Jan 07
Pentax is a classic imaging company. So you’ve got to let them have their own crack at an old-school style camera, right? In theory, sure—but the new Pentax MX-1 feel just a little late to the party. More »
Jan 07
Pentax Optio LS465 hands-on: a point-and-shoot with customizable skins, compact form-factor
Posted in: Today's Chili 
Another point and shoot arrives at CES from Pentax and this one trades a restrained design for one that’s all your own. While the 16-megapixel Optio LS465 arrives in black, pink, purple color options, they also come with customizable skins. Essentially the skins just just paper inserts that fit under a removable clear plastic cover. You just twist the ring around the lens and off it comes. It can also capture video at 720p, while ISO levels can be cranked up to 6400. The Optio LS465’s f/3.9-6.3 lens is capable of up to 5x optical zoom, while a combined 36x is possible with digital zoom. The camera has a 2.1-second start-up time and there’s output ports for USB and AV-out. Check out the galleries below for a bit more.
Gallery: Pentax Optio LS465 announced
Gallery: Pentax Optio LS465 hands-on
Filed under: Cameras
Jan 07
Pentax offers 100 different custom color options for its Q10 mirrorless camera
Posted in: Today's Chili 
If Pentax’s Q10 ILC piqued your interest when we got to play with it back in September, then perhaps the choice of 100 different paint jobs might push you to a purchase. Alongside several new cameras at CES 2013, the camera-maker will start to offer custom ordering for the mirrorless unit, with a choice of colors for both the grip and body. And the options? They include pink, white, black, red, turquoise, gold, green, magenta, orange and brown — and Pentax will be offering them all direct from its Q10 studio site, which you can find at the source.
Continue reading Pentax offers 100 different custom color options for its Q10 mirrorless camera
Filed under: Cameras
Source: Pentax Q10 Studio
Jan 07
With some classy brass casing, Pentax‘ new point-and-shoot is a little more refined than what we often get in smaller cameras. Fanciful materials aside, Pentax has paired a 12-megapixel backlit CMOS sensor with a f/1.8-2.5 lens, capable of up to 4x optical zoom. There’s a dedicated exposure compensation dial for adjustments on the fly, while the the 3-inch LCD display is articulated to better see what you’ve captured. Pentax has added its own dual shake-reduction system and shooting modes include macro capture capable of detailed images from just 1cm away. The camera will launch next month priced at $500, in a choice in silver and black finishes.
Continue reading Pentax launches brass-bodied MX-1 point-and-shoot: 12MP with 4X zoom
Filed under: Cameras
Sep 19
Pentax’s Q10 mirrorless shows its tiny sensor to the world, we give it the hands-on treatment (video)
Posted in: Today's Chili 
It’s tough to express just how much Pentax’s new Q10 mirrorless looks like a toy camera until you see it in-person, so unless you’re in Cologne this week, you’re going to have to take our word for it. It’s probably mostly its tiny size — and the fire engine red probably doesn’t help its case much in that respect, either. Still, in spite of its diminutive stature and weight, it does feel like a solid camera. All of these body image issues are thanks to its tiny 12.4 effective megapixel CMOS image sensor. Like its brethren, the Q, this interchangeable lens camera’s got a retractable flash, which works whether it’s extended or not.
On the front, next to the lens, you’ll find a knob which lefts you dial through four different effects. The Q10 also does full HD recording, five-fps shooting and, like the K-5 II, boasts improved autofocus over its predecessor. On the back, is a surprisingly large three-inch LCD. When it launches here in Europe next month, it’ll run you €499 for a single lens kit and around €300 for the body alone — compare that to $600 for the kit here in the States.
Gallery: Pentax Q10 Mirrorless camera
Filed under: Cameras
Pentax’s Q10 mirrorless shows its tiny sensor to the world, we give it the hands-on treatment (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Sep 2012 09:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | | Email this | Comments
Sep 19
Everyone loves a sequel, right? This here is the K-5 II, the new DSLR from Pentax, making an appearance on the show floor, here at Photokina in Germany, alongside the rather similar, if somewhat pricier K-5 IIs. Let’s start with differences between the K-5 and the K-5 II, shall we? Megapixel-wise, we’re still talking 16.2, though the II models have the new SAFOX X AF sensor, which delivers the promise of better low-light sensitivity and quicker auto-focus. On the rear, that 3-inch, 925k LCD promises a sharper image and better image angles — both looked pretty good in our time with the camera.
As for differences between the K-5 II and IIs? Well, you wouldn’t be able to distinguish between the two, if it weren’t for the difference model names on there front. So, what are you paying that extra $150 for? Well, the premium ditches the low-pass filter, promising sharp images (though you’re losing anti-aliasing in the process). On the top of both, you got a big monochrome display and a somewhat tricky function wheel that makes you press down a button to turn.
Both of these guys are coming to a camera store near you next month for $1,200 and $1,350, respectively.
