New Pentax Full Frame Gets 36MP Sensor?

Fenwoodian · 10-26-2015, 06:20 PM

Like me, I expect that many of you are regular visitors to Thom Hogan's various photography websites.

Today on this webpage he says "Competitors like Pentax are picking up on that 36mp sensor, too, so Nikon needs to move further ahead". In the context of the entire article, I believe that this statement is saying that the new Pentax full frame will have the same 36mp sensor that the Nikon 800 series cameras have.

Obviously, Pentax/Ricoh has not announced yet what sensor the full frame will have. Does Thom have inside information, or is he just making an educated guess?

If the sensor turns out to be the same 36mp sensor that's in the Nikon D800, D800E, and D810 will you be happy with it? Or, were you (like me) hoping that the Pentax full frame would have the new Sony 42mp sensor in it?

Also, assuming Thom is correct in this prediction,what impact do you think having this sensor in the new Pentax full frame might have on it's price? The Nikon D810 currently is selling for $2,797. Maybe be even lower on Black Friday and before Christmas. Given that, I would think a likely starting price for the Pentax full frame might be around $2,300.

Last edited by Fenwoodian; 10-26-2015 at 06:56 PM.

normhead · 10-26-2015, 06:23 PM

I'm expecting the Pentax FF to be a more advanced camera than the D810 and that the price will be maybe $100 less than the D810 was on release, which i believe was over $3100. Pixel shift alone will mean as a landscape camera the Pentax will easily out-do a D810 in some circumstances, like studio stills and windless landscapes.

jeffryscott · 10-26-2015, 06:37 PM

Imagine the image quality potential available if the Pixel Shift technology is enabled!

DogLover · 10-26-2015, 06:39 PM

I believe a Pentax rep told someone at the New York show just days ago that it will list for $2400 and have a street price of around $1900.

I read it here but can't find it now.

virusn3t · 10-26-2015, 06:41 PM

My money goes to 36mpx, with a better overall performance that the "old" Sony 36Mpx, with some PixelShift or Super/Resolution a la Olympus can salvage the 42mpx and be a more affordable FF camera. I really dont want to pay premium for 6mpx and 4k video....

**boriscleto** · 10-26-2015, 06:42 PM

Originally posted by DogLover

I believe a Pentax rep told someone at the New York show just days ago that it will list for $2400 and have a street price of around $1900.

I read it here but can't find it now.

Really just the speculation of someone who doesn't know.

Said speculation was here...

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/48-pentax-medium-format/306482-some-mediu...plus-expo.html

normhead · 10-26-2015, 06:42 PM

Originally posted by DogLover

I believe a Pentax rep told someone at the New York show just days ago that it will list for $2400 and have a street price of around $1900.

I read it here but can't find it now.

That would be awesome. We'll have to see.

DogLover · 10-26-2015, 06:54 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by boriscleto

Really just the speculation of someone who doesn't know.

Said speculation was here...

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/48-pentax-medium-format/306482-some-mediu...plus-expo.html

We don't know that he doesn't know. He was a Pentax rep and apparently stated it pretty matter-of-factly, not as a guess.

rawr · 10-26-2015, 07:12 PM

Originally posted by Fenwoodian

If the sensor turns out to be the same 36mp sensor that's in the Nikon D800, D800E, and D810 will you be happy with it?

Yes. As long as the other camera systems (autofocus particularly) matched what the D810 has. A bit more fps than the D810 has would also be nice (beyond a mere 5fps), with a better RAW buffer too, thank you Pentax.

Fenwoodian · 10-26-2015, 07:21 PM

The D810 has one CF card slot, and one SD card slot.

I have over 200GB of fast SD cards, and no longer have any of those larger CF cards. Buying CF cards again would be a huge expense for me.

Please Pentax, put two SD card slots in your full frame (like you did on your K3II).

MadMathMind · 10-26-2015, 07:36 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by Fenwoodian

If the sensor turns out to be the same 36mp sensor that's in the Nikon D800, D800E, and D810 will you be happy with it? Or, were you (like me) hoping that the Pentax full frame would have the new Sony 42mp sensor in it?

Unless you're going to print out billboards, anything over 25 MP or so is just overkill. Then you're just spending lots and lots of harddrive space for not much gain.

