DPR K-01 Full Review is Out

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/pentax-k-01/

Some of their conclusions are well expected. Who needed to run through a full lab test procedures to know that it is the biggest mirrorless body on Earth? Btw, do we still need more reviews to explain the K-01 sales downunder?

DC Watch K-30 1st Hands-on

http://dc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/review/impression/20120531_536510.html
(in Japanese)

Btw, it seems that Pentax has been undecided on the final appearance of the K-30 model name logo, as at least there are two versions of it seen already for different review units. Here is yet another version:-



Source: http://www.quesabesde.com/noticias/pentax-k-30-analisis,1_8786

K 30 Vimeos (and Now the 18 Colours are Official)

1. The K.30 Mirror Action and Shutter Sound:-



URL: http://vimeo.com/42817500

Well, it is actually what I can see with my K-r! No difference! :-o

2. Same typical "water proof" test and demonstration video for a *weather sealed* camera:-



URL: http://vimeo.com/42691920

Who said the camera should be water proof btw? And, no operation of any is carried out during?

Besides, speaking of the K.30, the 9 x 2 colours of it has now been official, just see the page link and simulator here:-

http://www.pentax.jp/japan/products/k-30/color/


Last Related:-

More K 30 Colours

Optio LS 465

http://www.pentax.jp/english/news/2012/201207.html

The Pentax camera naming becomes funnier and funnier! Well, it is not a 645 but a 465, just because the height of the new camera is measured to be 46.5mm! Those Pentax guys must have been too lazy these days! :-o

And, what does LS stand for? Leaf Shutter?

More K 30 Colours

The images below are linked directly from Pentax Japan online shop. So, the K 30 will have more colours, at least in Japan.

What is This Gift from Pentax?

Coming soon on June 1st.

At http://sensacionespentax.blogspot.com/2012/05/blog-post.html

Via 1001 Noisy Cameras

Ricoh Introduced FA Line of Lenses and Camera Bodies!

(Source URL @Ricoh Here)


(Source URL @Ricoh Here)

Well, we people must have been thinking too much about Pentax FF to an extent of insanity! :-( Just ask yourself what is your first reaction when you read this and especially they are absolutely official! :-o

K 30 Continuous Shutter Sound at DPR

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0y-0XxnixA

At about from 1:34 to 1:36, we can hear the shutter sound when the camera is fired continuously.

For the ease of direct hearing, I capture the sound track using the AudioThief and then crop that part and then save and upload the sound file here:-

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/4624062/K30_Shutter_Sound.mp3

So, this sound is familiar and actually it is K-r's alike, but it seems that it is lighter but maybe it is all about the recording sound level or maybe the weather sealing does really help to reduce the sound somehow.

The "Canon" 40mm FF Pancake is Here! :-D

Don't wait for a Pentax FF and don't wait for a Canon pancake anymore, I just opted to Do It Myself and Immediately! :-D

Here is what I've done. Read thoroughly if you want to follow! And do anything at *your own* risk just in case!

Well, first of all, you need to have a FF pancake, like this, actually the thinnest and lightest one in the world and ever!



And of course you need a screwdriver with fit size.

Remove the three screws around the mount, note that the one shown in the photo below is fixed and cannot be removed (and should avoid try to do so):-



Note that I used the larger magnetised head screwdriver you can see in the above to pick up the really tiny screws and avoid dropping them, which should be made of steel.

Pick up the cover and you can see the inside:-



Next remove the aperture lever by unscrewing the two black screws which hold it:-



Keep properly all the detached parts especially those really tiny screws before going on to do anything else!



