[Class A]

The simple fact is that backwards compatibility, such as it is, saved pentax.

+1
I agree that they should do a bit more to keep the customer base happy that saved them.

As a result, what they need to add, the "stuff" as you put it, has to be something that simply is not possible AT ALL without a new lens. It should not take away any further from what you can do with an older lens, in that respect, pentax, in many people's opinion have gone too far already.

I agree. It is fine to support and MTF-optimised P mode for FA and new lensers only because only these lenses provide the data. Or to only support lens correction functionality for new lenses. But they shouldn't cripple older lenses. New lenses need to be attractive on their own merit (sharpness, contrast, quickshift, SDM) but not because older lenses are disadvantaged.

To support older hardware any less would put them in the same boat as canon and nikon. That is not a boat I want to be in,

Same here.

But if I were Pentax I'd make that only work with Pentax lenses, not Sigma. Better value for money for Pentax lens buyers and more reason to buy Pentax.

I don't like that strategy. Again, Pentax lenses should be preferable on their own merit, not by disadvantaging other lenses. I would not want to buy a body of any company to be basically forced to buy lenses from that company alone. That's too limiting; in the case of Pentax much more so than with Canikon.

As in the body is only part of the consumer purchase, lenses are the rest.

Yes, and the lenses are where the money is made. But once you go for a body for whatever reason (say because you are attracted by the K-mount backward compatibility) you then gradually buy more lenses for that body which locks you into the mount. I would never had bought my Pentax lenses, if I didn't have the body for them.

Opening source for firmware after one or two years is a good option and I see no risks here as all of them use different sensors, processors, etc.

Good to see you post but I'm sad to hear you stopped your work on the Pentax firmware work.

I think even after two years there is still a problem for Pentax publishing firmware since they wouldn't appreciate public opinions about how certain things were done. Some parts will have to remain secret forever, I think, to protect IP.

It would be great to have a plugin architecture but I don't see that coming from Pentax.

[Class A]

My wishlist:

• Body size a bit bigger than the K-7.
• A solid sensor (probably from SONY), with class leading DR and providing colours like the A900. Higher resolution than the K-x.
• Support for tethered shooting!
• LiveView as an ultimate focusing tool. Allow high magnification and use the full resolution of the sensor.
• Focus bracketing would be great. In camera processing of focus stacking could be restricted to work with Pentax lenses, but focus bracketing as such should be possible with all AF lenses.
• Allow the user to chose all AF options a lens offers, i.e., allow screw focus for SDM lenses.

[tr13]

+1

Good to see you post but I'm sad to hear you stopped your work on the Pentax firmware work.

I think even after two years there is still a problem for Pentax publishing firmware since they wouldn't appreciate public opinions about how certain things were done. Some parts will have to remain secret forever, I think, to protect IP.

It would be great to have a plugin architecture but I don't see that coming from Pentax.

They can just provide their intellectual algorithms (I believe they are very few) as object files with headers, not as complete source.
They also have big advantage as good free Windows based development environment is available for Fujitsu FR LSI chips.

Must such threads do not result in anything, and if you want results:

1) Buy good domain name "dslr-petition.com" :-)
2) Make good one page web form as title page, if you need consultancy on web forms design, I am ok to provide it.
3) Collect all petitions and show most popular at right part of title page.
4) Send every petition to every Pentax support email address, as well to every Penatx DSLR related stuff address.
5) You'll be amazed by result, they won't be instant but after two-three months things are gonna change.

[parsons]

DSLR Features I would like my Pentax to Have.. well...
i would like for my DL to have all of the features of the K-7.

[RioRico]

DSLR Features I would like my Pentax to Have.. well...
i would like for my DL to have all of the features of the K-7.

I've reconsidered.
I want X-ray vision. Infrared isn't enough, but I want a selectable IR hot.filter.
And I want a really really big FF low-noise sensor, grainless from ISO 10-10,000.
And I want aperture control of M42 lenses and all PK lenses with aperture flags.
And I want total TTL-level compatibility with all flashes, even flashcubes and bulbs.
And I want an extended-exposure mode option to skip tedious dark-frame removal.
And I want an AI that tells me, "You f*cking don't want to do this shot, you moron!"
And I want a Psychedelic Effect Mode that flashbacks me to some groovy acid trips.
And I want naked people, and a tax refund, and a new computer, and world peace.
But some stuff is beyond the capabilities even of Pentax. Gosh darn.
I'll settle for a Kx.

[wlachan]

Just gimme back the big bright contrasty viewfinder of the good old MX!!!

[parsons]

I've reconsidered.
I want X-ray vision. Infrared isn't enough, but I want a selectable IR hot.filter.
And I want a really really big FF low-noise sensor, grainless from ISO 10-10,000.
And I want aperture control of M42 lenses and all PK lenses with aperture flags.
And I want total TTL-level compatibility with all flashes, even flashcubes and bulbs.
And I want an extended-exposure mode option to skip tedious dark-frame removal.
And I want an AI that tells me, "You f*cking don't want to do this shot, you moron!"
And I want a Psychedelic Effect Mode that flashbacks me to some groovy acid trips.
And I want naked people, and a tax refund, and a new computer, and world peace.
But some stuff is beyond the capabilities even of Pentax. Gosh darn.
I'll settle for a Kx.

xray vision!!! I like it. That would be great

[jct us101]

My wishlist:

• Body size a bit bigger than the K-7.
• A solid sensor (probably from SONY), with class leading DR and providing colours like the A900. Higher resolution than the K-x.
• Support for tethered shooting!
• LiveView as an ultimate focusing tool. Allow high magnification and use the full resolution of the sensor.
• Focus bracketing would be great. In camera processing of focus stacking could be restricted to work with Pentax lenses, but focus bracketing as such should be possible with all AF lenses.
• Allow the user to chose all AF options a lens offers, i.e., allow screw focus for SDM lenses.

