New PENTAX K-50

Clavius · 06-07-2013, 02:22 AM

Originally posted by Kunzite

No, I wasn't complaining - I merely said it was "met with little enthusiasm by the market" (guess what, people complained it's just a K10D with a different sensor). I still have mine; though I plan to sell it together with the K-5.
I wouldn't call it an oddball product, either.

It was an oddball product in the sense that the competition all sacrificed IQ to go CMOS for video and LV, while Pentax K20D kept the CCD. Giving it the edge in IQ and MP over the competing brands. I do not recall the little enthusiasm though. The K20D was the product that was recommended to me by several B&M stores. Pushing Pentax instead of Canon or Nikon. BTW, that was also the last time I encountered B&M stores pushing a Pentax product.

Originally posted by RobA_Oz

The K-01 was an interesting styling exercise, as well as being a CSC toe in the water for the K-mount, but it didn't work, probably because it attempted two innovations at once.

Styling is so personal. I see lots of people are complaining about the styling of the K50, while I actually love that design. Very focussed on functionality and ergonomics, not on being pretty. That's why I love the design of the K5 as well.

The K-mount itself made the K-01 fail. Imagine what would have happened if that affordable but high IQ camera was able to mount M-glass? China would have been making adapters for each and every lens ever made for the K-01 too, like they are doing now for the NEX line. The K-01 having the edge, giving all those lenses shake reduction.

gazonk · 06-07-2013, 02:26 AM

Originally posted by Clavius

It was an oddball product in the sense that the competition all sacrificed IQ to go CMOS for video and LV, while Pentax K20D kept the CCD

The K20D has a CMOS sensor.

Clavius · 06-07-2013, 02:34 AM

Originally posted by gazonk

The K20D has a CMOS sensor.

Sorry yes, I'm confused with K10D.

mecrox · 06-07-2013, 02:42 AM

Originally posted by RobA_Oz

If we want Pentax to succeed as a brand, not to mention progress as a camera maker, it's obvious they have to sell into the market, and sell well. If that means having to pull their styling heads in for a while, then so be it. The K-01 was an interesting styling exercise, as well as being a CSC toe in the water for the K-mount, but it didn't work, probably because it attempted two innovations at once. Which aspect contributed to that failure is hard to say, but there was certainly a loud group here denigrating its appearance, right from the start. Nobody seriously decried the underpinnings, though, even if they could have been improved marginally, because they were already proven.

Now it seems we are about to have another, this time conservative styling attempt on proven underpinnings, and we're getting much the same negativity being expressed here, albeit for the diametrically-opposite reason. This is clearly an entry-level camera, intended either for people transitioning from film or less complex camera types, or as a second body for existing K-mount owners. It's not for enthusiasts or aficionados or well-off poseurs. The underpinnings are well-proven, and that means reliable, which is one of the things that new users want most. They're also getting a good package of features that will be hard for the bigger brands to match at the price.

Selling lots of these is going to do more to securing the future of higher-spec Pentaxes than quirky and interesting frolics like the K-01, as much as some of us have come to appreciate them. I'm not in the market for one of these, but I'd be comfortable recommending one to family and friends who want to make a start in DSLR use.

Hear, hear, well said. Now Pentax have to really market this cam and get lots of them into stores and onto shelves.

**Rondec** · 06-07-2013, 03:35 AM

Originally posted by Uluru

Well really? I thought K5 was just an incremental upgrade to K7. Everything same, same body, same controls, just a new sensor available at that time, 2 extra MPs (yeah, big difference) and 2 extra fps.

This sounds like a joke, but it isn't — real breakthrough are evolutionary improvements. You don't discard the thing that works, but just add or tweak other details that don't work as good or are not up to date. K30's body was splitting the audience. Period. Time for change, and give K30 a credit where it was due in everything else.

This new K50 sensor may as well be improved upon K30's and K01's sensor — it has one stop advantage from the specs and perhaps something else better too. New magnesium body. Stereo mic. Polished up software. Etc.

