[D1N0]

Funny, I feel you're somewhat conservative in your K-S1evaluation

absolutely, but it is the right kind of conservatism

[ElJamoquio]

The chief reason i would want a FF camera is the advertised 1 stop of light advantage. But if you can get there with a BSI sensor, formerly limited to 1" or smaller sensors, than that would seem to breathe new life into aps size cameras, would it not?

There would be a small improvement with backside illumination. It would NOT be one stop. Right now there are microlenses on the tops of sensors to get the light around the wiring, so the improvement of BSI is small, certainly not the over-a-stop improvement of the larger sensor size.

[kadajawi]

Probably not a using a K-S1 in those applications. Pentax seems to have decided for the time being the O-FC1 is their solution for remote operation and the new 645Z tethering software for professional.

They strongly guard their API and don't seem to want to publish an SDK, no matter what people think. I assume they want to retain control. They talked extensively to Apple and Google, but weren't prepared to submit to their will.

Correct I think about the initial K-S1 price, but that will drop fairly rapidly to a clearing level.

I use Wi-Fi exclusively on Q7 (Eye-Fi card), which is fine for the single selected file but it is actually quite slow for moving a day's worth of files to laptop. I have transferred to a device for posting literally only three times.

If a hinged screen was on the camera I would use it from time to time (shooting over head or low level) but the rest of the time the frame would annoy me unless it was perfectly flush and didn't make the body thicker.

Fair enough for the journalist, but using a phone as a viewfinder (and without having to invest in a certain memory card, which may be too slow or small for example for your liking, besides my K-5 has killed 2 or 3 memory cards since I owned the K-5, so I wouldn't want to use expensive memory cards) or using Instagram or Facebook would certainly be within what a K-S1 customer, as envisioned by Pentax, might want to use.


Besides, why doesn't the K-3 have those capabilities?


Not having an API might bite back... I hope it will. Pentax wouldn't be the first company ruined by poor decisions.


WiFi is too slow in card form... you'd need to have at least n or better yet ac in the camera, and I highly doubt a memory card can do it. Those memory cards can't even do 1 MB/s from what I heard, so really it's quite useless. The WiFi in my phone is much faster.


My concern with a hinged screen would be reliability/robustness, and yes, size too. But I am often wishing I had one on my K-5, especially when I want to shoot from a lower level. It doesn't have to be one that is very flexible. The ability to shoot from above or below would be enough for me.


Fair enough about the microlenses... we'll have to see how much of a difference it will really make. The camera is supposed to come out next month, so hopefully we'll see then.

[monochrome]

Besides, why doesn't the K-3 have those capabilities?

??? O-FC1 doesn't work for for remote operation and studio viewing with a K-3?

Cabled tethering to a laptop - only just now coming available for 645Z. We'll see if it is FW upgradeable to K-3 or available on a K-3II.

Hinged LCD - learned from the MX-1; used on 645Z; maybe on the next flagship cameras - we'll see.

So many of there features might be dependent on third-party component suppliers. Who really knows what intermediate assemblies Ricoh manufactures and what they buy and assemble. Decisions might have been made long ago.

It is apparent from the recent interviews that Ricoh chooses to ignore certain consumer 'needs' that many posters on this Forum consider necessary to compete effectively. Perhaps small and tough can't be rectified with Wi-Fi and hinged at a cost-competitive price. You have to choose the brand that has features that are important to you - and sacrifice the ones that aren't.

[thibs]

Samsung has invested in ASML:

http://www.asml.com/asml/show.do?ctx=5869&rid=46974

That is very nearby, about 20 minute drive by car for me. They are leading in wafertechnology. Over the past years there was an investment agreement and also Samsung joint in with EURO 779 million in R&D and shares. I think that new sensor technic is coming from the latest generation wafertechnic. Samsung has a huge plant with all ASML wafermakers.

Making a 28 megapixelsensor and claiming 20 megapixeldensity performance would mean a 40 % better performance noisewise. Let's see how DxO looks at that.

Most companies owning CMOS plants did at a time or another invest in ASML. So this is no surprise at all but still very interesting.

[woodenhead]

One things that makes me very pessimistic about Pentax and its apparent direction is the withdrawal of the unique and magnificent MX-1, superb in every way, especially image quality and qite unlike any other machine on the market. The pursuit of daft stunts like flashing LEDs and ridiculous SLR colour schemes are a dreadful development. Pentax has a reputation for serious camera-bullding and genuine creative innovation. It seems Ricoh are not aware of this and are dumbing-down the whole operation disastrously.

