New Pentax FF Rumour

It is not from any trusted source with any past track record and hence nothing can be verified. But from the details it has provided, this grain of salt is yet somehow specific and interesting!

http://www.dchome.net/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=1149840
(in Chinese)

What are mentioned:-

1. Pentax will make the world's most compact Full Frame body which is to be marketed by March 2013;

2. Two body colours, in black and in silver;

3. Using the new Sony 24MP FF sensor, possibly the same one in the upcoming Nikon D600 and Sony A99. However, owing to the agreement between Sony and Pentax, the new Pentax FF has to be put onto the market six months later;

4. A new FF kit zoom lens starting from 28mm wide angle;

5. Together with a new vertical battery grip;

6. And also a new flashgun unit, too!

7. To be sold at HK$22,000 for the body only (equals to US$2820);

8. Will be announced "soon" in September (at Photokina?).

Nothing has been mentioned about the video, though. But are the above already exciting enough? Real or not. :-)


Last Related:-

No Pentax FF This Year if This Rumour is True!

D600 is Really Coming, Pentax?

http://forum.xitek.com/thread-1022917-1-1-2.html
(in Chinese)

It is said that the pictures were leaked from Nikon's Thailand factory but most importantly they look real! Btw, the D600 seems to be more compact than all other existing Full Frame bodies and all people have been saying that it will be sold cheap. So, I think Pentax is really doom this time, or at least I would say the 135 K-mount will become useless sooner or later and many Pentaxians have migrated just because the lack of a Full Frame body in the Pentax land, especially for those long-time old loyal supporters! >:-(

Hey, Pentax, are you still too busy in working with some new f/6.7 to f/7.1 zoom lenses in K-mount such that there is still no Full Frame body of any as no research nor resource of any is put into that? :-o

One More Super Short Back Focus New Pentax Lens Patent (Super Slow Too!)

Last time I was surprised with the very short back focus distance of the new Pentax lens patent, but it is disclosed lately that it can be even shorter!

See: http://egami.blog.so-net.ne.jp/2012-06-13
(in Japanese)

For this optical design, it can work out a 18-70/3.5-7.1 lens or a 19-75/3.5-7.1 lens with some variations and for example. The shortest back focus distance at the wide side is now 2.17mm. However, the lens speed at the tele side is now at f/7.1 which is ridiculously slow, especially for the indeed low zoom power and short range of the zoom. It seems that Pentax is still wasting their already rather limited resources on something that is yet impractical, or even non-sense, I would say. Just imagine that the aperture and speed of such lenses are even slower than almost all P&S DCs'..

US Pentax Lens Price Update under Unilateral Pricing Policy

Many are moderately lowered now but some are raised. Still, the original old prices are gone and those were the days!

See the latest price summary on the B&H prices at the Pentax Forums:-

http://www.pentaxforums.com/news/pentax-lens-price-drop.html

"Few will refute that Pentax's new policy raised the prices of some lenses beyond their value, especially considering that most of them were crop-sensor lenses."

Btw, it can also be seen that Ricoh is trying to set the prices of those few Full Frame Pentax lenses higher and higher. So, what does this imply?

Yet Another Pentax APS-C Mirrorless System?

(Above: Optical design of a new Pentax 18-55mm F3.5-6.7 lens)

See this new Pentax patent, via Mirrorless Rumors.

The most mysterious thing is that 3.0mm back focus distance (of which the Pentax Q's is 9.2mm), especially consider that it is an APS-C lens, which at the first glance I believe that it is just a typo, but which is actually NOT! :-o

After all, could it be still using the K-mount with such short back focus distance?

K-30 Official FAQs

http://www.pentax.jp/japan/support/faq/k-30/index.html

Available in Japanese only.

Canon Follows Pentax in Making Their 1st Pancake Lens

Via Canon Rumors

And here is also a nice summary article on existing pancake lenses on the market by B&H. Btw, Pentax seems to be yet the leader here, see this modelling:-




Related:-

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

SLRGear Tested the 40XS Lens

http://www.slrgear.com/reviews/showproduct.php/product/1490/cat/45

Seems to be fairly good enough on APS-C for those things that are measured. And their results resemble my practical experiences.

But still, there are many things that they cannot check with their tests, one thing is about the colour rendition. IMO, the image colours produced by the 40XS lens are somehow lowly-saturated. And, the other unmeasured IQ aspects are all inferior to my old FA43 Limited too, frankly. The differences can be easily seen once the lenses are used in the field for instance, not even a side-by-side test is really necessary to tell the truth.

The Pentax June 1st "Gift" is Here

Last time there was a teaser..

Today, it has been disclosed!



It is a 80 Euro cash rebate for buying a K-5 from now till July 15, just! Damn it! >:-(

At the end of the day, this is NOT a Gift, but just an Offer! A gift is something that is given free of charge, for its prime definition!

K-01 IQ against K-5 etc.

http://www.techradar.com/reviews/cameras-and-camcorders/cameras/digital-slrs-hybrids/pentax-k-01-1081032/review/page:5#articleContent

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/pentax-k-01/14

So, how is the new Prime M engine compared to the old Prime II? Should it be better or could it actually be just worse? I blog, you decide!