The Pentax FF DSLR camera details just got leaked. The camera will be released in Spring 2016 and all the specs shown on the image make me think that this is the A-mount FF camera I would like to get from Sony!
The Pentax FF has:
– Sony 36MP sensor
– 5 axis stabilization system (Sony tech?)
– Super resolution mode (Like the [shoplink 41530 ebay]E-M5II[/shoplink])
That would have been a terrific A-mount camera don’t you think?
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Image via Photorumors.
93 Responses
Is it true that this 36 MP sensor is FOVEON type? Eg 3-layer sensor, not Bayer.
It’s bayer.
Ok, illustration is misleading
Not so sure, image looks like 3 layers, says “World fist”, perhaps they are using the Share Reduction to move the sensor for a few exposures like Oly do.
The image is pretty poor resolution, but I suspect the idea is emulating a 3-layer sensor by shifting the sensor around and overlaying multiple images. A 4-image sequence would result in an R sample at every pixel site and a B sample at every pixel site with a Bayer sensor.
Pentax SR = Sony IBIS. Pentax has been doing sensor-shift stabilization tricks for about as long as Sony has.
No. This slide is obviously fake.
This will be a good camera, specially since Tamron will already have the 15-30mm f/2.8 VC and 24-70mm f/2.8 VC to go with this body, along with several prime lenses. Hopefully, Sigma will adapt its Art lenses for this lens mount as well.
I am particularly interested how well Pentax will implement the high-resolution mode using the pixel-shift mode of its 5-axis IBIS, specially for handheld shots. It will quite a step forward if it will improve on what the E-M5 II can do.
PSMS (as you call it) has it’s own limitations, which are worse than Foveon in most situations.
What “most situations” is varies depending on the circumstance of the photographer. For me, the limitations of the current Foveon sensor as currently implemented has made it essentially a specialist camera not really suitable for general use.
The Foveon sensor is currently available only in fixed lens Merill and Quattro bodies (with the exception of the SD1 which carries with it the requirement that one invest in Sigma-mount lenses). This is quite a limitation for many. An interchangeable lens Merill or Quattro using the Sony E-mount would easily have solved this but Sigma has sadly not chosen to allow this. Then there is the poor performance of the current Foveon sensor which drops significantly at ISO 800 and above. This is again quite a disadvantage for many.
The PSMS suffer from no such disadvantage when shooting at ISO 800 and higher. Using 4 rapid-shots, this rumored Pentax FF would theoretically be able to shoot 36mp resolution images while overcoming the Bayer CFA disadvantages. While PSMS is limited to fairly static subjects, this is not a disadvantage for those who take such subjects. And one will always have the option of shutting off PSMS and take a normal 36mp image when needed if one is shooting moving subjects. The AA-less sensor and the 36mp resolution would allow this rumored Pentax FF to deliver more what what the current Sigma Foveon cameras can deliver (though not so for B&W images).
What I will be watching out for is how this rumored Pentax FF will implement PSMS. If the camera can take the 4-shots (to overcome Bayer-CFA issues) or 8-shots (for high resolution) quickly with just one mirror-up operation, this will be ideal for tripod shooting. A very good IBIS may even allow some degree of handheld shooting with the PSMS activated once a high-performance sensor with global shutter becomes available in the near future.
Admin, any a-muont news ? even Sr1 ?
SR1: A99II will feature a BSI sensor.
SR1: A99II will come out at christmas
SR3: Sony to announce discontinuing A-mount, will release new LA-EA5 adapter offering screw-drive support for PDAF.
Sr5
A mount is dead, no more A mount camera ever.
a-muont is also dead.
A-mount titanic is no more.
They want to profit, not bankrupt.
Seems impressive. Doesn’t Pentax have a cult following ?
Gee, I wonder what happened to that fabled 42Mp FF Pentax camera. People were so sure it was just a question of time before Pentax would acquire that sensor.
I believe I heard some nonsense about Nikon and Pentax being very important customers, and that Sony would face grave danger if they exclusively hoard certain sensors to their own cameras.
Pentax may still release v2. 36MP is not shabby at all. Difference 36 to 42 seems miniscule. If this compromise reduces the price by say 1000 Euro I think Pentax have made excellent choice.
A7rII is obscenely priced 3750 Euro where I live while A7ii is 1600 Euro, A7r can be had below 2000 Euro. So double price or about 2000 Euro for 6MP is it worth it?
