[ThorSanchez]

seriously who care about a flipping screen (pun intended) if the cams got a screamer of a sensor, great VF and a AF system which can hold its own. I'd trade a movable screen for one "godlike AF" center point which never, ever misses and work from there.

I don't know if GodFocus is that far off. When I upload a photo to Google Photos it recognizes the person and matches it up pretty darned well with other photos in my collection, even if I have pictures of a kid from age 1 to 13 it knows it's the same kid. All I want is to tell the camera to keep Sam in focus, and it recognizes him and focuses on him. Preferably his face. But also I can tell it to stop focusing on Sam, and instead on Nate or Larson or Trent. Even if I'm using the rule of thirds or completely avant-garde'ing it and have the kid in some weird place in the frame.


Is that too much to ask?

(Cue the "Ansel focused completely manually so why do you need something else, is it because you totally suck at real photography and need some mirrorless crutch!!!?!!?" responses.)

[larryaustin3]

seriously who care about a flipping screen (pun intended) if the cams got a screamer of a sensor, great VF and a AF system which can hold its own. I'd trade a movable screen for one "godlike AF" center point which never, ever misses and work from there.

The longer Wakashiro-san talks about the camera without mentioning "godlike AF" the more I wonder if it's improved very much at all. He's written three Product Stories and hasn't mentioned AF yet. Instead we've heard about a bigger viewfinder and how it protrudes 3.2 millimeters to keep the photographer’s nose from coming in contact with an LCD monitor, which automatically dims because it has an eye sensor that detects when you look through the viewfinder.

People have complained about Pentax AF for years, but I don't recall complaints about how their nose contacts the LCD or how that camera needs an eye sensor to dim the viewfinder.

I will give Wakashiro-san credit for writing about one thing that no one ever talks about: "All PENTAX SLR cameras also provide a selection of Custom Image modes to provide the fine adjustment of various parameters, making it possible for users to create images with the desired finishing touch right there at the shooting location." If they omitted a flippy screen so they can have a larger LCD and bigger processor to make it possible to have better AF and do even more Custom Image processing, then OK. I will look on the bright side and say at least I got a new joystick.

[johnmflores]

Wakashiro wrote, "This was a decision based on our goal of allowing the photographer to confirm the image’s quality and composition on a larger screen at the shooting location ... ."
How big is the LCD screen compared to previous models?

Product Stories of New APS-C Vol.3?Wakashiro? | PENTAX official

Be sure to Like, Tweet, and Share these blog posts. In addition to Page Views, that's how Ricoh will measure the success of this new way of marketing (for them) and decide whether or not it is worth continuing the effort.

[Serkevan]

(Cue the "Ansel focused completely manually so why do you need something else, is it because you totally suck at real photography and need some mirrorless crutch!!!?!!?" responses.)

TTL metering and focusing are for the bourgeoisie.

[Larrymc]

Be sure to Like, Tweet, and Share these blog posts. In addition to Page Views, that's how Ricoh will measure the success of this new way of marketing (for them) and decide whether or not it is worth continuing the effort.

Good idea, I just went back and liked the post!

[reh321]

The longer Wakashiro-san talks about the camera without mentioning "godlike AF" the more I wonder if it's improved very much at all. He's written three Product Stories and hasn't mentioned AF yet. Instead we've heard about a bigger viewfinder and how it protrudes 3.2 millimeters to keep the photographer’s nose from coming in contact with an LCD monitor, which automatically dims because it has an eye sensor that detects when you look through the viewfinder.

People have complained about Pentax AF for years, but I don't recall complaints about how their nose contacts the LCD or how that camera needs an eye sensor to dim the viewfinder.

Most Pentax info has been physical info, so that is also what Wakashiro-San talks about.

[kh1234567890]

I don't know if GodFocus is that far off. When I upload a photo to Google Photos it recognizes the person and matches it up pretty darned well with other photos in my collection, even if I have pictures of a kid from age 1 to 13 it knows it's the same kid. All I want is to tell the camera to keep Sam in focus, and it recognizes him and focuses on him. Preferably his face. But also I can tell it to stop focusing on Sam, and instead on Nate or Larson or Trent. Even if I'm using the rule of thirds or completely avant-garde'ing it and have the kid in some weird place in the frame.