For reference, a 4K display is only 8.3 MP, so you can view a 16MP image at 50% scaling (still good to avoid artifacts). 24MP puts you at 33%, which is more than enough downscaling to suppress camera flaws.

I'm not sure about that blog post. For a "pro" site, there's way too much emphasis on MP. He doesn't just use them to differentiate them by name; he suggests more MP like it's going to matter to people.

DogLover · 10-26-2015, 07:45 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by Fenwoodian

The D810 has one CF card slot, and one SD card slot.

I have over 200GB of fast SD cards, and no longer have any of those larger CF cards. Buying CF cards again would be a huge expense for me.

Please Pentax, put two SD card slots in your full frame (like you did on your K3II).

You don't have to worry about that. Pentax uses SD. Period. Even on the 645Z. Sensor origin is completely unrelated to card type. Plus, I can't imagine that they would put in only one card slot when the last two aps-c bodies have had two. (Original K-3 has two also)

**monochrome** · 10-26-2015, 07:51 PM

Originally posted by DogLover

I believe a Pentax rep told someone at the New York show just days ago that it will list for $2400 and have a street price of around $1900.

I read it here but can't find it now.

That was written by texandrews in his thread primarily about the 645z. The thread title started 'MF news . . .'

**monochrome** · 10-26-2015, 08:00 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by normhead

That would be awesome. We'll have to see.

Adam has been saying $2,500 max for six months. My bet was $2,800 and Rondec has been right around that. Tex apparently had an extensive conversation with someeone who should know and who he cannot identify because there was a reporter present, so disussion was 'off-the-record". $1,900 street is a damned sharp pricepoint for what that camera appears to be - prricinglike the 645Z in that market. At that price I can keep all my crazy SMC lenses, get the camera and the 70-210, keep the FA24-90 and be VERY happy.

**jeffshaddix** · 10-26-2015, 08:06 PM

I'm hoping the two model rumor is true. I'd be in for the 24MP if so. Even super resolution done by hand (much easier than you might think in Photoshop) would generate almost 100MP monstrosities.

10-26-2015, 06:20 PM	#1
Fenwoodian Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,874	New Pentax Full Frame Gets 36MP Sensor? Like me, I expect that many of you are regular visitors to Thom Hogan's various photography websites. Today on this webpage he says "Competitors like Pentax are picking up on that 36mp sensor, too, so Nikon needs to move further ahead". In the context of the entire article, I believe that this statement is saying that the new Pentax full frame will have the same 36mp sensor that the Nikon 800 series cameras have. Obviously, Pentax/Ricoh has not announced yet what sensor the full frame will have. Does Thom have inside information, or is he just making an educated guess? If the sensor turns out to be the same 36mp sensor that's in the Nikon D800, D800E, and D810 will you be happy with it? Or, were you (like me) hoping that the Pentax full frame would have the new Sony 42mp sensor in it? Also, assuming Thom is correct in this prediction,what impact do you think having this sensor in the new Pentax full frame might have on it's price? The Nikon D810 currently is selling for $2,797. Maybe be even lower on Black Friday and before Christmas. Given that, I would think a likely starting price for the Pentax full frame might be around $2,300. Last edited by Fenwoodian; 10-26-2015 at 06:56 PM.

10-26-2015, 06:23 PM	#2
normhead Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Near Algonquin Park Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 40,451	I'm expecting the Pentax FF to be a more advanced camera than the D810 and that the price will be maybe $100 less than the D810 was on release, which i believe was over $3100. Pixel shift alone will mean as a landscape camera the Pentax will easily out-do a D810 in some circumstances, like studio stills and windless landscapes. Last edited by normhead; 10-26-2015 at 06:33 PM.

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10-26-2015, 06:37 PM	#3
jeffryscott Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 253	Imagine the image quality potential available if the Pixel Shift technology is enabled!

10-26-2015, 06:39 PM	#4
DogLover Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Tennessee Posts: 2,054	I believe a Pentax rep told someone at the New York show just days ago that it will list for $2400 and have a street price of around $1900. I read it here but can't find it now.

10-26-2015, 06:41 PM	#5
virusn3t Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Posts: 676	My money goes to 36mpx, with a better overall performance that the "old" Sony 36Mpx, with some PixelShift or Super/Resolution a la Olympus can salvage the 42mpx and be a more affordable FF camera. I really dont want to pay premium for 6mpx and 4k video....

