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10-04-2010, 06:23 AM   #46
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QuoteOriginally posted by nixcamic Quote
Number 1 thing: Open source the firmware. I don't care if your stock firmware has no features, if you open source it the community will fix it; plus think of all the cameras you'll sell to open source purists!

Otherwise: Fully Manual Video (shutter angle, fps, exposure), tethering, aperture linkage, NTFS or HFS+ support for SD cards.
I left this off the list for a reason.

While I would think it may be a good idea, I think ultimately it would lead to a potential mess. Someone posts a "new version" that does not work, and costs the user a service charge to reload real pentax firmware

who is responsible?

But while things in the image processing for example, I would leave alone, lets divide firmware into 2 parts, because I believe that is what we have today in reality. Lets call them "cameraware", and "applications".

cameraware are the bits that make the individual things a camera, the image processor, metering, shutter control, focus control, SR, ... We would not want to do anything to those, and rightly those are pentax's domain.

Applications, on the other hand we shoud have full control of.

For example. We should be able to control what modules in cameraware use the user input focal length. Right now, all that uses this is the SR. BUT if we have a lens inout focal length it goes into the MTF curve, flash control, etc... Why can;'t the user FL go to those routines as well?

Same for green button metering. Why can't we enter max aperture (just like FL) and when you press green button the camera meters, stops down, meters again, and learn's by the change in metering the preset aperture. It could then use this for P-TTL

10-04-2010, 10:26 AM   #47
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I would love to see a new lens roadmap... complete with a 500mm F4.5 DC WR listed as being in development...

and my two front teeth for Christmas...

and a cup of coffee...

oh wait, let me get off my butt and go get the coffee....
10-04-2010, 07:13 PM   #48
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QuoteOriginally posted by Lowell Goudge Quote
6) higher flash sync at reduced flash output. Maybe 1/250th but only at half power?
Why should we have to suffer power loss just to have the same sync speed of other brands? Pentax should be bale to do 1/250th, and I think they should try to push it even higher to stand out.

QuoteOriginally posted by Mohawk Quote
- P-TTLII with radio triggering two-way control, including (this is the next step from IR interface).
I'm surprised no one has done this yet. If there was the functionality of Nikon flashes, with the usability of something like Elinchrom Skyports, it would be amazing. Whoever does this first will make a killing. TTL functionality, but with radio transmission, built into both body and flash.
10-04-2010, 08:31 PM   #49
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QuoteOriginally posted by Lowell Goudge Quote
I left this off the list for a reason.

While I would think it may be a good idea, I think ultimately it would lead to a potential mess. Someone posts a "new version" that does not work, and costs the user a service charge to reload real pentax firmware

who is responsible?
I have a crap ton of wireless routers running open source firmware, based on the sources released by the manufacturer. It voids the warranty, I'm fine with that. Also, my iPod runs open source firmware (rockbox). Voids the warranty, and I'm fine with that. They could make it so you have to download some official pentax firmware unlocker and agree to a fancy long licence agreement before it lets you install any non-pentax official firmware, and I'd be fine with that. It would probably boil down to one or two groups making the main releases, and those would be tested the heck out of.

10-04-2010, 08:41 PM   #50
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QuoteOriginally posted by brecklundin Quote
On one hand that would be truly wonderful but on the other hand there are but a handful of successful open source community projects out there. Anarchy is not how to make a project successful. It must be directed and controlled by a single vision. But as long as those who undertake such an endeavor are willing to swallow their ego and pride to be part of a team then yup, it could be fantastic. I. however, have doubts about such an idea. Yeah, there are open source projects which do indeed work, but guess what, they are controlled but a core or even single individual.
Well, I know for sure I'm the exception here, but probably about 90% of the software I use day to day is open source or based on an open source core. It all works great, and in many cases much better than the closed source alternative. I'm in no way an open source purist (I use Mac OS/Windows far more than Linux, Aperture not RawTherapee, etc.), I use what works best, and in many cases that is open source software.

Also, I wouldn't call most open source anarchy, some projects yes, but as you said, almost all that are successful have strong leadership.

QuoteQuote:
BTW, I am not sold that there are all that many open source purists who also enjoy photography enough to be the sort of consumers a world wide company is after....but still it's more customers for the pool so more bodies could potentially be sold as well as more lenses and other crap that goes with it all.
But they are some of the most ridiculously vocal people out there.

