[Klaus]

Quite nice actually:

http://digicame-info.com/2014/08/pentax-k-s1.html

 

Specs:

http://www.pentaxforums.com/articles/pen...eaked.html

 

Our old friend Rice High doesn't like it but he's done a comparison to the EOS 100D:

http://ricehigh.blogspot.com/2014/08/new...-k-s1.html

 

 

 

 

[davidmanze]

  Hi, 

      The first thing that strikes you is the row of LEDs down the front right hand side which gives the camera a certain gizmo/novelty look, (not sure what they are for) also there's a new sensor for Pentax,  20Mp  which could be a good compromise between the existing 16Mps of the K50 and the 24Mps of the K3. Now  Pentax needs a new decent compact kit lens as the existing looks too large and dated on that camera, it's initial reputation as a kit lens some years back was good but times have moved on as has sensor resolution.

 It's interesting to note that Pentax has been very frugal with it's development expenditure and has standardized on many of it's components, sensors prisms, screens over the years, so they have been able to keep their development costs to a minimum, this is of course a double edged sword as it means were not seeing a great deal of new lenses and new products. It's my guess that Ricoh are not willing to take any financial risks hence Pentax is "just" profitable" , compared with Fuji, Olympus and Sony who do and are making losses. Gopro one of the biggest selling current cameras made a loss of $21 million in the last three financial quarters.  Times are hard in this industry at the moment!

 

BTW. Our "old friend" Rice High hasn't liked anything from Pentax since it went digtal and rarely writes a decent word about them, some ambassador for the marque!

[Brightcolours]

That is pretty ugly, the angles... the green rope of led lights on the "grip", the crazy blue lighted cursor key arrangement....

[Klaus]

  Hi, 

      The first thing that strikes you is the row of LEDs down the front right hand side which gives the camera a certain gizmo/novelty look, (not sure what they are for) also there's a new sensor for Pentax,  20Mp  which could be a good compromise between the existing 16Mps of the K50 and the 24Mps of the K3. Now  Pentax needs a new decent compact kit lens as the existing looks too large and dated on that camera, it's initial reputation as a kit lens some years back was good but times have moved on as has sensor resolution.

 It's interesting to note that Pentax has been very frugal with it's development expenditure and has standardized on many of it's components, sensors prisms, screens over the years, so they have been able to keep their development costs to a minimum, this is of course a double edged sword as it means were not seeing a great deal of new lenses and new products. It's my guess that Ricoh are not willing to take any financial risks hence Pentax is "just" profitble" , compared with Fuji, Olympus and Sony who do and are making losses. Gopro one of the biggest selling current cameras made a loss of $21 million in the last three financial quarters.  Times are hard in this industry at the moment!

 

BTW. Our "old friend" Rice High hasn't liked anything from Pentax since it went digtal and rarely writes a decent word about them, some ambassador for the marque!

 

Difficult times indeed. We are also seeing the reduced interest in system cameras here in the zone (doesn't matter since we are a part-time gang anyway).

 

The odd thing about Pentax is that they pushed a bit towards "ruggedness" whereas the S1 feels "fashionable".

I like the edgy design - but less so the LEDs. Probably something of a SciFi topic or something.

The Pentax 18-55 is alright I'd say as is most of the Pentax lens lineup. A key differentiator is still missing though.

 

The 20MP sensor is surely a Sony thing (which Sony already uses in some of their cameras).

[josa]

Not very good looking in my opinion. Yes, it's kind of sci-fi or just a toy. I am sure we will be reading "it sell well in Asia" (as always)

Good luck to Pentax anyway...