• Pentax K-1, Operating Manual (English)
• Pentax K-1, Manual de Instrucciones
• Mode d’emploi du Pentax K-1 en français

Have fun reading these Pentax K-1 documents.

Now that Pentax has announced the Pentax K-01, a strange little hybrid photo camera using the K-mount lenses inherited from the DSLR range (K-5 or K-r cameras), it becomes once again important to see what Pentax is planning for the future of this range of lenses.

In the past, the question of survivability of the K-mount cameras was clearly open: Recurrent rumors of obsolescence for the K-mount were rampant in the rumors web sites, because of the possible (sometimes observed) announcement of the end-of-life of DSLR Pentax cameras. But now, with the K-01 (even if it is quite far from a pro or expert design), the promise of new DSLR (including a possible new Full Frame reflex in the end of 2012, according to sites like PhotoRumors), and the influx of new money from Ricoh, everything becomes possible again.

Pentax specifically presented a roadmap for this range of lenses.

What is really important here (read the roadmap for the details) seems to be:

• A very long telephoto prime lens: 560mm seems to be more than adequate for the smaller sensors. if this is a lens for the Full Frame, it will be a big pro lens. If it is a lens for the hybrid, it may have a relatively small aperture (f/8) to offer a very long focal length at a (relatively) reasonable cost. However, if you notice the existence of a focal 1.4x multiplier, I would say: A 560mm f/5.6. Mark my words.
• The two wide-angle zooms are obviously here for the Full Frame camera and seem to confirm that the rumor of availability in 2012 (see above) is unfounded and that the new Pentax K-full will only arrive in early 2013.

Some things are not mere rumors, but just a correct analysis of the available information…

This should reinforce the role of Pentax, but without breaking the impetus of the specific products created under the Ricoh brand like the GX-R range.

This is rather positive for the friends of Pentax who could have been frightened either to see some hesitation coming or to observe their preferred brand eaten and digested, but the headquarters made the choice of maximum stability and –certainly– maximum efficiency.

The change will officially take place on April 1st, 2012.

Press release

Since the relationship between Pentax and Samsung was no longer very tight (Samsung is now convinced that they ca evolve along without the help of the Pentax DSLR technology and they demonstrated they were right), we knew that there was the need for choosing between going under silently and investing again in Pentax to help it join again the fight with the current heavy-weights like Canon, Nikon and Sony. Hoya chose to throw in the towel (seeing the figures published by Hoya, I have no difficulty understanding why), and Pentax chose to find a new godfather with sufficiently deep pockets to attempt a new effort (before they are really distanced by the bicycle pack as we are seeing things in these Tour de France times).

This is opening the possibility to ask some more questions about the future. First and foremost, the future of Pentax. Ricoh was not very clear on their intents up to now out of the statement that the Pentax brand will remain for current products and that it will still build quality products (Who would write something else?) We are made to understand that Pentax will receive new resources to develop its next generations of DSLR cameras.

Nevertheless, it is striking to see that once again a secondary actor or an partner external to the high-end photography world is reaching out for the DSLR market. There had been -among others- Sony buying Konica-Minolta (after Konica had purchased Minolta of course), or Samsung investing in Pentax, or Hoya purchasing Pentax.

As always, the successes are not always at the end of the road for such big financial operations (but buying Pentax for a few millions is not a merger of equals between Daimler and Chrysler). But we also see that this can lead to interesting results: Sony demonstrated being able to use the DSLR technologies at all price levels and to deploy a line of DSLR cameras incorporating 90% of pro camera features in a price envelope really at amateur level.

So, the question asked really concerns the next possible purchases in this market. I think that several companies are currently exposed to this kind of fast evolution:

• Olympus is no longer sure to be willing to manufacture DSLR cameras but does not seem to be growing steadily
• Sigma has nearly left the race despite the recent maneuvers around the Sigma SD1

And we can also think about the companies owning brands that are easily recognizable (so, with a large value) but which have been playing in second league since several years:

• Fuji
• Why not Leica which has mass craftsmanship status (but it may be 100% OK for them)

I believe that some actors may be tempted to act before the positions are too firmly fixed in the market and the shakeup following the Japan crisis of Spring 2011 may play the trigger role. Who could act up?

Let’s think about the internal actors which already have huge interests in photography. Samsung does not seem to be ready to disperse itself and will keep working by itself with its own teams. Panasonic (or even Olympus) could be willing to re-enforce their presence by aggregating external strengths (Kodak no longer has the ability to maneuver at these investment levels). But a lens manufacturer like Tamron (Samyang is still much too small) could seize the opportunity.

