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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
01-12-2009, 03:12 PM
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This is my exact point. The general theme is "big is pro, small is noob." Sadly that is a vicious cycle propagated by the populace and the manufacturers. I just don't buy it though. And neither do a lot of other people who are serious about shooting. Pentax already is bucking the trend by building small primes. Why not follow that up with a small serious camera? Km size, interface more like K20d, and weather sealed. I'd pay $1K for that rather than $0.5K for the existing Km.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
01-12-2009, 02:07 PM
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and I should add that I'm very close to buying a K2000 *as is* to experiment with so my ego isn't really threatened by using an entry camera. I only wish I didn't have to get the kit lens and flash with it...I just want a body. But I know that I'll miss a few interface elements from the K20d.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
01-12-2009, 02:03 PM
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The K200 is already in the oddball position, so I wouldn't be surprised if it is the "scrap" part of the "scrap and build" mentioned by Hoya. As far as the Km design, it isn't about vanity, it is about functionality. AF points aren't the issue, usability is. I want buttons and switches for as many things as I can get rather than going to the menu. I switch metering modes regularly - hence I like having a dedicated lever for that. To the extent that they can provide more direct access to those things the better. It isn't about not wanting to "be seen" with an entry level camera. And in fact, I welcome that in a street environment. That is another argument for small primes.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
01-12-2009, 01:51 PM
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My argument would be that they *could* design it into an enthusiast small body. The G1 is showing that there actually *is* a market for such a beast. While Panasonic likely made the G1 for soccer moms, they are selling some to enthusiast who realize that they can use legacy glass with it. It becomes a lightweight travel/street alternative to a "full" size dSLR, dRF, etc.
Why not leverage what they've got? They have the Km form factor. How about they build two variants - newbie and enthusiast?
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
01-12-2009, 12:55 PM
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I think it is possible. Have a meter lever on the mode wheel like the K20d, change the ? button to ev comp, have a green/af button on top. The power switch can do live view (if you insist :p ), and have the focus select surround the joystick/ok like it does on the K20d. Or add a second lever around the mode button. You don't need an LCD on top, but need that info either on a "quick screen" on the lcd or in the viewfinder. I think it is doable.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
01-12-2009, 12:39 PM
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I'd rather see it as a "serious" Km but I don't think they'll do it. I still don't get live view other than from a marketing perspective. And I have shot a lot with p&s so it isn't like I'm not used to working that way, but all of the implementations on the dSLR seem deeply flawed. The only viable ones imho are those that are on articulated screens so you can shoot at off-angles.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
01-12-2009, 12:22 PM
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I actually posted a similar sentiment about the K200d over xmas. I bought one for my g/f and ended up sending it back because it just wasn't small enough to differentiate it from the K20d. At that time the K20d was around $700 so you saved a little money with the K200d but didn't get much of a size/weight savings and had significantly lower spec internals. My guess is that they make a K30d as an upgrade for the K20d, the Km/2000 obviously is their small/light, so that leaves a third mystery body imho. I'm not sure if they'll try to split the K20 and Km or if they'll do something very different. I guess we'll see...
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
01-11-2009, 07:02 PM
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K20d and K200d were announced on 24Jan08. Not at CES, not at PMA. There actually is a good argument for not doing a product launch at those shows. First off, CES is much more on the consumer side of things, so a "higher end" dSLR would just get lost in the noise of press. And at PMA they'd be fighting with everyone else for coverage. The reality of the interwebs is that traditional product cycles and show schedules have less and less influence on when/how something gets launched.
It would not surprise me a bit if the K30d/K300d were announced end of this month. It also wouldn't surprise me if they weren't. How's that for waffling? :p
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