24.3 MP Exmor CMOS sensor

Well August 24th is set to be an interesting date as new cameras are scheduled to be announced. Several are to use the latest Sony sensors.

So will Pentax/Ricoh be looking at these sensors for use in the next K DSLR?

Only time will tell.

Some basic specs of what to expect from one of these sensors:


•24.3 MP Exmor CMOS sensor
•ISO 100-16000, with an ISO 50 option
•Video recording at 1920 x 1080 60p/24p
•Continuous AF during video recording
•Built-in image stabilization
•12 fps with continuous AF
•1/8000 shutter speed
•Face recognition


Best regards

interesting stuff

More pixels is inevitable even though most of us, I would imagine, only export images at sizes no bigger than A4 or 1600x1200

•ISO 100-16000, with an ISO 50 option

The K-5 already goes up to ISO51200 or is this upto 16000 without digital gain?

•1/8000 shutter speed
Surely the mechanical Shutter is responsible for the highest speed? - Although I can't see the need for a mechanical shutter these days.

•Face recognition
Even Facebook recognises faces on uploaded pics these days.


I couldn't care less about 24.3MP. however I would like an even better ISO performance and if Pentax releases a K-3 this year with a mch better ISO performance that nthe K-5 I shall be envious.

I doubt it though. I expect 2012 will be the time for the nest big upgrade

I would assume that the ISO 16000 is without gain otherwise what is the point? The specs were from a new Sony DSLR but they are also launching a 36MP FF sensor.

Indeed, one manufacturer has already indicated that they will be using both sensors, but tweaked.

I suspect that Pentax will announce a new DSLR before the year end OR in Feb 12 latest.

Best regards

24.3 MP on APS-C is completely futile, it's beyond the resolution of any lens you can put on the front of the camera. Canon already hit that obstacle at 18 MP

John

Futile it may be - in all likelihood it's what we're gonna get! The 16mp sensor will trickle down to the Kr's replacement. [Crystal ball mode/OFF].

Well hopefully Nikon will have the good sense to see the futility of it, I'm just looking for a good excuse to buy a D7000

John

Surely, facial recognition is a software application and nothing to do with the sensor?

Surely must be, unless someone has invented an intelligent sensor!

I think (as already stated) somebody rambled off the specs for a particular camera due to be released with this sensor... perhaps?

either way... Pentax always seems to show up to the party fashionably late.... so if the sensor appears in next years Sony's and Nikons, then it will be 2013 to 5610 before PEntax releases a new camera with it.

I think I'd be happy that they were late and got it right than in time with all the others with 'advancements' that are only eye candy.

From a photographers point of view Smeggypants^ got it right when he said better ISO performance was more important. When I was looking at the K-r a few days ago what impressed me most was the high iso noise handling versus my 30D. They don't make cameras for photographers though, what's important to me is not sexy enough for joe public.
Big numbers look good on adverts and joe public has more money than me...

Whenever you put a higher definition sensor behind a lens, you always get some improvements. The difference won't be as spectacular as what you'd get going from 3 to 10 megapixels, but an improvement will show up.

You're more likely to discover the limitations of the lens in use which will more than offset any slight increase in resolution, I'm not sure I would call that an improvement. If they're going for 24+ MP they need a bigger sensor to gain any real world improvement.

John

We are probably about at the APS-C limit at 16-18MP, using current technology. If it goes beyong 20MP then I pretty sure there will be problems with many of our current lenses, of all makes.

20MP+ sensors are probably in the realm of full frame cameras.

By next month this could all have changed of course.

Not unless they change the laws of physics, or use software interpolation.

John

Would it cause a problem per se if the sensor exceeded the resolution of the lens? This already happens with many of the lenses we use.

There are some advantages to more megapixels, making the bayer pattern of colour photosites finer for example. But I agree we are now at a point where ISO performance/DR are the main priorities, and I think the manufacturer's recognise this. So I wouldn't expect any step backward on that front.