Web Analytics RiceHigh's Pentax Blog: No Focus Point Indication in Finder for the K-x?

Friday, September 18, 2009

No Focus Point Indication in Finder for the K-x?

The K-x has a 11-point SAFOX VIII, but it has no focus point indication of any kind in the viewfinder, neither the overlaid red illumination on focusing screen nor any indication/information to be displayed in the status/info area at the bottom of the finder. Just read this latest hands-on report and follow on the discussions along the thread:-

http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-news-rumors/73789-hands-pentax-event-last-night.html

The design is that the focus point must be selected with the display and indication on the back LCD but there still will be no indication of any kind on which focus point(s) that the camera selects nor the user can have any idea about it *during* shooting, when he/she has been looking at/through the finder.

Well, whilst I don't think this indication is very important for bodies like the *ist DL or the K-m, of which all focus points are more or less close to the centre of the frame (3 points and 5 points respectively), this time I think it is not much acceptable for a wide 11-point AF covered area to have no indication at all in the finder, which will surely create much inconvenience and problems.

In fact, DPR criticised much in their K-m review about the lack of focus point indication (which I didn't agree that it was a major problem, mainly because of that all the five points are close to the frame centre), but now the problem has been even made to be more serious by Pentax and could be a *real* issue this time. From the commercial point of view, why Pentax could not respect the DPR by considering their point of concern as raised and re-include the focus illumination, just like what is available in the K100D and the *ist D/DS? How much cost they can save in eliminating this facility? Not much, I'm afraid. But one thing is for sure, DPR will give adverse comment again in their upcoming K-x review, if any, possibly in an even more strong tone for the problem and more marks will be deducted in their review. So, why Pentax/Hoya didn't listen?

Even they didn't, won't and don't listen, I think they should think at least themselves if such a handicapped design is practically usable for the users, or not.