[GUB]

I view the D in DSLR as being for dumb, given all the smarts and analytics/ tracking etc that comes with feeding a computer a full time sensor image.

Is this article in error Richard? They are saying DSLRs have a dedicated sensor specialised for focusing purposes.
Phase Detection vs Contrast Detection | Camera House
Can you point me to some better articles ?
I knew that Pentax wasn't bleeding edge for AF but wasn't aware of it being a design constraint of DSLR

[Kiwi645hauler]

Is this article in error Richard? They are saying DSLRs have a dedicated sensor specialised for focusing purposes.
Phase Detection vs Contrast Detection | Camera House
Can you point me to some better articles ?
I knew that Pentax wasn't bleeding edge for AF but wasn't aware of it being a design constraint of DSLR

Dedicated AF Sensors have been around in SLR cameras for years, it has been for an SLR the easiest and best way for AF to work.
The SF series AF cameras were the first Pentax's to have a dedicated AF Sensor , The original SAFOX AF
http://kmp.pentaxians.eu/technology/af-2/

https://photographylife.com/how-phase-detection-autofocus-works

That is a pretty good article explaining Phase Detect AF

[zkarj]

...using the new EOS R3 by Canon as an example, the less than 1" LCD EVF has 5.76 million dots and a 120fps refresh rate, while providing 100% frame coverage at .76x magnification and a 23mm eye relief.

An EVF screen around 23mm diagonal (at 3:2) or smaller does mean the pixels are not discernible according to my calculations (well, someone else's in inches and my conversions). As for the 120 fps refresh — is that just a display characteristic or is it true of the entire EVF system? In other words, will the camera get the info from the sensor, process it, calculate shooting attributes, process for display, and overlay data at 120 fps also? Cameras aren't known for high end compute power but I don't know how much it would take to achieve this.

---------- Post added 09-18-2021 at 11:41 AM ----------

Owww!! I just looked up the price of the EOS R3!!

Fair to say, I think, that while this EVF is potentially in the zone for "as good as OVF" it's gonna be a few years yet before it's in the consumer or even prosumer zone on price. If EVFs survive.

[GUB]

Dedicated AF Sensors have been around in SLR cameras for years, it has been for an SLR the easiest and best way for AF to work.
The SF series AF cameras were the first Pentax's to have a dedicated AF Sensor , The original SAFOX AF
Pentax Auto Focus Systems | The K-Mount Page

https://photographylife.com/how-phase-detection-autofocus-works

That is a pretty good article explaining Phase Detect AF

Thanks for those links -I have always presumed the AF system was up around the pentaprism. Here is an article describing the K-1
Features5 | PENTAX K-1 | RICOH IMAGING
Where does the light meter reside - it would be up top wouldn't it?

[richandfleur]

My thoughts are simply around the future. If the processor can see the image then all sorts of analytical aspects can be implemented. Likes of identifying a target beyond just what you’ve pointed at, and applying smarts to how it’s tracked.

Sensors already have phase detect focussing built in and extend across most of the sensor. Couple this with the ability to actually see and make sense of the subject matter and it becomes a very powerful combination, which is only available where the sensor is exposed the whole time.

EVFs and mirrorless aren’t going away, that’s clearly the future. We’ll see less basic cameras though I think, as cell phone photo capabilities increase. Point and shoot cameras have already been heavily impacted like this.

[Kiwi645hauler]

EVFs and mirrorless aren’t going away, that’s clearly the future. We’ll see less basic cameras though I think, as cell phone photo capabilities increase. Point and shoot cameras have already been heavily impacted like this.

Point & Shoots basically do not exist now unless they are in the realm of large sensor compacts like the Sony RX-100 series or Canon G7X/G9X with 4K video and small zooms with the ability to add Mic's for the VLOGGERS and youtubers to have something with more control, better Dynamic Range and the ability to swap memory out when shooting videos.

[GUB]

EVFs and mirrorless aren’t going away, that’s clearly the future. We’ll see less basic cameras though I think, as cell phone photo capabilities increase. Point and shoot cameras have already been heavily impacted like this.

No arguments here.
But I do draw a parallel to what I think happened to the M -Disc
It was developed at a time that flash memory was coming of age and people just had to run with the trend. It didn't matter whether M-disc was up to its claims or not (I haven't found negative) - it was just yesterday's flavour.
Unfortunately in the camera world the manufacturers are encouraging the change with the associated new range of lenses to be sold as icing on the cake.
Having worded it like that the M - disc still exists and I wouldn't expect the volume of it to be high being specifically for archival and expensive, certainly not like the old consumption of cheap CDs.

[NZ_Ross]

Owww!! I just looked up the price of the EOS R3!!

Clearly at that price it is for Pro's and people who take their photography seriously. Makes the K-1 II and K-3 III look like bargains

Heck, at that price it is even making some of the Leica's look affordable!!

[GUB]

Clearly at that price it is for Pro's and people who take their photography seriously. Makes the K-1 II and K-3 III look like bargains

Heck, at that price it is even making some of the Leica's look affordable!!

Heavier than the K-1 !

[NZ_Ross]

Heavier than the K-1 !

That can't be right GUB, mirrorless cameras are lighter, better, more efficient, less moving parts, optimised manufacturing and much more sensor tech than antiquated DSLR's

[GUB]

That can't be right GUB, mirrorless cameras are lighter, better, more efficient, less moving parts, optimised manufacturing and much more sensor tech than antiquated DSLR's

Rated the most sarcastic post of the year!

[NZ_Ross]

Rated the most sarcastic post of the year!

Thank you GUB, rating accepted

As I have said previously - I use both, and still think it is 'horses for courses' when it comes to camera's and associated gear.

[Kiwizinho]

Point & Shoots basically do not exist now unless they are in the realm of large sensor compacts like the Sony RX-100 series or Canon G7X/G9X with 4K video and small zooms with the ability to add Mic's for the VLOGGERS and youtubers to have something with more control, better Dynamic Range and the ability to swap memory out when shooting videos.

Or specialised like Olympus' TG-6 waterproof. I very nearly bought an older TG-5 on Trademe, but Trademe didn't advise me as I thought I'd set it to do of the auction closing. The seller said for focus stacking macro it was better than a DSLR which he also had, as it could do it in camera (With a tripod obviously). I don't think any Pentax body can do this in camera, and my efforts doing it in Photoshop haven't been completely satisfying. The D-FA 100/2.8 macro changes length during focusing, so with the camera-subject distance changing during focusing, I'm not sure whether that affects things.

Apparently no Pentax has built in focus bracketing at this stage, although it should only require a firmware update. With Macro I'm often in MF mode anyway, but it involves touching the lens to change focus, so built in AF focus bracketing would be a very desirable feature from my perspective.

K3III: focus bracketing? - PentaxForums.com

[Transit]

Another Jupiter attempt with Q-7
Just bought a 2x Barlow (aka teleconverter) to reduce the massive cropping

[Kiwi645hauler]

That is pretty damn cool!