[janneman]

Do you mean that APS-C is "Full Frame" if 135 is VFF?

Well, unless you stick your favourite tapes onto one of the FF DSLRs and leaving an APS-C window... Nothing will be true as you suggested! ;-)

Sorry, need the tape to cover the bodycracks of my K10D which fell on a cobbled pavement.
AF still works but metering is 3 stops off...

[ogl]

E-420 is really good camera on specs.
BUT
I don't like LMOS sensor from Panasonic
(really dull sensor) and NR work in Oly's cameras
and new Olympus pancake are made from plastiс and more expensive than DA21, 40 and 70.
Olympus News Release:Introducing A Thin, Lightweight Single-Focus Standard Pancake-Type Lens, the ZUIKO DIGITAL 25mm f2.8
approx. 485 USD + 45 USD for aluminium lens hood - prices in Japan.

[ogl]

I think that Pentax MUST launch one more camera in low-end sector this year, maybe with new CMOS sensor from Samsung. E420, E510, 450D are really cool machines.
It's hard to imagine how K200D can compete with such cameras. Need to lower price too.

[ogl]

The 4/3 end picture is the bottom of APS-C's cameras.
Kodak's 4/3 sensors were better. Panasonic offer lower noise, but pale and dull colours.
Anyway, E420 + 25/2.8 is interesting small camera for street and everyday photography to shoot at lower ISO.

[Edvinas]

Who knows, maybe KX000D is around the corner Some Pentax representatives hinted that Pentax soon will increase it's camera range to four different models:
KX000D
KX00D
KX0D
KXD

[janneman]

4 different lines may be too much for Pentax....
Maybe three but only after KxxD and KxxxD have merged into one....
Or this is the last of the K-series and we will see an M-D series next....

I have some doubts about a smaller simpler KxxxxD.... If it goes any smaller, then it should be the Pentax 110D series.... No room for SR in that one but that is what would make sense, the 110D kit with the three DA pancakes...
I also think KxD is wishful thinking in the near future.

[Edvinas]

Pentax-Interview Januar 2008

[k100d]

i hope pentax can release something akin to a K2000d that is the same size as the olympus. kinda makes me regret getting my k100d because i value portability and weight so highly and i think live view is a useful feature too, that camera is seriously small! take a look here Hands on with Olympus E-420 -- the world's smallest DSLR - Engadget ... in terms of price, Hands On: Olympus E-420 - - PopPhotoMarch 2008 ... $700 including the pancake

i have a soft spot for olympus because i almost bought an E-510. the 4/3's sensor isn't THAT small, see wrotniak.net: Four Thirds Sensor Size and Aspect Ratio and overall there have been good remarks as to the image quality of the cameras, even the high ISO performance isn't as poor as one is lead to believe

[Tom M]

Sorry folks but, Olympus and any 4/3 system is completely out of the question..

You need a what? A tack sharp 8mm that's distortion free has low CA and doesn't cost a small fortune? Good luck! And all that to get 16mm wide angle?

Again, sorry folks but, I don't think the 4/3 system is for architecture and landscape shooters, period.

[ankit]

Again, sorry folks but, I don't think the 4/3 system is for architecture and landscape shooters, period.

You are probably right, but with the 420 and the 25mm lens they really are targeting the street-photography and a small/light carry-everywhere solution. I currently use the *ist DS + 40mm pancake for this setup. The oly offers a more modern lighter body, live view, better AF (i am guessing), and a 10mpx sensor. I agree with other posters that this is a very good development, and I hope this will prompt Pentax to release a smaller (yet fully functional) K2000D.

[jbcampbell]

That is a very interesting little DSLR, I have always liked Oly cameras. But there glass can't compete with Pentax IMO. None the less I would like to have one of these just to play with for a few days, it has some very interesting features.

[janneman]

Pentax-Interview Januar 2008

Well yes, he says that Kx is top professional and Kxxxx is entry level. No mention of actually manufacturing them.... Both Kxxxx and Kx seem a bit MZ-SD to me....MZ-SD was shown but it never appeared.

[Snowcat]

420 is not a very interesting camera for me, since it has no SR system. But they showed some interesting innovations. they promice that the color rendition will be very E3-like, which I find one of the best ever, they say they'll have greater DR, and their fully functional LiveView is awesome!

What I really want to read about is their E-520 camera, which, I am sure, will be announced very very soon.

Anyway, looking forward to see image samples from 420.

[aegisphan]

I did shoot Olympus film for a while, so I have to disagree with you. Pick up any Olympus OM f/2 lens, and it will give a Pentax prime a good run. I don't know about the 4/3 lenses, but the old OM lenses are among the highest optical/weight ratio. Their prices were pretty good too. Of all my OM lenses, I kept the Zuiko 21/3.5 for its extremely well-corrected distortion, small size, and high optical quality.

[Pentaxke]

DCRP News: Olympus introduces E-420 digital SLR, compact 25mm lens

At 380g the E-420 nearly half as heavy as the K200d and really compact. With the new Olympus "Pancake" lens it can even be put into a tight pocket. This looks like the ultimate travel D-SLR. The K200d does, of course, have it's appeal: weather sealing and anti-shake. However, I'd wish Pentax could have innovated like Olympus have here. They've had the pancake lenses for years and could have easily captured the ultra-lightweight SLR camera market.

On top of all that the E-420 has can shoot more fps than even the K20d, has phase-detection live view autofocus and is really cheap, too.

I agree with you (although the weight doesn't bother me that much - sometimes a little weight helps to keep the camera steady.)

But the lower frame rate and, above all, the low buffer capacity (only four images in a row - man do we live in the nineteenth century, or what? ) is a bone...

For me I would like an ist D based camera with a neat sensor (please with low megapixel count - why can't we have the Fuji Super CCD?) and the hyper modes and lively fast... Update the viewfinder (larger/brighter), and give it the name 'Limited D'. Make a special manual focus Limited lens for it (ie 28 f/2 will do), that can only be bought with the cam. I bet it would be a market hit! I would certainly buy it in an instant.