Pentax KP J Limited Announced

A truly unique collaboration

By PF Staff in Pentax Announcements on Jun 13, 2019

Ricoh Imaging today announced the availability of the Pentax KP J Limited— a special edition of the Pentax KP (originally teased at CP+ 2019) which is perhaps the most unique offering of its kind to date.  Rather than being a model designed and developed by Ricoh itself, the KP J Limited is the result of an extensive collaboration between passionate Pentax fans at Ricoh, Miroku Techno Wood Company, Citizen Watch Company, and professional photographer Kazutoshi Yoshimura.  The custom design was created by the man who also designed the Pentax K-30. 

The camera is designed by (and aimed at) "the 1%" of photographers who appreciate the character and nuance of such a unique product.  As such, the camera will not be marketed through traditional retail channels. It can be viewed (as of June 13th) at four locations: Ricoh Imaging Square Shinjuku, Ricoh Imaging Square Ginza, Ricoh Imaging Square Osaka, and Repair Service Center (Utuka Umato). Orders can be placed only at the Ricoh Imaging Square, or online through the Japanese Pentax web store, and are now being accepted.

Orders placed by June 28th are expected to ship on July 31st.  We do not currently know if there will be a second production run thereafter or if the camera will be available outside of Japan. The KP J Limited costs ¥148,500 (approximately 1400 USD).  The camera will be available in two variants, as pictured below:

KP J Limited Black & Gold

KP J Limited Dark Night Navy

Features of this special edition of the KP include:

• a custom wood grip made by Miraku Techno wood (in red or sumi black, respectively)
• a lens mount made of Citizen's Diamond Like Carbon, which gives a unique look and adds durability
• a custom top cover and metal hotshoe mount (in black or navy, respectively)
• a landscape shooting preset in U5 inspired by photographer Kazutoshi Yoshimura
• gold lettering for the KP logo and rear buttons (black & gold variant only)

These features are explained in more detail at the Pentax web store. You can also learn more about what inspired this camera in our KP Custom CP+ 2019 booth tour and the official product website.

Product Video

Photo Gallery

Click on any thumbnail to enlarge.

We've entered an era in which dedicated cameras are losing significance alongside the abundance and power of smartphones.  While many other brands are losing their identity amid a struggle to remain relevant, we are thrilled to see that Pentax is differentiating itself through initiatives such as the KP J Limited while continuing to innovate on core technology for still photography (such as Dynamic Pixel Shift) and releasing compelling products such as the GR III or Theta Z.

The Pentax KP is the current advanced APS-C DSLR from Pentax, and it normally retails for around $799.  Learn more about it in our in-depth KP review.