Pentax Mirrorless?

Peter van Baarle · 05-02-2018, 04:02 AM - **2 Likes**

I wonder why Pentax has not yet jumped the mirrorless bandwagon (or rather, jumped off after the K01), I feel they are digging their own grave...

CP+ 2018 interviews: The reign of the DSLR is almost over...: Digital Photography Review

Kunzite · 05-02-2018, 04:03 AM - **1 Like**

Not news nor rumor. Just the same silly "mirrorless or die" FUD.

D1N0 · 05-02-2018, 04:15 AM - **5 Likes**

Pentax is a DSLR brand. As long as there are dslr's there will be Pentax. DSLR's don't have to "reign". You don't need to outsell this or that category of camera to earn a place in the market. These constant panic attacks people have because there are is no mirrorless Pentax are ridiculous. (Well officially there is still the q system). If you have a angst to be left out, by all means buy a mirrorless camera. There are plenty. It is not an existential question to remain with Pentax at all costs while despairing about there not being a mirrorless.

Not a Number · 05-02-2018, 04:20 AM - **1 Like**

Oh Noes! Yet-Another-DSLR-vs-Mirrorless thread. Even the popcorn has gotten stale by this time.

**BruceBanner** · 05-02-2018, 05:26 AM - **2 Likes**

Originally posted by Peter van Baarle

I wonder why Pentax has not yet jumped the mirrorless bandwagon (or rather, jumped off after the K01), I feel they are digging their own grave...

CP+ 2018 interviews: The reign of the DSLR is almost over...: Digital Photography Review

You Tube

**UncleVanya** · 05-02-2018, 05:41 AM - **1 Like**

I'll take a serious stab at this. Mirrors don't make photos. I'm not being silly. The reason mirrorless is attractive is that the design inherently is thinner and allows designing a smaller camera. However the lenses for the same format sensor aren't smaller.

M43 is smaller, but the sensor is smaller. M43 high quality telephoto lenses are similar in size to Pentax, notably the Olympus 300 is larger and heavier than the DA* 300. This isn't too say that you can't make super compact mirrorless systems using slower lenses and small sensor.

Pentax has a mirrorless camera that fits this, the Q series. The sensor is small, the lenses are small, it's only real lack is a viewfinder and the fact that for some purposes the sensor size is an issue due to performance at high ISO.

A k-mount mirrorless wouldn't really do much to improve things. The size wouldn't significantly different from the KP or KS2. Pentax already has four formats for lenses, Q, DA, DFA, 645... And limited resources to design and manufacture these.

**Ray Cox** · 05-02-2018, 05:43 AM

Originally posted by D1N0

Pentax is a DSLR brand. As long as there are dslr's there will be Pentax. DSLR's don't have to "reign". You don't need to outsell this or that category of camera to earn a place in the market. These constant panic attacks people have because there are is no mirrorless Pentax are ridiculous. (Well officially there is still the q system). If you have a angst to be left out, by all means buy a mirrorless camera. There are plenty. It is not an existential question to remain with Pentax at all costs while despairing about there not being a mirrorless.

Well said !!

Kunzite · 05-02-2018, 05:52 AM - **1 Like**

This interview is more comprehensive:
Ricoh @ CP+: Rewarding K-1 fans with a major upgrade, plus what comes next after the K-3 II?

Read it. Then, judge if what the company plans to do with the brand is what you want - if not, find another.
We'll respect your choice, but we ask you in return to respect ours.

**THoog** · 05-02-2018, 05:58 AM

Originally posted by Peter van Baarle

I wonder why Pentax has not yet jumped the mirrorless bandwagon (or rather, jumped off after the K01)

You answered your own question. The K-01 flopped. Pentax realized that they could not compete in a very competitive segment (too competitive for Samsung, even!). They can't churn out cheap bodies to compete on price, they can't squeeze the same amount of electronics (= features) into a modified DSLR body with all mechanical linkages and a large empty space in the middle, and they can't pump resources into developing a FOURTH lens mount and ecosystem. (They barely support three now.) So, they do what they can do well, and apparently can do profitably.

If they develop the KAF4 lens line, they might be able to use that to revisit mirrorless some day, but it won't be any time soon.

**UncleVanya** · 05-02-2018, 05:59 AM

Oh and the GR series is mirrorless.

**Pål Jensen** · 05-02-2018, 07:24 AM - **1 Like**

Pentax makes cameras for photographers...

derelict · 05-02-2018, 08:17 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by Pål Jensen

Pentax makes cameras for photographers...

What does that mean? Are you trying to say that people shooting Sony (growing daily), Olympus/ Panasonic (like Len Metcalf), and Fuji (growing daily) are not real photographers? Not too mention that Nikon is about to release a FF mirrorless. Holy crap, you are hilarious!

I get brand allegiance and all that but statements like that are just blind fandom. The truth is that Pentax would probably LOVE to have at least an APS-C mirrorless on the market but they simply do not have the money. I think that the KP should have been delayed just a little longer and been designed around one of Sonys mirrorless sensors.

tvdtvdtvd · 05-02-2018, 09:08 AM - **5 Likes**

Originally posted by Peter van Baarle

I wonder why Pentax has not yet jumped the mirrorless bandwagon (or rather, jumped off after the K01), I feel they are digging their own grave...

