New Pentax Q7 with larger sensor

<p>Pentax has released a new member of the "Q" family. The Q7 features a new 1/1.7" sensor, which is is still very small but significantly larger than the 1/2.3" sensors used in the Q and the Q10.</p>

<p>(When the original Q was released, many of us, myself included, wanted to know why they didn't use a 1/1.7" sensor. Perhaps they've been listening...?)</p>

<p>More info on the Q7: http://pentaximaging.com/hybrid/Q7_Black</p>

<p>http://pentaximaging.com/Q7studio#/silver/black</p>

<p>The larger sensor means that existing Q-mount lenses just got a little wider. For example, the 02 Standard Zoom had a 28-83 equivalent focal length on the Q and Q10, but on the Q7 it becomes a 23-69... or let's just call it a 24-70, which sounds a lot more traditional and professional. ;-) The 01 Standard Prime had a 47mm focal length equivalent on the old Qs, but on the new Q it has a 39mm equivalent... pretty close to 40, which is considered "true normal" by many.</p>

<p>The fact that these lenses have a large enough image circle for the 1/1.7" sensor would appear to suggest that Pentax planned to use a 1/1.7" sensor all along. We'll probably never know why they didn't use one right from the start. But hey, better late than never!</p>

<p>This camera system just became a LOT more interesting to a lot more people.</p>

<p>It's worth mentioning that Pentax really did quite a remarkable job in getting maximum performance from the tiny 1/2.3" sensor used in previous Qs. Hopefully that means that the Q7 will blow other 1/1.7" sensor cameras out of the water.</p>

<p>It has become more interesting to me! I'm looking forward to seeing some examples of real world performance!</p>

<p>Same here, Matt!</p>

<p>Interesting. I hope the image circle for existing lenses will not be challenged by a larger sensor.</p>

<p>I have a feeling that they'll be fine. When the Q first came out, many folks thought the lenses were needlessly large for such a small sensor. Perhaps now we know why!</p>

<p>My daughter already picked out a aqua/pink one. (yech!) Fortunately she already got her birthday gift.</p>

 

<p>They should make a weather-resistant version that looks like this and market it as the Q7 L.L.Bean Editon. ;-) </p>

<p><img src="http://pentaximaging.com/q7simulator/img/photos/Q7--metal_green--brown.png" alt="" width="400" height="228" /></p>

<p>Do they come with tweezers so you can hold the camera?</p>

<p>You must have an awful time with cell phones, Wayne! ;-)</p>

<p>R.T. you came up with the same color scheme I think I would have come up with.</p>

<p>I gotta admit I'm a sucker for brown and green — reminds me of my favorite candy, Andes Chocolate Mints!</p>

<p>If I was going to buy a Q7, the traditionalist in me would feel a very strong urge to go with the all-black version... but at the same time there is definitely something compelling about being able to pick your own custom colors and pretend that you're rich and that you had Pentax custom-design a camera just for you. :)</p>

The 1/2.33" BSI CMOS sensor in the original Q was pretty competitive with the 1/1.7" sensors available at the time of its

release such as that in the Panasonic LX5 and Canon S95, and may have been better at certain tasks like HD video.

Now, a couple of years later the slightly larger sensors have improved a bit and fortunately Pentax had the foresight to

allow the mount design to handle either.

 

The Q system is also a little more complete now with a decent telezoom, plus better adapted lens support with the leaf-

shutter-equipped k-mount adapter + features like focus peaking and SR for adapted lenses.

 

I think the initial pricing will be a little less insane as well. I imagine this sensor may be similar to that in the MX-1, we'll

have to see.

<p>Agreed, the initial pricing is MUCH more reasonable. The Q7 + 02 Standard Zoom is listed at $496.95 on B&H, and we can safely assume that the price will eventually come down over time... but that's really a very reasonable price, especially as a starting price, considering that comparable fixed-lens compacts such as the Olympus XZ-2 are selling for the same price. The original Q was priced at around $800 when it came out. (You can still get them, by the way, for the very reasonable price of $249.95 at Amazon!)</p>

<blockquote>

 

<p>They should make a weather-resistant version that looks like this and market it as the Q7 L.L.Bean Editon. ;-)</p>

 

</blockquote>

 

<blockquote>

<p><img src="http://pentaximaging.com/q7simulator/img/photos/Q7--metal_green--brown.png" alt="" /></p>

</blockquote>

<p>Are you in marketing? You should be. I would buy that! Especially if it was WR.</p>

 

<p>I'm not in marketing, but thank you for the compliment! :) I'd buy one too, and I could see it being a huge hit in the L.L.Bean catalog. WR would be fantastic. A small, light, high-quality MILC that I can literally take anywhere in any kind of weather? Yes, please! Or as Liz Lemon would say, "I want to go to there." ;)</p>

