[Mistral75]

(...)

Have a nice weekend and happy shooting!

At whom?

[wullemaha]

Some readers wants this thread removed, and that is fair enough

Oh, well, that's definitely not what should happen, never mind whether I agree with your ideas or not!
The thread itself is polite, poses a question, and is about discussion.
No reason to remove it!
Keep it, discuss it.

And, as you say - have a nice weekend and happy shooting

[savoche]

I knew I was sticking my neck out then posting this thread. And I expected a real bashing, but it hasn't been as bad as I feared.

Well, your list pretty much described this thing: Samsung GALAXY CAMERA

You shouldn't be surprised if most here are opposed to such ideas to ruin our DSLRs!

Have a nice weekend and happy shooting!

Right back at ya!

[JimmyDranox]

I knew I was sticking my neck out then posting this thread. And I expected a real bashing, but it hasn't been as bad as I feared.

I don't have any experience from other camera forum sites. I've always used Pentax. I know that many of us have been waiting a long time for a Pentax FF camera. What I don't understand is the level of naysaying and doomsday predictions. But I guess that’s me!

What I predict at the beginning of this thread isn't necessarily what I want. It is what I think is inevitable. Technology evolves and impossible to stop. The cellphones today are very different from what they were 10 years ago. And the first Android based tablet was released in 2009, and the first iPad in 2010.. In 10 year’s time, cameras will be quite different from what they are today.

If a camera brand wants to attract the young into photography, and grow the brand, they will have to change the cameras both externally and internally. I think that the K-S1 is proof of this. You might not like it! I might not like! But it is what it is.

What I posted isn't necessarily what I want, but what I believe we will see in the future.

Some readers wants this thread removed, and that is fair enough. But if we look at other threads and especially comments, there is a huge amount of information that should be deleted.

Have a nice weekend and happy shooting!

What's happening? We see that the train we are sitting in stays on the tracks in a railroad station, while other trains are speeding far away. Some folks likes this, others not.

[H. Sapiens]

You can't treat a camera like any other portable mass produced consumer device - it has been tried before and the real aficionados will always prefer hard programmed controls compared to soft ones. Physical tactile response from actual buttons allow professional photographers to work quickly and smoothly instead of wasting time by needing to activate some critical function on a touchscreen or digging through menus. For me tactile interfaces are by far the most intuitive.

Actually, in some ways the thread is funny and backwards. In studies of how we use (and will use) interfaces, hundreds of books have been and conferences held. Initially with the goal of getting away from interacting with a computer via written commands - so we make it a "desktop" where you can put stuff in the bin etc. And who invented the "desktop"? There will be people sitting in Apples lab right now and playing with physical, tactile stuff (clothes? glasses?) and thinking about how to implement that in their interfaces. To get away from the screen.

I look at the list above and think: Is there even one single point on that list that would help me as a photographer. And I don't see much. They are poor answers to problem that doesn't exist. I am not saying cameras will and should stay the same. I can think of features I would like that would help me evolve as a photographer. Anyway, Pentax will not be on the forefront of this development and they most certainly don't have people who are paid to think wild and crazy ideas.

[hjw]

I am still new in the Pentax community and I thought I will tell you my 2 cents worth...
When I started with photography I bought a Minolta XE5 - when it was stolen I replaced it with a 2nd hand XD7. I really loved the camera style and wanted to stay close. I used these cameras for 30+ years. Finally I had to succumb to the digital age and screaming and shouting I went for the Nikon D50. The D50 was a decent camera but it felt far less robust than my Minolta used to be. I now have the Pentax K-30 for the last 6 month or so. This camera is the type of camera I was looking for and wishing for. It is robust, inexpensive and takes good pictures. It was mentioned before that the K-50 didn't sell very well and in my opinion that was because it was too close to the K30 which was cheaper because it was older. What Pentax has done is to built a camera which has many features a "photographer" would value and put it in a package which was very reasonable priced - I would actually call it a bargain.
What I think Pentax has done with this camera is focus on what is important. Video is sub-optimal, however, if I want to shoot videos, I buy (bought) a video camera. The pixel count is sufficient for anything I do - and let's face it, a good picture is defined by the composition and the thought behind it and not on how many pixels is made of.
There will be a majority of people taking pictures with their smart phone - that's OK because it serves a different purpose - DSLR has its audience and Pentax seems to be well placed, but lousy in marketing. The K-S1 seems to focus more on gimmicks like LEDs but for me that s no good reason the abandon Pentax. The K-30 is great and will hopefully serve me for another decade.