Moreover, we can look at some external actors decided to have their funds growing through investment in a domain parallel to their original skills. The most astonishing name (but not completely impossible) is Apple under the very stringent condition to be able to reconcile very distant corporate cultures. Philips or Pioneer or Hyundai are also more credible candidates if they want to reach out for photography.

If this is not enough, we need to reach less credible opportunities like movements from Adobe (down side: risking to alienate all camera manufacturers to acquire only one) or from Dell / HP / Acer (down side: DSLR are quite far from their usual customers, but compact cameras could prove more attractive as it was the case in the past).

Obviously, only time will tell. But it’s clear that the number of targets is relatively large today and they are potentially attractive for a take-over. Moreover, the time is logically right while the sedimentation beginning to happen in the middle- and high-range of photography since a few years (the losers did not loose their brand value yet) and the arrival of new technologies susceptible to shake the market up (continuous improvement of sensitivity of digital sensors, semi-transparent mirrors, photo-video convergence). But the launch window could also close itself within 12 to 18 months.

Update: A list of companies susceptible to participate to a large financial operation

Japanese industrial companies with more than 1 billion US dollars in cash available for new investments (Source: Bloomberg) :

• Denso Corp.
• Fujifilm Holdings Corp.
• Kuraray Co.
• Kyocera Corp.
• Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corp.
• Ono Pharmaceutical Co.
• Rohm Co.
• Sega Sammy Holdings Inc.
• SMC Corp.
• Sony Corp.
• Suzuki Motor Corp.
• Taisho Pharmaceutical Co.
• Yamato Holdings Co.

1 billion USD, this is 10,000 (Oop!s) times what Pentax costed…

Most of them are for the Sony Alpha 55. Many reviewers have been attracted to this innovative photo camera.

Back to tradition?

Three nice lenses will also received the SILVER treatment:

• SMC PENTAX-DA 21mm f/3.2 AL Limited Silver
• SMC PENTAX-DA 40mm f/2.8 Limited Silver
• SMC PENTAX-DA 70mm f/2.4 Limited Silver

Available in April 2011, you will certainly have to disburse $1699.95 (or probably around 1700€) to put your hand on it.

It has to go through a repai (replacement of the sensor of the anti-aliasing filter, apparently).

Pentax will do it for free.

• Pentax Imaging North America: Customer Service / Toll Free: (800) 877-0155
• Pentax Canada Repair Centres (Phone: (905)286-5585)
• Pentax After-Sales UK and Tel: 01782 753350
• Deutsch Pentax Reparaturservice
• Pentax Serwis (PL)
• Pentax Italia : Centro Assistenza
• Pentax SAV France (Tél : 0826 103 163 pour 0,15 €/min)
• Pentax Service Clientèle Belgique (Tél : 0826 103 163 pour 0,15 €/min)

Apparently, this comes from very little scratches on the surface of the sensor. Combined small size, immediate proximity with the sensor (the AA filter is stuck directly on the sensor) and the softening action of the filter explain the roundish stain appearance rather than a simpler rectilinear mark.

These marks are not present of the digital SLR from Sony or Nikon even though they use the same sensor. So, it is quite easy to sort out possible root causes:

• Some bad handling or minor errors in the Pentax manufacturing process.
• A defective anti-aliasing (AA) filter added by Pentax (Sony and Nikon do not use the same filter).
• At worst, a machine defect or a tool issue in the Pentax plant.

Visibly, Pentax quickly identified the actual cause and could correct it as quickly. This pushes me toward the internal Pentax issue hypothesis. I admit that from my own Quality Management background, I would really appreciate getting more precise information. It should be interesting to understand Pentax quality ability.

So, now the only thing left is to repair the Pentax K-5 involved in this.

photo credit: yellowcloud

Pentax has announced a tsunami of firmware updates for its SLR photo cameras:

• Pentax K-5 firmware v1.02
• Pentax K-r firmware v1.01
• Pentax 645D firmware v1.01

First, it appears clear that the already existing equipment of a photographer has an inordinate weight in everybody’s choice (you can dream of the Canon 300mm f/2.8; But if you are a Nikon lover, this may stay quite theoretical). Nevertheless, we must not mix our priorities: The presence of three or four “normal” lenses and of one or two SLR bodies in your photo bag, will not weight a lot in the decision to buy a 300mm or a 400mm prime lens. Do the math! You’d better sell everything if the aim is to get the best photo gear. Worse, it may seem hard but if you’re in Olympus gear (maybe with Pentax too, except if you’re both optimist and patient), your only path goes through “moving from that brand”.

