[Digitalis]

But wouldn't a K-mount DSLR suffer from the same vignetting? Back in the film days vignetting was pretty common and accepted.

SLR lenses do suffer from vignetting, but the mechanism that is causing the vignetting is different, when the lens is barely a few mm away from the sensor the light is hitting the microlenses in front of the sensels at such an acute angle it loses a great deal of its intensity* - this is more problematic towards the edges of the frame*. SLR lenses rarely have this problem because they are much further away from the sensor - so the average amount of vignetting for SLR lenses is typically lower than what is common amongst RF lenses.

You keep cleaning records?

There are two reasons why I do this: for starters whenever I take a camera out to be used I take a shot of the sky - or some other featureless surface to see if there is any dust, if there is I clean the sensor, if there isn't I still keep the frame to keep a tab on the state of the sensor. Secondly Sensor cleaning products cost money. If I use a camera for a paid commercial job I factor sensor cleaning in the cost of maintaining my cameras, this is usually a flat $150 fee - I have quite a few cameras,lenses and flash units. Part of being successful as a photographer is also making sure you look after your gear and keep it in good order.

* This is particularly noticeable on Full Format sensors.

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Last edited by Digitalis; 02-13-2013 at 04:52 AM.

[Allison]

I'll qualify my statement to say that I have no problem with the K-5 grip. I quickly became accustomed to it after the K10/20. And it's definitely a former grip than I have felt with other cameras - dSLRs or otherwise - I have held before.

When I got my k5, I was coming off of using the k20 with a grip. I had the k5 for about 4 hours before I was ordering the grip. I have occasionally removed the grip, but I just simply find the camera too small then because my pinky finger has no place to go. This is part of the reason why I don't have a mirrorless yet - I really think it will feel too small for my tastes.

All that said, I like that there is the option for grips in the Pentax dslrs because it accommodates everyone. The people who want a smaller dslr are pleased with the way it comes and those who want a big dslr get a grip with longer battery life and easy portrait mode shooting.

[Uluru]

True, I hadn't thought of that at all! Very good point.

But wouldn't a K-mount DSLR suffer from the same vignetting? Back in the film days vignetting was pretty common and accepted.
..

Vignetting was a virtue!
Because our eyes are vignetting naturally, photos of olde days were more aligned with our eyesight and visual memory.
I remember the days when we would laugh loudly at lenses that were not vignetting.

[Clavius]

SLR lenses do suffer from vignetting, but the mechanism that is causing the vignetting is different, when the lens is barely a few mm away from the sensor the light is hitting the microlenses in front of the sensels at such an acute angle it loses a great deal of its intensity* - this is more problematic towards the edges of the frame*. SLR lenses rarely have this problem because they are much further away from the sensor - so the average amount of vignetting for SLR lenses is typically lower than what is common amongst RF lenses.

Very interesting! I'm learning a lot here. So, there ìs an advantage to a long registry distance after all.

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Last edited by Clavius; 02-13-2013 at 07:24 AM.

[Ash]

It would make sense due to the obtuse angle the incident light has to pass with a short registry, intensity drop off would creep in going towards the extremes of the sensor. .

[ogl]

Just a few hours ago we interviewed Pentax at CP+. This was the first question:

Canon, Nikon and Sony don't think, but produce FF cameras. Pentax thinks about FF camera, but doesn't produce.

[Rondec]

Canon, Nikon and Sony don't think, but produce FF cameras. Pentax thinks about FF camera, but doesn't produce.

It is pretty clear that Pentax, particularly since they have become a subsidiary of larger companies, has to be able to demonstrate financial viability of any major moves to the company that owns them. Under Hoya, that just wasn't going to happen. Ricoh seems more liberal with the purse strings, but even there, I think they need to see a niche they are shooting for and a plan whereby they don't lose their shirts, if the only people who buy said full frame camera are the 250 people on the Pentax Forums who said they would...

[Uluru]

Canon, Nikon and Sony don't think, but produce FF cameras ..

I think you summed it all up well.
They don't think: they just copy what each other is doing.
Apart from RX1; that was off the hook, lovely thinking on Sony's part (not Nikon or Canon – they have no style and taste whatsoever).

[Alizarine]

I think you summed it all up well. They don't think: they just copy what each other is doing. Apart from RX1; that was off the hook, lovely thinking on Sony's part (not Nikon or Canon – they have no style and taste whatsoever).

Personally I think the 1D-C was a good move, but not for perhaps 99% of consumers

[Uluru]

Personally I think the 1D-C was a good move, but not for perhaps 99% of consumers

It seems many companies are great in making concepts for 1% of the consumers and such products are often superb.
Canon with 1D-C, Leica with S system, Pentax with 645D.
And it is interesting none can make 99% of the consumers happy ...

[Chidlom]

Good news

[Alizarine]

It seems many companies are great in making concepts for 1% of the consumers and such products are often superb. Canon with 1D-C, Leica with S system, Pentax with 645D. And it is interesting none can make 99% of the consumers happy ...

I can agree with that, because mostly the people (the "1%" or so) who buy these things don't complain as much as the 99% do but go on buying anyway. The more people to please, the more difficult it is to make a "dream product," and that seems to be the case most of the time.

[Digitalis]

I don't think Pentax cares much about selling other manufacturers lenses

+1 good point. Pentax lens prices are high enough as things are already.

[Clavius]

I don't think Pentax cares much about selling other manufacturers lenses

+1 good point. Pentax lens prices are high enough as things are already.

Chicken or the egg? Aren't people looking at off-brand lenses for the very reason that Pentax lenses have become so expensive? And/Or are people looking at off-brand lenses because the currently available Pentax lens lineup is filled with holes?

[siamthai]

Do you really think that Pentax will make a FF? I don't see how that could be as Pentax has so very few lenses even if we count both the APS-C and the FF-lenses. If they want to sell a FF-camera then the buyers want more lenses to choose from. It will of course be a lot of older lenses to choose from if Pentax keep the K-mount (which I hope they will keep) but very few FF-lenses still in production (at least from Pentax). I have no idea what the cost would be for Ricoh to make a new Pentax FF-lens but it seems as very costly to make a FF-camera and probably a few new FF-lenses. Especially since most who are used to high quality Pentax DA* and limited lenses probably would be disappointed if new FF-lenses wouldn't be of the same high quality.