10-26-2015, 06:42 PM	#6
boriscleto Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: North Syracuse, NY Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,475	Originally posted by DogLover I believe a Pentax rep told someone at the New York show just days ago that it will list for $2400 and have a street price of around $1900. I read it here but can't find it now. Really just the speculation of someone who doesn't know. Said speculation was here... https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/48-pentax-medium-format/306482-some-mediu...plus-expo.html

10-26-2015, 06:54 PM - 1 Like	#8
DogLover Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Tennessee Posts: 2,054	Originally posted by boriscleto Really just the speculation of someone who doesn't know. Said speculation was here... https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/48-pentax-medium-format/306482-some-mediu...plus-expo.html We don't know that he doesn't know. He was a Pentax rep and apparently stated it pretty matter-of-factly, not as a guess.

10-26-2015, 07:12 PM	#9
rawr Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 11,913	Originally posted by Fenwoodian If the sensor turns out to be the same 36mp sensor that's in the Nikon D800, D800E, and D810 will you be happy with it? Yes. As long as the other camera systems (autofocus particularly) matched what the D810 has. A bit more fps than the D810 has would also be nice (beyond a mere 5fps), with a better RAW buffer too, thank you Pentax.

10-26-2015, 07:21 PM	#10
Fenwoodian Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,874 Original Poster	The D810 has one CF card slot, and one SD card slot. I have over 200GB of fast SD cards, and no longer have any of those larger CF cards. Buying CF cards again would be a huge expense for me. Please Pentax, put two SD card slots in your full frame (like you did on your K3II).

10-26-2015, 07:36 PM - 1 Like	#11
MadMathMind Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Houston, TX Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,717	Originally posted by Fenwoodian If the sensor turns out to be the same 36mp sensor that's in the Nikon D800, D800E, and D810 will you be happy with it? Or, were you (like me) hoping that the Pentax full frame would have the new Sony 42mp sensor in it? Unless you're going to print out billboards, anything over 25 MP or so is just overkill. Then you're just spending lots and lots of harddrive space for not much gain. For reference, a 4K display is only 8.3 MP, so you can view a 16MP image at 50% scaling (still good to avoid artifacts). 24MP puts you at 33%, which is more than enough downscaling to suppress camera flaws. I'm not sure about that blog post. For a "pro" site, there's way too much emphasis on MP. He doesn't just use them to differentiate them by name; he suggests more MP like it's going to matter to people.

10-26-2015, 07:45 PM - 1 Like	#12
DogLover Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Tennessee Posts: 2,054	Originally posted by Fenwoodian The D810 has one CF card slot, and one SD card slot. I have over 200GB of fast SD cards, and no longer have any of those larger CF cards. Buying CF cards again would be a huge expense for me. Please Pentax, put two SD card slots in your full frame (like you did on your K3II). You don't have to worry about that. Pentax uses SD. Period. Even on the 645Z. Sensor origin is completely unrelated to card type. Plus, I can't imagine that they would put in only one card slot when the last two aps-c bodies have had two. (Original K-3 has two also)

10-26-2015, 07:51 PM	#13
monochrome Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Working From Home Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 26,276	Originally posted by DogLover I believe a Pentax rep told someone at the New York show just days ago that it will list for $2400 and have a street price of around $1900. I read it here but can't find it now. That was written by texandrews in his thread primarily about the 645z. The thread title started 'MF news . . .'

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10-26-2015, 08:00 PM - 1 Like	#14
monochrome Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Working From Home Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 26,276	Originally posted by normhead That would be awesome. We'll have to see. Adam has been saying $2,500 max for six months. My bet was $2,800 and Rondec has been right around that. Tex apparently had an extensive conversation with someeone who should know and who he cannot identify because there was a reporter present, so disussion was 'off-the-record". $1,900 street is a damned sharp pricepoint for what that camera appears to be - prricinglike the 645Z in that market. At that price I can keep all my crazy SMC lenses, get the camera and the 70-210, keep the FA24-90 and be VERY happy.

10-26-2015, 08:06 PM	#15
jeffshaddix Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Colorado Posts: 1,473	I'm hoping the two model rumor is true. I'd be in for the 24MP if so. Even super resolution done by hand (much easier than you might think in Photoshop) would generate almost 100MP monstrosities.