Prior to the PIE, here comes more news of Pentax for new stuff! :-D
First, it is a new Special Edition of the K20D with Titanium colour finish, the press release can be found at:-
http://www.pentax.jp/japan/news/2009/200908.html
(or to see the Google translated page in English here)
One more photo of the product photo, for the separated titanium coloured body and D-BG2, can be found here:-
http://dc.watch.impress.co.jp/cda/parts/image_for_link/169934-10507-2-2.html
Well, I myself do like very much this lovely colour scheme. So did I like my Silver *ist DS body, which was destroyed at Pentax Japan during the course of a hardware focus calibration, very unfortunately and it is indeed rather sad.
But this time I am sure that I won't buy this titanium special edition again, for one simple reason - the K20D is already an outdated model now which has come near the end of its product lifetime. It has many reported issues and bugs which are to be resolved and removed. Many of those are documented in my Blog.
For more information on those problems, you can search my K20D tag here. In particular, the super hot pixels issue (the problem was only partially hidden by the old but yet latest K20D firmware) and the forced Dark Frame Subtraction for long time exposure plus the cold weather banding issue, which are all rather annoying and upset much the affected users. All those problems are real killing issues, IMHO, which are very possibly caused by various design problems plus quality issues, I would say.
Moreover, I do wish a true flagship or at least a K20D replacement should come soonest for improved focusing speed, for both AF Single and Continuous, focusing accuracy, exposure accuracy and consistency as well as of higher system performances, e.g., shorter shutter lag and mirror blackout time and more frames-per-second.
Now, let's look at the announced released date, which is "late October 2009"!? My pardon please, Pentax? Pardon, Hoya? Are you kidding?? Do you really want to tell us that by October 2009 your company still only have a K20D as the "current model" and as the "flagship" of the Pentax lineup?! I am really shocked! Sigh. . . :-((
On the other hand, if it really comes a new Pentax DSLR body priced in the same range as the K20D by this Summer, undoubtedly it will just replace the K20. So, what's the meaning of marketing such a special edition of an obsolete model in the late October if so?? This must be the utmost stupid thing that a company would do!
Next, we have the K-m Olive, the official announcement is here:-
http://www.pentax.jp/japan/news/2009/200909.html
But, that isn't a new idea indeed. In fact, I posted an even better looking and more exciting "design" of a "new" K-m back to December last year at my Blog:-
http://ricehigh.blogspot.com/2008/12/star-wars-stormtrooper-k2000w-le.html
Did Hoya/Pentax designers actually read my Blog and copied the idea? ;-D LOL..
Oh, Hoya and Pentax, thank you for reading! But what's Next? An Hello Kitty DSLR K-m? ;-)
One more photo of the product photo, for the separated titanium coloured body and D-BG2, can be found here:-
http://dc.watch.impress.co.jp/cda/parts/image_for_link/169934-10507-2-2.html
Well, I myself do like very much this lovely colour scheme. So did I like my Silver *ist DS body, which was destroyed at Pentax Japan during the course of a hardware focus calibration, very unfortunately and it is indeed rather sad.
But this time I am sure that I won't buy this titanium special edition again, for one simple reason - the K20D is already an outdated model now which has come near the end of its product lifetime. It has many reported issues and bugs which are to be resolved and removed. Many of those are documented in my Blog.
For more information on those problems, you can search my K20D tag here. In particular, the super hot pixels issue (the problem was only partially hidden by the old but yet latest K20D firmware) and the forced Dark Frame Subtraction for long time exposure plus the cold weather banding issue, which are all rather annoying and upset much the affected users. All those problems are real killing issues, IMHO, which are very possibly caused by various design problems plus quality issues, I would say.
Moreover, I do wish a true flagship or at least a K20D replacement should come soonest for improved focusing speed, for both AF Single and Continuous, focusing accuracy, exposure accuracy and consistency as well as of higher system performances, e.g., shorter shutter lag and mirror blackout time and more frames-per-second.
Now, let's look at the announced released date, which is "late October 2009"!? My pardon please, Pentax? Pardon, Hoya? Are you kidding?? Do you really want to tell us that by October 2009 your company still only have a K20D as the "current model" and as the "flagship" of the Pentax lineup?! I am really shocked! Sigh. . . :-((
On the other hand, if it really comes a new Pentax DSLR body priced in the same range as the K20D by this Summer, undoubtedly it will just replace the K20. So, what's the meaning of marketing such a special edition of an obsolete model in the late October if so?? This must be the utmost stupid thing that a company would do!
Next, we have the K-m Olive, the official announcement is here:-
http://www.pentax.jp/japan/news/2009/200909.html
But, that isn't a new idea indeed. In fact, I posted an even better looking and more exciting "design" of a "new" K-m back to December last year at my Blog:-
http://ricehigh.blogspot.com/2008/12/star-wars-stormtrooper-k2000w-le.html
Did Hoya/Pentax designers actually read my Blog and copied the idea? ;-D LOL..
Oh, Hoya and Pentax, thank you for reading! But what's Next? An Hello Kitty DSLR K-m? ;-)
really miss a 'paint it yourself' version...
ReplyDeleteYes, they should produce more white K-m if they are to go down this path so that people can DIY for anything they like.
ReplyDeleteonly 1000 sets - just for fans.
ReplyDeletei don't care. K-m white was sold ASAP.
It's still a good marketing tradition: to put out all kinds of "special edition" products (in "limited" amounts) at or about the time of discontinuing their popular life. They are meant to be collectibles, just for fans who'd like to put on their shelf a "golden", or "pewter", or "titanium" or whatever "unique" exemplar . It's a nice touch for those who not necessarily use the cameras for taking photos (I think Leica, among many, was doing it).
ReplyDeleteStill, if I am to buy a new camera, special edition or not, I hope I can use it for shooting. Of course, a titanium K20D can still be used as a camera, but it is not as updated as a new camera should be. Others' MMV, though, as you say, some just will buy it simply as a collector's item.
ReplyDeleteHoya want to use the paint color of K-m to the competition of the current marketing?
ReplyDeleteCanon has release a new Eos KX3 (500d), next month into market:
http://dc.watch.impress.co.jp/cda/dslr/2009/03/25/10525.html
We should get ready to hear again in 2010:
ReplyDeleteHOYA takes to cut Pentax Imaging 1/2.
EOS500D has using 14bit ADC! It is only an entry level DSLR. (The RAW file record with 14bit).
ReplyDeleteThe 500D looks like a very nice little camera, I might buy it. The 500D has all the updated features and technologies but yet it is small enough. Another product I am considering is the Pana GH1. Previously, I intended to buy the K-m, which I am still interested in. But unless it is sold much cheaper than what I can get now (cheapest for $525 for the single lens kit), I think I shall go for the 500D or the GH1.
ReplyDelete