Even more, we are often immoderately attached to our SLR bodies while they are obsolete after five years (and already late after a year). Sorry, but an SLR body is nothing more than consumable. On the opposite a good lens is bought for a long time (a kit zoom lens may be also considered as with no value on the second-hand market).

This is more or less the question that Sony is personally asking me. While I have a nice set of excellent lenses from Minolta-Sony-Zeiss, I start to hit the limits of the currently offered lens range that Sony moves only very slowly to the pro side. However, it’s still of small importance while my main body is a Sony Alpha 700 which can easily be described as “no longer top technology”. Since its launch, it has been distanced by the competition and Sony should seriously replace it as soon as possible.

It is often said that buying an SLR photo camera is more or less contracting a marriage. This is less and less true now that most people buy a kit including a long-range zoom and that they are ready to do the same three or five years later. On the opposite, investing a few thousand Euros (or Dollars) in lenses to satisfy your wildlife photo passion does not allow a quick and easy change of opinions. It’s not enough to see the launch of the EOS 5D MkII to leave Nikon or to discover the D7000 to drop Canon. Or you would have to seriously consider (and why not? We may may come back later to this) reselling all old gear on eBay.

We could see that Canon and Nikon are nearly perfectly armed to satisfy the wildlife/nature photographer. Maybe Canon has a slightly richer (or slightly more finely cut) range than Nikon. Sony is still quite insufficient and can only survive here with the enormous help of the second-hand market of Minolta. But a simple poll in the SUV/trucks of Objectif Nature, Amawanda or Terres Oubliées, in the hides of the Pyrénées or the Carpathian Mountains will confirm it: Canon and Nikon are the real masters.

This being said, let’s go and shoot some photos!

The articles themselves:

• Top SLR lenses for Canon
• Top SLR lenses for Nikon
• Top SLR lenses for Sony

You can also request the assistance of many web sites to evaluate the quality of SLR photo lenses.

Photo Marc Wunderlich – I’m on the left, along with Alain Saunier, our photo guide from Objectif Nature.

Photo-shooting big mammals (mainly in Africa) is one of these activities which feed the fire of passion in many photographers (me included), and have most others dreaming. But you soon discover that lenses are more important (or critical) that the camera itself. If light conditions are often favorable (except in forests), getting top-quality pictures while staying far from the subject is requiring nice glass gear with long focal length. This is why so many wildlife photographers are equipped with enormous tele-lenses. Of course, most professionals will simply choose the best gear for their needs. But most of us mere mortals, up to the Big Cash Prize on our next casino rampage, will be willing to optimize the investment (we will be speaking in thousands of Euros, mind you).

Generally speaking, if you can’t buy true monsters like the 600mm f/4 from Canon or Nikon, the use of an APS-C digital photo sensor (instead of a Full Frame) is assuredly recommended. But what are the best solutions offered by the major brands on the market?

In several posts, I am going to propose recommendations (it could be easy since I won’t pay the final bill) for one of the following photographers: An amateur willing to go on safari but going light (both on the shoulders and the credit card); An expert shooting for the best image quality (often ready to switch to prime lenses instead of the all-in-one zoom lens); or a Pro grabbing the best of the best.

As a matter of fact, in the coming days, we will be publishing a series of articles, one for each of the big brands:

• Top SLR lenses for Canon
• Top SLR lenses for Nikon
• Top SLR lenses for Sony

Manual focus lenses for the Pentax K mount manufactured and sold by Cosina under the Carl Zeiss and Voigtländer brands are coming to an end: Cosina announced it ceased manufacturing them.

• Increased number of maximum pictures taken in continuous shooting in RAW, throughout the sensitivity range. For instance, in RAW, this firmware increases the number of pictures from a maximum of approx 8 frames to approx 20 frames
• Improved stability for general performance

Download the firmware v1.01 for Pentax K-5

It was not even a full day after I indicated that the Sony Alpha 55 was at the top of the competition since it had the best sensor evaluation ranking among the APS-C camera sensors. Here comes a new update from DxO Labs and the DxOMark ranking is revolutionized.

