[Asahiflex]

@ISO 100? So that wouldn't even be hand-holdable @ISO 6400

ISO 100 indeed, sorry I forgot to add that.

-3EV can be compared with light coming from a very bright Aurora Borealis/Australis. Not that I have ever seen the famous northern light, so I don't know how much that actually is.

[gazonk]

ISO 100 indeed, sorry I forgot to add that.

-3EV can be compared with light coming from a very bright Aurora Borealis/Australis. Not that I have ever seen the famous northern light, so I don't know how much that actually is.

The best one I've seen in southern Norway where I live, lighted up the sky just enough that I could turn off my head lamp and continue cross-country skiing in the woods - lit only by the aurora

[Asahiflex]

The best one I've seen in southern Norway where I live, lighted up the sky just enough that I could turn off my head lamp and continue cross-country skiing in the woods - lit only by the aurora

So it can indeed be compared with light from a full moon. Not enough to comfortably read a newspaper, but bright enough to walk around in the open without the help of additional lamps. Thanks for clarifying!

[Alizarine]

Thanks to gazonk and Asahiflex for the details. So -3EV isn't that dark for the human eye - but a hell lot for cameras!

[gazonk]

So it can indeed be compared with light from a full moon. Not enough to comfortably read a newspaper, but bright enough to walk around in the open without the help of additional lamps. Thanks for clarifying!

Not as bright as a full moon. Well, I haven't seen the really bright auroras way up north, but in this case it indeed helped me walk around in the open (but you have to consider that the ground was snow-covered).

[NickLarsson]

Thanks, I'm 100% convinced it will happen this way. Because where did all the R&D go? They have been working on the K-5's successor since 2010 (!) so there's no reason to only announce a very modest upgrade over the old K-5. I see the K-5 II's as a way for Pentax to have more choice for the consumer with regards to APS-C DSLR's.

Maybe it's not a R&D problem, but a commercial one with Sony.
Maybe they don't have access to the 24Mp sensor, or Sony price it too high for the low volumes that Pentax is expecting. They only have 3% DSLR market share so their scope for negotiation is rather thin.

I think they should start to think about making their own sensors, it's the best way to be more innovative, see sony and fuji.
Also I think it's a bit odd when your supplier is also your competitor.

[Alizarine]

I think they should start to think about making their own sensors, it's the best way to be more innovative, see sony and fuji.

I keep on wishing that Ricoh has enough funds and interest to buy Truesense (form. Kodak) and start from there =))

[Tommot1965]

To all whiners: historically Pentax spreads the news when Photokina approaches. What happened in 2010:

- Sept. 9, 2010: Pentax K-r and DA35/2.4 presented
- Sept 20, 2010 (one day before opening of PK): Pentax K-5 and DA18-135 presented

So my guess is that Pentax will announce the following one day before Photokina:

- 645D II
- K-3
- K-3s
- DA* 16-70

Edit: the above is in line with what the Australian Pentax spokesperson was implying (he hinted at the 24mp APS-C sensor when asked about it).

this post sounds sensible and more in tune with what Id expect the company to do

[kent]

I think that's a typo, should have been "The K-5 will boast the widest AF range of points in any DSLR currently available"

[janneman]

FF is no substitute for a well-featured APS-C body in the next few years.

I (dis-)agree.
FF is a substitute, except for price and size. Ofcourse this photokina will show us the first "affordable" FF, but one wonder what has been given up for that? Surely Nikon don't ant it to compete with their FF models that do make a difference like the D800.

[janneman]

So it can indeed be compared with light from a full moon. Not enough to comfortably read a newspaper, but bright enough to walk around in the open without the help of additional lamps. Thanks for clarifying!

In that case I am tempted to sell K-7 and one of my two K-5's and get the K-5IIs.

[Allison]

What makes a pro isn't the gear, but the eye. A pro can shoot better weddings with a P&S than most amateurs can with FF. You hire the brains and the aesthetic sense, as well as the personal skills and experience; not just the camera.

Of course my clients are hiring based on more than my gear, but gear is one part of the equation. They do ask what I shot with and some ask if it is full frame. Another then they want to know about is the memory cards. A wedding (should be) a once in a lifetime event. My clients want to know what I am doing in case of card failure. Dual card slots might be a silly feature to some, but in my case the instant back up would be extremely helpful.

Clearly the gear isn't the only thing that makes a pro...because I don't have ff gear and I am shooting over 20 weddings a year. But if Pentax wants to keep their pro shooters they need to offer more than an upgraded (by one feature) two year old camera as a flagship.

[ChooseAName]

But if Pentax wants to keep their pro shooters they need to offer more than an upgraded (by one feature) two year old camera as a flagship.

This is what makes me think that there's got to be one more big announcement, similar to the way the K-5 was announced in 2010 one day before Photokina. It seems that the camera industry is sink or swim, and if you're treading water (for instance, by releasing glorified software/firmware updates to a 2 year old flagship), you're sinking.

[snake]

My humble theory is that as great as the the high sensitivity of the new AF system might be, the following things make it less impressive that it sounds:

• We still only have 11 AF points, which means that action shooting will still not be nearly as smooth as on cameras where the VF is decked with points
• At -3EV there is pretty much no light at all, meaning that AF readings might be unreliable even if the new system is able to operate in those conditions
• Lens focusing speed remains a constant, meaning that the only way this new AF could be faster is if it significantly reduced focusing latency (not likely given that the camera is till running the 4-year-old prime II)
• Metering won't properly work at negative EVs (AE sensitivity: 0-22EV)
• It's been my experience that thanks to the AF assist light, the old K-5 does a very good job of focusing accurately in low light (or no light)

I sincerely hope that Pentax is working on another body, and that it will have more AF points. Having pro-grade features in an affordable APS-C body is the only way I think Pentax is going to be able to remain competitive if they plan on sticking to APS-C rather than full-frame.

I think critically, the AF points are also too large, compounding issues. In fact, it appears whatever they focus on is significantly outside the borders, especially the center point.

I'll wait and see what the real deal is. I'm not buying anytime soon, since I just got my K-5, but I like this, that Pentax has evolved a good, solid model, particularly with an option to delete the AA-filter. I like sharp pics at the expense of other things, so that will work for me, hopefully.

I shoot dark metal concerts, where the lighting is poor, smoke levels high, and movement is extremely fast, often mandating ISO 10,000, so better AF in the dark is welcome. I really don't like my front focus issues the moment it gets dark. Drives me nuts.

[LamyTax]

Thanks to gazonk and Asahiflex for the details. So -3EV isn't that dark for the human eye - but a hell lot for cameras!

Well, see, our eyes are sort of like cameras. Our "resolution" in the dark isn't that great, especially not for older eyes. Certainly, you can still see, but it's at much lower resolution. -3EV is actually quite dark for humans, still.

I don't know any light meter that goes beyond -2EV (Sekonic L758), so finding a setting that's exactly -3EV will be a bit difficult.