Rumour: DFA 70-200 F4 to be Announced on 23rd

https://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/4459297

"From two German sources (dealers): the HD Pentax-D FA 70-200mm f/4 should be announced next week on Thursday the 23rd and available quickly thereafter."

What's Inside the Pentaprism Housing of the New APS-C Flagship?

Quick check of a few Facts:

1. Top of K-3 II, separate plastic top cover on pentaprism, with GPS button (at the left side) and function:

2. Top of K-1, integral top plastic cover, with GPS button (at the right side) and function:

3. Top of the New Flagship, looks like an integral metal top cover but without any GPS button (on any part of the body) and possibly no such function built-in:

So, what's the conclusion and my somehow wild but yet sensible guess? Something new is incorporated inside the Pentaprism housing of this new camera! :-D

And, it does quite make sense to accommodate this new facility with the large space made available:

Patent link: https://ipforce.jp/patent-jp-A-2018-151588

I believe more so it is a hybrid OVF/EVF finder with the existence of a new unmarked secret button at the rear top left (where used to be the playback button on the K-3 and K-3 II) plus a new infrared proximity sensor under the viewfinder, which is a standard design for automatic EVF/LCD on/off toggle switching for mirrorless bodies equipped with EVFs:

I hope it will happen. ;-) With this, it will be a meaningful breakthrough in truly combining a DSLR with a Mirrorless, so as to get the best of both worlds. And more importantly, old Pentax users will NOT need a new mount and the K-mount will continue! After all, we shall know before this Summer!


Last Related:

The New Sony APS-C Sensor

Ricoh Imaging @ the Japanese Twitter

https://mobile.twitter.com/RicohImagingSQ
(in Japanese)

May worth a look for the latest Pentax news and teasers.

The New Sony APS-C Sensor

IMX571：https://www.sony-semicon.co.jp/products/common/pdf/IMX571BQR_Flyer.pdf

26.11MP BSI CMOS @ 6.84 fps for still pictures, 12-bit 4K movie, rumoured to be used in the new next generation K-3.

DC Watch Took Photos of the New K Exhibit

https://dc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/1208703.html (In Japanese)

Body looks a bit chunky.  And,  the top LCD seems to be not yet ready.

New K-mount APS-C DSLR Flagship is to be Announced

http://news.ricoh-imaging.co.jp/rim_info/2019/20190920_027962.html

(English Google Translation Here)



Exhibit is to be put on show starting Sept 21, i.e. tomorrow. Nice. :-) But the real product is to be marketed in 2020 - not ideal but still better than none!

Highlight on (possible) new features:

- new proximity sensor under finder, hinting at least automatic switching of the rear LCD or even an optical/electronic hybrid finder?

- new joystick for AF navigation, hinting a new and improved AF system with more AF points?

- an updated and better APS-C sensor?

- re-designed new GUI

Well, I have thought that Pentax has been dead these months but today it's good to see there is yet something new and meaningful, although it is actually rather late already.

K-1 Mark III Beta Samples Leaked?

Someone emailed me the link of this post in a Chinese Pentax forum, the samples look legitimate (it seems to be). Is the Mark III going to launch in 2019?

Limited Lens Production Video (Official)

https://youtu.be/NzuGZlFqz8A

KP Factory Custom Colour

https://www.dpreview.com/articles/0215547449/cp-2019-a-look-at-the-pentax-85mm-f1-4-and-kp-custom

KP Pentax 100th Anniversary Special Edition and DFA*85mm F1.4

..to be marketed soon (and will be on displayed at the CP+). (Source: Japanese DC Watch)

Update: The official announcement can be found here.