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01-05-2013, 12:00 AM   #46
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It's just an amazingly fun camera to use, isn't it?

Charles.

01-05-2013, 06:44 AM   #47
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QuoteOriginally posted by ChopperCharles Quote
It's just an amazingly fun camera to use, isn't it?

Charles.
It is, and I don't think it would be if it had an EVF. It would just be a 16 MP K-x with a quiet shutter and painfully slow AF (not slamming the K-x - it's a great little camera!). I would keep the camera to my face like all the others.

I don't know how Pentax could have sold this aspect of it, because (1) you have to get it into people's hands, and (2) you have to get it there long enough for the fun factor to bloom. I actually handled a demo unit for a couple minutes and came away thinking "meh, green button's in a terrible location". The first couple shoots were frustrating, but once I tossed the neck strap and started shooting one-handed, I "got" it.
01-05-2013, 11:23 AM   #48
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QuoteOriginally posted by Na Horuk Quote
Pentalux K-02?
yes K02!
01-05-2013, 03:28 PM   #49
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Yeah, with my hand strap I can shoot one handed without fatigue. I just have to hit the shutter with my thumb. Works out great!

Charles.

01-06-2013, 02:41 AM   #50
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There are a number of ways that Pentax could follow up the K-01.

- Listen to all the critics and address their issues one by one. Make it black and conservative. Add an EVF. Make it more "ergonomic". It would end up looking like one of the smaller Sony SLT cameras, which might not be a bad thing.
- Take inspiration from what Fuji has done and design it to look like a vintage SLR. This would be cool with the limited lenses. I personally think they might as well put the mirror back in if they did this.
- Keep the design largely the same but make it into the first shock-resistent ILC. I mean more weather sealed and rubberised like the G700, with specially designed lenses. This would be unique and easy to market to outdoor types (and people who like those goods even if they rarely leave suburbia!).
- Stick to their guns and keep the design concept of the K-01. Perhaps get another designer to do the styling. Make a few technical improvements and back it with a more committed marketing campaign.

I'm not saying that they're likely to do any of these, but there's a lot of potential in mirrorless K-mount designs.
01-06-2013, 04:12 AM   #51
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QuoteOriginally posted by JPT Quote
There are a number of ways that Pentax could follow up the K-01.

- Listen to all the critics and address their issues one by one. Make it black and conservative. Add an EVF. Make it more "ergonomic". It would end up looking like one of the smaller Sony SLT cameras, which might not be a bad thing.
I think this is the best option, but I prefer a RF design like on NEX6/7. And the EVF should be add-on accessory to make the camera as cheap as possible.

The best would be if they can design the EVF so it's better integrated in the camera than other external EVF, and also design the EVF so it don't add to the size of the camera. Just make a empty space in the upper left corner of the camera , so you can remove a cover and push the EVF into the camera. The camera should also have a fully articulated LCD.
01-12-2013, 11:51 PM   #52
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QuoteOriginally posted by THoog Quote
I would be very, very surprised if there is a replacement. Let's face it - the K-01 flopped. Hard. Even if there are some of us that love the little brick (including me), selling a few hundred units at closeout prices didn't turn it into a success. Flops don't get followups. We haven't heard anything positive from Pentax regarding a successor - what comments we have heard were neutral or negative. There might be something similar in concept years down the road, but it probably won't be considered a K-01 successor. The K-01 filled a niche (mirrorless legacy mount), that didn't have a lot of demand. The K-mount forces it to be bigger than other mirrorless offerings with no room for features like articulated screens. Adding those features would make it the size of a dSLR - and they could be added just as easily to a dSLR.
It's niche if you describe it as a 'mirrorless legacy mount', but if you descrbe it as a DSLnR instead - a non-reflex camera which uses SLR lenses - then it's inevitable.

It's only a matter of time before both Canon and Nikon release their own versions as more cost-effective models. Most likely entry-level. Not yet, but they will. Pentax were too early, just like with their full frame model.

And as an entry-level, it was priced way too high. see how fast it flies off the shelves when discounted. Plus the polarizing Newson design obviously didn't help. If the new MX-1 brass/retro look is an indication of their future design direction, then a K-02 with an EVF like the Olympus OM-D might be what will eventuate.

01-13-2013, 08:34 AM   #53
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QuoteOriginally posted by anthony mazzeri Quote
It's niche if you describe it as a 'mirrorless legacy mount', but if you descrbe it as a DSLnR instead - a non-reflex camera which uses SLR lenses - then it's inevitable.

It's only a matter of time before both Canon and Nikon release their own versions as more cost-effective models. Most likely entry-level. Not yet, but they will. Pentax were too early, just like with their full frame model.

