Pentax have been slightly slow these past two years. OK, Pentax have been slightly slow this past decade! But they’ve seemed even slower as of lately. It’s not like they haven’t released anything, it’s just that it hasn’t felt like they’ve been moving forward as much as other industry players have (Olympus, Panasonic and Sony come to mind). Within the last 24 months Pentax have released the incredibly popular, capable and colourful K-x entry-level camera and the almost pro-level K-7 in the APS-C DSLR segment, and finally released the perennially almost-here medium format digital 645D. That’s as far as cameras go; with respect to lenses and accessories they’ve released a DA 15mm f/4, DA* 55mm f/1.4, DA* 60-250mm f/4 and AF160FC macro flash, all of which were announced in September 2008, and DFA 100mm f/2.8 WR macro announced in December 2009 to great bewilderment (it’s a metal-bodied, weather-resistant optical equivalent of the venerable DFA 100mm f/2.8 macro). A 1.4x teleconverter was also announced in September 2008 but has yet to materialise.

Photokina, held every 2 years, is the biggest Photography fair in the World, and companies usually try to time their big releases so they coincide with it. After such a long dormant period, Pentaxians were naturally expecting big things for this year’s Photokina, especially after the recent announcements made by Canon, Nikon and Sony. So what has Pentax been up to these last 2 years…? Part of the answer we found out today, in a pre-Photokina announcement made in the early hours of the American continent:

Pentax K-r

Pentax K-r with new DA 35mm f/2.4.

The K-r replaces the K-x as Pentax’s entry-level DSLR camera, although Pentax will leave the K-x in the current line-up and call the K-r a mid-level camera. Though similar in appearance, there are some improvements that make this a better camera. The main specs are:

• Sensor: 12MP CMOS manufactured by Sony, probably the same as in the K-x (which is a good thing!).
• Battery: Li-Ion rechargeable, surprise! (The K-x uses 4 AA.) Will be able to use 4 AA with optional adapter.
• New autofocus module, SAFOX IX, first implemented on the 645D.
• AF point confirmation in viewfinder.
• Maximum ISO of 25,600 (K-x was 12,800).
• 6 FPS (K-x was 4.7 FPS).
• 3 inch 921k LCD screen (K-x is 2.7 inch 230k).
• IR data transfer.
• 120 colour combinations.
• Price: US$800 body only (available in a number of kits too).

The K-x has been a huge success for Pentax, both in terms of exposure and revenue, so it’s understandable that they didn’t want to spoil their recipe. The K-r seems like a natural evolution of the K-x, with Pentax having addressed some of the issues reported by users, most noticeably the lack of autofocus confirmation points in the viewfinder. I welcome the use of a rechargeable battery, and I applaud them for thinking of all those people who love AA’s by providing an adapter. Leaving the sensor untouched is also a good move as the K-x proved to be highly capable in low light providing high ISO image quality that was top of its class.

DA L 35mm f/2.4

 

Pentax is no stranger to weird focal lengths (they have prime lenses in 21mm, 31mm, 43mm, 70mm and 77mm focal lengths, unique to the Pentax system as far as I know), but this is probably the first time they pair a common focal length with a strange aperture value. After many years of complaints from the Pentax user community for the lack of an affordable fastish normal prime for the APS-C sensor format, this $220 lens is what Pentax has given us. I say ‘us’, because I’ve been quite vocal in this request. Nikon and Sony released cheap 35mm f/1.8 lenses for their users (the Nikon version is $195 while the Sony version is $200, scheduled to hit stores next month) that are also reasonably fast at f/1.8, which is 0.8 stops faster than f/2.4. True, the Pentax is smaller (not by much) and lighter (somewhat), but I’m willing to bet most shooters would be OK with a slightly bigger heavier lens if it were faster (had a larger aperture). On the bright side, it’s apparently going to be available in different colours, at least in Japan.

Here’s a comparison table between the three available cheap 35mm lenses for APS-C DSLRs. They all rely heavily on plastic, including for the mount. Make up your own mind which you’d prefer to own.

If I sound harsh, it’s because I am very disappointed in Pentax; this feels like a lens the head engineer’s son knocked off last time it was bring-your-kid-to-work day rather than the affordable fastish normal prime Pentaxians have been requesting for years. You can do a lot better than this, Pentax, and your users deserve a lot more too.

Is That All?

I doubt it. Well-founded rumours (and logical deductions based on camera lifetimes) have it that there will be a K-5 announced during Photokina. This DSLR will sit above the k-7 in Pentax’s current line and, like the K-r, may not immediately kill off its predecessor but rather coexist with it. It is expected to use Sony’s new 16MP CMOS sensor instead of Samsung’s 14MP sensor, as found in the K-7.

Another, less-substantiated, rumour says an 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 lens will also be announced. But Pentax need to aim higher than that. Sony has announced a new SLT technology, Canon released a boatload of lenses, Nikon is poised to replace its hugely popular D700 and D90 cameras, and Panolympus continue to strengthen their micro-4/3 brand. Two cameras and a couple of inconsequential lenses are not going to cut it at this point in time.

I’ll keep you posted!

Note: Links in this article might be to one of our affiliate stores. Purchases made from our affiliates through these links will benefit Enticing the Light at no extra cost to you.