My little three year old Panasonic TZ100 can do that pretty well. But only for six faces at a time. Anywhere in the frame. Not that I have ever used this in anger ...

[Kunzite]

The longer Wakashiro-san talks about the camera without mentioning "godlike AF" the more I wonder if it's improved very much at all. He's written three Product Stories and hasn't mentioned AF yet. Instead we've heard about a bigger viewfinder and how it protrudes 3.2 millimeters to keep the photographer’s nose from coming in contact with an LCD monitor, which automatically dims because it has an eye sensor that detects when you look through the viewfinder.

Remember the Unprecedented Camera? How we were Preparing for the Unexpected, waiting for Yashica's revival?
What we've got was a webcam for which you had to buy the few basic settings. "Godlike AF" is the last thing I want to hear from Pentax, because it means they started lying.
Sit tight, we'll eventually find out all about the new APS-C.

[jgnfld]

Re. Pentax autofocus, I was happy to get this series of some sort of a tern at least semi-well while motoring directly into 25-30 knot winds and 2 meter waves w/ a KP and PLM at 88mm (couldn't track in those conditions at much higher FL). First pic shows 100% frame and all others are cropped to ~1550x1000. It's hitting focus pretty well as far as I'm concerned especially given the very rough conditions plus bird-in-flight (though with both of us going into a headwind, that slowed him down a lot).









~1550x1050 crop of top picture...

[Fontan]

but it has the 'feel' of responding to concerns

Doesn't it? I know nothing about what they do but I just don't see a reason for them not to pay attention to what goes on around here. It costs them nothing, literally.

[BROO]

The longer Wakashiro-san talks about the camera without mentioning "godlike AF" the more I wonder if it's improved very much at all

A reliable forum member with possible inner sanctum connections has indicated 100+ AF points.

---------- Post added 09-05-20 at 01:40 PM ----------

If they omitted a flippy screen so they can have a larger LCD and bigger processor to make it possible to have better AF and do even more Custom Image processing, then OK. I will look on the bright side and say at least I got a new joystick.

I think you might be on to something here.

[Kunzite]

A reliable forum member with possible inner sanctum connections has indicated 100+ AF points.

Yes, but no AF system which could possibly exist, now and in the following 100 years, would make a Pentax official call it "godlike".
Such hyperbole is impossible for them, and I like that very much - I know I can trust what they're saying.

[reh321]

A reliable forum member with possible inner sanctum connections has indicated 100+ AF points.

In that case, I hope they have also made significant improvements in processing; my KP shows major improvement in speed when just going from 25 to 1 AF point.

[BROO]

Yes, but no AF system which could possibly exist, now and in the following 100 years, would make a Pentax official call it "godlike".
Such hyperbole is impossible for them, and I like that very much - I know I can trust what they're saying.

I'm not sure where this 'god like' comes from but I think it will be Nikon D500 like which should be more than adequate. I am thinking of a Fujifilm X-T4 class DSLR. If it is based around the Sony 26Mb sensor then it is going to be pretty good.

When it comes to specifications then they are usually only revealed when the camera is officially launched. Maybe in late September early October. Shipping in November.

[superdave]

I can understand that the camera will be thinner and the screen a little bigger without a tiltable LCD but in many shooting situations, it is just impossible to look into the viewfinder or look at a fixed LCD... Last week I had to compose in the blind because my K-3II was just above the water, a tilt screen would have been very welcome.

The article seems to say that they focus on the viewfinder, but I hope they do not forgot to improve liveview. I am expecting a brand new liveview, that works like EVF camera, with fast AF, eye and animal eye tracking, and most of all wysiwyg... Last point is my biggest complaint with my K-3II, you can compose with liveview but it do not reflect the final picture exposition. What the point of having an histogram if you can't trust it because it is different in the picture taken? This is this kind of improvements I expect, not a body few millimeters thinner...

And I really hope that they didn't dropped the GPS to have their viewfinder 10% bigger...