[pres589]

Good points about the size of the K-1 and how it's not really a street carry device vs. other options. Not that it can't work, just, there's other tools in the box that are probably better. I still kind of want a scruffy K-01 to repaint in multiple shades of semi-gloss grays and black for this kind of purpose. Grab a couple black Pentax pancakes or an FA 28 and it's on.

[monochrome]

It surprises me how many on here seem to have adopted that strategy for the K1,

We already have drawers full of lenses we love. We finally have a proper digital camera to stick on the rear end of them.

[Marktax]

Boy, it sure is easy to armchair criticise 40 years down the road. Pentax did have amazing mechanical and optical engineers. Pentax didn’t have

1. A keiretsu to back it
2. The laser printer imaging engine patent
3. An industrial conglomerate that made everything from toasters to tankers behind it
4. A Board that abandoned them when the Phillips sensor didn’t work
5. A Board that sold them intentionally to a Walkman company (and kept half the corporate assets and two venerable camera names for photocopiers)
6. Their own sensor fabs
7. A Board that got caught falsifying sales numbers and finances for 10 years
8. Embedded skill in video technology
9. Bankers willing to lend them money to re-lend to American Dealers
10. Bankers willing to lend them more capital to retool plants when their old tools were still in their early life

They actually tried to be a technology leader, on their own, honestly, and what did they get?

First they get raided, and left to wither and die by the worst kind of poachers and investment bankers. Then they get criticized endlessly by their customers for not having the ability to produce everything they want as fast as they want it. Some people don’t have a clue how things actually work.

Does anyone have any idea how small Pentax really is? I’m amazed they’re actually still in business. By all rights they shouldn’t be.

Good points here. Thank you.

[Pål Jensen]

Let's be honest:
They got caught out by not moving to bayonet mount in time
They got caught out by not moving to auto-focus in time
They got caught out by not moving to digital in time
They got out by not moving to FF digital in time

The astonishing thing is that they are still alive and making cameras and lens.

Hmmm. Their screw mounted cameras were hghly succesful. So were the k-MOUNT cameras.
Their released the first AF slr. Their first succesful AF slr system is contemporary with nikon and Canon first.

[jatrax]

Hmmm. Their screw mounted cameras were hghly succesful. So were the k-MOUNT cameras. Their released the first AF slr. Their first succesful AF slr system is contemporary with nikon and Canon first.

All true. They suffered from an issue many companies have when they are on the top. They think they will stay on top, but the other guys want to be on top as well.

I'm not trying to put down Pentax. But they stumbled badly many times. As you say they were there first for many things, just did not follow through. Or stayed with tried and true too long because they did not want to upset current business cash flow.

It is a testament to the company that despite all those fails, despite Hoya, they are still going and still making amazing products. Personally I think the future of Pentax is brighter right now than at any time in the last 20 years. I am especially happy to see Ricoh taking a "get it right" attitude. The market has changed and there is no room for cheap products that do not perform to the best.

[BWG]

I feel your pain, but only a little. I love my K-1, my K-3 and the Limiteds. I own all eight. The only hole in that lineup is a SWA full-frame. I bought an FA 20 f2.8 off of eBay. It’s fantastic and will be fine until the D-FA 19 f/1.9 Limited comes out (a prime lens needs to be a prime number). When they release it many of us will cringe at the cost...as we put it in the shopping cart and wait the excruciating two whole days for it to arrive on my front porch. In the meantime I’ll continue to take shots other brands can’t.

[UncleVanya]

It’s fantastic and will be fine until the D-FA 19 f/1.9 Limited comes out (a prime lens needs to be a prime number).

You are making me laugh so hard tears are trying to leak out. I love this idea. Primes must be prime! LOL! It explains two of the FA Limiteds but the poor 77 is left out! Maybe they meant to call it the 79?

[THoog]

Pentax cane to be in their position when the SMC patents ran out* and their diversified businesses weren’t throwing off cash flow during a recession. A hedge fund and Hoya collaborated to buy the distressed company in a hostile transaction. Hoya consolidated and exploited the high-margin medical imaging and device businesses. The Hedge Fund liquidated land and assets. Hoya stripped Pentax of its Japan headquarters and Factory in a Park, sold off the inventory of DA lenses at fire-sale prices in the USA, gutted the distributors of their experienced employees and abrogated their Dealer contracts, refused to make capital investments in modern manufacturing tools, then sold the husk of a company to Ricoh for $165,000,000. The first thing Ricoh had to do was buy evaporators at $1,000,000 each to bring HD coating to market. Hoya had refused to buy the machines.

You can blame corporate raiders for any delays that anger you. Ricoh has been wonderful just keeping Pentax in existence.

Since it directly relates to this thread, I think it's worthwhile to throw in another Hoya sin: reducing the lens design staff and "retiring" Jun Hirakawa. Based on how few "original" lenses were released between 2010 and 2013, I would say the lens team was gutted. Ricoh/Pentax has had to do more than just make new lenses, they have had to rebuild a team and a culture to create worthwhile new lenses.

[monochrome]

Since it directly relates to this thread, I think it's worthwhile to throw in another Hoya sin: reducing the lens design staff and "retiring" Jun Hirakawa. Based on how few "original" lenses were released between 2010 and 2013, I would say the lens team was gutted. Ricoh/Pentax has had to do more than just make new lenses, they have had to rebuild a team and a culture to create worthwhile new lenses.

It is worth noting Hirakawa Jun went to Tamron* as a lens designer, then managed the design department. He is now on the path to retirement.


* Which gives me a different perspective on the ‘just Rebadged Tamron’ zooms.

[UncleVanya]

it is worth noting hirakawa jun went to tamron* as a lens designer, then managed the design department. He is now on the path to retirement.


* which gives me a different perspective on the ‘just rebadged tamron’ zooms.

right???

[boriscleto]

Their first succesful AF slr system is contemporary with nikon and Canon first.

Minolta had everyone beat on Phase Detect AF by a year (1985). Pentax was two years behind (SF1 was released in 1987).

[ffking]

Minolta had everyone beat on Phase Detect AF by a year (1985). Pentax was two years behind (SF1 was released in 1987).

You know a lot of that was due to Honeywell lurking in the background waiting to sue Japanese companies for patent infringement on the patent they owned but did nothing to develop - I've always felt that Pentax's relationship with Honeywell complicated this for them and maybe held them up implementing AF

[bdery]

Street photography with a massive full frame camera? Really? It's not discrete even with no lens.
Just walking around with a K-1 and 28-105 a number of times I've heard "look how big that camera is." Not look how big that lens is, look how big the camera is.

The K-1 is roughly the same size as the older K20D, which was considered "small" for the time.

[2B1]

I am often looked at whilst out with my silver/black KPand Silver 20-40mm Ltd.

Sometimes I recieve a compliment.

Regards

[clackers]

It is worth noting Hirakawa Jun went to Tamron* as a lens designer, then managed the design department. He is now on the path to retirement.


* Which gives me a different perspective on the ‘just Rebadged Tamron’ zooms.

Well, he did the Tamron/Pentax 24-70 according to his Wikipedia page, so Canon and Nikon users have also enjoyed his design.