Related posts:

1. Shooting Macros Section 1 – Equipment
2. Shooting Weddings Part 2 – Equipment
3. PMA 2009 Round Up

It’s the eternal question of photographers the World over: I’m going on holiday/vacation/adventure/a walk in the park…what gear do I take? You’d think we’d have it all figured out by now, but I find myself asking the same question every time I leave my house for an extended period of time. It’s not that I’m stupid, it’s that the answer to the question changes with every trip.

I’m off to Montreal for a long Labour Day weekend and once again asked myself the question. For the past few weeks the answer has been easy: either the Panasonic G2 with kit lens and 20mm f/1.7 or the Samsung NX10 with kit lens and 30mm f/2. Sadly, I returned them to their home at B&H this week, so I was left scratching my head wondering whether I wanted to haul my K10D DSLR around Montreal or not. This is a trip with family, so Photography is something I’ll be practising on the side and as hurriedly as I can, which means I need to keep it simple.

While looking through my Photography shelf I picked up my Pentax ME Super and wiped the dust off. Realising it had a roll of film in it with 34 exposures left the answer to the question became clear: I’ll shoot film for the weekend! The choice of lenses was quick and required no thinking: I’d take two of Pentax’s best ever optics, the 31mm f/1.8 Ltd and the 77mm f/1.8 Ltd.

I’m quite excited because I haven’t shot any film in over a year (I hope the film inside the camera is fine!) and also because I’ve never used these Limited lenses on film before (i.e., on full-frame before). Speaking of which, I’ll be shooting the rather mundane Kodak BW400CN C-41 B&W print film. It’s convenient to develop (any place that does colour developing will do it) and if you get scans and convert them to monochrome, you end up with a true B&W image (direct prints often have magenta or cyan tints to them). Film purists will cringe at my choice and reasoning, but it’s what I have lying around and I’m shooting for fun, not on assignment. As a digital backup I’ll be carrying my trusty Canon S90.

I’ll let you know how it goes when I get back.

Au revoir!

UPDATE: I packed my camera bag just before heading off to bed and found it to be very empty—it’s amazing how much space a DSLR and a couple of zooms take up. So I decided to take my Pentax A 50mm f/1.2, as I’ve always been curious to see how it would fare on full-frame.

Note: Links in this article might be to one of our affiliate stores. Purchases made from our affiliates through these links will benefit Enticing the Light at no extra cost to you.

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by Miserere

The Birth of a “New” Camera System

Sony today unveiled the A33 and A55, the first two in a new line of digital cameras that resemble traditional digital SLRs, but which Sony are calling SLTs, for Single Lens Translucent. The translucent term refers to the mirror inside the mirror box which, unlike those in SLRs, isn’t fully reflective¹ but actually partially translucent. This has several implications for the functioning of the camera:

1. The mirror is now stationary, so it won’t flip up and down with each exposure (but it can be flipped up for sensor cleaning).
2. Sony are being tight-lipped about the exact value, but given past designs we can guess that the translucent mirror lets ~2/3 of the light through and reflects ~1/3. The reflected light makes its way to a phase-detection autofocus system, while the light passing through the mirror hits the CMOS sensor.
3. Because light hits the sensor continuously, there is no need for an optical viewfinder (OVF).

The advantages of the above over a standard SLR are numerous:

1. The camera is quieter as there will be no mirror slap.
2. You should be able to hand-hold slower shutter speeds, as with a rangefinder, do to the lack of a moving mirror.
3. A stationary mirror should theoretically keep phase-detection AF precise over longer time periods due to the mirror not becoming misaligned quite as quickly as in an SLR.
4. Phase detection AF can now work at all times, as when shooting videos or following a moving subject.
5. Because there is no OVF, a pentaprism (or pentamirror) isn’t required, saving space and weight, so the camera can be made smaller and lighter.
6. You can compose (both stills and video) either with the rear LCD or looking through the electronic viewfinder (EVF).
7. Video can be shot with smooth autofocusing thanks to the always-on phase-detection AF, but there is a price to pay (see below).
8. The frames-per-second (FPS) that can be shot only depend on the shutter and the readout speed of the chip, so higher FPS can be more easily achieved.
9. Without a pentaprism (or pentamirror), VF screen or flipping mirror mechanism, costs should come down, making the camera cheaper to produce and cheaper for the buying public.
10. The EVF can more easily be made larger than an OVF, and according to the specs from Sony, the EVF on these two cameras is 15% larger than that of the Nikon D300s, usually considered the best VF within the APS-C segment.

Now let’s review some of the drawbacks:

1. There is no OVF, which to some is a drawback.
2. In order to shoot video using phase-detect AF, the lens has to be wide open. If you want to shoot at a smaller apertures you’ll be forced to use contrast-detect AF, which is not as smooth.
3. Because the mirror doesn’t flip out of the way, you don’t expose the sensor to all the light coming through the lens, but only 2/3 of it, thus losing 1/3 of a stop. In theory, this degrades IQ. It’s not clear how Sony have addressed this, but I expect they’ve adjusted the reported ISO so that it shows a value 1/3 stop lower than what the camera is actually using. Given how imprecise camera makers are when setting ISO values, this may not be a big deal. As sensor performance continues to improve, it will be even less of a problem.
4. Dust has always been an issue for DSLRs, accumulating on the sensors and creating the infamous dust bunnies. On an SLT design dust now has an extra surface to accumulate on: the translucent mirror, and because it’s far away from the sensor, a mote of dust will create a halo, not a spot, making it more annoying to fix in postprocessing.
5. Light going through the mirror will be refracted twice: first as it goes into the mirror and then as it comes out. Not all colours of light are refracted by the same amount so this could induce a degradation in IQ by creating colour fringing effects. I trust Sony engineers worked long and hard on this issue and found a solution for it.