Put on the adaptor. Turn the lens to focus to the "rearest", i.e., at the farmost "infinity". Double fold a small piece of lens paper (at about the same size of the rear glass element) and then use some tape to fix it, in such a way that the tape and the paper cover is as close as possible to the lens, by all means:-



Put the whole thing onto a (Canon) FF body. In this case, it is my 5D3:-



Point the camera to a light source and try fire the camera for the first time! Although it is somehow blind now (with the smallest aperture of the DA lens and the double-folded lens paper in between!), the camera should still be able to see something! Here are the results:-



There was no hitting of the moving mirror to the rear element of the lens and there was no error message displayed on the body and most importantly, the pictures were successfully taken for the *whole* frame as seen! :-D

After all, the last thing to do is to open up the aperture of the DA lens. Just roll up some lens paper and insert it into the space at the appropriate position as shown below. Adjust the size of the roll and push/pull to get the desired aperture size (as the paper roll is somehow flexible and the spring action will keep it fixed)!



I opted to close down/open up the aperture blades by half of the total diameter of the lens and as such it is now two stops stepped down from maximum, i.e., at f/5.6.

Here are the first results. Click to Enlarge in New Tab:-


(Full EXIF Preserved)

Well, they are incredibly sharp and detailed (except at the farthest extreme image corners)! And, I am sure that the results are far better than when the same 40XS lens was put on a K-5! That is, the lens actually has more resolution to deliver on Full Frame! Not even to mention that a 40mm FF lens is now 40mm, as it should be! (But not 60mm something effectively! :-()

Btw, the weather is overcast and I shall try to shoot some better samples on a bright day later on!


Related:-

When the Super Pancake Meets Different Bodies~

Compatibility List of Some Pentax Full Frame Lenses on Canon 5D Body

Sample Photos of Full Frame Fisheye and 43 Limited on 5D

Preview: Cantax K5D Full Frame! ;-)

No Pentax FF This Year if This Rumour is True!

See what this PF post has quoted and summarised for what is told by a (Pentax) "sales rep." for what new Pentax bodies will still come this year, for what he has posted at a Japanese forum.

So, in short, there are yet two models to come, one lower model than the K 30, which will be more colourful (18 colours) and compact and there is also a new K-5 replacement, which is said to be stronger than the 60D and D7000 and will catch up with 7D and D300S.

Assuming these are true, then there will be no Full Frame in the Pentaxland this year, in 2012, and maybe forever! >:-(

Btw, camerasize.com has already included the K 30 in their comparison database, here is what it is compared to the K-x, which was crowned as the most compact DSLR in its days by Pentax:-

http://camerasize.com/compare/#327,229

Have a look on the actual size difference and this is the robotic textural summary, quoted:-

• Pentax K-30 is 5% (6 mm) wider and 5% (5 mm) taller than Pentax K-x.
• Pentax K-30 is 6% (4 mm) thicker than Pentax K-x.
• Pentax K-30 [650 g] weights 12% (69 grams) more than Pentax K-x [581 g] (*inc. batteries and memory card).
  
  
• Pentax K-30 dimensions: 128.5x96.5x71.5 mm (camera body only, excluding protrusion)
  Pentax K-x dimensions: 122.5x91.5x67.5 mm (camera body only, excluding protrusion)

So, the rumour of a smaller Pentax DSLR is yet believable, as there is still room of making it, after all.

First K 30 (Very) Brief Hands-on

http://www.facebook.com/PentaxSingapore

The AA battery holder:


Focus Peaking:


AF Adjustment with Individual Lenses (Just like the K-5):

Fully Disassembling the Fuji X100

This is not Pentax camera related. But for the sake of those camera hackers who read this Blog, I feel it is yet good to share:-

http://www.jamesmaherphotography.com/photoblog_view_post/767-taking-apart-the-fuji-x100

Transformer Cameras!

I don't know who is the original author of the above second-tier creation. But surely it is interesting!

And finally, I can see something that proves the existence of Pentax marketing. The first modelling photo is cool:-

Why One Would Want Plastic and Rubber for a Camera?

