[thibs]

And the 1" CX sensor which Nikon uses.

The Q is a terrible seller being at the very bottom of mirrorless sales anywhere I can find. P&S sensors are a liability in the smartphone era.

Whatever... if the Q brings money when others bleed money, the Q is a better deal from Ricoh's perspective.
Marketshare has a lot less importance they most of us would like it to (not that it has none).

---------- Post added 11-08-14 at 11:56 ----------

The weird thing is that it's mostly software tweaks that could make Pentax competitive. Nikon uses pretty much the same hardware and gets better results. Sony too, though their processor is a better one, giving them a nice advantage.

Do they? AFAICT they only thing in common between Nikon and Pentax is the Fujitsu Milbeaut chipset and sensor and I don't see how someone could state Nikon gets better results from those two.
Actually Pentax usually gets better results than the others.

[konraDarnok]

A new K-mount mirrorless APS-c with a viewfinder, flip-out rear screen, and a hybrid contrast detect / SR based phase detect AF system. It also shouldn't be crippled in anyway -- like the K-01 was with no on-board wireless flash, etc.

[kadajawi]

Whatever... if the Q brings money when others bleed money, the Q is a better deal from Ricoh's perspective.
Marketshare has a lot less importance they most of us would like it to (not that it has none).

---------- Post added 11-08-14 at 11:56 ----------



Do they? AFAICT they only thing in common between Nikon and Pentax is the Fujitsu Milbeaut chipset and sensor and I don't see how someone could state Nikon gets better results from those two.
Actually Pentax usually gets better results than the others.

In stills, yes, Pentax is probably better. Video however is different IMHO. For example Nikon does have clean HDMI, and they do some nifty pixel binning AFAIK. Also useful picture styles for video. Not sure if they have higher bitrates too... higher frame rates yes. In any case, could Pentax at least bring the K-3 to the level of the K-5? Please? Or has the updated Milbeaut processor lost the ability to shoot MJPEG? Essentially 25-30 small JPEGs a second... for 4K timelapse it uses MJPEG. And that shake reduction works can be seen when you set the camera to live view in stills mode. Also that the whole frame can be recorded, rather than a crop.


I wouldn't cut all the old crusties, but I would _add_ younger employees. Perhaps snatch a few from Nokia for computational photography? And hire video guys, for example some of the Magic Lantern team. It's amazing what they can do without proper access to source code etc., imagine what they could do with full access and perhaps some control over the hardware that goes into the cameras!


SR based AF system? You mean PD? Basically you're asking for a DSLT?


I think a mirrorless Pentax should not be K mount. It should be very compatible to it, as in have the same mount, but with a much shorter flange distance. An adapter could then retain _full_ functionality at a low cost, with the added bonus of being able to use smaller lenses meant for mFT, or lenses meant for other systems. People can mix and match however they like it.

[Alizarine]

Pentax appears to be leading it three of five formats at the moment.
Why are people convinced they haven't got it right?

Leading in terms of development, but lacking in terms of sales (and other things e.g. support). Somewhere, there must be something they're not doing really right...

I wouldn't cut all the old crusties, but I would _add_ younger employees. Perhaps snatch a few from Nokia for computational photography? And hire video guys, for example some of the Magic Lantern team. It's amazing what they can do without proper access to source code etc., imagine what they could do with full access and perhaps some control over the hardware that goes into the cameras!

If those guys can develop a technology similar to PureView for mobile, it can present a good, if not great, improvement especially for the GR (given it has only a single focal length like mobile phone cams). But I do agree, fresh perspective combined with those with years of experience in optics will make for an awesome combination for R&D.

[Jonathan Mac]

Pentax needs to concentrate on APS-C. It needs new versions of all the DA* lenses (with more reliable and faster AF) and it needs faster primes at equivalent traditional focal lengths, like the ones that Fuji are bringing out.

It also needs to un-cripple the K-mount on all future models to make all the pre-A manual lenses easier to use and thereby make the best of that vast number of lenses to sell more cameras, even if it means a few lost sales of new lenses.

[Mistral75]

Interchangeable lens digital cameras come in different formats.
Q, 4/3rd, APS-C, 35mm, MF
Pentax appears to be leading it three of five formats at the moment.
(...)

And the 1" CX sensor which Nikon uses.

(..)

Indeed, do not forget the MILCs with 1" sensor: Nikon One (Aptina sensors) and Samsung NX Mini (Sony sensor).

[clackers]

Seeing as the DA*200 is really a retooled FA*200 I fail to see why Pentax (Ricoh) can't rejig some of the lenses from their previous FF film range. Surely they have the means to update that range of lenses?

They're okay for primes.

The missing lenses include 24-70 and 70-200 professional level zooms.

[Mistral75]

They're okay for primes.

The missing lenses include 24-70 and 70-200 professional level zooms.

And f/4 zooms as well, for those who do not want to spend $/€2,000+ in a zoom lens.