The Best of Both Worlds?

The rise of DSLRs as movie recording devices in the last 18 months or so has been nothing short of meteoric. And thanks to the required live-view (LV), even still photographers have benefited as LV makes shooting cameras in awkward positions a lot easier, especially with articulated LCDs. The main gripe with shooting video was AF, which relied on a contrast-detect method, and is generally regarded as being slower and incapable of smooth continuous focusing. With the new SLT system Sony is trying to bring together the best of both worlds: DSLR functionality and focusing with the added flexibility of LV.

The problem I see is that the SLT camera might be a solution to a quickly disappearing problem. As some of the latest MILCs have proven (such as the Panasonic G2 or Samsung NX10), contrast-detect AF can be fast, and is likely to keep improving with each new iteration thanks to its inclusion in the rising sector of mirrorless cameras. Once contrast-detect AF is capable of determining distance to subject, it will not only be fast, but smooth also. We may see cameras with such an AF system as early as this Autumn at Photokina 2010. When this happens, what will be the point of SLTs?

I expect SLTs to become a footnote in the history of modern camera designs, nothing but a stopgap solution to a short-term problem. I think Sony also believe this because they’ve maintained the same mount and registration distance, when they could have made the mount smaller for APS-C and shortened the registration distance by having the mirror slide to the side instead of flipping out of the way for sensor cleaning. I imagine Sony will release one or two further SLTs and then drop the line as the simple solution of MILCs takes over.

None of this should stop you from purchasing these cameras. Like I said, Sony knows they are temporary and have changed nothing essential about the Alpha system, so all Sony and Minolta lenses are fully compatible with it. If you enter the Sony system with one of these camera, any lens you buy for it will still work on any of their current or future DSLRs as well as SLTs, so there is really no risk involved in purchasing either of these cameras.

If you want precise specs, you can find them here. Both the A33 and A55 share the same body, but the A55 has 16.2MP vs the A33′s 14.2MP, 10 FPS vs 7 FPS (both very high values), larger buffer and better battery life. The A55 also has GPS while the A33 doesn’t. The A55 is US$750 (body only) while the A33 is US$650 (body only). Needless to say they both shoot RAW, have PASM shooting modes, a fully articulated LCD, shoot 1080i HD video and feature sensor-based image stabilisation. Given these specs and prices, I expect Sony to sell a boatload of them! I’d even be tempted to pair the A33 with Sony’s recently announced 35mm f/1.8 for a total of $850 and hit the streets with it.

So What Was That About Old Technology?

You may have been wondering about the title of this post, and I thank you if you’ve made it this far in order to find out. The fact is that semitransparent mirrors are very old technology, and using them inside a camera first happened in the mid 1960′s when Canon released the Pellix, so called because these mirrors are also known as pellicle mirrors. The disadvantage back then was that the VF in those first pellicle cameras was 2/3 stop less bright, because 2/3 of the light went to the film, but today, with film being replaced by a digital sensor, this is actually a benefit because thanks to the EVF, we’re now using the same device to preview an image and capture it.

While Sony is resurrecting old Canon technology, maybe they’ll reintroduce eye-controlled autofocusing, a much-requested feature that would make my life a lot easier. OK, so maybe not my life, but certainly my Photography.

¹ In SLRs with autofocus (AF), the mirror isn’t 100% reflective, as some light needs to be diverted towards the AF sensor, generally located at the bottom of the camera, opposite the viewfinder screen from the mirror. However, because the mirror flips up out of the way when taking a photograph, this loss of light only affects the brightness of the image in the viewfinder.

Note: Links in this article might be to one of our affiliate stores. Purchases made from our affiliates through these links will benefit Enticing the Light at no extra cost to you.

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I pose this question for a couple of reasons: The ISO scale is 1) misleading and 2) misunderstood. I would be surprised if manufacturers pushed to adopt a new scale though. More is better, right? If brand X can shoot at ISO 6400 and Brand Y can shoot at ISO 12,800, then Brand Y must be, like, 6400 times better or something. Right? Nope it’s only 1 stop. The ISO scale was developed in the film days and as far as I’m aware, the fastest film available (other than maybe some specialized scientific films) was Kodak T Max at 3200. Digital sensors have far exceeded that today.

Aaron Johnson's What the Duck http://www.whattheduck.net/

While not exactly on point, I think the cartoon sums up part of what I feel is a misleading issue. The cartoon does make light of the technical understanding of ISO. Have you ever read the WiKi article on that subject? Even my eyes glaze over. I am willing to bet that a lot of shooters (I’m guilty of this) have set the camera at ISO 4000, thinking they gained a lot of sensitivity but not as much noise as 6400 gives them. Well not really. That’s only 1/3 of a stop and they really gained very little in shutter speed, just lost some detail and increased the noise a bit. The 1/3 boost in shutter speed certainly isn’t going to make much difference in freezing the action in low light. Other choices, a tripod, faster aperture, adding a flash or more light etc, shot at a lower ISO, would create much better photos in many situations.

