[ogl]

same lens...

[eddie1960]

and probably the same sensor as the P510 nikon (cmos 16.1mp) Nikon is using a 4.3 - 180mm and saying it's 24-1000mm

[lammie200]

it is definitely a fixed-lens bridge: you might notice that the sensor's number of pixels, "16 MEGAPIXELS" is written on the lens close to "26x WIDE OPTICAL ZOOM"

So that begs the question of whether it has the same (or similar) 16mp sensor that is in the K-01, K-30 and K-5. The camera depth looks like it may be able to support it. It might have manual zoom, or at least a manual zoom override, but the toggle switch looks to be set up for zooming. (See the "T" label.) I suspect that the grip texture on the lens barrel is just a grip surface or an aesthetic decision. Green button may mean manual metering, but I don't see any sense for it on a fixed lens camera. It might just be a feature to make people feel like they have more control, but I think that that would just be a gimmick. I think that most bridge cameras of this type don't shoot RAW, but if PRICL is going to continue to use the K-5 sensor/processor template like it did for the K-01 and K-30, I can't see why this one shouldn't shoot RAW. Hell, doesn't the Q even shoot RAW? I am glad to see that PRICL is finally following suit on an EVF and articulating LCD, even if they appear to be the garden variety and likely purchased from a universal supplier.

BTW, this one might be the entry level camera below the K-30 even though not a dSLR. Some might consider it a reasonable facsimile.

[eddie1960]

So that begs the question of whether it has the same (or similar) 16mp sensor that is in the K-01, K-30 and K-5. The camera depth looks like it may be able to support it. It might have manual zoom, or at least a manual zoom override, but the toggle switch looks to be set up for zooming. (See the "T" label.) I suspect that the grip texture on the lens barrel is just a grip surface or an aesthetic decision. Green button may mean manual metering, but I don't see any sense for it on a fixed lens camera. It might just be a feature to make people feel like they have more control, but I think that that would just be a gimmick. I think that most bridge cameras of this type don't shoot RAW, but if PRICL is going to continue to use the K-5 sensor/processor template like it did for the K-01 and K-30, I can't see why this one shouldn't shoot RAW. Hell, doesn't the Q even shoot RAW? I am glad to see that PRICL is finally following suit on an EVF and articulating LCD, even if they appear to be the garden variety and likely purchased from a universal supplier.

BTW, this one might be the entry level camera below the K-30 even though not a dSLR. Some might consider it a reasonable facsimile.

it'll be the same cmos as the nikon P510 , really we are desperate for news here lol, ITS A BRIDGE CAMERA SUPERZOOM FOLKS. LIKELY $350 NOT ANYTHING REMOTELY RESEMBLING A DSLR LEVEL

sorry to throw a bucket of water on this

[Raffwal]

I can almost understand the need for a bridge camera in their product line (I know they've had similar ones before). This time they've designed it to look like a miniature K-5, even the model name suggests that. I guess they're trying to ride on the K-5 reputation and bring credibility to this small sensor camera. But I'm afraid that door swings both ways: now the K-5 starts looking like a small sensor bridge camera's big brother.

[LeGuillotine]

So that begs the question of whether it has the same (or similar) 16mp sensor that is in the K-01, K-30 and K-5.

If it is same sensor that would be awesome at wide end, only 4mm!! But I think that would be about 6x crop so then it is 24-624mm.

[glanglois]

So that begs the question of whether it has the same (or similar) 16mp sensor that is in the K-01, K-30 and K-5. The camera depth looks like it may be able to support it. It might have manual zoom, or at least a manual zoom override, but the toggle switch looks to be set up for zooming. (See the "T" label.) I suspect that the grip texture on the lens barrel is just a grip surface or an aesthetic decision. Green button may mean manual metering, but I don't see any sense for it on a fixed lens camera. It might just be a feature to make people feel like they have more control, but I think that that would just be a gimmick. I think that most bridge cameras of this type don't shoot RAW, but if PRICL is going to continue to use the K-5 sensor/processor template like it did for the K-01 and K-30, I can't see why this one shouldn't shoot RAW. Hell, doesn't the Q even shoot RAW? I am glad to see that PRICL is finally following suit on an EVF and articulating LCD, even if they appear to be the garden variety and likely purchased from a universal supplier.