If people have realised with a new sensor in the K5 body how Pentax's philosophy was actually good and K7 truly unique, now they have the same chance to realise that with K50 for the K30's namesake. Evolution — there is nothing better, eye-opening and more natural than evolution.

The issue with the K7, more than anything else, was that the sensor lagged in many respects. Basically ever since the kx was released, people were clamoring for "a kx sensor in a K7 body." But overall, the K5 was the first camera that Pentax released that truly matched up well versus Nikon's flagship APS-C cameras. The sensor really was a big deal at the time. The K7 was decent up to iso 1600 as long as you hit your exposure on, but if you under exposed at all, my K7 started to have banding issues, which you just couldn't clean up in post.

The K5 was the first camera that Pentax released that was good enough that I didn't have an immediate desire for a bunch of tweaks or changes to it right after release.

Kunzite · 06-07-2013, 03:38 AM

Originally posted by Clavius

It was an oddball product in the sense that the competition all sacrificed IQ to go CMOS for video and LV, while Pentax K20D kept the CCD. Giving it the edge in IQ and MP over the competing brands. I do not recall the little enthusiasm though. The K20D was the product that was recommended to me by several B&M stores. Pushing Pentax instead of Canon or Nikon. BTW, that was also the last time I encountered B&M stores pushing a Pentax product.

Correction: while Pentax K20D sacrificed low-ISO IQ to go CMOS for LV (they weren't able to implement video).

The K10D wasn't "oddball" either IMO; Nikon for example also used CCD sensors in their cameras.

Uluru · 06-07-2013, 04:19 AM - **2 Likes**

Originally posted by Rondec

The K5 was the first camera that Pentax released that was good enough that I didn't have an immediate desire for a bunch of tweaks or changes to it right after release.

Yes, that was my point. Now apply the same reasoning to a different variable — the camera body itself.
Keep the remarkably good sensor, or use an even better variant, and change the body so it doesn't alienate the mainstream market.
You get a K50.

But I undertand the cry of Pentax diehards and self-appointed defenders of the crown — they think Pentax has thought of others first, made a camera for them, but not for Pentax knights, who stood loyal to the crown through the storms and peril.

IchabodCrane · 06-07-2013, 04:46 AM

Originally posted by Racerdew

I don't know if everyone has found this info, but I ran across it looking around. Seems to me from the information given at this site; this K-50 has the same equipment as the 30 and the 5. There is nothing new but a different shaped body. Unless there is a lot missing, this is a joke! We have a k-5 and a k-30 and this is old stuff packaged together. Sounds like the butchers Monday special! The boss must have told production that we are not coming out with anything "new" until all the spare parts are sold. Wrap them up in a new package and get them out the door!

This link gave all the details of the camera.

Pentax K-50 DSLR camera leaks on retailer's website in France | Photo Rumors

My suspicion is we'll find the K-50 sensor anti-dust mechanism to now be the one used in the K-5 (and II, IIs). Also, I don't at all believe this is a mag alloy body -- think that one's a typo in the leaked specs. Heck, even the pictures make it look like a polycarbonate shell.

repaap · 06-07-2013, 04:55 AM

Seems that this is just warm up for big news...at least people here is ready to tear and hackle down all that comes from pentax...

In my eyes it looks great lil cam. sensor seems to be really good to use, video is good, technical points are good to be amateur camera and it is brand new. What's there to not to like. This looks really good when looking after enthusiast APS-C, that mythical thing or possible 645 update to arrive.

new DAL WR line is also good news.

reeftool · 06-07-2013, 05:20 AM

Originally posted by Kunzite

The K10D wasn't "oddball" either IMO; Nikon for example also used CCD sensors in their cameras.

The K10D is very comparable to the Nikon D200, a camera I considered at the time. I went with the Pentax because it offered the same sensor, weather sealing for a much better price. I had Pentax and Nikon lenses as I shot both with film. My daughter has a D200 and I have used it. For me, I prefer the ergonomics and controls of the K10D. Using the 18-55 kit lenses from each camera, there is no difference in IQ whatsoever. The Nikon had and still has a slightly quicker AF and much better flash options.

causey · 06-07-2013, 05:22 AM

Originally posted by repaap

Seems that this is just warm up for big news...at least people here is ready to tear and hackle down all that comes from pentax...

