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03-11-2022, 01:52 AM - 17 Likes   #1
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Pentax in space! - DA* 300mm as the shooting lens for the 6U Cube Sat "KITSUNE"

The news is only on the Japanese Ricoh Imaging site.

As the title says, the DA* 300mm f/4 has been selected as the shooting lens for the 6U Cube Sat satellite "KITSUNE".
The selected lens had to have a metal barrel (no outgas from plastics), a high resolution of 5m from 400km, and to have a compact design.
Not bad, for a consumer lens launched in 2008!

PENTAX??????????????????????6U????????KITSUNE???????????????????RICOH IMAGING

03-11-2022, 02:31 AM - 1 Like   #2
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Thank you for this piece of news.

On a sidenote:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitsune
03-11-2022, 03:22 AM - 2 Likes   #3
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By my calculation, the resolution requirement of 5m at 400km equates to 3.75 microns at the focal plane, whereas the Sony 36MP sensor in the K-1 has a reported sensel size of 4.88 microns. If that’s accurate, there’s no question of the sensor out-resolving that lens, but it leads me to wonder how it would go against a higher resolution sensor.

Anyway, good on them for choosing a Pentax lens, when there were other options available.
03-11-2022, 03:32 AM - 1 Like   #4
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When reading this, I can understand that size is a priority.
QuoteQuote:
DA ★ 300mmF4ED [IF] SDM" lens occupies about half the volume of the satellite.


03-11-2022, 03:33 AM - 8 Likes   #5
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Jeez, I hope the SDM holds up!
03-11-2022, 03:59 AM   #6
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Well, is that a first? Good news anyway.
03-11-2022, 05:47 AM - 2 Likes   #7
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Great news and cool advertising opportunity for Ricoh. It should a news everywhere, would not mind some cool advert with kitsune girl and Baby Metal group Megitsune song in background... ok, ok I know. It is just the otaku in me

03-11-2022, 05:58 AM - 1 Like   #8
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The lifespan of the mission is six months the camera seems to be pretty small (2mp?)

https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/kitsune.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KITSUNE
03-11-2022, 08:34 AM - 1 Like   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by Paul the Sunman Quote
Jeez, I hope the SDM holds up!
Nah - just set it for infinity (or 400km) - whichever!!
03-11-2022, 08:43 AM - 3 Likes   #10
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QuoteOriginally posted by Paul the Sunman Quote
Jeez, I hope the SDM holds up!
I believe the SDM has already stopped working.
03-11-2022, 09:08 AM - 1 Like   #11
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QuoteOriginally posted by Kunzite Quote
Pentax in space!
Cool news
Elon, we're coming for you!
03-11-2022, 09:11 AM - 3 Likes   #12
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QuoteOriginally posted by VictorDA Quote
Cool news
Elon, we're coming for you!
His next kid will be called K-3iii or something similar :P
03-11-2022, 11:28 AM   #13
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QuoteOriginally posted by RobA_Oz Quote
By my calculation, the resolution requirement of 5m at 400km equates to 3.75 microns at the focal plane, whereas the Sony 36MP sensor in the K-1 has a reported sensel size of 4.88 microns.
4912 pixels / 24mm yields that 4.88um pixel size. Bigger pixels have more electron well depth, so are better in low light.
03-11-2022, 11:42 AM   #14
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QuoteOriginally posted by ProfessorBuzz Quote
4912 pixels / 24mm yields that 4.88um pixel size. Bigger pixels have more electron well depth, so are better in low light.
One reference in the article talks about a 2mp image. Not sure what sensor is in use.
03-11-2022, 01:01 PM - 2 Likes   #15
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If it's the 2MP sensor (that is, if there aren't two cameras - one with a higher resolution), and if I'm calculating correctly, it has to be a 6x crop sensor, so indeed the tiniest of the tiniest. In order to resolve 5m-level detail from a 400km altitude, through a 300mm lens.
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