QuoteQuote:
I am for an API that allows 3rd party apps to control the camera or add features but to completely open source the firmware, nope I don't feel that is worth the risk of bricked bodies.

I would never risk my business or $1500 camera to some 3rd party open sourced firmware that has no insurance or financing to cover errors & omissions. Because of someone's 3rd party open source firmware bricks my system, I would not be pleased.
And thats your choice, I for one am willing to take a (extremely small, I've flashed firmware on dozens of devices and never bricked one yet) risk in order to actually have the features I need. Also, someone will probably start a business flashing cameras for people who are afraid of it, with some sort of guarantee.
10-05-2010, 08:27 AM   #51
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I need a SMC * 10-24mm, or 10-20mm AF SDM urgently!!!!!!
10-09-2010, 08:32 PM   #52
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An API would quickly yield many of the things that people ware currently asking for like smart phone tethering. Get the iPhone developers interested in your cameras .. there's a vocal tribe with an interest in quality electronics for sure.

10-10-2010, 03:09 AM   #53
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As long as the firmware is sandboxed from the code that installs firmware from the SD card, I see no risk. I think Pentax will draw many users of other camera brands who would love to customise their cameras. I imagine there are a lot of things in the firmware that they do not want other camera companies to get their hands on though.
10-10-2010, 03:36 AM   #54
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But wouldn't that mean that Pentax has to reveal their own Software and their coding language?

I think this "application" idea is not so good, it need additional hardware etc. because, i dont want to download the apps+open source software to all my sd-cards.... and i dont think that the internal storage is very big....
10-10-2010, 03:58 AM   #55
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They won't have to reveal any sensitive code, if they'll go to the "OS+applications" way. But this means a complete re-write of the firmware, changing the OS itself...
It's not a trivial task, in any case; there are significant (dev+testing, maybe some hardware changes) costs associated, and the benefits are few. This is no iPhone, no Android device - there aren't that many Pentaxians programmers willing to work on high-quality applications. Most people just want their camera to work.
(btw, I am what people calls a 'software engineer' )
10-10-2010, 05:58 AM   #56
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QuoteOriginally posted by FullertonImages Quote
Why should we have to suffer power loss just to have the same sync speed of other brands? Pentax should be bale to do 1/250th, and I think they should try to push it even higher to stand out.



I'm surprised no one has done this yet. If there was the functionality of Nikon flashes, with the usability of something like Elinchrom Skyports, it would be amazing. Whoever does this first will make a killing. TTL functionality, but with radio transmission, built into both body and flash.
1/250 is handy for strobists
10-10-2010, 07:14 AM   #57
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Another AF related issue

To reset the focus point to centre with the OK button
10-10-2010, 07:33 AM   #58
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Pentax does appear to listen to its customers and I think Ned Bunnell who is the President of Pentax US stated this in an interview. This is one reason why I am staying with the company.

I'm kind of anxious to test the K-5 but I understand why they wouldn't produce cameras such as a FF or a super telephoto if there is only a small percentage of their customers who would want these items. Profit margins over sales probably wouldn't cover design and production costs.

After doing some research on a FF camera, I am not interested in one.

I suspect they will produce a DA*400mm F/4 and this is something I am interested in. A macro lens in the 150mm to 200mm range is also something that interests me.

Once again:

DA* 400mm F/4
DA 150 or 200mm macro
10-10-2010, 10:27 AM   #59
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24p Video, Full Manual Control.
A super wide FA prime would be wonderful (hardware wise)

To all those asking to exclude video functionality, you are brain-dead, as you clearly do not understand the concept of market competition.

Last edited by Singulariter; 10-10-2010 at 10:36 AM.
10-10-2010, 10:28 AM   #60
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Here's what I want:

camera :

similar to a K-x but

- no video
- better A/F system, illuminated points in focus screen
- A/F illuminator light/beam
- keep AA batteries but have a grip option
- 1/250 flash sync. speed

lens:
DA 17-70mm f2.8 w/screwdrive, no SDM / DC

but that's just me...

** PS : send prototypes to me for testing **

Last edited by mlatour; 10-10-2010 at 04:16 PM.
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