What True IQ Should be Expected from a 40MP MF DSLR?

Thanks to Peter Zheng at RiceHigh's Free Pentax Discussion Group, I've revisited the following two Japanese links to the sample images produced by the 40MP Mamiya 645DF:-

http://dc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/review/newproduct/20091208_334045.html

http://dc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/review/special/20090907_313117.html

via http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/ricehigh_pentax/message/738

When these are compared to the sample images from the Pentax 645D Beta, the difference is just like night and day! :-( (Even we just compare the small sized pictures - we have never seen any full sized Pentax 645D samples released and published so far btw! But WHY??)

How come this could be? The sensor size and pixel count of the two cameras are nearly the same, possibly with the same sensor used inside actually.. How come?? (I really scratch my head hard this time!)

PentaxForums.com is Building a New "CanikonForums"!?

I have just received this email newsletter today, from the Admin of the PentaxForums.com:-

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Today we are happy to announce the launch of a new forum to complement PentaxForums: www.CanikonForums.com.

CanikonForums.com is a photography discussion forum dedicated to users of Canon and Nikon photographic systems. We welcome users of either system and of all skill levels, from beginner through professional. The new forum will be run by the founder of PentaxForums, and will feature the same great usability!

Just like PentaxForums, CanikonForums.com has two goals:

* To provide our users with the ultimate discussion website for Canon and Nikon camera systems
* To create and build a friendly, helpful, and content-rich community

CanikonForums also features a 'Canon vs. Nikon' debate board, albeit with special rules, for the more wild members out there!

We hope those of you with Canon or Nikon systems enjoy our new site, and we look forward to your joining the community! Note that you will continue to be able to discuss other camera brands on PentaxForums (under the Off-Brand category) if you do not wish to join a separate site.

To register, visit this page: http://www.canikonforums.com/forums/register.php
IMPORTANT: If you are a current site supporter, you are entitled to one year of Site Supporter status over at CanikonForums for free. Please enter your PentaxForums username at the bottom of the page, and then send a PM to Adam.

Best Regards,

The PentaxForums.com Staff"
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Actually, this is most funny and somehow ridiculous thing I have seen at the Pentaxians' internet community these years! :-o I bet Adam (the site owner of the PentaxForums) must have been making really good money in running his current business! .. So that he could not resist to expand his "empire" to the Canon and Nikon lands!

And, Canikonians in a forum? I'm almost sure that he just wants more fights, so that these will generate more traffic to his new site which means that he can become an even richer man in the near future!

Well, I feel really disgusted, very honestly speaking! >:-( It is because Adam has been telling us that Pentax is the (only) brand he loves and he was so passionate in the brand such that he built a dedicated Pentax forum and website! (It might be, but it is just too questionable now, I have to say!) Nevertheless, in fact, there are always alternatives in this world! If for whatever reason you just don't like the PentaxForums (or any other(s)), there are always other choices, although these maybe minorities for the time being. The current two discussion groups that I will still participate in are:-

Pentax K-x Flickr Group (Just joined!)

RiceHigh's Pentax FREE Discussion Group (And of course! It was built by me!)


P.S. I think I must have been rather stupid and irrational to advertise for Adam and his profit-making websites here (with all the original links included, too)! But, I simply just can't help myself!! :-(((

Don't Join Any Forum that Has Censorship and Heavy Filtering

Very Recent Show Cases of 3, at the Pentax "Forums":-

http://ricehigh.blogspot.com/2009/12/failed-sdm-lenses-dpr-posts-summary.html

http://ricehigh.blogspot.com/2009/11/ten-dadfa-lenses-officially.html

Don't join any of these when the site owner dares to do injustice things in such unreasonable ways. It totally defeats the primitive purposes and the value of what a forum was originally set up for! @_@

And when people are trying to control the freedom of speech and try to hide/edit/delete the opinions and try to diminish reported facts that they don't like. It deteriorates to just kind of extreme personal preferences that can be remained afterall, the "forum" will NOT be a *public* *community* anymore, which should be intended for sharing and free discussions. In fact, what the PF King and His Guys are doing are just being too disrespectful of others, although most of the victims are just ordinary "members" instead of those more honourable "site supporters" or even sudden "site moderators" who have more privileges and far more powers, respectively! :-o.

If you observe the same and feel the same, Join Mine! The link is here:-

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/ricehigh_pentax/

And the current message list and discussions are here:-

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/ricehigh_pentax/messages
(You can choose to "View by *Topics*"..)

I guarantee free discussions as long as posts are human and one respects each other in a civilised manner. Any discussions on any issues are 200% welcome and any questions asked for help will not be modified, edited or even deleted.

