new model speculation

PENTAX K-5 – New Pentax flagship model

16 Megapixel Sensor
Maximum expanded ISO of 25600
7 frames per second
To be officially announcd on September 20th
To be released in October, 2010
$1600 suggested retail price
Serious-amateur/professional use
The Pentax K-5 will be the successor to the Pentax K-7, Pentax’s current flagship model. Although the K-5 will still employ an APS-C sensor, we expect this model to build upon the main shortcoming of the K-7: high-ISO performance. With a maximum ISO of 25600 (4 times that of the K-7), the K-5 is bound to perform very well at lower ISOs such as 6400 or 3200, at which the K-7 had great difficulty producing usable photos. If the K-5 will indeed launch with the current suggested price of $1600, it will not only become the most advanced digital SLR in its price class, but also a formidable rival for competing manufacturers.

PENTAX KR

12 Mexapixel Sensor
6 frames per second
Up to 120 color combinations: 10 body colors, and 12 grip colors
To be officially announcd in September
To be released in October, 2010
$875 suggested retail price
Into-level DSLR
The Pentax KR will succeed the Pentax K-x, which revolutionized the intro-level DSLR market back in 2009. The KR is expected to further extend the already-wide feature set of the K-x, with an improved frame rate among with added controls. At $875, it will retain is place on the market as the most cost-effective intro-level DSLR. Upon the launch of the KR, the K-x’s price is expected to fall significantly, making it an even bigger steal!
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hmmn....

I hope the K5 isn't as big as the K20D I just got rid of. And I also hope that available in October 2010 really means October 2010, and not only in Japan.

Due to be announced the day before Photokina starts.

I read somewhere the KR will be announced next week already.

I hope so too Gwyn, I really like the K7 body it is very small for such a camera but didn't feel like it and it looked good.
Too bad there is nothing about a new AF system
And what about AF with video?

I also hope the KR gets AF indication in the viewfinder but I've the idea they will use the same body as the KX and the KM

well Stephan, I think the sony pelicle mirrored cameras are gonna smoke everything else when it comes to af and video combined......
but that matters not to serious video shooters who would be hard pressed to top a pentax "M" lens for manual focus abilities.... I got an m 50 1.4 and an 85 soft focus that are just waiting for video shooting....

it'll be a tough call for me...

but I think the low light shooting that comes close to the newer nikons are gonna be what Pentax aims for.....

I think a real game changer for pentax would be a kx or k7 based evil with detachable evf finder and wi-fi.... and a flip out oled viewer..... that takes both a new line of 4/3 sized custom lenses and comes with an af/sdm adapter for all the old kmount lenses....


oh, and they market it as the new "LX Digital"

"With a maximum ISO of 25600 (4 times that of the K-7"
That is 2 stops faster than the K-7 maximum of 6400. It's not 4 times faster.

each full stop, wether in aperture or shutter (or iso), is actually a halving or doubling of the light reaching the sensor..(or the sensors apparent sensitivity). so as far as I know 2 stops is four times the light sensitivity....

You're correct but talking about twice as fast (for example) is confusing. One stop faster is more sensible because that is what we use on our cameras & what we think in.

I try not to think...it confuses me....
Fortunately I'm dyslexic....
drink and think look an awful alike to me.....

therefore I blame the confusion on the booze.

Wrong thread Don, Try the pointless one for that subject...

OT, If the K5 is the new flagship and the K7 comes down in price I may be temped.

Didn't we go through all this a few weeks ago? Nothing definate has come out but at least the rumours have stopped contradicting each other lately - or everyone is just repeating the same one...

anyway, latest image doing the rounds :

So Booze and Hard gravity don't mix... lol! trust me, all speculating is pointless, but fun!
all the speculation serves two purposes....
I'm bored, and therefore need to start some kind of argument.

Pentax needs to throw a little gas on this fire sooner or later, if they want to change some of the flames into hot sales.... so eventually we'll see some light...

so let's hope for a moment that Pentax adds to it's current lineup two more aps cams... one above the k7, one above the kx.... and drops the prices on the current line-up...
then lets hop Pentax and Samsung release a FF Evil (yes I said full frame as in Samsungs 24x36 sensor) model using the k-mount, but biased towards video, with good still abilities as well... (Pentax's patents on 4/3 lenses could be licensed out to Samsung and built for Samsung under some Schnieder-Krunchie brandname...) (no real threat to 645-d sales or new aps-c models that way)
Samsung DOES need some kind of interchangeable lens video camera to compete with Sony, Canon and Panasonic models coming out....

so a FF Evil with detachable evf and full sized kmount marketed as the new Pextax LX model,
and also as a Samsung GX ff model?

They could use it as free publicity all the rumours, they should announce that they will make an announcement for two new camera's for example.
With one news you will be in the spot light twice

No teasers from Pentax this time... remember the way they showed shadowy images of the K-7 and the 645D in advance of the release date?

I expect it will be evolution rather than revolution for the K5. Stick a new chip in and you have the best general purpose APSC body ever! Any other enhancements would be tinkering around the edges, for me

OK, let it have faster AF so those hair-shirters who haven't yet defected to Canon can stay in club Pentax, but somehow I don't think the complaints about Pentax AF are going to end any time soon

The K-r might be more interesting. The bargain-bucket (sorry, entry level) model is more than overdue a facelift. Mic input, top LCD, and those red viewfinder dots please Pentax!

I don't know why I'm writing this, as I'm not going to be buying either of these cameras for at least three years

I still obsessing over the idea of a FF Evil... with kmount..
Samsung does all the r&d and pentax only has to re-badge and add Pef to the firmware...
Pentax did consider the video market way back when.. and Samsung really needs a pro level camcorder.....


(1980-something Pentax Nexa video recorder)
that could easily fit the bill as "Lifechanging" Nex model Samsung is hinting about...
Samsungs first 24 x 36 sensor, first pro level video cam (works with millions of k mount lenses), and a pro model still cam that isn't a re-badged Pentax d-slr..
and Pentax finally gets a ff camera that doesn't gut sales from existing models..