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06-14-2013, 10:57 AM - 1 Like   #1
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Pentax K-500 Specs Confirmed by Pentax (viewfinder, batteries, etc.)

At the Pentax HQ in Tokyo, today my journalist Albert learned the following about the new entry-level Pentax K-500:

1. It does not have illuminated AF points in the viewfinder
2. It does not have the electronic level
3. It will not be sold in Japan
4. Depending on the market, it will ship with either the AA battery holder or a Li-ion battery, though all cameras will be compatible with both. The US market will get AA holder, while the European market will get the rechargeable batteries.




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06-14-2013, 11:19 AM   #2
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Strange camera..
06-14-2013, 11:21 AM   #3
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Indeed... what's the point of it?
06-14-2013, 11:22 AM   #4
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QuoteOriginally posted by mrNewt Quote
Indeed... what's the point of it?
Entry-level. Pentax hasn't had one since the K-r, and with the K-500, they're undercutting both Canon's SL-1 and Nikon's D3200.


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06-14-2013, 11:25 AM   #5
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Adam,

Thanks for putting these issues to bed. Now we can move on with genuine information about the new line-up.
06-14-2013, 11:31 AM   #6
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Not only undercutting the SL1 and D3200 in price, but overtaking them in specs.
06-14-2013, 11:35 AM   #7
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I don't get the no one AF point illumination thing. I've played around with Canikon entry level DSLRs and I can swear they've got AF points.

And are they really saving that much in manufacturing costs by leaving out 11 LEDs? Seems like they're leaving them out to make the entry level customer suffer more than anything.

06-14-2013, 11:43 AM - 1 Like   #8
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QuoteOriginally posted by geomez Quote
I don't get the no one AF point illumination thing. I've played around with Canikon entry level DSLRs and I can swear they've got AF points.

And are they really saving that much in manufacturing costs by leaving out 11 LEDs? Seems like they're leaving them out to make the entry level customer suffer more than anything.
What makes everyone think its a manufacturing cost savings that is driving this? I've seen that question in half-a-dozen posts. Pentax is differentiating the K-500 from the K-50 trying to drive purchases of the K-50 instead of the K-500, or as an upgrade once someone owns K mount lenses.
06-14-2013, 11:47 AM   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by Docrwm Quote
What makes everyone think its a manufacturing cost savings that is driving this? I've seen that question in half-a-dozen posts. Pentax is differentiating the K-500 from the K-50 trying to drive purchases of the K-50 instead of the K-500, or as an upgrade once someone owns K mount lenses.
make K-500 with 1 control dial and pentamirror and you can get USD400 for body.
AF LED costs 1 USD.
06-14-2013, 11:50 AM   #10
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QuoteOriginally posted by Adam Quote
4. Depending on the market, it will ship with either the AA battery holder or a Li-ion battery, though all cameras will be compatible with both. The US market will get AA holder, while the European market will get the rechargeable batteries.
It seems to vary in Europe. France and Germany seems to get li-ion battery, but FI UK and Sweden seems to get AA.

With missing AF point indicators, it pretty much mean that only center point can be used if wanting some control over AF. I hoped Pentax had learned the lesson on how to avoid screwing up a camera for getting bad reviews. On K-m and K.-x, they at least had a reason for removing AF point indicators (making the prism housing smaller).
06-14-2013, 11:51 AM   #11
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QuoteOriginally posted by Adam Quote
Entry-level. Pentax hasn't had one since the K-r, and with the K-500, they're undercutting both Canon's SL-1 and Nikon's D3200.
D3200 is very good machine for entry-level. Not much worse than K-500.
06-14-2013, 11:52 AM   #12
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QuoteOriginally posted by ogl Quote
make K-500 with 1 control dial and pentamirror and you can get USD400 for body.
AF LED costs 1 USD.
They have beaten the competition on most specs at a lower price and the K-x was one of their best hits in recent years, without AF points. This clearly differentiates the 500 from the 50, even for newbies and big box retail sales people.
06-14-2013, 11:56 AM - 1 Like   #13
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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.
06-14-2013, 12:00 PM   #14
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I don't really get your point ogl. Most people i know doesn't give a rats arse about upgrade path when it comes to the camera itself. As long as they can get a few cheap zoom lenses (like DA 55-300, or Sigma 18-200) they are happy. After some years they buy the new model in the same price bracket.
06-14-2013, 12:02 PM   #15
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QuoteOriginally posted by ogl Quote
D3200 is very good machine for entry-level. Not much worse than K-500.
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.
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