Pentax is due for a new body soon...

jct us101 · 04-07-2010, 09:49 PM

According to my sources.

Ok well maybe I don't have any sources, but I know I've read a few threads and posts on blogs recently about the K-5, whatever happened to that? I'm assuming that with Photokina coming up this year, Pentax is probably going to release something before it. I know it won't be a full frame camera (duh) but has anyone considered that there might actually be 2 different ones? The K-5 midrange (I'd equate it to the Canon 550D series, and then another really stripped down entry level K-x like camera? I'm not sure what else they could strip off the K-x, but I bet they'll find something if they need to.

AOShep · 04-07-2010, 10:40 PM

Why strip anything off the K-X? A 4/3's might be a good low end model to add. Otherwise, improve on the K-7 and maybe next year upgrade the K-X. If what you want is lesser sibling, maybe the K200D could be released as the K220D. I haven't read the reviews yet on the 550D, but what I've surmised from other blogs it the K-X already does pretty good agenst it.

jct us101 · 04-07-2010, 11:03 PM

To make a new price point. I never thought that Canon and Nikon could strip anything else off the Rebel and D40/60 series cameras, but they found a way, and now you have to pay marginally less and marginally more for just a few extra features.

Christopher M.W.T · 04-07-2010, 11:11 PM

Originally posted by AOShep

Why strip anything off the K-X? A 4/3's might be a good low end model to add. Otherwise, improve on the K-7 and maybe next year upgrade the K-X. If what you want is lesser sibling, maybe the K200D could be released as the K220D. I haven't read the reviews yet on the 550D, but what I've surmised from other blogs it the K-X already does pretty good agenst it.

Why waste the time with 4/3? I personally think it's a stupid format.

Yes sure you can get more compact cameras, lighter lenses but at the expense of quality, noise, DOF etc.

phzy2003 · 04-07-2010, 11:43 PM

i think pentax should come up with a full frame, with better focus speed and better high iso. and some more full frame lenses. and some cheap lenses like the canon 50 1.8 .

ajuett · 04-07-2010, 11:46 PM

If they weather sealed a K-x-like model... well, it might kill K-7 sales, nm.

patrickw · 04-08-2010, 12:10 AM

I really don't feel that Pentax needs a body cheaper than the K-x. The reason Canon can have Rebels at every $50 price point is their huge volume of sales. With Pentax's smaller volume I think they need to be more selective in the products they offer. Also the super-low end bodies are pretty junky and you've got to think about what kind of long-term impression you are making on customers.

patrickw · 04-08-2010, 12:10 AM

Originally posted by ajuett

If they weather sealed a K-x-like model... well, it might kill K-7 sales, nm.

If they weather-sealed a K-x I'd probably buy one to go along with my K-7. But I'd rather wait and get a K-8 instead.

jct us101 · 04-08-2010, 12:11 AM

Originally posted by patrickw

If they weather-sealed a K-x I'd probably buy one to go along with my K-7. But I'd rather wait and get a K-8 instead.

I think you're thinking of the K-5, which would be a weather sealed K-x according to the rumors that have been going around so far about it.

Deni · 04-08-2010, 12:14 AM

Well, IMO the best thing Pentax could do now is have a k-7 body with k-x sensor.

Se we will have:

Entry level k-x

Mid level K-5?

Serious enthusiast k-7

Pro body 645D

I think to many bodies is counter productive. Just keep the line simple and intuitive.

jct us101 · 04-08-2010, 12:16 AM

Originally posted by Deni

Well, IMO the best thing Pentax could do now is have a k-7 body with k-x sensor.

Se we will have:

Entry level k-x

Mid level K-5?

Serious enthusiast k-7

Pro body 645D

I think to many bodies is counter productive. Just keep the line simple and intuitive.

I totally agree. I doubt they would have any difficulty selling it. The problem is how much do they sell it for.

patrickw · 04-08-2010, 12:21 AM

Originally posted by Deni

Well, IMO the best thing Pentax could do now is have a k-7 body with k-x sensor.

Se we will have:

Entry level k-x

Mid level K-5?

Serious enthusiast k-7

Pro body 645D

I think to many bodies is counter productive. Just keep the line simple and intuitive.

