Yesterday, the Sony NEX-C3 was the world’s smallest interchangeable lens camera. It is not anymore. That title now belongs to the Pentax Q. To accomplish the camera’s incredibly small body size, Pentax needed to shrink the sensor in addition, making the Q not just the world’s smallest interchangeable lens camera (ILC), but in addition the cam with the world’s smallest sensor in an ILC. The Q uses a 12.4 megapixel, 1/2.3-inch backlit CMOS image sensor, manufactured by Sony — significantly smaller than the 4/3 and APS-C sensors utilized in Micro Four Thirds and Sony NEX -series cameras, respectively. As image quality depends on sensor size, the Q can’t compete directly with some other ILC — instead, its images are most equivalent to those you’d capture with a standard digital compact (which, ahem, don’t cost $800).
The Q will ship in late September or early October with a 47mm f/1.9 kit lens for approximately $800, and could be available in black or white — abandoning the incredibly diverse color palette offered with other Pentax DSLRs . It is going to even be compatible with a 27.5-83mm zoom ($300), a 160-degree fisheye ($130), and 35mm and 100mm “toy camera” lenses ($80 each). The ILC will shoot 1080p/30 video with h.264 compression, 5 fps stills, and includes an HVGA-resolution 3-inch LCD and unique pop-up flash. A dedicated bokeh filter makes up for the camera’s natural inability to capture images with a shallow depth of field. During our brief hands-on, images captured at as much as the Q’s highest available sensitivity of ISO 6400 gave the impression to be usable, in any case according to a magnified LCD view (we weren’t permitted to capture images to our own SD card). The cam offers traditional DSLR capture modes, moreover a various creative modes and Smart Effect Options, including an HDR capture mode. The version Pentax had reachable wasn’t fully baked, but jump past the break for our video walkthrough with a product manager.
GOLDEN, CO. (June 23, 2011)… PENTAX Imaging Company has announced the PENTAX Q – the world’s smallest and lightest interchangeable lens camera (ILC).* The Q offers the flexibility and precision of a sophisticated DSLR in a body that’s significantly smaller than some other digital ILC body in the stores today.
* The world’s smallest and lightest digital interchangeable lens system camera, as of June 15, 2011 (in line with PENTAX research).
The camera’s tiny size, lightweight design, and superior image quality are made possible by an innovative PENTAX-developed imaging system. With a high-resolution 12.4 megapixel, 1/2.3 inch CMOS image sensor, the Q carves out a completely new camera category that extends beyond traditional digital compact, APS-C or 4/3 digital cameras. The backlit sensor is a highly efficient light-gathering instrument that produces little or no noise at high sensitivity levels particularly in low light settings. Further, the recent Q lens mount is an ideal match with the recent sensor and each interchangeable Q lens is designed for more advanced image quality than can be found on traditional compact digital cameras. This innovative PENTAX design is the inspiration of the Q’s position because the world’s smallest, lightest ILC system with superior image quality.
Several important features of the PENTAX Q include:
• A newly designed PENTAX Q-mount lens system for convenient interchangeability with quite a lot of specialty Q lenses including prime, zoom, fish-eye and more.
• Exceptional image quality in 12.4 megapixels from the Q’s 1/2.3 inch backlit CMOS image sensor. Able to producing 12 bit DNG RAW and JPG images, the backlit CMOS sensor is a highly efficient light-gathering instrument designed specifically to provide very low noise at high levels of sensitivity.
• Extremely compact, durable, lightweight, scratch resistant magnesium alloy body.
• The ability and adaptableness of traditional DSLR shooting modes together with Program, Aperture/Shutter Priority, and Metered Manual exposure control in addition to highly convenient PENTAX Auto Picture and 21 scene modes for informal shooting, including new Forest and Stage Lighting options.
• many different creative modes, Smart Effect options, or camera settings that assign to the Q’s Quick Dial located at the front of the camera. Smart Effects modes enhance digital photography by applying a chain of effects to pictures to realize positive finishing. Brilliant Color, Vintage Color, Warm Fade, Bold Monochrome, and Water Color are only one of the Smart Effects available and might be assigned at the Q’s Quick Dial.