This K-5 was cracked after a crush:-



Source: http://forum.xitek.com/thread-1000353-1-1-1.html (in Chinese)

The new K 30 looks like shockproof, with its plastic/rubber outer shell construction. So, it seems that sometimes plastic and rubber is better than metal, especially consider that the K-5 metal shell seems to be flimsy and not thick enough. This can be seen in the above photo for the wound. Surprisingly, this was exactly my own feeling when I first picked up the K-5 in my hands. In contrast, the Pentax MZ-S film body is a different story (except for the filmsy "data back" of it).

K 30 Full Specs and Product Images Leaked!

New Products' Images with Detailed Specs!



See: http://www.pentaxturk.com/forum/index.php?topic=1309.msg15245;topicseen#new

This is the Google translation of the specs:-

Open SLR Weather resistant stainless steel chassis and
(Splashing water, snow, dust and sand, protecting electronic circuits against)
* Excellent Image Quality

16MP APS-C CMOS sensor
High-speed image data signals to read and full detail a newly developed CMOS image sensor 16 MP APS-C (23.7X 15.7mm)
Vibration Sensor Blocker SR (Shake Reduction) available.
ISO 25 600 sensitivity.
Cleaning System

* Outstanding Video Image Quality

1080p Full HD video recording (1920 x 1080 pixels) High-quality video capture
Codec H.264 recording format
Frame rate to the user a choice to accommodate specific applications (Full HD 30, 25 or 24 fps, and HD resolution of up to 60 fps) to provide
Exposure Compensation (P, Av or M)
Video Editing and Customization
Custom Image (Cross Processing, Monochrome, inverse Movie, Bleach Bypass, Muted, Bright, Vivid, Landscape, Portrait, Natural, Glossy)
Digital filters (Color, Color Invert, Color, Toy Camera, Retro, High Contrast Extract)
Intermittent Feature Film (within the specified range is a series of images, and (99 hours) makes a video clip

* Fast and Sharp

Continuous shooting 6 frames / sec. Up to 30 JPEG and RAW 8
Estantane speed 1/6000 'e sec. To freeze the action in an image. Sports photography, and action for children

* Ease of Use

3 "(inch) LCD screen, 921 000 points, extra-wide 170 ° viewing
100% pentaprism viewfinder for a great comfort
Dual-Processor for direct access to various settings
Dual Power AA / AA batteries feature lithium-ion or
Auto exposure modes and a wide selection of digital filters

* Many Features

Custom Photo 9 modes (Bright, natural, portrait, landscape, lively, bright, quiet, ağırtmasız positive, unlike film, single-color, cross-processing)
Extending the dynamic range of highlights and shadows for more information
Multi-exposure
Interval Timer Shooting
Built-in RAW development
23 custom functions
Buttons / privatization
Flicker Reduction
Electronic level
Focus peaking
Lens correction
Copyright Information
Pixel mapping
Electronic level


Additon 1: Plus the following leak about the new AF system at my Blog by someone:-

"The K-30 features the state-of-the-art SAFOX IXi+ AF sensor module, which assures responsive, high-precision autofocus operation by incorporating a diffraction lens to minimize chromatic aberration in accordance to the characteristics of each individual lens. It also factors the light source at the time of shooting into its calculations. Nine of its 11 sensor points have cross-type sensors to capture all kinds of subjects in sharp focus, while its spotbeam projector assists the AF system at poorly lit locations. The K-30’s AF algorithm has also been upgraded in all areas. A new select-area expansion function allows the sensor module to continue to track a moving subject, even when it moves out of a pre-assigned auto-tracking area, by assessing distance data collected by neighboring focus sensors. The accuracy and speed of detecting moving subjects during autofocus shooting, and autofocusing performance when using a telephoto lens, have been greatly improved as well."

