K-x Launch Event

[JCPentax]

Not sure if this is the correct place to post this.

You can see several video clips from the K-x launch event held for members of the press and Pentax dealers at the International Center of Photography through the links below.

YouTube - PENTAX K-x Launch Event

YouTube - PENTAX K-x Product Briefing (Part 1 of 2)

YouTube - PENTAX K-x Product Briefing (Part 2 of 2)

Thanks,

John

[rawr]

Thanks.

Any idea when/if all the '100 Colours' and styles will become available outside Japan?

That would be so cool.

[rawr]

I also found it funny that the presentations mentioned every feature of the camera aside from its excellent image quality and high ISO performance.

As if that isn't important.

Weird.

[Ash]

Cool post on the launch.
Thanks for sharing it with us.

[JCPentax]

Originally Posted by rawr

I also found it funny that the presentations mentioned every feature of the camera aside from its excellent image quality and high ISO performance.

As if that isn't important.

Weird.

I had roughly 15-20 minutes to talk about everything, so I tried to hit the highlights. I may have missed a couple of things since I didn't use a prepared script.

John

[JCPentax]

Originally Posted by rawr

Thanks.

Any idea when/if all the '100 Colours' and styles will become available outside Japan?

That would be so cool.

I don't think anytime soon. Something most people don't necessarily consider is the purchasing habits in different culture. In Japan, a customer would never dream of returning a product after they committed to purchasing it. If they order a pink and yellow camera, and they didn't like it after it arrived, they would stick with their decision. U.S. customers tend to return product for everything from real to perceived defects, to buyers remorse. That would leave Pentax or dealers with a bunch of odd colored cameras that people decided to return.

Thanks,

John

[rawr]

Originally Posted by JCPentax

I had roughly 15-20 minutes to talk about everything, so I tried to hit the highlights. I may have missed a couple of things since I didn't use a prepared script.

John

Thanks for the reply

Pentax always seems to downplay image quality in its marketing. I've griped about it before. Pentax is too modest. Even the K7 marketing material (eg the website) talks about practically everything else other than IQ.

For example the K7 page on the Pentax USA site doesn't even mention excellent IQ once as a feature, or as the outcome of all of the camera technologies.

K-7 - Official PENTAX Imaging Web Site

But you open up any Nikon brochure (eg the one for the D90 or the D5000) and it's the usually amongst the first thing you see emphasized.

Eg this is the first line from the D5000 brochure:

Meet the D5000, a new breed of Nikon digital SLR camera. A wonderful blend of fun, simplicity, and beautiful image quality and then has lots of detail about how its various features give you great IQ.

Or the first dot point of the D90 brochure:
• Incredible image quality using 12.3 effective megapixels, Nikon's D exclusive EXPEED image processing
with lots of talk about 'stunning image quality', with low noise, smooth tones, rich colours, fine details etc etc.

For many photogs, good IQ is what they want to hear. No point in having a laundry list of features if the good IQ message doesn't get out. :

[mtroute]

"...entire portfolio has HD video..."

So the K20, K200, K2000 are not current?

[KungPOW]

Originally Posted by mtroute

"...entire portfolio has HD video..."

So the K20, K200, K2000 are not current?

The "K2" series is done.

Pentax just has the K-7 and the K-x now. Any K20D's that you see are old stock. Sure they are still on the website, but they are infact discontinued.

[Damn Brit]

Moved to Official Pentax News seeing as someone from Pentax posted the links.

John, if you're not sure in future, please post in Everything Else and a moderator will move it if necessary.
Thank you

[JCPentax]

Originally Posted by mtroute

"...entire portfolio has HD video..."

So the K20, K200, K2000 are not current?

As a matter of fact, they are not. They are the previous generation of camera, however, some retailers may still have them in stock.

[Samsungian]

Good to know EXACT REASON why K-x in 100 colors is not offered outside of Japan.

Better to know the real reason instead of having to speculate on the reason(s) why.

USA Buyers' infamous buyers remorse returns are no fun for Pentax USA to deal with.

That said, I've only returned one imaging item in my life. Some camera items I buy I've never touched. But I'd prefer to handle an item locally before I buy it online.

My return?

I bought a $1,000 Sigma lens earlier this year knowing full well of their well known sporadic quality control reputation. The seller took the defective lens back and paid to do so by authorizing me a RMA and also refunded my initial delivery charges too.

I've never made a photographic gear related buyers remorse return. I happily buy products with well known, well regarded, and impeccable quality control.

My latest no~hands~on purchases:

I just completed my Really Right Stuff kit without having ever touched one of their tripod head assessories. Lately I've been concentrating on purchasing gear related items that have not inflated One Cent. Yet these companies have not outsourced production to cheaper labor markets to hold the line on or still raise their retail pricing. Same goes with Wimberley gear I bought 4 months ago. Same price it was 3 years ago and I'll guess the very same high quality control from day one.

Originally Posted by JCPentax

I don't think anytime soon. Something most people don't necessarily consider is the purchasing habits in different culture. In Japan, a customer would never dream of returning a product after they committed to purchasing it. If they order a pink and yellow camera, and they didn't like it after it arrived, they would stick with their decision. U.S. customers tend to return product for everything from real to perceived defects, to buyers remorse. That would leave Pentax or dealers with a bunch of odd colored cameras that people decided to return.

Thanks,

John Carlson