Originally posted by Adam I will agree that it's hard to see where the MX-1 fits in, because there are cameras (like the RX100 and LX7) and do everything it can and more. However, just about every comment I see about the MX-1 says something about it not having a viewfinder. Seriously, it this really such a big deal? The MX-1 is a point-and-shoot, and those haven't had viewfinders for the longest time. In the field with the MX-1 I never had a need or desire to use a viewfinder.
I do think a variant with a viewfinder, maybe sans the tilting LCD, would go over pretty big. Not having to use the LCD all the time also saves battery power, come to think of it, (and one of the things that space the articulated screen takes up could be.. more battery capacity. Which is good for a backup camera because you don't want to be thinking about it. )
I suppose if I were in the market for that sort of camera, I'd be considering those anyway, but I often simply can't see an LCD when it's bright out. I could actually see some use for a pocket camera these days, and having pretty much the same controls and UI as my DSLRs (That's actually kind of big for me: when fatigue is a factor, especially.) would be something I'd want to weigh against, say, the benefits of those little Fuji's finders/accepting lens hoods, not to mention price differences.
(And I like the metal bodies, either way: I'd expect to keep that for years and years and all, and it might actually see more surface wear than my gear usually gets. There's actually a bit of an appeal factor to having that layer of brass under there, in case the black actually wears away.
Theoretically it could actually happen. )
From here it looks like this isn't such a bad entry into a field that already has had some of the best compact cameras out there for several generations.
Quote: To me it seems that this camera is already a failure based on user feedback. I hope, for Pentax's sake, and I'm just getting the wrong impression! The camera is certainly quite capable, as the review suggests, even through it's not perfect.
I don't know if you can call it a failure right off considering what market it's really entering. I think they ought to consider other variants for the line as it evolves, but it looks like a good platform to start. I wouldn't be too nervous considering this is Ricoh, not Hoya, running this show. They can make nice compact cameras: I bet it'll be more a matter of their design choices and price targets than *ability* to make things to whatever specs suit.