Rumours are swirling fast although not necessarily furious in the Pentax world with the possibility of three new Pentax cameras set for announcement ahead or during Photokina 2010 in September. If the rumours are anything to go by, one of Pentax’s upcoming cameras will be a DSLR said to carry the name K-5 and positioned above the K-7, another is an electronic viewfinder interchangeable lens or what the rumours referred to as the Pentax EVIL, and a K-r, presumably an entry-level model.
Pentax EVIL
The Pentax EVIL, according to a Citibank group research note, will be “distinct” from models already in the market. How distinct it is, no one is telling at the moment.
But seriously, what could be more different from Olympus PEN, Panasonic’s GF1, G10, G2, GH1, Sony’s NEX-3 and NEX-5 and Samsung NX10? Could it be that the Pentax EVIL is a weather-resistant or one that is based on the K mount and therefore able to use Pentax lenses, new and old?
And what about the sensor? Will it be APS-C sized?
Although it remains to be seen whether any of these will eventually see the light of day, Pentax users are rooting for the rumours to be true.
Covering the ground
If it is indeed true, then Pentax is pretty much on the right track in dealing with immediate challenges facing it at the moment, that is to come up with a mid-range DSLR, to compete in the EVIL camera segment and strengthening its offering in the entry-level DSLR segment.
That leaves Pentax unrepresented in three other segments, namely in the high-end DSLR, full-frame DSLR and premium compact cameras.
Premium Pentax compacts?
With Pentax repeatedly dismissing the possibility of manufacturing a full-frame DSLR, one segment which many Pentax fans will like to see their band venture into is in the premium compact segment and compete with the likes of Panasonic LX5, Canon G11 and S90 and Samsung EX1.
Pentax can do itself a great service by becoming the first camera maker to phase out the use of the archaic 1/2.33-inch sensor and make either the 1/1.63-inch or 1/1.7-inch sensor as the standard sensor for all its upcoming compact cameras.
And also, if it is not too much to ask, to make f/2.0 as the standard maximum in all the lenses of its compact cameras as well.
That way, people can be assured of quality compact from Pentax in that they can just pick any Pentax compacts, even on impulse and still be assured of premium image quality.
But then again, it is easy to dismiss this piece as another rant from an ignorant blogger.
