Pentax Q is the funniest “system” compact of the year. I don’t think it belongs here at all, with such a tiny sensor, funny lenses and a flash that protrudes to the height of the body. But the conditions are fulfilled: the lenses are interchangeable, the controls are advanced and there is even a “hot shoe” on the roof to connect external accessories.
Resolution – 12,4 megapixel, Zoom – 47 mm, Display – 3″, F1,9
It’s an outlandish idea, because the Pentax system uses a disconcertingly small 1/2.3″ form factor sensor, even for compact cameras.
This is the cliché, inside out about DSLR quality in a compact body. And there are two opinions on the question of why?”. The first says that Pentax is no longer able to compete with the major players on the market, but is trying to save face in areas where the competition is certainly not high.
This idea is confirmed by the inspection of the not rich lineup of the company. Second opinion: that’s just funny! If anyone doesn’t get it, look at the Lego camera, branded compacts with paper inserts under the faceplate and in general, don’t be so serious!
The set of lenses presented together with the camera also speaks in favor of cheerfulness: from five names one fiche and two more – on 35 and 100 mm – are “toy” at all, i.e. e. work like the digital filters in today’s cameras, only in an analog way. The idea is obviously to make a compact and small camera for amateur photographers who are not after some kind of special quality, but rather want to create some effortless creativity and have some fun with their pictures.
The design of the Pentax Q should hint at small-film DSLRs or rangefinder cameras, but with the flash up it looks more like the robot “Wall-I” or “Number Five” from the movie “Short Circuit”. But the Pentax engineers have managed to do what Nikon failed to do: create a truly compact “system” camera based on a compact sensor. Q is really the smallest, noticeably smaller than past champions Sony NEX, and weighs only 200 grams.
Electronics of the camera is quite serious. Small sensor is the most advanced type of sensor BSI CMOS t. e. with backlight , which features high sensitivity up to 6400 ISO and speed 5 fps in burst mode . There is a 1920×1080 pixels video recording with H.264.
Display with a diagonal of 3 inches and a resolution of 460 thousand. points. The functionality of the controls and interface is in no way inferior to that of SLR cameras: apart from the full range of manual shooting control options, there are advanced modes like depth of field control and almost the entire graphical editor with a variety of effects and filters.
So, apart from the sensor the camera is equipped with quite serious and advanced electronics and has advanced functionality on a level of modern DSLRs. It’s even somewhat overpowering because the system as a whole competes – not with other “system” cameras, of course, but rather with older compacts like the Olympus XZ-1. The opportunities in this class are almost the same, the image quality is the same, but you can put a more suitable lens on the Pentax Q at any time.
There’s another nice thing about this ridiculous system. The camera itself, if it doesn’t turn out to be especially cheap, it won’t be too expensive. And the lenses, especially the “toy lenses”, as the developer promises, will be sold for cheap. For amateur entertainment, this is an important quality. All in all the Pentax Q competes not with “system” cameras, but rather with advanced compacts like the Olympus XZ-1. The capabilities of these cameras are nearly equal, the quality of images is similar, but the Pentax Q can be equipped with lens that better fits the situation at any moment.
What are some specific advanced functionalities and electronics that the Pentax Q mirrorless camera offers, besides its sensor?
What are the main advantages or unique features of the advanced electronics and advanced functionality of the Pentax Q mirrorless camera, considering its sensor is excluded?