• In-camera HDR capture mode shoots 3 images of varying exposures, blending them to bring out the main points in even the darkest shadows and brightest highlights of utmost contrast shots.
• Nice motion video with stunning full 1080p HD clarity at 30 frames per second. The Q processes the complete HD video using fine quality h.264 compression for superior color and detail and provides creative video effects through custom image modes, digital video filters, and interval shooting.
• A sensor-shift Shake Reduction system with integrated DRII Dust Reduction for blur and mud free images even in low lighting.
• 5 frames per second continuous shooting mode for any fast action setting.
• Effortless bokeh control with the Q’s Bokeh Control filter. (Traditionally controlled through a DSLR lens’s aperture, bokeh is the out of focus component to the background that helps to emphasise the topic, drawing the viewer’s eyes to a very powerful portion of the photo.) The Q offers a very good degree of additional control over image bokeh via an in-camera filter operation.
• Powerful USER modes allow the creative photographer to save lots of a sequence of favorite camera settings, filters, and custom image modes for fast reuse.
• Shutter speeds range from 1/2000 to 30 seconds for freezing fast action or capturing long nighttime exposures. Bulb mode adds flexibility for low light photography and motion effects.
• A built-in popup flash adds the ideal amount of additional light to a picture with a high extension to naturally reduce the redeye effect common to compact cameras. The Q’s flash is valuable to 23 feet at 200 ISO, and covers a large angle 28 degree field of view.
• Compatibility with the newest generation SD, SDHC, and SDXC memory cards for ultra-high capacity storage in addition to outstanding image file portability.
Along side the Q, PENTAX introduced the PENTAX 01 Standard Prime kit lens and an optional optical viewfinder. The unifocal standard lens has a focal length corresponding to 47mm within the 35mm format. The lens offers a natural perspective much like that of the human eye and is perfect as a multipurpose, everyday standard lens for varied subjects including landscape and portraiture. With a maximum aperture of F1.9, it performs superbly in dim lighting and can be easily adjusted for bokeh. Incorporating two high grade aspherical optical elements, this lens compensates various aberrations to a minimum.
Featuring high-end optics incorporating special optical glass elements and PENTAX exclusive lens coating technology, this lens delivers beautifully defined, top quality images which are sharp and high contrast even on the edges. The AF motor installed within the lens assures smooth, quiet focusing operation. The lens shutter mechanism allows the PENTAX Q’s built-in auto flash to be synchronized to the camera’s top shutter speed of one/2000 second (or 1/250 second when using an adjunct flash unit). This lens may be equipped with a built-in ND (neutral density) filter, which is useful when shooting with open aperture at bright locations or when using slower shutter speeds.
The shoe-mounted viewfinder attachment is an optional accessory. This External Viewfinder O-VF1 offers outstanding compositional framing, even within the brightest sunlight where viewing an LCD screen is traditionally a challenge. (Note: The Viewfinder offers framing marks for a standard lens.)
The PENTAX Q should be available in white or black body models and shipped in a regular Prime lens (available in silver) kit. Initially, the PENTAX Q system will ship in Japan. Anticipated shipping time to the u. s. is early Fall 2011 at around $800 for a standard lens kit.
The optional shoe-mounted viewfinder could be available together for $249.95 USD. Each may well be pre-ordered now on www.pentaxwebstore.com The PENTAX 01 Standard Prime kit lens might not be sold separately. Additional info is out there here: www.pentaximaging.com/news
PENTAX Imaging Company is an innovative leader within the production of various adventure ready digital cameras including weather-resistant digital SLRs and trendy, compact, waterproof cameras, in addition to lenses, flash units, binoculars, scopes, and eyepieces. For greater than 90 years, PENTAX has developed durable, reliable products that meet the purposes of adventurous consumers and businesses. With headquarters in Golden, Colorado, PENTAX Imaging Company is a division of PENTAX of America, Inc.
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