"Warm up for big news"... by "big news" you might mean K-5III/s; you just don't know it yet.

**Rondec** · 06-07-2013, 06:20 AM

What is it people want to see in an "entry level" camera? Just a 24 megapixel sensor? Some kind of new feature that isn't present in the rest of the Pentax line up? I just don't get the disappointment. It seems like if this was flagship then it would be a problem, but honestly, I have said before and will say again that the D3200, as an entry level camera, is a waste for people who will be shooting with a kit lens. And I don't understand how a K50 "falls behind" cameras like the T3i and D5200 that it will be selling against. To me, it feels like it would be a better photographic tool.

normhead · 06-07-2013, 06:26 AM

Originally posted by Rondec

What is it people want to see in an "entry level" camera? Just a 24 megapixel sensor? Some kind of new feature that isn't present in the rest of the Pentax line up? I just don't get the disappointment. It seems like if this was flagship then it would be a problem, but honestly, I have said before and will say again that the D3200, as an entry level camera, is a waste for people who will be shooting with a kit lens. And I don't understand how a K50 "falls behind" cameras like the T3i and D5200 that it will be selling against. To me, it feels like it would be a better photographic tool.

What? , other camera manufacturers make worse cameras than Pentax? Why haven't I heard about this on the forum before?

**Rondec** · 06-07-2013, 06:30 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by normhead

What? , other camera manufacturers make worse cameras than Pentax? Why haven't I heard about this on the forum before?

I know you're being sarcastic, but honestly, you can take photos that are good with any of these cameras. Some are pretty crippled in some respects. The Canon cameras I wouldn't particularly recommend unless video is your thing. But unfortunately, people buy based on specs (16 megapixels versus 18 megapixels versus 24 megapixels) and don't really look any further than that.

I find it irritating when people look at my photos and first comment is "Oh, you must have a nice camera," followed by the question: "how many megapixels does it have?"

JinDesu · 06-07-2013, 06:33 AM

Originally posted by Rondec

What is it people want to see in an "entry level" camera? Just a 24 megapixel sensor? Some kind of new feature that isn't present in the rest of the Pentax line up? I just don't get the disappointment. It seems like if this was flagship then it would be a problem, but honestly, I have said before and will say again that the D3200, as an entry level camera, is a waste for people who will be shooting with a kit lens. And I don't understand how a K50 "falls behind" cameras like the T3i and D5200 that it will be selling against. To me, it feels like it would be a better photographic tool.

My only concern is price. Preliminary price with DAL WR 18-55 is EU699. From my initial searches, the Nikon D3200 with 18-55 MSRP was EU569 (currently EU478), the Nikon D5200 was EU839 (currently EU690), and the Canon T5i/700D was EU749 (currently EU649). So the k-50 would compare well against the D5200 and the 700D, but would still be more expensive than the D3200. On the other hand, it is at the very least equal to the D5200 in specs and has WR, so it would be proper for it to be more expensive than the D3200.

The problem is that since Pentax is bringing this out behind the CaNikon's equivalents and people will start comparing the k-50's MSPR vs the current prices of the D3200/D5200/700D.

06-07-2013, 05:22 AM	#311
causey Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Arlington, VA Photos: Albums Posts: 3,757	Originally posted by repaap Seems that this is just warm up for big news...at least people here is ready to tear and hackle down all that comes from pentax... "Warm up for big news"... by "big news" you might mean K-5III/s; you just don't know it yet. Last edited by causey; 06-07-2013 at 06:02 AM.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
For Sale - Sold: K-5, 16-50,50-135,65-250, Sigma 17-50, 50 1.4, 50 1.8, Tamron 90 2.8, Flashes	virarfast	Sold Items	8	04-04-2013 02:30 PM
For Sale - Sold: K-5, K-7, Pentax 16-50, 50-135, 12-24, Tamron 90 Macro, 70-300, Metz 48 and 58, etc	hfthomp	Sold Items	10	01-10-2013 07:32 PM
'Like new' Pentax K-30 w/ DA L 15-55mm and DA L 50-200MM for $589	brianV	Pentax Price Watch	2	11-23-2012 08:56 AM
new sigma 50-200 compared to pentax 50-200mm	George S	Pentax SLR Lens Discussion	2	05-21-2011 06:52 PM

