[creampuff]

Someday more Pentax users will shoot this way! Maybe the Mayans were right, the end of the Pentax viewfinder world happens in 2012.

[Clicker]

Something you can challenge other camera users to do with their camera and surely WIN with the K-01

lol @ the variations of stands

[interested_observer]

Pentax Singapore should be held out as a role model. It appears that they climbed out of the box and tried something different with great success. What is irritating is that Pentax should pick up this example and run with it. Each market should find a group of users - even groups of 2 or 3 and replicate it. It would take what - 10 cameras to cover Singapore, Japan, Oz, US, Canada, Europe, Middle East, ...

Also, each of the main marketing arms should coordinate their web presentations, and possibly video introductions of the new product. Have their web stores ready to take early orders.

There are several internet based Pentax "forums". I somewhat detect that Adam was read in to some degree, but coordinate with these "outlets".

There is a lot that can be done for very little effort - it just takes some thinking, advanced planning, emails and phone calls, some coordination and things can be done very quickly - and have an extremely large positive effect!

Take 10 retirees who have an interest in Pentax and they could pull off a better product roll-out, then what has been done in the past.

For distribution here in the US, use Costco - find retirees who shoot Pentax, and set them up to talk with shoppers inside the store (just like giving out food samples) - they would love talking about their hobby, passion and the gear that they use. I think that sales would soar here in the US - at least you could hold the product first.

For CRIS - get an adequate supply of spare parts (logistics 101) and I think that turn around pretty quickly.

Think out side the box!!!!!

[frosti7]

Please consider that a decent EVF would have added about $250 to the cost of the camera and, thus, placed it beyond reach of many in the targeted market. Do not think for one moment that Pentax did not consider it. Too bad for you that they ruled you out of their market and settled on lower cost. So, in the end, it was a simple marketing decision. Deal with it. At $799, this camera offers a lot, even without a VF. But don't lose hope. Your dream camera may yet come along.

Rob

another 250$? are you sure?
look that panasonic G3, it costs less, has a great EVF+Swivel screen,

And why should anyone deal with the shortcomings of the K-01, when you can get the exactly same sized K-X (which is going to be replaced within few months)?
Shooting with anything but small prime lens at arms-length is not an easy task, i wouldn't recommend it to anyone,
with such lens's a VF is a must,

I truly belive that this camera is more useless then the Q, i find it incredible that pentax managed to to produce a mirrorless and viewfinder-less camera with EXACTLY same dimensions as the DSLR K-X, here is the size comparison:

Compare camera dimensions side by side

[Laurentiu Cristofor]

Where does Ned Bunnell write about Leica? I followed his blog for news of Pentax products. I'm interested in Leica news too, so if he has a blog for that, I'd like to read it as well.

I think it would be great if more Ricoh/Pentax people would look closer at Leica, Fuji, and their own Limited lenses ... AND JUST GET A HINT!

[jogiba]

Where does Ned Bunnell write about Leica? I followed his blog for news of Pentax products. I'm interested in Leica news too, so if he has a blog for that, I'd like to read it as well.

I think it would be great if more Ricoh/Pentax people would look closer at Leica, Fuji, and their own Limited lenses ... AND JUST GET A HINT!

Would the K-mount lenses still have SR on the Leica and Fuji ?

[monochrome]

Sorry bro, Singapore is definitely a small country but we're not in Indonesia!

Yeah - I fixed it in the original post. Some kind of brain freeze posting that in a thread titled Singapore

[gidion27]

Looks better with limited lens on it. Should be an okay back up for my k5

[Laurentiu Cristofor]

Would the K-mount lenses still have SR on the Leica and Fuji ?

Who gives a flying mirror?