Also, if you post a question, I shall try my best to answer once when I have the time and when I have some useful information to provide. If you report an issue, I shall investigate further into your case and if it is a real or common issue, I may include your provided information here, at my Blog.

Thank for your participation! See you~ (And my Warmest Welcome if you will be there! :-))

P.S. 1:-
In fact, if I am a Pentaxian that I have to choose between the DPR Pentax SLR Forum and the Pentax "Forums", I will choose the former without a second thought at this moment as DPR will not do evil things now the PF emperior is doing to his members, nor, the fact is that DPR does NOT earn any money / get any income directly from the users (so that the users are separated into different levels and ranks and with different privileges and powers/rights overthere, just because their (monetical) "contributions" are different!).

P.S. 2:-
Well, I think I'm a super open-minded person (:-)) who always allows totally different voices (or even accept uncivilised personal attacks on me at my own site from time to time, to a certain extent - well, I have adopted to that common phenomenon already for particular blind brand fanboys over years). I have even set up a place for some people to air it out for their different opinions. Here it is:-

PENTAX FANBOYS' CLUB

If you just want to write and make a set of complete opposite statements and voice against my this Blog (and my opinions expressed here), you're welcome to join! I shall let you to speak as far as the basic rules of being civilised and polite and being respectful to each others are observed (and of course no foul language is allowed).

My unshakeable belief is that the truth is going to be found out via debates and discussions with different opinions and evidences which are to be provided!

Okay, also see YOU There!~ (If YOU have a different thinking against mine!)

P.S. 3:-
If you have some Pentax gear questions to ask, I encourage you to post to my Yahoo Pentax Group above instead of dropping me personal emails, as your question can be read by other members and more useful answers would be got. More importantly, the answers to your case can be shared. Still, if you think that it would be more desirable to drop me a private email, I would yet answer your questions at my best, when time allows - that's my promise made years ago - I have never missed replying one email, I think (but of course hatred emails will all be completely ignored, as usual).

On the other hand, if you have some "secret" and special information to be provided, please continue to give me the valuable information (or for the first time!) and I shall see if I should and can post those at my Blog! Those unique and not widely known information will be much welcomed and appreciated!! :-D

Read Also:-

Why This Blog?

Hypocrites/Cowards of those "Pentax" Forums

Someone made a post with links to my blog at the Photo.net's "Pentax" forum but the thread was shortly closed:-

http://photo.net/pentax-camera-forum/00U2w7

And then today a poster at the PentaxForums has made a post about my article and discussions and my link was immediately removed by the site owner, Adam:-

http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-dslr-discussion/68214-ricehighs-pentax-blog.html

Whilst from time to time I point to any sites and forums for news and posts that are relevant to Pentax and gear (and I am still doing so), I just cannot understand why those Forum owners should try to control speeches and don't allow their "members" to even just post an Internet link (of mine)!?

Those people are just hypocrites but cowards afterall. But they are just plain stupid and silly. Well, I just wish to ask: What are you "site-owner" guys are so being AFRAID of?? WHAT??

Btw, is there any free Forum for the Pentax Community. If you don't like that your voices are being suppressed at the only few Pentax Forums on the Net and there are just too much unreasonable censorship and white horror, try to join mine:-

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/ricehigh_pentax/

p.s. Even the DPR allows my links, as my sites are all totally non-commercial. What are those other guys are trying to FILTER?

Update (7-30):

Here is yet again an example of excessive filtering and censorship at the PentaxForums. The poster wrote the post and it did not appear at the PentaxForums thread and thus he has re-posted it at my Yahoo Pentax Group:-

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/ricehigh_pentax/message/620

I think what the poster writes are totally legitimately and in a polite way too, which should meet the "rules" of any forum on the net. So, why delete/hide/withheld those posts? I'm afraid people these days just very love to control Freedom of Speech of others, whenever the Authorities who have the Power don't like others' opinions, which could be different or simply that they JUST do NOT want to see for some reasons! Civilised enough?

Disruptive Innovation and Pentax

Thanks to Mr. M42 Guy at the RiceHigh's Pentax Forum, I have just finished viewing the following presentation (an academic analytical article) which summarises well about the past history of Pentax and its business developments and finally the current difficult situations as faced by the *brand* and its company (now Hoya):-

http://www.slideshare.net/Christiansandstrom/disruptive-innovation-and-pentax

Indeed, I have some sorrows in my mind after reading it but I have to say the analyses are just so accurate (some of which are actually also what I have been thinking and talking about) and many facts have yet been reviewed and shared.

Have a look and I recommend it for any objective Pentaxian whom would like to learn something, but of course not for any fanboy.

