Un-substantiated Rumours on Upmarket Pentax DSLR

Recently, there have been various rumours and speculations about a new upmarket Pentax DSLR that will come or at least be announced very soon. So, I have started to look at some of the sources to these rumours.

The sources are mainly coming from Chinese websites. Here is one of them:-

http://blog.pixnet.net/mydcmag/post/5422351

(Blog page in Traditional Chinese, Use BabelFish to translate if needed)

As we can see all the speculations are starting from a Pentax applied patent of a new LiveView device, which is, to put it simple, is just an overlaid LCD with an EL backlight on the focusing screen, so that the user can view the LiveView image through the optical viewfinder. This page of the patent document mentions this clearly (Component items numbered 25, 26 and 27 refer). Besides this concept, which is the only thing presented, I actually cannot see any of the new feature of the LiveView function of Pentax, of which it is only mentioned about it will use the imager (CCD or not) to pick up the LiveView image.

While people have been imagining more and more about a new higher class Pentax DSLR model above the K10D further and further by looking at this patent document and imagined about the "new powerful features", I can see nothing at all after reading through the whole document. Anyway, if you can *really* see something, please let us know! :-)

Besides those Chinese websites (mainly from the mainland China) talk about new model names of K20D, K150D and K200D etc. which IMHO are most probably pure un-substantiated speculations (which I think I shall not quote them anymore, as they are numerous and quite some people have already quoted these, e.g., at DPR Pentax forum and etc.), the most funny one must be this one, which actually just makes me LOL :-D !

http://article.pchome.net/content-384188-3.html

(Page in Simplified Chinese, again, use BabelFish if needed)

If you read on the article, could you know actually which "super model" of this "upcoming" Pentax DSLR is? . . Ummm, it's just an *ist D! Since I have owned and used the model so much and for so long, I know it for the first glance! If you still want to compare, download this.

The DSLR diagrams used in the new LiveView patent application are just all from the *ist D. So, now the case is very simple, there is no super model of any kind as imagined by quite some people.

Besides, for people who just see a new patent applied and then associate this to a new model, such kind of speculations is again something cannot be substantiated. In fact, I can't see there is any relation between the two. Just for example, Pentax had filed a patent for dust removal system by air-suction principle long ago, have we seen any Pentax product has this? (For more details, read my previous Blog entry: A Shootout between Dust Removal Systems)

To me, I don't need any new and further bells and whistles for the upcoming Pentax DSLR(s), what I truly want to see is that Pentax to catch up in the game with an acceptable and improved metering & exposure system (the one used in the K cameras is inaccurate, unreliable and outdated), an intelligent image processor (which should handle tone curve, brightness and contrast etc. better) and an accurate and responsive AF system (at least not to be affected by tungsten light and not to hunt so much in low light! And, continuous AF tracking ability of the K cameras is pathetic), which they are still far lagging behind and the K cameras are by no means anything good to acceptable comparatively, say, when compared to a true up-market DSLR body like the Canon EOS 5D which is undoubtedly far superior in every aspect I have mentioned. Since I have owned the 5D for more than two weeks now and have already shot hundreds of photos under various different conditions, including adverse ones, I can see the obvious *huge* differences in all these important true performance aspects of a DSLR, very clearly and without any doubt.