I agree, but I don't think the 645D ultimately is a "Pro Body" -- it's something else entirely, especially since it takes completely different lenses. I'm not saying that the 645D is not for professionals, just that it's misleading to think of it as the culmination of the camera line anchored by the K-x and K-7 when it doesn't accept their lenses.

Pentaxie · 04-08-2010, 01:03 AM

IMHO, Pentax should keep the range of camera simple.
I totally agree with Deni's assessment.
To improve, maybe introduce the FF format, say on the K-7 and maybe next year upgrade the K-X. Or an improved version of the K200D could be released as the K220D.

jct us101 · 04-08-2010, 01:07 AM

Originally posted by Pentaxie

IMHO, Pentax should keep the range of camera simple.
I totally agree with Deni's assessment.
To improve, maybe introduce the FF format, say on the K-7 and maybe next year upgrade the K-X. Or an improved version of the K200D could be released as the K220D.

The K200D seemed like a well liked camera here on the forum, but otherwise I don't think that it sold very well. Maybe Pentax decided they didn't need that range after all.

gazonk · 04-08-2010, 01:18 AM

Originally posted by jct us101

The K200D seemed like a well liked camera here on the forum, but otherwise I don't think that it sold very well. Maybe Pentax decided they didn't need that range after all.

The K200D is a very decent camera, but its most unique feature, WR, was not very easy to sell to beginners when there were only expensive DA* lenses available at that time.

The situation is different now that Pentax has affordable WR kit lenses, though, so IF it makes any sense at all for Pentax to have a camera between the already unusually well-specced (for an entry-level camera) K-x and the K-7, it would IMHO be a camera that is closer to the K-x than to the K-7. A possible solution would be to take the K-x, add (of course) focus point markers, WR, maybe improved video and maybe a top LCD to distinguish it further from the K-x. Maybe also some design sugar coating to emphasize the ruggedness (orange+black body

).

04-07-2010, 09:49 PM	#1
jct us101 Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Rohnert Park, CA Posts: 3,793	Pentax is due for a new body soon... According to my sources. Ok well maybe I don't have any sources, but I know I've read a few threads and posts on blogs recently about the K-5, whatever happened to that? I'm assuming that with Photokina coming up this year, Pentax is probably going to release something before it. I know it won't be a full frame camera (duh) but has anyone considered that there might actually be 2 different ones? The K-5 midrange (I'd equate it to the Canon 550D series, and then another really stripped down entry level K-x like camera? I'm not sure what else they could strip off the K-x, but I bet they'll find something if they need to.

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04-07-2010, 10:40 PM	#2
AOShep Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Eastern PA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 293	Why strip anything off the K-X? A 4/3's might be a good low end model to add. Otherwise, improve on the K-7 and maybe next year upgrade the K-X. If what you want is lesser sibling, maybe the K200D could be released as the K220D. I haven't read the reviews yet on the 550D, but what I've surmised from other blogs it the K-X already does pretty good agenst it.

04-07-2010, 11:03 PM	#3
jct us101 Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Rohnert Park, CA Posts: 3,793 Original Poster	To make a new price point. I never thought that Canon and Nikon could strip anything else off the Rebel and D40/60 series cameras, but they found a way, and now you have to pay marginally less and marginally more for just a few extra features.

04-07-2010, 11:11 PM	#4
Christopher M.W.T Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 1,689	Originally posted by AOShep Why strip anything off the K-X? A 4/3's might be a good low end model to add. Otherwise, improve on the K-7 and maybe next year upgrade the K-X. If what you want is lesser sibling, maybe the K200D could be released as the K220D. I haven't read the reviews yet on the 550D, but what I've surmised from other blogs it the K-X already does pretty good agenst it. Why waste the time with 4/3? I personally think it's a stupid format. Yes sure you can get more compact cameras, lighter lenses but at the expense of quality, noise, DOF etc.

04-07-2010, 11:43 PM	#5
phzy2003 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Gold Coast, Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 167	i think pentax should come up with a full frame, with better focus speed and better high iso. and some more full frame lenses. and some cheap lenses like the canon 50 1.8 .

04-07-2010, 11:46 PM	#6
ajuett Inactive Account Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 1,100	If they weather sealed a K-x-like model... well, it might kill K-7 sales, nm.

