Q Series love still exists?

**monochrome** · 08-16-2016, 04:49 PM

I use an Olympus XA when I want a high quality all-manual film camera that is pocketable. Q or Q7 with an 01 fills the same niche as a digital
camera. Adding a very small legacy Optio bag allows me to carry a 4 lens kit, plus batteries, polarizing filter and mini tripod.

What's not to like?

Last edited by monochrome; 08-16-2016 at 06:11 PM.

Triggrhaapi · 08-16-2016, 05:56 PM

Originally posted by oscaletrains

Well, I got my qs1 today and I must say that yes, it feels plasticy and kind of cheap. Not at all the same feeling in hand of the original q or the q10. Can't comment on the 7 since I have never held one. But it takes nice photos so far.

As a Q10 owner with a Q-S1, The Q10 definitely feels cheaper. I like the grip on the Q-S1 a bit better. The photo quality is significantly better, although the photos it takes are a hair smaller pixel dimension wise.

oscaletrains · 08-17-2016, 05:44 AM

Originally posted by Triggrhaapi

As a Q10 owner with a Q-S1, The Q10 definitely feels cheaper. I like the grip on the Q-S1 a bit better. The photo quality is significantly better, although the photos it takes are a hair smaller pixel dimension wise.

I have the opposite impression, my q10 feels solid while the new s1 feels more like cheaper plastic. I also think that for larger hands the s1 doesn't grip as well as the q and q10 but maybe I am not used to holding it yet.

lytrytyr · 08-17-2016, 08:51 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by oscaletrains

I also think that for larger hands the s1 doesn't grip as well as the q and q10 but maybe I am not used to holding it yet.

With a zoom lens mounted (Q or Q7),
I use one hand for the shutter button/body,
and hold the zoom ring with the other hand.
It's pretty stable: With shake reduction and the 08,
it works (best case) with exposure times of up to a second.
The nice balance of the leaf shutters helps compensate
for the poorer high ISO performance compared to a DSLR, or the K-01.

**monochrome** · 08-17-2016, 10:09 AM

I fear Q is history.

CWRailman · 08-17-2016, 10:57 AM

Originally posted by oscaletrains

I have the opposite impression, my q10 feels solid while the new s1 feels more like cheaper plastic. I also think that for larger hands the s1 doesn't grip as well as the q and q10 but maybe I am not used to holding it yet.

Shortly after the S1 was introduced I happened to meet up with a lady at our local train park who was shooting her newly acquired S1 and after I initiated a conversation with her she let me handle and take a few shots with it. Coming from the Q7 the S1 felt queer. That button on the right side seemed more like a cruel joke than a well thought out design element. I still do not understand why they made that change and though owners have gone to extremes to defend it, from a design stand point where many shooters want larger and more secure grips on their cameras it seemed to me like a step backwards. In addition to missing the security of that Q10/Q7 bump which acted as a great grip on such a small surface, (and I am not one who likes big grips on cameras) the S1 felt slippery when compared to my Q7. But that is also what I felt about the original Q and sometimes feel about my GM-5 when using it in our high heat days. The lady told me she was sorry she had sold her Q7 to get what she thought would be an upgrade but at the time I conversed with her she found no benefit to the S1 and felt she might get rid of it. She seemed interested in trying the GM-5 if she could get one for a reasonable price and get good value for her used S1.

vonBaloney · 08-17-2016, 11:09 AM

Yeah, I don't understand the styling of the Q-S1 at all. I put a little hotshoe-mounted thumbgrip on the Q7 which along with the grip bump on front allows me to easily one-hand it...

oscaletrains · 08-17-2016, 12:33 PM

I am going to try the hot shoe thumb grip thing and see if that works better for me.

---------- Post added 08-17-16 at 12:39 PM ----------

One thing I will say, if everyone that sold stuff on Ebay used a Q series camera and the 01 lens, the photos of peoples stuff for sale would be a lot better. It amazes me how many people try to sell DSLR camera equipment and their photos look like they took them with a double naught spy camera that came in the cracker jack box way back when...

reh321 · 08-17-2016, 12:58 PM

Originally posted by vonBaloney

Yeah, I don't understand the styling of the Q-S1 at all. I put a little hotshoe-mounted thumbgrip on the Q7 which along with the grip bump on front allows me to easily one-hand it...

