, it looks more like "we continue until the remaining stock are sold" than "we continue because we're secretly preparing to launch a new Q body and don't want you to know anything about it".

[Marktax]

I keep a Q7 with 5 of its lenses with me almost all the time. The range from 17.5mm to 200mm (35mm equivalent) is the best small package capability available. Nothing else can do that

[surfar]

Panasonic GM1 and GM5 does that focal length with 3 lenses.GM5 does it with a EVF, something plenty of Q owners have been whinging and moaning about for quite a while.

[reh321]

I keep a Q7 with 5 of its lenses with me almost all the time. The range from 17.5mm to 200mm (35mm equivalent) is the best small package capability available. Nothing else can do that

Why 5 lenses?
{35mm equiv rounded}
08 : 18 - 27mm
02 : 23 - 70mm
06 : 70 - 200mm

---------- Post added 11-29-16 at 12:48 AM ----------

Panasonic GM1 and GM5 does that focal length with 3 lenses.GM5 does it with a EVF, something plenty of Q owners have been whinging and moaning about for quite a while.

I bought the Q-7 instead of an MFT because, although I would dearly love an EVF, the added "magnification" (*) is immensely more valuable to me.

(*) term preferred by normhead

[surfar]

the added "magnification

Yes, I agree....I wouldn't sell my Qs for that reason....the best "teleconverters" ever made......just front heavy with some of the big lenses!

[Marktax]

Why 5 lenses?
{35mm equiv rounded}
08 : 18 - 27mm
02 : 23 - 70mm
06 : 70 - 200mm

I don't carry the 02. I carry the indispensable 06 and 08, plus the 01, 03, and 07. Those latter three take up only slightly more room than the 02 in my very small Pentax Optio bag. With the 01, I can "zoom with my feet" to do the job of the 02. The 07 serves as a body cap in case I want to get the camera into a venue with the body in one pocket and the 08 in another, not carrying the bag at all. The 03 is just too small to leave behind and finds an occasional shot.

[Tony Belding]

Why 5 lenses?
{35mm equiv rounded}
08 : 18 - 27mm
02 : 23 - 70mm
06 : 70 - 200mm

I got the Q7 Premium Kit, so it came with the 01, 02, 06 and 08. The rather spiffy bag has room for another small lens, so I added the 03 because why not?

IMHO the 01, 06 and 08 are mainstays. If I am only taking one lens with me, it just might be the 02, but I find I don't reach for it too often when I have the others at hand.

[hnikesch]

I will not sell my Q7's or my Pentax adapter because of the reach when using old long lenses. I did get a Panny GM5 with 2 small retractable zooms for travel because of the larger sensor and EVF. Check out the size both GM5 left and Q7 Right with a 70-200 equiv zoom.



I still have a Q and 2 Q7's but they are getting less use. For me Pentax should move the Q line to M4/3's as the small Panny cameras are discontinued and they can maintain the same size and form factor. After using the GM5 I find the EVF a must for my next camera. The down side of the GM5 is the shutter is electronic only when adapting lenses and the crop factor is 2 vs. 4.7 for the Q7.

[Marktax]

I got the Q7 Premium Kit, so it came with the 01, 02, 06 and 08. The rather spiffy bag has room for another small lens, so I added the 03 because why not?

IMHO the 01, 06 and 08 are mainstays. If I am only taking one lens with me, it just might be the 02, but I find I don't reach for it too often when I have the others at hand.

I have the Q7 Complete kit, which I augmented with the 08 later. The velcro on that blue bag does not stay closed very well for very long. I wished they had used a snap or zipper. I stopped using it in favor of the real-leather Optio bag, which at 10 bucks was so inexpensive that I bought three.

[CWRailman]

I will not sell my Q7's or my Pentax adapter because of the reach when using old long lenses. I did get a Panny GM5 with 2 small retractable zooms for travel because of the larger sensor and EVF. Check out the size both GM5 left and Q7 Right with a 70-200 equiv zoom.



I still have a Q and 2 Q7's but they are getting less use. For me Pentax should move the Q line to M4/3's as the small Panny cameras are discontinued and they can maintain the same size and form factor. After using the GM5 I find the EVF a must for my next camera. The down side of the GM5 is the shutter is electronic only when adapting lenses and the crop factor is 2 vs. 4.7 for the Q7.

I made that same move to the GM-5 when I was investigating the 4/3 format and while I have now sold most of my 4/3 equipment and moved on to Fuji, I kept the GM-5 which has become my walk around pocket camera. Though I have sold a few of the lenses I still use the Q7 when photographing model trains because it still has the best depth of field for such shots and the image quality is good enough for my final deliverables of that particular subject matter. Since Panasonic dropped the GM line the prices have actually gone up a bit on remaining inventory.

[surfar]

Since Panasonic dropped the GM line the prices have actually gone up a bit on remaining inventory.

Its a point of conjecture about dropping GM and GF, many are of the opinion that the size will continue but under the GX + number(probably 3)but time will tell.no announcements of late.

---------- Post added 11-30-16 at 05:38 AM ----------

Both great little lenses!

[Lobalobo]

For those of us who have a complete collection of Auto 110 lenses (which are excellent and mostly tiny) the m4/3 compacts are not a substitute for a new Q with an EVF, the holy grail for us. The Q lenses are also less voluminous than the m4/3 counterparts (unsurprisingly given the smaller image circle) and so carrying a miniature SLR kit in a side pack is easier with the Q. So hear's hoping (though doubting) that Ricoh has one more Q body in its plans and that there will be an EVF (even if external and optional).

[reh321]

Its a point of conjecture about dropping GM and GF, many are of the opinion that the size will continue but under the GX + number(probably 3)but time will tell.no announcements of late.

So GM/GF and Q are in the same position.

[surfar]

I suppose we can think that, but until anything new is announced???


I'm still waiting for Sammy to tell us whats happening with NX, but I suppose Note 7s and the washing machines are the hottest topic occupying their minds!

[CWRailman]

So GM/GF and Q are in the same position.

Not really. If Pentax goes no further with the line and it does not look like there are any third party lens manufactures interested in developing native lenses for the Q series then that line will stop evolving. However, the Panasonic GM series will continue to benefit from all the current, over 80 lenses, and future lenses developed for the 4/3 format by both Panasonic and Olympus plus any third party lens producers.

---------- Post added 12-01-16 at 08:02 AM ----------

The Q lenses are also less voluminous than the m4/3 counterparts (unsurprisingly given the smaller image circle) and so carrying a miniature SLR kit in a side pack is easier with the Q.

I hate to tell you but you are quite wrong about this. The GM-5 with the 12-32mm lens which is much smaller than the comparable Pentax 5-15mm lens easily fits into my pocket while the Q7 with the 5-15 has no chance of fitting into that same pocket. It will fit with the 01 lens but I don't like being restricted to a single focal length lens when out and about as that is like driving a car with just a one speed transmission
http://camerasize.com/compact/#570.397,464.355,ha,t