[Heie]

Before the K5, different tier cameras were very different from eachother. It meant different IQ, different features and clearly different sensors. See the K110D, K200D, K20D, KR, K7, etc... Worlds of difference between the models.

There has to be a limit. The sensor advances of today and (immediate) tomorrow will never be the leaps and bounds that they were from 2003-2010, when digital was just emerging from its infancy. What happened 30 years ago when the same film (i.e. "sensor") technologies existed for 10+ years? What we fail to realize is that there can't be the K-7 --> K-5 improvement in sensor quality and technology every generation (except Canon if they ever replace their 18mpx antique). Now you have to search at the 100% pixel level to really notice a difference, and even then sometimes only with the most perfect of technique. We must come to terms with the understanding that technology is not a neverending exponential curve.



It is the logarithmic variation that initially increases very quickly, and then tapers off to negligible incremental differences (sounds like my savings account). And then the next rave technology (i.e. that sensor that is apparently 1000x more sensitive to light than current CMOS sensors), that will then undergo the same pace of advancement of "We could be on to something here! --> Mass production and fielding --> Major advancements --> Refining and Tweaks."

Which is why I haven't seen any reason to upgrade since buying the K5.

I will quote myself because you missed the crux of what I said:

And we would all be fools to claim that it is a junk camera even if it didn't appeal to us....

I can't think of a DSLR that Pentax made that was utter crap in the past 7 years whereas it's no secret that Canon/Nikon intentionally cripple their own entry levels. With the same exact specs, how many would have killed for this K-50, knowing what that sensor and the K-30 can do, 5 years ago as a premium APS-C DSLR for $2,000, and yet it is Pentax's entry level standard today? Pentax is known for quality, and I am entirely confident that this will push that envelope even further, albeit in the entry level segment. A dark, unnavigable place which I realize is where the majority of us forum dwellers have escaped from eons ago in nothing short of spectacular fashion.

-Heie

[Uluru]

It's hard to be a fan.
It's not new camera. It's mockery.

Can you live with a fact that not everything is made to *your* exacting satisfaction, and that there are millions of others who didn't and don't dig Pentax because it's too extreme/alien/unknown for them? Do you get the fact that purpose of design is not only to differentiate, but to bridge differences and bring parties together? Do they deserve an offer that would make them comfortable?

If Canon can do it, and Nikon can, why would Pentax shoot themselves in the foot by being obnoxiously stubborn?

Or wait, are we talking about something else? Like, some 'hardcore Pentaxians' losing their grounds because their favourite brand has decided to cater for more people than just them?

[ogl]

It's funny...I don't even think about it. I don't care. I just discuss. I'm 146% satisfied with my gears.
But...I see that the philistines will kill this world.

Pentax Ricoh wanted to be different... But I just see that they could survive...

The camera is not the problem...The cameras came and went out...I don't see any clear idea in lenses area...
This thing really worries me...

[Clavius]

But has 2010 tech gone out of date that much? The 16 MP Exmor sensor is still one of the best sensors out their. The 24 MP Exmor is okay, Toshiba's 24 MP sensor is great, but the file sizes go up a lot. Canon has been recycling their 18 MP sensor for way longer than anyone else in the industry.

Is it so bad to use one of best sensors again? I don't think this model is aimed toward the current existing K-5/K-30 owners, more for the new camera buyers and the K-x/K-7 and older users.

Maybe waiting for the next big sensor tech breakthrough is a wise decision. 16 MP is way more than what most households even need or use. 4x6 prints were fine long ago with 6 mp cameras. My Kr has 12 MP with the D90 sensor, and that camera(D90) is still being made(?) and sold!

24 hours only: Nikon D90 w/18-105 (new condition) for $600 - 1001 Noisy Cameras
just my .02

I agree, the 16mp Sony sensor is very very good... But when you've got one camera with that sensor, then you're done. And looking at the entire range of Pentax APS-C DSLRs, then you can just go for the cheapest: They're all almost the same anyway.

A brand that has so many catching up to do (Updating the flash line up. Updating the lens line up. New high end model. Rebuilding support. Rebuilding third party lens manufacturer support, etc.) shouldn't waiste their resources on mere cosmetics. Or on fooling people into thinking they have multiple models.

[the swede]

What the hell Ogl...

This camera delivers more features than the competition will offer for the same price, this is a great followup to the K-x, K-r line.... nuff said. Get over it Ogl, this is entry/mid level... other things will come.

[ogl]

What the hell Ogl...

This camera delivers more features than the competition will offer for the same price, this is a great followup to the K-x, K-r line.... nuff said. Get over it Ogl, this is entry/mid level... other things will come.

It's view of philistine

[rullrich]

I fully agree with heie, and as a beginner but also long-time lurker of this and similar threads I really get bored by the always same arguments, or let's say inherent negativity and unfullfilled expactations. Even my children are easier to satisfy than some of the contributors to this thread . And by the way: is it really proofed that this camera is the new pentax? The link posted yesterday (Matériel photo, Digit-Photo votre spécialiste en ligne pour tout achat de matériel photo) redirects to another location, so maybe this news was only a hoax or fault?

Ralf

[Rondec]

K-50 looks a little underwhelming, compared to base-level competitors like the 24MP Nikon D3200 and D5200.

