[Winder]

Three new EVIL cameras are all hitting the market at the same time. Three very different price points. Three very different designs. Three very different cameras.

The gurus on this forum have insisted that legacy K-mount support is of paramount importance to the success of the Pentax camera. I find it interesting that Fuji has no legacy lens support and there are only 3 lenses in the entire world that will fit it at this point in time. The Fuji is 2x the price of the Pentax K-01. Right now the Fuji XP1 is #1 on Amazon for camera sales and the Pentax D-01 is #17. I am willing to bet that when the Olympus OM-D is released it will pass the Pentax as well even though it is 50% more than the Pentax.

A lot more people are lining up to pay 2x as much for the Fuji with no legacy lens support than the Pentax K-01. Why is that? For all the people who think that legacy lens support is so important explain this to me please. The Pentax is 17th... 18th is the Panasonic G3 (discontinued) and the Panasonic GH-2 (discontinued).

The Pentax was only just announced so we will give it some time and see how high it can go on the list, but more cameras are expected to be announced over the next few days, so I don't expect it to change a whole lot. Even with all of the legacy lens available I doubt it will pass the any of the NEX or M4/3 cameras.

Explain why the Fuji is such a hot selling camera if it has no legacy glass to support it? How can Fuji sell for twice the price? I get the feeling Pentax is about to get their butts handed to them in the mirror-less camera market.

I'm willing to bet that 6 moths form now the Pentax is no where near the top 25 and the Fuji X-PRO 1 and the Olympus OM-D will both still be in the top 15. Fuji and Olympus are both going to see significant growth in market share from their two cameras, and I bet the K-01 does not even move the needle for Pentax. If anything I think you will see more people leave the Pentax brand and move over to the Fuji or Olympus than you see moving to Pentax. The K-5 replacement had better be a very strong contender.

[Adam]

Because the Fuji looks retro and has a hybrid VF, it's attracting a lot of people who used to shoot with rangefinders. I'm not sue why Fuji's unique approach to sensor design is seeing so much success, though- on the X10, it seemed to hurt both the usability and the IQ.

The Pentax theoretically has the potential to match it in sales, (and I bet the IQ will be better too) but that would require marketing and exposure. Both of which have been minimal ever since Pentax entered the digital era. Though they're not perfect, pentax cameras are fantastic overall, but quite under-appreciated. I too wonder why that is. Especially with us around to give Pentax a boost!

I disagree about the impact of the K-01, however. While current Pentax owners are probably not too excited about it, I think it will attract a new crowd of users. It's clear that a lot of effort has gone into this camera: a renowned designer was hired, a new PRIME M engine was put in, and the video was brought up to the standards of the current decade. I also think that if Pentax expedites the announcement of the K-r and K-5 successors, they will be able to keep people from jumping ship, especially now that they're published a quite promising lens roadmap!

[Docrwm]

I sound like a broken record - even to myself, but here goes:

That will take a TOTAL REVAMP of the marketing department at Pentax USA. But I have said before, Ricoh has a history of taking aim at a segment leader and overtaking them within the segment they previously dominated. Their marketing tactics have been outstanding in many regards in the past, so why would we question their ability to take Pentax and do the same thing? It just takes time and resources. Ricoh has the resources, we just need to give them the time.

[Winder]

Because the Fuji looks retro and has a hybrid VF, it's attracting a lot of people who used to shoot with rangefinders. I'm not sue why Fuji's unique approach to sensor design is seeing so much success, though- on the X10, it seemed to hurt both the usability and the IQ.

The Pentax theoretically has the potential to match it in sales, (and I bet the IQ will be better too) but that would require marketing and exposure. Both of which have been minimal ever since Pentax entered the digital era. Though they're not perfect, pentax cameras are fantastic overall, but quite under-appreciated. I too wonder why that is. Especially with us around to give Pentax a boost!

I disagree about the impact of the K-01, however. While current Pentax owners are probably not too excited about it, I think it will attract a new crowd of users. It's clear that a lot of effort has gone into this camera: a renowned designer was hired, a new PRIME M engine was put in, and the video was brought up to the standards of the current decade. I also think that if Pentax expedites the announcement of the K-r and K-5 successors, they will be able to keep people from jumping ship, especially now that they're published a quite promising lens roadmap!

