July 6 - 4:40pm EDT   The Pentax K-7 digital SLR camera introduced at the end of May is now available via online retailer Amazon. Offered as a body-only, with no bundles in sight, the camera is priced at its promised $1,300. The 14.6-megapixel camera is Pentax' flagship, and can capture HD videos in 720p. Unlike other HD-capable cameras in the class, it also has a microphone jack for external input. [full story]

June 24 - 6:00pm EDT   Pentax on Wednesday announced the Optio W80, a rugged digital camera featuring a 12.1-megapixel sensor capable of recording 720p video at 30 frames-per-second. The housing is claimed to remain waterproof at depths of up to 16 feet for two hours of continuous operation. Integration of shock-resistant materials throughout the internal components protects against drops from heights of more than three feet without damage to the body. The camera also works in temperatures down to 14 degrees Fahrenheit. [full story]

May 20 - 10:00am EDT   Pentax has formally introduced the new K-7 DSLR featuring a 14.6-megapixel sensor and HD video capture capabilities, confirming several details leaked earlier this week. The redesigned CMOS sensor is claimed to offer reduced noise, while four-channel output enables fast captures. Users can select various video resolutions, including 1280x720 and 1536x1024 at 30 frames per second, including with controls for aperture. An external microphone terminal supports stereo recording. [full story]

May 18 - 10:10am EDT   A forum leak today may have provided details of the new K series camera Pentax plans to launch later this week. Using an claimed promo graphic as support, the tip supports the notion of a K7D launch and maintains that the camera will have the 14.6-megapixel resolution of the K20D but a new PRIME II imaging engine and the company's first-ever support for HD video recording in an SLR. A viewfinder with 100 percent coverage is also billed as new. [full story]

May 15 - 11:10am EDT   Pentax today brought out an update to its most basic cameras in the Optio E75. The compact maintains the 10-megapixel sensor and 3X optical zoom of the E70 but grows the preview LCD from 2.4 to 2.7 inches. It continues to carry more recent software-driven features such as a full-auto scene mode, face detection with a face priority mode as well as smile detection. [full story]

May 13 - 1:35pm EDT   Pentax today supported rumors by posting a teaser on its home page for a new digital SLR. Calling it only "the new K," the company shows a top portion of the camera and is running a countdown that ends on May 20th, when the announcement takes place. No clues are given as to what features the camera would have other than familiar DSLR features like a flash hot shoe. [full story]

April 23 - 8:50am EDT   Pentax may have confirmed rumors of its K7D flagship through a new Japanese teaser ad. The spot advertises a "new K" camera that will be unveiled on May 21st, falling in line with claims of a third-week introduction that month, and appears to provide a partial shot of the camera itself. No immediate clues have been given as to the feature set other than the presence of the expected flash hot shoe. [full story]

April 21 - 1:55pm EDT   The rumored new Pentax digital SLR may ultimately be a new high-end model that sits at the top of the line. An Austrian forum leak corroborated separately suggests that a new camera known as the K7D will be unveiled in the third week of May and that it won't be a sequel to the K20D but instead its own, unique model. The single-digit naming scheme implies Pentax is pursuing the quality of a camera like Canon's EOS-5D Mark II. [full story]

April 16 - 1:15pm EDT   An image of what appears to be an upcoming Pentax digital SLR camera has been spotted on a Chinese blog site earlier this week. While no hard specs are known, the blurry image does reveal a body that is different from the current Pentax range, including the three new special-run DSLRs announced late last month. The camera sports a new-look Pentax logo introduced when Hoya bought Pentax in the summer of 2007. [full story]

April 10 - 4:55pm EDT   Lensbaby, makers of unusual optics add-ons for DSLRs, continues to evolve the product, as seen with the recently introduced Composer. We've taken a quick look at the system to see how it works as well as to provide some anecdotes from our experience using it in practice. We've also taken a look at the Optic Swap System that lets you tailor the visual effects of the Composer. [full story]

March 24 - 3:35pm EDT   Pentax on Tuesday served both the very high and very low ends of its audience with more details on its first true medium-format digital camera as well as two special editions of its mainstream digital SLRs. Teased as early as 2007, the 645 Digital (shown) is now set to be the company's sharpest-ever camera and should produce at least a 30-megapixel image. It should also accept any of the film-based 645's lenses and should have a large and likely full-view eyepiece. Pentax will show a prototype at the Photo Imaging Expo in late March and now says the finished 645 Digital is due in 2010. [full story]

March 3 - 12:40pm EST   Pentax today followed up on late leaks with the formal debut of the X70. Considered a "bridge" camera, the 12-megapixel camera is one of the longest-ranged ultrazooms with a 24x, 26-624mm equivalent lens and with image stabilization built into the sensor. It also provides full manual control and settings often reserved for SLRs, with aperture and shutter priority providing photographers an in-between option for photography. [full story]

March 2 - 11:25am EST   Pentax should top its camera launches for the PMA show with its first real ultrazoom compact. Listings at B&H and elsewhere have revealed that the X70 will center on a 24X, 26-624mm equivalent lens with sensor-shift image stabilization. The 12-megapixel camera should also be very fast with an option to shoot at up to 11 frames per second by lowering the resolution to 5 megapixels. [full story]

February 23 - 4:45pm EST   Pentax on Monday announced an immediate price drop for its K20 digital SLR camera, which sports a 14.6-megapixel sensor and a dust-proof, weather-resistant body. The new $200 discount is permanent, unlike an earlier price drop where Pentax lowered prices for the K20D and K2000 DSLR cameras and their bundles until by $100 until February 22nd. The body of the Pentax K20D is now priced at nearly $800, while the K20D with a DA 18-55mm II lens kit costs nearly $880. A kit with a 16-45mm lens kit carries a price tag of $1,200. [full story]

February 4 - 9:35am EST   Pentax on Wednesday spurred sales ahead of the PMA expo by slashing prices on its mainstream digital SLRs and launching a handful of new K2000 kits. The 14.6-megapixel K20D mid-range camera is getting an immediate $100 discount that lasts until February 22nd; the K2000 flash bundle that carries an 18-55m lens and an AF200FG external flash is also dropping permanently to $600. The special white K2000 bundle is also seeing a price reduction to $680. [full story]