[kadajawi]

Focusing screen/finder which actually allows you to focus accurately

Mirrorless with EVF? There are limits as to what you can do with a DSLR thanks to AF and sensor size. I had a split screen and prism screen in my *istDS, and it wasn't very useful. During day time I could focus reasonably without (though the screen did make it faster), and when it got darker it was completely useless. Unless you give me a MF SLR style viewfinder, which is technically impossible unless the camera gets a FF sensor and no AF, we're stuck with what we have.

Ability to hide autofocus markings completely so you have an unencumbered view of your composition

I actually like to have some markings to help me compose, but I suppose with an LCD overlay it'd be possible.

Persistent display of set aperture/shutter speed/ISO values on the top plate when the camera is off

An E-Ink display... I like that idea!

I don't care about video personally, but they really need to sort it out or ditch it completely so that it's not a constant target for criticism in reviews. Forget 4K - good quality 1080 without issues would do.
Flash sync speed needs to be higher for similar reasons
Wired tethering needs to be an option as standard

No video would be no buy for me, and for many others too, and if you thought it'd stop the criticism in reviews... you haven't seen nothing yet. Do you really think not having video at all would stop the reviewers from criticising? I can see the review already. "Decent stills camera, but the complete lack of video functionality make it impossible to recommend when all the competitors do decent video and are just as good for stills."

[jonby]

An E-Ink display... I like that idea!

I meant to say top plate LCD. It's perfectly possible to allow the battery to continue to power parts of the LCD when the camera is off, as long as there's a battery in. Power drain would be negligible and you could disable it in the menus if you didn't want it. One of the things people like about traditional shutter speed dials/aperture rings is that you can see how the camera is set up prior to shooting, and indeed set it up in advance.

Mirrorless with EVF? There are limits as to what you can do with a DSLR thanks to AF and sensor size. I had a split screen and prism screen in my *istDS, and it wasn't very useful. During day time I could focus reasonably without (though the screen did make it faster), and when it got darker it was completely useless. Unless you give me a MF SLR style viewfinder, which is technically impossible unless the camera gets a FF sensor and no AF, we're stuck with what we have.

Making the viewfinder better for manual focus will likely involve increasing the viewfinder magnification and using a focusing screen which prioritises detail rendering over light transmission (assuming a purely matte screen rather than split prism type). Both these are entirely technically possible but result in a dimmer finder, so it's a compromise, over which the manufacturer has a choice. What I'm saying is that it would be my preference to compromise brightness a little more in favour of focusing accuracy. Pentax chose to increase the viewfinder magnification in their flagship DSLR over the K5 series. I haven't heard anyone complaining about the brightness of the K3 finder, so I think there's room to push it a little further.

No video would be no buy for me, and for many others too, and if you thought it'd stop the criticism in reviews... you haven't seen nothing yet. Do you really think not having video at all would stop the reviewers from criticising? I can see the review already. "Decent stills camera, but the complete lack of video functionality make it impossible to recommend when all the competitors do decent video and are just as good for stills.

My main point here is that Pentax shouldn't have any systems on their flagship APS-C camera which feels half-assed and not fit for purpose as it erodes their credibility. The best course of action may well be to improve video to the point of being competitive with other manufacturer's cameras. However, don't underestimate how much of a better stills camera they could make if they got rid of video altogether. The R & D plus hardware costs involved in making great video functionality are substantial (otherwise they would have done it already). If all of this money was put into improving stills functionality then Pentax may end up with clearly the best APS-C stills camera on the market. Sure, they would lose a number of customers, but they would also stand to gain just as many or more.

I actually like to have some markings to help me compose, but I suppose with an LCD overlay it'd be possible.

Yes an LCD overlay is what I meant. Nikon has had this functionality for years and uses it to allow superimposition of compositional grid lines. I'm only asking for the option to turn the AF markings off - not to remove them completely.

[Lowell Goudge]

For me, I have not had any change in opinion since the introduction of the K10 as the flagship camera.

I miss TTL and P-TTL flash options. Many use legacy glass and flashes, why not support both, at least on the flagship.

We need the ability to enter a teleconverter factor, not just for shake reduction, but also proper P-TTL flash management, and program curves as well as aperture data and focal length data in the recorded images

We still need the ability to meter better with legacy lenses, even if it is done by entering the open aperture FValue so the camera can measure the change in light and compensate, knowing the behavior of the metering, the actual stopped down apterature. I still raise this because they will never up cripple the k mount
Other than that I am pretty happy with pentax dslrs.

Obviously the future camera should have better ISO / noise but that is a given. They will take what ever sensor is available and suitable.

From the documentation point of view, I would dearly love to see in some standard terms, what each adjustment does, I.e.mfine sharpening, contrast etc, what do the values in me yes really mean

[kadajawi]

I meant to say top plate LCD. It's perfectly possible to allow the battery to continue to power parts of the LCD when the camera is off, as long as there's a battery in. Power drain would be negligible and you could disable it in the menus if you didn't want it. One of the things people like about traditional shutter speed dials/aperture rings is that you can see how the camera is set up prior to shooting, and indeed set it up in advance.

