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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 02-27-2016, 12:39 AM  
Pentax K-1 Officially Announced
Posted By Matthew Saville
Replies: 1,581
Views: 215,208
CAREFUL, you might break the internet!!!!

---------- Post added 02-26-16 at 11:50 PM ----------



IMO, the answer is simple: the K-1 hasn't even hit shelves yet, and the D750 has been out for what, over a year and a half?

The stock and pace of shelf-flying-off is a known situation for the D750, so that price has stabilized at whatever the market dictates.

The K-1 hasn't even begun selling yet, or shipping. So who knows, maybe it was so popular in AUS that immediate pre-orders were through the roof, or at least sufficient to consume an entire first shipment, in which case, they can get away with waiting 6-12 months before dropping the price further.

So, if you want a K-1 but are simply miffed by the fact that it currently costs more than a D750, ...wait six months?
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 02-21-2016, 09:48 PM  
Tamron coming back to the K-mount???
Posted By Matthew Saville
Replies: 155
Views: 22,117
I could really go for a fast 20 or 24 prime that has WR.
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 02-20-2016, 01:18 PM  
Pentax K-1 Officially Announced
Posted By Matthew Saville
Replies: 1,581
Views: 215,208
Hey, I have Aspergers and LOVE collecting old manual lenses, so yes I do take personal offense at his "news" article.
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 02-18-2016, 12:09 PM  
Pentax K-1 Officially Announced
Posted By Matthew Saville
Replies: 1,581
Views: 215,208
Unfortunately plenty of folks (myself not included) would consider those to be disadvantages or annoyances, not advantages. Personally I'm now addicted to all three of those features, ironically.
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 02-18-2016, 11:41 AM  
Specs of 15-30mm f/2.8 and 28-105mm f/3.5-5.6
Posted By Matthew Saville
Replies: 71
Views: 13,802
I was thinking just the opposite, RE- the aperture blades. Why do we need creamy bokeh on such an ultrawide lens? I'd much much rather have the old 5-blade classic sunstar look. I guess I can continue trying to score an old Pentax 20mm f/4 on Ebay though if I really want those sunstars. This 15-30 2.8 lens is an impressive feat of optical engineering, if it is anything like the Tamron. :-)
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 02-18-2016, 11:12 AM  
Pentax K-1 Officially Announced
Posted By Matthew Saville
Replies: 1,581
Views: 215,208
I have found that processing a 12-bit lossy raw file, just once, straight to JPG, is free of any visible deterioration unless you're going absolutely bonkers with your print sizes. And since most of the situations I find myself in are only producing a 4K timelapse frame, or a medium sized portrait / wedding print, it is perfect for what I need.

Shooting JPG instead of 12-bit lossy raw is still highly undesirable, not so much for dynamic range reasons these days but mostly for white balance and general editing latitude.

Like I said, I know it sounds like witchcraft, but a lossy 12-bit raw file still holds a ton more editing capability than a JPG file, even though it is sometimes only a few %% bigger in filesize than the JPG file.

Maybe Pentax will be like Sony, and offer such a compressed 12-bit DNG feature in a firmware update. If not, that's fine, I'd still use the K-1 plenty for travel, landscapes, and nightscapes. I'd just have to continue using a Nikon D750 rather often for timelapse and high-volume action shooting, instead of just dumping Nikon entirely and getting two K-1's...
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 02-18-2016, 11:04 AM  
Pentax K-1 Officially Announced
Posted By Matthew Saville
Replies: 1,581
Views: 215,208
Yes, I mean lossy compression instead of lossless, or better yet, in addition to. That's how I've been operating my Nikons for about a decade now; 14-bit lossless raw for when shooting most important landscapes, and 12-bit lossy compressed raw for when shooting thousands of photos in a very short period. I shoot not just timelapse but also air shows (added buffer depth is nice) and 14-16+ hour weddings. (3-4K images per week, ouch)

Either way, yes I know I could fit a couple / few timelapses on a 64GB card, but that's only one day, or one half-day even. When I'm on a 3-4 night backpacking trip in the wilderness, I like to be able to just slip two 64 GB cards into my camera, and only have to swap them out once. Even then that's already 256GB of data in a single trip. Like I said sometimes I'll wind up throwing away thousands of photos if the timelapse doesn't turn out, but it's still better to have 12-bit lossy compression at my disposal to nearly halve the storage consumption rate.