Really NO MORE HOPE WITH PENTAX (Dozen Reasons for WHY NOT PENTAX NOW)

Everything have been made clear now. I believe there is really no more hope in Pentax anymore, after thinking thoroughly, calmly and objectively these days. I have been doing my research extensively for these few weeks. I have bought and read every review and report by the local magazines and all these show unfavourable results in the K-7 performance and image quality. I have inspected all those *unedited* photo samples from the K-7 and I don't think those are actually anything better than the 1.5 years old K20D, which I was not satisfied with..

I have also read many of the new K-7 users at forums reported that the PQ/IQ is nothing better and the AF system is not much faster and sensitive than the K-m with lithium batteries. Why they needed to say so and all these if these are not true? Isn't that they should now be still excited with their new toys and should have given more favourable comments than reality? (Well, for those who are always living in the world of fanboyism, this could happen forever! ;-))

In fact, if one now thinks more objectively, there are just so many sensible reasons for Why NOT Pentax NOW. I humble and wholeheartedly share below some of the current facts and real situations, that faced by we old Pentaxians:-

1. The SAFOX VIII+ system used in the K-7 is clearly still under-performing. It is still slow and continuous tracking is not up to a par with similar priced offerings from C and N, namely, the 50D and D300. Nor it copes well with the 5.2 fps continuous high frame rate of the camera, unless the user shoots in MF mode before a higher frame rate can be maintained.

My pardon "SAFOX VIII"?? They are still using an AF system that was designed for the entry level film *ist back to 2001?? Add an Plus "+" sign shows the honesty of Pentax/Hoya, though, which I should give credit to them anyway.

2. The PQ/IQ is just what the 1.5 years old K20D could give, nothing better or even worse, as far as noise is concerned more. And there is an obvious sensor bug and issue found already. Hoya/Pentax has made no announcement on the bug fix yet. (This is normal as they seldom admitted gear problems and responded quick and fast to *real issues*!)

3. Exposure inaccuracy yet still seems to be an unresolved issue with CWA and Spot modes (the 77-zone metering seems to be improved, but still not perfect). Underexposures are just common for the hundreds of samples with EXIF that I have inspected and that's also what reviewers said.

4. The K-7 body is indeed not cheap. The separated sold 18-55 WR kit lens in HK is particular expensive. It is more than double the price of the non-sealed version DA 18-55 II at the streets but then which is supposed to be optically equivalent to the new WR version.

5. The current prices of Pentax lenses worldwide are all ridiculous and users from different countries have been complaining. Those lenses are indeed harder and harder to find, (far) more expensive than C and N offerings but the future is unknown - especially for all those DA lenses which are designed for the *APS-C*! Well, Diamonds are rare so that they can be more expensive, but, Pentax lenses??

Previously, many of the Pentax lenses used to have the best value and the highest performance-to-cost ratio. But now just a new FA43 is priced 2.5 times more than it was in around 2002. What is the reason for Pentax now?? WHY PENTAX?? You think!

6. In fact, "upgrading" Pentax bodies endlessly one by one, say, even waiting for and upgrading from the *ist D->K10D->K20D to K-7, or whatsoever is just and surely money wasting - no doubt. The benefits and improvements that the user would get are all very minimal and insignificant. In fact, the changes in machine performance and picture quality are rather incremental and marginal.

7. Pentax's P-TTL flash system is the weakest in terms of accuracy, consistency and functionality. The dropped and now incompatible plain old Pentax TTL Auto was very reliable and consistency, although it is by no means intelligent, which is yet a very sad thing with Pentax these years. Pentax's current dedicated flash guns and system even do not support the basic and useful function of FEL, which is just utter stupid, frankly.

8. There is still no Full Frame from Pentax and there is no light about a Pentax FF DSLR body in K-mount and there will not be one in the foreseeable near future. Without Full Frame, the inferior Image Quality issue of Pentax DSLR and *system* to other DSLR systems, namely Canon and Nikon, cannot be cured and no new APS-C Pentax body will help! Non, the true potential and proper focal and usage of our old Pentax glass can be unleashed (actually I should used the word "resumed").

9. The K-7 is still equipped with an crippled K-mount which does not support well with old Pentax glass without an A position. Stopped down metering just gives exposure errors (see this concise experiment with clear results). Even worse, when an old K-mount lens is mounted on any Pentax DSLR body the user have to press a button to meter, which is an extra step and inconvenience. I do not need to even bother to do so with my Pentax lenses on Canon bodies - they do the metering real-time and what I need is to press the shutter release button, but not an additional button for stop-down metering first!