At least it shows the gnomes are still alive in the Pentax DSLR engineering department, I guess.

Why do you say that? Just because it isn't 24 Megapixels? I would probably choose this sort of body (2 scroll wheels, 100 percent pentaprism, IBIS, weather sealing) over either of those two bodies, everything else being equal.

[VisualDarkness]

I think you're wrong, the specs are identical to the K-30 (like they have been copied from the reviews page) right down thhe weight w/ battery (650g) which of course the only change being a steel & magnesium shell instead of the polycarbonate would increase the weight (and the price drastically). I'm not saying their isn't a camera coming and its not called the K-50, but it isn't these specs.
As well as those discrepancies, it would be a suicide business move for multiple reasons to release this camera with these specs.

Do the K-30 have a max ISO of 51200? Can the K-30 do 60fps video?

[theperception2008]

We all agreed that Pentax needs a bigger market share. So this camera is not the most provocative design, K-01, Q, and K-30 were that. The K-01 was pretty harshly received, the Q initially took lots of flak as well, K-30 garnered much more positive response but many people said it was too aggressive looking for them.

When Pentax has listened to us, we were never happy! Look at the K-7, many people wanted the K-20D with better LV, bigger buffer and more compact size. When Pentax unveiled the K-7 people were disappointed that the sensor didn't change, high iso wasn't good enough. The K-x, people wanted it with visible af points, faster AF and they would be really happy with it. When the K-r came out people were once again disappointed!

The engineers at Pentax are working on something new always. Ricoh has said that it wants a 3 camera line up. This moves the K-50 to entry/mid level, K-5II replacement and FF in the coming year(s).

Imho, the best upgrade paths involve a new model with a following refresh the year after. iPhone releases demonstrate that this model works well. You can always get customers with "new" products, but those upgrading will wait for every other generation. The people that had the iPhone 4 waited for the 5 to upgrade and those that had the 4s will get the upcoming 5s with new customers buying into the product at any given time with out feeling that the are buying an older model that is not competitive.

The K-5 to K-5II/s and now the K-30 to K-50 allows Ricoh Pentax to minimize expenses for the time and build up resources and customer base.

Would 24 MP vs. 16 MP in consumer house holds mean much difference? I had My K100D Super photos printed in A0 and they were just beautiful and that camera had a Sony 6MP sensor. How many people print A0 on a regular basis?

[mecrox]

Looks a decent cam to me, one that you really couldn't go wrong with. And if you are into outdoor activities and so value WR, it's the only one of its kind at this level of the market.

The design shows that the quirks and experiments of the Hoya era have been well and truly buried, albeit subtly. This design is looking out towards the whole of the world market, not inwardly to a particular country or subset of users.

That said, this cam still has its work cut out. Things like built-in wifi and sweep mode (panorama) are becoming givens, not rarities. One could say the same about tilting LCDs in some parts of the market. And MILCS are getting better and better.

I guess the pricing will be crucial. The or at least one 800lb beastie in the middle of this market is the D5200. Not a perfect cam but a darn formidable one. Don't want to get K-50 prices anywhere near that one I'd have thought.

I'm sure I'd be happy with this camera and wouldn't feel limited by it at all, although the fairly small battery would be a personal irk. "Nice, solid camera and well built too, the output is of excellent quality but overall it's simply too conservative for its own good" may be the thing they have to watch out for. In that sense this is a very traditional Pentax camera, a photographer's camera. That's what Pentax do, isn't it?

[Rondec]

I understand the desire to have new sensors in our camera bodies; however, I will say that I don't see much benefit at all with the current 24 megapixel sensors over the older 16 megapixel sensors. There is some improvement in resolution at low iso -- I don't really see it at higher iso -- there is a very small advantage for the 16 megapixel sensor over the 24 megapixel sensor with regard to dynamic range.If you look at DXO Mark, comparing the K5 II and the D7100, the D7100 and the K5 II are separated by one measly point, that's all. And the problem for lower end cameras in particular is that a 24 megapixel sensor is a buffer buster. The D7100 can capture 6 frames of raw before the buffer is full. I can certainly understand Pentax going with the 16 megapixel sensor, to me, the current 24 megapixel sensors are minimal benefit and in particular, have less value in a lower end camera.

[Clavius]

Would 24 MP vs. 16 MP in consumer house holds mean much difference? I had My K100D Super photos printed in A0 and they were just beautiful and that camera had a Sony 6MP sensor. How many people print A0 on a regular basis?

You're forgetting about cropping. With 23 you have much more freedom with re-composing in PP. You can crop 30% off your pictures and still have 16mp to play with.

[the swede]

It's view of philistine

Explain Ogl, i really want to know... Do you think I am uneducated?

Or are you taking about the Philistines or the Philistinism or maybe Philistine

You have the right to think a product sucks. But you should be very careful with what you write on a forum if it has cultural/religious/racial opinions.

[ogl]

Do the K-30 have a max ISO of 51200? Can the K-30 do 60fps video?

Resolutions 1920 x 1080 (30,25,24 fps), 1280 x 720 (60,50,30,25,24 fps), 640 x 424 (30,25,24 fps)

ISO 51 200 - I hope your words are sarcasm...NO. Only 25 600.