---------- Post added 02-18-16 at 10:06 AM ----------



Indeed, most all raw files are losslessly compressed these days, and that is a good thing for 14-bit shooting. Uncompressed is totally unnecessary, as Sony A7R II shooters are currently discovering.

12-bit lossy compression is what I'm talking about; it is highly useful in the situations I just described above, as well as many others such as wildlife shooting or other high-speed, high-volume sports...
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 02-17-2016, 06:29 PM  
Pentax K-1 Officially Announced
Posted By Matthew Saville
Replies: 1,581
Views: 215,208
Compressed DNG, like the compressed NEF Nikon files that I've been using for years now, can still retain almost all of the image quality of a raw file, amazingly, at almost the filesize of a JPG file. I know it sounds like witchcraft, but it's true. I'll have test results to prove it, soon, too.

But, depending on how good the in-camera processing is, I could consider just shooting JPG for certain timelapse environments, though not all.
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 02-17-2016, 06:25 PM  
K-1 Specs
Posted By Matthew Saville
Replies: 541
Views: 62,509
I've been using Nikon's 51 point Af system for quite a while now, and their latest iterations, the D800 series, D810 series, and D750 series, all have amazing capabilities in low light when using 5-point (cross shape pattern) and 9-point (3x3 grid) AF modes. I'm not yet 100% done with specific testing of specific modes, but I feel like the group AF point modes are indeed better at acquiring and locking focus in those near-impossible conditions, with or without an AF assist beam, in both single and continuous focus environments.

I imagine that a 2x2 cluster of cross-type or alternating directional AF points could offer incredible acquisition and precision abilities.

We'll have to wait and see how much the new Nikon D5 / D500 "raise the bar", if at all, and how the K-1 performs by comparison. Either way, I plan on putting the K-1 through some serious testing at weddings, asap.
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 02-17-2016, 05:25 PM  
Pentax K-1 Officially Announced
Posted By Matthew Saville
Replies: 1,581
Views: 215,208
May I now serve crow to all the folks who said the camera wouldn't cost less than $3K?

My only disappointment is that it doesn't offer raw compression. I wish at least the DNG files could have a compressed option, for when I need to rattle off a few 999 image timelapses that might not even turn out LOL.
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 02-16-2016, 02:16 PM  
K-1 Specs
Posted By Matthew Saville
Replies: 541
Views: 62,509
1.) I'll definitely be testing the K-1 in as terrible light as I can possibly find, at weddings, with both the new 24-70 2.8 and hopefully as many classic Limited primes as I can get my hands on, certainly the 31 1.8 and 77 1.8.

Because for me, shooting with a lightweight kit using tiny yet powerful primes is the name of the game with 12-14 hour work days.


2.) The multi-point groupings are becoming very common in Canon and Nikon these days, with the D5 and D500 proving that no, you can never have "too many" AF points.

What I suspect will be the future of both on-sensor hybrid AF, and off-sensor PDAF, will be clusters of smaller AF points, maybe a 2x2 grid, or a 3x3 grid, such as Nikon and Canon are currently implementing in their 51 / 61 point AF systems, and now in Nikon's new 153 AF point module.

Honestly, half the time I really only "need" 9-12 AF points to be actually selectable. Beyond that, moving the focus point around the viewfinder more precisely becomes more of a chore than a tool. However, using multi-point clusters, and point-skipping options, could be a huge thing for the future.
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 02-12-2016, 05:11 PM  
K-1 Specs
Posted By Matthew Saville
Replies: 541
Views: 62,509
If Pentax can deliver a gorgeously large prism, and AF point spread out around the viewfinder, I'll strongly consider dumping my Nikon system for the K-1. As long as the low-light AF is up to snuff, compared to the likes of my D750.

But for now, I'm still mostly assuming that I'll own two systems, one Nikon minimal system for weddings and portraits, and the Pentax system for adventure and landscapes and nightscapes. Provided the 15-30 2.8 comes along with the K-1, sooner than later...
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 12-28-2015, 03:36 PM  
Pentax 645Z scores 101 at DxOMark
Posted By Matthew Saville
Replies: 249
Views: 31,667
Now, if only the full-frame Pentax has similarly impressive high ISO and dynamic range performance, I'll be a very happy man.
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 12-10-2015, 04:15 PM  
DxOMark measures K-3II
Posted By Matthew Saville
Replies: 185
Views: 31,872
I suspect that is EXACTLY what happened. Nikon has been tweaking their 24 MP DX chip every single time they put out a new 24 MP DX camera body, even going back and forth to Toshiba to try and get the best quality possible.