Addition 2: Fengwei has leaked more things at the Chinese Xitek Forum. Although he just points to the above Turkey forum, the information he writes does NOT appear over there! (Maybe the last time he was warned more seriously! ;-))

* High performance 16 megapixel APS-C CMOS image sensor.
* Full weather sealing for worry-free use in any weather condition.
* Rugged coldproof design for sub-freezing use (-10C, 14F).
* PRIME M image processing engine, optimized for video, also captures outstanding still images.
* Full 1080p30 HD video features h.264 compression, flexible exposure control, and HDR finishing options.
* Advanced SAFOX IXi+ autofocus engine features AF assist lamp, light source sensor, and improved optical components.
* Large 3 inch LCD is wide angle viewable, and features 921,000 dots of resolution.
* Live View focus peaking highlights in-focus surfaces for fast and accurate manual or autofocus.
* Low profile glass pentaprism viewfinder achieves a 100% optical field of view.
* Highly accurate 77 segment metering system for accurate exposure, even in complex lighting.
* Fast 6 FPS continuous shooting mode and 1/6000 second maximum shutter speed.
* ISO speeds up to 25600 improve shutter speeds while minimizing noise in low lighting.
* Programmable front and rear e-dials for convenience and PENTAX Hyper shift operation.
* Sensor-shift Shake/Dust Reduction ensures sharp, dust-free imaging with any mounted lens.
* Traditional modes combine with automatic modes for powerful, user-friendly operation.
* In-camera HDR shooting modes feature multiple blending options and pixel alignment.
* Compatible with both rechargeable Li-Ion and AA batteries (via optional AA battery holder).
* Highly compact yet durable body with comfortable ergonomics.

Addition 3: Some more product photos leaked at the Pentax Forums!




It seems to be a new K-5 + K-01 afterall, with little missing features, at least on paper, i.e., for the published specs! And there are even more for some little improvements, finally!

K-01 is a Piece of Furniture!? :-o

Via Ned Bunnell's Blog, Here and Here.

Oh, really? :-o I guess next Pentax can put the K-01 in an architectural exhibition or even a construction industry one, as the K-01 is now well known and recognised as a piece of BRICK! ;-p

DA 50/1.8 Will be Marketed Soon

See this latest announcement at the PF.

And here are the disclosed specs:-

• Large maximum aperture for shallow depth of field: F1.8
• 6 lens elements in 5 groups
• Diagonal field of view: 32 degrees
• 7 aperture blades, rounded for a smooth bokeh
• SP coated front element repels dirt and grease and is easy to clean
• Image format: APS-C
• Screwdrive autofocus
• Plastic bayonet
• Not a pancake, but still quite compact with a length of 38.5mm/1.5 inches
• 52mm filter diameter
• Light weight: 122g/4.3 oz

Well, a quick comparison to the old Pentax 50mm F1.7 lenses reveals that it is yet 6 elements in 5 groups, but the size, weight and number of aperture blades are different. The DA50 is actually longer but a bit lighter, owing to the deletion of the aperture ring and mechanism as well as it is a "plastic lens" as designed and meant.

Btw, the old FA 50mm F1.7 lens is quite nice optically and it was sold cheap at around $100 at its time. Let's see what how this trimmed down but "digital optimised" "new" version perform and how much Pentax will ask for! Last but not least, I don't believe that it is a cropped lens, i.e., it should cover 135 Full Frame (as even the 40XS actually is)!


Read Also:-

Pancake "Standard" Prime Shootout: FA 43/1.9 Limited Vs A 50/2

Compatibility of DA Lenses on Full Frame

When the Super Pancake Meets Different Bodies~

Pentax K-r Mirrorless Edition! ;-D

So, the dream of many Pentaxians have come true, for a K-mount mirrorless with a finder! ;-D

Do You Still Want 24MP in APS-C? (D3200 Vs K-5 ISO Shootout)

http://www.neocamera.com/camera/nikon/d3200/samples/indoor


Related:-

When the Sensor Outresolves the Lens.. (How Meaningful is a 24MP APS-C Sensor?)

Truly the Thinnest DC on Earth

http://dc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/20120518_533774.html
(in Japanese)

Well, unlike the K-01, it has a viewfinder!



The lens is also thinnest!



So, this camera takes all the crowns from Pentax! ;-)

Sample photos are available for measurbation, too. Go figure yourself!