04-08-2010, 12:10 AM	#7
patrickw Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: United States Photos: Gallery Posts: 104	I really don't feel that Pentax needs a body cheaper than the K-x. The reason Canon can have Rebels at every $50 price point is their huge volume of sales. With Pentax's smaller volume I think they need to be more selective in the products they offer. Also the super-low end bodies are pretty junky and you've got to think about what kind of long-term impression you are making on customers.

04-08-2010, 12:10 AM	#8
patrickw Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: United States Photos: Gallery Posts: 104	Originally posted by ajuett If they weather sealed a K-x-like model... well, it might kill K-7 sales, nm. If they weather-sealed a K-x I'd probably buy one to go along with my K-7. But I'd rather wait and get a K-8 instead.

04-08-2010, 12:11 AM	#9
jct us101 Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Rohnert Park, CA Posts: 3,793 Original Poster	Originally posted by patrickw If they weather-sealed a K-x I'd probably buy one to go along with my K-7. But I'd rather wait and get a K-8 instead. I think you're thinking of the K-5, which would be a weather sealed K-x according to the rumors that have been going around so far about it.

04-08-2010, 12:14 AM	#10
Deni Veteran Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Tirana, Albania, South Europe, Planet Earth Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 621	Well, IMO the best thing Pentax could do now is have a k-7 body with k-x sensor. Se we will have: Entry level k-x Mid level K-5? Serious enthusiast k-7 Pro body 645D I think to many bodies is counter productive. Just keep the line simple and intuitive.

04-08-2010, 12:16 AM	#11
jct us101 Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Rohnert Park, CA Posts: 3,793 Original Poster	Originally posted by Deni Well, IMO the best thing Pentax could do now is have a k-7 body with k-x sensor. Se we will have: Entry level k-x Mid level K-5? Serious enthusiast k-7 Pro body 645D I think to many bodies is counter productive. Just keep the line simple and intuitive. I totally agree. I doubt they would have any difficulty selling it. The problem is how much do they sell it for.

04-08-2010, 12:21 AM	#12
patrickw Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: United States Photos: Gallery Posts: 104	Originally posted by Deni Well, IMO the best thing Pentax could do now is have a k-7 body with k-x sensor. Se we will have: Entry level k-x Mid level K-5? Serious enthusiast k-7 Pro body 645D I think to many bodies is counter productive. Just keep the line simple and intuitive. I agree, but I don't think the 645D ultimately is a "Pro Body" -- it's something else entirely, especially since it takes completely different lenses. I'm not saying that the 645D is not for professionals, just that it's misleading to think of it as the culmination of the camera line anchored by the K-x and K-7 when it doesn't accept their lenses.

04-08-2010, 01:03 AM	#13
Pentaxie Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Kuala Lumpur Malaysia Photos: Gallery Posts: 429	IMHO, Pentax should keep the range of camera simple. I totally agree with Deni's assessment. To improve, maybe introduce the FF format, say on the K-7 and maybe next year upgrade the K-X. Or an improved version of the K200D could be released as the K220D.

04-08-2010, 01:07 AM	#14
jct us101 Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Rohnert Park, CA Posts: 3,793 Original Poster	Originally posted by Pentaxie IMHO, Pentax should keep the range of camera simple. I totally agree with Deni's assessment. To improve, maybe introduce the FF format, say on the K-7 and maybe next year upgrade the K-X. Or an improved version of the K200D could be released as the K220D. The K200D seemed like a well liked camera here on the forum, but otherwise I don't think that it sold very well. Maybe Pentax decided they didn't need that range after all.

04-08-2010, 01:18 AM	#15
gazonk Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Oslo area, Norway Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,746	Originally posted by jct us101 The K200D seemed like a well liked camera here on the forum, but otherwise I don't think that it sold very well. Maybe Pentax decided they didn't need that range after all. The K200D is a very decent camera, but its most unique feature, WR, was not very easy to sell to beginners when there were only expensive DA* lenses available at that time. The situation is different now that Pentax has affordable WR kit lenses, though, so IF it makes any sense at all for Pentax to have a camera between the already unusually well-specced (for an entry-level camera) K-x and the K-7, it would IMHO be a camera that is closer to the K-x than to the K-7. A possible solution would be to take the K-x, add (of course) focus point markers, WR, maybe improved video and maybe a top LCD to distinguish it further from the K-x. Maybe also some design sugar coating to emphasize the ruggedness (orange+black body ).