[Lowell Goudge]

Pentax seems to be aiming towards to the amateur and semi pro market where smaller cameras seem to be popular. But I somehow dont think the pentax bodies are way too small as dslrs either. I somehow feel they have achieved a good balance between a very small body and large one. My k-x or k100d certainly doesnt feel too small when held in hand

as I posted earlier, they went small in the early 1980's with the M series.

My first camera was a ricoh XR2-s because the M series cameras were just too small. My second body was a KX because it was layout and fiewfinder identical to the ricoh, but with a ground glass focusing screen for use with long (but not fast) lenses to avoid split image darkening.

Next was a PZ1.

you will note I bought bigger pentax bodies and avoided the toy cameras.

K10D was a nice size, *istD a little too small, but you get used to it. K5/7 smaller than K10 but ergonomics are about perfect. In the end it is ergonomics and to use a famous quote "size doesn't matter"

[lammie200]

Just wondering what people think about Pentax's destination to be the smallest in most of the DSLR category.
Is it just because they think that is what people want? has it just been a tradition?
I picked up a K5 not long ago and thought it was a bit small for my hands (which are not that big) and preferred the bigger size of my k10 body

thought?
right direction?

any opinions welcomed

cheers

Probably already brought up here, but the grip is essential as far as I am concerned. Get one of the OEM's, not one of the cheap ones.

[tim60]

My first ever photography was with a Zeiss Ikon Contessa, a foldup 35mm rangefinder, which would fit in a trouser pocket, even with the leather case. It was my grandfather's, and he was a pluber with huge hands, and he loved it because it worked well.
My first SLR was Ricoh XR500, a reasonable size.
Then I got the MX - beautiful. Small and light, not a pain to carry all day, and not too big to pack or hide inside a jacket etc.
Then I got K100DS. That seemed too big and heavy to me. And I like the Tak lenses becasue they feel good in hand, including being small and light (except the SMC200/4).
I like small and light because that puts my effort into using the gear, not shipping it.
Recently I handled a couple of Canon dSLR for the first time, and they felt BIG to me, to the extent of needing to stretch my fingers to access all the control points.

[TomB_tx]

The problem with size on dSLRs is more due to control density. Compare the size of the K-5 and film MX:

The K-5 is narrower as it doesn't need to spool the film on both ends of the camera, but is taller and deeper.
The MX film camera was great to handle, but had simple, large controls that were easy to use.

The left fingers handles aperture and focus on the lens, the right handled shutter speed on a large dial and shutter release. Spacing and texture of the controls meant you could tell which was which, and work only the control you wanted.

But look at the K-5! It has many more controls, smaller dials and buttons spaced closely together. The right fingers handle shutter speed and aperture on tiny dials.

In addition, the back has an added array of buttons and stuff that sometimes also have to be used while taking a picture.

To make a small camera really handle well, the controls still need to be large, spaced well, and simplified. The Leica M9 retains the layout of a film camera for this reason. Yes, it has controls on the back, but most users still use it like a film camera, pre-setting the back controls for "film type" for a session, then only have to work the shutter speed, focus, aperture and release button when shooting.

This is why some of us would love a digital MX.

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Last edited by TomB_tx; 01-28-2012 at 07:41 AM.

[GeneV]

The MX was the reason I stayed with Pentax when it went to bayonet. I love traveling light and small. The Kx is terrific for that, and the K5 right behind it. There are few things that a smaller company can do to compete with the big two, especially staying with APS-C. Taking advantage of the smaller size of this format is one of those things.

As to the controls on the MX, I'll take the K5 any day. I always found the shutter speed control on the MX to be small, stiff and a less handy. Most of the controls that are used constantly on a DSLR are the two thumb/finger wheels, and these are much handier (to me) than any film camera.

[TomB_tx]

One more thought - the move to small-as-possible started with the first "successful" 35mm camera: the Leica of 1926. These are a delight to handle, and slip easily into a pocket with the lens collapsed. I don't have a model A Leica, but here's a Leica "standard" that is the same except the lens is removable. Compare it to the Penatx MX. It's amazing that the MX could be almost as small as this 1930s Leica.

[alohadave]

One more thought - the move to small-as-possible started with the first "successful" 35mm camera: the Leica of 1926. These are a delight to handle, and slip easily into a pocket with the lens collapsed. I don't have a model A Leica, but here's a Leica "standard" that is the same except the lens is removable. Compare it to the Penatx MX. It's amazing that the MX could be almost as small as this 1930s Leica.
Attachment 115748

If you want small, it doesn't get much smaller than this Rollei:




It takes 35mm film, and it is about as small as you can make it.

[TomB_tx]

If you want small, it doesn't get much smaller than this Rollei:




It takes 35mm film, and it is about as small as you can make it.

That's right - and they kept the same concept: small camera with large controls. The Minox 35 was smaller, but harder to operate.

[Rusty Rat]

I started with a K1000, then two MXs and like others have mentioned, I bought winders for them as they were too small to hang onto with a 300mm f4 or a 200 f2.5 on the end of them. And I'm not a big person.

These days prefer my K10/K20 over my K7 for the same reason. I found the control layout great on the K10/20 but the smaller overall size coupled with the increase in screen size has made the control layout on the K7 a step down from the K10/20 IMHO. I bought the grip for the K7 to make up for its lack of size and I curse when looking for a friggin' button that falls to hand so nicely on the K10/20.

I understand market differentiation and the Japanese consumer priority, but smaller isn't always better. I so wished the K7 had been a mag bodied K20.

About the desire for a digital film style camera, I'll take a K2DMD please. Full frame in a classic package.

[twitch]

Small is very very importand to me anyway, and the success of Leica has demonstrated that ergonomics & compactness are important to many with a lot more dollars than I have anyway.

I've been lusting after one of these for a while.... Olympus XA: film, fixed 35mm, f/2.8, rangefinder.

[Alizarine]

If the K-5 successor is to be as small as the K-x, and still retains all its selling points - weathersealing and all - it would be a hit!

And if a FF Pentax comes in a package as small as the K-5....just awesome. It is understandable to have that right-hand bulge which wasn't needed on film cameras like the KX and MX before though...

[dylansalt]

I travel extensively

Recently spent quite a bit of time in New York, San Fransisco, Victoria BC, Vancouver, Squamish and Whistler - I see many Chinese, Japanese with dslr and they certainly were not carrying Pentax.

Most were carrying Sony and Canon - the one's carrying Canon were predominately 7D or 5DMK11 users with a "L" zoom attached

On the mirrorless front only the Sony 5Xn was being used.

Kind of shoots down the stereotyping that Asians demand small dslrs:-)

[Alizarine]

Kind of shoots down the stereotyping that Asians demand small dslrs:-)

Kind of thinking about that too. If the demand for smaller SLRs is big in Japan, how come Canikon keeps on making their high-end (enthusiast) models so big? But I guess the trend's catching on, with the size reduction like the Nikon D7000 and the 60D (the latter being significantly smaller than the 50D)

[ccd333]

I have the DL and the Kr.....and love the smaller size and lower weight. Not because of hand fit, but because of ease of travel. I do mostly landscapes and hike around a lot to get my shots. I can fit the Kr, 18-55, and 50-200 (one of the smallest zooms of that length) in a very compact sling and hardly notice it going down the trail. The Kr is also more nimble when on a monopod/tripod if I'm negotiating uneven terrain. The bigger cameras are just too cumbersome to me......I would still be using a point and shoot if not for the Pentax DSLR size choices. It's the perfect compromise of quality and portability.