[CWyatt]

Thought I'd post one of the first times I've seen Pentax sponsor something. Good to see.

Nat Geo Travel Photography Scholarship Competition

This is a pretty big and popular competition.

Amongst other things, the winner gets AUS$2000 worth of Pentax gear of their choice.

[hcarvalhoalves]

Thought I'd post one of the first times I've seen Pentax sponsor something. Good to see.

Nat Geo Travel Photography Scholarship Competition

This is a pretty big and popular competition.

Amongst other things, the winner gets AUS$2000 worth of Pentax gear of their choice.

For me, that's proof Pentax marketing is aiming towards a "outdoors/travel brand". This might be the first signs of the new agency they got under contract recently.

Smart move of them. Now, if more professional photographers of NatGeo used Pentax gear...

[janneman]

For me, that's proof Pentax marketing is aiming towards a "outdoors/travel brand". This might be the first signs of the new agency they got under contract recently.

Smart move of them. Now, if more professional photographers of NatGeo used Pentax gear...

It looks like it but then , why no K-r(WR)?

[hcarvalhoalves]

It looks like it but then , why no K-r(WR)?

I would like a more entry-level model with WR too, if they did a K-r with WR it would be killer.

Unfortunately, looks like it's not cheap to produce a WR body, so they can only offer paired with more features for high-end models, or doesn't make sense inside the market - after all, no other brand offers cheap bodies with tough WR either.

[F-Stop]

Honestly though, if I was travelling to rare and remote places of the world I'd buy a K-5 over a K-r even if it was WR. I think a PENTAX EVIL WR with K mount would sell well if appealing to the sport/outdoor enthusiast.

A few big names ranked among PENTAX there, National Geographic and Columbia, nice to see! You couldn't appeal to a better target audience with the spec's of a camera like the K-5. Hopefully we'll see advertising along with both companies besides just the sponsorship. It's a shame they didn't put GPS in this model, would be the icing on the cake for some.

[sjwaldron]

I saw that a few months ago. Thought about applying... might still.

It looks the the Australian Pentax devision is leagues ahead of most other foreign countries. Seeing as that is in AUD. I assume they are the ones who sponsored that (not Pentax Japan).

Kudos to Pentax Australia.

[fearview]

thanks for the info, a good news.


with autofocusing that fast with K-5 .. i think they can put their logo at Formula 1 cars too

--

[Wheatfield]

They have a link on the Cabela's website too, if I am not mistaken.

[opiet70]

For me, that's proof Pentax marketing is aiming towards a "outdoors/travel brand". This might be the first signs of the new agency they got under contract recently.

Smart move of them. Now, if more professional photographers of NatGeo used Pentax gear...

I'm open to a job with them!

[hcarvalhoalves]

Honestly though, if I was travelling to rare and remote places of the world I'd buy a K-5 over a K-r even if it was WR. I think a PENTAX EVIL WR with K mount would sell well if appealing to the sport/outdoor enthusiast.

A few big names ranked among PENTAX there, National Geographic and Columbia, nice to see! You couldn't appeal to a better target audience with the spec's of a camera like the K-5. Hopefully we'll see advertising along with both companies besides just the sponsorship. It's a shame they didn't put GPS in this model, would be the icing on the cake for some.

A bit off-topic:

Do you have experience with built-in GPSs? I heard they drain the battery quite fast. If that's true, it's a big con, I would not prefer it built-in.

There are those GPS dongles you can carry in your bag with it's own battery and keep it logging, then later tag the photos dumping the data in the computer. I guess it's a better solution.

[hcarvalhoalves]

I'm open to a job with them!

With NatGeo, I think it's actually the opposite: you go out and make a portfolio, then they get your stuff under contract. But I could be wrong.

[F-Stop]

A bit off-topic:

Do you have experience with built-in GPSs? I heard they drain the battery quite fast. If that's true, it's a big con, I would not prefer it built-in.

There are those GPS dongles you can carry in your bag with it's own battery and keep it logging, then later tag the photos dumping the data in the computer. I guess it's a better solution.

Nope, no experience at all but it would probably be a selling feature for the potential target market. Me, I could care less if it was there or not. If it eats batteries and there's no option to disable then definitely not.

[sir_bazz]

The tog in that prize package is Melbourne born Jason Edwards who is a long time Pentax shooter and the only Australian photographer employed by Nat Geo.

bazz.

[janneman]

Honestly though, if I was travelling to rare and remote places of the world I'd buy a K-5 over a K-r even if it was WR. .

That may be you (and I for that matter) but having a more entry level would surely attact the entry level crwos who wna something sealed. And those are less likely to want tehtering and DFS-off etc. They just want somethig simple and rugged for outdoors work. At this point those people might just order any entry level dslr and stick with that. Get the entry levellers and you wll keep them.

It's a shame they didn't put GPS in this model, would be the icing on the cake for some.

Come one, the true rugged outdoors type reads maps, not a tiny computer...Pentax does not aim at the "which side of this map is up? ""outdoors" crowd.... Pentax is there for the real men and women who know how to read a map, who don't need GPS because they can recognize the features in a picture and translate that to topographical data on a map. GPS is for armchair outdoors...

[F-Stop]

That may be you (and I for that matter) but having a more entry level would surely attract the entry level crowds who want something sealed. And those are less likely to want tethering and DFS-off etc. They just want something simple and rugged for outdoors work. At this point those people might just order any entry level dslr and stick with that. Get the entry levellers and you wll keep them.

Sure, the WR in a K-r body would attract entry level buyers. I have friends saying they've considered buying a PENTAX as a second body for that alone. The key difference is that they'd generally use it to shoot in the rain while walking city streets, in the park, camping, road trip, etc. rather then someone who's planning a several week trek through a jungle or mountain climbing where a magnesium alloy body, higher FPS and more MP's would be welcome for a once in a lifetime trip.

Come one, the true rugged outdoors type reads maps, not a tiny computer...Pentax does not aim at the "which side of this map is up? ""outdoors" crowd.... Pentax is there for the real men and women who know how to read a map, who don't need GPS because they can recognize the features in a picture and translate that to topographical data on a map. GPS is for armchair outdoors...

I'll admit, I have no idea on the GPS features included in any camera. My understanding on how GPS works in a DSLR is that it would simply tag the location on the EXIF data, which is all I would want. If it's actually a fully fledged GPS unit then that's a different beast. Like I said, it's icing on the cake for SOME. It would be nice to tell people exactly where you were standing when a photo was taken or be able to find the same location if you decided to visit again in the future, nothing more, nothing less.