The Pentax K-x was announced last month, and it seems to be a very decent entry-level camera. We already reported the device will be available in a few different colors in Japan, while the US only gets black, white, and red models. And today Pentax said in Tokyo [JP], they are ready to roll out a very special version of the K-x, which is a particularly colorful model inspired by the so-called Kore Ja Nai robo toy [JP].

The robot was introduced in Japan in 2001 and is available in different variations (the one you see in the pic above is a cell phone strap). Spec-wise, the K-x isn’t any different from the conventional models so the design is the main selling point.

Pentax plans to sell the robo K-x exclusively in its own online store [JP] (price: $880), and the model is restricted to just 100 units. Pre-orders begin in early November. People living outside Japan might want to contact the Japan Trend Shop or Geek Stuff 4 U and ask if they can help with the purchase.

Pentax just rolled out the K-x late last night, but the official announcement only mentioned black, white, and red models. Bor-ing. Soon the camera will be available in a multiple colors in Japan – but everyone can play with the online creator.

Buyers will get to choose from 20 body and five grip colors, which means the possibilities are endless! All this fun and excitement will be available at no additional charge over the MSRP when ordered from Pentax. Now you just have to decide what colors you’re going to go with. Let me suggest the color combo above to celebrate University of Michigan’s so far wonderful football season.

[Pentax via Engadget]

Aha — looks like PDN has a hands-on. Seems it’s a bit complicated to operate, more so than the competition anyway.

Here’s Pentax’s summary (there’s more at PhotoRumors):

• High resolution 12.4 megapixel CMOS image sensor features sensor-shift Shake Reduction for stabilized image and video capture up to 4 stops max.
• Large 2.7 inch LCD features Live View with contrast, phase difference, and Face Detection autofocus (up to 16 faces).
• Capture widescreen HD video in full 720p resolution (1280×720) at 24 FPS cinematic framerate, using any PENTAX 35mm lens.
• Highly compact DSLR body design allows for 1 handed operation and comfort when travelling.
• Powerful automatic modes, including PENTAX Auto Picture and scene modes, ensure the perfect shot in any situation, while helping new photographers learn DSLR photography.
• Creative processing and filter modes produce high quality finished images, while offering the ability to explore artistic freedom through unique special effects.
• True HDR image capture blends 3 bracketed images into a single picture with outstanding shadow, highlight, and midrange detail.
• Fast 4.7 FPS capture speed and 1/6000 second maximum shutter speeds are possible with the PENTAX PRIME II image processing engine.
• Responsive 11 point wide angle SAFOX VIII autofocus system focuses quickly and accurately, and can easily track moving subjects.
• Capture up to 1900 shots with universally available, easy-to-find AA lithium batteries (also compatible with AA NiMH rechargeable and alkaline batteries).
• Expanded ISO range covers sensitivities from 100-12800 for extreme low light photography.

AA batteries? Really? Well aside from that it looks pretty cool. The HDR mode may be useful or it may be terrible, there’s no way to tell for sure. I’ll be testing out a Fujifilm camera with a similar type of mode, so maybe we can have a showdown.

Ready?

Let’s start with the “compact, magnesium alloy body” because most cameras are initially judged by specs and how they feel. The K-7 has significantly more weight than previous DSLRs that I’ve handled from Pentax. To be specific, it weighs roughly 26.5 ounces with the rechargeable Li-ion battery compared to that of the K200D, which weighs 24.3 ounces. As you can surmise, it’s a bit of a lump in the hand, but it’s well balanced. The groove in the grip for your middle finger ensures a firm hold of the body, but it could have protruded out a little further for an even better grip. I can usually carry the K200D without a strap and not worry about it being easily knocked out of my hands, but I’m not as comfortable going without a strap on the K-7. And I don’t have the world’s largest hands either.

Buttons and controls are well laid out on the rear of the K-7 and it may be construed as a drastic change from previous models in the Pentax lineup such as the K20D, which the K-7 now replaces as the premier SLR in the family. The same can be said of the UI, but we’ll get to that in just a bit. The playback and delete buttons have been moved to the left of the viewfinder to allow for a 3-inch LCD. Said LCD is bright and vibrant and offers viewing angles from every which way. The K-7 now includes a dedicated Live View button and Green mode button. White Balance, Flash, Drive Mode and Image Tone have been given dedicated buttons and the Menu and Info buttons have been moved from the left hand side to the lower right below the aforementioned buttons.

