[Rickster]

Adam,

Is there a logical reason for grouping these two cameras in one forum other than their names are similar? Just curious. I can see grouping the K-30 and K-50 as they are essentially the same camera, but I haven't seen much similarity between the S1 and S2, They seem to be quite different cameras. I'm a lazy sort, so it would be SO much easier to browse up on the K-S2 (probably my next camera purchase) if I didn't have to sort though unrelated posts.

cheers & thanks!
Rick

[paulh]

IIRC, the two cameras share the same 20mp sensor, and have similar performance/image quality.

[Sandy Hancock]

As above. Although the K-S2 has a few more features they share a great deal of DNA, and image quality will be identical.

[clackers]

Yep, K-S1 plus tilting screen, redesigned grip and inbuilt wifi, really. And minus the giant woman in the ads.

[Rickster]

Ah, OK then. I was laboring under the assumption they had two different sensors, my bad. ;-)

I've just now found a comparison of the K-S1 and K-S2 and can see that the focusing system is the major internal hardware upgrade... Safox IXi+ to Safox X

To be honest I hadn't really looked at the K-S1 as the exterior design wasn't my 'cup of tea'. I will now go back and look at the imaging results in the K-S1 reviews.

Thank you!!!

[shiner]

Well, a K-5IIs and a K-01 share the same sensor, as well- the only difference being the processor, some features, and external appearance. Just sayin'...

[Sandy Hancock]

Well, a K-5IIs and a K-01 share the same sensor, as well- the only difference being the processor, some features, and external appearance. Just sayin'...

And 14 vs 12 bit processing, and no anti-aliasing filter, both of which *will* influence IQ so it's a silly comparison.

[Rickster]

And 14 vs 12 bit processing, and no anti-aliasing filter, both of which *will* influence IQ so it's a silly comparison.

Are we still talking about the K-S1 & S2 ?

[Sandy Hancock]

Are we still talking about the K-S1 & S2 ?

That would be good. I'm sorry I allowed myself to be distracted by shiner's post.

[Marktax]

I think the K-S2 is more of the K-30/50 clan than K-S1-like because it is a two-control-wheel camera, which IMHO is a critical interface feature with which to define groupings. K-S1 and K-S2 might be grouped because of the sensor and some other recent DNA, but in-hand, K-S1 is more like a K-01 with a viewfinder, while K-S2 is a K-50 with an articulating screen. The fact that the mode dial was on the back of the K-S1 makes it operationally unique, again setting it apart from K-S2. The K-S2, operationally speaking, is very like the K-30/50 -- two wheels, mode dial has mostly the same choices, in the same location, doesn't lock. The oddity on the K-S2 mode dial is A-HDR -- HDR hasn't been on a mode dial since K-01. K-S2 thus has some K-01 DNA. The biggest shortfall in the K-S2, is the lack of wireless flash control. That missing factor actually groups the K-S2 with K-01 and K-S1. So it's all a mix, really. Pentax could have called the K-S2 the K-70 (K-30/50/70 series), but they clearly wanted to freshen the recent naming conventions. The Q7 remake also got the S-factor. It's all good.

[Rickster]

I think the K-S2 is more of the K-30/50 clan than K-S1-like because it is a two-control-wheel camera, which IMHO is a critical interface feature with which to define groupings. K-S1 and K-S2 might be grouped because of the sensor and some other recent DNA, but in-hand, K-S1 is more like a K-01 with a viewfinder, while K-S2 is a K-50 with an articulating screen. The fact that the mode dial was on the back of the K-S1 makes it operationally unique, again setting it apart from K-S2. The K-S2, operationally speaking, is very like the K-30/50 -- two wheels, mode dial has mostly the same choices, in the same location, doesn't lock. The oddity on the K-S2 mode dial is A-HDR -- HDR hasn't been on a mode dial since K-01. K-S2 thus has some K-01 DNA. The biggest shortfall in the K-S2, is the lack of wireless flash control. That missing factor actually groups the K-S2 with K-01 and K-S1. So it's all a mix, really. Pentax could have called the K-S2 the K-70 (K-30/50/70 series), but they clearly wanted to freshen the recent naming conventions. The Q7 remake also got the S-factor. It's all good.

Another interest of mine is genetic genealogy. I am an administrator for a Y-DNA project that seeks to find family relationships for people with my surname or variant. One of the tools we use to sort out family relationships is a phylogenetic tree chart based on Y-DNA mutations. I bet I could make a family chart for Pentax digital cameras given enough information like your great post! Thank you!

[Marktax]

a phylogenetic tree chart based on Y-DNA mutations

That would be interesting. I did a similar thing with some Beatles songs and came up with a pretty nice chart. It was fun.

[THoog]

It's funny - I consider the 2nd control wheel to be a pretty minor difference (probably because most of my cameras haven't had one, and I don't really care about the second wheel even though it's a show-stopper for some), but I consider having the same processor (and sensor) to be very significant (probably because I'm a computer engineer by training). While the Pentax PRIME is a "custom version" of the Milbeaut processor, I think an awful lot of the final feature set depends on what Fujitsu incorporates into their off-the-shelf version.

[sergeremy]

I did a similar thing with some Beatles songs and came up with a pretty nice chart. It was fun.

Marktax, I would be very much interested in seeing such a chart. Would you consider sharing it?

[Steve.Ledger]

Pentax could have called the K-S2 the K-70 (K-30/50/70 series), but they clearly wanted to freshen the recent naming conventions. The Q7 remake also got the S-factor. It's all good.

A recent interview with Ricoh they started that the K-S line was a new an separate line to the K series.