Not only is the Pentax K5 is at the top, the Pentax K-5 has the best APS-C sensor according to DxOMark, but while the next ones are very similar one to the other (all have 73 points) the Pentax K-reaches the stratospheric score of no less than 82, which nearly puts it in a different category altogether (near the Nikon D3s that has a Full Frame sensor). Impressive! The Pentax K5 leaves the competition far behind in the dust of its lift off.

Availability: Somewhere in November 2010.

Source : QueSabesDe.com

Official K-5 samples

This is one of the clearest and most public statements reflecting the divorce between Hoya/Pentax and Samsung. It seems that the Korean firm now feels sufficiently at ease to design their own photo cameras (e.g. the NX family of EVIL cameras with interchangeable lenses on a compact with electronic viewfinder). And it’s now certain that Pentax will not try to collect technology from their old partner.

This is not “Kramer vs. Kramer“, but this is no longer “Crazy, Stupid, Love“.

Source: RiceHigh.

• Canon EOS 60Dli>
• Nikon D3100
• Nikon D7000
• Olympus E-5
• Pentax K-5
• Pentax K-r
• Sony SLT-A33
• Sony SLT-A55
• Sony Alpha 560
• Sony Alpha 580

But, let’s also see what the camera and accessories manufacturers did not announce or launched too discreetly.

• Panasonic launches a new Lumix: The GH2 sports an 18MP CMOS sensor in a body very similar to the Lumix GH1. 1080p video capture, autofocus is 2x faster.
• Panasonic: New “G” lenses (14 mm f/2.5, Vario 100-300 mm f/4-5.6 Mega O.I.S., 3D 12.5 mm f/12)
• Sigma is ready to push forward after the SD15 (very late in the market) with a new Foveon sensor at 48 MP (15.3 x 3) which will arrive in a future camera to be named Sigma SD1. Notice that Sigma announced that the SD1 sensor will be protected against dust by a glass filter which will hermetically close the mirror chamber (this should be very efficient).
• Pentax : SMC DA 18-135 mm f/3,5-5,6ED AL [IF] DC WR zoom lens for the Pentax K range of SLR photo cameras.
• Leica M9: A special edition built out of titanium (for rich art collectors).
• Große Überraschung (Big surprise): Fuji presents a very cool new APS-C compact camera, the FinePix X100 which looks a lot like a smaller Leica M9 (very good looking) and which nobody heard about before (did you hear about any kind of link for it?). Price: About US$ 1000 or 1000€
• Adobe announces a new Elements version: Adobe Photoshop Elements 9
• Sigma 150 mm Macro and 120-300 mm f/2.8 stabilized
• Leaf Aptus-II 12 medium format photo camera with 80 MP resolution and €23,995 / $31,995 price tag
• Samyang présented two new lenses: V-DSLR 8 mm F3.5 Aspherical IF MC Fish-eye CS et AE 14 mm f/2.8 ED AS IF UM
• Metz comes with 3 flashes: 44 AF-1 (99.90€), 36 AF-5 (69.90€), 24 AF-1 (179.90€).

No surprise here. The features are detailed here. To make things simple:

• 16.2 MP
• 11-point AF
• 7 fps bursts
• HDR mode
• 3″ (7.5 cm) LCD screen
• Sensitivity: ISO 200-12800 (exp. ISO 80-51200)

The K-5 will be available starting in mid-October at around $1899 or £1200 with a kit lens.

The camera is not impressive or very innovative (except if the ISO 12800 sensitivity comes with a really low noise level), but it’s a clear commitment of Pentax to keep supporting the higher end of their DSLR product line. And this is good news since they provide a systematically good camera under the Pentax K-5 name.

Recommended Retail Price:

• US$1699 / AU$ 1999 / $1249 boîtier seul
• 1299€ / £1199.99 en kit avec 18-55mm WR
• 1649€ / £1699.99 en kit avec 18-135mm WR

The latest photos I found are:

We can expect that this camera will be walking in the footsteps of the Pentax K-7.

The specs are expected to be here on the page for Pentax K-5 specs and reviews.

Insurers have noticed that brightly colored or off-colored (pink, light green, golden) cars are less often subjected to theft than more common colors (black, grey, etc.). This probably comes from the fact that they are less easy to sell again.

So, why not choose a Pentax K-x of the brightest possible colors to limit the risk of theft?

Source: FamilyHomeSecurity.

Complementary announcement from Pentax, a prime lens which could well become the lens standard for the expert photographer: a 35mm focal length (equiv. 53,5 mm) to be more or less the exact equivalent of a more traditional 50 mm from our dear memories, an f/2.4 aperture (just enough to be better than the reference f/2.8).