From here on I’ll drop the ISO part, assuming you know what I’m talking about.

The scale makes no sense with today’s sensors and the ones coming in the future. We already have cameras that can shoot above 100,000. Who knows where they will be 2,3, 4+ years from now. Shooters at all levels of experience may not understand the sensitivity steps, make the wrong choice in a hurry, or get a little hoodwinked at how much extra latitude you get from 6400 to 12,800 because the number sounds so much bigger than it really is. Think in terms of salary: If you make $51,200 a year and the boss offers you a new job at $102,400, that’s a huge leap. Your entire life just changed. Well that’s how we think; we don’t see that it’s just one stop faster.

The Nikon D3s can shoot at ISO102,400 which one site loudly proclaimed has, 'Night Vision' and 'ISO 102,400. Yeah, that's a six-digit ISO.'

Is one full stop a big deal? Sure it is, shooters go nuts to buy a lens that is 1 stop faster. Also, the scale is exponential. So 200 is twice as sensitive as 100 and 400 is 4 times as sensitive as 100. In terms of what you can do with that 1 stop, It means you could shoot at 1/60th at 1600 and 1/125th at 3200 and get the same exposure results. That could be the difference between stopping the action and not while taking family photos indoors. In my thinking though, if the scale was more straightforward, people would understand better what they gained when going from 3200 to 6400. Sometimes, that one stop and added noise might not be worth the trade-off for a faster shutter speed.

I’d suggest a new scale that really reflects the steps and gain as you turn up the dial. Plus the smaller numbers would be much easier to display in the viewfinder. This way, you can better understand the advantage and relationship with the other 2 parameters, shutter speed and aperture. This would really benefit new buyers, people who have never shot film or who moved from a point and shoot to a DSLR for the first time and never really considered ISO before.

My hope is that some day, sensors will natively go below 100. I really miss how incredible Kodachrome 25 was. So I suggest the scale start at 1 which would equal 100 now and consider the possibility of even lower sensitivities. Then if we get ISO’s below 1 (100) the scale would show a negative. Further, the scale would need to be similar to the aperture scale. for half and 1/3 settings.

Maybe something like this, reflecting 1/3 and 1/2 adjustments:
ISO 12, 25, 50, 64, 80, 100 = -2, -1, 0, 0.3, 0.7, 1.0
ISO 100-200 = 1.0, 1.3, 1.5, 1.7, 2.0
ISO 200-400 = 2.0, 2.3, 2.5, 2.7, 3.0
ISO 400-800 = 3.0, 3.3, 3.5, 3.7, 4.0
ISO 800-1600 = 4.0, 4.3, 4.5, 4.7, 5.0

So then your basic scale is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 etc. If 100 = 1, then 102,400 would equal 10. We’ll call it the EtL scale. Simple and straightforward. Fractional steps would directly correspond to 1/2 or 1/3 step adjustments to your shutter speeds. I think a much less confusing and more logical way to display your shooting information in the viewfinder. You instantly realize that you’ve only gained a stop and may be better to open the lens up a stop, or decrease the shutter speed when you can, to get a cleaner image.

Cheers and good shooting. –Peter Zack

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In every photography conversation that takes place anywhere in the World, the subject will eventually come up. Someone will innocently ask: Do you shoot RAW or JPEG? And a friendly conversation turns into an ugly bloodbath, ending with photographers spinning their cameras over their heads held by the strap, as modern-day photographic flails, mouths frothing, shrieks of hate filling the air as they attack one another in defence of their chosen file format. It’s not coincidence that ‘RAW’ is ‘WAR’ spelled backwards.

It needn’t be this way. I believe photographers of all races, colours, creed and shooting format can coexist and live together, in peace. Seriously, I do.

So what’s the big problem? Let me begin with the negative things each faction says about the other.

What the JPEG Zealots Say

RAW shooters are pussies who don’t know the first thing about photography, if they did, they wouldn’t have to use the crutch of RAW because they’d get their exposures right at the time they took the picture. JPEGs capture the real scene in front of the camera without any bias from the photographer. Real professionals only shoot JPEG.

What the RAW Zealots Say

JPEG shooters are amateurs who don’t know how to extract the maximum IQ from a digital file and are too lazy to learn how to use Photoshop. Why would they even buy a DSLR if they’re going to shoot JPEG? They’d be better off just shooting with a P&S. Real professionals only shoot RAW.

Who Is Right?

Neither! Or both, depending how you look at it. Let’s examine the pros of each format.

• Pros of JPEG:
  • File sizes are smaller by a huge percent.
  • No time is wasted in front of the computer doing postprocessing, so you can actually spend more time taking pictures.
  • You can shoot many more photos in continuous shooting mode because the files get written to the memory card quickly due to their smaller size. This small size also means you don’t need huge memory cards or hard drives to store your photos in. Oh, and uploading images from the memory card to a computer or over the internet is faster
  • Once you find the camera settings that you like, all your photos will have your look and you’ll never have to worry about settings again.
• Pros of RAW:
  • You retain all the information captured by your camera sensor allowing you to make adjustments in postprocessing without losing IQ (or with minimal loss).
  • Adjustments you make in postprocessing are non-destructive.
  • You can postprocess a picture in many different ways and keep each version.
  • Ansel Adams would’ve shot RAW.

