Pentax really listens! Thanks!

mattdm · 01-24-2008, 05:07 AM

The K20D looks great on the large scale of headline features, but what really impresses me are the little changes they've clearly made in response to actually listening to users -- things I've heard mentioned here and thought "yeah, that would be a good idea".

Option for lower JPEG compression
Separate setting for edge sharpening
Customizable filename prefixes

So, thanks, Pentax-engineers-we-know-are-reading.

Anything else in this category that other people are glad to see? Anything that's missing along these lines? (Not "increase the frame rate" or "give us ISO 12800".)

The improvement over my K10D isn't enough that I can justify dropping a thousand dollars to upgrade (not when I've still got lenses to buy!), but with things going in this direction I can't wait for the K30D.

baw · 01-24-2008, 05:41 AM

Seems hotpixel remapping can be done with the K20D.
I had this option on my Nikon 5700, and it is a must imo on digital cameras.

mattdm · 01-24-2008, 05:47 AM

Originally posted by baw

Seems hotpixel remapping can be done with the K20D.

Really? Wow, that'd be another great example, not least because it's me in specific who has been complaining about that.

Quote:

I had this option on my Nikon 5700, and it is a must imo on digital cameras.

My Olympus C5060 too. I was shocked to find the K100D/K10D didn't have the option.

d.bradley · 01-24-2008, 05:53 AM

Not to mention the variable in-camera noise reduction settings. I wonder if it affects RAW or just JPG images though.

Sony users would eat their hats to be able to control NR in camera since it DOES affect RAW images...

baw · 01-24-2008, 06:15 AM

Originally posted by mattdm

Really?

In the English K20/K200 pdf you'll find a screenshot of the set-up menu.
One of the options is "Pixel Mapping"

**barondla** · 01-24-2008, 07:09 AM

They also added focus tuning for ff/bf for each lens, live view, and a pc connector for studio flash. They did good. Order mine as soon as they will let me.
thanks
barondla

Jodokast96 · 01-24-2008, 07:54 AM

Color calibrating the LCD. A great feature. And the intervalometer. It really is the the little things that have me most excited about the K20D. I won't be replacing my K10D, mostly because when I buy something I do it for the long haul, but the little things impress me far more than the big points they're pushing.

eurostar · 01-24-2008, 08:58 AM

One thing I don't like, and I believe it would have taken not much to implement, was that we have still just one USER position. There is room on the knob for three, I would have found that very useful.

Peter Zack · 01-24-2008, 09:03 AM

All the features above are great. Thanks for the PC connection. But frankly the image quality at the lower ISO's looks great from the first impressions and the high ISO's are very good and usable. Plus I like the fact I can reuse my grip.

flyer · 01-24-2008, 09:07 AM

J'en veut un (sorry, but it makes me forget my english). At least, I'll be able to have one for the air shows season. Good

mattdm · 01-24-2008, 11:11 AM

Originally posted by eurostar

One thing I don't like, and I believe it would have taken not much to implement, was that we have still just one USER position. There is room on the knob for three, I would have found that very useful.

I was thinking about this, and really what I'd like is not a USER dial position but instead little series of buttons (four, say) each of which resets the camera to a user-defined state. I generally like the camera to retain settings even when turned off, but I also like to be able to pick it up and quickly have it ready to shoot in the current situation.

iglass · 01-24-2008, 02:06 PM

I wish they'd have listened to the overwhelming requests for 5 fps, 1/250 sync, and faster AF.

Hey, the new features are gonna make a lot of folks happy. I'm not one of them. Pentax did little to address the shortcomings of the K10D IMHO.

nosnoop · 01-24-2008, 02:19 PM

Originally posted by iglass

I wish they'd have listened to the overwhelming requests for 5 fps, 1/250 sync, and faster AF.

Overwhelming? Hardly. Especially outside this forum or dpreview.
For the general market, megapixels means everything.

Quote:

Hey, the new features are gonna make a lot of folks happy. I'm not one of them. Pentax did little to address the shortcomings of the K10D IMHO.

I beg to differ. Pentax address one of the most important aspect of a camera - image quality in a big big way!

iglass · 01-24-2008, 02:26 PM

Originally posted by nosnoop

Overwhelming? Hardly. Especially outside this forum or dpreview.
For the general market, megapixels means everything.

I beg to differ. Pentax address one of the most important aspect of a camera - image quality in a big big way!

Sure... they're gonna sell some cameras based on the megapixel per dollar price point. But serious shooters know that MP is not the best indicator of picture quality!

We can agree to disagree. Again, if you're happy with the K20D, more power to you. Pentax did nothing to meet my wish list on a new camera. In my mind, Pentax forged ahead with a lot of fluff and did not seriously attempt to match competitors in the same price range or market segment.

nosnoop · 01-24-2008, 02:38 PM

Originally posted by iglass

But serious shooters know that MP is not the best indicator of picture quality!

Neither does FPS.

Quote:

In my mind, Pentax forged ahead with a lot of fluff and did not seriously attempt to match competitors in the same price range or market segment.

Wow, you call improving image quality, high ISO sensitivities and dynamic range "fluff"?
Ha! What can I say?