10. The colour rendition of the K-7 looks fake. Look at the grass and the tree leaves and you will know. The K-m is surely better as long as colour rendition and accuracy is concerned! But the K-m is outdated in features and it is just an entry level body with entry level performance. So, what body should one buy now in the Pentaxland?

11. The body sensor-shift SR system is not performing as good as those in-lens IS/VR systems, I am sure as I have been using both for long now (at least this holds true up to the K20D from my own experiences and according to a latest test review by a local magazine on K-7 with DA 60-250 only shows up to 2 stops and a little bit more protection, which is rather disappointing actually). The SR system is just poor man's system of the type, but it is not performing very well, nor it is an ideal system performance wise. What I could conclude in short about the SR system is that "Least is Better than None"!

12. The new video function is of more limitations than others in the competition. The LiveView is not recommended to do more than five minutes before it will need to be stopped for cooling down. There is an overheat warning symbol to be displayed when the sensor is too hot. There is no compression option (H.264/AVCHD) for the video files. There is no Full HD standard resolution in 1920 x 1080 but just a strange 1536 x 1024 (in 3:2 AR, not common 4:3 neither => Not video editing friendly). Many new K-7 users have said that there is no AF function during Video (but still some others said Yes, but most of them still said it's just so slow and noisy to be usable - just imagine how one uses body screw driven AF to do the CDAF in LV). There is no manual control of anything like ISO speed, Av and Tv for the Movie mode (unlike the latest Canon 5D2 update which allow the user to do so). After all, the video function of the K-7 seems like a half-baked one which is not much usable, or, at least not even as useful/updated as those current entry-level offerings by C and N, namely, the 500D and D5000 (which has an articulated mon for better movie shooting anyway).

Well, if you are an old Pentaxians who have supported the brand for years and own so many old excellent Pentax film glass, my 200% humble advice is: It would be better off to forget all our old Pentax glass in the meantime although many of them are excellent. Further investing in the current Pentax system is just a dead end, very frankly, IMVHO. With all the new money wasted in the current Pentax system, I would rather better to start off to build a better C or N system. I repeat once again THAT IS my humble advice to all those old Pentaxians which have faced the same difficulties as mine for these years since Pentax have gone digital. But now the situation is actually deteriorating. The K-7 once gave me hopes and much excitement but all those were just my wishful thinkings which have now been proven to be not realised! :-((

Having decided to cancel my K-7 pre-order these days, after all my objective researches and reviews done which I have stated above, all my hopes with Pentax have finally gone after waiting for them for more than five years now!

In fact, my unsensible sentiments with Pentax and my old glass let me withhold many of my purchase plan with my Canon glass during these two years. Those Canon modern glass are actually with more updated technologies and best performance when used with and can cope much better with my Canon 5D body, which I have been totally satisfied with - in terms of IQ, accuracy and performance - the three most important factors for a camera and system - money is actually not a real concern for me, but value for money and reliability of the system and gear are!

Whilst totally and completely desparated with Pentax now, the good thing is that I have finally made up my mind and have started to buy more new Canon lenses and would buy also a new 500D or 40D body to supplement my 5D for just a P&S DSLR with built-in flash or for long range shootings like birds and concerts. In the last weekend, I have used my reserved K-7 Kit + DA 15 funds to buy two Canon L Zooms (the 17-40/4L and the 70-200/4L IS) but still have had some money left and thus I have ordered a new EF 35/2 prime and there is still a little bit saving!! Ridiculous enough? The EF 35/2 is in fact now priced 25% cheaper than the FA 35/2. And, my this practical real case just shows that how and why it is so not sensible to further invest in Pentax, even for just a K-7 Kit and an additional simple DA 15 F4 lens, which is just a slow 24mm prime lens film equivalent (and they ask for that high price worldwide? The performance of this lens is just mediocre, also - you find out the test reviews online yourself if unconvinced).

I am now considering to change the name of my this blog to "RiceHigh's Photographic Gear Blog" in the near future and I shall write in general brand regardless for all the latest digital gear news instead of concentrating more on Pentax alone which I think is a brand which I should forget in the meantime! I am sure I have something much better to share for stuff on other brands - even the Micro 4/3 Oly and Pana. I shall continue to report news about Pentax, though but I don't think there will be more good things to share in the near future..

Sad but that is what I am seriously thinking now.. And I think this would mark a full stop to my love and endless and unexplainable enthusiasm to the brand Pentax for these few decades and the editing direction of my blog would (be) change(d). I just realise that I have not been able to change them much and help them to improve even though I have meant to be for years..

Welcome to the New Pentax Online Discussion Community!

It is a New Pentax Community for all Pentaxians with Freedoms, Equality and Harmonies!

