[stillshot2]

I'm excited Pentax is going to use the Sony 20mp sensor and I was impressed with it since I saw what it could do in the low budget Sony a3000: 19 picture`s A3000 & ZEISS16-70 F4 - Dyxum - Page 1

If Pentax/ Ricoh can tweak it even better then this camera will have amazing image quality. But I agree the K-S1 is not a replacement for the K50. I am really hoping they will at least release a camera that sits in K50 or K5ii territory when they are discontinued. Perhaps they will release just one camera that sits between the K50 and K5ii and consolidate their lineup? And give this camera 7 flashing led's instead of only 5?

[boriscleto]

I'm excited Pentax is going to use the Sony 20mp sensor and I was impressed with it since I saw what it could do in the low budget Sony a3000: 19 picture`s A3000 & ZEISS16-70 F4 - Dyxum - Page 1

Speaking of the A3000, I've started to see them show up on Shopgoodwill.com.

[pentaxian_tmb]

I hope it works as well...wasn't knocking the camera...just the add. Must mean I am old

[monochrome]

We say, "PentaxIsDoomed™! Do something!!" We say, "Get new markets and new buyers - expand K-mount - sell more cameras (except K-01, that suxxxxxx) - make more money!!" So they give us colors and Q7 and Q-S1 and we complain. We say, "Don't be Canon and Nikon. We already have Canon and Nikon." so they do something truly different to appeal to new buyers, that isn't full of (supposed) faults like the K-01 and we weep and wail and gnash our teeth becasue it isn't . . . . . . I don't know, whatever everybody says they wanted that it isn't.

I's a real camera. They'll sell plenty in Asia. Not so sure about the USA but I think they'll make money on it. I think Ricoh is saying, "Who says a camera has to look like a K-3? It can do the same things and look like something else, in colors, with flashing lights and an innovation in the interface (and by the way, you got your K-3, so shut up)."

I think you already know what I recommend for the next model designation. Wouldn't it be funny to learn that was the internal development designation?

[stillshot2]

Speaking of the A3000, I've started to see them show up on Shopgoodwill.com.

Never said the a3000 was good, just its sensor.

[narual]

So they've hired someone with a background in design...ing car stereos?

[johnmflores]

"The specs of the camera are more impressive than the ergonomics. We like the large optical viewfinder and backlit mode dial, though the latter is rough on your thumb. The four-way controller is poorly designed, and the grip is small and slippery. The LED lights on the grip are more style than substance, but at least you can turn them off.

The biggest issue we have with the K-S1 is figuring out its target audience. Its design (including those LEDs) makes it stand out in the crowd, but the biggest selling points should be what's inside. The K-S1's closest competitors are the Canon SL1 (EOS 100D) and Nikon D3300, both of which have lower MSRPs (not to mention street prices) and are equally capable. An even bigger question is why one would buy the K-S1 when Pentax's own K-50 is weather-sealed and less expensive."

Hands-on with the Pentax K-S1: Digital Photography Review

The target market for this camera are having their opinions shaped by websites like Uncrate and Tested. DPReview is a website that their dad reads.

[JimC1101]

I watched the promotional video and I'm sad. Pentax/Ricoh had better be coming out with a mid-range and/or a professional DSLR...and they'd better look like cameras and not be marketed toward kids who party all the time!

I don't think people understand. Pentax is looking to increase market share which will equate to $'s which equates to revenue to release more products, a majority of which will be focused on youth, which will equate to market share...and so on and so one. It is easy to see why they are doing this and it is actually smart. Look, they are not looking to turn a seasoned photographer to move to Pentax, they are looking to focus on the cutesy cameras that will hit the kids, who will then buy into the Pentax system who will be into the Pentax line long term just as their grandfathers have done for years. If it was my money and I wanted to increase market share and revenue, I would not think " ok, I will focus on the older photographers in the 40 plus age group and try to convert them". No, if it was me, I would focus on just as they are doing now, focus on the kids and youth, and then reap the profits from it to produce more sophisticated (no LED's) camera that a pro would want to use. Who knows, that 20 something kid who bought a K-S1 because it looked different and cool, may grow up to be a 30 or 40 something saying he wants to get a FF camera and Pentax will be his first choice.:O


Just how I see it but I could be wrong.

[monochrome]

So they've hired someone with a background in design...ing car stereos?

So my 24 year old daughter drives a silver mid-range KIA Soul with a racing stripe and flashing LED speaker surrounds that change colors according to something or other and a day-glo orange media center display and hound's tooth fabric seat inserts and all kinds of bluetooth connectivity and plugs and holders and cable jacks. She picked it out and bought it herself and paid $17,xxx.

