[photogem]

On the Ricoh Japanwebsite as well as on the srsmicro.co.uk website they particular emphasize a

3. Clear-view optical viewfinder [/B]

Within its compact body, the PENTAX KF incorporates a glass prism finder featuring the same optics and coatings as those used in higher-level models. With its approximately 100% field of view and nearly 0.95-times magnification, the PENTAX KF's viewfinder provides a large, clear view of the subject for quick, easy confirmation of focusing and framing.


source:
PENTAX KF?A compact digital SLR camera featuring dustproof, weather-resistant construction perfect for outdoor photography?RICOH IMAGING
Pentax KF Black Body

I have seen this on other websites as well but not all of them.

What does this mean exactly?

The pentaprism of the K3-III is made of brighter glass and it's viewfinder seems to be quite something special due to this fact.


Does this announcement mean, that the viewfinder of the KF is as bright?
That's at least how I understood it.

What do others think?

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Last edited by Racer X 69; 11-19-2022 at 06:42 AM. Reason: Formatting text color makes it impossible to read when using a dark theme for viewing the forum.

[pschlute]

I think it needs looking into

[AfterPentax Mark II]

What do others think?

I think it is the usual advertisement talk of the manufacturer they put in their catalogue. Expect nothing extra.

[Serkevan]

The pentaprism of the K3-III is made of brighter glass and it's viewfinder seems to be quite something special due to this fact.
What do others think?

The finder in the K-3iii is physically larger due to the different refraction index of the glass; I highly doubt they could change the prism noticeably while keeping the exact same chassis as the K-70. Maybe they improved the coatings. The specs listed are the same as the high-quality pentaprism present in the K-70, KP and prior K-3 models. If they had changed anything they'd have used comparative language (vs. the K-70), instead of stating the specs matter-of-factly.

[reh321]

I think it is the usual advertisement talk of the manufacturer they put in their catalogue. Expect nothing extra.

It is worth understanding, so we separate what has changed from what is just ‘advertising speak’. They might have applied what they learned in designing the the K-3iii and/or saved purchasing two different sets of materials.

[photogem]

The finder in the K-3iii is physically larger due to the different refraction index of the glass; I highly doubt they could change the prism noticeably while keeping the exact same chassis as the K-70. Maybe they improved the coatings. The specs listed are the same as the high-quality pentaprism present in the K-70, KP and prior K-3 models. If they had changed anything they'd have used comparative language (vs. the K-70), instead of stating the specs matter-of-factly.

I am aware of this, Ricoh:
”The PENTAX K-3 Mark III features a high-performance viewfinder with a high-refraction glass pentaprism to provide approximately 1.05-times magnification (with an FA 50mm F1.4 lens set at infinity). Despite the compact, lightweight APS-C-format SLR body, it delivers a truthful, wide-view image equal to that of a full-frame SLR, and helps you to become more fully immersed in the photo-shooting process. This viewfinder also provides an almost 10-percent increase in brightness, thanks to the improved reflectance of the pentaprism, while also assuring a nearly 100-percent field of view. By incorporating a distortion-compensating optical element and optimizing the lens coatings, it provides natural, true-to-life image rendition with high-magnification observations"

Source: Photo-shooting Process | PENTAX K-3 Mark III | RICOH IMAGING
[/I]


But as they mention for the KF:
Within its compact body, the PENTAX KF incorporates a glass prism finder featuring the same optics and coatings
[as those used in higher-level models.

It is pretty simple logic: The only higher-level models are the K3-III and the K1-II.

So here we go or ... are stuck like an older chinese solenoid

[reh321]

I am aware of this, Ricoh:
"The PENTAX K-3 Mark III features a high-performance viewfinder with a high-refraction glass pentaprism to provide approximately 1.05-times magnification (with an FA 50mm F1.4 lens set at infinity). Despite the compact, lightweight APS-C-format SLR body, it delivers a truthful, wide-view image equal to that of a full-frame SLR, and helps you to become more fully immersed in the photo-shooting process.
This viewfinder also provides an almost 10-percent increase in brightness, thanks to the improved reflectance of the pentaprism, while also assuring a nearly 100-percent field of view. By incorporating a distortion-compensating optical element and optimizing the lens coatings, it provides natural, true-to-life image rendition with high-magnification observations"

Source: Photo-shooting Process | PENTAX K-3 Mark III | RICOH IMAGING



But as they mention for the KF:
Within its compact body, the PENTAX KF incorporates a glass prism finder featuring the same optics and coatings
as those used in higher-level models.

