My Oh So Cute Pentax Q

[airconvent]

xoom3, that your wife used it and WANT one bodes well for the Q! Such cameras appear to be targeted at the ladies market with their cute form factor and fuss free usage. Just look at all their adverts! I think you have no choice but to give the "$299" camera as a token of love (and assured peace and quiet at home!) and go ahead and but another "$299" Q of another colour for yourself :bsmilie:

Hav yet to actually try one though. Saw one at Challenger IMM yesterday. Maybe next outing can try fengwei's

 

[pinholecam]

Some photos taken by my wife at last weekend's appearance of Miss Universe 2011. The good news is that she loves the Q for it's size, portability, ease of use and PQ. The bad news is that she wants one too. So how to tell her that she can't have one because it is $900, not the $299 toy camera I lied to her :sweat:

Ha..ha... you made my day with this line.

Think Pentax got this market in mind.
In the review of the Q on Digital Life, the reviewer's wife 'wanted one' when she saw it.

 

[tsammyc]

Its a bit unfair to compare the 1 (haha what a terrible name) sensor with m43 sensors, as they are all rather old. Once the m43 system finally gets a new sensor, they will regain the IQ advantage again.

I think as whole it is good that photogs have so many choices. There will certainly be photogs who will be drawn to the combination of reach / aperture / compactness offered by these small sensor systems. And others who will treasure the DR / tonal range / dof / high ISO advantage of larger sensor systems.

I agree. Although the G3 has a new 16MP sensor. Just don't know why they don't propogate it across the line like the newly released GF3. Anyway, DXOMark just released their tests on the Nikons' and they are not bad. About 0.5F stop worse than M43 in low light, but otherwise very competitive.

 

[zoom3]

Ha..ha... you made my day with this line.

Think Pentax got this market in mind.
In the review of the Q on Digital Life, the reviewer's wife 'wanted one' when she saw it.

Ha ha. Glad you see the humour :bsmilie:

Sure looks like Pentax is pushing the Q that way. No doubt in an effort to expand it's potential market base. After using it for a few weeks, I am totally convinced that the Q is a very viable alternative to a full size DSLR. Before anyone jumps on me, I do not mean it can replace a DSLR. No way. What I mean is this - If I am going out with a shoot in mind, I will take the K5. Period. However, if going out with nothing in mind but want to be able to take quality photos of opportunities which may arise, I will take the Q.

Here are 3 from today's lunch. Shot in jpg, Food scene mode. Glad that I have the Q with me as I will not have taken the K5 on a shopping trip.

30. Getting Ready

31. Yummy

32 Yummy Yummy. Great tasting food, great value!

 

[tsammyc]

Makes me hungry. Where is that BBQ platter from?

 

[zoom3]

Makes me hungry. Where is that BBQ platter from?

From the Tokyo Walker "Fruit Paradise Dining" at 4th floor Plaza Singapura ;p

 

[CorneliusK]

These are great shots.

It is a struggle to take food shots with a FF camera due to the extremely thin DOF at short working distances. Stopping down may require me to increase ISO and/or suffer diffraction.

There are certainly there are applications where a smaller sensor can excel in.

 

[zoom3]

These are great shots.

It is a struggle to take food shots with a FF camera due to the extremely thin DOF at short working distances. Stopping down may require me to increase ISO and/or suffer diffraction.

There are certainly there are applications where a smaller sensor can excel in.

Definitely so :thumbsup:

 

[zoom3]

xoom3, that your wife used it and WANT one bodes well for the Q! Such cameras appear to be targeted at the ladies market with their cute form factor and fuss free usage. Just look at all their adverts! I think you have no choice but to give the "$299" camera as a token of love (and assured peace and quiet at home!) and go ahead and but another "$299" Q of another colour for yourself :bsmilie:

Hav yet to actually try one though. Saw one at Challenger IMM yesterday. Maybe next outing can try fengwei's

Pocket got big hole already. Cannot buy another one :cry: Hope to make it to the next outing. Will definitely bring the Q along.

 

[legoladd]

Waited for the zoom lens to arrive before I finally went to get the Q. Took it out for a spin yesterday, IQ wise definitely PnS grade but usability wise definitely the tops, its like a K-r shrunk down with additional front dial. I guess its a fun camera best used with the built in filters for the lomo/polariod experience without the expensive film/paper. Some photos attached all OOC jpg with standard prime.

Crossprocessed

Reversal film

Instance where exposure control and spot metering was useful

Bold Monochrome

 

[legoladd]

The antishake worked pretty well here, was on a moving cruise and shutter 1/8 iso 1600

ditto 1/60 iso 1000

The built in ND filter was used here to allow longer exposures , no starburst whatsoever though

ditto

 

[zoom3]

Great to see another happy Q user

IMO, it is definitely much more than a fun camera. I guess each individual has different requirements & expectations. No problem

This preview by Digital Camera Review sums up my thoughts about the Q very nicely
http://www.digitalcamerareview.com/default.asp?newsID=4849

 

[zoom3]

Managed to find some time to see what the Q can do at Singapore's probably most photographed location - Marina Bay at night. I am pretty happy with the results. Except for 2 photos, all shot at low ISO, small aperture (most at the 01 Prime lens max of f8.0), long shutter speed and on a study tripod - the way it should be for night shots.

The starburst is there but is not the prettiest.

All shot in JPG.

1)

2)

3)

4)

5)

 

[zoom3]

6)

7)

8) With 03 Fish Eye lens

9) With 03 Fish Eye lens

10) Hand held

 

[zoom3]

11) Hand held

 

[legoladd]

Nice pics zoom3, I guess the starburst difference was that I used F5 for my night shots to prevent details lost to diffraction which I think it is not perceptible in this situation.

 

[cubicon]

zoom, tell your wife you bought it at an "introductory price" and the actual retail now is $900 :bsmilie:

 

[zoom3]

zoom, tell your wife you bought it at an "introductory price" and the actual retail now is $900 :bsmilie:

Thanks for your suggestion. It's too late already. She knows.... :cry:

 

[zoom3]

Nice pics zoom3, I guess the starburst difference was that I used F5 for my night shots to prevent details lost to diffraction which I think it is not perceptible in this situation.

Thanks. f5 is probably pushing it to get starburst effect but I see some hint of it in your photos. You will need to get the exposure right too for it to show. Don't know what your settings were but looking at how bright the sky is, I think they are probably a little over exposed.

One great thing about the Q lens is that it is usable at all the f stops. I don't really see diffraction at f8.0 in daylight and f1.9 is super usable as can be seen in the last 2 pics.

Here is another pic taken at f6.3. He he... a very small starburst on the right hand side street lamp. Looks better when photo at full size :bsmilie:

 

[legoladd]

Yeap I guess I need to work on my exposure;p