I learned fifty years ago to hold a camera with two hands for reasons of stability, so I've never understood, for example, those who want an enormous grip on a K-mount camera so they can use a longish lens on it - I hold the camera body with my right hand and the lens with my left hand, just as I always have, and I want them to make the camera body as small as they can. Unless I am using an adapted long lens on my K-7, in which case I hold the lens with my left hand and stabilize with my right hand, I hold my Q-7 with my right hand and use a slight touch with my left hand to stabilize. Those of you who want to hold it one-handed may explain the lack of support for an EVF; I can't imagine buying a new one without an EVF.

vonBaloney · 08-17-2016, 01:44 PM

Originally posted by reh321

I learned fifty years ago to hold a camera with two hands for reasons of stability, so I've never understood, for example, those who want an enormous grip on a K-mount camera so they can use a longish lens on it - I hold the camera body with my right hand and the lens with my left hand, just as I always have, and I want them to make the camera body as small as they can. Unless I am using an adapted long lens on my K-7, in which case I hold the lens with my left hand and stabilize with my right hand, I hold my Q-7 with my right hand and use a slight touch with my left hand to stabilize. Those of you who want to hold it one-handed may explain the lack of support for an EVF; I can't imagine buying a new one without an EVF.

In general I operate a camera just as use describe, especially a full-sized DSLR. But the Q weighs nothing -- I don't go around firing it one-handed much, but I can HOLD it one-handed (while still aiming at something, and I do the same with the bigger bodies too), and when the need arises where I can't use two hands (odd angle, reaching over the top of something, sticking it under or inside of something using AF and hoping for the best, etc), the Q is light enough that I can take a stable shot one-handed, so it is ok. Just a little helper. What I don't like is when you can't get a decent grip on the thing without two hands at all times.

And then sometimes I put it on a small folding tripod (like the Ultrapod) and I can hold that as a handle, or I put it on the end of a fully extended monopod and hold it way up in the air or out over something it wouldn't be safe to take my body, I trigger with remote or timer, whatever works to get the shot...

surfar · 08-17-2016, 02:13 PM

Originally posted by oscaletrains

I am going to try the hot shoe thumb grip thing and see if that works better for me.

It'll make a significant difference !

reh321 · 08-17-2016, 03:52 PM

Originally posted by oscaletrains

I have the opposite impression, my q10 feels solid while the new s1 feels more like cheaper plastic.

My Q-7 feels exactly like my K-30, and that is adequate for me.

lytrytyr · 08-18-2016, 08:43 AM

Originally posted by monochrome

I fear Q is history.

The excuse when the K-01 was killed went something like:
"The future of Pentax MILC's is the Q system".

However, Pentax dumped their four-thirds format system previously (A110),
so we can't necessarily expect them to recognize a good thing when they have it.

ebk · 08-19-2016, 12:47 AM

when Pentax stops the producion an d selling
the Q and a lot of people have bought
lenses and q's it is a dammage financial for
the buying people and is Ricoh Pentax reliable
when the make new design camera's ?

can customers get their money back ?

johnmflores · 08-19-2016, 04:57 AM

I recently came back from a month on the road. Took Micro Four-Thirds cameras because I needed video. After that month with the Panasonic Lumix GM1 in my pocket and used daily, I was glad to come back to the ergonomics and controls of the Q7. The GM1 is quite nice but it works best when you treat it like a point-and-shoot. The Q7 feels like a tiny DSLR. I like that.

Even if the Q system follows the path of its forbearer (the Auto 110) to the pages of history, I'll still keep a kit around and play with it from time to time. It puts a smile on my face.

BTW, rumors abound that Panasonic is abandoning the GM1/GM5 tiny line. Seems like everyone is conceding the "pocketable" field to the smartphone army.

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08-16-2016, 04:49 PM	#31
monochrome Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Working From Home Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 26,276	I use an Olympus XA when I want a high quality all-manual film camera that is pocketable. Q or Q7 with an 01 fills the same niche as a digital camera. Adding a very small legacy Optio bag allows me to carry a 4 lens kit, plus batteries, polarizing filter and mini tripod. What's not to like? Last edited by monochrome; 08-16-2016 at 06:11 PM.