It is pretty simple logic: The only higher-level models are the K3-III and the K1-II.

So here we go or ... are stuck like an older chinese solenoid

So we have something else to discuss for a week.

[photogem]

Just trying to understand better what was announced.


On the srs website they claim:
Clear-view optical viewfinder
Within its compact body, the PENTAX KF incorporates a brand new glass prism finder featuring the same optics and coatings as those used in higher-level models.

Brand-new has quite some meaning!


So did they produce a little (sneaky) addition with this or "what's upp"?

[John G]

On the Ricoh Japanwebsite as well as on the srsmicro.co.uk website they particular emphasize a

3. Clear-view optical viewfinder

Within its compact body, the PENTAX KF incorporates a glass prism finder featuring the same optics and coatings as those used in higher-level models. With its approximately 100% field of view and nearly 0.95-times magnification, the PENTAX KF's viewfinder provides a large, clear view of the subject for quick, easy confirmation of focusing and framing.


source:
PENTAX KF?A compact digital SLR camera featuring dustproof, weather-resistant construction perfect for outdoor photography?RICOH IMAGING
Pentax KF Black Body

I have seen this on other websites as well but not all of them.

What does this mean exactly?

The pentaprism of the K3-III is made of brighter glass and it's viewfinder seems to be quite something special due to this fact.


Does this announcement mean, that the viewfinder of the KF is as bright?
That's at least how I understood it.

What do others think?

Maybe it's just their overblown way of saying the camera has a pentaprism rather than a pentamirror?

[Not a Number]

Ricoh released an English version (with subtitles in CC) of the KF introductory video posted last week:

You Tube

You Tube

From a direct download of the English subtitles:

We've designed this standard-class model
so it will remain a joy to use over many years
To symbolize the joy of photography using the optical viewfinder,
and the fun of active outdoor shooting in the field
we named this standard-class model PENTAX KF,
by applying the initial letter of two key words: Finder and Field

Ricoh has stated numerous times that they are firmly committed to the use of optical viewfinders. So they chose a name they thought would emphasize this. Somewhat cryptically I might add


I suppose they are finding (no pun intended) ways to emphasis these attributes in the marketing materials. Perhaps, again somewhat cryptically.

[normhead]

Until you hold up a K-70 look through it, and a K-F and look through it, and can see a difference, it means nothing.

[Fogel70]

Just trying to understand better what was announced.


On the srs website they claim:
Clear-view optical viewfinder
Within its compact body, the PENTAX KF incorporates a brand new glass prism finder featuring the same optics and coatings as those used in higher-level models.

Brand-new has quite some meaning!


So did they produce a little (sneaky) addition with this or "what's upp"?

Ricoh did not say "brand new", seems like srs added that..

"Clear-view optical viewfinder" sounds just like a buzz-phrase from marketing. But it is most likely just the same as in K-70.
The prism in K-70 (and other entry level bodies since K-30) was already the same as in higher-level bodies like K-3, K-3II and KP.
They did not say that the prism in KF is the same as in the current high-level Pentax DSLR - K3 III.

From K-70 press release.

Within its compact body, the PENTAX K-70 incorporates a glass prism finder featuring the same optics and coatings as those used in higher-level models. With a nearly 100-percent field of view and a magnification of approximately 0.95 times, it provides a wide, bright image field for easy focusing and framing.

[Serkevan]

Yeah, it's the exact same language used in previous cameras. Nothing to see here unless someone notices a diference in actual use.

[Wheatfield]

Just trying to understand better what was announced.


On the srs website they claim:
Clear-view optical viewfinder
Within its compact body, the PENTAX KF incorporates a brand new glass prism finder featuring the same optics and coatings as those used in higher-level models.

Brand-new has quite some meaning!


So did they produce a little (sneaky) addition with this or "what's upp"?

It's probably as opposed to a grainy little TV screen.

[reh321]

Yeah, it's the exact same language used in previous cameras. Nothing to see here unless someone notices a diference in actual use.

So. will someone sacrifice $800 ‘for science’??

As far as I know, ‘we’ haven’t seen an actual list of parts replaced.