Thanks to PentaxForums, we may actually know what the next Pentax DSLR photo cameras will be.

As expected the most interesting camera would be the Pentax K-5, with a set of features putting it right into the competition for expert photographers.

• 16 MP APS-C photo sensor
• Sensitivity: ISO xxx-25600
• Continuous shooting at 7 fps
• Launch on Sept 20
• Availability: Oct 2010
• US$1600 suggested retail price

If the high ISO values go with a low noise and high real sensitivity, all Pentax lovers will be happy and a few other may be attracted. However, it seems that the sensor may be the 16MP CMOS sensor from Sony that nearly everybody seems determined to used these days and it may be difficult to differentiate themselves completely from the crowd on this issue only.

The low-end Pentax KR is also very near to what we were expecting (good news again for Pentax):

• 12 MP APS-C photo sensor
• Up to 120 color combinations (Pentax is now specializing if unmistakably visible photo cameras)
• Continuous shooting at 6 fps
• Launch on Sept 20?
• Availability: Oct 2010
• US$875 suggested retail price

Pentax is back in the game! Don’t count them out.

Thanks Tim for the heads-up call.

Through a communication in the financial world (an interview with CitiGroup analysts), Hoya (the parent company of Pentax) revealed that Pentax would soon be presenting one or more mirrorless photo cameras. This is clearly a leak and not a rumor (communication of false information in such a financial context would be illegal and seriously frowned upon) but it is still short on technical details.

On top of this, it is now clear that it will be a new avatar of EVIL camera equiped with an APS-C sensor. So, we will wait a good image quality, maybe with a simpler operation than most DSLR cameras.

Pentax announcement planned before Photokina.

A major firmware update for the Pentax K-7, version 1.10. I think that K7 owners should have a look right now.

Download firmware for Pentax K-7, from Pentax Japan web site.

Features:

• Added Movie editing function on playback mode palette. You can divide a movie into multiple segments and erase unwanted segments from the movie.
• Added Electronic Level indication on the Monitor.
• When Mode dial is set M or X and Electronic Level is set to display, exposure meter is indicated both of them in the LCD panel and in the Viewfinder.
• Added [Reversal Film] mode on Custom Image function [PENTAX Digital Camera Utility 4] have been updated.
• When using Live View, auto focus activate by pressing shutter release button halfway.
• Improved focus speed.

Download updater for Windows.

Download updater for Mac OSX.

After a serious overhaul of its low-end, Pentax must now push its best products up. It wi ball he easier because 2010 has been quite favorable to Pentax. The successful launch of the 645D (despite its stratospheric price) has convinced Pentax product marketing department that it is possible to aim high again.

We are promised two new models for the next Photokina (in September 2010 in Köln):

• A Pentax K5 will come and locate itself just under the current Pentax K7 insisting on filling the gap between it and the Pentax K-x (many photographers have been rightfully convinced and need to be push to more ambitious cameras).
• The Pentax K7 has had a nice shelf life and is worth replacing now, but this requires a lot of investment that has not been fully completed. Pentax would only be able to bring one better model still very similar to the K7 (addition of a video capture mode, better sensitivity, maybe a faster AF system).

But if all Pentax lovers keep dreaming about a Full Frame D-SLR camera, even when they believe that they spotted the right sensor in the Cypress catalog (unfortunately, this 25MP sensor is really not adequate yet), all we hear tells us that there is at least 6 months to a year of waiting. The time lost there will be used by the Research and Development teams to work on improving the auto-focus algorithms and the speed of the shutter.

photo credit: davidgsteadman

When buying a photo camera, we often research in order to decide if this is the best camera, if its features will be goo enough, but will it be robust enough? Will it be useful or necessary to purchase a warranty contract extension? Will it fail very soon?

When somebody asks me these questions (and it happens quite often since I consider myself some kind of photography expert), I am usually without good answers; Nobody really speaks about this dirty little secret: Reliability of photo cameras is a taboo issue. In most cases, talking only happens for very extreme situations (I will not mention any pro camera events in the past few years). But on a daily basis, will my camera follow me everywhere? will it survive the bad treatment I will apply? Or will it fail at the sight of the first cloud (of dust or rain)? Preferably just a couple of days after the end of the warranty period?

(more…)

Barry Fitzgerald decided to offer us a comparison of five of the entry-level D-SLR.

I invite you to read to the conclusion which should please some of the admirers of Pentax.

