[RobA_Oz]

Out-of-doors, when I use my smart phone as a camera, I'm getting a vague snap shot .... I point it in the general direction of interest, touch the shutter, and then look for a sheltered spot to see what I got. With my camera, I carefully compose a photo using the viewfinder. There is no comparison between the two.

I note that the difference in opinion over the need for an EVF often centres on the quality of sunshine in the local environment. My Q is fine on a cloudy day but in full sun it’s as hopeless as a smart phone for seeing what you’re shooting.

On the other hand, an eyepiece viewfinder not only allows you to see in bright light, but it helps you to better frame the subject because it concentrates your vision. I tried several hotshoe optical viewfinders on the Q, but their accuracy was something of a lottery even with a wide fixed FL lens – on a zoom they were thoroughly useless. In the finish, I gave up and bought a Fujifilm X30, which has an EVF: even though I don’t like the colours it produces very much, and its low-light EVF performance is pretty ugly, at least I can be confident of framing a subject.

[monochrome]

I note that the difference in opinion over the need for an EVF often centres on the quality of sunshine in the local environment. My Q is fine on a cloudy day but in full sun it’s as hopeless as a smart phone for seeing what you’re shooting.

On the other hand, an eyepiece viewfinder not only allows you to see in bright light, but it helps you to better frame the subject because it concentrates your vision. I tried several hotshoe optical viewfinders on the Q, but their accuracy was something of a lottery even with a wide fixed FL lens – on a zoom they were thoroughly useless. In the finish, I gave up and bought a Fujifilm X30, which has an EVF: even though I don’t like the colours it produces very much, and its low-light EVF performance is pretty ugly, at least I can be confident of framing a subject.

An attachable LCD Loupe (Hoodman with elastic or more elaborate tripod mount Loupe) solves the problem.

.:

[RobA_Oz]

An attachable LCD Loupe (Hoodman with elastic or more elaborate tripod mount Loupe) solves the problem.

.:

Yes, if you don’t mind the extra bulk. There was a folding version that might have preserved the small bulk of the Q, but I suspect it was a bit fragile, so I passed on it.

[Rondec]

Maybe for you.

I'd been using my Q-7 for six months when my Canon Rebel died, and I chose a Pentax to replace it. The first thing I did was to eliminate the K-01 from consideration; even if the screen had been truly wonderful, the simple fact was that the clip on loupe was just as much bother as I thought it would be. MILCs succeeded only when companies started putting EVFs on them.

I think much depends on pricing. People will put up with no EVF for a camera costing 200 or even 300 dollars, particularly if there is a hot shot EVF they can buy to add later. On the other hand, if you have a decent sized ILC and are framing with the rear LCD, it isn't ideal.

That said, it isn't quite as bad as you indicate and I have shot plenty of mid day shots with my K-01 (without a Hoodman Loupe) without any problem with regard to composition. But if the light is that bright and harsh, your photos probably won't turn out great, regardless of the composition.

[reh321]

Yes, if you don’t mind the extra bulk. There was a folding version that might have preserved the small bulk of the Q, but I suspect it was a bit fragile, so I passed on it.

I have a folding Hoodman that I squeeze into my Q-7 bag; my main issue with it is remembering to completely unfold it, because otherwise nothing is in focus. My wife and I have just returned from a trip to New Orleans, where we were under unrelenting sun for several days. Using the Q-7 was a guessing game without the Hoodman; with the Hoodman, when standing under sunlight but photographing mostly shade, the Hoodman allowed the Q-7 to give me more consistent results than the K-30 was producing.

[monochrome]

I have a folding Hoodman that I squeeze into my Q-7 bag; my main issue with it is remembering to completely unfold it, because otherwise nothing is in focus. My wife and I have just returned from a trip to New Orleans, where we were under unrelenting sun for several days. Using the Q-7 was a guessing game without the Hoodman; with the Hoodman, when standing under sunlight but photographing mostly shade, the Hoodman allowed the Q-7 to give me more consistent results than the K-30 was producing.

Exactly. That’s the one I have. Comes with a small zipper case. I think the push on eyecup is actually bigger than the Hoodman folded. (I also have a more permanent Zacuto Finder).

.:

[swanlefitte]

My wife and I have just returned from a trip to New Orleans, where we were under unrelenting sun for several days. Using the Q-7 was a guessing game without the Hoodman

You picked nice weather. The heat index had just dropped below 100. I can't use my ks2 in liveview, and have to walk inside for review. It's worse because the screen has my nose prints on it.
Hope you enjoyed my city.

[reh321]

You picked nice weather. The heat index had just dropped below 100. I can't use my ks2 in liveview, and have to walk inside for review. It's worse because the screen has my nose prints on it.
Hope you enjoyed my city.

Except for the time I saw a squirrel {at Barataria} ..... but I hadn't taken the lens cap off my 55-300 yet {I was using my 10-20 to take landscape shots}, and it instantly fogged up when I did.

[BarneyL]

Is this the place to discuss recent patents?

It seems that RI has recently published one that might be of interest to Pentax folks (although my Japanese is non-existant and I depend on Google traslator):
Google Translate

Patent No. 6439365 Zoom lens system

[Registration date] November 30, 2018

[Publication date] December 19, 2018

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a zoom lens system, and in particular to a large aperture telephoto zoom lens system suitable for an imaging device such as a digital camera.

Does anyone tech-(and Japanese-)savvy know what this patent is about?

[Kunzite]

That is a patent related to the 70-200 f/2.8.

[BarneyL]

Interesting that they decided to publish the patent just now, if that's just one of the 'release candidates' for D-FA* 70-200. The optical scheme is indeed similar, but has a few more optical elements than the D-FA (22 vs 19). Who knows, maybe they made a new version :P

[Kunzite]

Example 4 or 5? Same element count, in the same configuration (see images 19 and 25).

[BarneyL]

I guess I only looked at the image 1. Images 19 and 25 indeed show 19 elements.

Still, I have no idea why the patent for this lens got published more than 3 years after its introduction to the market, but I guess I don't know much about the whole process.

[Kunzite]

I have no idea either. And my head hurts each time I try to understand the highly technical, machine translated patentese.

Note however that this is one patent from a series.

[gazonk]

Oh, I seem to have missed this thread which has been going for a while? Just wanted to add a “hallelujah!” to the fact that the old hybrid VF rumor is still alive !