[RonHendriks1966]

Why do you think so?

The number of people waiting to use their old lenses is decreasing. Those lenses went to others over the years to use on Sony A7 or so and now are somewhere in a cupboard. It doesn't make the splash it would have in 2010.

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Last edited by RonHendriks1966; 10-20-2018 at 01:21 AM.

[Trickortreat]

The number of people waiting to use their old lenses is decreasing. Those lenses went to others over the years to use on Sony A7 or so and now are somewhere in a cupboard. It doesn't make the splash it would have in 2010.

Forgot mirrorless can use legacy lenses as well.. silly me :/

[Merv-O]

Pentax AF is good.

I agree....the current state of Pentax AF is found in the K-1ii and it is a vast improvement over anything else. Drop that in a K-3ii--call it a K-3P and Bam-you have an evolutionary improvement that is significant....Took these yesterday with my K-1ii of my St. Bernard running around the back yard--perfect, right down to the blade of grass and his static fur.

---------- Post added 10-21-18 at 08:56 AM ----------

Mee and Twilhelm, I agree completely.


I'm not surprised by any delay here. Pentax is not a behemoth, with tons of resources to throw at the wall. The K1 is a solid DSLR that should serve well for a large percentage of users who would be in the market for a K3 III+ class APS-C SLR camera.

Pentax must be scratching their head, watching the rest of the world and marketplace shift around them.

High volume consumers are vanishing, increasingly happy with the camera in their iPhone 6/7/8/10 (which frankly are darn good.) Judging by the questions I answer at work (where folks always ask me for camera advice) there is less and less interest in carrying a DSLR system. Many people bought one, and either have no need to upgrade, or they realized they never bring their DSLR anywhere because of size and weight.

Meanwhile, pros and dedicated amateurs are warming to mirrorless, lead there by the pro mirrorless cameras offered by Hasselblad, Fuji and Sony. Pentax is left with SLR-based MF digital and full-frame 35mm digital that suddenly look outdated and clunky.

Yes, there are times you want an optical finder of a DSLR -- birding and high speed sports. But I don't personally know anyone who shoots those, and judging by Flickr the majority of folks shoot landscapes or slow-moving people (portraits.) For this majority, there are real advantages to mirrorless, and the DSLR architecture starts to look clunky and rube-goldbergian.

As a manufacturer (whether it's Pentax or Nikon) you have to look at Sony and Fuji and Hassy and think .... here's a way to make desirable cameras that cost less to engineer, manufacture and support, and/or offer a better profit margin.

If Pentax (and Nikon) aren't having these thoughts, then I worry about them still being here in ten years time.

The move to mirrorless is inevitable. It's like the move from viewfinder/rangefinder cameras to SLR cameras in the 60's. The rational drivers are too strong to resist for most of the market and manufacturers. Those with a valid reason to prefer the older technology will continue to be served, but likely only by one manufacturer who stakes claim to the legacy form. With rangefinders it was Leica. With SLRs ... who knows. But do Pentax or Nikon really want to become even more of a niche brand? Especially as they don't have the Veblen glow of Leica?

Therefore any thought of the Pentax K3 II successor being mirrorless is music to my ears.

How about the pro-mirrorless cameras from Leica--with a new serious CL APS-c prosumer 24mp with an amazing EVF attached and the M(240) going way down in price....Pentax has a niche, the Canikon market share will decline. I predict Pentax stay between 5 and 7% consistently....

[Winder]

I agree....the current state of Pentax AF is found in the K-1ii and it is a vast improvement over anything else. Drop that in a K-3ii--call it a K-3P and Bam-you have an evolutionary improvement that is significant....Took these yesterday with my K-1ii of my St. Bernard running around the back yard--perfect, right down to the blade of grass and his static fur.

The EXIF information says you were shooting at 28mm set to F/9. Anything between 4 feet and 16 feet should be in focus. Not much of a test for AF capabilities. The K-1II is a nice improvement in AF, but still a long way from competing with modern cameras from other manufacturers with the exception of the GFX-50 or the new medium format digital cameras. Every modern FF, APS-C, m4/3 currently on the market has better AF than the K-1II when it comes to AF-C. Ricoh is 2 generations behind the competition or more.

[Merv-O]

The EXIF information says you were shooting at 28mm set to F/9. Anything between 4 feet and 16 feet should be in focus. Not much of a test for AF capabilities. The K-1II is a nice improvement in AF, but still a long way from competing with modern cameras from other manufacturers with the exception of the GFX-50 or the new medium format digital cameras. Every modern FF, APS-C, m4/3 currently on the market has better AF than the K-1II when it comes to AF-C. Ricoh is 2 generations behind the competition or more.

