[ffking]

The image viewed in the EVF is what the sensor is seeing through the lens

Not actually -it's a lower resolution jpeg representation/interpretation of what come through the lens - that's part of the assumed advantage for shooting in low light, it's brighter than reality, for example. But id you shoot RAW, what you see in the EVF isn't what will come out of your camera any more than using and OVF, which at least gives you a visual memory of reality as a basis for post processing..

[Wheatfield]

Maybe a few lenses to go along with the present full frame camera would be appropriate before another camera is introduced.

[Leumas]

Maybe a few lenses to go along with the present full frame camera would be appropriate before another camera is introduced.

Definitely! Would love for some more updated epic FF glass.
Specifically PRIMES!

[photoptimist]

For the foreseeable future K-1 is the Pentax FF, and will remain the lone FF body until another Sony sensor has fully matured - and the price for same has declined - such that a commitment to sell 300,000 of them over several years to Pentax is a product extension decision, not a production allocation decision. 645 is the Pentax high end FF. APSc flagship pays for the technology improvements we demand.

There are at least two Sony sensors that could go into the K-1's successor right now: the one in the Sony A7R III (42.4 MPix @ 10 fps) and the one in the Sony A9 (24 MPix @ 20 fps). The former looks like the better bet both in terms of being a logical upgrade (both higher resolution + higher frame rate) and cost (if the body prices are any indication, the fancy stacked sensor-ADC chip of the A9 costs a bundle.)

Similarly, Sony has two options for the 645 depending on whether Pentax wants a higher resolution crop-MF or a full-frame MF successor to the Z.

[Rondec]

The whole EVF versus OVF discussion has been hashed out many times in the past. Most folks just like what they like. I think a lot does depend on how long you have been shooting as to how much help you need from the camera to get decent shots. If you've been shooting for awhile, you should be able to look at a scene and know what is going to be possible after processing your RAW file. On the other hand, if you just shoot straight of camera jpegs and do no processing then maybe the EVF gives you more of a feel for what the camera's jpeg engine is going to produce without chimping. I suppose if you shoot a lot of manual focus lenses, then the EVF has some helps there as well.

I still would be in favor of a K-02 -- full frame sensor, add in an EVF, improve specifications across the board, use a sensor with PDAF points on the sensor. It wouldn't be as thin as the Sony mirrorless cameras are, but it still would be a lot smaller than a K-1. I just don't see abandoning the K mount at this point. It has taken Pentax a really long time to get the lens line up they have and Ricoh has shown no interest in throwing a bunch of money at the imaging arm to speed up the process. Starting from square one it could take fifteen years to develop a full lens line up for a new mirrorless mount. And no, I don't think releasing a K mount to new mount adapter with screw drive motor built in really helps much for that sort of transition.

But, I think most of this stuff is sort of wishful thinking. The K-1 is the only full frame camera that Pentax will offer for the next year to year and a half. Hopefully at that point the full frame lens line up is a little more complete.

[Wheatfield]

Sounds like you're describing early generations of EVF's

There will always be some latency with an evf. That is irrefutable.
As for one type being better than the other, there seems to be two groups, one that prefers optical viewfinders because they work and one that prefers electronic ones for whatever flavour if the week reason comes to mind.
My most recent evf experience is the Fuji X-T1. It's ok but not great. I don't know if they have gotten significantly better since then it not, but based on it, they have a long way to go.

[Ian Stuart Forsyth]

No, not quite; it is a highly compressed and massaged version with contrast and color balance far different than even the JPEG capture.
Steve

This I one of the problems I would have with a EVF, now if I had a real time input with a raw histogram that showed me what is contained in the raw file along with a uniwb they would have my attention.
If I have to take into account that the EVF is not showing me what is contained in the raw file for me its no better than a OFV and I would sooner not put up with the other limitations EVF has.

[credos4u]

To me priorities(wishlist ranking -is) are more like:

1.) Better AF
2.) Better AF
3.) Faster Burst
4.) Faster Burst
5.) Bigger Buffer
6.) Bigger Buffer
7.) EFCS improvements
8.)xxxx
9.)xxxx
10.)high framerate video
11.)slo-motion video recording possible
12.)4k video
13.)xxx
xx
xx
23.) Touch Screen - for changing af point superfast in liveview (or EVF-mode*)
x
x
98.) detachable viewfinder-system for being able to change from OVF to EVF
or -> 99.) *hybrid viewfinder ("pop-in"-EVF)
I guess that goes for lots of other people too, who are not tooo special and would only need 1fps but 120MP.

