[Adam]

The white K-01 is now showing up as "discontinued" at B&H:
Pentax K-01 Digital Camera (White) 15389 B&H Photo Video

The K-01 is also not on display at CP+. Our interview with Pentax on Sunday will confirm whether or not this is true, but it could be that K-mount mirrorless idea simply didn't work out as well as Pentax had hoped, so they might be ending or suspending it for now.

Adam
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[Salagubang]

Sad that they had to discontinue it. Its the first camera I've bought brand new.

Congratulations to those who are lucky to have the brick. We've soon will become rare and famous ha ha. And the pancake will skyrocket too :P

[Adam]

Sad that they had to discontinue it. Its the first camera I've bought brand new.

Congratulations to those who are lucky to have the brick. We've soon will become rare and famous ha ha. And the pancake will skyrocket too :P

You can still buy it separately, not sure if it's going to go away or not! Considering the fact that it's cheaper, they might choose to keep it around. Will have to ask Pentax!

[Louicio]

That's sad. I love the K-01 after buying one for my gf. I always play with it. If they made a FF mirror less like it with beefed up specs and functionality is buy for sure.

[yusuf]

May be that particular listing, other listings at B&H shows it available

Pentax K-01 Digital Camera With 40mm Lens (White) 15400 B&H

Pentax K-01 Digital Camera (Black) 15222 B&H Photo Video

[THoog]

I think it's significant that even though Pentax has not announced that they are discontinuing the K-01, there isn't one among the other K-mount stuff at CP+ - I even see the 40 XS in the shot of the display case. That just screams "not part of the product line".

I'm really glad Pentax tried the concept, and my only regret is that I didn't jump on it from the beginning - even at the unrealistic launch price. It's not perfect, and it can't replace my DSLR, but getting away from the viewfinder and working at arm's length for the past six months or so has been really refreshing (I'm also glad they did not put an EVF on it - if they had, I would only use LiveView sporadically like before, and it would just be a funny-looking K-30).

If you've been on the fence, snag one and join the cult now! Ask about our Family Plan!

[PJ1]

As someone observed on these forums once, some people "just don't get it" with the K-01. I wonder if Pentax-Ricoh just don't get it either. At the right price point with the right marketing it could have a solid niche.

If I could say one thing to the Pentax-Ricoh marketing team it would be "It's not a camera. It's an imaging platform!"

Take the K-01 concept further and develop a new approach to photography. Don't make it tiny. Make it a new tool. For example, you could modularise the unit so that it had interchangeable APS-C and FF backs (it has the registration distance for FF). Or you could have specialised video modules, etc, etc. I could go on, but I would be off topic.

[G.T]

Even if they were about to stop the K-01 with no successor, and therefore leave this branch of mirrorless cameras, they got some knowledge out if it one could hope they'd place into another future product.
The new Q10 seems to show they still want to give a try with the interchangeable lenses, though.

[snkenai]

Whether they continue it or a successor or not, mine works fine, and I will keep using it as long as it satisfies my need. And it was worth the $270 paid for it, sans lens.
I would like to see a follow up to the idea, with a VF in the upper left corner.

[mdodrill]

I just ordered the black with 40mm; the white with lens was shown available. This was too good a price for me to pass up. This will be a great back up camera for me and I like the idea of a mirrorless with kmount is a great idea...at least in my mind. Perfect for guy like me who has 4 DA primes....and I got the small 40 with this purchase again because it was only $70 additional.

[regor]

As someone observed on these forums once, some people "just don't get it" with the K-01. I wonder if Pentax-Ricoh just don't get it either. At the right price point with the right marketing it could have a solid niche.

If I could say one thing to the Pentax-Ricoh marketing team it would be "It's not a camera. It's an imaging platform!"

Take the K-01 concept further and develop a new approach to photography. Don't make it tiny. Make it a new tool. For example, you could modularise the unit so that it had interchangeable APS-C and FF backs (it has the registration distance for FF). Or you could have specialised video modules, etc, etc. I could go on, but I would be off topic.

Perhaps you're onto something here. A take on the Ricoh interchangeable lens/sensor unit and Pro Medium Format cameras. You could have a simple body, w/o lens, w/o EVF, w/o sensor/LCD unit and pick and choose your components. You want and EFV, just plug one in. You want FF, buy a new back unit. You want an articulated LCD, you got it. That is not a bad idea actually.

[Doundounba]

I think it's significant that even though Pentax has not announced that they are discontinuing the K-01, there isn't one among the other K-mount stuff at CP+ - I even see the 40 XS in the shot of the display case.

You mean this one, right?


(The whole page is here.)

To be fair, there is a section to the left of that shot. But yeah, it does look fairly damning, doesn't it...

[THoog]

There's an even larger version of the shot in this thread...

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-news-rumors/213544-cp-interview-qu...ml#post2261238

With three K-30s, a K-5xxx, the DA40XS, and all the small Limiteds in view, I'd be really, really (really!) surprised for the K-01 to be on display in the case to the left with what appears to be the big lenses. I think someone else said there was no K-01 on view, but we may be quoting in circles now...

[PJ1]

Perhaps you're onto something here. A take on the Ricoh interchangeable lens/sensor unit and Pro Medium Format cameras. You could have a simple body, w/o lens, w/o EVF, w/o sensor/LCD unit and pick and choose your components. You want and EFV, just plug one in. You want FF, buy a new back unit. You want an articulated LCD, you got it. That is not a bad idea actually.

I knew someone would understand! It would be just like Lego - no matter how you put the pieces together it's still a brick. And because the K-01 is known as "the brick", the market for the product is already primed. There is nothing quite like giving the market something that it has already identified with.

[Louicio]

I have had the same thought also PJ1, the practice of having a camera as an unit is an obsolete marketplace notion. You should be able to interchange parts with this level of technology. Not only that but it allows a smaller company such as Pentax to have a far larger range by allowing the consumer to design the camera to their variant.