It’s for 14bit RAW. 😛
The 42mp sensor is likely much more expensive than an improved 36mp sensor. A high-resolution pixel-shift multi-shot (PSMS) mode will also easily offset any resolution disadvantages (quite minimal actually) a 36mp sensor will have over a 42mp sensor. This means that the Pentax FF will likely sell lower but will have a higher net resolution than the 42mp A7R II while at the same time overcoming the disadvantages of having a bayer CFA. Pentax seems to have thought this out well.
Or the slide is fake.
Occam’s Razor anyone?
It may yet be that the slide is fake but the features mentioned therein are within the realm of possibilities given what Pentax has already announced. What is new is the mention of the use of a Sony 36mp sensor instead of what most expect would be the new Sony 42mp sensor. But to me, using a 36mp sensor if implemented with PSMS makes a lot of sense if it will allow Pentax to price it significantly lower than if it were to use the 42mp sensor.
surely this is a fake???? it says …. “World’s fist” …. the typography is all over the place and the graphic design is atrocious!
That may be just internal slide not meant for public release.
I find that as implausible as this poorly made fake. 😉
You’d be surprised. I live in the country, and these sort of internal slides are the norm.
Surely you mean ‘typos’ rather than typography. If the former, you are 100% correct. Ugly.
Oh no! Adapters again!!!!
The introduction of this Pentax FF with many advanced features will certainly help to bring the the A7R II pricing to a lower level quicker. Competition is good.
Super FF Size Composit!
What exactly does “3 layers composition” mean?
Foveon-style sensor?..
but below that it says “…created by SR” (Shake Reduction)
Hm. What’s Super FF Composit then.
I think it’s emulating a Foveon-style sensor by shifting it.
So take a shot, shift a pixel left so that the B site is now G, take another shot, then shift a pixel downwards. You now have an R, a G, and a B sample in each site.
Hmm actually you’d need to do a right-shift after the down-shift with a 4th image to achieve an R capture in every single pixel position. (same for B).
They may have two modes of operation – improved color response at “normal” resolution, or significantly improved resolution at “normal” Bayer sensor color response.
Hmm.. I guess it’s a different kind of high-res mode, like Olympus did.
k-3II
My review: Pentax will have outdated sensor when released, IBIS inferior to Canikon OIS, few lenses. AF is slow, metering unreliable, no 4K. No 4 mp Jpeg option. Only Canikon can fulfill the needs of true visual artists like me.
Now support my family with $5 please.Thank you!
Fake. I don’t think that Pentax would use Sigma’s own diagram for the 3-layer tech. See http://www.sigma-dp.com/DP1x/img/colorsensor_04.gif and compare with what’s at the top of the post’s slide….
Good point here…
A lot of what’s claimed here “makes sense” however… The slide’s quality is so poor it can’t be real.
Yeah, this is a pretty poor snow job. If the person who made this actually did work for Pentax/Ricoh, they’d probably be fired for their poor presentation skills. Whereas nothing here seems implausible, I wouldn’t believe it just yet.
That’s a good call.
I think not. If this is from an internal presentation, nobody cares about a stolen diagram from a competitor.
Put on a presentation like this for your boss today, you will be unemployed tomorrow
I doubt it. Bosses rarely have more knowledge than the people in the field.
So basically it’s the A900II that should have came out oh….5 years ago. Dear Sony: Please give A mount to Pentax. Yours truly. – thkpic
Actually this sounds like a good solution for the A-mount issue: hand it off to Pentax. I’m serious.
Yes, sell the mount to a company that can barely handle one mount. Good idea.
At least we would get rid of the widows around.
pentax have 3 mount in production
I doubt Pentax would do SLT. And without that, A-Mount is no different than EF and F and now K. Maybe if they sold it to Samsung…
Anyone interested in the detail pixel-shift can deliver should take a look at this.
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/image-comparison?attr18=daylight&attr13_0=pentax_k3ii&attr13_1=sony_a7rii&attr13_2=nikon_d810&attr13_3=canon_eos5ds&attr15_0=jpeg&attr15_1=jpeg&attr15_2=jpeg&attr15_3=jpeg&attr16_0=100&attr16_1=100&attr16_2=100&attr16_3=100&attr126_0=highres&attr171_1=off&normalization=full&widget=1&x=0.10441590816658711&y=0.28938768179028873
If that link breaks then this:
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/image-comparison
Select the K-3ii with pixel-shift and compare to any other hi-res camera of your choice. Of course the mode has limitations which are well documented etc, but I was pleasantly surprised to see an affordable APS-C camera match a 5Ds for detail on the text portion of the picture. Of course in the K-3ii it was a feature that helped landscape photographers who wished they had a D810 punch above their weight, in a camera with a 36mp FF sensor this should be very very interesting.
