[hansenn]

bare in mind, the price is MSRP price... usually it drops quite a bit afterward... compare to current standard, it is usually only cheaper for 100-200 as well.. so approximately 10%

sure, but imo these rumours and the specifications/price are only based on the sony a99. Correct me if I,m wrong

[Deiberson]

I finally got the chance to play around with a 1D mark4, a 5D mark2 and a 3Ds. I'm probably not sticking around to wait for a Pentax option and doubt I would even buy it after messing around with Canikons big boys.

[gtl]

I finally got the chance to play around with a 1D mark4, a 5D mark2 and a 3Ds. I'm probably not sticking around to wait for a Pentax option and doubt I would even buy it after messing around with Canikons big boys.

And why is that? The AF? The responsiveness?

[RonHendriks1966]

Well we all are rumouring about a new Full Frame DSLR coming from Pentax. It will be cheap and small and we all gonna love (or hate) it. Once Pentax starts to buy that Sony sensor Full Frame with 24 megapixel, it is very easy to use it in a second mirrorless camera. To make it different from all other camera's and make it different from Pentax's own full frame dslr they could make it in the form of the K-01. A very capable camera with lots of futures, only different from what a lot of traditional photographers are used to.


True, I just took an K-01 image and shopped the larger sensor in it with the new K-11 name The body probably has to grow just a little bit to make room for the larger sensor with SR-platform. Maybe the smallest form could be 131x85x59 mm, making it a real small camera!

The key specifications of the Pentax K-11 are:

•Sensor: 24.0 Megapixel CMOS (36x24mm)
•ISO Range: 100-25,600
•Autofocus: contrast-detect autofocus (CDAF) system
•Shutter: stepless, 30s-1/4000s rated for 100,000 actuations
•Framerate: 2,5 FPS at maximum resolution for jpg and 1FPS for 12-bit RAW until full card.
•Video: 1080p recording at 30/25/24 FPS, 720p recording at 60/50/30/25/24 FPS, VGA recording at 120/30FPS
•Image processor: single PRIME M
•Media: Single SDXC/SDHC/SD card
•All scenery modes will be available on this K-11.
•Body Color: Yellow, Black or White

The K-11 uses the same "crippled" KAF2 mount that's found on Pentax K-01, meaning it's fully backwards-compatible with manual lenses, but needs to stop-down meter when one is mounted. Focus Peaking-mode will make working with older manual lenses very easy. Whenever DA (APS-C format) lenses are mounted, the camera will automatically switch to a 12-megapixel cropped sensor mode which only utilizes the APS-C image circle.

The K-11 is aimed at the amateur photographer who would like to take the jump toward the large sensor Full Frame format. There are no pro-futures in this camera like fast frame rate, tethering shooting, sync-port for studioflash, extended iso-range, next to single shot mode there is only one continuous mode setting (jpg 2,5 fps (jpg with lenscorrections at 0,7 fps), RAW 1 fps and RAW+jpg at 0,8 fps and RAW+jpg with lenscorrections at 0,4 fps) because the buffer is to narrow to give a more hi-speed shooting and instead of 14-bit RAW the camera is working with a 12-bit RAW mode making files smaller and faster working with the single PRIME M engine. This will likely put its price at 2/3ths of the upcoming Full Frame DSLR from Pentax.

With this new camera a specially designed new kitlens will come. That would be a new 30-60mm/f3.5-4.5 FXs lens that goes back into the mirrorbox, so can not be mounted on dslr and also not on APS-C K-01 camera. Only a 2x zoomlens to make it rather fast and cheap.

Making this a very unique and affordable camera!

---

Last edited by RonHendriks1966; 06-16-2012 at 04:58 AM.

[Aristophanes]

Seems just a little bit ago you were arguing that this simply couldn't happen, because it would p*ss off Sony Semiconductor's best customer, Nikon, and that the Pentax-ricoh share of the market would be far too small to make it worthwhile.

Oh, also that there was no existing or emerging market that would make this a sound business decision for Pentax-Ricoh anyway.

Oh, and that a small-bodied FF camera is a pipe-dream, or too expensive, and not worth chasing.

(feel free to now refute your past refutations )



...As I and others predicted would happen.

(BTW, I disagree that Sony Semiconductor is truly the only game in town - strong rumours that Nikon is also playing big with Aptina, now.)


.

What I consistently said was that Sony locked down its sensors with Nikon. This was 2 years ago when Falk Lumo wrote his piece about Pentax having to do an FF camera right away at PK 2010.

Didn't happen. I did not see the sensor supply. There is no alternative to Sony and Sony dropped out to give Nikon all supply. Aptina has been a long-time rumour. Who knows?

People argued with me, but it looks more and more like this was correct, and still is. Lots of Nikonians had insight here that has proven largely bang-on.

I predicted the earliest 2013, and more likely 2014. I also said that proof-of-concept at PK 2012. How much they can get out in 2013 will be a consideration.

I've always made the point that when sensors came available at reasonable cost, Pentax could probably get in. Maybe. They have a very big hill to climb with lenses and competitiveness across the board (flash, AF, software like tethering). The Pentax market is tiny, so FF is going to be a long slow process to anything resembling competitive parity.