Since I established a new Discussion Group on Pentax a few days ago, 50 new members have already joined and free discussions on various interesting topics have already started. My warmest welcome to all the new members and my big thanks!

All the ongoing latest discussions and posted messages can be found directly at:-

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/ricehigh_pentax/messages
(You can Bookmark This Page, the Archive is Public and can be viewed by anyone.)

You're cordially invited to join our new community and discuss freely with due respect to one and each others with total equality! I do believe with our common interests in our hobby and the brand Pentax, much fruitful discussions can be achieved over there!

To be one of the earlier members of the new Group, Join Now! See you~

If you have a question to ask and intend to seek opinions, advice and assistance, I am sure members of the Group will help you in a truly friendly and much helpful way, and me 2!

Some Bits and Pieces News Digest (June 16)

1. First of all, here comes a new discussion at My New Pentax FREE Discussion Group about the recent price increases of Pentax lenses worldwide:-

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/ricehigh_pentax/message/19

There is one nice summary on the price increase percentages in Germany:-

http://www.dslr-forum.de/showpost.php?p=5137646&postcount=1059

What you you think? Will this affect the sales of Pentax bodies (in particular the new K-7) and Pentax's marketing (results) and the brand and the company? Don't feel hestitate to voice out and make your opinions there!

And, a poster has discovered that all the Pentax lens prices that were originally listed at the B&H webstore have been removed!(?)

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/ricehigh_pentax/message/38

So, what does this mean??

(Tips: To view all latest messages at my new Pentax board, just bookmark:-
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/ricehigh_pentax/messages)

2. Next, here is an annoyed potential Pentaxian who is pissed off for the fact that he has not been able to find any dealer in the States who actually carries the Pentax X70 that he wants to buy!(?)

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1028&message=32111589

And of course, the response he has received from Pentax is just ridiculous. I do feel for him.

3. Next, there is one more preview of the K-7, at Adorama:-

http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/11609

Some downsized sample photos without EXIF are posted, all with fisheye lens:-

http://www.adorama.com/alc/article/11634

4. Next, the K-7 appears in a large and popular local newspaper in Hong Kong:-

http://hk.apple.nextmedia.com/template/apple_sub/art_main.php?iss_id=20090616&sec_id=12187373&art_id=12880951

(Apple Daily Online: Text in Traditional Chinese)

Well, the headline of the article is a bit exaggerated IMO, "Pentax Model No. 7, All-Weather Killer!"

The Head of the Business Division of Hoya has also come to HK (Mr. 井植敏彰) to promote the K-7 and demonstration was made to the Press. See photos there.

Besides, some small size sample photos are also posted.

5. Last, latest announcement at Pentax Japan official website today tells that the K-7 will still be on sales in Japan home-market on June 27. So, the schedule is able to be met!

http://www.pentax.jp/japan/index.php

(in Japanese, find the "News" headlines and the top one)

Newly Added: 6. A 5 fps combined "Motion" Jpeg at ISO 1600 by the "latest" K7:-

http://www.fotop.net/ridleyliu/man173/IMGP9922

Well, I can see much noise, although other things seem to be good enough.

Update (6-17): Here is an ISO 1600 *Jpeg* shot in the product show, for the same show girl:-

http://images5.fotop.net/albums3/ridleyliu/man173/IMGP9915.jpg (EXIF preserved)



Would the noise be better this time?

Enjoy Reading!

RiceHigh's Pentax FREE Discussion Group

I have created my Pentax Discussion Group at Yahoo!:-

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/ricehigh_pentax/

It's a place for all Pentaxians..

You're Free to Post anything Pentax there!

You're Free to Discuss anything Pentax there! There is no restriction of any kind so that any discussion topic in any combination for Pentax gear (Lenses/Bodies/Flashes/Accessories and etc.) and about Pentax the brand are possible!

It is totally Free of Charge! Donation or any Dirty Money related things are NOT Welcomed!! :->

With all the above Three Freedoms, Personal Attacks and Uncivilised Behaviours are Strictly Prohibited, whilst Different Opinions are Always Welcomed!!

If You Buy My Ideas Above, JOIN NOW!

I hope this Place will be every Pentaxian's Paradise and the Best Ever Pentax Discussion Group for the Pentax Community! See YOU~

Tips: To list more messages on the screen, you can bookmark this page:-

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/ricehigh_pentax/messages

If you prefer to group by topic instead of seeing individual messages, click once the "Group by Topic" link near the top and the page will remember your option automatically.

And, as for most other forums on the net, I have set that the Group public, i.e., anyone can read the messages in it. But if you want to post a new topic or to make a reply, you have to register and join.