Add to that Pentax make DSLR bodies with great ergonomics, excellent features and bright viewfinders, I am really looking forward to this. And I don’t normally like DSLR’s. Hope they can nail the AF though..
Pentax FF system will be better than FE right from the start. Full-sized body, dedicated PDAF, weather-sealing and a 24-70 f/2.8 lens with no regards for the bogus ‘compactness’. And cherry on top, a Sony sensor.
Forget “compete with Canikon”, Sony will be even behind Pentax next year.
Bye bye, enjoy!
The only advantage that camera will have against say Nikon D810 is in-camera stabilization and sensor shift resolution. Did the in-camera stabilization help KM? Or Sony A-mount? Is the sensor shift resolution feature, usable only on pretty much static subjects, worthy swap for a much more up-to-date lens line-up Nikon or Canon has?
Pentax is not getting anywhere with that camera. Sadly, even if it’s the best FF camera when it’s released, it still will get them nowhere. This is why Sony changed their strategy. This is why they now compete AGAINST DSLR market, not WITHIN that market.
But Sony has no products that can compete against DSLRs. They can take the customers that bought DSLR because that used to be the only option for a big-sensor camera, but people who require functionality that DSLR systems offer won’t go to mirrorless (until maybe Sony releases a DLSR-quality mirrorless and proper lenses, which they so far have been unwilling to do).
That said, you’re probably right about Nikon, I don’t think there’d be many reasons to purchase the new Pentax over D810.
Compete against DSLRS for what? Either you’re dense or simply ignorant of the facts.
1. Accurate focus with fast glass for portraits – EVF & SONY
2. Accurate exposure – EVF & SONY, zebras, EVF live-view monitoring.
3. Quality Audio, via MI shoe & quality pre-amps – SONY
4. Video – need I say any more – SONY
You’re so misinformed, so lacking in experience that I actually want to help you from making a fool of yourself.
And get ready for it; “I don’t do video, nor portraits.” Then go buy the D810 and stop making a fool of yourself around people who obviously know more than you!
Hi duott, do you mind name some of functionality that DSLR systems offer that won’t go to mirrorless?
There you go: https://a.disquscdn.com/uploads/mediaembed/images/2591/9028/original.jpg?w=600&h
Pick many Cherries do we duott? You are the master at baiting this forum, I’ll give you that much. 🙂
Agreed. Mirrorless full frame simply ain’t up to the job compared to DSLR. I regret the day I ever believed the internet and bought into the A7 line. The most irksome issue is the sheer sluggishness of these things.
Pentax also has a history of getting more from a sensor than other makers. This will likely have superior IQ than the D810, plus more resolution, better weather sealing and IBIS, but worse AF.
So, generally a “me too” product, marginally better in some areas, lacking in others. A product that will be, most likely, ignored by almost everyone.
I really wish they directed all that effort towards their MF SLR system. Perhaps add a mirrorless model. Or miniaturize things a bit because cutaway of 645Z displays so much unused space inside the beast.
Yes! Pentax Rumors is coming, trolls are leaving what a great day.
Pentax makes great products. That’s not enough, they have to market and sell them too.
This looks like a poorly made fake to me.
Surely you can see that too Admin?
Yes, but Powerpoint presentations made by executives look poorly made almost every time. I don’t think this a sign of fake. I would say the best signs are logical flaws.
FAKE!!!!!!!
Sony 36 mp sensor does not have Sigma Foveon 3 laers
Olympus/Sony 5 ax oh s ibis
Hasselblad sensor shift
And Sony diffraction reduction tech.
it says “…created by SR” (Shake Reduction)
So, no Foveon alike sensor.
Picture is pasted from Sigma Foveon literature.
i think pentax have the sensor shift tech, which gives a foveon like result on still subjects
Once again…the picture is copied directly from actual Sigma Foveon promo material….this is not pentax artwork…it is fake.
It makes no difference how convincing the fake caption to go with it sounds….it is fake regardlesd of whether it is a good fake or a bad fake.
Note also consistant use of the headline FIST instead of first
This slide is an absolute total complete fake.