01-24-2008, 05:07 AM	#1
mattdm Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Boston, MA Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,948	Pentax really listens! Thanks! The K20D looks great on the large scale of headline features, but what really impresses me are the little changes they've clearly made in response to actually listening to users -- things I've heard mentioned here and thought "yeah, that would be a good idea". Option for lower JPEG compression Separate setting for edge sharpening Customizable filename prefixes So, thanks, Pentax-engineers-we-know-are-reading. Anything else in this category that other people are glad to see? Anything that's missing along these lines? (Not "increase the frame rate" or "give us ISO 12800".) The improvement over my K10D isn't enough that I can justify dropping a thousand dollars to upgrade (not when I've still got lenses to buy!), but with things going in this direction I can't wait for the K30D.

01-24-2008, 06:15 AM	#5
baw Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Neterlands Posts: 189	Pixelmaping Originally posted by mattdm Really? In the English K20/K200 pdf you'll find a screenshot of the set-up menu. One of the options is "Pixel Mapping"

01-24-2008, 05:41 AM	#2
baw Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Neterlands Posts: 189	Seems hotpixel remapping can be done with the K20D. I had this option on my Nikon 5700, and it is a must imo on digital cameras.

01-24-2008, 05:47 AM	#3
mattdm Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Boston, MA Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,948 Original Poster	Originally posted by baw Seems hotpixel remapping can be done with the K20D. Really? Wow, that'd be another great example, not least because it's me in specific who has been complaining about that. Quote: I had this option on my Nikon 5700, and it is a must imo on digital cameras. My Olympus C5060 too. I was shocked to find the K100D/K10D didn't have the option.

01-24-2008, 05:53 AM	#4
d.bradley Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Ontario Photos: Gallery Posts: 631	Not to mention the variable in-camera noise reduction settings. I wonder if it affects RAW or just JPG images though. Sony users would eat their hats to be able to control NR in camera since it DOES affect RAW images...

01-24-2008, 07:09 AM	#6
barondla Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: midwest, United States Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,715	They also added focus tuning for ff/bf for each lens, live view, and a pc connector for studio flash. They did good. Order mine as soon as they will let me. thanks barondla

01-24-2008, 07:54 AM	#7
Jodokast96 Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Erial, NJ USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,134	Color calibrating the LCD. A great feature. And the intervalometer. It really is the the little things that have me most excited about the K20D. I won't be replacing my K10D, mostly because when I buy something I do it for the long haul, but the little things impress me far more than the big points they're pushing.

01-24-2008, 08:58 AM	#8
eurostar Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Albareto, Italy Photos: Gallery Posts: 819	One thing I don't like, and I believe it would have taken not much to implement, was that we have still just one USER position. There is room on the knob for three, I would have found that very useful.

01-24-2008, 09:03 AM	#9
Peter Zack Pentaxian Moderator Emeritus Join Date: May 2007 Location: Edmonton Alberta, Canada Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 10,643	All the features above are great. Thanks for the PC connection. But frankly the image quality at the lower ISO's looks great from the first impressions and the high ISO's are very good and usable. Plus I like the fact I can reuse my grip.

01-24-2008, 09:07 AM	#10
flyer Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Ste-Anne des Plaines, Qc., Canada Posts: 2,013	J'en veut un (sorry, but it makes me forget my english). At least, I'll be able to have one for the air shows season. Good

01-24-2008, 11:11 AM	#11
mattdm Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Boston, MA Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,948 Original Poster	Originally posted by eurostar One thing I don't like, and I believe it would have taken not much to implement, was that we have still just one USER position. There is room on the knob for three, I would have found that very useful. I was thinking about this, and really what I'd like is not a USER dial position but instead little series of buttons (four, say) each of which resets the camera to a user-defined state. I generally like the camera to retain settings even when turned off, but I also like to be able to pick it up and quickly have it ready to shoot in the current situation.

01-24-2008, 02:06 PM	#12
iglass New Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Alabama Posts: 7	I wish they'd have listened to the overwhelming requests for 5 fps, 1/250 sync, and faster AF. Hey, the new features are gonna make a lot of folks happy. I'm not one of them. Pentax did little to address the shortcomings of the K10D IMHO.

01-24-2008, 02:19 PM	#13
nosnoop Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 1,299	Originally posted by iglass I wish they'd have listened to the overwhelming requests for 5 fps, 1/250 sync, and faster AF. Overwhelming? Hardly. Especially outside this forum or dpreview. For the general market, megapixels means everything. Quote: Hey, the new features are gonna make a lot of folks happy. I'm not one of them. Pentax did little to address the shortcomings of the K10D IMHO. I beg to differ. Pentax address one of the most important aspect of a camera - image quality in a big big way!

01-24-2008, 02:26 PM	#14
iglass New Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Alabama Posts: 7	Originally posted by nosnoop Overwhelming? Hardly. Especially outside this forum or dpreview. For the general market, megapixels means everything. I beg to differ. Pentax address one of the most important aspect of a camera - image quality in a big big way! Sure... they're gonna sell some cameras based on the megapixel per dollar price point. But serious shooters know that MP is not the best indicator of picture quality! We can agree to disagree. Again, if you're happy with the K20D, more power to you. Pentax did nothing to meet my wish list on a new camera. In my mind, Pentax forged ahead with a lot of fluff and did not seriously attempt to match competitors in the same price range or market segment.

01-24-2008, 02:38 PM	#15
nosnoop Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 1,299	Originally posted by iglass But serious shooters know that MP is not the best indicator of picture quality! Neither does FPS. Quote: In my mind, Pentax forged ahead with a lot of fluff and did not seriously attempt to match competitors in the same price range or market segment. Wow, you call improving image quality, high ISO sensitivities and dynamic range "fluff"? Ha! What can I say?