Yes, I was thinking about the top plate LCD. And E-Ink wouldn't be such a bad idea IMHO. It doesn't need power to stay on, and is very easy to read in sunlight. It can also be backlit. (Think Kindle). The main problem I see is refresh rate... they aren't the fastest screens in the world, but apart from that... it would also look very different from normal DSLRs... set it apart, and it would generate some press.

Making the viewfinder better for manual focus will likely involve increasing the viewfinder magnification and using a focusing screen which prioritises detail rendering over light transmission (assuming a purely matte screen rather than split prism type). Both these are entirely technically possible but result in a dimmer finder, so it's a compromise, over which the manufacturer has a choice. What I'm saying is that it would be my preference to compromise brightness a little more in favour of focusing accuracy. Pentax chose to increase the viewfinder magnification in their flagship DSLR over the K5 series. I haven't heard anyone complaining about the brightness of the K3 finder, so I think there's room to push it a little further.

Mh. Yes, that would be possible, but I for one am already struggling with the dimness of my K-5 finder.

My main point here is that Pentax shouldn't have any systems on their flagship APS-C camera which feels half-assed and not fit for purpose as it erodes their credibility. The best course of action may well be to improve video to the point of being competitive with other manufacturer's cameras. However, don't underestimate how much of a better stills camera they could make if they got rid of video altogether. The R & D plus hardware costs involved in making great video functionality are substantial (otherwise they would have done it already). If all of this money was put into improving stills functionality then Pentax may end up with clearly the best APS-C stills camera on the market. Sure, they would lose a number of customers, but they would also stand to gain just as many or more.

What R&D? Video functionality comes from the sensor and the processor. It's a matter of activating functions that are there. And how much more can you improve stills functionality? Is there even much to be done still? Also improvements to stills functionality can often come because of developments made for video. Pentax hasn't done much to enable video in their cameras. Heck, IMHO they haven't even bothered to ask people who shoot video. I'd be perfectly happy if Pentax did a camera that mixes functionality the K-7 or K-5 had and functionality the K-3 has. Microphone and headphone jack from the K-3? Keep. MJPEG file recording from the K-5? Keep. Shake reduction from the K-5? Keep. Manual controls from the K-3? Keep. The actual image quality is pretty good in the K-3, the problem is that they use a more modern, but much more rubbish codec (doing h264 right is difficult, and Fujitsu hasn't mastered it at the time the K-3 was launched... the processor in new Nikons is better, but still I'd rather have my old MJPEG). The shake reduction from the K-5 is pretty much mindblowing and comes with very minor trade-offs, as anyone could have told Pentax. Yet they deactivated it in favour of a function that completely and utterly ruins the video, and brings along even more disadvantages like a crop. Customers told Pentax they want the SR back, Pentax says "laaaaaaaaaaa" and ignores them, keeps doing this nonsense ever since 2011 or so. Getting it right should be trivial for Pentax, heck, a firmware update should be enough to fix it.


Major advances like 4K video etc. are not done by Pentax. They are done by Sony (who are making faster sensors that allow them to read and transfer all the pixels 30 times, 60 times etc. per second, leading to 4K and better image quality in general) and Fujitsu (who are making faster processors that allow them to process all those pixels and turn them into the 1920x1080 or 3840x2160 that are needed, and that eventually will be able to compress the 4K data stream). Nikon has, using the same suppliers as Pentax, been able to get pretty damn good Full HD video.


All I ask for from Pentax is that they ask a couple of videographers for features they want, maybe for Pentax engineers to borrow a couple of competing higher end video gear to see what they can do, get a Canon 5D Mk III and install Magic Lantern on it an see what it does, and how, and to ask the videographers on ergonomics etc. See what can be done without making the camera worse for stills. Or simply try to hire a couple of Magic Lantern developers to work on the video side of things.


The OnePlus One got famous and very desirable in the smartphone/Android community because OnePlus teamed up with CyanogenMod, a developer of a great version of Android that is close to stock Android, made available to many different phones. In the videography community Magic Lantern is a big name, it's the reason why Canon is still able to sell cameras. Being able to say "our cameras have Magic Lantern built in, Magic Lantern devs are working at Pentax" is going to be a big deal.

Yes an LCD overlay is what I meant. Nikon has had this functionality for years and uses it to allow superimposition of compositional grid lines. I'm only asking for the option to turn the AF markings off - not to remove them completely.

Yup.


I want to be able to charge my batteries in the camera via a micro USB port. Just like you'd charge your smartphone, with the same charger. In addition to a regular charger (which should also be able to take USB).