[yjcs]

I am still new in the Pentax community and I thought I will tell you my 2 cents worth...
When I started with photography I bought a Minolta XE5 - when it was stolen I replaced it with a 2nd hand XD7. I really loved the camera style and wanted to stay close. I used these cameras for 30+ years. Finally I had to succumb to the digital age and screaming and shouting I went for the Nikon D50. The D50 was a decent camera but it felt far less robust than my Minolta used to be. I now have the Pentax K-30 for the last 6 month or so. This camera is the type of camera I was looking for and wishing for. It is robust, inexpensive and takes good pictures. It was mentioned before that the K-50 didn't sell very well and in my opinion that was because it was too close to the K30 which was cheaper because it was older. What Pentax has done is to built a camera which has many features a "photographer" would value and put it in a package which was very reasonable priced - I would actually call it a bargain.
What I think Pentax has done with this camera is focus on what is important. Video is sub-optimal, however, if I want to shoot videos, I buy (bought) a video camera. The pixel count is sufficient for anything I do - and let's face it, a good picture is defined by the composition and the thought behind it and not on how many pixels is made of.
There will be a majority of people taking pictures with their smart phone - that's OK because it serves a different purpose - DSLR has its audience and Pentax seems to be well placed, but lousy in marketing. The K-S1 seems to focus more on gimmicks like LEDs but for me that s no good reason the abandon Pentax. The K-30 is great and will hopefully serve me for another decade.

Agreed. I am not shy to take photos with my k-7 and old manual lens. They have been with me several years, I will never sell them even I may buy something new ....

[stevebrot]

This reminds me of what the author of the C++ programming language has to say about certain "stoneage" stuff:
Quote Originally posted by Bjarne Stroustrup:
"Legacy code" often differs from its suggested alternative by actually working and scaling.

I love it! I am usually the grumpy old guy in the team, but truth is that surviving legacy technology survived for a reason. The same is true for camera features and interface. I would simply love to have a camera whose features were strictly limited to controlling exposure, providing the means to frame and focus, and actually capturing the image.


Steve

---------- Post added 09-14-14 at 11:44 AM ----------

Psst, a confidential source told me that someone will start a new unfounded rumor about a rumor.

You mean like the rumored combination mount that would allow FF Pentax cameras to operate as both a MILC and a SLR and ALSO support the full range of Sony FE mount FF lenses.


Steve

---------- Post added 09-14-14 at 11:47 AM ----------

Here's what I'd like: A digital camera that looks EXACTLY like a Pentax LX - including the film advance lever

You mean sort of like the Epson R-D1, only as a dSLR?

Yes, that would be a very nice camera indeed! I would expect that the battery would be tiny.


Steve

---------- Post added 09-14-14 at 11:49 AM ----------

I expected a real bashing, but it hasn't been as bad as I feared.

Give it time. Things are just warming up...


Steve

---------- Post added 09-14-14 at 11:51 AM ----------

And who invented the "desktop"?

Hint...It wasn't Apple...


Steve

[Mistral75]

5...)
I would simply love to have a camera whose features were strictly limited to controlling exposure, providing the means to frame and focus, and actually capturing the image.
(...)

Then the Leica M Edition 60 is made for you: there isn't even a rear LCD (replaced by an ISO dial).

[yjcs]

I love it! I am usually the grumpy old guy in the team, but truth is that surviving legacy technology survived for a reason. The same is true for camera features and interface. I would simply love to have a camera whose features were strictly limited to controlling exposure, providing the means to frame and focus, and actually capturing the image.

+1. I don't take photo for money. I enjoy the procedure. It just makes me happier if I could get a good photo with simple tools. I love new tech too. The old gem just help me learn the basics better.

[stevebrot]

Then the Leica M Edition 60 is made for you: there isn't even a rear LCD (replaced by an ISO dial).

If I had the money, it would be in my bag. I like rangefinders for some kinds of work. What I would like better is something with similar functionality to the Leica, but with the dimensions of a Sony A7 and an optical finder.


Steve

[Uluru]

Then the Leica M Edition 60 is made for you: there isn't even a rear LCD (replaced by an ISO dial).

Apparently is made to be a limited series camera.
But it would really good if Leica keeps it and make a part of their permanent lineup.

[gazonk]

Then the Leica M Edition 60 is made for you: there isn't even a rear LCD (replaced by an ISO dial).

an ISO dial? Disappointing. Where are users going to put their vintage Tri-X and Kodachrome film box ends then?

[Kunzite]

I guess the film box holder is way too modern for that camera.

[Uluru]

Little Leica is far more organised, innovative and will present an array of products, better in quality and bigger in scope than many Japanese companies together.
There will be new M bodies, new X bodies, compacts, a new S camera and several lenses. Plus the official celebration of the 60 years of the M camera.
It will the the most interesting exhibit place in the entire Photokina, and I bet, many people will beg Leica to make M60 a member of the standard lineup.

Pentaxians will celebrate a WG-M1, I presume, a rebranded Chinese plastic fantastic toy. When visiting Ricoh's booth dressing up as a robot-transformer, or with an emptied water bucket on head, is a must.