[squareeyes]

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from the Italian Asahi Optical Historical club...
EI-3000

[LaurenOE]

I wonder what the specs are for it. Also, if you take a pic with it post it!

I think I will! The battery is charging now.

You sound like a couple of the curators of museums that I know. Congratulations on your rare acquisition!

Too funny!

[Doundounba]

I saw 'Unicorn' and thought 200mm macro, LOL but I guess that is even rarer. Maybe it's a pink unicorn,

Not to hijack the thread, but I just saw a unicorn.

[jatrax]

Not to hijack the thread, but I just saw a unicorn.

And yes, there it is. I actually was watching that one but they pulled the listing this morning and re-listed it. Listing was canceled "due to an error in the listing"

[kenafein]

And yes, there it is. I actually was watching that one but they pulled the listing this morning and re-listed it. Listing was canceled "due to an error in the listing"

So frustrating. I was watching a lens and the seller kept ending and relisting the item. I wish eBay would penalize him.

[p38arover]

Lauren, what a score!

Do you have a Pentax MZ-D full frame digital, too?

I wonder what happened to them?

[Jonathan Mac]

How about posting some pictures taken with these old cameras? A comparison with them all and a more modern digital camera would be very interesting indeed.

[Imcalfin]

Yes, the EI-200 and EI-100 are digital cameras with optical viewfinders.

Ricoh wants folks to think their "GR" is so beautiful and retro.
Sorry, but AOC did it a decade ago.

Good to see someone preserving the old stuff.

Optical viewfinders were not uncommon in the early days of digital point and shoot cameras. Ricoh among many other has made plenty of those.

The new Ricoh GR is now retro? That's news to me. Utilitarian is the word I'd use.

[LaurenOE]

Lauren, what a score!

Do you have a Pentax MZ-D full frame digital, too?

I wonder what happened to them?

The MZ-D is pulled out by the folks at Pentax now and then at shows and stuff.
I doubt I will ever be able to get my hands on an MZ-D. I consider that several steps removed from being a "unicorn". More like "unobtainium" or something made of Adamantium.

How about posting some pictures taken with these old cameras? A comparison with them all and a more modern digital camera would be very interesting indeed.

Sure. That sounds like fun since these cameras were make in the dawn of the digital age, the "Web" wasn't a friendly to image uploading back then. It may take a while, but I will do it!

Good to see someone preserving the old stuff.

Optical viewfinders were not uncommon in the early days of digital point and shoot cameras. Ricoh among many other has made plenty of those.

The new Ricoh GR is now retro? That's news to me. Utilitarian is the word I'd use.

Yep. I'm not too happy with what Ricoh is up to concerning Pentax and I struggle to see the appeal of what they are producing with the "Ricoh" label on it.

When I see Ricoh cameras, I am underwhelmed, as I see everything through a "Pentax filter". When I look at the form of a GR, I see a stripped down EI-200 without a viewfinder as a form/function from a decade ago.

Yes, I am happy to preserve whatever I can with Pentax, as I think Ricoh is now moving into their phase of trying to "convert" Pentaxians into something else.

Humans around the world are loyal to things, people and ideas. It's what makes us who we are. Being a Pentaxian is like that, and now that everything "Pentax" is now forwarded to Ricoh, I feel that I am one of the last.

Some folks laugh at me. My loyalty to something as ethereal as a "Brand" is discounted as being weird or being a "fangirl", but behind every brand are people. People that design, think and bring their dreams into a tangible reality.

Marketing people that represent products that don't have brand loyalty, like to invoke and manipulate so their products are seen to have a human connection, but if their soul is not in the brand or the brand is not worthy, then they fail.

So yeah, I am trying to preserve as much of Pentax as I can before it disappears completely.

As an example, go out to LinkedIn and start to research the current crop of folks that are tied to Pentax USA, starting with Mr. Malcolm. While their resumes and past projects are impressive, they are not Pentaxians. They have tons of accolades from Pentax competition, not Pentax. While those folks did whatever stair climbing they did to get to their positions, Pentax was not in their career aspirations. They wanted to work for Canikony and the like. Now they are in charge of Pentax.

When you see who is handling Pentax these days, you will see that being a "Pentaxian" to these folks is a pejorative.

So again, yes, I will keep collecting and using Pentax and continue to call myself a Pentaxian.

I'm not a doom and gloom person, but I am waiting for the shoe to drop. I spend thousands each year on camera purchases. However, I'm not "buying" what the Ricoh PR machine is selling.

When the new DSLR flagship comes, and if it's too much Ricoh, then my K5 cameras will have a place next to my EI-3000 and other early Pentax digital cameras, as the "Era of Pentax digital cameras and innovation".

Coda.
Roll credits.
Fini.

[p38arover]

The MZ-D is pulled out by the folks at Pentax now and then at shows and stuff.
I doubt I will ever be able to get my hands on an MZ-D. I consider that several steps removed from being a "unicorn". More like "unobtainium" or something made of Adamantium.

I do hope that, one day, you find one in your collection.

Humans around the world are loyal to things, people and ideas. It's what makes us who we are. Being a Pentaxian is like that, and now that everything "Pentax" is now forwarded to Ricoh, I feel that I am one of the last.

Some folks laugh at me. My loyalty to something as ethereal as a "Brand" is discounted as being weird or being a "fangirl", but behind every brand are people. People that design, think and bring their dreams into a tangible reality.

I get that at my camera club (to a degree). I've been a Pentax user since 1968 and tonight I've been scouring eVilBay for a Pentax P&S (with real SR) for my daughter to take to the USA on her holiday. She wants a smaller camera than the K100D. She presently also has my Q to try out but I'm thinking an Optio might suit her. Besides, she's 500km away and I want my Q back!

Marketing people that represent products that don't have brand loyalty, like to invoke and manipulate so their products are seen to have a human connection, but if their soul is not in the brand or the brand is not worthy, then they fail.

I'm a Land Rover driver - I drove my first in 1965 (I've had a Series IIA, a Defender, a Discovery 1, and three Range Rovers - the current being a 18-yo P38A Range Rover hence my username). We Land Rover aficionados understand completely. Our cars have soul unlike the Toyota Land Cruisers (Canon) and Nissan Patrols (Nikon). We like their idiosyncrasies and we know they are better off road than the Canikons of the 4WD world.

[angerdan]

Do you have a Pentax MZ-D full frame digital, too?
I wonder what happened to them?

They MZ-D/K-1 prototypes are alive and in use:
PENTAX K-1 | Full-Frame Professional DSLR Pentax K-1 (not fo? | Flickr
PENTAX Q (Digital Mirrorless) test | Pentax k-1 notice: 1. T? | Flickr
PENTAX Q (Digital Mirrorless) | Flickr

[JHfwp]

I wonder what the specs are for it. Also, if you take a pic with it post it!

I found some specs:

Pentax EI-2000: Digital Photography Review

I too would very much like to see some full-size TIFFs from it.

[angerdan]

The newer EI-3000 could be more interesting.
aohc.it/pressrelease/ei3000e.htm

NEWS! - Pentax EI-3000 and unnamed digital SLR - exclusive pics!
imaging-resource.com/EVENTS/PMAS01/982079635.html

[MarkJerling]

Nice catch Lauren!

[jatrax]

Just FYI but this thread is from 2013. I hope Lauren still has her unicorn....................