BTW, this one might be the entry level camera below the K-30 even though not a dSLR. Some might consider it a reasonable facsimile.

If that's an APS-C-sized sensor, just how big would a super-zoom lens like that be? Based on the little we know and the apparent size of the camera and lens, I can't see how the sensor would be any bigger than about 1/2.2 or so. But we've seen good work from that size sensor, in the Q, the Panny FZ150/200, and perhaps the new Canons. Availability of raw would set it apart from the Canon pair and Pentax have always shown an amazing ability to get the most out of the sensors used.

I never thought I'd say this, but you might yet convince me to get a bridge camera. It would fit about half my opportunities and would appear to be a smaller and lighter alternative to my Lowepro 125 cubic foot motorized backpack with the racing stripes and 50's style fins.

BTW, the X90 used the same lens as the Nikon equivalent. I suspect the whole camera, including design, was outsourced. This appears to be a Pentax design and I think is good news from a product line standpoint. I hope, though, that there is a significant distinguishing feature to give a retailer reason to stock, promote, and sell it (IQ, WR, ISO performance, etc. - something measurable and very easy to explain).

[lammie200]

it'll be the same cmos as the nikon P510 , really we are desperate for news here lol, ITS A BRIDGE CAMERA SUPERZOOM FOLKS. LIKELY $350 NOT ANYTHING REMOTELY RESEMBLING A DSLR LEVEL

Top of the line Nikon, Canon, Sony, Fuji, etc. for this type of bridge camera sell for about $430-$500. When has PRICL ever released anything that was a direct competitor at the low end of the price spectrum? At $500 it would be $200 less than a K-30 body. Do you think that PRICL will manufacture a dSLR body for $600+/- to fill the gap between this X-5 and the K-30, albeit without a cheap $50 kit lens?

I agree that ITS A BRIDGE CAMERA SUPERZOOM FOLKS. I didn't write anything to the contrary. However, I think the very nature of bridge cameras is to resemble dSLR's. That is the marketing angle for such products. Some buy into it, some don't. For me, the only thing that PRICL can do with this camera to truly differentiate it would be to shoot RAW. That may be doubtful, but if they were to truly leverage the K-01, K-30, K-5 template I can't see why it wouldn't shoot RAW. I also think that this camera could be one of two things: 1) A similar product to the Nikon P510, or some such, or 2) an extension of the same templates that we have seen for the K-5, K-01 and K-30, or Q for that matter. Seeing as the newer releases (K-01 and K-30) were heavily built upon the K-5, PRICL has shown a tendency to squeeze every last drop out of that sensor/processor model. Also, it has been Pentax mantra to be "different." If this is a straight copy of the Nikon P510, or some such, then it isn't really different, is it?

There were some posts about P&S's being all badged Ricoh in the future. Obviously this one is badged Pentax. Is the strategy to have a camera like this pull from the Pentax dSLR cachet - if there actually is one? Maybe. If it is, then I think that this could be the entry-level camera that people say is the 4th dSLR. It just ain't a dSLR.

[eddie1960]

Top of the line Nikon, Canon, Sony, Fuji, etc. for this type of bridge camera sell for about $430-$500. When has PRICL ever released anything that was a direct competitor at the low end of the price spectrum? At $500 it would be $200 less than a K-30 body. Do you think that PRICL will manufacture a dSLR body for $600+/- to fill the gap between this X-5 and the K-30, albeit without a cheap $50 kit lens?