08-16-2016, 05:56 PM	#32
Triggrhaapi Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Los Angeles Photos: Gallery Posts: 47	Originally posted by oscaletrains Well, I got my qs1 today and I must say that yes, it feels plasticy and kind of cheap. Not at all the same feeling in hand of the original q or the q10. Can't comment on the 7 since I have never held one. But it takes nice photos so far. As a Q10 owner with a Q-S1, The Q10 definitely feels cheaper. I like the grip on the Q-S1 a bit better. The photo quality is significantly better, although the photos it takes are a hair smaller pixel dimension wise.

08-17-2016, 05:44 AM	#33
oscaletrains Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Photos: Gallery Posts: 172 Original Poster	Originally posted by Triggrhaapi As a Q10 owner with a Q-S1, The Q10 definitely feels cheaper. I like the grip on the Q-S1 a bit better. The photo quality is significantly better, although the photos it takes are a hair smaller pixel dimension wise. I have the opposite impression, my q10 feels solid while the new s1 feels more like cheaper plastic. I also think that for larger hands the s1 doesn't grip as well as the q and q10 but maybe I am not used to holding it yet.

08-17-2016, 08:51 AM - 1 Like	#34
lytrytyr Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2011 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,310	Originally posted by oscaletrains I also think that for larger hands the s1 doesn't grip as well as the q and q10 but maybe I am not used to holding it yet. With a zoom lens mounted (Q or Q7), I use one hand for the shutter button/body, and hold the zoom ring with the other hand. It's pretty stable: With shake reduction and the 08, it works (best case) with exposure times of up to a second. The nice balance of the leaf shutters helps compensate for the poorer high ISO performance compared to a DSLR, or the K-01.

08-17-2016, 10:09 AM	#35
monochrome Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Working From Home Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 26,276	I fear Q is history.

08-17-2016, 10:57 AM	#36
CWRailman Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Scottsdale, Arizona Photos: Albums Posts: 510	Originally posted by oscaletrains I have the opposite impression, my q10 feels solid while the new s1 feels more like cheaper plastic. I also think that for larger hands the s1 doesn't grip as well as the q and q10 but maybe I am not used to holding it yet. Shortly after the S1 was introduced I happened to meet up with a lady at our local train park who was shooting her newly acquired S1 and after I initiated a conversation with her she let me handle and take a few shots with it. Coming from the Q7 the S1 felt queer. That button on the right side seemed more like a cruel joke than a well thought out design element. I still do not understand why they made that change and though owners have gone to extremes to defend it, from a design stand point where many shooters want larger and more secure grips on their cameras it seemed to me like a step backwards. In addition to missing the security of that Q10/Q7 bump which acted as a great grip on such a small surface, (and I am not one who likes big grips on cameras) the S1 felt slippery when compared to my Q7. But that is also what I felt about the original Q and sometimes feel about my GM-5 when using it in our high heat days. The lady told me she was sorry she had sold her Q7 to get what she thought would be an upgrade but at the time I conversed with her she found no benefit to the S1 and felt she might get rid of it. She seemed interested in trying the GM-5 if she could get one for a reasonable price and get good value for her used S1.

08-17-2016, 11:09 AM	#37
vonBaloney Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Albuquerque, NM Posts: 6,029	Yeah, I don't understand the styling of the Q-S1 at all. I put a little hotshoe-mounted thumbgrip on the Q7 which along with the grip bump on front allows me to easily one-hand it...

08-17-2016, 12:33 PM	#38
oscaletrains Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Photos: Gallery Posts: 172 Original Poster	I am going to try the hot shoe thumb grip thing and see if that works better for me. ---------- Post added 08-17-16 at 12:39 PM ---------- One thing I will say, if everyone that sold stuff on Ebay used a Q series camera and the 01 lens, the photos of peoples stuff for sale would be a lot better. It amazes me how many people try to sell DSLR camera equipment and their photos look like they took them with a double naught spy camera that came in the cracker jack box way back when...