Gallery: Pentax K5-II and K5-IIs
Continue reading Pentax K-5 II and K-5 IIs hands-on (video)
Filed under: Cameras
Pentax K-5 II and K-5 IIs hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Sep 2012 09:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | | Email this | Comments
Sep 11
Pentax’s Q10 isn’t the company’s only new camera today; there’s also a pair of new full-sized DSLRs, the Pentax K-5 II and K-5 IIs, for those wanting native K-series lens support. Each packing a 16.28-megapixel sensor and Pentax’s PRIME II imagine engine, the two new DSLRs offer ISO 100-12800 (ISO 80-51200 in expanded mode) and a 3-inch 921k dot LCD preview display with anti-glare finish and toughened glass cover.
The difference between the two cameras is the absence of an anti-aliasing filter in the K-5 IIs, which makes it good for landscape-style shorts where detail is paramount and distortion less likely. Otherwise, both get a custom shake-reduction mechanism which shifts the CMOS – by approximately three shutter steps – to avoid blur, and 7fps burst shooting for up to 30 shots.
The viewfinder supports 100-percent field of view, while the body is made of magnesium alloy and stainless steel; the body is dustproof and weather-resistant, as well as resilient to temperatures as low as 14-degrees Fahrenheit. There’s a digital level tucked inside too, and a battery good for up to 980 shots on a single charge.
The Pentax K-5 II will go on sale in October, priced at $1,199.95 body-only, or $1,349.95 with the DA 18-55mm WR zoom, or finally $1,549.95 with the DA 18-135mm WR zoom. As for the K-5 IIs, that will also hit in October, priced at $1,299.95 body-only.
Pentax K-5 II and K-5 IIs offer DLSR with or without anti-aliasing is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Sep 11
Pentax has revealed its latest compact interchangeable-lens camera, the Pentax Q10, a 12.4-megapixel snapper that the company promises will deliver regular DSLR results from a chassis sized like a deck of cards. The Q10, available in a number of colors including the striking red shown here, uses both Pentax’s Q-mount lenses as well as – with the new Adapter Q – existing Pentax K-mount lenses, for a broader array of shooting options.
The new CMOS is backside-illuminated and supports up to ISO 6400; it’s mounted in a shake reduction mechanism of Pentax’s own design, which uses accelerometers to track the Q10′s movements and smooth them out. The camera itself includes an Auto Picture mode, with 21 scenes, and a 5fps burst shooting mode.
A pop-out flash – with an eye-catching multi-jointed mechanism – can be used at two different positions, for different discharge angles, and there’s a choice of four exposure modes including Programmed AE (P), Shutter Priority, Aperture Priority, and Metered Manual. A dedicated bokeh control automatically creates the popular defocusing effect.
As for video, the Q10 can record Full HD 1920 x 1080 H.264 clips and outputs via micro-HDMI. A 3-inch LCD is on the back, and Face Recognition can spot and track up to 12 faces in frame. The camera will go on sale in October 2012, priced at $599.95 with an 02 zoom lens, while a new Pentax-06 Telephoto Zoom will be $299.95. The Adapter Q for K-mount lenses will arrive sometime this year, priced at $249.95.
Pentax Q10 interchangeable lens camera official is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Sep 11
Pentax has overhauled the excellent dust-proof, shock-proof, water-resistant Pentax K-5 from 2010 with a brand new autofocus system that works in darker conditions than ever before. The Pentax K-5 II might just be the best sticky situation camera out there. More »
Sep 11
Pentax launches Q10 interchangeble lens camera, K-5 II and K-5 IIs flagship DSLRs
Posted in: Today's Chili 
It’s not every day that a camera company launches two major models the same day, but Pentax has done just that with the Q10 mirrorless interchangeable and the K-5 II / IIs cameras. The Q10 joins its equally tiny stablemate, the Q, to round out its line of mini-sensored, playing-card-sized cams that still let you change lenses. The new model boasts the same bokeh control and effects dial of the original Q, but adds a new grip and several color options, like the now-ubiquitous red shown above. Other features include a K-mount lens adapter, an included 15-45mm zoom telephoto, improved AF performance, full HD video recording, anti-shake technology, 5 fps continuous shooting capability and a pop-up flash. The new mini-shooter will go on sale in October at around $600 with the kit lens.
If you have bigger (and deeper) pockets for something more sporty, Pentax has also announced it’s top K-5 II and K-5 IIs models to replace the popular K5, which has been around since 2010. The weather- and cold-resistant, dustproof DSLRs retain the same 16.2-megapixel resolution of their predecessor, but Pentax claims the new SAFOX X AF sensor has improved sensitivity in low-light conditions and improved auto-focus. The K-5 IIs eschews the anti-aliasing filter found on its sibling, but is otherwise the same, with a 3-inch, 925k LCD, 7fps burst mode, magnesium alloy / stainless steel body and RAW data retrieve function. These models will also appear in October and dent your wallet to the tune of $1,200 and $1,350 for the K-5 II and IIs, respectively. All that might address some of the AF and light sensitivity beefs we heard before, but we’ll have wait for the next round of reviews to find out.
Continue reading Pentax launches Q10 interchangeble lens camera, K-5 II and K-5 IIs flagship DSLRs
Filed under: Cameras
Pentax launches Q10 interchangeble lens camera, K-5 II and K-5 IIs flagship DSLRs originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 11 Sep 2012 08:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | | Email this | Comments
Who's in charge here?
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.