Just wanted to say: I dont really feel the need for EVF.. though I think it would be cool to have one.

BTW: try a Sony A9 and see that you will have a hard time recognizing any viewfinder lag.
no one can deny its not real-time... but nearly.

[Pioneer]

I have tried it and If the Sony A9 is the current standard bearer for EVF then we have a long way to go.

It certainly does extremely well for all those computerized vision things that people seem to like, focus peaking, etc., but it is still a longgg ways from a usable action viewfinder. If you really want to test it try it out at a quarter or 1/8th mile oval track or a motocross track. Unless you just keep the camera totally still on one of the corners it becomes pretty useless as the sun goes down and the lights come up.

I am very glad that optical viewfinders are still available or digital would be a complete loss.

[MJKoski]

My wishlist:

Sony A7 series done right. With high quality Pentax K-adapter included. Done right means proper ergonomics and all the tools from K-1 toolkit.

[derekkite]

So I have to pay close to $5k to get an EVF that would be tolerable for action photography, or I can pay $1800 and get an OVF that works very well.

The promise of electronics is that it is cheaper. That doesn't seem to be the case.

[Rondec]

To me priorities(wishlist ranking -is) are more like:

1.) Better AF
2.) Better AF
3.) Faster Burst
4.) Faster Burst
5.) Bigger Buffer
6.) Bigger Buffer
7.) EFCS improvements
8.)xxxx
9.)xxxx
10.)high framerate video
11.)slo-motion video recording possible
12.)4k video
13.)xxx
xx
xx
23.) Touch Screen - for changing af point superfast in liveview (or EVF-mode*)
x
x
98.) detachable viewfinder-system for being able to change from OVF to EVF
or -> 99.) *hybrid viewfinder ("pop-in"-EVF)
I guess that goes for lots of other people too, who are not tooo special and would only need 1fps but 120MP.

Just wanted to say: I dont really feel the need for EVF.. though I think it would be cool to have one.

BTW: try a Sony A9 and see that you will have a hard time recognizing any viewfinder lag.
no one can deny its not real-time... but nearly.

I don't really care about the whole OVF versus EVF discussion, but I would say that even the A9 still suffers from the fact that it is like looking at a tiny TV screen (which it is). It is a different experience from looking through an OVF and gives you different information. If I was used to it, I could probably make it work, but the issue really isn't lag from my standpoint. The issue has a lot more to do with looking at scene and figuring out the best way to frame it and make it work and there, the EVF feels like it gets in the way by just showing me what a camera processed jpeg would look like on a tiny computer screen.

[MJKoski]

Few years and there will be EVF with something like 8MP resolution. I recommend trying out Leica SL, it has gorgeous EVF experience. Though, I have zero use for EVF, I only care about tilt screen.

Pentax could provide something like Bright Monitoring -feature in Sony R2/3 cameras that drops FPS when composing in the dark to provide usable composing aid in starlight. This could be even doable in firmware upgrade for K-1. Of course, this is live view feature.

[Binocular Viewfinder]

The perennial request is for a minimalist FF SLR in a more compact package. Think something like the below, with AF as an optional module. Think Epson R-D1, though as an SLR.



High magnification viewfinder is on the wish list as are focus aids.


Steve

[credos4u]

the EVF feels like it gets in the way by just showing me what a camera processed jpeg would look like on a tiny computer screen.

that may be true for you, but rest assured that many people who tried EVFs and worked with em for a while do NOT see it that way.

Nonetheless, I dont really feel in need for an EVF... would be happy with a tradtional OVF to.
Koski is totally right. TILT is cool.
but whats way cooler is TILT&SWIVEL.

i really enjoy tilting and swiveling the K-70's display... Its a charm for street-photography. *sigh*
would love to see a traditional tilt and swivel on a new lower res full speedy frame body that does good video jobs. *doublesigh*

enhanced EFCS functionality *triplesigh*

*sigh*