[jonby]

We need the ability to enter a teleconverter factor, not just for shake reduction, but also proper P-TTL flash management, and program curves as well as aperture data and focal length data in the recorded images

I would definitely appreciate the ability to record the aperture value in the EXIF info. It would be great if you could just have the recorded aperture displayed in the usual place in the viewfinder/top LCD etc, and alter it in the normal way using the e-dial. That would make it really quick to change it to match the aperture set on the lens. As you say, if you could also input the maximum aperture of the lens somewhere, then in theory this could make metering behave as normal. In manual mode, you would choose your shutter speed and aperture as normal with reference to the meter, then set the lens to the chosen aperture when you're ready to shoot.

For focal length, this is already recorded when using SR, I believe? Surely all that is needed is to record the SR focal length setting whenever the FL is not available electronically from the lens, including when SR is off?

The question is, how much do Pentax really want to support legacy glass when they need to sell new lenses?

[Lowell Goudge]

snip.....

For focal length, this is already recorded when using SR, I believe? Surely all that is needed is to record the SR focal length setting whenever the FL is not available electronically from the lens, including when SR is off?

The question is, how much do Pentax really want to support legacy glass when they need to sell new lenses?

The issue is not so simple. Most TCs feed the data straight throug the pins, so focal length reported is wrong, and SR. is under compensated, similarly, all program curves are not biased correctly for the true focal length.

One thing I forgot about focal length is that it is NOT used when entered manually, for other function just SR

[jonby]

The issue is not so simple. Most TCs feed the data straight throug the pins, so focal length reported is wrong, and SR. is under compensated, similarly, all program curves are not biased correctly for the true focal length.

Yes sorry I was not trying to address the issue with TCs - just the general issue of the FL not being reported in EXIF. I'm sure you are right about the problem with TCs not reporting the multiplied FL.

[Blue]

For me, I have not had any change in opinion since the introduction of the K10 as the flagship camera.

I miss TTL and P-TTL flash options. Many use legacy glass and flashes, why not support both, at least on the flagship.

We need the ability to enter a teleconverter factor, not just for shake reduction, but also proper P-TTL flash management, and program curves as well as aperture data and focal length data in the recorded images

We still need the ability to meter better with legacy lenses, even if it is done by entering the open aperture FValue so the camera can measure the change in light and compensate, knowing the behavior of the metering, the actual stopped down apterature. I still raise this because they will never up cripple the k mount
Other than that I am pretty happy with pentax dslrs.

Obviously the future camera should have better ISO / noise but that is a given. They will take what ever sensor is available and suitable.

From the documentation point of view, I would dearly love to see in some standard terms, what each adjustment does, I.e.mfine sharpening, contrast etc, what do the values in me yes really mean

I agree on the TTL and P-TTL options.

[kadajawi]

Er... this?


Enormous Samsung NX1 firmware update, including LOG gamma! - EOSHD


It's ridiculous. Pentax does not improve cameras after they have been released. Fix a few bugs, update the firmware to support new Pentax gear, that's pretty much it. Samsung just released a massive update that improves the camera a lot.


And then they release a bloody SDK to enable people to develop apps that run on the NX1 as well as remote control apps for the NX1... GOOD TETHERING SUPPORT!


If Samsung continues like this...


Come on Pentax, try to compete, ok? Even just a little?

[sterretje]

I don't know if it's mentioned, but an option to set the lightlevel where AF assist kicks in would be lovely.

[NeilGratton]

It's ridiculous. Pentax does not improve cameras after they have been released. Fix a few bugs, update the firmware to support new Pentax gear, that's pretty much it.

They did bring out a Q and Q10 update that improved the autofocus speed substantially, so it clearly happens sometimes.

[kadajawi]

They did bring out a Q and Q10 update that improved the autofocus speed substantially, so it clearly happens sometimes.

Hm, but rarely, and no new features. I like it when a company doesn't forget it's customers once the product is launched. This big update is a nice incentive to switch to Samsung IMHO. Even the gesture. As if the camera itself isn't good enough.

[starbase218]

- Build-in GPS so I don't have to use the O-GPS1 and can actually mount an external flash.
- Articulating LCD.
- 27 AF points is nice, but I would like to have them spread out more.
- Better viewfinder for tracking, e.g. continuously illuminate the active AF point so you can check if it's still tracking. Maybe use an LCD in the viewfinder to do it.
- Lighter, size is ok though.
- Better high-ISO performance (less noise)?

[AquaDome]

How about an Infinity Focus button and an in-camera hyper-focal distance function?

[Madaboutpix]

How about an Infinity Focus button and an in-camera hyper-focal distance function?

Sounds cool, although I find the latter more desirable, as it would take the guesswork out of hyperfocal-distance focusing. Okay, we have our rules of thumb, charts, and scales on primes, but a dedicated function or button would be way more elegant and accurate (and another photographer-oriented differentiator from the competition). As for infinity focus, don't really see the need for a special function. When I shoot a subject at a far distance, I will still let the camera auto-focus on that subject and it should be in perfect focus.

Obviously, the space for dedicated buttons, desirable as they may be, on an already fairly button-strewn compact body remains somewhat limited.