[JohntheThird]

Personally i wouldn't mind if the K-50, if it is real, sells alongside the K-30. That will satisfy those who like the aggressive look of the K-30, AND those who prefer a more traditional styling.

The original internet reference dated from last weekend. It indicated "not in stock". It was removed monday morning. currently the line-up contains three different SLR's, one mirrorless, one mid-size... Looking at the specs I see no changes from K30, just different looks. This is very unlike pentax.

Honestly, I think the K50 is a hoax.

[Fogel70]

But with more wheels available, and something approaching a one-function-per-control mapping, the greater the chances are that you can program your brain and muscle memory to make a desired change without consciously thinking about it. Even when you're using a mode that doesn't use all the wheels. If you want EV comp, it's always in the same place, just grab it. No button pushing. No pausing to think about it.

This is why some people want a dedicated video button too.

I'm not sure one function per dial is better than we have now. The way I have the controls set up on my camera make all modes work the same (where possible).

P, TAv and M - Front dial = SS, Rear dial = A
Tv - Front dial = SS, Rear dial = Exp comp (A)
Av - Front dial = Exp comp (SS), Rear dial = A
B and X - Front dial = none, Rear dial = A
Sv - Front dial = P-shift, Rear dial = ISO

So in every mode (where possible) I control aperture and shutter speed with the same dial. The only difference is that I control aperture with exp comp in Av, and shutter speed with exp comp in Tv. So I control exposure in those modes just like in M or TAv (depending on if I use manual or auto ISO).
I mean, do you really need to control shutter speed and aperture differently if controlling them directly or with exp comp?

[Dr Orloff]

The original internet reference dated from last weekend. It indicated "not in stock". It was removed monday morning. currently the line-up contains three different SLR's, one mirrorless, one mid-size... Looking at the specs I see no changes from K30, just different looks. This is very unlike pentax.

Honestly, I think the K50 is a hoax.

Digit photo is a perfectly legitimate French online retailer also with a real shop. It is very difficult to see why this is anything but a genuine error in listing the K50 too early.

[G.T]

I'd tend to agree. Such errors happen from time to time. The K30 has also been erroneously listed and printed on ads from a network of retail stores, some weeks before its official availability.

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Last edited by G.T; 06-09-2013 at 06:46 AM.

[JPT]

Here's some information from Japan.

Google Translate

It gives more information about the colour variations and the Japanese release date. Recently, Japanese release dates seem to have been very close to the international shipping dates.

[Jean Poitiers]

Digit photo is a perfectly legitimate French online retailer also with a real shop. It is very difficult to see why this is anything but a genuine error in listing the K50 too early.

Agreed - I live in France and have almost bought gear from them a time or two ... they are legit and they probably made an error in listing it for sale too soon before the official announcement ... end of story, same happened with the K-30 as i remember it.

[gazonk]

Digit photo is a perfectly legitimate French online retailer also with a real shop. It is very difficult to see why this is anything but a genuine error in listing the K50 too early.

And despite the comments about "generic" design, I think the design looks well thought out.

I wouldn't be surprised if the specs turn out different, though, they may have filled in with K-30 specs where they had none for the new camera.

[JohntheThird]

I am not saying the site is flawed... It may well be a mistake.

The japanese site also refers to the French site. It shows three more pictures though, which look similar to the pictures on the French site. Is that a 18-135 lens on there? The comments on the japanese site are equally sceptical.

Another thing - why introduce a light/budget version of a kitlens that costs around 100 bucks?

[Dr Orloff]

A mistake? The products they sell come from the manufacturer, the marketing packs with images and specs in advance of the product. They could be hoaxed by a third party pretending to be the manufacturer. but it is unlikely. A mistake is pretty much impossible though.

[audiobomber]

No they actually back up my real world experience. And that experience is that with all other things being equal the K-5 produces Images that would require nearly 3 full stops less to produce on the K20D.

To claim only 1 stop difference is just nonsense Compare an image taken at ISO6400 on the K-5 and it's a huge order of magnitude better than an Image taken at ISO3200 on the K20D.

I have compared. I no longer have a K-5, but I'll tell you what. Tell me how many stops the K-01 has on the K20D. I make it one stop, same as the K-30, K-5, K-5 II and IIs. I'll start a new thread with full-resolution samples that prove you're wrong. Your equally deluded followers are welcome to participate.

Sorry to everyone else for the off-topic discussion. I will only make one more post here, to point to the new thread after Smeggypants tells me how to magically transform the K-01 DR performance into SNR performance.

[MMVIII]

Oh, the specs really seem to have been copy pasted, the weight is identical to K-30, unlikely for a body made out of another material. The multicolour versions also indicate that the body might rather be poly carbonate. A pity, but everything else would have been a surprise.

[NickLarsson]

Maybe it will have no AA filter like the K-5 IIs and the Ricoh GR.

[ogl]

Here's some information from Japan.

Google Translate

It gives more information about the colour variations and the Japanese release date. Recently, Japanese release dates seem to have been very close to the international shipping dates.

[Ratmagiclady]

I can't see my camera when I'm looking through the viewfinder

Very true. Especially the way I carry mine, sometimes I forget what he looks like from the front. (Actually I thought the K20D looked kind of weird in online photos, but the feel's just perfect and I guess the look kind of grows on you. )

Appearance of equipment has little effect on getting good photos, but there's non-negligible factors, too. (especially if you do a lot of work with people at close range. You don't want the camera to be drawing overmuch attention, appearing conspicuously in reflections, or be too too intimidating. In this regard, the K-30's prism housing's a bit of a concern cause it's kind of 'jutting out at' the subject. ) Also if you're a gal *working* at least historically I was always finding some of the boys really seeing chrome bodies as 'Did yer daddy buy you that honey' and suchlike. Probably less of a concern now, but I wouldn't want something to look too toy-like even now. It wouldn't be a deal-killer if a K-30 was the right tool that I could obtain, but other things being more or less equal, I might go with the more-sedate-looking option.

(I hope they stick with the K-5 styling a long while, actually. That just looks like a camera ought to to me. )


I'm still kind of skeptical about the whole thing, anyway, since it seems to be one source from the Internet. The point's well-taken that it *looks* like a polycarbonate body shape, (otherwise why not be more distinctive about the prism housing shape, for instance: in metal, the crisper corners would be structural, wouldn't they? )

[millarg]

If it is true? What maters to me is the date! An official announcement or the official release date. I guess an official announcement would do.
I am thinking of getting the K-30 with 18-135 in the next few weeks. I want it for a trip in July to replace my K-r and Tamron 24-135. Faster auto focus, better viewfinder and weather sealing the biggies. I would hate to pull the trigger and find out a month later that a much improved version is coming.
To buy or not to buy?

Gord