[Adam]

K-500 wlll be on shelves of photo stores without any good sales. And it will share K110D fate. Quick disappearance.
This camera has no any sense (and K-50 too) without new high-end camera in the line.

I don't agree. The majority of each manufacturer's sales volume comes from consumer-level products, not high-end or flagship DSLRs. Sure, the pro gear is what gets companies recognized, but the bottom line is that most people don't have $1k+ to spend on cameras, nor do they want to.

Adam
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[IchabodCrane]

I fully understand the objective of differentiating the K-50 from the K-500 but the lack of AF confirmation lights is a mistake, IMHO. You differentiate with optional features (such as weather sealing, electronic level, no Li-ion battery). You don't differentiate with what most buyers might now consider to be an essential feature. Considering even mobile phones indicate the focus point now, not to mention every DSLR I can think of, it's hard to classify the focus confirmation lights as something other than essential.

[monochrome]

make K-500 with 1 control dial and pentamirror and you can get USD400 for body. AF LED costs 1 USD.

IIRC Pentax stated at CP+ (or somewhere) earlier this year they had committed to 100% OVF for all camera bodies as a brand-distinguishing feature. Dual wheels serves a similar purpose.

We otten hear Pentax needs to be different - then when Pentax makes a business or product decision that makes them different we complain because they're not the same.

My wife would be a customer for a K500. She currently uses a Q / 02 and an Optio A40. Both have a single AF square she can point at her subject, as well as the option to use tracking AF or facial recognition off-center.

She won't turn those options on because they confuse her. All she wants is focus confirmation.

If I were choosing between the two I would opt for a K-50 for the LED's (but then I'd opt for a K5IIs anyway for the complete feature set and 14-bit RAW).

[geomez]

If I knew little about dslrs, and was making the jump from point & shoot, and was comparing models, the debate over pentaprisms, viewable percentages, and multiplication factors would mean NOTHING to me. But if one camera let's me know what I'm focusing on and one does not, I know what that means. That's a big deal. That's something my five year old, hand-me-down point & shoot and my camera phone can do. How is this an upgrade worth $500 if your taking away features I already reply on with my piece of junk camera?

^ That will happen.

[froeschle]

At the Pentax HQ in Tokyo, today my journalist Albert

... should have asked, whether the next APS-C "K-3" will finally feature an aperture coupler : https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-dslr-discussion/200075-pentax-rico...-petition.html

.. and tomorrow should insist that they should offer their FF-pre-production model at once!
If they pretend that there is no such item ... just call them liars ... and record their reactions .

[starbase218]

I fully understand the objective of differentiating the K-50 from the K-500 but the lack of AF confirmation lights is a mistake, IMHO. You differentiate with optional features (such as weather sealing, electronic level, no Li-ion battery). You don't differentiate with what most buyers might now consider to be an essential feature. Considering even mobile phones indicate the focus point now, not to mention every DSLR I can think of, it's hard to classify the focus confirmation lights as something other than essential.

Fully agree. It's stupid to leave them out. Drop the fps, drop the max shutter speed, leave out the stereo mike. But no visible AF points? So I have to guess where it's focusing?

I'm really baffled by this decision. They put it back in the K-r after feedback on the K-x. Why make the same mistake again?

Anyhow, the K-50 is much cooler anyway. The name sounds so much better: K10, K20, K-30, K-50. It has weather sealing, color options, etc etc.

[einstrigger]

Eww...reminds me of my old K-x with no illuminated points. Fine during the day, but not so good for night or low light shots when you're framing in the dark. Not sure why they went this direction when the K-r had illuminated points (in addition to all the competition i.e. Canon SL1, Nikon D3200, etc.)

[jswilson64]

and the K-x was one of their best hits in recent years, without AF points.

Which was replaced on the entry-level rung of the Pentax ladder by the K-r, which DID have AF points. If I had had it to do all over again, I probably would have bought the K-r over the K-x I bought on closeout. I've had enough maddening "why isn't that in focus!" moments that the price difference would have been worth it.

[geomez]

Are they gonna leave out the contrast detection AF points in Live View for the sake of consistency?

[Docrwm]

Which was replaced on the entry-level rung of the Pentax ladder by the K-r, which DID have AF points. If I had had it to do all over again, I probably would have bought the K-r over the K-x I bought on closeout. I've had enough maddening "why isn't that in focus!" moments that the price difference would have been worth it.

Funny, I had each and kept the K-x and sold the K-r. Just goes to show you that we're not all alike.

[Docrwm]

I don't agree. The majority of each manufacturer's sales volume comes from consumer-level products, not high-end or flagship DSLRs. Sure, the pro gear is what gets companies recognized, but the bottom line is that most people don't have $1k+ to spend on cameras, nor to the want to.

Absolutely. The actual data, not just opinions, is that over 70% of camera sales are between $499-1000. The high end FF cameras, depending on how you count them, account for 3-6% of sales. Pentax has a $400ish, a $500ish, and a $900ish dSLR in the lineup now. That is the biggest share of dSLR sales to non-enthusiasts and the main meat& potatoes for profit.

[ruggiex]

Hmm lacking AF confirmation dot could really confuse people, especially beginners who buys the entry level cameras. I'm not sure if it's really such a great idea when their goal is to expand the market. I mean I dealt with it on K-x but I pretty much had limited myself to use center only but eventually got fed up with it. I wish they had found something else to gimp.

[ogl]

D3200 got a very small 0,8x 95% pentamirror OVF, only 12800 ISO and slow 4 FPS. Even 4 year old Pentax K-x was better than that.

Canon 1100D is the best seller. With price 350 USD for body and 430 USD for kit.

If Pentax is so good, why DSLR market share of Pentax is not above 5%.
It means - 95 customers will choose Canon, Nikon or Sony. And only 5 - Pentax.

[ogl]

Absolutely. The actual data, not just opinions, is that over 70% of camera sales are between $499-1000. The high end FF cameras, depending on how you count them, account for 3-6% of sales. Pentax has a $400ish, a $500ish, and a $900ish dSLR in the lineup now. That is the biggest share of dSLR sales to non-enthusiasts and the main meat& potatoes for profit.

You already got the answer from Falk Lumo to this post. Try to remember it.

[audiobomber]

According to the Pentax spec page, the both K-500 and K-50 have AF Adjust. Impressive.