The SMC PENTAX-DA 35mm F2.4 AL will be available from mid October 2010 for 199€ or £179.99.

Features:

• 12.4 MP CMOS sensor,
• 6 im/s in JPEG mode,
• Sensitivity: ISO 100-25600
• Shutter speed: 30s to 1/6000s
• In-camera HDR and night modes
• 720p HD video capture at 25 fps
• Safox IX AF module, 11-point AF system
• 96% 0.85x pentamirror viewfinder,
• Infra-red data transmission to another camera or to a cell phone
• 3″ 921,000 dots LCD screen,
• SD/SDHC memory card slot
• Custom Li-ion battery, with optional AA-batteries adapter,
• Weight: 595g

The price seems a bit high, but adequate with MSRP 850 US$ for the 18-55mm kit, 780 US$ for the body only, 900 US$ for the double kit with 18-55mm and 50-200mm and 999 US$ for the double kit with 18-55mm and 55-300mm zooms.

Availability: October 2010.

Press Release

PENTAX ANNOUNCES K-r DIGITAL SLR AND NEW 35MM LENS: LATEST PENTAX OFFERS COLOR CHOICES TO REFLECT OWNER’S PERSONAL STYLE

GOLDEN, CO. September 8, 2010…PENTAX Imaging Systems Division has announced a new digital SLR line with color accents that allow owners to choose one that matches their personal style. The colorful PENTAX K-r DSLR camera offers advanced yet simple to use features at an attractive price.

The compact, lightweight PENTAX K-r is easy to use with Auto Picture, Scene, and Custom Image Processing modes that take the guesswork out of shooting stunning images while still offering a high degree of manual and priority control. The K-r offers a variety of new and improved features including a fast framerate, high ISO sensitivity, responsive autofocus, an improved 12.4 megapixel low-noise sensor and widescreen HD video capture that take it a step above an entry-level DSLR camera.

Key features of the PENTAX K-r that are new or have been improved upon from the most recent entry to mid-level PENTAX DSLR models include:

• Three stylish color choices include traditional black, the new classic white, and PENTAX red reflect any owner’s personal style.
• Large 3 inch LCD with 921,000 dots of resolution.
• Faster high speed 6 FPS framerate that captures 25 images in a single sequence.
• A maximum 1/6000 second shutter speed.
• Viewfinder focus point indicator.
• Improved in-camera HDR image capture including a Night Scene HDR mode.
• High sensitivity 100-25600 ISO range with improved noise performance from the new 12.4 megapixel CMOS sensor.
• Versatile dual-power-source design, which offers the choice of either a rechargeable lithium-ion battery or four AA-size battery power (using optional AA Battery Holder D-BH109).
• Infrared data transfer compatible with the IrSimple™ high-speed infrared data transmission system for wireless data transfer to the web or other IrSimple-compatible devices (includes a match-game between two PENTAX K-r’s).

Other important features of the new K-r models include:

• Widescreen 720p HD video at 25 FPS.
• PENTAX-original Shake Reduction mechanism for sharp, blur-free images that works with every PENTAX lens ever made/
• Dust Removal mechanism, to shake dust off the CMOS image sensor.
• Highly responsive and accurate 11 point SAFOX IX autofocus system with dedicated AF assist lamp.
• Wide range of in-camera image processing and special effects filters.

With a highly portable, compact and lightweight body in a choice of colors, the K-r holds appeal for busy parents, family memory-keepers, travelers and anyone who reflects personal style in all their pursuits including their journey into photography or videography as a skill or hobby. The PENTAX K-r digital SLR will ship in October 2010 for as follows:

K-r Body Kit $799.95 USD

K-r Lens Kit w 18-55 $849.95 USD

K-r Double Lens Kit w 18-55, 50-200 $899.95 USD

K-r Double Lens Kit w 18-55, 55-300 $999.95 USD

More information is available here: www.pentaximaging.com and product images are available here: www.pentaximaging.com/press/pressfiles.html

PENTAX Imaging Company is an innovative leader in the production of a variety of digital cameras including weather resistant digital SLRs and stylish, compact, waterproof cameras, as well as lenses, flash units, binoculars, scopes, and eyepieces. For over 90 years, PENTAX has developed durable, reliable products that meet the needs of consumers and businesses. With headquarters in Golden, Colorado, PENTAX Imaging Company is a division of PENTAX of America, Inc.

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