I’m sure zealots in each band can come up with more pros, but in essence they reduce to this: If you shoot JPEG you get smaller files (with all the associated benefits) and you spend less time in front of the computer and more out shooting; if you shoot RAW you have a file that offers a lot more latitude for being manipulated in postprocessing. And that’s it. Really, it is.

The thing about pros shooting only JPEG or RAW is rubbish—pros shoot whatever is most convenient for them. Sports shooters and journalists shoot mainly JPEG because they need to get their photographs uploaded to their agencies or newspapers as soon and quickly as possible. They don’t have time to upload 10-20MB files, not when they have a few hundred files to transmit; and they certainly don’t have time to postprocess the images. If any postprocessing needs to be done to the particular photos that will be published, it’s usually a small bump in contrast or levels adjustment, which a JPEG should be able to handle. If you’re talking landscape photography, then chances are those photographers will be shooting RAW. Landscape photographs routinely present challenging situations where parts of the photograph need to be lightened, while others need to be darkened; maybe ugly power-lines need to be erased and the tone of the image be warmed up (or cooled down) to fit in better with the emotional content of the scene.

That said, there will be sports photographers that shoot RAW and landscape photographers that shoot JPEG. JPEG and RAW are more than just file formats—they’re tools. Good artists use tools to their advantage and start off by choosing the appropriate ones; remember that.

What Format Should I Shoot?

The choice is easier than you think:

• Shoot RAW if you enjoy postprocessing or you feel the subjects you shoot are too complex from a dynamic range perspective and/or the camera cannot capture the scenes you shoot as you see them. If you shoot B&W and want to do more than just press the monochrome button, then RAW is probably the best option. If you are shooting under tough lighting conditions (and pressed for time) and are not sure the camera will meter correctly, shoot RAW to give yourself some leeway if you need to adjust a shot in postproduction.
• Shoot JPEG if you don’t enjoy postprocessing and have your camera set up such that the photos that come straight out of it are to your liking. If you are strapped for space on your computer, shooting JPEG will allow you to store many more files, and you can also fit more images on each memory card when you’re out shooting. Many people are not computer savvy and would like to stay as far away as possible from a laptop—there’s nothing wrong with that, and these people are one of the reasons engineers spent so long programming the JPEG engine in those cameras.

Whatever you choose, don’t consider it a decision for life. There may be shooting conditions when one or the other is better, and a wise photographer will change format if the situation requires it. Be at the mercy of the Photograph, not at the whim of your idiosyncrasies.

Most of all, dear reader, don’t think you have The Answer; don’t diminish your fellow photographers if they don’t shoot the same format as you. Each of us has different needs and tastes; we’re all individuals; but maybe more importantly: We don’t need another war.

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When I reviewed the Olympus E-PL1 I didn’t pay much attention to its video capabilities, I only used it to make sure it worked. Yesterday my wife said I just saw a commercial on TV for an Olympus Pen, didn’t you just have one of those? I did a double take on her and said are you kidding me!? I went online to find this commercial, and not only did I find it, but it turns out it was actually shot with an E-PL1. How cool is that?

Olympus must be getting serious if they’re spending big bucks on TV commercials for their Digital Pen series. This might also be the first TV commercial for a micro 4/3 camera ever. It’s a cute commercial, too. Make sure you watch it in HD…what’s the point of it being shot in HD otherwise?

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I have a Canadian friend who works in the Photography equipment business; he’s married to a good friend of mine from college, and while we’ve only met twice in person, we speak on the phone every now and again and exchange e-mails regularly. He frequently e-mails me news about upcoming products, but because he deals mostly with medium and large format photography, I don’t make use of this information because we’re not really concerned with that market on EtL. In any case, he’s generally been right about any predictions he’s made, which is why I did a double take when he sent me these photographs on yesterday.

About a week earlier he told me he’d heard comments through a German colleague that Leica were planning on releasing a new camera sometime in April. We both chuckled at the idea, but wondered if the R10 (the fabled Leica DSLR that never came) had finally been developed and was ready to launch. That’s not what these photos show, and not what my friend told me he’d found out through underground radio.

It seems Leica have struck a deal with a Japanese manufacturing company (Cosina came to my mind immediately) to have a line of cameras factory built, unlike current Leicas which are assembled by hand at one of their 3 facilities (in Canada, Portugal and Germany). He knows nothing about the specs for this new camera, but the fact that its called A9 would seem to link it to the M9, and externally they seem alike. What he does know is that Leica Canada has created a new product number and priced it at $3,000; this he heard from a Leica Canada contact of his who would reveal nothing else.

So that’s all we have to go on right now. My theory (and this is all pure speculation until we see an official announcement from Leica) is that Leica has come to the realisation that its current market model of high-priced cameras selling in small quantities is not going to get them through the global recession. Manufacturing cameras in series at Asian factories could lower production costs significantly, while keeping per-unit sales profit roughly the same; because the number of units sold would likely skyrocket, Leica’s total profit would be very generous. If the A9 really is just an M9 “made in Vietnam”, and they sell them for $3,000, even the best factory in the World won’t be able to build them fast enough. Even if the A9 is an APS-C version of the M9, it’s still a great price for a digital rangefinder and bound to be popular.

At some point this month we hope to find out the truth. For now, here are the two photos he sent me yesterday.