Pentax, I suspect, decided to just leave the sensor and ADC image pipeline the same, up until the whole pixel-shift system which I'd assume happens after the ADC?

Either way, I hope that Pentax pushes harder to get killer sensor updates in something like a K-3 III, or the K-1 full-frame. The difference may be negligible from one camera to another when Nikon is coming out with 3-4 new bodies per year, but from the original to the latest, the difference is noticeable and useful in both HDR and high ISO situations.
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 11-30-2015, 12:10 PM  
Some FF news
Posted By Matthew Saville
Replies: 436
Views: 64,298
I'd absolutely love to see a Zeiss Distagon-quality Pentax 20mm f/2.8 that weighs similarly to the newest Zeiss Loxia 21 2.8, NOT the Milvus 21 2.8. But that'd be a dream. I think the Loxia is manual focus anyways.

I know the trend these days is for ginormous, hefty f/1.4 primes with flawless image quality, (Sigma Art, Zeiss Otus) ...however I hope Pentax doesn't lose sight of one of their nice selling points, the AF, all-metal lenses that are as small as a 35mm film rangefinder lens. This really is a delightful system when you see what you can do with just 2-3 super-light yet rock-solid primes.
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 11-25-2015, 03:25 PM  
Some FF news
Posted By Matthew Saville
Replies: 436
Views: 64,298
I hope they maintain the ultra-light trio of screw-drive Limiteds, that's one of the delightful things I appreciate about Pentax; I know others may talk about "balance" and say they like a gigantic hunk of glass like the Canon 50 1.2 L or 85 1.2 L, but personally I like as much of the weight as possible to be in the body; it is easier on my wrist and easier overall to get through a long wedding day or portrait session.

Having said that, having some "big honkin bokeh monsters" is still nice, for those folks who need it. I like my 50-85mm range to be lighter weight, but I don't mind a super-fast ~35mm that can shoot full-body family portraits and yet still "destroy" the background a little bit. It's a very unique look.


=Matt=
Forum: Pentax K-3 & K-3 II 11-24-2015, 10:15 AM  
K3II: Pixel Shift First Test
Posted By Matthew Saville
Replies: 168
Views: 31,201
Yes, if pixel-shifting is your only priority, then it seems like the K-3 II's other "improvements" might not be worth it to you, or even a drawback. (The K-3 II's GPS and lack of pop-up flash)

Other than that, I think the verdict is in that the images are identical, and most everything else is practically the same. But you can dig deeper into the reviews if you'd like to sniff out any other details that might interest you.

All I know is that if I weren't an astro-landscape photographer who IS keenly interested in the built-in GPS and astro-tracer feature, I'd be jumping on a used K-3 deal for sure, I've seen them for s low as $400-600 and that's an absolute steal considering what it offers compared to the Nikon D7200 and Canon 7D mk2 which cost 2-3x more!
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 11-23-2015, 11:15 AM  
Some FF news
Posted By Matthew Saville
Replies: 436
Views: 64,298
I'd be interested in seeing what Samsung could do for the sensor market, maybe a full-frame sensor somewhere between 36 and 50 megapixels, or both, or even more, who knows. But they could really shake things up if they started offering sensors to the whole market. However I would like to see them fully vetted before just plopping one into a Pentax or Nikon.
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 11-22-2015, 11:23 PM  
Some FF news
Posted By Matthew Saville
Replies: 436
Views: 64,298
This is my current hope, definitely. I don't really need ISO 64 vs ISO 100, (that would be a physical property of the sensor or the ADC chip) ...but I do hope for the best possible dynamic range all across the ISO range, and superb quality in general.

---------- Post added 11-22-15 at 10:26 PM ----------



Thanks for pointing this out, so I didn't have to. ;-)

Getting sensors, or anything else, from the source that produces the best components, is a great way to make the ultimate camera. As long as you work out the kinks. Which is probably why the K-1 is taking so long.

---------- Post added 11-22-15 at 10:38 PM ----------



No, it's not a bottleneck, but it is proof that a sensor can be tweaked to the great benefit of certain types of photographers.

