Originally posted by rparmar Manual controls might well be a requirement for the course, depending on what the instructor is trying to teach. Your friend should ask a few more questions. I can't believe the new Pentax cameras won't have this.
The lack of 1080p etc. is not a big deal unless you have enormous amounts of disk space, time for editing, gargantuan backup storage and the desire to out-do Hollywood. There are so many other things that will improve a video besides more resolution.
For any type of video you will need lots of video space, time for editing, and backup storage.
Manual controls might not be a requirement for the course, but they sure are a requirement for getting good, repeatable and predictable images.
Keep in mind that if you're going to buy a camera as a student, there is no point buying one which will just be 'usable' for one project, but won't be much use beyond that. You want one which gives you room to grow, learn, improve and ultimately work consitantly and professionally with. The Canon's have proven themselves to satisfy this criteria for video, whereas the Pentax cameras have not.
There is a reason so many Pro, indy and student videographers are switching to Canon DSLR's for video use... they give so much creative control at a price point well below that of Prosumer DSLR's. It is difficult to find a video camera under $2000 which has manual controls, let alone dedicated buttons. Compare a DSLR setup to a proper camcorder with manual controls, audio inputs etc such as the NX5 and you'll see why those DSLR's (even with a few lenses, an audio recorder, rails, matte box etc) are the preferred option for those on a budget - espescially considering the wider range of creative possibilities they offer you with lower noise, better sensitivity, more dynamic range, lens selections, etc.