Topic: Nice Pentax K10D report (Read 12009 times)

Peter Gregg · « **on:** December 13, 2006, 08:04:56 pm »

I was very happy to see and read that the innovations in the K10D caught Michael's eye. The camera caught my eye when it was announced and i have been following it ever since.

If Pentax is able to find a sensor that can compete with the Canon sensor in their future evolution it will become a very major player and I know I would find the camera endearing.

One point that I thought was quite important that I wished Michel had mentioned is a new line of lenses coming. The Pentax lens system as it stands now has the focus motor in the body, like the Sony and past KM cameras have. Pentax, in the K10D, also made provisions for the camera to take 2 different focus systems, the current lens system with the AF motor in the body, and the new system they have designed that has a USM motor in the lens like the Canon lenses. Three new lenses that are supposed to be available to the public in March 2007 will have the supersonic motors built into the lenses.

This allows Pentax to go forward with faster and more accurate focus system and still maintain compatibility with it's older lenses. I find this a huge plus for everyone, as I am interested in the new USM lenses (that reportedly have weather sealing on them too) while current Pentax lens holders are off and running right out of the gate. In following along closely and filling in the gaps, it is very plain that Tokina will be building these lenses for Pentax to Pentax's specs.

Peter

michael · « **Reply #1 on:** December 13, 2006, 08:14:22 pm »

Good point. Not mentioning the new lenses was an oversight, which I've now corrected.

Thanks,

Michael

BernardLanguillier · « **Reply #2 on:** December 13, 2006, 08:35:01 pm »

Michael,

Thanks indeed for this interesting review.

It is great news to see that Pentax is back in the game. I still have good memories of the screw type Asahi lenses I started photography with 20 years ago!

Cheers,
Bernard

Jay Kaplan · « **Reply #3 on:** December 13, 2006, 09:43:39 pm »

Michael -

Thank you for the review. I still have my Honeywell SpotMatic and a number of SMC Takumar M42 screwmount lenses.

I think the K10D will be just the ticket to enter the digital realm. All I have to do is buy the adaptors from Pentax and while the lenses are manual focus, that is not an impediment. And the weather sealing is just a great plus.

Up until now, I viewed digital photography like I viewed my first and only boat. In the case of the boat it was a hole in the water surrounded by fiberglass into which you poured enormous amounts of money and never filled it up.

While I do not profess to know all that much about digital photography, my observations of what is going on here have left me wondering if I should even attempt to go the digital route. But now with the K10D, I think I will be able to move and the bite will not be too bad.

Again, thank you for the practical hands on.

Jay

NikosR · « **Reply #4 on:** December 14, 2006, 02:27:56 am »

Just to set the record straight, regarding the capabilities of Pentax's competitors:

1. Nikon in their D2X(s), D200 and D80 models (not sure about the D40) provide Auto ISO facility (with speed floor and ISO ceiling) comparable to Pentax's. With the ISO display included in the VF in the top models.

2. Nikon's VR is usable on tripods without having to switch it off in some (but not all) lenses.

This is not meant as a criticism to Michael (since he has included a long disclaimer in his article), just for the sake of completeness.

RCarlin · « **Reply #5 on:** December 14, 2006, 06:10:27 am »

Quote

Good point. Not mentioning the new lenses was an oversight, which I've now corrected.

Thanks,

Michael
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=90399\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Dear Michael,

Maybe it is nitpicking, but as Peter has pointed out the new lenses will have
weather sealing, and this would close the weak point you mentioned in your
treatment of the feature. So you are right, present Pentax lenses are not
sealed but coming high level lenses will be, and together with the other features
you described will really make this camera a winner in its price range.
Maybe worth mentioning in that paragraph...

Thank you for the review, I was looking forward to some early evaluation of
that camera.

Panorama · « **Reply #6 on:** December 14, 2006, 07:15:11 am »

thanks for the "First Look" Michael. This looks like a very interesting little camera. I looked at it in NY about 6 weeks ago and was quite impressed. It's well built, feels very good in the hand, and though it may be a "gimmick" compared to IS/VR, it does have AS.

As a long time Canon shooter looking for a "smaller" camera for street photography (even my 5d and 1 series is too big for this IMO) the Pentax is moving to the front of the pack.

This is the same Sony 10MP sensor found in the A100, D200, etc. so I'm going to follow the actual reviews for IQ tests.

Ben Rubinstein · « **Reply #7 on:** December 14, 2006, 11:49:12 am »

Of course I just cancelled my Pentax K10D and bought another 5D but I need the low light AF and the banding which others have noticed at lower iso's is an issue for me.

That aside, I loved the bit at the end of the article about Canon's sluggishness vis a vis interface and features, I wonder if all the naysayers who have claimed (often viciously) that Michael is nothing more than a Canon mouthpeice, will now apologise?

It is true though, with the 10 megapixel chip in the new XT not having that much advantage anymore over the competition and as that chip is likely to find itself in the 40D in direct competition to the D200, Canon needs a big kick up the backside. They've cruised the advantage of their chips for long enough, time to start competing as a camera instead of competing on the 'film' alone!

The Canon AF system needs an overhaul, it's what, 10 years old? It needs to cover more of the frame and there needs to be more cross sensors, in better locations, in more of the range. Weather proofing is now standard in the mid range for everyone but canon, even the 5D doesn't have weather proofing or anything more than the rudimentary AF system present in the new XT, the screen is an embarrasment on a camera at that price point.