If I had bought her a car as a gift I would have given her a black Honda CRV with a garage door opener and a backup camera. For $25,000.

She takes pictures with a iPhone.

[DennisH]

Who knows, that 20 something kid who bought a K-S1 because it looked different and cool, may grow up to be a 30 or 40 something saying he wants to get a FF camera and Pentax will be his first choice.:O

And he'll be eagerly awaiting the announcement at the 2034 Photokina.

[Kharan]

And yet, here you are, doing just that.

The lights actually have functions, and you can turn them off if you like. So what's the problem?

Really, you want the same quality as Canon's low-end models with their thin, creaky plastic? Not all of us are so weak that a couple ounces makes a difference. And gee, if you want image stabilization, with Canon you can only buy IS lenses, unlike Pentax where every lens benefits from IBIS. And some of those "cheap" cheap Canon lenses are really cheap... as in, fall-apart-in-a-year-or-two cheap. Since you're so keen on AA compatibility, where is it with Canon & Nikon? And 24mp vs 20? Really, that's important to you? And this announcement is about the K-S1, not lenses. How many "sealed, affordable" primes does Nikon have? And how many are stabilized? And how many lenses can't you use in AF on Nikon because their entry-level camera doesn't include an AF motor?

All camera systems have trade-offs, so if you don't like Pentax, get something else.

I had written a huge reply to your condescending answer, but I'll summarize it:

A) I love my K-30. I went to Iguazu Falls with it this year, and it performed admirably under very adverse conditions. I've shot in dust storms with it, too. Am I somehow 'wrong' or 'impure' in your fanatical view to wish for a similar, yet lighter and more compact alternative (that's not from Olympus because I've no chemistry with their cameras)? Why couldn't the K-S1 be lighter? And if not lighter, at least have WR? From the rest of the specs, it's not like it'll compete against a K-50 successor.

B) Pentax as a system has (right now) precious few advantages left, and in an extremely competitive and declining market, other players are starting to encroach upon those as well. Ricoh needs to start upping their game NOW, not for Photokina 2016 or whatever. They either have to provide silent AF, or better zooms, or a truly full range of WR lenses. Even better, all of the above. It's not acceptable to sell a DA 35mm f/2.4 at ~$170 anymore, not when the sealed DX 35mm f/1.8G sells for less than $200, and has pretty much all of the attributes that would make it killer on a Pentax body. There's also no WR wide angle zoom alternative, or WR limiteds. This is, in my view, long-term suicide, should it continue.

C) See those (presumably spoiled) brats dancing around the pool in the ad? I don't believe for a second that they'd buy a camera without a touchscreen. Seriously, do you think they'd buy a cell phone without one? A smartwatch? Heck, even PCs are adopting them. Ricoh is trying to become like Samsung or Sony with this camera, except they're doing it wrong (hence the Christmas lights criticism). Also, the camera isn't WR, so they have no GoPro-like credentials there. Worse, the ad is misleading, since the SAFOX IXi falls apart in very dark settings, and I speak from experience.

TL;DR version: I think Ricoh is charging an awful lot of money for a poorly designed and specced product, and I do believe it'll blatantly miss the mark. The fact that it has no WR is STUPID. Ricoh should learn from Subaru, who started fitting all their cars (in the West at least) with AWD because in customers' minds Subaru=AWD. Also, the kit lens is a disgrace. And the ad, while nice, is bound to cause heaps of disappointment. They need to improve the lens lineup too, ASAP.

But if you're interested in this camera and want one, I really hope you enjoy it and get the most out of it I just want to see an awesome K-50 successor to spend my money on, and I'm afraid the K-S1 doesn't bode well for my desires.

PM: And it doesn't have WiFi! A FluCard, really!? That's not gonna fly with the super hot crowd in the ad, let me tell you >_<

[monochrome]

PM: And it doesn't have WiFi! A FluCard, really!? That's not gonna fly with the super hot crowd in the ad, let me tell you >_<

Why are you here? Why do you (DO you?) have a Pentax?

Not snark - I want to know.

[6BQ5]

The views shown on DP Review are interesting. It really comes across that Ricoh lopped off the entire left hand side of the camera. There is almost nothing there. All you have is a mount, a screen, a VF, and a grip. Impressive!

