Pentax has today unveiled the Pentax Q which, the company claims, is the smallest and lightest interchangeable lens system camera in the world.
Featuring a 12.4-million-pixel, 1/2.3in, CMOS sensor the Pentax Q boasts a brand new ?Q? lens mount with an outer diameter around 6mm shorter than the K-mount, according to Pentax.
?This is made possible by reducing the flange back to nearly one fifth of that of the K-mount, as well as by optimising the size of the image circle of its lenses to be proportioned to the size of the compact image sensor,? said Pentax in a statement.
The mirrorless Pentax Q will debut in September, at a price yet to be announced, alongside an optional external optical viewfinder.
The firm adds: ?The Q-mount system also eliminates an optical finder, mirror box, focusing plate and AF sensor??
Weighing 180g (body only, without battery and memory card) the magnesium alloy-bodied camera includes features such as ?bokeh control? and a cross-processing effect mode.
The Pentax Q will also sport a 3in (460,000 dot resolution) LCD monitor, new image processing engine, Dust Removal II system, HDR, top ISO sensitivity of 6400 and five-frames-per-second shooting.
The camera will go on sale in a choice of black or white colours.
Announced alongside the Full HD video-equipped Pentax Q are five Q-branded lenses, described as an f/1.9 standard prime (47mm viewing angle equivalent in 35mm terms); standard zoom (27.5-83mm); fish-eye (offering 160 degree angle of view); ?toy lens? wide (35mm) and ?toy lens? telephoto (100mm).
The standard prime and standard zoom will each be kitted out with an AF motor for ?smooth, quiet focusing?, claims Pentax.
The optics will incorporate a built-in neutral density filter, while accessories will include a polarising filter for the standard lenses.
Prices and availability dates for the Pentax Q lenses have yet to be confirmed.
