[ap_exclamationpoint]

Hopefully firmware updates can help get the 18-55mm and similar DA lenses working a little better (especially since there are kits being sold with these.)

wait... so what's wrong with the 18-55mm DA on the K-01 as of now?

[ibkc]

It's 16 years later... and maybe later than you think!

D'OH!!!!! 2006! Must go edit!

[ibkc]

wait... so what's wrong with the 18-55mm DA on the K-01 as of now?

It has a tough time locking focus.

I just use it in manual mode, because I am primarily a film shooter and I find manual mode faster a lot of the time anyway, but I a huge exception to the rule, and I can understand why folks are upset about this. A lens designed to be used as an autofocus lens should be able to be easily used as such, certainly.

[ducdao]

How comfortable is it to use the K-01 with a MF lens, say M50/1.4 and trying to focus while holding the camera with live view on?

Now, what about a big MF lens such as Takumar 300/4 for example?

[rfortson]

Is that what happened?

When I bought my *istDL in the summer of 1996, I got it at a local big-box retailer. The big camera chain Wolf/Ritz carried Pentax at that time, too. And there were a few indie camera shops around the cities who carried the brand.

Now, just a few years later, NOBODY, except for Fry's and they only carry a few point-and-shoots (and there are only two locations in the entire Atlanta metro area, anyway). The guy I got on the phone at one of the Wolf stores actually sounded regretful, but it's not like he could do anything about it.

This is something that needs to change!

When Ritz/Wolfe went bankrupt, they left Nikon (at least) holding a $30m bag on unsold inventory. Pentax dodged that bullet. Fry's here in Houston carries Pentax (including the Q), and I just heard Houston Camera Exchange (one of the two big independents) is going to start carrying Pentax again.

A lot gets heaped on Ned Bunnell for Pentax's problems. The only reason people know Ned's name is because he actually interacts (less now, for obvious reasons) with the customers via his blog. Can anyone name any official at any of the other companies that does the same? I thought not.

Pentax went through gyrations when they were bought by Hoya, consolidated worldwide (this wasn't a Pentax US decision, btw), then was sold off to Ricoh. So over the past 3-4 years, there have been big changes. Through that, though, Pentax still managed to release the K20, K7 and K5, plus the Kx and Kr, and finally brought the 645D to market. Pentax is not Sony, Canon or Nikon, and they don't have the marketing budgets the others do. Yes, all the churn disrupted marketing, but with Ricoh (which has a camera history) at the helm, I think they will start to turn that around. However, I never expect them to have large ad campaigns and shelves of products. I don't think they can afford that level of marketing. When's the last Leica ad campaign you saw? Or when did you last handle one?


EDIT- @ibkc - I'm not ranting at you, just venting in general. Yeah, I'd love to see giant Pentax campaigns, but it's never happened in the 6+ years I've been with them, and I don't think it will start now. Pentax is a niche product, which is why their cameras usually fit inbetween what the others are offering.

[rfortson]

How comfortable is it to use the K-01 with a MF lens, say M50/1.4 and trying to focus while holding the camera with live view on?

Now, what about a big MF lens such as Takumar 300/4 for example?

I've used mine with a 50mm lens and it works pretty well, especially with AF zoom (press the OK button to zoom) and focus peaking. As for a 300/4, I think that would be very tough handheld, if not impossible.

[luftfluss]

A lot gets heaped on Ned Bunnell for Pentax's problems. The only reason people know Ned's name is because he actually interacts (less now, for obvious reasons) with the customers via his blog. Can anyone name any official at any of the other companies that does the same? I thought not.

Canikon doesn't need to, they have actual PR & support staffs.

[jmg257]

A lot gets heaped on Ned Bunnell for Pentax's problems. The only reason people know Ned's name is because he actually interacts (less now, for obvious reasons) with the customers via his blog. Can anyone name any official at any of the other companies that does the same? I thought not.
.

Henry Juszkiewicz (Chairman/CEO) from Gibson Guitar tried that...for a bit...didn't seem he like it too well after a while.

(especially after the Firebird X debut mess).

[mervis]

D'OH!!!!! 2006! Must go edit!

I was thinking, now THERE'S an early adopter.

[mervis]

As for a 300/4, I think that would be very tough handheld, if not impossible.