<p>Hey Pentax, are you still listening? :D</p>

<p>I think Pentax does themselves a disservice when highlighting all the horrid garish color combinations possible when so many <em>attractive </em>combinations <em><strong>can</strong> </em>be created. Because of this the custom color program makes Pentax a laughing stock among photographers who don't look a little closer. Many photogs are so conservative that they're offended that a 'color' other than black would be offered. You'd think people participating in a visual art medium would be a little more open minded in this area.</p>

<p>I for one am looking into the possibility of taking advantage of the custom color program -- in the past customers have had to pay a considerable premium for this because the custom colors weren't available at time of launch, so by the time they were, the standard-colored cameras were available at substantial discount.</p>

<p>If this ends up having a sensor at least as good as the one in the MX-1 I may be an early buyer as I already have a Q kit.</p>

<p><em>> the Q7 L.L.Bean Editon</em><br>

Dang it, R.T.! Between the bigger sensor automagically converting the 02 zoom to about 24-70 mm-e and your color scheme now I want one. Arrgh. <br>

<br />Still, a GXR came in the mail today, so I'm new camera-ed out for now.</p>

<p>While the increased sensor size is an improvement, Pentax has a long way to go to catch up to the competition. I was recently in Toronto and had two interesting conversations with sales-people at the biggest stores, one of whom had just been visited by Pentax Japan. We lamented that people don't know how good the Pentax DSLR units are, especially their image pipeline and build. There's nothing like them at their price points.</p>

<p>But Pentax/Ricoh do themselves no favours -- in fact they seem intent on undermining all their good work with a profusion of sub-standard butt-ugly cameras. The MX-1 (which I finally got to handle) is only the latest mistake. And now they've confused the DSLR line with a couple of me-too units.</p>

<p>Right next to Pentax were the Fuji cameras. Drool. Around the corner were all the Micro-Four-Thirds models. Yum.</p>

<p>I wonder if Pentax will ever get the message?</p>

<p>Robin, when you refer to "sub-standard butt-ugly cameras," which specific camera(s) are you referring to?</p>

<p>Also, can you clarify/expand your comment about the MX-1 being a mistake? I've been hearing very good things about it thus far. Most of the praise for the MX-1 seems to be coming from non-Pentaxians, whereas most of the criticism seems to be from Pentaxians. Curious to hear your in-depth thoughts about it.</p>

<p>I imagine some might call K-01 'sub-standard'. It depends what standards we're talking about but clearly it wasn't for everyone whether for technical, ergonomic, or aesthetic reasons.<br>

As for butt-ugly, it seems the K-30 was rather polarizing, but sort of in an opposite direction from the K-01. Somewhat suprising to <em>me</em>, some people actually <em>like</em> its looks...I'm guessing this is a different bunch than those who had some appreciation (like me) for the lipstick Newson was applying to the K-01 pig.<br>

Personally, I consider the K-5/7 and ur-Q to be nearly perfect from an aesthetic and construction standpoint. I found the looks of the K-01 to be at least interesting. The looks of the Q10/Q7 are acceptable but not as nice as the Q. I consider K30 one of the least attractive cameras Pentax has made -- weird angles & points and unfortunate inconsistencies in texture and materials around the body. I suspect it's not quite as horrid in person, but it reminds me of that sort of Casio G-shock "styling" that the W-series Optios have. The K50 and K500 have retreated from this but have gone conservative to the point where they overshot the relatively attractive and purposeful look of K-5/7 (and K-r for that matter) to something rather feckless and vanilla.<br>

<br />I haven't yet mentioned MX-1 here...it's sort of a neither fish-nor-foul not retro but not particularly elegant modern either. I'm among those who think it was a shame to invoke the vaunted MX label for a camera with so many shortcomings. I don't think it's a _<em>bad</em>_ camera but it doesn't seem very elegant, seems kind of forced. And Pentax should have been in revision 3 of premium compact by now, not just first dipping it's toes in the water. Frankly, the K-7/K-5 would have been much more worthy of the MX moniker -- tough & compact. I also would have been OK with using it for something simpler, more boiled down to essentials, but at its heart a serious photographic tool.</p>

<p>As a Pentaxian I have a hard time warming to most of the m4/3 equipment. Even though some have pretty nice specs/features, none seem to feel right in terms of the whole package including ergonomics, appearance, etc. Perhaps it's just what I'm used to. Fujifilm continues to do some interesting stuff in the last few years though at this point it still doesn't quite seem to be a full system. (nor does NEX, though I find less to like about NEX).</p>

<p>DPReview has posted some "real world" image samples from the new Q7:</p>

<p>http://www.dpreview.com/news/2013/07/03/pentax-q7-samples-gallery</p>