The price, however, is very high for what it is. There will be some earlier adopters and then Ricoh will try to catch other buyers as the price falls every 3-5 months. They may also be pricing it higher on purpose to help sales of the K-50. People will probably see it as a bargain and start snapping them up. When supply is dry then sales of the K-S1 may pick up too.

[ElJamoquio]

749US$ !!!. Not cheap at all. Way above anyone expectation. But who knows, maybe is a mistake, like the 102,800 ISO from the same text..

WOW.

Well heck it might be the best camera since ever. But it seems like, at that price, it's crowding the K-3.

[luftfluss]

I had written a huge reply to your condescending answer, but I'll summarize it:

A) I love my K-30. I went to Iguazu Falls with it this year, and it performed admirably under very adverse conditions. I've shot in dust storms with it, too. Am I somehow 'wrong' or 'impure' in your fanatical view to wish for a similar, yet lighter and more compact alternative (that's not from Olympus because I've no chemistry with their cameras)? Why couldn't the K-S1 be lighter? And if not lighter, at least have WR? From the rest of the specs, it's not like it'll compete against a K-50 successor.

B) Pentax as a system has (right now) precious few advantages left, and in an extremely competitive and declining market, other players are starting to encroach upon those as well. Ricoh needs to start upping their game NOW, not for Photokina 2016 or whatever. They either have to provide silent AF, or better zooms, or a truly full range of WR lenses. Even better, all of the above. It's not acceptable to sell a DA 35mm f/2.4 at ~$170 anymore, not when the sealed DX 35mm f/1.8G sells for less than $200, and has pretty much all of the attributes that would make it killer on a Pentax body. There's also no WR wide angle zoom alternative, or WR limiteds. This is, in my view, long-term suicide, should it continue.

C) See those (presumably spoiled) brats dancing around the pool in the ad? I don't believe for a second that they'd buy a camera without a touchscreen. Seriously, do you think they'd buy a cell phone without one? A smartwatch? Heck, even PCs are adopting them. Ricoh is trying to become like Samsung or Sony with this camera, except they're doing it wrong (hence the Christmas lights criticism). Also, the camera isn't WR, so they have no GoPro-like credentials there. Worse, the ad is misleading, since the SAFOX IXi falls apart in very dark settings, and I speak from experience.

TL;DR version: I think Ricoh is charging an awful lot of money for a poorly designed and specced product, and I do believe it'll blatantly miss the mark. The fact that it has no WR is STUPID. Ricoh should learn from Subaru, who started fitting all their cars (in the West at least) with AWD because in customers' minds Subaru=AWD. Also, the kit lens is a disgrace. And the ad, while nice, is bound to cause heaps of disappointment. They need to improve the lens lineup too, ASAP.

But if you're interested in this camera and want one, I really hope you enjoy it and get the most out of it I just want to see an awesome K-50 successor to spend my money on, and I'm afraid the K-S1 doesn't bode well for my desires.

PM: And it doesn't have WiFi! A FluCard, really!? That's not gonna fly with the super hot crowd in the ad, let me tell you >_<

A) I apologize that I came off as condescending; that wasn't my intent. I don't recall ever having claimed to be a "purist" - my main camera is the ill-received K-01. But here's a serious question: are you aware that due to the nature of the K-mount, Pentax cannot make a camera as slender as Olympus without moving to a different design? So, by necessity, Pentax cameras must have a certain amount of bulk. The most cost-effective way of reducing weight while maintaining the necessary size is to cheapen the build quality. Have you ever picked up an entry-level Canon? They feel cheap and flimsy.

B) I agree with some of what you are saying. But, the Nikon DX 35mm f/1.8G only has a seal at the mount; its not a WR lens. And other than being less than 1 stop faster than the DA 35/2.4, it's very soft wide open and otherwise a comparable performer.

B#2) This is solely the K-S1 announcement, so why talk about lenses right now? Wait and see if Pentax has any lens announcements to make at Photokina.

C) I don't like the ad, but I'm not the target audience. I agree that not having a tilting touchscreen is a letdown. I've owned multiple Pentax digitals, from the K100D to my current K-01, and I have no doubt it would focus just fine in teh conditions depicted in the video; there is plenty of contrast for AF to latch on to.

TL;DR) I don't disagree, but I'm not going to make any serious judgments based on what little we've learned about it. And yes, the kit lens (IMO) is not the proper fit for this camera. I think this is now the 3rd or 4th time I'm mentioning that the DA 35/2.4 should be the kit lens, And I agree with you about Wifi.

This is a single product that Pentax is releasing. It's OK if the K-S1 doesn't appeal to you or me, more is on the way.