Fuji is a company with less mass market name recognition than Pentax for the average camera buyer. They have been completely out of the ILC segment for 5 years now. They will pass Pentax with the X-mount because they can use K-mount and M-mount adapters and open a lot of doors with a lot of people who never would have thought twice about Fuji. If Pentax had released an MX-D and announced and M-mount adapter I think Pentax would have had a home run.

What does PRIME M mean exactly? is it better than what is in the K-5? What are the advantages?
What makes you think the IQ of the Pentax K-01 will be better than the Fuji X-PRO 1? They have the same Sony sensor. Fuji has removed the AA filter and changed the color array.

The lens road maps appears to make it clear that there are not FA lenses under development. There are no fast primes under development. The 85mm f/1.4 and 135mm f/1.4 are not going to happen anytime soon. You need fast high quality glass, then call Sigma. You want slow, plastic zooms that all overlap in focal length? Call Pentax. The 1.4xTC was on the last lens road map that Pentax released 5 years ago. Still on the road map. Still "vaporware". Is there something really exciting on that map I missed? I was more bothered by what was no on the road map more than impressed by what was. Do we need another 50mm? Another 40mm? What is the WOW lens on that road map?

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Last edited by Winder; 02-02-2012 at 08:44 PM.

[jogiba]

Fujifilm USA has announced its recommended pricing for the X-Pro1 high-end mirrorless camera. The MSRP will be $1699 for the body and $599-$649 for the lenses, meaning you can expect it to create around a $2300 dent in your pocket if you want to be able to take pictures with it.

Fujifilm says X-Pro1 will set you back around $2300. UK probably £1980: Digital Photography Review

How many of my myriad of K-mount lenses fit the Fuji ?

[Nebulous]

Fuji is a company with less mass market name recognition than Pentax for the average camera buyer. They have been completely out of the ILC segment for 5 years now. They will pass Pentax with the X-mount because they can use K-mount and M-mount adapters and open a lot of doors with a lot of people who never would have thought twice about Fuji. If Pentax had released an MX-D and announced and M-mount adapter I think Pentax would have had a home run.

What does PRIME M mean exactly? is it better than what is in the K-5? What are the advantages?
What makes you think the IQ of the Pentax K-01 will be better than the Fuji X-PRO 1? They have the same Sony sensor. Fuji has removed the AA filter and changed the color array.

The lens road maps appears to make it clear that there are not FA lenses under development. There are no fast primes under development. The 85mm f/1.4 and 135mm f/1.4 are not going to happen anytime soon. You need fast high quality glass, then call Sigma. You want slow, plastic zooms that all overlap in focal length? Call Pentax. The 1.4xTC was on the last lens road map that Pentax released 5 years ago. Still on the road map. Still "vaporware". Is there something really exciting on that map I missed? I was more bothered by what was no on the road map than impressed by what was. Do we need another 50mm? Another 40mm? What is the WOW lens on that road map?

im with you on the lens roadmap very disappointing and vague. i really wish there some FAs coming out but that might mean pentax is making an FF which realistically wont happen this year.

as for the x-pro1 i think its a strange camera, its kinda cool i like the design and its a lot cheaper then a leica m9 its trying to look like but its lens mount is a killer for me and then its not FF. also if their new sensor pattern is showing worse performance then the current bayer patterns any thing short of a forveon sensor isnt going to get me to turn my head. so really why would anyone pay almost twice as much for it compared to the k-01?

[Alizarine]

Perhaps the Prime M is geared for the 81AF points and manual video controls? Seems to me that the Prime II was more in favor of calculations for still images.

Is there something really exciting on that map I missed? I was more bothered by what was no on the road map more than impressed by what was. Do we need another 50mm? Another 40mm? What is the WOW lens on that road map?

The FA 50's going, as much as i can guess. the DA40XS was meant for the K-01 (and probably its future successors)
I can say that the DA*16-85 and the 28-80 or somewhere like that are big stars in the lineup.

and also, who are these people who want to buy into the Fuji design for so much money? Prolly not the bigger crowd of younger people with their first jobs or still getting allowances from parents. While it may hold true that the Fuji design can sell for a lot more, if Pentax can match that with numbers, maybe things can get even.