06-07-2013, 02:22 AM	#301
Clavius Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: De Klundert Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,150	Originally posted by Kunzite No, I wasn't complaining - I merely said it was "met with little enthusiasm by the market" (guess what, people complained it's just a K10D with a different sensor). I still have mine; though I plan to sell it together with the K-5. I wouldn't call it an oddball product, either. It was an oddball product in the sense that the competition all sacrificed IQ to go CMOS for video and LV, while Pentax K20D kept the CCD. Giving it the edge in IQ and MP over the competing brands. I do not recall the little enthusiasm though. The K20D was the product that was recommended to me by several B&M stores. Pushing Pentax instead of Canon or Nikon. BTW, that was also the last time I encountered B&M stores pushing a Pentax product. Originally posted by RobA_Oz The K-01 was an interesting styling exercise, as well as being a CSC toe in the water for the K-mount, but it didn't work, probably because it attempted two innovations at once. Styling is so personal. I see lots of people are complaining about the styling of the K50, while I actually love that design. Very focussed on functionality and ergonomics, not on being pretty. That's why I love the design of the K5 as well. The K-mount itself made the K-01 fail. Imagine what would have happened if that affordable but high IQ camera was able to mount M-glass? China would have been making adapters for each and every lens ever made for the K-01 too, like they are doing now for the NEX line. The K-01 having the edge, giving all those lenses shake reduction.

06-07-2013, 02:26 AM	#302
gazonk Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Oslo area, Norway Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,746	Originally posted by Clavius It was an oddball product in the sense that the competition all sacrificed IQ to go CMOS for video and LV, while Pentax K20D kept the CCD The K20D has a CMOS sensor.

06-07-2013, 02:34 AM	#303
Clavius Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: De Klundert Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,150	Originally posted by gazonk The K20D has a CMOS sensor. Sorry yes, I'm confused with K10D.

06-07-2013, 02:42 AM	#304
mecrox Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Oxford, UK Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,375	Originally posted by RobA_Oz If we want Pentax to succeed as a brand, not to mention progress as a camera maker, it's obvious they have to sell into the market, and sell well. If that means having to pull their styling heads in for a while, then so be it. The K-01 was an interesting styling exercise, as well as being a CSC toe in the water for the K-mount, but it didn't work, probably because it attempted two innovations at once. Which aspect contributed to that failure is hard to say, but there was certainly a loud group here denigrating its appearance, right from the start. Nobody seriously decried the underpinnings, though, even if they could have been improved marginally, because they were already proven. Now it seems we are about to have another, this time conservative styling attempt on proven underpinnings, and we're getting much the same negativity being expressed here, albeit for the diametrically-opposite reason. This is clearly an entry-level camera, intended either for people transitioning from film or less complex camera types, or as a second body for existing K-mount owners. It's not for enthusiasts or aficionados or well-off poseurs. The underpinnings are well-proven, and that means reliable, which is one of the things that new users want most. They're also getting a good package of features that will be hard for the bigger brands to match at the price. Selling lots of these is going to do more to securing the future of higher-spec Pentaxes than quirky and interesting frolics like the K-01, as much as some of us have come to appreciate them. I'm not in the market for one of these, but I'd be comfortable recommending one to family and friends who want to make a start in DSLR use. Hear, hear, well said. Now Pentax have to really market this cam and get lots of them into stores and onto shelves.

