New Pentax camera?

That is what I would like - my friend has the C***n and uses the live view feature most of the time!
Andy

I use it to fire my other flash wirelessly so I would miss it.

Hmmm interesting discussion..

Live view? can live without it - I've managed for nearly 30 years....and if I want to to down on my knees, then I always have my M645 with WLF & 120 macro....

Pop up flash? now that I have AF540 and AF360 flashguns it's not really needed....but to me it's more useful than live view...

Having fumbled a D700 and D3 at the weekend, any deterioration in the viewfinder would be detrimental, the K200D pentamirror isn't bad, the pentaprism is better, but EVF/live view would take out a lot of the joy I get in photography...

Give me something that scares a D300 (or D400 for that matter), then I am interested...only the D700 or D3 will get me sniffing away from pentax...

Same here, I use the wireless flash quite often. Sometimes I put the flash on a tripod so the light can be more even across a room.

The big question will be, is the new camera a replacement for the K20D or will it be an addition the lineup? I can see them producing something like a EVF camera with replaceable lenses for the masses and a "normal" prosumer/professional SLR.

I actually find the Live View quite useful when I'm using a tripod - it helps to check EXACTLY what is in the shot as opposed to the 90% view through the viewfinder. It might be clunky, but it certainly works for this task, especially in awkward positions.

I have to agree with Mhuni.

I find the Live View very useful as well - for long distance shots on a tripod when I want to make very sure the point of intrest is in correct focus I use the 4x and 8x digital zoom.

Also for macro work, I'm currently experimenting with a manual 55mm f1.7 with 3 extension tubes and the depth of field as I'm sure you are aware can be razor thin. On a tripod with Live View this again makes things so much easier as it saves a lot of time.

To go back to the Pentaprism, they have make a new patent in March 2008 for a new desgin. The Patent


As you can see the design is much flatter and I was hoping they would use it in the 645D since that would make quite a difference but the design of the 645D still looks the same as it always did
Maybe we will see it in the K30D, I'm quite curious if it will work or not and if they can make the camera smaller without loosing quality. The Pentaprism is already almost 60years old and they would have some mud to throw at the other brands then.

Edit: typo and make some changes to make it more readable

@stefan

That design looks interesting, they use a seperate lens between the focus screen and the prism. It is a 4 sided prism now if I see it correctly.
This will save a lot of space and weight. I just hope that the light loss is as low or even lower then with a pentaprism. If it's worse then a mirrorbox then it will not be a workable item.
My old Pentax MZ-10 has a mirrorbox and even though 35mm camera's are normally brighter but the old mirrorbox is darker then my K20 and *ist-DS.

The new camera will be the K7D not the K30D
Couldn't follow your link Stefan "Sorry maximum number of users reached".

Too bad to hear that Gwyn, maybe you can try it again later.
Aslong as it is better then the K20D I'm happy
But I'm missing the mode controll wheel on the left side and if it's on the rightside that would most likly mean no top LCD-screen

@golfdiesel
Well it is an solid object and if lights need to travel less through it will be lighter, atleast I think it would be in par with a pentaprism since the workings are the same.
Even if it doesn't make a difference it might be a good thing to use it just to set themself apart from the rest.

The first thing that comes to my mind is that because of the flatter front it will be easier to manipulate the aperture ring on some lenses. This can be fiddly with the current models.

another thing... the name Pentax is obviously derived from the Pentaprism. Will the brandname change to Quadratax now?

Or it could be called Hoyaflex?

The Pentax name will never change it would be suicide for Pentax if it did,
but then Hoyatax sounds not bad!!!

Nope the other way around Pentax evented it so they could name it.
I believe that 7 of the 10 greatest eventions in photography came from Pentax, it would be a lost to everyone if the brand name doesn't go on.