Adjusting the AF point switching dial can lead to inadvertly turning on Live View mode and it’s a bit stiff so be prepared to dedicate a few minutes to adjust how to turn the dial without pushing the LV button. Pentax also decided to move the EV compensation button up top next to the ISO button.

Also new to the K-7 is a mode dial lock button that must be depressed while switching modes. It can be cumbersome when trying to switch modes quickly, but it also eliminates the chance of switching modes inadvertently. Other than that, there isn’t anything new when it comes to this area of the camera so let’s move on.

Starting with the K2000, Pentax drastically overhauled their UI and I initially found it awkward, but it’s much more streamlined with the way the hard buttons have been laid out. It’s also far more intuitive than the UI found on the K200D. Unfortunately, I haven’t had any time with the K20 so I can’t compare the two. I haven’t even begun to dip into the menu system and tweak things around to my preferences and just started shooting with it right out of the box. We’ll have more on this in the review.

I found the following features to be useful while shooting over the weekend: built-in level, auto-rotating menu and the AF assist light. Speaking of AF, the K-7 is much, much faster at locking on than the K200D and the 50mm f/1.4 that I primarily use with the K200D feels alive. However, I did notice that the K-7 struggled to lock onto multiple subjects even in continuous AF mode and would focus in on something stationary that didn’t seem to be focused on from my point of view. I can’t pass judgment, though. It could have been user error and I’ve only had the camera for a few days. We’ll investigate this further. I should also mention that the shutter is much more quiet than in previous SLRs from Pentax.

HD video has finally come to a Pentax DSLR, which is great and all, but why not go with full HD when competitors have been touting 720p capabilities for months. Hell, look at the Canon 7D that was just announced. As a consumer in the market looking at high-end DSLRs, I’d probably go with the 7D because for $400 more I get a rig that shoots in full HD regardless of everything else the K-7 may offer over the 7D. Either lower the price of the K-7 down to $999 or offer a badass rig that rivals the big boys, Pentax.

But I digress. A total of two videos were shot over the weekend and this was the best of them. This is just a sample that I shot during the practice round with the 300mm telephoto. You can imagine how difficult it is to manually focus such a large lens without a strap or monopod. User error, I know. Again, we’ll work with the video mode a bit more extensively for the full on review.

And now the sample images taken with the 300mm lens from yesterday’s post. The first and last were shot way atop the Penthouse E level at turn 1 while the second and third were taken from the turn 2 shooting pit. I’ve never photographed a race before, but I don’t think they’re horrible.

A few things that I wish were different based on my initial hands-on with the K-7 that others may or may not agree with. The 3-inch LCD is bright and the viewing angles are tremendous, but like any other LCD, it smears from body oil and it’s a pain in the ass to clean. How about an oleophobic screen? It makes perfect sense, right? Easy to clean and I doubt any photographer wouldn’t want one. An AF-L function would have been righteous, too. AF in movie mode would have been the killer feature on the K-7.

Again, this is the real deal hands-on and not me spouting off like a fanboy. Hope you enjoyed.

One of the downsides to covering gadgets on a daily basis for as long as I have is the fact that I think everything is crap. Very few things excite me and anything that does usually ends up falling short of my expectations. It’s unfortunate, but once in a blue moon does something not only impress, but also exceed my expectations. Case in point, the Pentax K-7.

I had the pleasure of taking it along with a DA* 300mm f/4, DA 17-70mm f/4 and my trusty FA 50mm f/1.4 to the 2nd Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix race over the weekend at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. I knew the K-7 was a good camera and based on all the reviews I’d seen for it, I knew it was right up there with the Canikons. But I never imagined that it would make my jaw drop.

I really only used the 300mm telephoto and that sucker rocked my socks off. All photos were taken at f/5.6 and ISO 800. There’s a bit of smearing at ISO 800, but I pulled a rookie move and didn’t take my laptop with me on the trip. I would have changed my setup for the final day, but you live and learn. Anyway, the jewel of the entire weekend is the last image I’ve attached of Jorge Lorenzo on his Yamaha as he’s coming around the first turn in front of the BMW M banner. Of course, I really like the emotion I captured with the Tony Elias crash during qualifying on Saturday. He wasn’t a happy camper after that, but he still managed to qualify fourth and started on the second row. That crash also happened less than 100 yards from where I was shooting at turn 2.

Here are a handful of “test” shots that I thought you guys might want to check out. I’ll have a few more “hands-on” posts throughout the week.

