[Tonto]

.....to compete in the DSLR market?
In reaction to the K30 announcement what features does a K300 need to have and what can be left out for it to succeed?

My thoughts:
Must have:
AA Battery use
Live View
Decent video mode especially AF, 30 FPS 1080
Decent AF in general
Good basic lens kits (Single, double and superzoom)
Great Auto modes and flash.
Great Face detection and portrait modes.
Not too noisy when focusing.
Lots of colours! (still available in black though!)
Nice good contrast LCD screen, potentially 2.7" resolution the same as competion.
Small and light, looks VERY important.
Inbuilt stereo sound microphone.
Same FPS as K-01
IR remote compatible.

Any others? I feel the colours sizeand feel will make it compete with the other makes
it really needs to just compete with others in terms of spec. 24mp wouldn't bother withif can get below the price of the Nikon.

What can be left out: (From K30 spec)
WR
RAW Button
AC input
Bracketing options.
AF assist.
2nd Dial
Penta prisim
Manual focus aids
Wired remote.
Lithium Ion battery.
Auto Horizon level/indication

[DSims]

What can be left out: (From K30 spec)

Lithium Ion battery.

It makes more sense to continue to use the same LI battery and the same or similar battery holder setup as the K-r and K-30.

[Alizarine]

Bracketing, AC option and a 3" 920m dot screen are stuff the K-r has already and I believe should not be left out. The D3200 has no bracketing so it's a +1 for the K300 if it will have auto-bracketing. As for quieter shutter... maybe that one can be left out. And yeah, a very cool design it should have, otherwise it will have problems competing with its 24mp enemy.

Mono mic is OK for entry-level I think. Lotsa scene modes and body color options, I agree also, like better in-camera HDR. The onboard flash can be a little smaller, but the AF should be faster than the K-r's. I think it's a good benefit over the K-r if it will have the K-5's SAFOX IX+ AF engine. Perhaps 4 or 5 fps burst rate, will do.

Oh and yeah it could have a swivel screen

[Medium FormatPro]

IR remote compatible

Perhaps two sensors; one facing front, one facing the read screen - or the abiility to bounce the transmitter?


Possible additional options;in camera panaromic stitching

[causey]

There might not be any entry level. Isn't K-01 an entry level dslr?

[Tonto]

Well for a start the K-01 isn't a DSLR - no mirror, also the K-01 has some features that the K30 doesn't have- eg full manual in video / hdmi and mic input. To me its abit weird when an entry level model has features the next on up doesnt (I'm not counting the K30-K5 comparision as the K5 is close to end of life).

So back to the question, what does a entry level DSLR NEED so the #1 feature - PRICE can be as competitive as possible.
I think to sell good numbers the K300 will need to be under the Nikon 3200 pricewise but have the visual design for people to buy it over the cheaper Canon.
In terms of features I feel they need to appeal to either a first time SLR buyer - family camera and cash strapped student/enthusiast starting in photography. Both of these sets of customers do not have existing lenses or preconceived notions of brands apart from what 'experts' tell them.
So in that case features that are immediately distinguishable in person or a numerical spec (mp,fps,lcd size/mp). An articulated screen would sell units as Canon/Sony have them but the problem is the K30 didn't have one and it didn't appear on the K-01 either where it would make the most sense. Also I imagine costly to implement.
Features like a remote window on the rear won't sell anymore cameras over the price to do so, I think it is really what a enthusiastic looks for and they are going to want the features in the K30 more and buy that.
Panaorama stiching would be cool, any other feature to make things easier which is cheap and run by the software would be welcome. Easier to implement filters would be good.

[causey]

Well for a start the K-01 isn't a DSLR - no mirror, .

Oh, yes... My mistake. Still, Pentax has an entry level interchangeable-lens camera.

I'd like them to release a successor to K-r, without WR (which adds to the weight), focus points, lens AF microadjustment, 16mp (I've seen pics taken with the 24mp sensor, and I think the 16mp sensor performs much better), 100% viewfinder (if possible), and assist-lamp. But I'm skeptical they'll come up with this kind of camera, so I'll probably end up upgrading to K30.

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Last edited by causey; 05-22-2012 at 05:51 AM.

[RioRico]

#1: Marketing
#2: Quality
#3: Price
#4: Features

[JimJohnson]

A truly entry level dSLR will match or only slightly exceed the feature set of the viewfinder equipped point & shoot cameras, plus provide for interchangeable lens and a variety of inexpensive accessories. It should be a durable camera. A lot of the menu options present in the current Pentax dSLR line-up would be removed to keep things simple.

This is exactly what made the K1000 film SLR so popular. Many of us old-timers used this type of camera to ease into and learn photography. As we became more experienced and our incomes increased, we upgraded our equipment.

While I like what I read about the new K30, I see this camera as catering to the advanced amateur. I'd like to own one. I see nothing in Pentax's current line up for folks new to SLR photography that will make them longtime fans. The first rule of marketing is that it is easier to sell more stuff to an existing customer than it is to acquire more customers. In my opinion, Pentax's marketing plan is to go the tougher route and try to convert long time CaNikon users.

[aleonx3]

No need to have a bare bone camera to compete with other brands as the newcomers are usually biased toward Canikon because of popularity and other factors. May be a good marketing strategy is to let beginners think that Pentax only offers advanced camera models, e.g. think Leica

[aleonx3]

The first rule of marketing is that it is easier to sell more stuff to an existing customer than it is to acquire more customers. In my opinion, Pentax's marketing plan is to go the tougher route and try to convert long time CaNikon users.

This makes sense to me... sell cameras to more knowledgeable users rather than the mass public.

[Tonto]

#1: Marketing
#2: Quality
#3: Price
#4: Features

Very on the fence RioRico! - I agree with all but for the sake of this thread I'm looking at 'what' features to enable 'that' price hence value.

Hows this for a blurb: "Looks Great, Feels Great, What a Great Little Camera!" (hopefully the 3 key selling points over the competition.)

[Mr Spocko]

K-30 is mid level not entry so entry wise think K-x with a few bits slapped on there, you could argue the K-r was that too but it's quite easy really

Pentaprism VF
Less fps (I don't think fps is that important entry level wise)
I suppose you could use the 16mp CMOS sensor too (12mp one maybe been out too long)
No sealing

I said before the K-r was a tricky camera to update maybe they won't do an entry one but I think they have to really

[GibbyTheMole]

I think they could just basically reissue a slightly restyled K-x & call it good.

[ihasa]

I disagree on the AA battery 'must have'. They should have left it out of the K30 too. A bigger Li-On battery would have a larger capacity, and most people don't want to fiddle about with AA batteries (and perceive them as expensive). People sometimes ask me to advise them what camera to get, and nearly everyone says they want a proprietary battery rather than AA batteries.

I used to be an AA battery believer, but after switching from a K200D to a K7, I think that the supposed benefit of buying AA batteries in the field is a bit of a red herring. The only batteries you can usually buy end up only being regular Duracell (if you're lucky!) and good for a very limited number of shots. Far better to stockpile lots of cheap non-OEM Li-On batteries for use off-grid.

The dual battery holder in the K30 is good in that you have a choice, but by the battery compartment ends up bigger than it needs to be.