Pentax Q

Pentax Q

Backlit CMOS sensor. Good low light performance. These Q1s are selling at bargain rates. They are photographers cameras, with great controls, great build quality and excellent results in, well, the smallest interchangeable lens camera. I have the prime lens model, which is equivalent to 47mm and it starts at f1.9. With in camera anti-shake, I set it to auto iso up to 250 and can pretty much shoot anywhere at any time. Not much need to go above f4 because the camera has a big focus field, downside is it has a big focus field (if you like blurred backgrounds). You can blur the background if you get close. It is an enthusiast's camera (Japan is the capitol of camera enthusiasm, after all) and maybe at this size and in white a girlie camera. I am getting a bargain second camera with zoom lens which I got for giveaway price to try the zoom, which isn't as sharp as the prime but adds range to the lineup. I'd also like the fish-eye but it's popular and isn't discounted yet. I'll wait. The final cameracide shot was auto HDR, in camera. It's the best HDR mode. The other HDR modes look weirdly artificial - very HDR like of course but the auto mode just gives you the best natural looking picture you can get from the camera and it's all done in camera. If you set it to auto HDR you have to wait a bit for the three shots and processing to be done but the output is normally outstanding. Pretty nice camera if you can get over the sensor size and just look at the output. It's a small sensor but it's a very special small sensor wrapped around a semi-professional grade magnesium frame and it's controls are excellent +. At discount prices, a keeper.