08-17-2016, 12:58 PM	#39
reh321 Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: South Bend, IN, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 23,177	Originally posted by vonBaloney Yeah, I don't understand the styling of the Q-S1 at all. I put a little hotshoe-mounted thumbgrip on the Q7 which along with the grip bump on front allows me to easily one-hand it... I learned fifty years ago to hold a camera with two hands for reasons of stability, so I've never understood, for example, those who want an enormous grip on a K-mount camera so they can use a longish lens on it - I hold the camera body with my right hand and the lens with my left hand, just as I always have, and I want them to make the camera body as small as they can. Unless I am using an adapted long lens on my K-7, in which case I hold the lens with my left hand and stabilize with my right hand, I hold my Q-7 with my right hand and use a slight touch with my left hand to stabilize. Those of you who want to hold it one-handed may explain the lack of support for an EVF; I can't imagine buying a new one without an EVF.

08-17-2016, 01:44 PM	#40
vonBaloney Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Albuquerque, NM Posts: 6,029	Originally posted by reh321 I learned fifty years ago to hold a camera with two hands for reasons of stability, so I've never understood, for example, those who want an enormous grip on a K-mount camera so they can use a longish lens on it - I hold the camera body with my right hand and the lens with my left hand, just as I always have, and I want them to make the camera body as small as they can. Unless I am using an adapted long lens on my K-7, in which case I hold the lens with my left hand and stabilize with my right hand, I hold my Q-7 with my right hand and use a slight touch with my left hand to stabilize. Those of you who want to hold it one-handed may explain the lack of support for an EVF; I can't imagine buying a new one without an EVF. In general I operate a camera just as use describe, especially a full-sized DSLR. But the Q weighs nothing -- I don't go around firing it one-handed much, but I can HOLD it one-handed (while still aiming at something, and I do the same with the bigger bodies too), and when the need arises where I can't use two hands (odd angle, reaching over the top of something, sticking it under or inside of something using AF and hoping for the best, etc), the Q is light enough that I can take a stable shot one-handed, so it is ok. Just a little helper. What I don't like is when you can't get a decent grip on the thing without two hands at all times. And then sometimes I put it on a small folding tripod (like the Ultrapod) and I can hold that as a handle, or I put it on the end of a fully extended monopod and hold it way up in the air or out over something it wouldn't be safe to take my body, I trigger with remote or timer, whatever works to get the shot...

08-17-2016, 02:13 PM	#41
surfar Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: mid nth coast,nsw Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,141	Originally posted by oscaletrains I am going to try the hot shoe thumb grip thing and see if that works better for me. It'll make a significant difference !

08-17-2016, 03:52 PM	#42
reh321 Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: South Bend, IN, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 23,177	Originally posted by oscaletrains I have the opposite impression, my q10 feels solid while the new s1 feels more like cheaper plastic. My Q-7 feels exactly like my K-30, and that is adequate for me.

08-18-2016, 08:43 AM	#43
lytrytyr Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2011 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,310	Originally posted by monochrome I fear Q is history. The excuse when the K-01 was killed went something like: "The future of Pentax MILC's is the Q system". However, Pentax dumped their four-thirds format system previously (A110), so we can't necessarily expect them to recognize a good thing when they have it.

08-19-2016, 12:47 AM	#44
ebk Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Utrecht Posts: 148	when Pentax stops the producion an d selling the Q and a lot of people have bought lenses and q's it is a dammage financial for the buying people and is Ricoh Pentax reliable when the make new design camera's ? can customers get their money back ?

08-19-2016, 04:57 AM	#45
johnmflores Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Somerville, NJ Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,361	I recently came back from a month on the road. Took Micro Four-Thirds cameras because I needed video. After that month with the Panasonic Lumix GM1 in my pocket and used daily, I was glad to come back to the ergonomics and controls of the Q7. The GM1 is quite nice but it works best when you treat it like a point-and-shoot. The Q7 feels like a tiny DSLR. I like that. Even if the Q system follows the path of its forbearer (the Auto 110) to the pages of history, I'll still keep a kit around and play with it from time to time. It puts a smile on my face. BTW, rumors abound that Panasonic is abandoning the GM1/GM5 tiny line. Seems like everyone is conceding the "pocketable" field to the smartphone army.