Pentax Q – Key Ring Sized Micro Four Thirds Lens Changing Camera

Pentax has just announced new compact interchangeable lens digital camera which makes the current crop of mirrorless Micro Four Thirds system cameras look huge and ungainly.

The Pentax Q is based around a 1/2.33″ CMOS image sensor more commonly found in compact point-and-shoot cameras.

The Q is therefore capable of shooting 12.4MP images and recording 1080/30 FPS HD video.

Don’t be sizest though! The Pentax Q is still rocking the dSLR qualities you’d expect. It offers a decent ISO range (125 to 6400), built-in photo effects, different shooting modes and HDR.

You even get a 3-inch LCD monitor and a microHDMI port so you can squirt those images and videos on to your HD telly-box.

All that is squeezed into The Pentax Q which measures just under an inch and a quarter thick – its full vitals are 3.9″ x 2.3″ x 1.2″!

I have to admit to liking the fact that it looks like a retro-camera key fob!

You can swap the lenses via the tiny bayonet mount which accepts new Q-mount Pentax lenses.

The camera is expected to hit the US in September, and at launch there will be five different lenses available: A compact 8.5mm f/1.9 standard prime lens—approximately 47mm equivalent with a 5.5x crop factor—will be sold with the camera as a kit.

Pentax will also offer a 5-15mm zoom lens (28-80mm equiv.), a fisheye lens, and wide angle (35mm equiv.) and telephoto (100mm equiv.) “toy” lenses that mimics the vignetting and variable sharpness of classic Holga or Diana plastic cameras – so fans of Instagram, Hipstamatic et al rejoyce!

Prices are still hush-hush though.