Pentax have announced a new firmware update at their Japanese website (Japanese page):-
http://www.pentax.jp/japan/support/download/digital/k20d_s.html?utm_source=rss?file=index8.rdf
It is the version 1.03. In the above page, it is stated that the SR (Shake Reduction) accuracy has been improved.
There is one small mystery for the version history, though. Where is the version 1.02?
And, there is no AF improvement as what many current K20 users are hoping for, non the compulsory long exposure NR (Noise Reduction) can be turned off via the custom function. I bet both of the above issues are just closely hardware related and as such the problems could never be cured solely via software, i.e., the firmware.
Indeed, I have never heard about any complaint about the SR performance of the K20D, but instead many other problems of the K20D are now well known and infamous, e.g., banding, hot pixels, serious AF hunting indoor, forced NR, incorrect (A)WB and etc.
Whilst Pentax have improved better an already well implemented feature with no complaint from any user, why don't they debug other things as far as they can? To explain this abnormlity, there is only one reason that can explain, as I have just said - hardware issues!
Since all the evils are very possibly caused by hardware and design issues at the first place, I would strongly urge Pentax (actually Hoya) here once again that, "You should launch the K20D replacement as soon as possible!", before it will be too late!
RiceHigh,
ReplyDeleteI regularly read your blog. You address some issues that are worth discussing. But the negative tone in your posts really starts to put me off.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not a fanboy of any brand, not even for cars or coffee. But the way you write about the K20 (and previously the K10) doesn't do justice to these great photographic tools.
Being a blogger not only means expressing your thoughts, but also means writing responsibly.
"You should launch the K20D replacement as soon as possible!"
ReplyDeleteI'd rather wait and leave them to do the best job possible rather than rush it and release a half-baked product that wouldn't do anybody any good.
+1
ReplyDeleteMy "negative tone" and words are all based on facts and true reported cases. But of course if many things happened to be "negative", I could not be of help in anyway, except criticizing.
ReplyDelete> I'd rather wait and leave them to do the best job possible rather than rush it and release a half-baked product that wouldn't do anybody any good.
ReplyDeleteThe market will not wait Pentax for their late coming, once and once again. This explain why they are now getting the least market share by now, no matter globally and in the Japanese home market. In fact, Pentax missed the boats once and once again and for too many times and almost for every time. Frankly, if the situation continues, at some point, there is no more boat for them to miss, they will simply die!
I've got faster AF. That's a fact.
ReplyDeleteIf they have done it, they should have told us already.
ReplyDeleteIn fact, thats exactly the firmware update imagination syndrome which the users often imagine something have been improved/debugged, especially for those issues that have bugged the users for long. Indeed and frankly, this happened to me for times with Pentax's DSLRs, but the reality is it has never been true - when you use the body further, you'll find that it is just not the case, but just some random co-incidents, most of the time.
Guy, please don't overreact. Do read "this happened to me for times indeed". So, if I call you a "liar", I call myself too.
ReplyDeleteyup, he's calling you a liar. After all, if it didn't happen to Rice it couldn't have happened to you...
ReplyDeleteRicehigh, do you have a K20D?
ReplyDeleteNo he doesn't :)
ReplyDeleteOnly a K200D... Mouahahaha xD
The K20 has been well known for its various "killing" problems. Having known all those issues and if I still bought one, I think I would be a true big "moron".
ReplyDeleteSorry but I think he has (only) a k100D... (no offense, I do too...).
ReplyDeleteRicehigh, you are the kind of true moron who doesn't know what he's talking about.
Rice, I like your posts.
ReplyDeleteThose who are mad at you just because they choose to overlook the truth.
Oh, thanks. I shall keep up my "evil" works! ;-)
ReplyDeletePentax offered 3 NEW CAMERAS in 2008.
ReplyDeleteK20D and K200D are only 12 months on sale, K-m is 5-6 month. The replacement of K20D will be in May.
What is the problem. Rice?
To make new camera every 6 month? It's unreal and no sense.
Yes, they offered 3 cameras, but only one that could sell, i.e., the K-m.
ReplyDeleteA popular model that can sell and be accepted by the market can survive longer or even very long. Canon have made a miracle for their EOS 5D body, which have been sold for more than three years. In contrast, for a product that won't sell, the *reality* is that one month is just too long and no one will sell it after a very short period after which the negative market response is verified.
In fact, brand new Canon 5Ds can still be found far more easily in the market than a brand new K20D for the time being. So?
All in all, counting just how long a model is marketed is something that is really unrealistic, silly and actually stupid. I bet Pentax/Hoya are not that stupid, are they?