06-07-2013, 03:35 AM	#305
Rondec Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Gladys, Virginia Photos: Gallery Posts: 27,663	Originally posted by Uluru Well really? I thought K5 was just an incremental upgrade to K7. Everything same, same body, same controls, just a new sensor available at that time, 2 extra MPs (yeah, big difference) and 2 extra fps. This sounds like a joke, but it isn't — real breakthrough are evolutionary improvements. You don't discard the thing that works, but just add or tweak other details that don't work as good or are not up to date. K30's body was splitting the audience. Period. Time for change, and give K30 a credit where it was due in everything else. This new K50 sensor may as well be improved upon K30's and K01's sensor — it has one stop advantage from the specs and perhaps something else better too. New magnesium body. Stereo mic. Polished up software. Etc. If people have realised with a new sensor in the K5 body how Pentax's philosophy was actually good and K7 truly unique, now they have the same chance to realise that with K50 for the K30's namesake. Evolution — there is nothing better, eye-opening and more natural than evolution. The issue with the K7, more than anything else, was that the sensor lagged in many respects. Basically ever since the kx was released, people were clamoring for "a kx sensor in a K7 body." But overall, the K5 was the first camera that Pentax released that truly matched up well versus Nikon's flagship APS-C cameras. The sensor really was a big deal at the time. The K7 was decent up to iso 1600 as long as you hit your exposure on, but if you under exposed at all, my K7 started to have banding issues, which you just couldn't clean up in post. The K5 was the first camera that Pentax released that was good enough that I didn't have an immediate desire for a bunch of tweaks or changes to it right after release.

06-07-2013, 03:38 AM	#306
Kunzite Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Romania Posts: 15,132	Originally posted by Clavius It was an oddball product in the sense that the competition all sacrificed IQ to go CMOS for video and LV, while Pentax K20D kept the CCD. Giving it the edge in IQ and MP over the competing brands. I do not recall the little enthusiasm though. The K20D was the product that was recommended to me by several B&M stores. Pushing Pentax instead of Canon or Nikon. BTW, that was also the last time I encountered B&M stores pushing a Pentax product. Correction: while Pentax K20D sacrificed low-ISO IQ to go CMOS for LV (they weren't able to implement video). The K10D wasn't "oddball" either IMO; Nikon for example also used CCD sensors in their cameras.

06-07-2013, 04:19 AM - 2 Likes	#307
Uluru Banned Join Date: May 2010 Location: Back to my Walkabout Creek Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,535	Originally posted by Rondec The K5 was the first camera that Pentax released that was good enough that I didn't have an immediate desire for a bunch of tweaks or changes to it right after release. Yes, that was my point. Now apply the same reasoning to a different variable — the camera body itself. Keep the remarkably good sensor, or use an even better variant, and change the body so it doesn't alienate the mainstream market. You get a K50. But I undertand the cry of Pentax diehards and self-appointed defenders of the crown — they think Pentax has thought of others first, made a camera for them, but not for Pentax knights, who stood loyal to the crown through the storms and peril.

06-07-2013, 04:46 AM	#308
IchabodCrane Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,728	Originally posted by Racerdew I don't know if everyone has found this info, but I ran across it looking around. Seems to me from the information given at this site; this K-50 has the same equipment as the 30 and the 5. There is nothing new but a different shaped body. Unless there is a lot missing, this is a joke! We have a k-5 and a k-30 and this is old stuff packaged together. Sounds like the butchers Monday special! The boss must have told production that we are not coming out with anything "new" until all the spare parts are sold. Wrap them up in a new package and get them out the door! This link gave all the details of the camera. Pentax K-50 DSLR camera leaks on retailer's website in France \| Photo Rumors My suspicion is we'll find the K-50 sensor anti-dust mechanism to now be the one used in the K-5 (and II, IIs). Also, I don't at all believe this is a mag alloy body -- think that one's a typo in the leaked specs. Heck, even the pictures make it look like a polycarbonate shell.

06-07-2013, 04:55 AM	#309
repaap Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2010 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,242	Seems that this is just warm up for big news...at least people here is ready to tear and hackle down all that comes from pentax... In my eyes it looks great lil cam. sensor seems to be really good to use, video is good, technical points are good to be amateur camera and it is brand new. What's there to not to like. This looks really good when looking after enthusiast APS-C, that mythical thing or possible 645 update to arrive. new DAL WR line is also good news.

