Originally posted by Adam Yeah, but there's certainly still interest in such cameras. I think the high-end market should focus on fixed lens cameras like the GR and fujis.
Yes there is a market for camera's like this large zooms. But on this one they focussed on being the long zoom..... Ending up with a cheap plastic in China manufactured camera. The camera has the same weight as the X-5 but twice as long zoomlens. That can't bring the same IQ.
Originally posted by lytrytyr I happened to be in a major tourist area recently. Among all the Canons and Nikons, and a few Sonys, I only spotted three Pentaxes, and they were all X5s!
Great.
Originally posted by K David FWIW, I see cameras like the X-5 being used by people more often than DSLRs. I think people like having DSLR-like use and IQ without having the temptation of multiple lenses. The Sony ones are particularly popular in my area with Canon's being a close second.
Yes but then you also have to bring some IQ.
Originally posted by Uluru Don't judge the camera by the likelihood of its appeal to you. This is a super cheap budget model to be sold by truckloads and is made to remind people of a brand name of Pentax next time they intend to buy something more serious. Pentax absolutely needs such toys. MX-1 was another one.
I know that there is a market for bridge camera's. That's also in my report of my meeting with two reps from Ricoh Imaging:
ricoh-imaging-europe-s-s-report-meeting but then you also have to think about the product you bring to the market.
You also have to think about the way you want to put your brand in the market. The x-5 was as the x70 and x90 cheap bridge camera's. The x90 was in a group review:
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/Q110superzoomgroup/ and did not stand out in any category. It was middle off the road on daylight IQ, bottom off the class in low light (actually that thing was horrible) and middle off the road in flash. That is in no way advertising your brand.
I looked at things and the direction we probably all feel that Pentax/Ricoh Imaging should move. And gues what, there is not a lot of competition:
Thing the next bridge should be:
- AW designated, so wheater sealing.
- Hi Image Quality, so a larger sensor, lets put the sensor from MX-1/Q7 in it. That is way better then those small sensors. Offcouse with RAW.
- The triangle off trade offs: good zoomrange | fast lens | not to heavy.
- Bringing a zoomlens from 24-28mm up to 300-400mm with a fast aperture on the wide side off f2.0-f2.8 and on the teleside f4-f4.5. Anything slower then that brings you right into dffraction limits and won't deliver hi enough IQ.
- fast processing so these things are not slow as hell, so reuse the PRIME M, it is in the company.
- long battery live, so lets use the D-Li109, so people who buy the camera can upgrade to K-50 (or those who have the K-50 can easily go into the travelzoom).
Yes that camera is more expensive, but it doesn't need to be the cheapest in class either. A bridge with those specs and a 27-378mm f2.8-4.0 (14x zoom) would make a great holiday camera that actually will give you images to put in your holiday photobook.