I don't know if it is soley related to the tweak to the IR filter, however the D810A has made some huge leaps in the quality of long exposures, and that's something I'd greatly appreciate seeing in more full-frame cameras, period. Just as an example, like I said.
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 11-22-2015, 01:33 PM  
Some FF news
Posted By Matthew Saville
Replies: 436
Views: 64,298
No contradiction at all. Here's what I'm trying to say:

As far as rumors (or even an official but sparse announcement) is concerned, 36 is just a number.

The sensor could still be the oldest and worst 36 MP sensor, or it could be the newest and best 36 MP sensor. It would be a slap in the face to Pentax if "all" they could get from Sony was leftover A7R sensors. No need to "be careful what I wish for", the D810 sensor is better, hands-down, and has none of the issues we're discussing. Those are all mirrorless issues, IMO.

So, I don't think any of the issues that plagued Sony's older FE cameras are necessarily going to carry over to a sensor given to Pentax, other than the actual sensor's performance. For example the shutter shock was mainly due to the extremely light weight of the camera, and the shutter's lack of finesse, I guess you could say. Or for example the added thicker glass layers that sony put OVER their sensor, since it is a short flange mirrorless ILC, could have been the cause for any weird reflections.

I'm just saying that, whatever sensor they do get, I hope it's got dynamic range and high ISO performance that makes the 645Z a proud older sibling, and the K-3/K-5 proud younger siblings. And if they don't get the newer version of the sensor, they'll be at a disadvantage. Oppositely if they do get the newest possible 36 MP sensor, I firmly believe they won't necessarily face any of the other image quality problems that have been brought up here, nor do I think they'd be at a significant pricing disadvantage compared to say, a Nikon D810. Since as I mentioned Nikon's production cost on this newest camera is low enough for them to offer it "Grey" as low as $2100.

Again, as I said, surely this leaves plenty of room for Pentax to get a cutting-edge, problem-free sensor and still offer it in an affordable package.

---------- Post added 11-22-15 at 12:55 PM ----------



I'm not trolling, I'm cheering and hoping for the best here!

However, I'm sorry if my over-simplifications are making my assertions sound asinine. I understand that.

There probably isn't just a warehouse shelf full of un-used A7R sensors. However it could still be a matter of which sensor was originally agreed upon, to be stocked / supplied at a later date.

Keep in mind, also, that Sony's product cycle is shorter than two years for their high-res mirrorless flagship. And the Pentax FF has been many years in the making; surely the sensor was decided upon quite a while ago. It could very well be that Sony's original A7R sensor was slated for the Pentax FF, and it is only Pentax' own delays that has caused the camera to arrive later than the D810 and A7R II.

As I've stated elsewhere, one source of my concern in this regard is the K-3 and K-3 II sensor. Pentax seems to have been "stuck" with the same 24 MP sensor from Sony, a sensor that is still less preferable to quite a handful K-5II/s owners actually, based upon real-world results and not laboratory testing. (Although the lab tests do agree with real-world findings, in this case)

Meanwhile, Sony's other buyer of 24 MP APS-C sensors, Nikon, has been swinging for the fences with their latest 24 MP iterations and delivering very impressive results for both dynamic range and high ISO. While the K-3 and K-3 II both lag behind the K-5II for dynamic range and high ISO, (depending on who you talk to) ...Nikon's D5500 and D7200 sensors actually approach / match Nikon's full-frame 24 MP sensors for dynamic range, and surpass all their older (even 12-16 MP) sensors for high ISO.

Either way, please keep in mind that I'm only here because I'm hoping for the best and would really like to own a K-1. (?) If it sounds like I'm being pessimistic, that's just what I personally believe is the best way to push companies to do better; it's not meant to be an insult or a needlessly negative remark.

---------- Post added 11-22-15 at 01:04 PM ----------



Ideally, this would be awesome. If the D800 / A7R sensor is simply "gone", and any 36 MP sensor that a factory might put into production will be the latest version.

Kind of like when Doctor Who gets a new "face"? ;-)

However, history doesn't indicate that this is a sure thing. The Nikon D3X came out before the Sony A900, and yet the Sony's images were inferior. I'd guess that Sony was given parameters or standards for fabrication by Nikon themselves, so even though Sony was the one physically making the sensors, they simply couldn't match Nikon's own final performance when ADC and raw processing were all said and done.