If some of this fake materiel sounds convincing, or even if some of these fake claims turn out to be true it changes nothing…the entire slide is a hoax….!!!!!!
Yeah if you look at the little picture below the SR logo he’s right…
The K-3 II introduced a multi-shot system which allows each pixel location to full colour via a 1-pixel shift and 4 shots (1 R, 1 B, 2G).
Pentax 5-axis system (Pentax and Minolta originated sensor-shift IBIS, Pentax’s system actually dates back to the film era, but wasn’t production until the K100D. Oly cross-licensed the tech and has developed it on their own) Pentax’s system has been 5-axis capable since the K10D, but they have only enabled 4 axis control as of the K-3 II
As to diffraction reduction, that’s licensed IP, like DR expansion. Sony and Pentax both license from the IP owner.
Jeebus Kwiste, admin. I’ve done better fake slides on the history of French cathedrals in Win ME in grammar school under influence. Don’t call the cops, pls.
This presentation looks exactly as sh*tty (in terms of graphic design) as any other presentation made by managers for managers. I have a feeling that this may be not fake.
Admin
Everyone except SAR is talking about Quanta image sensor.
Also latest hot topic is Time of Flight camera with added Sony CIS technology….Softkinetic/Melexis/Sony colaboration.
You should post an article on these subjects
Cool, now everytime someone posts about A-mount should be redirected to Ricoh website.
What about the A99II?
Looks like BS to me.
the diffraction compensation tech looks interesting. lately we are seeing diffraction kicks in as soon as F11 on some of the higher resolution sensor. it will be interesting to see how they get around that.
Woooaaaaaaaaaaaa, this is what I was waiting for. Great ERGONOMICS, great sensor, great IBIS.
Interesting. Sony’s being a good sport about sharing their tech everywhere, even though they get payed for it of course. It’s better than locking everything in patents and keeping it to themselves, worried that somebody else might gain from it and improve on it. Go science.
Why sony no pixel shift, or do they also provide this?
Another RiceHigh rumor, it looks so credible 🙂 He’s a guy who take his dream for reality.
Non Sony rumors.
What looks so suspicious that you think it is fake?!!! If Sony took its IBIS from Olympus, Pentax had its own for quiet a long while. They had provided the pixel shift system in their K-3II. Sensor comes from Sony. Am I missing something here?
C’mon Sony, start a collaboration with Pentax and sell this camera with A-Mount, or better, use the 42MP sensor!
You’re obviously very new to Sony, since you don’t know that you don’t need to buy mirrorless to enjoy the advantages of EVF.
admin,
get off the Sony fanboy wagon!! The sensors is only 1 part of this camera, and yes its an important one, but still only one. Do you think the Apple forums only focus on their products having an intel cpu? No!!! They talk about the OS, handling, screen, graphics, power, battery, features, and in. Stop patting yourself on the back cause it has a Sony sensor. Its pathetic, and everyone knows Sony is one of the largest manufacturers of digital image sensors. You only create more Sony fanboys and idiots on this site to troll. I am sure you wont publish this comment cause it isnt fanboy enough for you.
I’m never really impressed by Pentax. The 36 megapixel sensor is from the A7r and is a generation behind. It is good, but besides that and of course the 5-axis stabilization (Pentax is already known for at least some in-body image stabilization), there is no “wow factor”.
Also, one should note that this slide is sloppy and uses different fonts, not for any effect, but probably because someone was lazy. It is similar with “Correspon” on one line, and “d” on another line, as well as some text slightly falling outside boxes. Overall, the slide does not look professional, so why trust the end product? You may say, “It’s the camera that counts, not some slide more than 6 months before its release.” Yes, but everything speaks to quality control and the image that they want to get across. I would be ashamed to show this slide, even if though I don’t work for a major imaging company (or one that hopes to be major). Pentax has been falling by the wayside for quite some time, and this is evident from the cheap tricks up its sleeve, like the Pentax Q (compact camera quality in a small SLR form factor!), the K-01 (how ugly and unusable can we make this while paying a “designer” tons of money to do it?), and the idea that selling cameras in mix and match colors will make up for a lack of “wow factor” in actual abilities.
“That would have been a terrific A-mount camera don’t you think?” hmm… no. It would been terrific if it was released in 2012 but in 2016… nope. it’s still relevant, but not terrific.
What’s the flange difference between the K Mount and the A Mount? Would an adapter be possible to use a mount lenses on this camera?