[guinnessman]

Eh, I know megapixels aren't everything, but the K5II and IIs just seems like a warmed over K5, although with a now higher price point.

[Kunzite]

This though, is what I cannot accept. The K-30, the LOWER-end camera - has better video, focus peaking, and faster processor

Are you sure about that? Would the Prime M cope with the 7fps, 16MP@14 bit like the Prime II?

[ogl]

Are you sure about that? Would the Prime M cope with the 7fps, 16MP@14 bit like the Prime II?

he-he...
K-5 can't 7 fps in reality. Max. 6.5 fps. K-30 is 5.6 fps. It's minor difference.
http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/pentax-k30/pentax-k30A6.HTM
http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/K5/K5A6.HTM

No any difference between JPEGs converted from 12 and 14 bit RAW in real life photos.

K-5 has bigger buffer - much bigger in RAW. 23 vs 8.

[bossa]

One reason I sold my previous 2 K-5's was because I expected a flagship camera that would be an extension of the K-5 and K-30. These two cameras are obviously going to be very nice but not what I was expecting. Anyway, I'll be selling ALL my Pentax stuff next week so keep an eye on the marketplace.

[Caat]

@ bossa: wouldn't it be sensible to wait until the end of Photokina, just in case?

[Kunzite]

he-he...
K-5 can't 7 fps in reality. Max. 6.5 fps. K-30 is 5.6 fps. It's minor difference.

What are you saying, the K-5 II should have its fps cut to 5.6 and 12-bit RAW?
Besides, "faster" means "faster", not "slower, but it's minor difference".

bossa, maybe you expected the right thing but at the wrong moment. Good things are coming, remember?

[Alizarine]

Would the Prime M cope with the 7fps, 16MP@14 bit like the Prime II?

As I am not an engineer I wouldn't know... also because I don't know if they purposely just turned features off to keep the K-30 from having all the K-5's goods, and because I haven't seen any test of the Prime M using the K-5 hardware. Perhaps they're completely incompatible?

But what I do see is the K-30 can do 30fps of 1080p video and 60fps in 720p, while the Prime II only at 25 and 30 respectively... while these may be debatable, real-world applications will be seen soon... I'll still wait for in-depth lab and real-world tests of the K-5 II and IIs before making purchase decisions.

[Richdog]

Any chance Pentax still thinks it's April Fool's and this is just a bad prank? How can this be the upgrade?

Why would anyone be ok with Pentax re-releasing 2 year old technology? A lot of people are stating that we shouldn't be complaining because we are getting a K5 with better auto-focus and what else do we want? How about something that's not 2 years old? My understanding was that the Canon Mark II was a pretty good camera but imagine if the III had only provided improved auto-focus. That would have been ridiculous. Why can't we complain about the K5II being a disappointment? We're the ones spending $1000 plus that could go to any company. Pentax has an obligation to its customers (if it wants to stay in business) to keep up with other companies. Brand loyalty is great and everything, but after a while, you're just being a fool. Pentax doesn't pay my bills, I pay theirs (I know it's a minuscule percentage, but it adds up.)

It seems like the K30 is a better camera (It definitely has newer technology) and if it had a stereo input for audio I would get that over the K5II or IIs without a second thought. I really like the K5 and if it weren't two years old, I would jump on it in a second. That's the problem with the specs released for the II and IIs. It seems like the K5 with minor tweaks. As many have mentioned, it's what the K5 should have been... 2 years ago. Today, there should be something better. It doesn't really seem like this is better. 2 years is a long time with technology. The K30 seemed to get a lot of hopes up. The new K5's really found a way to get rid of those hopes.

I'm still hoping Pentax has something up their sleeves at Photokina. This can't be it. I don't have the money to go to Canon or Nikon right now (I have about 3-4 thousand invested in Pentax) but if I did, I'd be gone. Maybe I'm overreacting because I was expecting something great. I definitely wasn't expecting this.

This reminds me of when people were expecting a huge announcement from Pentax only to find that the Kr was going to be released in different colors. All that hype for nothing.

Ahh, the voice of reason. Well said.

[Kunzite]

As I am not an engineer I wouldn't know...

My point precisely; you (we) don't know if the Prime M is indeed faster.
It's newer and thus, it has some neat things e.g. on the video side.

[jeffshaddix]

Don't forget about this rumor, which seems to be more or less validated: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-news-rumors/196401-k-5-successor-updates.html

The rumor talked about Pentax re-working some of the electrical components of the sensor, such that an AA filterless version would be more useful. The rumor said they essentially moved more of the photon-blocking infrastructure components out of the way - this may mean better ISO performance and dynamic range. Thus, we may be getting more of an upgrade than just the announcement shows. I find it interesting that Pentax is doing so much with the sensor - I had assumed they couldn't redesign Sony's hardware components, only tweak registers, voltages, and surrounding temperature. Perhaps they paid Sony to do the work.

[Alizarine]

It's newer and thus, it has some neat things e.g. on the video side.

I also meant we can't prove that the Prime M can not process 16mp 14-bit images @7fps, unless there were some tests conducted that were of course not released for public viewing... but in any case, the 5-IIs seems to be a more intricate upgrade to the K-5 sensor-wise, with the removal of the AA filter. I'm looking forward to how much doing that can increase IQ.

Keeping the K-5 body design and 16mp + improved AF alone had me convinced already to not jump ship, even if the Canikon counterparts will tout bigger MP and more AF points.

[bossa]

So what can we expect from Ricoh? A FF GXR K- Mount module? a 24MP APS-C K-Mount module? anything at all?

PS: Is the K5II/s sensor a Sony or the new X-Trans from Fuji?

[Caat]

Don't forget about this rumor, which seems to be more or less validated: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-news-rumors/196401-k-5-successor-updates.html

The rumor talked about Pentax re-working some of the electrical components of the sensor, such that an AA filterless version would be more useful. The rumor said they essentially moved more of the photon-blocking infrastructure components out of the way - this may mean better ISO performance and dynamic range. Thus, we may be getting more of an upgrade than just the announcement shows. I find it interesting that Pentax is doing so much with the sensor - I had assumed they couldn't redesign Sony's hardware components, only tweak registers, voltages, and surrounding temperature. Perhaps they paid Sony to do the work.

Sure but if this were the case why hasn't Pentax said this in the press release? Something like: Innovative new microlenses and enhanced sensor design contribute to greater light transmission to the sensor etc etc

The fact that they haven't makes me believe that whilst they may well have improved the software/firmware side they haven't done much to the sensor itself (if anything on the model with the AA filter)

[Alizarine]

Sure but if this were the case why hasn't Pentax said this in the press release? Something like: Innovative new microlenses and enhanced sensor design contribute to greater light transmission to the sensor etc etc

Maybe because they don't make the sensors themselves? Some Nikon fans think Nikon makes its own sensors already, but I don't see it in their press releases too... so I'm apt to believe that they still rely on Sony but put their designs to mod Sony's default of the chips. Perhaps that's how Pentax does it too (or just now, with this new release)

[bossa]

@ bossa: wouldn't it be sensible to wait until the end of Photokina, just in case?

Sorry I got overly excited.. I'll wait until after PK.