[Na Horuk]

What I would be interested in is Pentax moving away from Sony sensors. Lets see something different. Maybe a low res CMOS for live view and video (same resolution as the LCD screen) and high-end CCD for photos (Pentax has patents for this type of technology, I think, as do some other companies).
The Q needs some more primes and maybe a really fast lens, faster than f1.8. These could be simple designs, no need to reinvent the wheel with incredibly complex optics for the Q.
The DSLR lens lineup needs primes between 21mm and 31mm, the FA (limiteds, but also the 35mm f2 and 50mm f1.4) need HD coatings, QS, and WR. Pentax needs 85mm and 135mm lenses (even though the 50-135mm f2.8 lens covers this range quite nicely).
The Pentax movie mode needs to be improved (or some would even say "fixed"). Bonus points for 4k and raw
Focus peaking can be improved (to allow changing colour and sensitivity for uwa and slow lenses)
Pentax can make another K-mount mirrorless, bonus points if its WR.
Add some type of cooling to the cameras - this would make them much more useful in hot climates, improve performance and possibly even image quality (less noise?).
Tilt screens would be welcome, at least in some models if not the whole lineup.
And tethering /connectivity! People would appreciate being able to connect their camera to a laptop, a tablet, a smartphone. No need for wireless and all that jazz, just allow quick and easy transfer from camera to other devices (photos, movies, and live view feed). The IR connectivity of the previous models was a good idea, but IR is no longer "the next tech" - now its all about wireless
Easy features like using SR to shift the sensor a little and bracket three shots to make one with 3x the resolution, or taking a photo where different parts of the sensor use different ISO, thus making a lower MP photo with very high DR (true HDR, without bracketing and processing nonsense). There are a lot of good ideas for innovative new features floating around online. The Canon hack (CHDK, Magic Lantern) shows that many such features can be added to existing technology quite easily. If Pentax does it from the get-go, it would be a huge advantage over the other brands.
Oh, and lower the prices in Europe (and USA for certain lenses, too)

And I say all this as someone who likes Pentax. There is just so much that could be done at a relatively low cost to massively improve the products. And there are so many bigger projects that could be done, as well, like adding to the lens lineup

[kadajawi]

What I would be interested in is Pentax moving away from Sony sensors. Lets see something different. Maybe a low res CMOS for live view and video (same resolution as the LCD screen) and high-end CCD for photos (Pentax has patents for this type of technology, I think, as do some other companies).
The Q needs some more primes and maybe a really fast lens, faster than f1.8. These could be simple designs, no need to reinvent the wheel with incredibly complex optics for the Q.
The DSLR lens lineup needs primes between 21mm and 31mm, the FA limiteds need HD coatings, QS, and WR.
The Pentax movie mode needs to be improved (or some would even say "fixed"). Bonus points for 4k and raw
Focus peaking can be improved (to allow changing colour and sensitivity for uwa and slow lenses)
Pentax can make another K-mount mirrorless, bonus points if its WR.
Add some type of cooling to the cameras - this would make them much more useful in hot climates, improve performance and possibly even image quality (less noise?).
Tilt screens would be welcome, at least in some models if not the whole lineup.
And tethering /connectivity! People would appreciate being able to connect their camera to a laptop, a tablet, a smartphone. No need for wireless and all that jazz, just allow quick and easy transfer from camera to other devices (photos, movies, and live view feed). The IR connectivity of the previous models was a good idea, but IR is no longer "the next tech" - now its all about wireless
Easy features like using SR to shift the sensor a little and bracket three shots to make one with 3x the resolution, or taking a photo where different parts of the sensor use different ISO, thus making a lower MP photo with very high DR (true HDR, without bracketing and processing nonsense). There are a lot of good ideas for innovative new features floating around online. The Canon hack (CHDK, Magic Lantern) shows that many such features can be added to existing technology quite easily. If Pentax does it from the get-go, it would be a huge advantage over the other brands.

And I say all this as someone who likes Pentax. There is just so much that could be done at a relatively low cost to massively improve the products

CMOS sensors are bad for video. CCD are better. At least when it comes to rolling shutter. Also, 2 sensors in a camera?



Focus peaking could be enabled WHILE recording video. That's the time when I'd need it the most... and the one time when it doesn't work.


Cooling the camera... well, that would be nice for video, but how to deal with the shake reduction? Have a fan cool down the sensor? What about dust then? And noise, perhaps?


Tethering... see my wall of text in my first posting. Just create an API that can be accessed wirelessly or wired, that gives access to everything the camera can, including movement of the sensor. And then hope that developers will create some kick-ass software to do all sorts of crazy stuff.

[Kunzite]

What I would be interested in is Pentax moving away from Sony sensors.

Moving away from the best sensors on the market?

Pentax should get a minimalist full frame mirrorless out as quickly as possible.

[Na Horuk]

Also, 2 sensors in a camera?

Yep, two sensors in one camera. This is what the patent that I mentioned was about. Why use the 16MP or 24MP sensor for the tiny live view screen? Just exposing it to dust and heating it up for nothing. These days a tiny, flat smartphone has GPS, Wifi, Bluetooth, movement sensors, two cameras, many speakers and microphones, LED lights, high quality LCD screen (with low reflection, and can even be read with polarized glasses), for a pretty affordable price. Why would a camera with two specialized sensors be so outrageous? It could solve a lot of problems, remove compromises and deliver better live view as well as photos

Cooling the camera...

No idea, am not an engineer. Fans directed at the sensor might be a bad idea, but there are other methods. Heatsinks, with fans that don't blow into the mirror box at all, some sort of circulation, etc.

Moving away from the best sensors on the market?

Not sure they are "the best", though they may be pretty good and fairly affordable. I'm just saying. With film, you can choose which type you want - for B&W, for portraits, for nature, for dynamic range, for grain.. choose the film that best fits your needs. With digital sensors, its it is as if the sensor is perfect and objective - but it isnt! It still has all of its properties and biases, we just take them for granted. A different type or brand of sensor could produce photos with different properties. Lots of people prefer the colours of older CCD sensors. Foveon sensors produce some nice photos, too (but they have many limitations, I know). I think it is wrong to assume that Sony sensors are the only (or best) option

[boriscleto]

They're okay for primes.

The missing lenses include 24-70 and 70-200 professional level zooms.

Those are full frame lenses. Pentax has the 16-50 and 50-135.

[mee]

Perhaps the Admins should amend the name of this forum to 'New, Rumors, and Gossip' because most of the threads in here are not News or Rumors..