[Adam]

The 2014 CP+ camera show is coming up in Japan in mid-February, and we will of course be interviewing Pentax representatives as we did during the past two years.

If you have any suggestions for interview questions, please post them here!

We'll do our best to include as many user questions as possible, so please don't hesitate to post

Current topics:
-Pentax and EVFs
-The K-3 has a faster screwdrive AF motor. Any plans to make SDM lenses faster?
-Gap between the DA 300 and DA 560mm
-The SDM teleconverter
-How important is the advanced APS-C market to Pentax?
-Do you plan to tackle the full-frame (professional) market?
-Success of the K-500 vs K-50
-Mirrorless 645D / 645DII?
-Flucard ETA
-Fast primes?
-approach to the Pentax vs Ricoh Branding, consequences of reduced visibility
-Image of the Pentax user. How do they see it? Amateur, Semi-pro, outdoorsman, etc? Different in different markets?
-mirrorless K-mount (k-02?)
-status of third-party lens support
-k-mount modernization vs de-crippling

Update:
The interview is now posted here -
CP+ 2014 Interview with Pentax in Japan - CP+ 2014 - PentaxForums.com

Adam
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[Roob-N-Boots]

How about giving us the option to shut off SDM in body via firmware for those lenses that have screwdrive.

[Ash]

Interesting point of discussion leading into the FF plans: what was the rationale behind the plans to redevelop the FA Ltds with modern coatings?
What are the MF development plans beyond the name 645D II?

What is next in store for the beginner/enthusiast APS-C market?
Is there any interest in developing WR primes apart from the DFA macros and DA* 55?

[crewl1]

Will they be rebranding the Tamron 150-600 as a Pentax long zoom?
Date for the Pentax Teleconverter?

[jatrax]

Update on expected delivery of 16-85ish, teleconverter and 120-380ish zoom.

Will there ever be 400mm or 600mm primes again?

Do they feel 24mp is the limit for aps-c?

Are they considering a revamped flash technology allowing more control of flash settings from the camera?

Update on the flu-card.

How do they see the Q line? Where are they going with it?

Will we ever see a successor to the k-01?

[JimmyDranox]

Can they make a firmware upgrade for display, to show percentage of picture, like 25%, 50% 100%, instead of 2x,4x, 8x, etc? Even if will show, let's say,, 94% will be much more useful than 8x or whatever. At least for K-5's, and any other cameras that can be upgraded.

And, if they can't make such an upgrade, at least, they can tell us the right corresponding percentage for these 2x, 4x, etc.

Because I don't think that they will tell specifications of future cameras and lenses in their plans, at least the number of DSLR and lenses they want to launch this year would be interesting to know.

[mike.hiran]

I would want to know if they are planning on coming out with a fast normal for apsc. If the da20-40 is a trend for making limited wr. Flu card - what's the hold up? Are they concerned about the perception that sdm is a liability? is lens pricing at a point where it should be stable for a while? Much of the feedback from new dslr users has been that if they are able to physically compare pentax products to their peers, pentax build quality has been a significant advantage - what is pentax doing to capitalize on this?

[Not a Number]

A definitive answer if the m42 adapter is still being produced or not. The only mention I find in past interviews was something to the effect of "I don't know why there are problems getting this".

Change to the firmware so the green button or optical preview will work with manual focus lens that have non-conductive lens mounts or are too small (m42 lenses) to short the pins. I'm guessing there may have been some valid reasoning to deactivate the stop-down mechanism with no lens attached. A menu option to re-enable this function and an understanding of why this was disabled would be nice.

[TenZ.NL]

From a wildlife/birder`s pov:

The K3 seems a really good step in the right direction but now the existing line of lenses is becoming a bottleneck in terms of speed.
- Plans on in-lens focus motors (e.g. update SDM, ditch it in favour of DC, upgrade on speed, etc)
- With the K3 there has been a significant leap in AF performance, esp in the tracking department. Right now there is a huge gap between the DA*300 and the HD DA560, are there any plans to fill this up? (DA400 F5.6 or a revamp of the FA* 300 F2.8 for instance)
- With the above in mind, when is that darn TC gonna come out? Oh, and when it does make sure the DA* 300 is updated with a faster an more reliable AFmotor

[Apapukas]

Image of the Pentax user. How do they see it? Amateur, Semi-pro, outdoorsman, etc?

Are they going to revamp fast, old lenses? 85mm 1.4; 24mm 2. for example.

[Dario79]

Sync speed, sync speed, sync speed) Can it be done via firmware or we have to wait for new camera?? Just tell them to alowe flash to fire above 1/180 and we'll crop curtain left overs in frame.And of course FF...will it have SR? Recent patents are not promising in that area...

[Dariusz]

I would love to see backlit buttons on the rear of Pentax top of the range cameras once

[daytona9]

The 2014 CP+ camera show is coming up in Japan in mid-February, and we will of course be interviewing Pentax representatives as we did during the past two years.

If you have any suggestions for interview questions, please post them here!

Currently we're planning on asking about a de-crippled DSLR as well as future lineup plans (i.e. full-frame), among other things. We'll do our best to include as many user questions as possible, so please don't hesitate to post

A feature I would like to see on all DSLR's is the dedicated switch or button, (like that on the back of my K200D), which turns SR on and off. This is such a boon for wildlife and action photographers using telephoto lenses, having the ability to quickly switch between SR on for stationary subjects and SR off when panning subjects in motion. The feature could also be implemented via a secondary function of a programmable button.

[macTak]

What is the approach to branding now: "Ricoh" brand versus "Pentax" brand? (a nice way of asking if "Pentax" name ultimately going to be elimitated)

Do they feel current lens mounts are sufficient (Pentax K, Q, 645)?

Marketing strategy for DSLRs (and Q)?

What companies/products do they see as their main competitors?

[aurele]

Are they going to revamp fast, old lenses? 85mm 1.4; 24mm 2. for example.

+1 for this question. I'll add :



- Is there any plan to revamp the FA 35/2 ?
- Is there any plant to revamp the FA 28/2.8 and FA 28/2 ?
- Is there any plan to revamp a 85mm ?
- will they ever plan to release a 100mm f2 - eye of takumar ?

- What does mean the revamp of the FA ltd series ?

- Will they plan to use more extensively the DC motor instead of the SDM ?
- Do they know how SDM is very badly perceive ?
- Are they aware of the hack to disable SDM ?

- Will they produce again focusing screen with split screen / microprism for APS-C ?
- Do they plan to create a modern film camera again, even in limited batch ?

- Will they upgrade the flash system in term of accuracy ?

- Will they open their firmware to third party group like magic lantern ?

- what are the return in their view of the MAP policy in the US and (most important for me) in Europe ?

Thanks Adam for conducting this time again, an interview ! Thanks a lot !