The reviewed cameras are:

• Sony Alpha A230
• Sony Alpha A550
• Pentax K-x
• Canon EOS 1000d/Rebel XS
• Nikon D3000

Pentax 645D

The most recent announcements from Mamiya and Pentax are clearly targeting those of us who do not pay their photo cameras or get them out of the same budget that pays for their first-class plane trips:

• Mamiya MD40: For $21,900 (not far from 20 000€), you will get a 40 MP medium format camera on a 44x33mm digital sensor located behind a superb 80mm f/2.8 lens, but limited to to ISO 80-800 without reaching more that one frame per second (strictly for a studio).
• The Pentax 645D will be available from May 2010 in Europe and Japan (not in the USA), uses a similar 40 MP sensor of 44x33mm while staying compatible with all the 645 range. The price is relatively acceptable at less than $10,000 or maybe less than 9000€.

Rest assured of this: Pixels are not the end of it all. Just a mean to an end.

According to a PentaxForums user, Pentax would be preparing a “light” version of the Pentax K-7 to be presented later this year. Its name? Pentax K-5.

The user appears to have either a good aptitude to forecast or reliable information sources. So, KR tends to give him some good confidence level.

I just updated the tests/reviews in the database of the SLR photo cameras, mostly for the Pentax and Samsung cameras (and some Nikon, Sony, Canon, too).

The user manual for the Pentax K-x is now available for free download (at Pentax Japan).

• Pentax K-x User Manual

Samsung NX-10

It seems true, indeed. Just see the number of posts about it on K-Rumors. If I wanted to sum it up, I would say the following.

Since months already, it is clear that Samsung and Pentax are no longer living a love affair. The Korean company parted and now thinks a lot about being independent and thinks it is able to live happily ever after -at least when it comes about entry-level SLR photo cameras which still are the beating heart of this industry.

Leaks abounded in the recent weeks to confirm the arrival of such a camera at Samsung and many people think that it will be named Samsung NX-10 as shown on a leaked technical declaration to an official Korean legal body. The features are not detailed but it is now possible to list a lot of them without great risk of error:

• The NX-10 is a Single Lens Reflex (maybe not reflex) camera with interchangeable lenses
• Electronic Viewfinder (EVF) with 100% coverage (1x magnification): 1080p/260Hz (920,000 pixels)
• 14.6 MP APS-C photo sensor with image stabilization
• Sensitivity: ISO 100-3200 (ext. ISO 50-6400)
• Shutter: 30s-1/6000s, in 4.5 fps in burst mode
• 7 fps bursts (30 consecutive pictures) made without lifting the mirror
• Video capture: Full HD 1080p/30i/s with stereo sound
• Autofocus: 16 areas, face detection and movement tracking (considerably more powerful than the entry-level competition)
• AMOLED-type LCD screen for a better readability
• Built-in flash 12GN at ISO 100
• Connectivity: HDMI, USB 2.0, Video/Audio out
• Wireless transmission: BlueTooth, WiFi
• SD/SDHC memory cards
• Body: At least, partly weather-sealed
• Weight: 369g

Samsung would take the same opportunity to finally present lenses of its own design.

And the announcement would be ready either tomorrow or on the 10th of January!

Sources: K-Rumors, yonhapnews.co.kr, etc.

We may have to group them since the firmware updates sometimes happen nearly at the same time. The latest ones are:

• Sony Alpha series (A380, A330 & A230): Mac, Windows (Sony Europe)
• Canon EOS 7D v1.1.0 (to correct an issue where a previous image may partly superimpose itself on the next, in continuous shooting): Instructions and download link

Save money on photo gear

Since this is time for the end of the year and its high sales of electronic gadgets and photographic gear, here also comes the time for cashbacks, sales and promotions. The photography market will not forget this in these recession times and there are many offers and promotions or bundles.

