[Caat]

So no Prime M then? Just the original Prime II? I would think that that is a mistake... unless this really is just a K-5 with a minor LCD improvment and new AF.

[ogl]

- AF module employs a newly developed SAFOX X
- Supports up to ~ +18 EV-3EV is AF. High accuracy corresponding to the luminous flux of F2.8
- Expansion function select area to continue tracking even if the subject deviates from the selected AF point
- LCD monitor air gapless with no air layer between the 3.0-inch 921 000 dot LCD, and glass
- Image stabilization in the body that has the effect of three stages of conversion, automatic horizontal correction, tweak composition
- In the low-pass filter-less (only K-5 IIs), to maximize the performance of the sensor

Old good K-5 with new AF

[NickLarsson]

What feature will justify the $400 difference with the k-30 ?

Better buy a k-30 + a limited prime IMHO.

[french_mike]

Old good K-5 with new AF

but 600$ more expensif, ... good one Pentax

[Vylen]

yea, seems like an improvement in low-light AF there... K-5 was -1 to +18EV... K-5 II is -3 on the lower bound.

[janneman]

So no Prime M then? Just the original Prime II? I would think that that is a mistake... unless this really is just a K-5 with a minor LCD improvment and new AF.

That is what it was said to be. a K-5 with some tweaks, "Prime other than II" would probably be something entirely new, most likely the K-3 which I have doubts about if they release two K-5II versions, at least this photokina.

[Rondec]

I do hope there is a K3. The problem is that auto focus issues with the K5 are sporadic. I have two K5s that both have no issues with low light auto focus and do a decent job tracking. To give me the option of upgrading them to a new K5 that fixes my auto focus issues, that don't exist, is not tempting at all. I think a 24 megapixel sensor will do better without any AA filter anyway, so such a camera would be more tempting than this K5 II.

As to the comments about Ricoh having a year to make up their minds about direction. I think that it takes quite awhile to change direction in a camera company. Product cycle tends to be eighteen months, although ideas can be worked on for several years before they come to fruition. Even here, what we are seeing are just tweaks to projects that Hoya had green-lighted for Pentax to work on. Spring to summer of next year would be the soonest that Ricoh initiated projects could be released and that is assuming that they knew on day 1 that they wanted something done.

[Malsi]

One K5-II for me ....

[Alizarine]

The question which will come up sooner or later is: Can a 16mp AA-filter-less sensor outperform an AA-filtered 24mp one in terms of resolution?

BTW, still excited about the K5II and IIs. No details were given about the SAFOX X yet; I'm hoping it has more AF points, more versatile tracking, and SMALLER sensors that are accurate up to f2 (ok, dreaming here, f2.8 will do!)

But if a K-3 were to come out... hmm. I wonder how much that one will cost. If the D600 comes out at let's say $2000 to $2300, will a 24-mp K-3 be good enough to challenge it?

[gazonk]

what's the name of that other Japanese sales ranking site again?

I answer myself: Kakaku

And K-30 looks better there at #25:
http://kakaku.com/camera/digital-slr-camera/ranking_0049/

And it's one of the top 3 in the "satisfaction" ranking:

Google Oversetter

[ogl]

but 600$ more expensif, ... good one Pentax

My K-5 was 1000 euro. If K-5IIs will be 1200 euro. it's OK

[ogl]

yea, seems like an improvement in low-light AF there... K-5 was -1 to +18EV... K-5 II is -3 on the lower bound.

the rumor is 21 AF ponts vs 11...I don't know if it's true.

By the way, only Canon 1DX and D4 has EV-2.

[Mace]

I do hope there is a K3. The problem is that auto focus issues with the K5 are sporadic. I have two K5s that both have no issues with low light auto focus and do a decent job tracking. To give me the option of upgrading them to a new K5 that fixes my auto focus issues, that don't exist, is not tempting at all. I think a 24 megapixel sensor will do better without any AA filter anyway, so such a camera would be more tempting than this K5 II.

As to the comments about Ricoh having a year to make up their minds about direction. I think that it takes quite awhile to change direction in a camera company. Product cycle tends to be eighteen months, although ideas can be worked on for several years before they come to fruition. Even here, what we are seeing are just tweaks to projects that Hoya had green-lighted for Pentax to work on. Spring to summer of next year would be the soonest that Ricoh initiated projects could be released and that is assuming that they knew on day 1 that they wanted something done.

I think the K5II and K5IIs should be considered as an update option for people who don't have a K5 yet, like me. I have a K7 that has serious disadvantages compared to the K5 and I was awaiting the successor of the K5 for more than a year now, as I didn't want to invest in an body that had been launched more than 1.5 years ago. So the K5II will be a perfect upgrade for me. It will also be a nice upgrade for folks that are currently using a Kr, Kx aso...

I also agree that we cannot expect too much influence from Ricoh in these products. One year is really short to change a product line. Don't forget, that in order to produce a new camera, you will have to calculate potential market shares, identify needs, calculate cost benefits of it, design the camera, overcome technical issues, change your machines, agree with your suppliers (e.g. beg sony to make their sensor available), give them details about the pieces that they will have to supply, set up new delivery plans with your suppliers, produce marketing stuff, etc..
All this will take very long. Lets assume that Hoya had not planned to add a FF camera to the line up, because it would cost a lot of research and development, then with Ricoh they would have started from scratch. Or lets say Ricoh didn't like the old Hoya plans and completely changed them, then one year is still not a long time.

But at this stage, I would like to see a commitment from Pentax on where this will go.
In the future, I am ready to spend around 1-2k for my photography hobby per year. I bought my K7 because it was the only advanced amateur weather-sealed camera, for which i could also get decent second hand lenses at a good deal. At the moment I am still ok with APS-C, but in future I want to invest my money in a FF pro-body and if Pentax will not offer it within the next two years, or give me the perspective, I will leave ship. It is not so much about getting a pro-body now, but rather knowing, that it will be possible in the future, if I have the cash for it.

[wed7]

[Docrwm]

Glad they put a WR lens on it for the ad.