[Catalana]

another 250$? are you sure?
look that panasonic G3, it costs less, has a great EVF+Swivel screen,

And why should anyone deal with the shortcomings of the K-01, when you can get the exactly same sized K-X (which is going to be replaced within few months)?
Shooting with anything but small prime lens at arms-length is not an easy task, i wouldn't recommend it to anyone,
with such lens's a VF is a must,

I truly belive that this camera is more useless then the Q, i find it incredible that pentax managed to to produce a mirrorless and viewfinder-less camera with EXACTLY same dimensions as the DSLR K-X, here is the size comparison:

Compare camera dimensions side by side

Rebuttal:
I can respect your belief, but your statements could be easily challenged. All it would take is for Frank and Creampuff to post images of the same subject
shot with either the K-01 or the K-5, perhaps including the K-r and K-x. All cameras would of course use the same "small prime" lens. I have a feeling that
most of us on this forum would be hard pressed to positively identify which image was taken with any given camera (with Exif data removed and resized to the same dimensions).
Obviously a computer monitor is not the best medium for comparison and printing would likely show some differences.

Secondly, before you let incredulity get the upper hand, a little bit of patience might go a long way, as there are more products in the pipeline. I was quite surprised
by the K-01, but it never entered my mind to think of it as the de-facto replacement of the K-x, K-R, K-7 or K-5. The K-01 is simply a new product that addresses
a different way of taking pictures and yet still leverages an existing lens line-up. And there simply is no rule that says that the K-01 should have smaller dimensions
than it has. The K-01 is what it is and may well experience an evolutionary path.

[pinholecam]

another 250$? are you sure?
look that panasonic G3, it costs less, has a great EVF+Swivel screen,

And why should anyone deal with the shortcomings of the K-01, when you can get the exactly same sized K-X (which is going to be replaced within few months)?
Shooting with anything but small prime lens at arms-length is not an easy task, i wouldn't recommend it to anyone,
with such lens's a VF is a must,

I truly belive that this camera is more useless then the Q, i find it incredible that pentax managed to to produce a mirrorless and viewfinder-less camera with EXACTLY same dimensions as the DSLR K-X, here is the size comparison:

Compare camera dimensions side by side

It does cost money to RnD, tool up the mold, extra PCBA, mechanicals (more robust ones too to handle the plug in/out and handling), then do stringent test (mechanical shock; environmental; etc), finally, there are vendors to liase and promise inventory and orders, in-house inventory and separate labour/running costs for assembly. So expect a more costly external EVF than built in one, which is the case for all brands having that option.

I'd agree with you from a (ie. my) wallet standpoint that $200-$250 would be 'expensive', but the above would be the realities of why the maker would want to charge more.

[timo]

Singapore is not in Indonesia. It is in ... Singapore.

Hehe - exactly. When I first moved here I had to stop my bank writing to me in "Singapore, China". It took a while ...

Sorry I missed that outing.

Tim

[koguma]

and I'm thinking why should I spend $800 for this, when the K-5 is almost the same price (especially with last xmas deals).

Seriously, with the price being nearly identical to the K-5, why would anyone want this over a K-5?

another 250$? are you sure?
look that panasonic G3, it costs less, has a great EVF+Swivel screen,

And why should anyone deal with the shortcomings of the K-01, when you can get the exactly same sized K-X (which is going to be replaced within few months)?
Shooting with anything but small prime lens at arms-length is not an easy task, i wouldn't recommend it to anyone,
with such lens's a VF is a must,

I truly belive that this camera is more useless then the Q, i find it incredible that pentax managed to to produce a mirrorless and viewfinder-less camera with EXACTLY same dimensions as the DSLR K-X, here is the size comparison:

Compare camera dimensions side by side

[bobmaxja]

Wait until the replacemet of K-5 is coming at $1499, you will love the K-01 or used K-5

[johnmflores]

and I'm thinking why should I spend $800 for this, when the K-5 is almost the same price (especially with last xmas deals).

Seriously, with the price being nearly identical to the K-5, why would anyone want this over a K-5?

1. Improved video? (Full manual control, one-button record, improved frame rate support)
2. Smaller size? (K-5 won't fit in my messenger bag comfortably due to the pentaprism. K-01 should slide right in)
3. Cheaper? (K-01 is $749 body only, K-5 even with discounts is typically $1100)
4. Faster? (Early reports suggest the new image processor is faster)
5. Improved CDAF? (more usable than K-5's zoom to focus CDAF)
6. Better MF? (Focus peaking makes manual focus much easier)
7. Simpler? Friends and family will feel less intimidated when asked to take photos