Also announced today from Pentax are the P80 and E80 digital cameras.

The 12-megapixel P80 is capable of recording HD video (720p) at 30fps and features an improved face detection function to recognize your mug even when it’s at an angle. Said function can see up to 32 faces in about 0.03 seconds. An ISO of 6400 should help in low light situations. The P80 will be available in September for $200.

The E80 takes the sensor down to 10 megapixels and captures HD video at 15fps. Those are really the only differences between the E80 and the P80. This, too, ships next month for $130.

Break out the credit card, photogs. Pentax is now shipping the K-7 DSLR body for $1300. You can find the HD shooting, all weatherproof, magnesium alloy shooter at the Pentax Store or Amazon. Adorama and B&H don’t seem to have them in stock yet. My birthday is this weekend, so if one of you could buy this for me that’d be great. K? Thanks.

Pentax Japan

Now, I can’t attest to the legitimacy of this spec list leaked by PhotoRumors, but let’s take a gander at what the GX-30 is purportedly equipped with. Assuming you understand the relationship that Samsung has with Pentax then one would assume that the GX-30 is simply a clone of the recently announced K-7. But is the GX-30 just that? A clone?

The basic specs appear to be the same as the K-7, but it differs in the inclusion of two SD/SDHC memory card slots and built-in GPS. The AMOLED screen means nothing since Samsung is heavy into the screen technology these days.

-Magnesium alloy body
-Environmentally sealed (dust and weather resistant)
-CMOS sensor 14.6 effective pixels (15 total pixels)
-ISO 100-6400
-RGB primary color filter
-4 channel data read-out
-Built-in OIS system (Hyper OIS system*)
-Dual Dust Removal system
-DRIM Engine II image processor
-JPEG / DNG / JPEG + DNG image format
-Pentax KAF2 bayonet mount
-11 AF sensors (10 simple-cross AF sensors and center double-cross AF sensor)
-Built-in AF illuminator LED
-AF-S, AF-A and AF-S focus mode
-77 metering zones
-Pentaprism OVF 100% coverage and 0.95X magnification
-Ultra Clear Screen Focus
-High continue shooting 6fps (50 high quality JPEG and 16 DNG)
-Low continue shooting 4fps (JPEG full card and 24 DNG)
-Pop-up flash
-Flash Sync 1/250 (1/200 OIS on)
-3”Intelligent AMOLED 780K** dots swing and tilt display
-Automatic brightness adjustment
-Live View system
-Live View with contrast AF, face detection and tracking AF
-Video HD 720p/30fps (contrast AF available)
-Exposure, ISO and aperture control on video
-USB 2.0, Wi-Fi, HDMI and Video out connectivity
-Built-in GPS
-Double SD/SDHC slots
-Lithium Ion battery SLB-2000***
-Dimensions: 138×100×72mm
-Weight 728gr (no battery)

*Computational based power
**800×600 resolution
***GX10 and GX20 compatible

via PhotoRumors

I’ve always said that the W-series from Pentax should be the only point and shoot in their lineup, but I, apparently, know nothing of marketing and business strategy.

Today marks the arrival of the optio W80. It’s not only waterproof, but now it’s shockproof, dustproof and coldproof. Dunk it under 16-feet of under, drop it from 3.3-feet high or subject it to sub-freezing temps (14 degrees Fahrenheit) and the W80 will keep on kickin’.

Armed with a 12.1-megapixel sensor, the 5x internal optical zoom shooter features a wide-angle 28mm lens, a 2.5-inch LCD and HD (720p) video recording at 30fps.

The W80 drops into stores next month for $300 in Cardinal Red, Azure Blue and Gunmetal Gray.

Pentax

According to Amateur Photographer, Pentax plans to tweak the sensor in the upcoming K-7 before it hits retailers. They’ve held off on their review of a pre-production K-7 after learning from Pentax UK reps that the DSLR would get a modified sensor. We’ve contacted Pentax here in the US to verify this information.

via AP

With the K-7 on the way, Pentax looks to be clearing out the K20D DSLR. Pentax has just announced a $100 instant rebate that goes into effect today and runs through till June 20. Two lenses will also see a $100 rebate. After the instant rebate, the K20D will drop down to $700 and the 18-55mm lens and 16-45mm lens will drop down to $780 and $1100, respectively.