06-07-2013, 05:20 AM	#310
reeftool Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Upstate New York Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,555	Originally posted by Kunzite The K10D wasn't "oddball" either IMO; Nikon for example also used CCD sensors in their cameras. The K10D is very comparable to the Nikon D200, a camera I considered at the time. I went with the Pentax because it offered the same sensor, weather sealing for a much better price. I had Pentax and Nikon lenses as I shot both with film. My daughter has a D200 and I have used it. For me, I prefer the ergonomics and controls of the K10D. Using the 18-55 kit lenses from each camera, there is no difference in IQ whatsoever. The Nikon had and still has a slightly quicker AF and much better flash options.

06-07-2013, 06:20 AM	#312
Rondec Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Gladys, Virginia Photos: Gallery Posts: 27,663	What is it people want to see in an "entry level" camera? Just a 24 megapixel sensor? Some kind of new feature that isn't present in the rest of the Pentax line up? I just don't get the disappointment. It seems like if this was flagship then it would be a problem, but honestly, I have said before and will say again that the D3200, as an entry level camera, is a waste for people who will be shooting with a kit lens. And I don't understand how a K50 "falls behind" cameras like the T3i and D5200 that it will be selling against. To me, it feels like it would be a better photographic tool.

06-07-2013, 06:26 AM	#313
normhead Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Near Algonquin Park Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 40,451	Originally posted by Rondec What is it people want to see in an "entry level" camera? Just a 24 megapixel sensor? Some kind of new feature that isn't present in the rest of the Pentax line up? I just don't get the disappointment. It seems like if this was flagship then it would be a problem, but honestly, I have said before and will say again that the D3200, as an entry level camera, is a waste for people who will be shooting with a kit lens. And I don't understand how a K50 "falls behind" cameras like the T3i and D5200 that it will be selling against. To me, it feels like it would be a better photographic tool. What? , other camera manufacturers make worse cameras than Pentax? Why haven't I heard about this on the forum before?

06-07-2013, 06:30 AM - 1 Like	#314
Rondec Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Gladys, Virginia Photos: Gallery Posts: 27,663	Originally posted by normhead What? , other camera manufacturers make worse cameras than Pentax? Why haven't I heard about this on the forum before? I know you're being sarcastic, but honestly, you can take photos that are good with any of these cameras. Some are pretty crippled in some respects. The Canon cameras I wouldn't particularly recommend unless video is your thing. But unfortunately, people buy based on specs (16 megapixels versus 18 megapixels versus 24 megapixels) and don't really look any further than that. I find it irritating when people look at my photos and first comment is "Oh, you must have a nice camera," followed by the question: "how many megapixels does it have?"

06-07-2013, 06:33 AM	#315
JinDesu Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: New York City Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,638	Originally posted by Rondec What is it people want to see in an "entry level" camera? Just a 24 megapixel sensor? Some kind of new feature that isn't present in the rest of the Pentax line up? I just don't get the disappointment. It seems like if this was flagship then it would be a problem, but honestly, I have said before and will say again that the D3200, as an entry level camera, is a waste for people who will be shooting with a kit lens. And I don't understand how a K50 "falls behind" cameras like the T3i and D5200 that it will be selling against. To me, it feels like it would be a better photographic tool. My only concern is price. Preliminary price with DAL WR 18-55 is EU699. From my initial searches, the Nikon D3200 with 18-55 MSRP was EU569 (currently EU478), the Nikon D5200 was EU839 (currently EU690), and the Canon T5i/700D was EU749 (currently EU649). So the k-50 would compare well against the D5200 and the 700D, but would still be more expensive than the D3200. On the other hand, it is at the very least equal to the D5200 in specs and has WR, so it would be proper for it to be more expensive than the D3200. The problem is that since Pentax is bringing this out behind the CaNikon's equivalents and people will start comparing the k-50's MSPR vs the current prices of the D3200/D5200/700D.