Canon wake up and start working with photographers shooting the things not just the photographers processing and printing the results!

David Mantripp · « **Reply #8 on:** December 14, 2006, 12:36:59 pm »

Detail nitpicking....

The Olympus E-1 has on demand in-camera JPG processing from RAW ....

having said that, the K10D is the E-1 follow-up we've been waiting for. Oh well. One day....

DiaAzul · « **Reply #9 on:** December 14, 2006, 03:01:55 pm »

Quote

That aside, I loved the bit at the end of the article about Canon's sluggishness vis a vis interface and features, I wonder if all the naysayers who have claimed (often viciously) that Michael is nothing more than a Canon mouthpeice, will now apologise?

[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=90529\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Ahhh...but if you are a true michael basher then you will instantly point out that he is just softening us up for the onslaught of new Canon cameras coming in February - you know the ones - 200Mpixel 16 bit dynamic range, full frame, 60 frames per second all for just more than the internet wanabees want to pay. As the mouthpiece of the devil incarnate (Canon) we would expect nothing less.

But yes, I agree with your sentiments exactly - however, someone pointed out that next year is an aniversary year for Canon and they may be scheduling development to come out with something special to celebrate. We need some good concept cameras - a little wacky and off the wall - to help spur innovation forward. The market is now approaching the size and maturity that this should be possible.

Ben Rubinstein · « **Reply #10 on:** December 14, 2006, 03:34:50 pm »

Well there will have to be a cheap and very good sucessor to the 5D, stands to reason, I just bought my 2nd one!

michael · « **Reply #11 on:** December 14, 2006, 06:22:13 pm »

Now, who would actually be surprised if Canon didn't take a giant step forward in 2007? In fact, several.

Conspiracy theorists unite.

Michael

John Camp · « **Reply #12 on:** December 14, 2006, 07:51:23 pm »

Next year is shaping up to be one of those headache years with announcements, pronouncements, delays, pixel-peeping, and massive trolling.

However, let me be the very first to say if the new Canon doesn't have an absolutely clean 6400 I can't possibly use it, and can't imagine why anybody should release such trash and expect us to pay that kind of price for it.

More seriously, Thom Hogan is predicting Nikon D3 announcements probably for PMA 2008 (H series) and Photokina 2008 (X series), with full-frame ~23mp for the D2x successor; so that would be a little more than a year from now, and a year-and-a-half.

I wouldn't be surprised at earlier "unauthorized leaks" if Canon pops something amazing.

JC

BernardLanguillier · « **Reply #13 on:** December 14, 2006, 08:47:40 pm »

Quote

Now, who would actually be surprised if Canon didn't take a giant step forward in 2007? In fact, several.

Conspiracy theorists unite.

Michael
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=90594\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Can you tell us more Michael? The suspens is becoming unbearable. Has Canon finally managed to head hunt some wide angle designers from Nikon?...

Cheers,
Bernard

John Sheehy · « **Reply #14 on:** December 14, 2006, 10:57:46 pm »

Quote

It is true though, with the 10 megapixel chip in the new XT not having that much advantage anymore over the competition[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=90529\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

I've yet to see any evidence that other 10MP DSLRs have high-ISO read noise as low as the XTi. What I've seen is a lot of noise-reduced images with detail-reduction as well.

The K10D has excellent low noise at ISO 100, but read noise is proportional to ISO with it (as it seems to use the same gain for all ISOs), so once it gets to ISO 200 it is about the same as the XTi, and above that, noisier. The read noise is twice as high for the K10D at ISO 1600. The K10D's specialty is going to be low-ISO/High DR; not low-light performance.

tsjanik · « **Reply #15 on:** December 21, 2006, 10:19:13 am »

An interesting interview with engineers who developed the K10D. It supplies some insight into the design decisions camera companies face.

http://ok1000.blogspot.com/2006/12/k10d-in...-of-pentax.html

macgyver · « **Reply #16 on:** December 24, 2006, 01:33:17 am »

Quote

An interesting interview with engineers who developed the K10D. It supplies some insight into the design decisions camera companies face.

http://ok1000.blogspot.com/2006/12/k10d-in...-of-pentax.html
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=91765\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Interesting reading! Thanks, tsjanik.

tsjanik · « **Reply #17 on:** December 25, 2006, 08:11:01 pm »

Quote

Interesting reading! Thanks, tsjanik.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=92132\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Thanks macgyver; the interview seems to have caught Mr. Reichmann’s eye as well, as it now appears in “What’s New”. What I found interesting was the conscious decision by the designers to seek a “film-like “appearance; this likely led to the lack of sharpness in jpeg’s so emphasized in the DP review. When you buy a digital camera nowadays, it seems you also commit to using one type of film.

mobsterman · « **Reply #18 on:** January 12, 2007, 04:30:06 am »

Quote

the banding which others have noticed at lower iso's is an issue for me.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=90529\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Hi, i thought the banding issue was at hi-ISO, low light longish exposures? Hmmmm is this banding @ low-ISO a new one? I haven't been following the K10D forums for some time now.

Michael, as usual a good hands-on report. Don't know about what others think but you certainly sound more like a consumer activist than an apostle for Canon

cheers

Author Topic: Nice Pentax K10D report (Read 12009 times)