Pentax to Stop Chasing Megapixels?

Zoltan Arva-Toth | Digital SLR Cameras | March 23, 2009 | 3 Comments |

Pentax have ruled out a move to higher megapixel sensors, and revealed their plans for full frame, medium format and EVF cameras. Talking about sensor resolution in APS-C DSLRs, Gabriele Remmers, Marketing Communication Manager of the Division of Imaging Systems of Pentax Europe says the “sensible limit [...] has been reached”, and also talks about Pentax’s full frame and medium format plans as well as whether Pentax sees a potential in interchangeable-lens EVF cameras. In an interview published in the April 2009 print issue of Germany’s fotoMAGAZIN, she argues that it is becoming more important to improve on other aspects of image quality, such as lowering noise without sacrificing fine detail and texture. This echoes the words of Olympus’ Akira Watanabe, who has recently claimed Olympus would stop increasing the pixel count of their DSLRs and concentrate on reining in noise and expanding dynamic range instead. Talking openly about challenges and priorities, Ms. Remmers also answers questions regarding Pentax’s full frame and medium format plans and reveals what the company thinks about interchangeable-lens system cameras sporting electronic viewfinders.

With respect to the latter, fotoMAGAZIN quotes Remmers as saying, “we do not see a real need for them”, claiming that “a high-quality optical viewfinder such as the pentaprism finder in our K20D easily bears comparison” with any EVF. As regards Pentax’s medium-format plans, she admits that their “priorities are clearly on products that address a broader audience”, adding that “as a comparatively small manufacturer, we have to allocate our resources according to business priorities”, which effectively means that the development of a digital medium-format Pentax model has been put on the back burner for the time being. Finally, when asked about Pentax DSLRs with a ‘full-frame’, i.e. 36x24mm sensor, Gabriele Remmers pointed out that they first needed to build ‘appropriate lenses’ before they could move on to another sensor format - which might sound a bit surprising given Pentax’s decades-long history of manufacturing lenses for 35mm film cameras.

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#1 Stanley

I find this interesting coming from these two manufacturers as they seem to struggle the most with high-ISO noise and poorer noise reduction than Nikon & Canon. Their high-resolution offerings do little to curb this. This would be a good move and make them more competitive, particularly in their high-end DSLRs.

2:12 pm - Monday, March 23, 2009

#2 Iñaki

To Stanley.
I actually do not agree. At least, the K20D outperforms it´s competition up to ISO 3200 in RAW, including the D300, the Alpha 700 and the 50D. Do bear in mind that the low light capabilities of the cameras must be compared in RAW format and, most importantly, with noise reduction off. Which does not happen in many cameras.

By the way, the Pentax cameras have [very appropriately] the noise reduction off, which is the reason why they do supposedly perform that bad.

The other reason for Nikon cameras to perform that well in low light is because they are actually cheating very, very much in the iso number: the measured ISO can be as low as 50% of the nominal ISO set on the camera. This means that if you dial in an ISO 3200, the camera is working at ISO 2200. That is a significant reduction.

The other thing you have to think is that sensor size is not the ultimate factor. It is more difficult than that. Not only the pixel pitch, but there are other factors accounting for noise, including circuit heat.

Something worth mentioning is that the higher the pixel count, the bigger the image size file is. There are file handling connotations in all this megapixel race, something people often forget.

Cheers.

9:57 am - Saturday, April 25, 2009

#3 Dash

I love my K-10D and I'm excited about the prospect of a new Pentax model being anounced. I think Pentax make some outstanding glass. The FA 50mm 1.4 is one of the finest prime lenses on the market and it's considered old! Their DA* lenses are also wonderful. I agree that noise and ISO flexibility should be the focus at the moment. At 14 megapixles I can't see why anyone but the pros needs a FF sensor? Nikon has done a great job with high ISO and low noise but I'm confident that Pentax are due to surprise again just as they did with the K-10. I can't wait!

10:53 pm - Thursday, May 14, 2009