Pentax K-01

So in practice it is very good according to these reports. I'm not really surprised.

These guys are saying the screen is awesome and that image quality is fantastic.

Why havent Pentax said this?

Q- Why no viewfinder
A- Believe us when we say this camera is so good you'll never miss it and we believe that this will set new standards in image quality at all ISO for the mirrorless market- I havent even talked about the improvements to video- it is a truly superb product.

Q- Who will buy this camera?

A- Well we realise we are making a big statement with the design. We believe we are breaking new ground in that area and it is one of our selling points. That aside this camera is also for people who want superb functionality and performance in a more compact design with the ability to use lots of stunning Pentax glass.

Now that wasnt difficult- why was the pleb from Pentax UK waffling about design and fashion? And why isnt there more being said BY PENTAX about this camera handing the opposition its bottom performance wise.

So as I mentioned before, due to a possible new sensor and new M imaging engine, it sounds like the IQ is another step up from the K5.

It should roll of the shelves.

Unfortunately for me, I've just invested in another camera so I'll have to save up.

Best regards

So hopefully there will be a K5s with this sensor at some stage.

It makes sense if they do as the cost is minimal and whatever replaces the Kr won't impact sales. If that seems reasonable, I'm probably way off.

The pixel race is over as proven by Canon and Nikon. With the exception of the D800 which will be a challenge to medium format (if it's any good at 36Mp). So Pentax could use this K-01 sensor (if indeed it is new)to do a revised K5. A K5 Mk II or as you say a K5s would sell exceptionally well.

I genuinely think that there is a window of opportunity here for Pentax.

I'm just cautious and do not want to be left wanting.

Best regards

Well I for one would definately buy a K5 mk 2 with this new sensor and extra video features. The my existing K5 would be second body- perfect!!

Never gonna happen then!

I don't see that at all. This will attract buyers who may want to use it as a back-up to their Kr/K5 and I can see it being very attractive to people moving on from P&S who want an easy to use DSLR-like camera but without all the hassle - this is not too much of a stretch from their P&S/Bridge and will seem familiar. I think it will do very well. Even the Q has surprised me - predicated sales of nearly 300k for a full year - and we need to remember that Asia is now becoming the major market for consumer sales and will drive all (non-Pro) camera designs in the future.

The K5/Kr users who are looking for the next rung up (possibly FF or maybe just the K5 MkII) will hang on and wait for the announcement of the two new DSLRs out this year. This is what I'll do - if there's no FF then I'll sell one of my K5s and be in for a 5D MkII to add to the remaining K5 (so I can use all my lenses on both of them).

It's good if new customers buy K-01 ja begin to use Pentax SLR cameras, if it helps Penta/Ricoh to maintain the brand.

Anyway, I'll hope that Pentax publish sooner or later successor also for K-r and K-5.

The weight and bulk are so similar to a K-r that there only seems a size/weight advantage if you use the 40mm kit lens. In that case the backward compatability is no great advantage. The thing that manufacturers don't understand about viewfinders is that they have dioptre adjustment. There are 20 million people over 50 in the UK and they hold 80% of the wealth. The majority of these wear reading glasses like me. This means you have to put on glasses every time you want to take a photo with an LCD screen whereas the viewfinder can be dioptre corrected to negate this. So in my opinion this makes the camera an unlikely purchase for a massive number of people.
Dave

The Pentax chap in the UK is just a messenger. A Pentax chap in the US was equally inept a few weeks ago talking about something else. There's a history of this. Any decent outfit has to send out its marketing folks well primed with all the information, the key selling points et al. The fault here likely lies with those higher up the chain, imho, quite possibly in Japan. They've let down their team, left them in the dark and failed to monitor their performance. It's a legacy: thank you, Mr Hoya.

FWIW, I once worked for a company under a similar lash to that Hoya imposed on Pentax: we'll close you or sell you, no more investment, you, you and you are fired, your new boss is an accountant, his boss couldn't care less about you, etc, etc. It is utterly destructive of morale and inspiration. Pentax will take a while to recover from this, but all the signs are that Ricoh are on the case and taking swift action.

So enough already of all this whingeing. Pentax isn't perfect but Ricoh didn't buy it to turn it into another Fuji. There is already a Fuji. Octogenarian multi-millionaires are not the Pentax market, I surmise.

The K-01 sounds a fine camera, at least on paper because it is too soon to know much about the practice, even though it is not for me.

I'm having difficulty with your logic.... you're saying having to take your glasses off so you can use the optical finder is more convenient?

fair enough.. I wear reading glasses, I wear sunglasses... I am used to popping them off when using the slr cameras.... not so much when using the video cameras, but I also shoot with go-pros which have no viewfinder at all...
I just don't see it as an issue one way or the other...

I see a business opportunity here .. an optical adjustment screen with dioptre adjustment that fits over the LCD !

There's no doubts about it, 99% of people are perfectly comfortable using a screen. The lack of viewinder may make the camera seem more accessible to some.

A group of our friends were over last night (some male, mostly female) and saw the pictures - they ALL like it and ALL want one (they won't actually buy one of course - they are all late 30s/early-to-mid 40 (so not 'kids'), and (with the exception of the two - female - who have one) think DSLRs are awkward, ugly and 'complicated'. Some of them don't even like walking around with someone else carrying a DSLR. So don't underestimate the impact of 'style', 'fashion' and 'design' - and this is in rural Wales, not Kensington. The non-SLR users all use compacts with LCDs only - and that's the way they want to use a camera. They haven't used any other kind of viewfinder so they don't know actually even realise, really, what the shortcomings are. They would have absolutely no intention of hanging a 70-200 f/2.8 on one.

I actually like the design (particularly the yellow one but must admit I'd want an EVF - and the other DSLR owners agreed.

Was a bit of an eye opener.