Q7 Specs and There is a K-500 Also (Not K-50)

Above: Q7 with a "new" 01 prime lens in black colour.

- 12.4 MP effective 1/1.7" CMOS sensor
- New "Q Engine" image processor
- 25 zone AF, improved sensitivity down to EV0
- ISO Sensitivity 100-12800
- Shutter speed 30 to 1/2000s mechanical, up to 1/8000s in combination with electronic shutter
- In-camera shake reduction (SR) up to 3 stops approxmately
- Full HD video recording at 30fps, sensitivity up to ISO 12800
- Time-lapsed video recording
- AF possible during video recording
- Continuous shooting at 5 frames per second
- 460,000 dot 3 inch monitor
- Dust Removal II
- Supports SD/HC/XC, Eye-Fi cards
- Dimensions: 102.0 x 58.0 x 33.5mm
- Weight:180g body only, 200g with battery and card
- Estimated price: Japanese Yens 40,000 body only, 50,000 with kit lens

Besides, it is also said that another entry level DSLR body K-500 would be announced soon, but this model is to be on sales at overseas outside Japan only, in the meantime. There is no additional information about this rumoured new body, though.

Via Japanese Digicame Info here and here.

Q7 Vs Q10 Sensor Size Compared (Animated Image)

With the leaked image from Digicame Info of the Q7 and the old Q10 image from Pentax Imaging, I have made this:-



How much "bigger" is the new sensor? Your take! :-)

Besides, after almost half a year, the Pentax Q-mount body cap lens will be marketed very soon! Well, they really needed another six months to make it come true since their last/first product announcement?! >:-o



Via Digicame Info.

This is actually what I built myself for my Pentax APS-C camera last year, for a true pinhole body cap lens without any glass (in contrast to this Q lens). Besides, the AF360FGZII still haven't seen any light to be marketed soon. So, where has it gone?!

What an efficient company that Pentax Ricoh has been!!

Rumour: Pentax Q-7

See this latest rumour about the "upcoming" Pentax Q-7:-

http://www.mirrorlessrumors.com/new-pentax-q7-will-have-a-larger-11-7-inch-sensor/

The new Q-7 will be in Q-mount (of course) but will incorporate a larger 1/1.7" sensor, source of "leaked" information from the Japanese Digicame-info.com (Google-translated), which should be reliable enough for their past track records.

Btw, the Q-mount actually could accommodate a 1/1.7" sensor, yet with the possibility of the in-body SR, see my previous illustration below:-



Above: The Q-mount and possible sensor sizes; Original posted: http://ricehigh.blogspot.com/2011/06/how-large-sensor-that-pentax-could-put.html.

So, what will happen with the original Q lenses then? Well, suppose the image circle is large enough to cover, the 01 "standard prime" lens will become a 35mm standard wide (135 film wise) and the 02 "standard zoom" will become a 21-63mm lens, which I don't think the image circle is large enough for the wide side. Thus, that explains why we saw a new standard zoom patent from Pentax Ricoh before, with a 1/1.7" image circle, details here.


Related:- 

How Large a Sensor that Pentax Could Put Into the Q?

New Ricoh Flagship P&S, or Yet Another GXR Module?

Sensor Sizes Re-visited, including the Latest Rumoured Nikon and Fuji Mirrorlesses

New Pentax P&S DC Efina and White Colour WG-III

For details, see the press releases at DPR here.

New K-5IIs Supplement Review at IR

This is the supplement review by the IR for the K-5IIs:-

http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/pentax-k5-iis/pentax-k5-iisA.HTM

The previous original IR review of the K-5II can be found below:-

http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/pentax-k5-ii/pentax-k5-iiA.HTM

So, what are the differences, go figure out yourself!


Related:-

The Much Belated DPR K-5II/s Review

Pentax K-50 Leaked

http://photorumors.com/2013/06/05/pentax-k-50-dslr-camera-leaks-on-retailers-website-in-france/

How is the "new" camera different from the old K-30, except for now the more traditional appearance and a stereo built-in microphone (still no mic-in socket of any!)? Is it really so difficult for Ricoh to make a true new body? And, where is the compact DSLR body of Pentax? E.g., a K-x successor, which could compete with the Canon EOS 100D??