Among the offers I tried to identify for you, I want to list the following ones:

• Pentax “Focus on savings” for K-7 system: $100 prepaid card on a choice of over 20 Pentax lenses. From now until January 15, 2010 (Pentax special offers)
• Nikon Canada adjusted its prices to reflect evolution of the exchange rates (November 16, 2009) – From NR
• Pentax opens a European on-line store with Digital River
• Sony launches an “all in one” kit made by bundling the Alpha 850, a Sony 28-75mm f/2.8 SAM lens and the Elite version of DxO Optics Pro, at a listed price of 2700€. (According to AN)
• Sony France cash-back offer of 50€ on the Alpha 330, Alpha 380 with the SAL50F18 lens and 100€ on the Alpha 500 and Alpha 550 with the SAL50F18 lens (Sony 50mm f/1.8 DT), up to December 2009
• Canon cash back offer for Europe and UK: £150/€170 cashback on PowerShot G11, from Canon UK
• Pentax offers up to 250€/£250 of cash-back coupons for purchases all over Europe before the end of 2009. All the details on www.pentax-cashback.com.

You can try and take advantage of them by rushing to your local photography shop or by browsing to one of the on-line shops that support YLovePhoto.

• Buy it from B&H (The Professional’s Source)
• Buy from Amazon.com
• Acheter sur Carrefour online

In any case, you are strongly advised to check case-by-case the exact conditions required (sometimes only applicable in one country; Sometimes against the return of a special coupon) and exact limit dates.

Not happy with black, white, red and blue colors for your next camera? Pentax Japan decided to go even further and allow you to customize the camera body with a wealth of different colors for the plastic body and the hand grip.

Pentax K-X couleur

Do you like this or not?

Source: Rye Clifton, via Engadget.

And I got the price, too. The PENTAX K-x (in black and white) will ship in October 2009 in three configurations:

• Pentax K-x single lens kit with an SMC Pentax DA L 18-55 mm lens, for US$649.95
• Pentax K-x twin lens kit for US$749.95 (with the SMC Pentax DA L 18-55 mm zoom lens and the SMC Pentax DA L 50-200 mm zoom lens)
• Pentax K-x twin lens kit for US$849.95 (with the SMC Pentax DA L 18-55 mm zoom lens and the SMC Pentax DA L 55-300 mm zoom lens)

There will also be a red and a navy blue options, in limited quantities.

Pentax K-X

One interesting hands-on (showing the red version with a red lens) is available at Engadget.

According to Photo-rumors, Pentax is going to announce tomorrow a new SLR photo camera named Pentax K-X. Its most prominent features are going to be:

• 12.4 MP CMOS APS-C sensor (Aspect Ratio 3:2)
• Sensitivity: ISO 100-6400 (exp. 12800 ISO)
• Shutter speed: 30s – 1/6000s, Flash Sync at 1/180s
• Live View mode with options: Contrast Detection AF with face recognition option
• Movie/Video capture with Mono-Audio recording (with built-in microphone),
• Supported video modes: 1280 x 720 Pixels (16:9 Standard High Definition), 640 x 416 (3:1.95), all modes at 24 frames per second
• Rear LCD screen: 2.7″ LCD, 230,000 colour dots
• Metering System: 16-segment
• AF System: SAFOX VIII AF System (11-Point, 9 Crossed)
• Focusing modes: AF-S, AF-C, AF-auto, MF; Via dedicated focusing mode selector level
• Dedicated AF button
• Built-in Flash: Auto-Manual pop-up, GN12 @ ISO 100
• Shake Reduction: in-body, by sensor displacement
• HDR (High Dynamic Range) mode (One composite image from 3 exposure-bracketed images)
• IR Remote Control, with front receiver
• Lenses: Pentax KAF2 compatible (K-mount, support AF KAF and SDM KAF2/KAF3 lenses)
• Viewfinder: Glass pentamirror, with 96% image coverage, 0.85x magnification
• Battery: compatible with AA batteries and AA-type recarcheable NiMH and alcaline batteries
• Storage Media: SD and SDHC cards
• Dimensions: 130.5(W) x 96.5(H) x 72.5(D) mm (5.1 x 3.8 x 2.9 inches)
• Weight: 516g (18.2 oz.), Body Only (without battery and SD card)

Pentax K-X

This makes it a quite nice little buddy. It seems that Pentax is aiming at a low cost (e.g. plastics rather than magnesium alloy, only 2.7″ LCD), but the photo features are going to be real fine: fast shutter, top sensitivity (up to 12800 ISO), top-of-the-line AF system.

The Pentax K-X camera should appeal to those who are not ready to compromise on the photo quality but have a tight budget. In these back-to-school times of recession-frozen salaries, it should be stealing a lot of attention.

A long article is telling us the story of Pentax (or rather Asahi Pentax) with many an old photo camera that are so nice and fresh in the memory of photographers.

Asahiflex 1 (1951)