K-x Firmware Update (v1.01)

[joe_jackson4]

<p>Link:</p>

<p><a href="http://www.pentax.jp/english/support/digital/k-x_s.html">http://www.pentax.jp/english/support/digital/k-x_s.html</a></p>

<p>I tried it earlier... Works fine, and seems to fix the battery meter niggles when installing fresh batts. Now I can just change batts, power up and the meter is green. No waiting. No LV button tricks. And no blatant red meter lies... I also tried it with some batts which I knew were semi-discharged, and it correctly identified them with an appropriately orange meter. Good.</p>

<p>So, it seems like the update has sorted the battery meter out... Nice one.</p>

[michael_kuhne]

<p>Thanks for this good info, Paul. I have serious intentions of acquiring this fine little camera at least before spring. Much sooner if some indoor sports shooting gets my attention.</p>

[jgredline]

<p>Michael.<br>

One of my buddies just got one of these and so I got to shoot a few snaps with it. To keep it short, I think the K-7 is better in every way, ''EXCEPT'' image quality...This little cam puts out the best Jpegs I have seen straight out of the box. Only the K100D super comes close ''IMHO''....the HIGH ISO performance is atleast as good as the K20D, Maybe a 1/2 stop better, but atleast two stops better than the K-7</p>

[michael_kuhne]

<p>Hah, hah- is this not a great thing, Javier, such a modest little camera putting out such great performance?? I think it a wonderful little digital counterpart to the ME Super for a super compact DSLR! A terrific walk-around shooter when compact carrying is a high need, and also a fine side-kick backup for the mighty K20D!! I am looking forward to using it with my DA 21mm and FA 43mm Limiteds. Doesn't strain the pocket book either. I think, since Pentax doesn't offer a silver/black version, I'll just go with the black. That should still look ok with my silver/black lenses as the camera does have chrome accents. I just noted Adorama now features a body-only deal available for $600, very reasonable for all that it offers. No doubt B&H will soon follow, and no doubt the price will drift down yet lower after a while, probably not long after the holiday season.</p>

[bob_stevenson]

<p>You have no idea HOW angry it makes me that this camera costs over 600 POUNDS here in the UK,...and that is th same price as the k20 was,..so all pentax have doubled in price efectively and are TWICE what you pay! Fortunately, pentax will have to drop the price massively when the other makes outclass it,..which will be sonn thanks to the kx poor video implementation, poor live view and battery problem...... Perhaps then I can afford a newer pentax, albeit a duff one, to replace k100D</p>

[miserere_mei]

<p>Bob, have you tried ordering a K-x from B&H? That's what most of the Australians do, as they get hit by even bigger price differences than Europeans.</p>

[jgredline]

<p>Michael,<br>

I have been enjoying my ME SUPER a whole bunch lately. What a great cam. As for the K-X, If I where not so upset with Pentax, I would buy one. The K-X furthered my displeasure with them.<br>

Here is a 100% crop of one of the many test shots I took yesterday. The bird feeder is roughly 100 feet or more away from where I was.<br>

<img src="http://i404.photobucket.com/albums/pp128/jgredline/lense%20test/IMGP0707100.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p>Here is the full size one or atleast as large as photobucket lets me upload.<br>

http://s404.photobucket.com/albums/pp128/jgredline/lense%20test/?action=view&current=IMGP0707.jpg</p>

[jgredline]

<p>Oh, That is ISO 1600 by the way, and not even a hint of noise that I can see.</p>

[joe_jackson4]

<p>Javier, yeah, the K-x JPEGs are pretty good at the default settings. OK, they can look a little "iffy" and over-processed at 100% - especially at the higher ISOs, of course - but who cares if the overall pic is acceptable for normal viewing...? Not me...</p>

<p>Given the decent noise reduction, good metering and seemingly much-improved auto white balance performance, I've basically been treating the K-x as an oversized P&S and shooting JPEGs... I'm increasingly finding RAW processing to be a chore I'd rather avoid and the K-x lets me do that without too many issues.</p>

[john_smith237]

<p>

<p>Paul, thank you for the information about the firmware update. I’m glad Pentax have made an effort to deal with the battery meter problem. I had recently become interested in the K-x as a replacement for the K100D Super that was stolen when I was in Spain last August but the battery issue had put me off buying the K-x. Quite frankly I expect a battery indicator to give me a true indication of the state of charge. I would not tolerate misinformation in my cellphone or my laptop so why should I accept it in a camera? If the firmware update proves to solve the problem then I am in the market again for the K-x.</p>

</p>