[clackers]

unique and magnificent MX-1, superb in every way, especially image quality and qite unlike any other machine on the market.

Huh? That was an Olympus XZ, wasn't it?

[thibs]

Huh? That was an Olympus XZ, wasn't it?

The optics are the same, probably built by the same OEM (although optics may be Olympus patented).
Camera is different though: firmware, no flash shoe, exterior ...

[clackers]

But not unique, Thibs.

The OP was claiming scrapping a compact camera up against the Coolpix 7800, G16 and LX was a corporate mistake.

When phones are destroying compact sales!!!

[RonHendriks1966]

One things that makes me very pessimistic about Pentax and its apparent direction is the withdrawal of the unique and magnificent MX-1, superb in every way, especially image quality and qite unlike any other machine on the market. The pursuit of daft stunts like flashing LEDs and ridiculous SLR colour schemes are a dreadful development. Pentax has a reputation for serious camera-bullding and genuine creative innovation. It seems Ricoh are not aware of this and are dumbing-down the whole operation disastrously.

No idea, but still in shops overhere. Maybe a new is coming down the road. Sales of such camera's aren't huge these days, so you make a production run and put them in stores. Takes a time and there is no new sensor in that format, but other cameramakers are moving to the bigger 1 inch sensor.

[kadajawi]

??? O-FC1 doesn't work for for remote operation and studio viewing with a K-3?

Cabled tethering to a laptop - only just now coming available for 645Z. We'll see if it is FW upgradeable to K-3 or available on a K-3II.

Hinged LCD - learned from the MX-1; used on 645Z; maybe on the next flagship cameras - we'll see.

So many of there features might be dependent on third-party component suppliers. Who really knows what intermediate assemblies Ricoh manufactures and what they buy and assemble. Decisions might have been made long ago.

It is apparent from the recent interviews that Ricoh chooses to ignore certain consumer 'needs' that many posters on this Forum consider necessary to compete effectively. Perhaps small and tough can't be rectified with Wi-Fi and hinged at a cost-competitive price. You have to choose the brand that has features that are important to you - and sacrifice the ones that aren't.

You are limited to an expensive and limited in size and speed SD card. Plus SD cards with WiFi are usually terribly slow. A proper WiFi solution (with an antenna placed somewhere where it isn't blocked by the metal frame) would be much faster and much more flexible. Also, proprietary software.


I think the main problem with hinged LCDs is ruggedness. Most more rugged cameras don't have them. A 645Z doesn't need to be particularly rugged, so it can have it, while size and robustness is more important on the K-3.


I do hope they find a solution that doesn't make it too bulky or flimsy. Again, OLED screen? They tend to be thinner and more robust...

[Mistral75]

(...)

I think the main problem with hinged LCDs is ruggedness. Most more rugged cameras don't have them. A 645Z doesn't need to be particularly rugged, so it can have it, while size and robustness is more important on the K-3.

(...)

Olympus E-3 and E-5 were at least as rugged as the K-3 and enjoyed hinged LCDs.

[monochrome]

with an antenna placed somewhere where it isn't blocked by the metal frame

I've always had a suspicion this is why they haven't done in body Wi-Fi.

[philbaum]

I've read the concern about ruggedness of hinged LCD screens. I can only conclude that people expressing this concern have not owned one. I've probably read 1000 posts on mirrorless cameras with hinged screens and have yet to read even one reporting a damaged one. The ones i've seen - i own two - have a metal hinge and are very durable indeed. My main complaint with the K3 is that is doesn't have one. I miss the ones I have on my Nex 5n and 6 when i use the K3. Would never buy another Pentax without one.

The new Nikon D750 has a hinged LCD screen. The new Pentax 645Z has a hinged LCD screen. Sony has put LCD screens on their Nex cameras at least since 2010. Even old camera companies like Nikon and Pentax apparently can learn new tricks :-)

[lytrytyr]

I've read the concern about ruggedness of hinged LCD screens. I can only conclude that people expressing this concern have not owned one. I've probably read 1000 posts on mirrorless cameras with hinged screens and have yet to read even one reporting a damaged one.

The one on my heavily used Canon A640 gave out (went blank).
So, as much as I appreciate their functionality,
I wouldn't be rushing to be an early adopter if they appeared on APS-C Pentax cameras.