My feature list wasn't my wish list. I have no information about the items on your list. If you do, you are more than welcome to add them to my list

Hi, Falconeye

I guess it will be unfair and wendyb-ish from my part to pretend I know what I don't especially since I kind of know other stuff
But it's a fair assumption that Pentax will go for D300s throat with this camera and virtually obliterate the still "young" 40D. And the basis of my prediction is quite logical:

- the presence of a larger screen hi res LCD is made possible by the new body and it will be a grave mistake to miss this feature in an end of 2008 camera in the semi pro segment. Also Samsung it's a world leader in LCD technology and I won't be surprised if they will bring the first OLED display on a high end camera;
- I believe the new mirror - shutter system will be at pro levels in timings and reliability (estimated number of shots). So at least 1/8000 it's more than likely;
- a new mettering system is 100% my guess with no info what so ever. But considering the scale of the updates it's 99% unlikely that Pentax will compromise on that;
- "Prime 2" it's necessary since the older one cannot sustain the 5-8 fps minimum that this camera will have let alone the data volume of a FF. I have 2 theories about this:
1) They will refine the technological process and by that bump the speed of the Prime ASIC combined with some refinements in design also - 15% probability;
2) Make a new ASIC with Pentax design expertise and Samsung lithography expertise and put the laying stone of a family in the digic, expeed, venus, bionz etc kind of way for many cameras including compacts - 85% probability IMO.

As a "pet prevision" of mine I also think that the new camera will be the first in the world with some GBs of very high speed flash memory incorporated as a buffer that will allow shooting raw at full fps until the card it's full

Radu

[kenyee]

Main negative of a new body is incompatility w/ old accessories (plates, grips, etc.). Are you sure it's a new body?
If they do a new body, I'd assume they'd make it big enough to shove a FF sensor in like Nikon did w/ the D300/D700...

[falconeye]

But it's a fair assumption

Ok, so your's is an educated guess. Fair enough.

[falconeye]

Are you sure it's a new body?

No, I am not. I deduced that from new AF and fps specs which are part of my prediction.

[Tom S.]

I've watched this thread with interest and figured it was high time to get involved.


Coming This September From Pentax:
(Remember, you heard it here first!)


Pentax is pleased to announce the K42345DF

A revolutionary offering from Pentax that will wreak havoc on every camera manufacturer in the market. Key features are:

- The ability to shoot film or digital! That's right, now you get the best of both worlds!

- 125 Mega pixel full frame sensor. Yes, by decreasing the pixel size and increasing the number of them, you pictures will look like they were shot with an 8x10 large format camera.

- Lens compatibility with every lens ever made, including the entire Holga line!

- Full time Live-View. That's right - live-view will now work without locking up the mirror. Don't ask how we did it, it's magic!

- Fully functional PDA running Windows Mobile Ver. 6.2 built in with 10gb of memory.

- 6 SD memory slots!

- XM Satellite compatibility (subscription is extra).

- Unlimited lifetime warranty against breakage, theft and fire.

All this with a suggested retail price of under $500!


All this will leave you asking your Canon and Nikon friends:

"Who's your Daddy now?!"

[dopeytree]

What kind of Macbook you have? Mine is stragling with 10mp ones

MAc require atleast 10% - 30% free hard disk space to function, so i would up your hardisk space and you'll almost certainly fix any problems.

I've got a speedy macbook pro but I've filled up my hardisk 120gb only got 8gb left so upping to 500gb

also make sure you use maintenance app & monolingual (to get rid of unused language files etc)

Hope that may help?

[falconeye]

I've watched this thread with interest and figured it was high time to get involved.[...]- Full time Live-View. That's right - live-view will now work without locking up the mirror. Don't ask how we did it, it's magic!

Tom, thanks for your post. Funny. Reality check will be in September though, for you.

BTW, there is no problem to have simultaneous Live View and a pentaprism VF -- even w/o a second sensor. Did you never wonder how the AF sensors can see the image ...?

[Tom S.]

Tom, thanks for your post. Funny. Reality check will be in September though, for you.

BTW, there is no problem to have simultaneous Live View and a pentaprism VF -- even w/o a second sensor. Did you never wonder how the AF sensors can see the image ...?

As you gathered, it was all in jest. I'm not sure about the live view working via the pentaprism though. Even so, a second sensor wouldn't be needed - you just make the mirror out of that one-way glass.... oh oh, here I go again.

[jeffkrol]

As you gathered, it was all in jest. I'm not sure about the live view working via the pentaprism though. Even so, a second sensor wouldn't be needed - you just make the mirror out of that one-way glass.... oh oh, here I go again.

Like a pellicle mirror?????
PhotoNotes.org Dictionary - Pellicle mirror
Cameras with pellicle mirrors have fixed half-silvered mirrors that both direct light to the viewfinder and to the film surface. They therefore eliminate mirror blackout whilst preserving the advantages of an SLR. They are also much quieter, as there are no mirror slap sounds or blur-inducing vibrations caused by mirror motion. Pellicle mirror cameras can also shoot almost instantly - unlike most SLRs there’s no lag time resulting from having to move the mirror out of the way. This rapid-fire capability also permits faster film transport mechanisms in some cases.

Pellicle mirror cameras have two drawbacks. First, the mirror must be kept scrupulously clean because light passes through it to the film surface. Second, because some of the light is being diverted up to the viewfinder there’s less light available to the film. Pellicle mirrors typically cost 2/3 stop of light and the viewfinder is also a bit dimmer.

A pellicle is a membrane or a thin film and refers in this case to the very thin reflective coating on the mirror.

Ok, so your's is an educated guess. Fair enough.

I never said otherwise!

Radu

Main negative of a new body is incompatility w/ old accessories (plates, grips, etc.). Are you sure it's a new body?
If they do a new body, I'd assume they'd make it big enough to shove a FF sensor in like Nikon did w/ the D300/D700...

Kenyee,

I (and also many others on this forum) believe that Pentax will test some if not all of it's new systems before putting them in a FF camera. And those 2 "more professional" cameras will share as much in common as possible for economic reasons. This is why I bet on a new Al or AlMg body and probably but not necessarely a new grip (with wireless integration as Samsung already presented as prototype) and maybe with 2 batteries instead of one. I also want to stress that a new body doesn't imply 100% that the old grip won't work because it could be different only in height. It's just a supposition!

Radu

[falconeye]

you just make the mirror out of that one-way glass.... oh oh, here I go again.

Like a pellicle mirror?????

Actually, the obvious solution is to make the mirror 15% transparent. You would still flip it up when taking a shot and the viewfinder wouldn't be noticeably darker. But still enough light for live view and/or contrast AF. The only problem are the secondary phase AF mirrors fixtures.

[ogl]

I have new information. FF will be very soon. 645D will be too. A bit later.

[sharpshoota]

care to elaborate

care to elaborate

No, he doesn't

Radu