It's all about the price. Any camera that comes in above $2,000 is going to have a very small market. Very small. Sales drop off a cliff above $1,000 (ask Thom Hogan):

The Collision | Sans Mirror ? mirrorless, interchangeable lens cameras | Thom Hogan

Also, as I've said many times before, watch Sony. Nikon is a premium price brand, but Sony's prices on their FF's will tell the story and map out the future. Even if Aptina is in the game, Sony can probably sill out price anyone with their fabs, especially since they bought out (back) Toshiba's capacity.

One other thing: I've always said that Pentax had FF skunkworks. Why not? The body is the easiest thing. It's lenses and distribution and in particular, fabrication that are the killers.

[aurele]

rated for 100,000 actuations

at least twice would be more "sell-able" to be consider as "pro" (big quote here)

Framerate: 2,5 FPS at maximum resolution for jpg and 1FPS for 12-bit RAW until full card.

Must be push to 5 Raw/sec at least !

Media: Single SDXC/SDHC/SD card

double would be better ! and use CF to make it faster.

he K-11 uses the same "crippled" KAF2 mount

why crippling the mount ? please give use a real KAF 2 uncrippled mount !

it would need a second wheel too.

good idea, but too much a copy of K-01 with a FF sensor to my taste.

[thibs]

What Ron? An FF ? Not even an APS-H ?

Dream on... I don't see it happen unless K-01 is condered a success and even then, only months AFTER the DSLR is launched, which means long time after Sony.

[RonHendriks1966]

The K-11 is aimed at the amateur photographer who would like to take the jump toward the large sensor Full Frame format. There are no pro-futures in this camera like fast frame rate, tethering shooting, sync-port for studioflash, extended iso-range, next to single shot mode there is only one continuous mode setting (jpg 2,5 fps (jpg with lenscorrections at 0,7 fps), RAW 1 fps and RAW+jpg at 0,8 fps and RAW+jpg with lenscorrections at 0,4 fps) because the buffer is to narrow to give a more hi-speed shooting and instead of 14-bit RAW the camera is working with a 12-bit RAW mode making files smaller and faster working with the single PRIME M engine. This will likely put its price at 2/3ths of the upcoming Full Frame DSLR from Pentax.

Making this a very unique and affordable camera!

at least twice would be more "sell-able" to be consider as "pro" (big quote here)
It's not for Pro's!

Must be push to 5 Raw/sec at least !
With a tiny buffer and just a single PRIME M you can not have a fast framerate.

double would be better ! and use CF to make it faster.
SDXC cards are fast enough for the 1 fps 12-bit RAW output of the camera.

why crippling the mount ? please give use a real KAF 2 uncrippled mount !
As long as it doesn't cost money!

it would need a second wheel too.
Well working with a single wheel is just as easy since this isn't a fast camera.

good idea, but too much a copy of K-01 with a FF sensor to my taste.
Basicly this is the main point, Put a FF sensor in that new K-01!

Well it's not aimed at PRO-shooters, but amateurs who would like to have a Full Frame camera. With the 1 fps RAW I have no trouble about the "only 100k actuations" since that isn't reached easy. Things like 1fps RAW, 12-bit RAW, single PRIME M processor and single SDXC cardslot make the camera smaller, cheaper and directed to the amateur instead of the professional.

[RonHendriks1966]

What Ron? An FF ? Not even an APS-H ?

Dream on... I don't see it happen unless K-01 is condered a success and even then, only months AFTER the DSLR is launched, which means long time after Sony.

This is the funpart. I would like an APS-H DSLR for sports, but with a mirrorless K-11 that would mainly be used with lenses up to 100mm and not for sports I would like a Full Frame sensor inside.

Pentax could do this in a heartbeat I think!

[RonHendriks1966]

good idea, but too much a copy of K-01 with a FF sensor to my taste.

Well, just look at these comparisons:

K-01 versus D700:
Compare camera dimensions side by side

The K-11 has to grow a little bit. When you look at the box that is neede to fit such a camera then the K-11 would be 50 % of the size of a pro-camera like D700. So you need to give away some things to achief that. But at the end you have a camera to make wonderfull images at a reasonable prizepoint.

[Na Horuk]

Ron, while that is an interesting idea, I personally would really hope that the first Pentax FF would have an optical viewfinder (so, classical DSLR, not a mirrorless). But a very compact FF might not be a bad idea in terms of camera market sales. After all, one of the things a lot of people love about Pentax is that its a small system.

[RonHendriks1966]

Ron, while that is an interesting idea, I personally would really hope that the first Pentax FF would have an optical viewfinder (so, classical DSLR, not a mirrorless). But a very compact FF might not be a bad idea in terms of camera market sales. After all, one of the things a lot of people love about Pentax is that its a small system.

Before someone is confused:

In my idea a FF DSLR Pentax K-1 and FF mirrorless Pentax K-11 would come to market together on the same day!

[ElJamoquio]

Also a couple of DFA macros (50 and 100) and a couple FA non-Ltds (35 and 50).

There's over 35 FF lenses on the market right now, and probably more (40mm, 50mm 1.8, 35mm 2.4, etc).

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-slr-lens-discussion/183420-current...me-lenses.html

[asw66]

Ron, while I appreciate that you're earnestly trying to differentiate the mirrorless and SLR FF lines, I think your K-11 concept needs to make a few more concessions towards enthusiast shooters, primarily in the form of a 2nd dial, 14-bit RAW, and much faster FPS.

Add an articulated screen, and this would almost certainly tempt some people to switch to Pentax, and thereby grow the brand.

[monochrome]

I go away for 4 days and suddenly we are approaching the singularity.