Not impossible, for the determined, but the results could be compromised. On the other hand, the stars might align and you get a lucky shot. Really, though, that lens is meant for a tripod - with ANY Pentax model. Since it has it's own mount there's no reason it wouldn't work just fine attached to a K-01.

I just checked out a very nice used K-mount 200mm f4 manual focus that was very compact. I could easily see working handheld with that one. Give you a 300mm equivalent. That's a lot of telephoto.

[monochrome]

How comfortable is it to use the K-01 with a MF lens, say M50/1.4 and trying to focus while holding the camera with live view on?

Now, what about a big MF lens such as Takumar 300/4 for example?

Assuming you hold the camera like you would an SLR (cradle with the left hand, thumb and index finger on the focus ring, elbows firmly in at the sides, LCD right in front of your face) manual focusing with focus peaking is a dream, especially with auto-enlargement enabled at 8x or 16x. Certainly it is new technique to learn but it beats a viewfinder for eyeglass wearers.

I don't think the camera is suited to a 300 without a monnopod and the K300/4 might not be be suitable at all since it doesn't have a tripod mount ring. I ahve a k200/2.5 that is a challenge w/o monopod.

[monochrome]

When Ritz/Wolfe went bankrupt, they left Nikon (at least) holding a $30m bag on unsold inventory. Pentax dodged that bullet. Fry's here in Houston carries Pentax (including the Q), and I just heard Houston Camera Exchange (one of the two big independents) is going to start carrying Pentax again.

and Creve Couer Camera in Missouri

A lot gets heaped on Ned Bunnell for Pentax's problems. The only reason people know Ned's name is because he actually interacts (less now, for obvious reasons) with the customers via his blog. Can anyone name any official at any of the other companies that does the same? I thought not.

Pentax went through gyrations when they were bought by Hoya, consolidated worldwide (this wasn't a Pentax US decision, btw), then was sold off to Ricoh. So over the past 3-4 years, there have been big changes. Through that, though, Pentax still managed to release the K20, K7 and K5, plus the Kx and Kr, and finally brought the 645D to market. Pentax is not Sony, Canon or Nikon, and they don't have the marketing budgets the others do. Yes, all the churn disrupted marketing, but with Ricoh (which has a camera history) at the helm, I think they will start to turn that around. However, I never expect them to have large ad campaigns and shelves of products. I don't think they can afford that level of marketing. When's the last Leica ad campaign you saw? Or when did you last handle one?


EDIT- @ibkc - I'm not ranting at you, just venting in general. Yeah, I'd love to see giant Pentax campaigns, but it's never happened in the 6+ years I've been with them, and I don't think it will start now. Pentax is a niche product, which is why their cameras usually fit inbetween what the others are offering.

I agree with you that Hoya forced P-USA's hand - but they did all the Regions. I question P-USA's business decisions in the context - they are virtually irreversible now. Very few loyal B&M stores stayed in the fold in the face of elevated inventory demands and we'll likely never get most of them back.

Compare P-USA website positioning of the K-01 versus Europe. The decision to move to national accounts and box-store channel, completely destroy rep channel and B&M distribution, support, and parts, outsource service, outsource marketing, terminate ad co-op support (except ina very few special situations - I question the business decisions.

Pentax Regional Marketing - Website Comparisons.

[EDIT:] I notice the K-01 is now added to the banner crawl. That is VERY new. I linked the post made 02/05 in anopther thread just last Monday and the K-01 STILL wasn't front page.

[mervis]

I don't think the cmera isd suited to a 300 without a monnopod and the K300/4 might not be be suitable at all since it doesn't have a tripod mount ring.

??? Yes, it does actually. See here.

[monochrome]

I don't think the camera is suited to a 300 without a monnopod and the K300/4 might not be be suitable at all since it doesn't have a tripod mount ring. I have a k200/2.5 that is a challenge w/o monopod.

??? Yes, it does actually. See here.

Did you read my post?

Hell, the DA300 has a mounting bracket. It is better suited to monopod and tripod use by Pentax's own manufacturing assumption!!

So are you saying you have mounted and used a DA300/4 with the K-01 - comfortably and successfully - or are you contradicting my supposition that I don't think a K-01 is suited to shooting with a 300 and is definitely not suited to shooting a K300/4 without a monopod?

[mervis]

Ummm, I'm a little confused. You seemed to be saying that the 300/4 has no mounting ring. If I misunderstood, I apologize.

Peace, bro.