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Press release image from Hoya Corp of the new Pentax 645D.
(Click for beautiful size.)

The new Pentax 645D is finally here, having just been officially introduced by Pentax. For the serious Pro (landscape, outdoor, portrait, fashion, etc.) shooter, this might be a game changer. That is, if they can get their hands on one. Pentax is initially only offering this model to the Japanese market and it remains to be seen what the plans are for the European, North American and worldwide markets.*

So Why a Game Changer?
It might just be for two big reasons:

• Features:
  • Backward lens compatibility, a feature that has kept many Pentax shooters very happy over the years, is a fundamental part of this design. The earlier 645 series film cameras were quite popular by medium format standards and there’s a very good selection of used lenses around. It’s nice to see a manufacturer respect that a photographer may have a heavy investment in glass and wants to just upgrade the body.
  • Another simple little feature I personally like is the mirror lock-up. It’s a dial on the side of the prism housing you just turn to lock up the mirror. Not having to go into a menu for a feature that will be used a lot while shooting landscapes is a great idea. Many will shoot this camera on a tripod and lock up the mirror to take each shot.
  • Relatively high flash sync of 1/125th compared to earlier film versions (although the Hasselblad and Mamiya competitors do have higher sync speeds).
  • Weather sealed and cold-proof body for the landscape and outdoor photographer.
  • Dual card slots, which given the 40MP sensor is a great idea.
  • Again for the landscape shooter, a built-in HDR function for those scenes with dark foreground and bright skies.
• Price: The competition at this tier are Hasselblad’s H3DII-39 and Mamiya’s DM40 MF cameras. They are similarly featured yet priced more than double the Pentax 645D’s MRSP of USD $9,500 (direct conversion from Japanese price in Yen). This camera isn’t that much more than the top full-frame 35mm Digital bodies from Canon and Nikon.

Pentax 645D Rear View.
(Click for beautiful size.)

Introduced along with the new body is the new weather sealed PENTAX D-FA 645 55mm F2.8 AL, which is equivalent to 43.5mm in the 35mm (full-frame) format.

This won’t be for the sports shooter (medium format cameras rarely are) but for the pro who’s looking at the top end 35mm format digital bodies and shoots subjects where a high frame rate isn’t a concern—they will be giving some serious consideration to this camera.

You can read the entire press release here: Pentax announces 645D, and the new SMC PENTAX-D FA 645 55mmF2.8 AL[IF] SDM AW. You can see some photos of the 645D at the 2010 CP+ trade show in Japan. Here is an interesting interview with Pentax Product Planning executive Yasuyuki Maekawa.

Now time to break open that piggy bank…

A game changer? The jury is out at the moment and time will tell.

Cheers and good shooting.
–Peter Zack

Some more images from the 2010 CP+ trade show in Japan
©DigitalCamera.jp

* Recording capacity shows approximate number of shots recorded during CIPA-compliant testing. Actual performance may vary depending on operating conditions.

• PENTAX, 645D, and smc PENTAX are trademarks of HOYA CORPORATION.
• PENTAX Digital Camera Utility and SDM are trademarks of HOYA CORPORATION.
• This product supports PRINT Image Matching III. PRINT Image Matching enabled digital still cameras, printers and software help photographers to produce images more faithful to their intentions. Some functions are not available on printers that are not PRINT Image Matching III compliant.

  Copyright 2001 Seiko Epson Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
  Print Image Matching is a trademark of Seiko Epson Corporation.
  The PRINT Image Matching logo is a trademark of Seiko Epson Corporation.

• HDMI, the HDMI Logo and High-Definition Multimedia Interface are trademarks or registered trademarks of HDMI Licensing LLC.
• All other brands or product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.
• Designs and specifications are subjects to change without notice.

*initially I had posted that there were only going to be 200 units available [in the first product run] and the source of that information appears to be incorrect. There does not seem to be any firm numbers published as to how many of these will be available per month or how many is planned for the Japanese market. Sorry for any confusion this incorrect statement may have caused. Peter Zack

Related posts:

1. Pentax Finally Announce New Equipment
2. Review – Pentax K-x Part 2: Features, Menus, Ergonomics
3. Review – Pentax K-x Part 1: First Look

It’s that time of year again. Winter is in full swing in the Northern Hemisphere, while the Southern Hemisphere is still rejoicing in Summer, but this goes unnoticed to Photography geeks everywhere as they stay indoors, glued to their computer screens refreshing DPReview’s new PMA product page and reading all the gossip coming from the PMA 2010 (Photo Marketing Association) convention, held in Anaheim, California. This year was a bit lacklustre as some major players decided not to attend (or pulled out at the last moment)—Canon, Pentax and Leica were some of these players (booooo). Still, some good stuff was announced by other manufacturers, and following is my own personal selection of the tastiest from the lot.

