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)

This is Photoscala which published the sales numbers for digital SLR cameras. The most amazingly interesting is -for me- which major brands progressed (or not) between 2006 and 2008:

SLR market between 2006 and 2008

You cannot miss the obvious progress of Sony who clearly became a major actor of this market, and a significant competitor for Canon and Nikon. Furthermore, as could be expected, the leader Canon is suffering most.

But in the end, in a market terribly difficult for all manufacturers, who will come fourth? I can’t avoid believing that Panasonic is doing it right and applying all the needed efforts to topple Pentax, even if nothing is done yet.

We are told that this Fall is a great time for news on the SLR market. I let you judge by yourself:

• Canon: one announcement would be a definite possibility to replace the Canon 1D Mk III with a Canon 1D Mk IV and maybe also a Canon EOS 7D whose top cover and a detail are visible below (August 25?)
• Nikon: D700x (or D800) to offer a 24 MP full frame sensor.
• Sony: Alpha 500, Alpha 550, Alpha 850 (probably on August 28)
• Pentax: an entry-level SLR

We only have to wait (impatiently) for a few days (maybe a few hours) in order to know all about .

Canon 7D ? top

Canon EOS 7D detail

A few news for Pentax. The Pentax K-7 is receiving a new firmware. the most visible change is the introduction of a customizable behavior for the 4-way controller in order to allow people not to use the OK button so often.

• For Windows (Download zip from www.pentaximaging.com, 9.2MB)
• For Mac (Download zip from www.pentaximaging.com, 9.17MB)

At the same time, I can indicate that I identified the availability of the Pentax K-7 user manual (ready for a free download).

• Download Pentax K-7 User Manual in English (PDF – 6.8MB)
• Download Pentax K-7 User Manual in Spanish (PDF – 6.8MB)
• Update: Télécharger le mode d’emploi du Pentax K-7 en français (PDF)

photo credit: chez_sugi

Weirdly, perhaps because the photo camera was actually delayed a little, the Pentax K-7 did not receive many reviews on the Internet. Happily, photo newspapers (in France) started to give it a nice place this month with Chasseur d’Images, Le Monde de la Photo and Réponses Photo all testing the Pentax K-7.

All the informations, all the tests and all the prices are on the special page about the Pentax K-7.

According to Amateur Photographer, the image sensor included in the currently available pre-production models of the Pentax K-7 SLR photo camera is NOT the final one.

It is unclear whether it is only a minor update to the sensor or a major replacement. But, in any case, it means that there will be quite a few tests, reviews and hands-on for the Pentax K-7 to be re-evaluated.

This is definitely unusual at this stage of the photo camera product life. In many cases, we see a lot of last minute software/firmware modifications, a few marking/painting corrections; But major hardware changes, no way…

There must be something really unpleasant for Pentax to rush a change right now.

The Pentax representatives and PR people keep telling us that the Pentax K20D is not replaced by the newest Pentax K-7. So, what? Do you replace the K20D or not?

The answer could come from Samsung, forever-partner of Pentax for digital SLR photo cameras. The network of informers in direct contact with Samsung keeps repeating that Samsung is ready to launch a new SLR camera, probably to be named GX-30, as soon as next 7th of July. Of course, this is soft music to the ears of Samsung lovers (I have to admit that they are more numerous in Asia than in Europe, by far), but it’s also source of wonderment in the Pentax lovers ranks. They immediately rushed to the near-obvious conclusion that the Pentax K30D is around the corner (since, usually, Samsung launches its copy of the Pentax design a few days or a few weeks after the Pentax original).

So, a Pentax K30D before the end of June? Then, a Samsung GX-30 right after that?

It’s not so sure. Pentax and Samsung could well be on the verge of splitting their strategies and going on different roads. Instead of sharing all of their SLR camera designs, the two brands could start diverging in 2009 and 2010. That would give a Samsung GX-30 which would not be a Pentax K30D…