Btw, there is also a "new" kit lens to come. From the picture above, it reads "DAL 18-55mm WR". Bravo, Pentax Ricoh! ;-p


Read Also:-

The Pentax Coffins! >:-o

Italian Navy Officer Uses Pentax Gear

Source: Navy.81.cn (in Simplified Chinese, Goggle-translated English page here.)

The body and lens combo seems to be a FA*24/2 on a K-5.


Read Also:- 

Pentax Weapon Used by an US Soldier at Afghanistan

The Much Belated DPR K-5II/s Review

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/pentax-k-5-ii-k-5-ii-s/18

This review finally arrives after 10 months of the original product announcement for this "stop-gap" product! I am afraid that the body have already reached the end of its product life cycle actually! In fact, it has existed just for too long whilst the real gap has become larger and larger! >:-( So, mission failed!! :-o

40mm FF Shootout 2: EF40/2.8 Vs FA43/1.9LE Vs FA645 45/2.8 on 5D3

Above Left to Right: Pentax FA 43/1.9 Limited, Pentax FA645 45/2.8, Canon EF 40/2.8 STM; Tested on a Canon 5D3 135 Full Frame Body. (Remark: Both my Pentax lenses were Japanese made.)

Further to my last shootout test of the same, I've done the test again on a bright day, but on a different scene. Apertures from f/2.8 to f/11 have been tested per lens, at nearly the same time and at the same place. Camera was mounted on tripod and cable shutter release was used. Of course, the image settings of the camera are the same. In addition, all the protective filters were removed during the test.

The test pictures are uploaded and posted in the following album:-

http://smg.photobucket.com/user/RiceHigh/library/5Ds/40mm_Shootout_2

Original full-size pictures are available for download per picture page. So, go measurebate yourself for what are different! Still, I want your own findings, do share if you find some!

Copy 120 Films Using an ILDC/DSLR with a Macro Lens

First inspired by Petapixel, this is what I have tried and done myself:-

1. These are the tools that I've used: A white fluorescent desklamp at 6000K, two 77mm UV multi-coated filters, a lens hood with outer diameter in 77mm, some "white" milky transparent paper:-



2. Turn on the lamp, mine is a Panasonic with invertor circuitry which enables the lamp operated at a high frequency:-



3. Put on the "diffuser", I have made three folds of the same plastic sheet:-



* Do the custom white balance at this point with your camera. Mine was measured to be at 4600K exactly, after adding the diffuser, which is yet somehow yellowish.

4. The 120 film is then put inside the two filters, which are in the same size of 77mm. The film fits just well with that filter size. The two filters are screwed tight and the film is sandwished inside (although it is not completely flat, though, but the final DoF should be enough to cover this unevenness):-





5. Align at the position and then put on the lens hood with proper length, so as to match the magnification of the whole film frame to fit in the digital image frame and size of the camera:-





6. Find a wide angle macro lens. I am using the Sony E30/3.5 Macro on a NEX. Experiment with the subject to camera distance. I found and added another lens hood so as to make it just right for the image magnification:-



7. Take the photo with steady hands. It is preferable that everything can be screwed together although my above setup doesn't. Adhesive tape may help but I did the following unfixed. Here is the raw result:-


(Above: Pentax 645N with FA645 45mm/2.8, Fuji Provia 100F. For original picture with full EXIF, click and download here. Warning: Large File!)

8. Crop the photo and here is a clean and "complete" scan of the film:-


(For original picture with full EXIF, click and download here. Warning: Large File!)

9. If you want to compare the result for a scan from a lab machine, here is what I got from the lab which scanned my film after the film development:-


(For original photo with full EXIF, click and download here. Warning: Very Large File!)

10. The above lab scan is in 17MPs originally and mine is less than 14MPs for what my NEX could deliver (as after cropping it is less). You may note some vignetting is introduced in my "scan" as my NEX is an old model which could not correct lens vignetting in-camera. But the advantage of scanning the film by oneself is that more things can be adjusted/controlled including the White Balance, Contrast and Colour Profile and etc., which is important IMO. Also, to get the best results, a higher pixel count camera with better image quality should be used and do shoot in RAW mode, which will give you the flexibility of further post-processing for higher image quality and better results.