Again, I'm hoping for the best here. Regardless of whatever "version" sensor Pentax gets; there's a lot that can be done between when the photons are collected and when the PEF file is written.
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 11-22-2015, 11:32 AM  
Some FF news
Posted By Matthew Saville
Replies: 436
Views: 64,298
At this point no 36 MP sensor faces the "risk of being too new" as you describe; the D810 sensor has been on the market for over a year and is a champion in many regards, and even the D810A sensor is a known quantity at this point.

So yes, I would absolutely consider it a slap in the face if Sony tried to off-load their oldest, worst 36 MP sensors on Pentax. This would put the Pentax FF at a serious disadvantage in many regards, and would definitely NOT meet the aspiration of being a 645Z on a budget.

Anyways, I don't want my whole point to be missed or lost due to differences of opinion on what is or isn't a good "move" for Pentax. My original point is this: 36 is just a number, and as the existing generations of 36 MP sensors have demonstrated, there's a lot you can do with subtle tweaks to the sensor itself, or the raw processing. And I think that we all hope for the absolute best in this regard.

In other words, if Pentax wants to be taken as seriously with their full-frame DSLR as their 645D/Z series is taken, then I don't think they can afford to hit the bargain bin of old 36 MP sensors.

BTW, the Nikon D810 can be had on the grey market for about $2100 these days, and I certainly hope there's still a bit of profit left in it for them at that price. To me, this gives hope that Pentax can easily deliver a class-leading sensor in a ~$2500 package.
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 11-22-2015, 11:13 AM  
Tokina 14-20/2 for APS-C
Posted By Matthew Saville
Replies: 97
Views: 17,140
That is why I'm happy to carry around a "short zoom" like this, as long as BOTH ends are something I could use. In this case, having a 14mm and 20mm f/2, if it weighs anything like the new 11-20mm f/2.8, would be a bargain both optically (hopefully) and weight-wise.

Oppositely, if the zoom fails to cover a range that I actually need, it becomes utterly useless compared to a prime within that range. Take for example the new Sigma 24-35 f/2. Considering its >2lb weight, I am extremely un-interested in lugging it around unless I absolutely need both 24mm and 35mm at my fingertips. And my feeling is, compared to an f/1.4 prime or a 24-70mm f/2.8, as both a wedding photographer and an astro-landscape photographer I'm totally un-interested in the 24-35mm f/2. Now, if it had been a 20-30mm f/2, or 18-28mm f/2, that would open up a new realm of possibility on full-frame and I might have strongly considered it. If it weighed too much I'd obviously still opt for something lighter for backpacking trips, but it would still be a trophy lens worth owning for serious astro-landscape work.

Thus, IMO the 14-20mm f/2 is a worthwhile investment for a nightscape shooter, especially if you subscribe to the philosophy of it being a 2nd body for 2-3 camera timelapse work.
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 11-21-2015, 01:59 PM  
Some FF news
Posted By Matthew Saville
Replies: 436
Views: 64,298
Even if the camera is 36 MP, there's still a whole lot of room for it to be a big failure, or a huge success. It could be a hand-me-down A7R sensor, with worse high ISO performance than all current FF bodies on the market, and pre-cooked raw data. Or, oppositely it could be an updated version of the D810 sensor, with a new lower base ISO, record-setting dynamic range, and high ISO performance as good as even the best 24 MP sensors.

36 is just a number, yes. But the other qualities of the sensor is still un-determined.
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 11-21-2015, 01:41 PM  
Tokina 14-20/2 for APS-C
Posted By Matthew Saville
Replies: 97
Views: 17,140
For an astro-landscape shooter, none of these things matter. Focus is done manually 100% of the time, and at least on the D5500 there's a handy-dandy exposure delay mode that works perfectly for general landscape shooting... If anything, to me, traditional mirror lockup and screw drive are the dark ages. ;-)

But again, I'm just talking about a 2nd / 3rd camera here. You can do all your main shooting with whatever other camera you like, and just break out the super-light 14-20 f/2 kit once your other camera is already running the primary timelapse / exposure sequence.
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors 11-20-2015, 12:37 PM  
Some FF news
Posted By Matthew Saville
Replies: 436
Views: 64,298
That is a bare minimum of what I'm hoping for.

I still can't help thinking, it seems that compared to the K-5 II sensor or the latest-and-greatest Nikon 24 MP APS-C sensors, ...Pentax got a bit short-changed with the K-3 II sensor in some respects. I feel they should have fought a little harder to get an up-to-date 24 MP sensor that matches the record-setting high ISO and dynamic range performance of Nikon's 2015 DX bodies.
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