I agree with a lot of these, but nobody has got live view right, so I wouldn't guess that Pentax is going to magically going to make it just as good as normal focusing through the viewfinder. It's just not there yet, and I think it's going to take a few more years for people to figure out how to do it.

[Tuner571]

My wishlist:

• Body size a bit bigger than the K-7.
• A solid sensor (probably from SONY), with class leading DR and providing colours like the A900. Higher resolution than the K-x.
• Support for tethered shooting!
• LiveView as an ultimate focusing tool. Allow high magnification and use the full resolution of the sensor.
• Focus bracketing would be great. In camera processing of focus stacking could be restricted to work with Pentax lenses, but focus bracketing as such should be possible with all AF lenses.
• Allow the user to chose all AF options a lens offers, i.e., allow screw focus for SDM lenses.

This is a very nice list, which is why I am hoping that the next Pentax camera release will be a K20D replacement. One of the main reasons for upgrading was that the bigger body felt more comfortable in my hands. When I hold the K7; yes, it feels great but it is just too small for my hands.
A new sensor would be very nice as well! A sensor with more dynamic range sure would be a plus and if it could produce the colors like the A900 that would be a bonus as well.
A better version of live view would be very nice you could use it to assist in focusing. Also if it doesn't get blocky when I zoom in to confirm focus would be a nice addition as well.
To have focus stacking in camera would really be an amazing feat in my book. If they did that it would open so many new doors that it would be truly amazing if they came up with something like that.
I agree with your last statement as well. If I could chose between the focus modes it would definitely give me the confidence to buy some SDM lenses in the future.

I've reconsidered.
I want X-ray vision. Infrared isn't enough, but I want a selectable IR hot.filter.
And I want a really really big FF low-noise sensor, grainless from ISO 10-10,000.
And I want aperture control of M42 lenses and all PK lenses with aperture flags.
And I want total TTL-level compatibility with all flashes, even flashcubes and bulbs.
And I want an extended-exposure mode option to skip tedious dark-frame removal.
And I want an AI that tells me, "You f*cking don't want to do this shot, you moron!"
And I want a Psychedelic Effect Mode that flashbacks me to some groovy acid trips.
And I want naked people, and a tax refund, and a new computer, and world peace.
But some stuff is beyond the capabilities even of Pentax. Gosh darn.
I'll settle for a Kx.

X-ray vision would really be a cool option; I just hope I don't get a cataract when looking through the viewfinder.

[Class A]

... nobody has got live view right, so I wouldn't guess that Pentax is going to magically going to make it just as good as normal focusing through the viewfinder.

Pentax won't be able to do it on their own. The sensor manufacturers have to find a way to use all pixels for live view (and video). Currently, sub-sampling is applied and that leads to a considerable loss of resolution. I guess that both bandwidth and heat are obstacles to overcome but I think some time in the future we'll see all pixels in LV.

...if it could produce the colors like the A900 that would be a bonus as well.

Hey, another fan. So I'm not imagining this?

[jct us101]

The A900 has the best colors that I have ever seen from a DSLR. Hell, that thing has the best image quality for the sensor that I have probably ever seen, everything is just so perfect on every photo that I've seen from it.

[zxaar]

The A900 has the best colors that I have ever seen from a DSLR. Hell, that thing has the best image quality for the sensor that I have probably ever seen, everything is just so perfect on every photo that I've seen from it.

a900 is a camera that i always wanted to buy. Can buy the camera though, do not buy it only because can not afford all those zeiss afterwards. (with so much invested in pentax lenses).

Wish pentax made a cam with a900 sensor.

[Tuner571]

The A900 has the best colors that I have ever seen from a DSLR. Hell, that thing has the best image quality for the sensor that I have probably ever seen, everything is just so perfect on every photo that I've seen from it.

I totally agree, the a900 is a great camera and I really hope that Pentax and Sony team up to use this sensor in a new Pentax body. If that happens I really think that Pentax will really take off and who knows what could come next.

[Blue]

Great, another wish list thread . . .


- TTL flash like the *istD and DS that support both TTL and P-TTL which would support lens from the M series and older m42.

- focal length/aperture correction for teleconverters and an actual teleconverter to use it on

- direct aperture coupling from K mount lenses

- open source firmware since they tend to abandon it unless there is something wrong with it to begin with.

-No funky batteries

[drogomoss]

1) Buy good domain name "dslr-petition.com" :-)
2) Make good one page web form as title page, if you need consultancy on web forms design, I am ok to provide it.
3) Collect all petitions and show most popular at right part of title page.
4) Send every petition to every Pentax support email address, as well to every Penatx DSLR related stuff address.
5) You'll be amazed by result, they won't be instant but after two-three months things are gonna change.

This is an interesting one? Has anybody started it yet? I think I'll start one now. Hmmmm... what a thought.