Sigma

Sigma 85mm f/1.4 HSM
(Photo pinched from DP Review)

There’s a reason Sigma is the top 3^rd party lens supplier in the business. Actually, there are many reasons, but one of them is their wide selection of lenses, which is some areas surpasses that of the big camera makers. But I always found there was one conspicuous lens gap in Sigma’s line-up: The classic fast 85mm portrait lens. It’s not that Sigma is against primes (they have a fisheye, 3 ultra wides, 2 standards, 4 macros, numerous mega telephotos…), so I never understood why they never issued the most sought after prime for any photographer who likes fast lenses, the holy grail of portrait photography: The 85mm f/1.4. I even wrote them a couple of years ago asking about it and they told me they had no plans for one. But that was then. Some bright executive saw the light and decided it was time, and thus it came to be that at the 2010 PMA Sigma finally announced their 85mm f/1.4, to be available in Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Sony and Sigma mounts (sorry 4/3!). Sigma Chief Operating Officer, Kazuto Yamaki, said of this lens:

It’s similar in concept to the 50mm f/1.4—it’s bigger, heavier and more expensive than OEM lenses but achieves higher performance. We’ve made this for professional and advance amateur photographers, we’ve tried to achieve better performance [than the OEM equivalents], particularly when using fully open apertures on the latest DSLRs.

Translation: It’s not going to be cheap. My guess is no less than US$700. But, if it’s sharp wide open and as well built as Sigma’s EX lines tends to be, this would be one of those lenses you will use forever, so its cost would be easily justified. I will try to get my hands on one of these when they hit stores and publish a review for you guys.

Sigma also announced an optically reformulated 70-200mm f/2.8 that now includes HSM focusing. Previous incarnations of this lens have been a breadwinner for Sigma as they’ve provided great build and IQ at affordable prices. The current model, the first to incorporate HSM, has received mixed reviews by users, with some bemoaning a lowering of Sigma’s quality control, while others just thought the lens wasn’t quite refined. It would seem Sigma have listened, as redesigning the lens from scratch is no small thing. Another reason for redsigning this lens is the addition to its optical formula of a new type of glass, that deserves its own paragraph.

Sigma 8-16mm f/4.5-5.6 DC HSM
(Photo pinched from eNet.com.cn)

Sigma announced the introduction of FLD glass into some of their lenses (including the 85mm f/1.4), which they co-developed with Hoya, the #1 optical glass maker in the World. To quote Mr Kazuto Yamaki again, FLD glass is described as having Fluorite equivalent characteristics. It’s the most expensive optical glass but it’s still cheaper and lighter than fluorite. Fluorite is a crystal (not actually a glass) that offers very low dispersion, thus reducing chromatic aberrations, and is used mainly (only?) by Canon in their most expensive lenses.

Another lens that will use the magic FLD glass is the 8-16mm f/4.5-5.6 rectilinear zoom lens (with HSM!); it has many people on the forums salivating. This is a cropped sensor lens, and I believe it’s the widest rectilinear lens available for APS-C sensors at the moment (Olympus makes a 7-14mm f/4 zoom, but 8mm is wider on APS-C than 7mm is on 4/3). If this lens is as good as Sigma’s venerable 10-20mm f/4-5.6, they are not going to be able to manufacture them fast enough to meet demand.

On the camera front, it’s noteworthy that the DP1x and DP2s were announced, these being slightly updated versions of the company’s DP1 and DP2 fixed-lens compact cameras, respectively. Sigma also expressed their intention to produce interchangeable lens compact cameras using their 1.7x crop Foveon sensor, as well as making lenses for the μ4/3 format. Being the smart people that they are, they said they’re going to wait to see what lenses people prefer using before deciding which they will manufacture. While this makes sense from a marketing standpoint, it sucks from an advanced amateur’s point of view. We want freakishly small primes for these cameras, and the faster they are, the better. As of now, no mirrorless camera system offers a classic 3-prime line-up, nor do the manufacturers seem to be planning one. What a pity.

Samsung

Samsung NX10

Some brands want to do well, others just want to stay above water and survive the global recesion—Samsung wants to own the mirrorless market. Damn… Their first step towards global mirrorless domination was taken at the PMA where they finally showed the NX10 on American soil (they “announced” it countless times during 2009, parading prototypes around various trade shows). The NX10 is a mirrorless (how many times am I going to use that word today?) camera similar to the μ4/3 design of Olympus and Panasonic. The main difference is Samsung has equipped the NX10 with an APS-C sensor, which is about 60% larger than μ4/3 sensors and could best these in lower light performance. While Samsung’s DSLRs used a Pentax K mount, the NX line of cameras (we’ve been promised more coming later this year) use a new mount developed by Samsung and aptly named NX mount. The lenses available initially will be two kit zoom lenses (18-55mm and 50-200mm) and a small pancake prime lens (30mm f/2) but Samsung have released a lens roadmap in an attempt to prove they are serious about this camera system. And global mirrorless domination.

I am expecting to receive one within the next few weeks and will be publishing a review of it, so stay tuned.

Samsung TL500 EX1 (click for hugeness)

But that’s not all! They also announced a seriously attractive P&S called the TL500 (or EX1 if you’re in Europe). It features a 10MP 1/1.7″ CCD sensor, just like the Canon S90, as well as a lens ring control wheel, but adds a hotshoe and a swivelling LCD that are missing on the S90. Click on the photo above to see it in a gloriously huge size. No pricing is available, but I would guess around the US$400 mark. Samsung are clearly wanting to eat into the high-end P&S market currently dominated by Canon (G11 and S90) and the Panasonic LX3. Again, Samsung want us to know they’re serious: The TL500 features an impressive 24-72mm-equiv f/1.8-2.4 lens that is optically stabilised. I can’t wait to see image samples from this beauty.

