Teeny weeny new Pentax.

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It looks lovely and very tempting but is there really appeal in a camera like this with such a small sensor?

I think that I'd choose one of the larger sensor models rather than this or an existing high end compact like the LX5.

Maybe I'm missing something and it's a really great idea?

Here it is at DPR...

http://www.dpreview.com/previews/pentaxQ/
 
Have to agree, superb idea with a big flaw, the bloody sensor. Despite all they have put into it its nothing more than a quirky compact with interchangable lenses.
 
The Nex 3 I had wasn't exactly huge in comparison and managed to squeeze an APS-c sized sensor in it.

I can't see this being very good as it is, although the idea of a smaller sensor could be put to good use. You could have much smaller, faster lenses or telephotos with massive focal lengths at a fraction of the size and cost.
 
Its a bit discouraging that the 35mm equivilent lens which I would natural opt for is called '04 Toy Lens Wide'. :thinking:
 
Just spotted this too, could be a nice little camera but ultimately it all depends on the price.
 
Raikiri said:
The Nex 3 I had wasn't exactly huge in comparison and managed to squeeze an APS-c sized sensor in it.
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And there's the problem as I see it. The Pentax looks like a lovely little toy but the 4/3 and Sony offerings are getting smaller and there are existing things like the LX5. The only advantage that I can see for this latest Pentax is the new toy factor and the fast lenses but both of these things may be squeezed by 4/3 and Sony.

It looks to me to be a strange decision to bring this to market which means either that it is indeed a strange decision or I just can't see the greatness and Pentax are indeed very very clever.
 
Apparently it's going to be priced at $800 - that's right, eight hundred dollars. That's £500 at current exchange.

(according to here)

At that price point (more like priced out), any micro 4/3rds camera makes more sense.
 
It's a great looking product. Shame about the sensor size. I do love how they've Managed to get the flash to extend so far out of the body.
 
Mike.P said:
It will be a massive hit in Japan and China (as are the multicoloured DSLR's ) but personally I can see no reason behind such a small sensor.
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Deep focus. It's useful at night as even a larger aperture will have a huge DOF. The small sensor would also be useful for telephotos as well. Unfortunately they've aimed the body at too high a price point.
 
Unless it's got truly stunning performance for it's size I can't see any reason why you would pick this over an M4/3 or nex.
I mean, if you want pocket-able you'll get something like an S95, and if you want a small but quality camera with interchangeable lenses then M4/3 and nex cameras around that price are excellent.

Lovely styling on the black version though (the white one in most pictures looks a bit nasty to me)


I suppose it's market niche is top of the range pocket-able camera.
 
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I just don't understand the thinking at Pentax. The company has produced some absolutely cracking cameras over the decades and has had a few DSLR's that are thoroughly excellent and yet Pentax has a minute (verging on insignificant) share of the market. That should not be so and is long overdue being addressed, but that camera is not the way to go about it.
 
arclight said:
I just don't understand the thinking at Pentax. The company has produced some absolutely cracking cameras over the decades and has had a few DSLR's that are thoroughly excellent and yet Pentax has a minute (verging on insignificant) share of the market. That should not be so and is long overdue being addressed, but that camera is not the way to go about it.
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Read Fruitflakes link to the online photographer .. the camera makes more sense then. As I said, it will be huge in Japan.
 
freecom2 said:
Apparently it's going to be priced at $800 - that's right, eight hundred dollars. That's £500 at current exchange.

(according to here)

At that price point (more like priced out), any micro 4/3rds camera makes more sense.
Click to expand...

Maybe £100-150 for the camera and £30-120 for the lenses, at £500 (before tax) it doesn't stand a chance.

I wasn't too fussed about the sensor size, if a photographer is capable of taking a good photo then they'll make it work. Could also have been a good introduction to real photography.
 
Looks damned cute though .... :)

pentaxq_1a_800.jpg
 
If someone showed me that I'd think it was a novelty keyring!

Seen in a picture which gives a proper sense of it's size, I can see why they used a small sensor. Even If they could fit a 2x crop into that body, the lenses would have to be too big and it would become pointless.
 
Snobbery,thats what its all about,if you get what you want from a camera(anything in fact) thats all should matter.What do you do with your images,put them on the net or blow them up tp 30x24 inch
Just get what you want or need and be happy with it
 
Ffoeg said:
That's very much a digital version of the old Pentax Auto 110...
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That said, the Pentax Auto 110 was a full proper SLR - moving mirror and the lot, which is no small feat in this sort of sized body.
 
Yuk.....

I can't really make any other comment, it seems completely pointless to me.

Steve
 
It's aimed squarely at those for who in days gone past the auto 110 would appeal to as well as to the retro geek kids who currently play with diana's etc..

I think the kids will pick up on it due to the size and the fun aspect of it, lets face it you could drop it and a couple of lenses in a handbag easily.

Its also nice to see a maker actually making faster lenses at a relatively cheap price point and supplying one as standard.

The price though is too high, but we know that the on street price will be significantly lower after a little while..
 
I think it's fun. Too expensive for me at the intro price point, which is a bit of a worry - if the price came down more people would buy it, but will it get to that point or have they doomed it with the pricing? Far too early to say and, as has been mentioned regularly in the thread we are not the target market. Or at least, most of us aren't. A bit cheaper and I think I''d be looking at a combined christmas and birthday pressie. I'll say it again, it looks fun!]
 
lostinfrance said:
Snobbery,thats what its all about,if you get what you want from a camera(anything in fact) thats all should matter.What do you do with your images,put them on the net or blow them up tp 30x24 inch
Just get what you want or need and be happy with it
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Snobbery? Er... Not a chance. Pentax is a well known and desireable badge so the snobbery jibe would be far more believable if it was made by... I dunno... Amstrad.

For me it's not about snobbery and it's not about the badge. Not for a single second.
 
If It can do ISO 100-800 without a great deal of fuss then I'm sold. It's so, so tiny, this is one time I will say smaller the better...haha. I genuinely believe cameras are just so big now, far too big.
 
dd1989 said:
It's so, so tiny,
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But is it that much smaller? I'd like to see it next to the Sony and 4/3 offerings.

It looks smaller here but there might not be a great deal in it in the metal/plastic...

sidebyside1-0011.jpg
 
Ah, but the sony lenses will have to be larger on the C3, except the pancake I suppose.
 
Yup but you have to fit a lens to the Pentax too and once you've done that it probably wont fit in a trouser or shirt pocket with any comfort.

I like my GF1 and although it wont fit in a shirt or trouser pocket it will fit in a jacket pocket so if the Pentax is only slightly smaller than a GF1, or rather a GF3 as that's the latest thing, and the Pentax ends up being a jacket pocket (or bag) camera too then I wonder what it offers over 4/3 offerings?

Like I said, it'll have to be seen and compared to the 4/3 and APS-C offerings but at the moment I'm doubtful.
 
Mike.P said:
Just wondering if I will be able to mount my Pentax 300mm f2.8 with 1.7x tc on it. :)
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Hmmm.. Could be interesting putting one on the end of the 250-600!
 
I don't think I'd sacrifice the image quality and low light ability for the small size difference. I still think the NEX would be equally as pocketable with a normal walk around lens but would be far more capable.

Still, hard to say without actually holding one.
 
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