Pentax Digital Camera

Pentax have released the K10D SLR. Finally, a digital camera that is nudging well into the professional space from a manufacturer that I have supported for decades. I have been clinging to my old and much loved 6×7 bodies and their excellent Pentax lenses. Together they have been my staple image capturing system for over 30 years and continue in that role.

The K10D has won a ‘Highly Recommended’ rating from dpreview.com and been awarded the Editor’s Choice from American PHOTO. It also won a best Expert D-SLR award from the Technical Image Press Association, Camera Grand Prix Award from the Camera Journal Press Club and Editor’s Pick from Wired magazine.

At the high end of the digital market something like the new Sinar Hy6 with a Phase One back and Zeiss lenses is a system to covet (with eye-watering costs) and certainly outguns the K10D for pure quality of capture. But here is an amazingly advanced camera with excellent output for a $1,000. Like most modern digital SLRs the K10D is really a little handheld graphics workstation with a lens on the front. For someone who started his career hand developing sheet film from large format 4×5″ and 8×10″ cameras I marvel at these new imaging tools.

Any self respecting photographer will tell you, a good professional should take a passionate interest in camera design. One of my own ‘compact camera designs’ is shown below – this ‘concept model’ was made in the 70’s in my London studio.

Below that is a shot of the K10D – progress is a marvellous thing!

This ‘camera’ was made for light relief at a time when I was working on a campaign for Kodak pocket cameras which involved making a series of models that they used to illustrate the simplicity and ease of use of their best selling cameras. The charming old brass lens is, I think, from a vintage projector.

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