Sony

Sony EVIL mock-up shown at PMA 2010 (Photo credit: Sony)

Continuing our tour of the S’s, we arrive at Sony’s booth, where (under glass, away from prying hands) they were showing their mock-ups of up-coming alpha mirrorless cameras. Another brand who gets on the mirrorless bandwagon. Until I see working models, I’m not going to have any opinions; all I can say right now is that the sensor on these cameras (Sony has also promised more than one model) will be APS-C sized. Release date? Sometime in 2010.

A successor to the A700 that would feature video was promised, as well as two new lenses under development: A Carl Zeiss 24mm f/2, likely to cost an arm and a leg, and a 500mm f/4, likely to cost the arms and legs of your whole camera club. Check out the cgi pics here.

Nikon

Nikon presented two new lenses: the 24mm f/1.4G and the 16-35mm f/4G. I believe there was much rejoicing over the first (until the price was unveiled…US$2,200), and some bewilderment over the second. You see, Nikonians have been clamouring for a long time over an f/4 zoom line like Canon has—these lenses are smaller, lighter…and cheaper. Because they’re f/4, not f/2.8. So Nikon finally concedes that they’re sucking and release an f/4 zoom, except it’s large, heavy…and expensive. I’m glad I am not a Nikon shooter having been waiting for these lenses for years. At least it’s weather-proofed. But worry not, Nikon has assured its acolytes this is but the first in a new line of zooms; let’s hope the next one isn’t a 24-50mm f/4.

Olympus

They didn’t show anything new, but they did lift their right hand, left hand on Ansel Adams’s The Camera, and swore they would not abandon the DSLR market despite the huge success of their μ4/3 mirrorless cameras. Then to prove it, they showed a prototype for a μ4/3 lens: the 14-150mm f/4-5.6. Wait, shouldn’t they have shown something for standard 4/3? Oh well! Looking at the photo of this lens (which is bigger than the PEN E-PL1 it’s attached to) I can’t help but think it is simply a standard 4/3 design with a longer mount added to assure proper focusing distance. Or maybe not. In any case, I think it’s too big for the camera and defeats the purpose of mirrorless cameras: Small size.

Tokina

The humble 3^rd party lens supplier presented their first full-frame lens in a very long time, a 16-28mm f/2.8. This lens covers a similar range on full-frame as their much-liked and popular 11-16mm f/2.8 does on APS-C, and given the number of “cheap” full-frame cameras on the market right now, it makes sense for Tokina to try to grab some sales from those who can’t afford the OEM wide angle options.

Ricoh

Remember this? We haven’t heard much about the Ricoh GXR since then, but these guys have kept working on the system because they announced the development of two new lens/sensor modules: a small-sensor image-stabilised 28-300mm-equiv f/3.5-5.6, and an APS-C 28mm-equiv. f/2.5. I’m still waiting to see a full review of this camera somewhere—I think DPR are working on one.

Conclusion

These were the items that interested me, and this article is by no means a thorough look at what the PMA had to offer. Search online and you will find descriptions and photos from people who were actually there; many of them talk about the straps, tripods, bags, lights, hats, potato peelers and other photography-related items on display, but they just didn’t get my attention. OK, so there probably weren’t any potato peelers.

I’ll admit I wasn’t blown away by anything, but I am very interested in the Sigma 85mm f/1.4 as a possible future purchase; I’m also looking forward to reviewing the Samsung NX10, the first APS-C mirrorless camera. Let’s hope I don’t have to wait too long because the most exciting think for me at PMA 2009 was…the Samsung NX10!

In case you’re wondering, I used the word “mirrorless” a total of 11 times in this article.

Note: Links in this article might be to one of our affiliate stores. Purchases made from our affiliates through these links will benefit Enticing the Light at no extra cost to you.

Related posts:

1. PMA 2009 Round Up
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3. New Samsung M8910 Pixon12 Cameraphone Is Better than Canon 350D (Digital Rebel XT)

Every day Amazon offers a Gold Box special. During those 24 hours you can purchase what’s inside the box at a greatly discounted rate. Today, this Gold Box Special is the Pentax K-7 DSLR for $899 body only. This is a fantastic price for a camera that’s been retailing for $1,150-1,300 in the last weeks. DP Review gave it a Highly Recommended stamp in their review late last year. And for $100 more (at $999) you can purchase it with the highly-regarded 18-55mm Weather-Resistant kit lens. This package provides the most compact, weather-sealed advanced DSLR on the market today, and it’s also the most affordable to boot.

I’d like to point out that if you purchase through our affiliate links below, you’ll be helping support Enticing the Light at no extra cost to you. Your price is the same, but Amazon will give us a small commission for referring you. Don’t we all win this way? Click on the images below to visit their Amazon page.

$899 Body only	$999 With 18-55mm WR kit lens

Oh, you’ll have to click on the “See price in cart” link within the Amazon page. Their price is so low that they can’t advertise it. And remember, sale ends today at 23:59 Mountain Time (01:59 Eastern Time) or while supplies last. I believe International purchases are also eligible for this offer.

Note: Links in this article might be to one of our affiliate stores. Purchases made from our affiliates through these links will benefit Enticing the Light at no extra cost to you.

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1. Deal of the Day: Tamron 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 for $230
2. The Time Has Come for a New DSLR Paradigm
3. Pentax Finally Announce New Equipment