I agree that ITS A BRIDGE CAMERA SUPERZOOM FOLKS. I didn't write anything to the contrary. However, I think the very nature of bridge cameras is to resemble dSLR's. That is the marketing angle for such products. Some buy into it, some don't. For me, the only thing that PRICL can do with this camera to truly differentiate it would be to shoot RAW. That may be doubtful, but if they were to truly leverage the K-01, K-30, K-5 template I can't see why it wouldn't shoot RAW. I also think that this camera could be one of two things: 1) A similar product to the Nikon P510, or some such, or 2) an extension of the same templates that we have seen for the K-5, K-01 and K-30, or Q for that matter. Seeing as the newer releases (K-01 and K-30) were heavily built upon the K-5, PRICL has shown a tendency to squeeze every last drop out of that sensor/processor model. Also, it has been Pentax mantra to be "different." If this is a straight copy of the Nikon P510, or some such, then it isn't really different, is it?

There were some posts about P&S's being all badged Ricoh in the future. Obviously this one is badged Pentax. Is the strategy to have a camera like this pull from the Pentax dSLR cachet - if there actually is one? Maybe. If it is, then I think that this could be the entry-level camera that people say is the 4th dSLR. It just ain't a dSLR.

the bridge cameras seem to be at the $400 level now days (driven there by low price DSLR and M43 i'm sure)
I could see Pentax adopting Raw this time as an upgrade , feature wise this is probably a lot like a P510 (and it may well be an outsourced manufacture to Pentax spec/design)

It is nice they reference the k5 though , and gave it a slightly different look than the others (not much though they all seem to follow those design lines to some degree)
Hopefully unlike the previous models it will actually perform well enough to compete with the pana/leica/sony/nikon/canon models

[devorama]

If it is same sensor that would be awesome at wide end, only 4mm!! But I think that would be about 6x crop so then it is 24-624mm.

Let's not rule out the possibility that this is the rumored full frame camera! Or wait, maybe it's the replacement for the 645D! I hope it's weather sealed and offers tethered shooting!

[lammie200]

(and it may well be an outsourced manufacture to Pentax spec/design)

I wouldn't be surprised if it was.

Also, other speculations: I don't think there is a green button. I think that the one that looks like a green button is probably the on/off button. The toggle is probably the zoom with the shutter release on top - no on/off function for the toggle. As far as sensor size goes, it probably isn't APS-c. Given the feedback that we have seen for the K-01, it would be nice it it was. Not an ILC though, so not really innovative in the same vein as the K-01. Yes, just a bridge camera, and evidently PRICL doesn't think that that market is dry yet. However, given the minimal investment if it is mostly outsourced, then the risk of a short-lived product is probably tenable. I think that this can be assumed to be mostly a result of the PRICL marketing department's attempt at more exposure by providing a wider spectrum of products, even though there has been at least one Pentax bridge camera in the past. Just churning along.

[eddie1960]

I wouldn't be surprised if it was.

Also, other speculations: I don't think there is a green button. I think that the one that looks like a green button is probably the on/off button. The toggle is probably the zoom with the shutter release on top - no on/off function for the toggle. As far as sensor size goes, it probably isn't APS-c. Given the feedback that we have seen for the K-01, it would be nice it it was. Not an ILC though, so not really innovative in the same vein as the K-01. Yes, just a bridge camera, and evidently PRICL doesn't think that that market is dry yet. However, given the minimal investment if it is mostly outsourced, then the risk of a short-lived product is probably tenable. I think that this can be assumed to be mostly a result of the PRICL marketing department's attempt at more exposure by providing a wider spectrum of products, even though there has been at least one Pentax bridge camera in the past. Just churning along.

having the bridge gets you shelf space in places like walmart target and Costco for one. get's the brand in peoples faces

[momotazur]

That's a very big body for a very small sensor

Compared to X90, they look fairly close in terms of size and way better in terms of appearance.

[audiobomber]

As far as sensor size goes, it probably isn't APS-c. Given the feedback that we have seen for the K-01, it would be nice it it was.

It would be a bloody technical juggernaut if it was. The lens is 4-104mm, it is most definitely a tiny p&s sensor, probably a Sony Exmor backlit for a small performance boost.

[LamyTax]

Guys, guys. Listen guys.

This looks like it's medium format.