K10D is Official on Pentax Canada

Bit slow to load at the moment, wonder what the hit count is.

http://www.pentax.ca/digital/digital_slr/k10d/index.php

Key points I noticed:

* RAW in PEF or DNG
* RAW is 12-bit (shame it wasn't 16-bit having a 22-bit ADC)
* Playback include "Bright Portion" (about time!)
* Pentaprism
* ISO confirmation is in the viewfinder
* ISO warning in viewfinder
* Can shoot RAW+JPG
* 10 frame RAW buffer
* 3 frame per second in JPG up to capacity

Things I haven't (yet) found -
* Wireless flash with popup?
* Dynamic range settings?
* How many custom Whitebalance settings?

Matt

Hi Matt,

"Bright Portion"???

is that where it shows the over exposed parts of the image, say bright sky when metered for land etc... or something else?

Cheers

Liam

Liam,
I'm reckoning that's what it is

Other points:
* RAW in uncompressed I'm gonna need some serious SD cards.
* Li-Ion batteries (so no AAs)
* Uses same remote cable

Matt

From what I can gather it appears to be the same as the system on the *istD, i.e. wireless controller from the RTF with the 360 and 540.

For Sale: 1 Kidney (very used) 1 Soul (hardly used). Or will swap for K10D

Offers to:-

Hi Matt,

the DL does this.. which I found out accidentally, when switching the "playback display method" to "image and histogram" (which is a godsend in itself). I agree it's a very useful function. It flashes black over white (over exposed and (I seem to remember) white over black for under exposed.. too late to check now.. )

Cheers

Liam

Finally, we get direct DNG format. You'd thind it would have become a standard a long time ago, but that's assuming people are rational.

ISO 100 is useful, but it seems the native sensitivity of the sensor is 200. It will be interesting to compare noise levels between 100 and 200.

B&H already has it listed. Hopefully the battery grip will show up soon!

It is apparently going to be available in North America in late November. Goodness knows when or if it will make Europe.

From the excitement generated by this camera, I suspect sales will be massive, and Pentax are probably delaying availability until they have built up large stocks.

Personally, I shall probably ship one in from the States, given the usual price disparity between there and the UK, which is much more than the VAT element.

G

Some more info
http://www.dpreview.com/news/0609/06091305pentaxk10dpreviewed.asp

Cheers Pierre

That's one mouth-watering preview Pierre! Thanks for the link!
Wow! There are some serious "Wow" features

TAv priority - you set the aperture and shutter speed, the camera selects the appropriate ISO rating.
In-camera RAW processing (so you can get JPGs out without going to the PC)
Auto ISO - you can select the minimum and the maximum ISO range
ISO setting is fully adjustable from 100 to 1600 (in 1/2, 1/3, or 1EV steps)
Three manual WB memories
Pop up flash compensation
The review can show "Bright / Dark" areas
Has an orientation sensor!!
LCD panel illumination (like the *ist-D)
The playback histogram can show brightness or RGB
Fully configurable dials in the program modes (so the second dial can do exposure +/- in Tv or Av modes)

But no mention of wireless flash with the popup - the *ist-D symbols are missing from the top LCD, and the corresponding settings don't appear in the custom settings.
(So maybe it's as well I have two Pentax guns now)

And also the AF button is a loooong way away from your thumb when using the grip

Couldn't see either if there are more than one user setting (the *ist-D has three which is extraordinarily useful).

I still want (or is it need) one though

Matt

Matt,

On the specifications page of the DPReview site, under 'External Flash':

Modes: Auto, Red-eye reduction, High-speed sync, Wireless sync

Is this what you were looking for? Seems odd that the icon isn't on the LCD though, perhaps it is just when using two external flashes, you know more about that than I do.

Looks like a cracking camera though, shame it doesn't take AA's.

Dan

Dan,
Yes I saw that. I also noticed that it's the hotshoe they say is for wireless flash - so I reckon they've dispensed with pop-up wireless (Otherwise, like the *ist-D there'd be a setting to decide whether the popup contributes to the exposure in wireless mode).

Like the *ist-DS etc you can use two AF360/AF540 guns. The one on the camera can be set as a controller only, or as a master. Of course, this mode also works with the *ist-D, but it's been extremely useful (especially if you've only got one flashgun ).

Matt

Perhaps they're saving it for the K1D

The grip looks great, nice to have the green button on there too, something I miss on the D. Also the spare SD card and remote storage are a bonus. I wonder if the grip will come with a battery, and whether the camera will work with just a battery in the grip, and not one in the body? That's how I use my D, for ease of changing batteries.

So much stuff to look through, specs-wise, and not enough time, got work to do.

$899 = £477, too much to ask they'd actually retail here at that, surely.

And you've got to question Pentax's marketing - the camera's shown on the US and Canadian websites, but no mention of it on the UK, or, as far as I can tell, the Japanese ones. When you think of the song and dance Nikon made of the D80, and Sigma's current SD14 webpage, it all helps to drum up interest. You can make the best camera in the world, but if you don't tell people about it, how are they going to realise they need to buy it?

Dan

What I like about that camera is:
* ISO 100 (would like to have 50 too)
* Pentaprism
* ISO confirmation is in the viewfinder
* Can shoot RAW+JPG
* 3 frame per second (till the card is full ??? that I'd like to see...)
* SR absolutely!
* water or weather resistant (now someone must to invent a special cap for the lenses )
* An orientation sensor
* that dust removal thing (I must take my *ist D for cleaning for that very reason)
* & the price (I saw somewhere that is going to be round 890 $...??? : )

I want one, no doubt about it and I don't know if it still worth to wait for full frame???

Bye - S. from Slovenia, the sunny side of the alps