And as an entry-level, it was priced way too high. see how fast it flies off the shelves when discounted. Plus the polarizing Newson design obviously didn't help. If the new MX-1 brass/retro look is an indication of their future design direction, then a K-02 with an EVF like the Olympus OM-D might be what will eventuate.
As I said, there may be something similar in concept in the future, but after a gap of years, it probably won't be called "K-02" or be considered a K-01 "replacement". I don't hear anyone calling the K-30, the first mid-level Pentax DSLR since the K200D, a "K200D replacement" (maybe I haven't been listening in the right forums).

I also don't think you can make conclusions about Pentax design directions from the MX-1 any more than the Q10 or X-5 (or K-01!). Pentax also used retro styling on the Optio I-10, years back. DSLR shooters seem to be much more conservative about body styling than point-and-shoot buyers. With an EVF, I expect future DSLnRs (that's really hard to type) will just look like compact DSLRs.
01-14-2013, 05:17 AM   #54
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Do you guys really think there will be a successor to the K-01. My impression was that it was a sales failure and they threw in the towel. I hope there is another one too but I dont think it will happen.
01-14-2013, 08:59 AM   #55
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QuoteOriginally posted by mypobox Quote
Do you guys really think there will be a successor to the K-01. My impression was that it was a sales failure and they threw in the towel. I hope there is another one too but I dont think it will happen.
It depends on if they can work out exactly why it was a failure. Was it the polarizing design? Lack of viewfinder? Too big? Or was it simply too highly priced?

I'd say it was 100% the price factor because the other so-called 'deal-breakers' like lack of EVF, size or Fischer-Price appearance all suddenly no longer matter to buyers with the K-01 flying off the shelves now that the price has dropped to discount levels. So the market is speaking - sell the K-01 at a great price and it's number one best selling camera on Amazon. But price it higher than a K-30 and it bombs.

So price it somewhere in-between extortion and fire-sale levels and it should sell reasonably well enough to be profitable for Pentax. Same with the Q. Now they have a Q10 follow-up at a more reasonable recommended retail price, so why not a K-02 at $499 body-only?
01-14-2013, 10:06 AM   #56
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QuoteOriginally posted by anthony mazzeri Quote
It depends on if they can work out exactly why it was a failure. Was it the polarizing design? Lack of viewfinder? Too big? Or was it simply too highly priced?

I'd say it was 100% the price factor because the other so-called 'deal-breakers' like lack of EVF, size or Fischer-Price appearance all suddenly no longer matter to buyers with the K-01 flying off the shelves now that the price has dropped to discount levels. So the market is speaking - sell the K-01 at a great price and it's number one best selling camera on Amazon. But price it higher than a K-30 and it bombs.

So price it somewhere in-between extortion and fire-sale levels and it should sell reasonably well enough to be profitable for Pentax. Same with the Q. Now they have a Q10 follow-up at a more reasonable recommended retail price, so why not a K-02 at $499 body-only?
I could not agree more. I'd love to see all the reviews of the K-01 done with the lower price point. I agree all the technical aspects would be the same but I bet the whole tone of the review would be much more positive at a $400 price point.
01-14-2013, 11:08 AM   #57
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QuoteOriginally posted by mypobox Quote
I could not agree more. I'd love to see all the reviews of the K-01 done with the lower price point. I agree all the technical aspects would be the same but I bet the whole tone of the review would be much more positive at a $400 price point.
Also AF is supposed to be improved with the new firmware. The $400 price point seems too low to make it worthwhile to manufacture. There are plenty of advanced compacts selling for significantly more than that.

I believe the Pentax exec stated outright that the K-01 is a one-off product and not a product line. What that means exactly is up for debate, but I don't see justification to speculate on a K-02.

Last edited by audiobomber; 01-14-2013 at 02:08 PM.
01-14-2013, 01:45 PM   #58
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I don't think the price is going to be that low...at least on the 1st half year after release.

The only feature I want in a K-01 replacement would be wireless p-ttl. The lack of it in the K-01 is the only thing that keeps me from buying it.

Although it's not a dealbreaker, I wouldn't mind having a EVF and a swivel screen.
01-14-2013, 01:51 PM   #59
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QuoteOriginally posted by HSV Quote
I don't think the price is going to be that low...at least on the 1st half year after release.

The only feature I want in a K-01 replacement would be wireless p-ttl. The lack of it in the K-01 is the only thing that keeps me from buying it.

Although it's not a dealbreaker, I wouldn't mind having a EVF and a swivel screen.
You know you can always use cheap wireless triggers and do the job just as well ... find solutions .
01-14-2013, 01:59 PM   #60
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QuoteOriginally posted by audiobomber Quote
Also AF is supposed to be improved with the new firmware. The $400 price point seems too low to make it worthwhile. There are plenty of advanced compacts selling for significantly more than that.

I believe the Pentax exec stated outright that the K-01 is a one-off product and not a product line. What that means exactly is up for debate, but I don't see justification to speculate on a K-02.
What I hope it means is that Pentax will explore K mount mirrorless in the future, but not include Marc Newson in the design discussions.
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