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Pentax announces a mirrorless camera system with interchangeable lenses

O

OreoCookie

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Apr 14, 2001
2,727
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Sendai, Japan
Pentax has announced the Q, a small mirrorless camera with its own lens mount. At first, I was very happy, but then I read that the sensor measures only 1/2.3". Damn. I don't know about you, but this immediately disqualifies the Q for me :mad:

So what do you guys think?
 
Wackiest flash design I've ever seen :p

untitled.jpg

The sensor is too small for my liking and not sticking with the K-mount is unfortunate (that does though mean they can make the body considerably smaller).

Pentax had the perfect opportunity to mate their excellent line of DA limited pancakes to an equally pocketable body, and... didn't :(

It does look nice in black though :)
 
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It has a smaller sensor than a Canon S95 compact. It is less pocketable than an S95. I think I'd rather buy a real compact than one of these with a compact camera sensor.
 
Camera design itself looks interesting but the tiny sensor makes it sort of bogus for anyone who wants to take photography seriously with it. Who knows, it may be priced aggressively to take hold of the upgrading-from-a-point-and-shoot crowd. The GF series from Panny and the NEX series are going the direction of fewer manual controls and more simplified operation. A new system camera user would not normally understand the effect or importance of sensor size (nor are they likely to even notice unless someone tells them) so this camera certainly still has a market.

More exciting is the new tiny PEN camera coming out which has the same M4/3 mount but is supposed to be the size of an XZ-1. Also the new EP-3 which will finally have a popup flash. :)
 
I'd be playing with that pop up flash so much that it would need servicing after a month.

I like the looks of the camera and that nice large control dial. But, as others have said, that dang sensor size should be larger.

Oh, and after looking closer at the camera I like the separate camera card compartment from the battery. And how each compartment is located on each side. Making changing card/battery on a tripod easy.
 
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OreoCookie said:
So what do you guys think?
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I think m4/3rds is probably the winner in this segment and everyone else is an also ran. I continue to wait for a camera with a permanently attached optical viewfinder. Color me old-fashioned, but I don't like composing a photo via an LCD screen.

That flash is some sort of serious Rube Goldberg-kludge and is probably going to break off at some point. edit: And a 1/2.3" sensor? No thanks.
 
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robbieduncan said:
$800/€700 with the 8.5mm (47mm in 35mm full frame equivalent terms). Not all that aggressive.
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Wow, never mind then. Let's hope for Pentax that there are some rather vain and deep-pocketed consumers out there. Really the only thing going for this camera is its size and sleek looks.

Unfortunately it's not much smaller than the new NEX C3, though the NEX is comparatively uglier:
sidebyside1.jpg


The sensor size difference is even more obvious here.
 
With a rumored Pentax APS-C offering a few months from now, the Q is pretty baffling (hence the name?). Additionally:

  • The price is well beyond what consumers will want to spend.
  • The body design (a good number of controls, magnesium alloy chassis, hotshoe) and DNG output is clearly aimed at enthusiasts, but the sensor size sinks it for that market.
  • The small aperture, manual focus "toy" lenses (35mm equiv. f/7.1 and 100mm f/8) are practically useless.

Unless Pentax was able to do something miraculous with that BSI sensor, I can't see the logic of anyone wasting money on this camera, except retro/gadget hounds with too much cash. An LX-5/XZ-1/S95 would be a far better choice.

Also, the flash makes it look like a Transformer.
 
If the camera was a good technical basis for the future, I wouldn't mind if the exterior is, well, let's say, quirky. But it's not cheaper compared to m4/3 offerings and the sensor size disqualifies it immediately. Thom Hogan has written a pretty good post on his homepage.
 
robbieduncan said:
The 49mm equivalent lens is actually 8.5mm.
Click to expand...

That's an ugly 5.76etc number.

I was thinking the other day it could be interesting if someone made a micro system with factor 4. But I was not sure about the sensor size.

This one is too small.
 
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