The Pentax Q10, revealed shortly before the start of Photokina 2012, is the world's smallest, lightest compact system camera (CSC).
Following on from the Pentax Q, it has a new 1/2.3-inch back-illuminated sensor with 12.4 million pixels. This small sensor results in a 5.5x focal length magnification, so using the 8.5mm lens produces an image equivalent to a 47mm lens on a 35mm camera. When the Adapter Q is used to attach a K-mount, a modest telephoto lens becomes an extreme telephoto.
Pentax has upgraded the autofocus algorithm from the Pentax Q on the Pentax Q10, which is designed to improve its speed and accuracy. Plus, sensitivity can be set up to ISO 6400.
In addition to program, aperture priority, shutter priority and manual exposure modes, the Pentax Q10 has 21 scene modes and an Auto Picture mode that sets the scene mode automatically.
Four of your favourite Smart Effect modes, such as cross process and Brilliant Colour, can be assigned for quick access via the dial on the front of the camera.
The flash can be popped up to reduce the risk of red-eye, but if you forget it will still fire in its resting position.
Pressing the Pentax Q10's Info button brings up a quick control screen to enable all the key settings to be adjusted.
The BC option on the mode dial stands for Blur Control, and using it sets the camera to apply extra blur to out of focus areas to recreate the restricted depth of field effect that is associated with larger sensor cameras and wide apertures.
In the new Pentax K-5 II and Pentax K-5 IIs, Pentax has made a few subtle, but important upgrades on its premium DSLR, the K-5. The public have just had their first view of the K-5 II and K-5 IIs at Photokina 2012, alongside fellow new camera, the Pentax Q10. Here we look at some of their key features.
Pentax K-5 II and Pentax K-5 IIs sensor
Although the Pentax K-5 II and Pentax K-5 IIs both have the same APS-C format CMOS sensor with the same 16.3MP pixel count as the Pentax K-5, it is a newly designed device.
Pentax K-5 II and Pentax K-5 IIs differences
The only difference between the Pentax K-5 II and the Pentax K-5 IIs is that the K-5 IIs doesn't have an anti-aliasing filter. This means that the images are more likely to suffer from moiré patterning, but they should be sharper and more detailed. Because Pentax expects to sell fewer K-5 IIs bodies, it has a recommended full price that is £150/$100 more than the K-5 II.
Pentax K-5 II and Pentax K-5 IIs autofocus
The big news for the Pentax K-5 II and K-5 IIs is that they have the SAFOX X AF system which Pentax claims to be faster and more accurate than the system in the Pentax K-5. It can also operate down to -3EV, which is only equalled by the newly announced Canon EOS 6D.
Pentax K-5 II and Pentax K-5 IIs shake reduction
As well as helping to prevent camera shake from blurring images, Pentax's Shake Reduction (SR) system inside the Pentax K-5 II and Pentax K-5 IIs can be used to rotate the sensor to correct sloping horizons or adjusted the composition slightly.
Pentax K-5 II and Pentax K-5 IIs sensitivity
Sensitivity may be set in the native range ISO 100-ISO 12800, or from ISO 80-ISO 51200 when expanded via a custom function.
Pentax K-5 II and Pentax K-5 IIs LCD
A resin layer between the LCD and the cover over the 3-inch 921,000-dot screen helps reduce reflections, making it easier to see images on the Pentax K-5 IIs and Pentax K-5 II screen than the Pentax K-5's.
Pentax K-5 II and Pentax K-5 IIs viewfinder
Unlike many APS-C format DSLRs, the Pentax K-5 II's viewfinder shows 100% of the view, so images can be composed more accurately.
Pentax K-5 II and Pentax K-5 IIs rugged design
A total of 77 seals keep moisture and dust outside the cameras' body so the Pentax K-5 IIs and Pentax K-5 II can be used environments that are too harsh for many DSLRs.
Pentax K-5 II and Pentax K-5 IIs continuous shooting
Up to 30 images can be captured at maximum continuous shooting rate of 7fps, which if Pentax's claims for the AF system prove true could make it an attractive option for keen sports photographers.
Pentax K-5 II and Pentax K-5 IIs price and release date
The Pentax K5 II and Pentax K5 IIs will be available from early October, with the Pentax K-5 II set to retail for £799.99/$1,199.95 and the Pentax K-5 IIs for £949.99/$1,299.95 (body only).
Olympus has introduced two new cameras to sit in its PEN range of compact system cameras (CSCs), both using the sensor from the Olympus OM-D.
The cameras, which will sit in the middle and bottom of the PEN lineup, have combined some of the best features of both the PEN range and the newer OM-D camera.
The new Olympus PEN Lite E-PL5 and new Olympus PEN Mini E-PM2 team up the 16.1 million pixel from the Olympus OM-D with a True Pic VI image processor, which should mean that the cameras are capable of delivering similar image quality.
For the moment, the Olympus PEN E-P3, which sits at the top of the PEN range, has not been replaced.
Touchy feely
Both now feature a touchscreen, with the Olympus PEN Lite E-PL5 featuring a tilting version, to help with shooting from awkward angles, and the Olympus PEN Mini E-PM2 including a fixed display. The PEN Lite's screen is so flexible that it can be tilted upwards for shooting self-portraits.
Olympus PEN E-PL5 at a glance 16.1 million pixel Live MOS sensor True Pic VI image processor ISO up to 25,600 1080p Full HD Tiltable 3-inch, 460k dot LCD touchscreen 12 creative art filters 8fps shooting
Fast AF autofocusing, as already seen on the Olympus OM-D, is also available, along with in-body image stabilisation.
