[reh321]

None of these would be of any use to me. Better (faster) LCD with more resolution is at the top of my list, followed by better IS and global shutter.

If Pentax were to revive the "Q" family, the multiplicity of 'lists' might be one of their problems.
Global shutter will depend on sensor provider.
Current IBIS of the Q-7 functions extremely well for me, personally.
Good EVF is at the top of my list.

[Alem]

Sorry for reviving this thread, but I am OBSESED with this system. Just got one a few days ago. Someone has any more info on the future of the Q system? I guess the pandemic made any announcement less likely. But it is still not dead right?

[reh321]

Just got one a few days ago. Someone has any more info on the future of the Q system? I guess the pandemic made any announcement less likely. But it is still not dead right?

Last word from Pentax was that they would focus on the K-mount.
That means nothing more for Q-mount and for “645” mount fans.

[Alem]

Last word from Pentax was that they would focus on the K-mount.
That means nothing more for Q-mount and for “645” mount fans.

That is a shame... I hope they change minds if there is enough advancements in this sensor size... I guess you all have been waiting and hoping for a quite a longer time than me haha.

I will enjoy it anyway while it last me. Now let's hunt eBay for that Wide 8! (I already have the 01, 02 and 06!)

Thank you for answering!

[Tony Belding]

Sorry for reviving this thread, but I am OBSESED with this system. Just got one a few days ago. Someone has any more info on the future of the Q system? I guess the pandemic made any announcement less likely. But it is still not dead right?

As the person who started this thread (something I didn’t even remember until I checked just now!), I have to say… Yeah, it’s dead. It’s hard to even imagine Ricoh–Pentax bringing it back now. For one it would require bucking all the trends in photography, when everyone else is gripped with Full Frame Fever.


Having said that, I can only wish they would. It had so much potential, and we can speculate about how the system might have developed if they’d stuck with it. My own wish list…

• Super Q with EVF
• Monochrome sensor Q
• That 09 telephoto macro lens
• A superzoom lens

[EFats]

Sadly, the Q is not something you can experience on paper. You need to have it in hand to understand why us fans love this little system so much (ermm... much like most Pentax cameras...). With precious few of these Q's kicking around, it's hard to see how it could see any sort of revival since it would be impossible to get these in enough hipster hands to make a run at it.


Even now, could any mid-range smartphone take a technically better picture? Probably. Would you ever have as much fun doing it? Probably not. How can you convince people of that?

[johnmflores]

The Q is like the Auto 110 before it - a quirky, fun, and surprisingly capable photographic tool. It seems like Pentax goes on a 'shroom bender every 20 years and produces something wonderfully weird. I hope to be around for the next one around 2035 or so...

Even now, could any mid-range smartphone take a technically better picture? Probably.

Hmm… that’s debatable, there is a lot of processing going on in that phone.


How about a smartphone with a 350mm FF FOV @F1.4? Not a problem for a Q.

[clickclick]

It may be "dead", but it hasn't left the building. I think you can still find about any lens new, and we've got pretty good coverage. And then there's the odd surprise places you see support for it popping up:

Metabones®

[Michail_P]

Came across this today. Dead or not, Q has made an impact.
An Ode to the Cutest Digital Cameras Ever Made: The Pentax Q Series

[Alem]

Came across this today. Dead or not, Q has made an impact.
An Ode to the Cutest Digital Cameras Ever Made: The Pentax Q Series

Thank you for sharing c: It would amaze if the community built a new Q with interface and everything out of the Pi camera. A DIY solution maybe, with custom firmware to use the lenses... Anyway, the still work well enough c:

[kwb]

Came across this today. Dead or not, Q has made an impact.
An Ode to the Cutest Digital Cameras Ever Made: The Pentax Q Series

Thanks for the link, mixalis_kalymnos1611!

Among many "I know Pentax should do/have done this" type posts/articles, this is a rare one where the authors' idea of Q's strength is almost totally orthogonal to why I like and still use Q7.

The author thinks that what Pentax should do is to be different. Sounds reasonable, right? But the actual suggestions listed are things like "film-like, vintage-looking flaws", "take away the RAW shooting capabilities and just embrace a bunch of retro aesthetics", a "brass body that developed patina as it aged" and a fake VF hump just for the sake of it. Do you want that camera? I don't.

The author writes that Q "could have done with black and white film looks" and "bleach bypass, etc.", and asserts that "This would have made the Pentax Q stand out to a bunch of creators who wanted something different." It's a shame that Q couldn't do that, oh wait it can. Probably the author doesn't know that Q has a great b/w effect ("bold monochrome"), bleach bypass, toy camera looks and many more filters/effects, any of which could be assigned to the front dial. If people want they can set Q up as a retro-only machine with 5 different settings. Q series' implementation of quickly accessing pre-selected effects using the front dial was advertised back then, even DPR article mentioned that it was a good implementation as I remember.
I have no idea why no army of "creators who wanted something different" rushed to buy Q back then. Maybe many were on the fence, but they were all like "Sheesh, Q has that RAW thing! I'll buy it as soon as Pentax takes it away in the next version!"

I do agree with the author's points about the size and the technologies used (bluetooth would be nice, touch screen might be useful, weather sealing would be awesome), though.

[q_crack]

This very compact system always appealed to me but I think it was lacking a bit on IQ due to the small sensor. I would love to see a new camera with a really good compact sensor to take full advantage of the lenses already available. If the camera is very compact, with powerful functions and at a very affordable price, it might appeal to many!

[Perfessor5646]

I’ve been ambivalent about my Q collection. I have 2 Q7 bodies and all the Q series lenses (including the Q/K adapter) except the Toy Wide and Toy Telephoto. I photographed them for posting in The Market Place for sale.

Before I could get around to posting them I bought the Toy Wide and Toy Telephoto last month and put the whole collection back in the gear cabinet.

[S.M.]

As the person who started this thread (something I didn’t even remember until I checked just now!), I have to say… Yeah, it’s dead. It’s hard to even imagine Ricoh–Pentax bringing it back now. For one it would require bucking all the trends in photography, when everyone else is gripped with Full Frame Fever.


Having said that, I can only wish they would. It had so much potential, and we can speculate about how the system might have developed if they’d stuck with it. My own wish list…

• Super Q with EVF
• Monochrome sensor Q
• That 09 telephoto macro lens
• A superzoom lens

I also think that is nearly impossible that Pentax would do someting in the Q (both optics and cameras) but if it happened that would be nice, especily the macro and long telephoto (mybe a 200mm or even a 300mm), I would also like an eventual global shutter sensor, but that is unfavorable for Pentax because with that adapted (not Pentax) lenses (like C and D mount) would become even more usable.