Pentax

With a handful of beta K-7s in the wild, sample images and videos are starting to trickle in from various parts of the world, including Korea, China, Russia, Germany and even my home state of Oregon. I suggest viewing the originals rather than the compressed versions that I’ve used in the post.

The first image (JPEG) comes from Russia of some beautiful water lilies shot at ISO 200.

The following two images (RAW+) come from Germany and were both shot at ISO 200. You can grab the RAW files here after signing up.

Download the original here

Download the original here

A batch of photos from the same individual that first stirred up the K-7 rumors has the most interesting photos but there’s no EXIF data. The nighttime shot looks good, but there’s no way of knowing for sure.

High res (800×531)

Other samples from the dpreview forums can be seen here.

The first video comes from Korea and was uploaded to YouTube by a Pentax Forum member. The original file can be viewed here. Maybe it’s just me, but I don’t see much jello effect going on.

And the following is some footage taken in Astoria, Oregon. Dave isn’t around to tell me exactly where it is, though.

via Pentax Forums

Where’s my saltshaker?

Photo Rumors has been tipped off by a reliable source that Samsung plans to announce a new DSLR next month, the GX-30. Keeping in mind the relationship that Samsung has with Pentax, I’d assume it’s just a clone of the newly announced K-7 since the GX-20 was clone of the K20D with a few cosmetic differences.

However, Samsung had little to say about DSLRs at PMA and they’ve been tucked away in a lab working on the NX-series, so it’s a bit curious that they would even bother with a K-7 clone.

We’ve contacted Samsung’s US PR agency and they have no knowledge of the GX-30.

Photo Rumors via PB

Happy Tuesday! Hope ya’ll had a good weekend. Just for you, reader, we have some videos of the Pentax K-7 going head to head with the Nikon D3 and an overview from the team at Pentax in Golden, CO. There’s also some talk of new lenses that may or may not reveal what Pentax has in the pipe for their SLR line.

The first video is a comparison of the K-7’s continuous shooting mode versus that of the Nikon D3. Nothing too exciting, sure, but I kind of dig the new shutter sound from the K-7 and it seems to be much quieter than that of the D3. What’s more important is that the K-7 isn’t actually busting out the 5.2fps that Pentax claims, says RiceHigh. It’s actually measured at 5.08fps with 0.19675 seconds between shots and the actual number of continuous shots before the buffer goes is 46 and not 40. But who really knows until production models with v1.0 software are tested.

Next up is an eight-minute introduction video of the K-7.

I don’t typically follow lens rumors, but RiceHigh has a few ‘spy’ shots that supposedly reveal five new lenses and hints that Pentax might be working on a full-frame system. The following are the purported lenses in question: DFA* 20mm F2.8 SDM, DFA 645 25mm F2.8, DFA* 50mm F1.0 SDM, DA 135mm F2.8 Limited, and a DA* 400mm F4 ED[IF] SDM.

Video :: Pentax K-7 vs Nikon D3 [Imaging Insider]
K-7 Machine Gun Demo, Timing Measurbations and Size Comparisons [Rice High]
New Lens Roadmap Revamped? (5 New Lenses? Leak?) [Rice High]

Despite my new found love for manual film SLRs, I can’t help but lust over the new Pentax K-7 that was announced earlier this week. Our good buddy Dan Havlik got a full week with a pre-production model and his positive hands-on of the K-7 gives all of us Pentaxians hope that the seventh gen SLR is going to kick some much needed ass.

Dan wasn’t allowed to post any full-res images but Pentax Japan went ahead and posted four RAW sample images shot at ISO 100 on the HQ website. They look good, but I’m on a netbook so it’s a bit difficult to really assess the quality. So I’m hoping the photogs in the crowd will break it down for me. I’ve included all four images in a scaled down format so you’ll want to download the full-res versions here, here, here and here.

via DemystifyingDigital

The recently announce Pentax K-7 is shaping up nicely. The 14.6-megapixel shooter has an impressive spec list that includes 720p HD video recording, an HDR mode, and a solid body, but the high price of $1,299 took some by surprise. That price is notably more than the new Nikon D5000 and Canon T1i that feature similar specs. An early review by DemsystifyingDigital though gave the camera very high marks despite taking impressions from a pre-production model.

We won’t steall all of their thunder but they found the large camera to be solid. The button placement has improved from previous models and there are more of ‘em. The shutter and autofocus is fast too. Overall, they walked away with the impression that the camera is meant more for the prosumer or photographer looking to make a step up into a more feature-filled camera.