Well known as a keen advocate of digital filters, Olympus has included 12 different art effects on the latest PEN compact system cameras, including cross process and pop colour. Filters can also be used while shooting HD video.
Olympus PEN E-PM2 at a glance 16.1 million pixel Live MOS sensor True Pic VI image processor ISO up to 25,600 1080p Full HD Fixed, 460k dot LCD touchscreen 12 creative art filters 8fps shooting
The new Olympus PEN Lite E-PL5 price is set to be £599 (around $970), while the Olympus PEN Mini E-PM2 will cost around £499 (approx $810). For an extra £70 (approx $113) you can add a new 15mm "body cap" f/8 lens that enables spontaneous and quick shooting while also protecting the camera from dust.
A November release date is currently the most likely.
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As soon as you pick up the 20.2MP Canon EOS 6D you notice that it's quite a bit different from the Canon EOS 5D Mark III. It's smaller for a start, being similar in proportions to the Canon EOS 60D. And although it still feels pretty durable, it doesn't feel quite so tough as the cameras further up Canon's DSLR line.
There's also no mini-joystick multi-controller for selecting the AF point, instead there's a navigation pad inside the dial large dial on the back of the camera.
The menu system also looks a bit different, with a long list of option tabs across the top of the screen. All the usual features that you would expect to find in there are present, with one or two new additions. The custom functions section, for example, has an Autofocus option, and it's possible to adjust how the AF system responds to a change in subject distance.
This makes the Canon EOS 6D a more versatile, customisable option than the Canon EOS 60D for sports photographers - although the maximum continuous shooting rate is only 4.5fps. There's no M.Fn button next to the shutter release for adjusting the focusing options, though.
There's an interesting option in the Playback menu that enables you to create a photobook direct from the camera. This is a pretty exciting option that ties in with Canon's Project 1709 cloud storage plans, since this will enable photographers to order prints and books to be made via the internet.
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There are 'only' 11 AF points, but they are pretty well spread across the frame, and the system is as responsive as we have come to expect. The subject is brought smartly into focus after half pressing the shutter release, even when light levels are quite low.
Although the Canon EOS 6D has HDR capture like the Canon EOS 5D Mark III, this is a JPEG only option, so it's not quite as exciting for serious photographers as the raw HDR capture option of the Canon EOS 5D Mark III.
Making connections
Wi-Fi connectivity is a key new feature for the Canon EOS 6D. We weren't able to test this with the pre-production sample that we got to use, but it was good to see that you can create a nickname for the camera to make it easy to recognise when you're trying to connect.
We look forward to testing this function when we get a full production sample camera in for our Canon EOS 6D review.
Being able to upload and share images directly has obvious advantages, and it ties in nicely with Canon's Project 1709 beta cloud storage program, announced at the same time as the Canon EOS 6D. This enables you to store, index and view images on a range of devices, wherever you are - provided there's an internet connection.
An iOS and Android app also makes it possible to see the Live View image on a smartphone screen and trigger the camera's shutter remotely. We have yet to see if this will also enable you to remotely adjust key aspects such as the exposure or the focus point, but it's a step in the right direction, especially for wildlife and macro photographers.
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The Canon EOS 6D also has GPS technology built in, which enables images to be tagged with location data as they are captured, making it easy to identify where they were taken post-capture, which is useful for travellers and forgetful photographers.
Even when the camera is turned off, the GPS can record your journey, and it will be interesting to see how this impacts battery life.
Composing images
Unlike the Canon EOS 650D, the Canon EOS 6D doesn't have touchscreen technology, and the 3-inch 1,040,000-dot Clear View II LCD screen is a fixed rather than an articulating unit.
This provides a decent view in a range of light conditions, but predictably direct sunlight is still a problem, and it's a shame that the screen can't be tilted.
One disappointment is that, unlike the Canon EOS 5D Mark III, the Canon EOS 6D doesn't have a rating button, so images can only be assigned a score out of five via the menu. It's an easy enough process, but it's not the same as simply hitting a button to rate an image and make it easy to identify when you download it to a computer.
Being a DSLR, the Canon EOS 6D also has an optical viewfinder, and this provides a nice bright view without any obvious dimming or corner shading.
Memory
One key difference from the Canon EOS 5D Mark III and Canon EOS 7D is that the Canon EOS 6D only accepts one SD card.
While this enables the camera to be smaller, we wonder what the implications will be for dedicated Live View users and video shooters, since there's bound to be lots of heat generated, which could result in extra image noise or recording shutting off. We'll be looking at this when we get a full production sample in for testing.
Speaking of videographers, these users will be disappointed to learn that the Canon EOS 6D doesn't have a headphone port to enable audio to be monitored - there's just a mic port to facilitate cleaner sound recording.
Early verdict
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All things considered, the Canon EOS 6D looks like a pretty decent DSLR, with the Wi-Fi and GPS technology being nice bonuses for the average photographer. At 20.2MP, the resolution is not a great deal more than that offered by Canon's APS-C format DSLRs, but there should be a significant image quality advantage.
Those upgrading from a Canon EOS 60D should find it pretty straightforward, without any major handling changes. You'll also be happy that the Canon EOS 6D uses SD format cards rather than CF, but we wonder whether this could be a limiting factor for video shooting.
Priced at £1,799/$2,099 body only or £2,519.99/$2,899 with an EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM kit lens, the Canon EOS 6D is appreciably more affordable than the Nikon D600. But the figure still feels a little on the high side for a camera aimed at enthusiast photographers, and many will wait a few months for the price to come down.
The Canon EOS 6D is set to go on sale in December, and we are looking forward to giving it a thorough test as soon as we get a full production sample.