[johnmflores]

Simple. The Fuji is the fountain of youth, putting hair back on the chests (and heads) of older photographers, shrinking the dreaded middle-aged spread, and making them daydream about being HCB stopping for a cigarette and espresso at a Parisian cafe. The OM-D is likely to trigger similar synapses.

Mythology is a powerful thing.

[Winder]

Fujifilm says X-Pro1 will set you back around $2300. UK probably £1980: Digital Photography Review

How many of my myriad of K-mount lenses fit the Fuji ?

When the K-mount adapter is released.... all of them what is your point?

The Fuji only has THREE lenses and it is still out selling any camera Pentax makes. K-mount support is irrelevant to 98% of the camera buyers in the world.

The Fuji X-PRO 1 W/35mm F/1.4 will set you back $2,300 which is less than the K-5 w/31mm F/1.8 when it was released.... and yes I am willing to bet the 35mm Fujinon is as good or better than the 31mm LTD.

[kenyee]

They will pass Pentax with the X-mount because they can use K-mount and M-mount adapters and open a lot of doors with a lot of people who never would have thought twice about Fuji.

And they also brought Leica's expensive retro look downmarket. "Creampuff" on my poll thread said everyone who hated the K-01 was a gray haired old fogie, but the fact is the older folks have the money to popularize "retro" and make it desirable by younger folks. Most younger folks I know want a Leica M9 but can't afford it. Fuji's X series gives them at least a chance to afford it.
The X-Pro1 is nearly the same size as the Leica M9.
And it doesn't have an AA filter, so it should be sharper than the K-01. The Fuji colors also look natural like Pentax colors do.
The 3 primes they released are also a good range of focal length and fast (unlike most 4/3rds lenses)...

p.s., yes, I'd pick the X-Pro1 over the K-01 if I wanted a mirrorless camera...

[Winder]

Simple. The Fuji is the fountain of youth, putting hair back on the chests (and heads) of older photographers, shrinking the dreaded middle-aged spread, and making them daydream about being HCB stopping for a cigarette and espresso at a Parisian cafe. The OM-D is likely to trigger similar synapses.

Mythology is a powerful thing.

And the yellow Pentax K-01 reminds you of the TONKA toys you had as a kid.......

[sunny16]

I love this...

Simple. The Fuji is the fountain of youth, putting hair back on the chests (and heads) of older photographers, shrinking the dreaded middle-aged spread, and making them daydream about being HCB stopping for a cigarette and espresso at a Parisian cafe. The OM-D is likely to trigger similar synapses.

Mythology is a powerful thing.

[Winder]

And they also brought Leica's expensive retro look downmarket. "Creampuff" on my poll thread said everyone who hated the K-01 was a gray haired old fogie, but the fact is the older folks have the money to popularize "retro" and make it desirable by younger folks. Most younger folks I know want a Leica M9 but can't afford it. Fuji's X series gives them at least a chance to afford it.
The X-Pro1 is nearly the same size as the Leica M9.
And it doesn't have an AA filter, so it should be sharper than the K-01. The Fuji colors also look natural like Pentax colors do.

I can agree with some of this. The Fuji is more Leica like and the K-01 more TONKA/Fisher-Price-ish.

But my point is:

Pentax = 1/2 the price and 30x more lens options than the Fuji...... Why is the Fuji out selling? If people really care about legacy glass support and price then Pentax SHOULD outselling M4/3 and Fuji and its 3 lenses......

[sunny16]

I can agree with some of this. The Fuji is more Leica like and the K-01 more TONKA/Fisher-Price-ish.

But my point is:

Pentax = 1/2 the price and 30x more lens options than the Fuji...... Why is the Fuji out selling? If people really care about legacy glass support and price then Pentax SHOULD outselling M4/3 and Fuji and its 3 lenses......

Will any of these provide better photos than your K-5?

[twitch]

Will any of these provide better photos than your K-5?

Yes, but only if you've left your bulky K-5 at home