CP+ 2018 interviews: The reign of the DSLR is almost over...: Digital Photography Review

That article is emblematic of the devolution of DPR as they have gone from being a once useful portal to a funnel for
sensationalist, click-bait coverage. At present, DPR is like the Fox News of camera news sites.

DSLRs don't reign. The SLR form factor has proven very popular for a reason, (many reasons, actually). But there were and still
are alternatives for anyone wanting or needing something different.

Mirrorless cameras may very well become the most popular format in the decades ahead, particularly as the
format improves. Nonetheless, that does not mean that mirrorless cameras will 'reign', or that only mirrorless
cameras will be able to get the job done, OR that any camera manufacturer not jumping on the mirrorless
bandwagon will become obsolete. I guarantee the SLR format will continue to hold preference for many
shooters for many years to come.

Far too much is made of the "brand X doesn't do what brand Y does". Buy brand Y if you want the features
offered by brand Y, simple as that. Pentax >has< made mirrorless cameras in the past and I personally won't
be surprised when they begin making them again, though I'm sure they'll be distinctive in their own Pentax
way. However, for the present Pentax is very firmly committed to making excellent, rugged, feature-rich,
ergonomic DSLRs and they do that very, very well.

donpjt · 05-02-2018, 10:37 AM

I'd love mirrorless, but I'd love 4k video even more, even if it makes the camera a bit more expensive. 4k and mirrorless, well, that would be awesome! My major gripe with pentax is that they totally ignore the video aspect. And videos are growing more and more in demand and even normal people shoot tons of videos with the youtube revolution. So no mirrorless is fine with me, But when I have to get another camera if I need to do photo and video is what makes Pentax at a disadvantage.

In my opinion the reason mirrorless cameras have become popular is not because of their size, but only because they offer better video capabilities. Sony and Panasonic especially, If you talk video now, its either Sony or panasonic, canikons are not even close especially on 4k and you can get a quality DSLR or mirrorless from Panny / sony which shoots greats pics and great video at a much cheaper price than a DSLR. So that's whats driving the mirrorless hype, not the size. Not that size is not a factor, but I'd say video trumps size. Size is mainly for travel cameras

**UncleVanya** · 05-02-2018, 11:12 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by derelict

I get brand allegiance and all that but statements like that are just blind fandom. The truth is that Pentax would probably LOVE to have at least an APS-C mirrorless on the market but they simply do not have the money. I think that the KP should have been delayed just a little longer and been designed around one of Sonys mirrorless sensors.

Um. Then they would need to develop an entire line of lenses as well or the body wouldn't accoplish anything. Also as for cameras for photographers that's propaganda but also a nod to the fact that they are not a video oriented company.

05-02-2018, 04:02 AM - 2 Likes	#1
Peter van Baarle New Member Join Date: Jul 2016 Posts: 16	Pentax Mirrorless? I wonder why Pentax has not yet jumped the mirrorless bandwagon (or rather, jumped off after the K01), I feel they are digging their own grave... CP+ 2018 interviews: The reign of the DSLR is almost over...: Digital Photography Review

05-02-2018, 10:37 AM	#14
donpjt Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Houston, TX Photos: Gallery Posts: 190	I'd love mirrorless, but I'd love 4k video even more, even if it makes the camera a bit more expensive. 4k and mirrorless, well, that would be awesome! My major gripe with pentax is that they totally ignore the video aspect. And videos are growing more and more in demand and even normal people shoot tons of videos with the youtube revolution. So no mirrorless is fine with me, But when I have to get another camera if I need to do photo and video is what makes Pentax at a disadvantage. In my opinion the reason mirrorless cameras have become popular is not because of their size, but only because they offer better video capabilities. Sony and Panasonic especially, If you talk video now, its either Sony or panasonic, canikons are not even close especially on 4k and you can get a quality DSLR or mirrorless from Panny / sony which shoots greats pics and great video at a much cheaper price than a DSLR. So that's whats driving the mirrorless hype, not the size. Not that size is not a factor, but I'd say video trumps size. Size is mainly for travel cameras Last edited by donpjt; 05-02-2018 at 11:21 AM.

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05-02-2018, 04:03 AM - 1 Like	#2
Kunzite Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Romania Posts: 15,132	Not news nor rumor. Just the same silly "mirrorless or die" FUD.

05-02-2018, 04:15 AM - 5 Likes	#3
D1N0 Pentaxian Join Date: May 2012 Location: --- Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,802	Pentax is a DSLR brand. As long as there are dslr's there will be Pentax. DSLR's don't have to "reign". You don't need to outsell this or that category of camera to earn a place in the market. These constant panic attacks people have because there are is no mirrorless Pentax are ridiculous. (Well officially there is still the q system). If you have a angst to be left out, by all means buy a mirrorless camera. There are plenty. It is not an existential question to remain with Pentax at all costs while despairing about there not being a mirrorless.