Yes...I get it, but it was still faster than my K-3 and previous k-50....Hell, I shoot with a Leica RF (M9) and like the K-1ii; Maybe I'm just a generation behind also (in my 50's), but I think it's plenty quick for what I need it for....I'll test it at an upcoming Hockey game and see if I can freeze the puck in motion and report back...

[RonHendriks1966]

Well just look into this test on the aps-h canon 1D Mark III. This is from 2009. In the download you can see images made of runners coming towards you. Nothing like the bike test of dpr. Pentax is not even close to this performance of a very old camera. Ofcourse you need a lens that can work with you on this speed.

Rob Galbraith DPI: May 29, 2009 update

[ogl]

IMX271 sensor - is it new?


https://www.sony-semicon.co.jp/products_en/IS/sensor2/products/index.html

[MMVIII]

Ah, finally, proper rumours. I bet a M 50 1.7 that the next APS-C Pentax will have 26Mpix. Anyone in? Don't be shy*








*no, you don't have to. But if someone might insist: within the next 10 posts here, against it an equivalent equipment must be bid. Shipping not included

[Winder]

Ah, finally, proper rumours. I bet a M 50 1.7 that the next APS-C Pentax will have 26Mpix. Anyone in? Don't be shy*

The new 26MP is designed for mirrorless. It is in the Fuji XT-3 and probably the new Sony A7000 (or whatever they call it). Looking at XT-3 reviews it appears that sensor is only better if people need video. Ricoh would be better off sticking with the same 24MP sensor they currently have. That said. It looks like a Samsung sensor is a real possibility for the next Pentax APS-C body.

[BROO]

It looks like a Samsung sensor is a real possibility for the next Pentax APS-C body.

Samsung sensor, processor and mount? Maybe the way forward for this class is NX tech based mirrorless?

[Kunzite]

There is no way Ricoh Imaging would attempt to save Samsung's failed attempt at a mirrorless.
And the NX mount is technically wrong. There is no way Ricoh Imaging would restrict themselves to an APS-C only mount.

Samsung sensor and processor, OTOH...

[Winder]

Samsung sensor, processor and mount? Maybe the way forward for this class is NX tech based mirrorless?

No. Just a rumor that Samsung is back into supplying APS-C sensors.

[MMVIII]

The new 26MP is designed for mirrorless. It is in the Fuji XT-3 and probably the new Sony A7000 (or whatever they call it). Looking at XT-3 reviews it appears that sensor is only better if people need video. Ricoh would be better off sticking with the same 24MP sensor they currently have. That said. It looks like a Samsung sensor is a real possibility for the next Pentax APS-C body.

Right. I bet you find some here whou would sell some bodyparts (judging by some postings) for video, but I think the 24 MP is great anyway. It most probably will also be in the GRIII, therefore atm obviously still preferred choice by Ricoh. Especially as the mirrorless advantages would certainly be of use for a fixed lens compact too.

Therefore I'm with you, maybe not in next APS-C DSL-R, unless it would have some revolutionary hybrid concept (unlikely, but cool!)

With the Samsung rumour I am in an ambivalent status. Sony's strengths and limits are well known and tested, which would not be the case for a new product here. Additionally, I don't know how this would be possily passed on over the entire portfolio; I would assume they would prefer an imaging processor pipeline that could be used with FF and MF.

[Mark Ransom]

Samsung sensor, processor and mount? Maybe the way forward for this class is NX tech based mirrorless?

If Pentax is switching to a new processor, that would explain the delays. I'm sure the software from one camera generation to the next has only undergone minor changes, but switching processors would probably require something more major.

The last time they used a Samsung sensor was the K-7. The major change from the K-7 to the K-5 was replacing it with a Sony sensor, and I'm sure you remember how that turned out. Do you think Samsung has improved greatly since then?

[Rico]

If Pentax is switching to a new processor, that would explain the delays. I'm sure the software from one camera generation to the next has only undergone minor changes, but switching processors would probably require something more major.

The last time they used a Samsung sensor was the K-7. The major change from the K-7 to the K-5 was replacing it with a Sony sensor, and I'm sure you remember how that turned out. Do you think Samsung has improved greatly since then?

Samsung's 28mp BSI sensor in the NX was a huge improvement since the K-7. The 28mp BSI was actually highly regarded for low noise by DPR.