05-02-2018, 04:20 AM - 1 Like	#4
Not a Number Moderator Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Venice, CA Posts: 10,525	Oh Noes! Yet-Another-DSLR-vs-Mirrorless thread. Even the popcorn has gotten stale by this time.

05-02-2018, 05:41 AM - 1 Like	#6
UncleVanya Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2014 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 28,385	I'll take a serious stab at this. Mirrors don't make photos. I'm not being silly. The reason mirrorless is attractive is that the design inherently is thinner and allows designing a smaller camera. However the lenses for the same format sensor aren't smaller. M43 is smaller, but the sensor is smaller. M43 high quality telephoto lenses are similar in size to Pentax, notably the Olympus 300 is larger and heavier than the DA* 300. This isn't too say that you can't make super compact mirrorless systems using slower lenses and small sensor. Pentax has a mirrorless camera that fits this, the Q series. The sensor is small, the lenses are small, it's only real lack is a viewfinder and the fact that for some purposes the sensor size is an issue due to performance at high ISO. A k-mount mirrorless wouldn't really do much to improve things. The size wouldn't significantly different from the KP or KS2. Pentax already has four formats for lenses, Q, DA, DFA, 645... And limited resources to design and manufacture these.

05-02-2018, 05:43 AM	#7
Ray Cox Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Utica,Il Posts: 184	Originally posted by D1N0 Pentax is a DSLR brand. As long as there are dslr's there will be Pentax. DSLR's don't have to "reign". You don't need to outsell this or that category of camera to earn a place in the market. These constant panic attacks people have because there are is no mirrorless Pentax are ridiculous. (Well officially there is still the q system). If you have a angst to be left out, by all means buy a mirrorless camera. There are plenty. It is not an existential question to remain with Pentax at all costs while despairing about there not being a mirrorless. Well said !!

05-02-2018, 05:52 AM - 1 Like	#8
Kunzite Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Romania Posts: 15,132	This interview is more comprehensive: Ricoh @ CP+: Rewarding K-1 fans with a major upgrade, plus what comes next after the K-3 II? Read it. Then, judge if what the company plans to do with the brand is what you want - if not, find another. We'll respect your choice, but we ask you in return to respect ours.

05-02-2018, 05:58 AM	#9
THoog Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: North Carolina Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,685	Originally posted by Peter van Baarle I wonder why Pentax has not yet jumped the mirrorless bandwagon (or rather, jumped off after the K01) You answered your own question. The K-01 flopped. Pentax realized that they could not compete in a very competitive segment (too competitive for Samsung, even!). They can't churn out cheap bodies to compete on price, they can't squeeze the same amount of electronics (= features) into a modified DSLR body with all mechanical linkages and a large empty space in the middle, and they can't pump resources into developing a FOURTH lens mount and ecosystem. (They barely support three now.) So, they do what they can do well, and apparently can do profitably. If they develop the KAF4 lens line, they might be able to use that to revisit mirrorless some day, but it won't be any time soon.

05-02-2018, 05:59 AM	#10
UncleVanya Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2014 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 28,385	Oh and the GR series is mirrorless.

05-02-2018, 07:24 AM - 1 Like	#11
Pål Jensen Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Norway Photos: Albums Posts: 4,371	Pentax makes cameras for photographers...

05-02-2018, 08:17 AM - 1 Like	#12
derelict Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: NoVa Posts: 525	Originally posted by Pål Jensen Pentax makes cameras for photographers... What does that mean? Are you trying to say that people shooting Sony (growing daily), Olympus/ Panasonic (like Len Metcalf), and Fuji (growing daily) are not real photographers? Not too mention that Nikon is about to release a FF mirrorless. Holy crap, you are hilarious! I get brand allegiance and all that but statements like that are just blind fandom. The truth is that Pentax would probably LOVE to have at least an APS-C mirrorless on the market but they simply do not have the money. I think that the KP should have been delayed just a little longer and been designed around one of Sonys mirrorless sensors.

05-02-2018, 09:08 AM - 5 Likes	#13
tvdtvdtvd Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 1,665	Originally posted by Peter van Baarle I wonder why Pentax has not yet jumped the mirrorless bandwagon (or rather, jumped off after the K01), I feel they are digging their own grave... CP+ 2018 interviews: The reign of the DSLR is almost over...: Digital Photography Review That article is emblematic of the devolution of DPR as they have gone from being a once useful portal to a funnel for sensationalist, click-bait coverage. At present, DPR is like the Fox News of camera news sites. DSLRs don't reign. The SLR form factor has proven very popular for a reason, (many reasons, actually). But there were and still are alternatives for anyone wanting or needing something different. Mirrorless cameras may very well become the most popular format in the decades ahead, particularly as the format improves. Nonetheless, that does not mean that mirrorless cameras will 'reign', or that only mirrorless cameras will be able to get the job done, OR that any camera manufacturer not jumping on the mirrorless bandwagon will become obsolete. I guarantee the SLR format will continue to hold preference for many shooters for many years to come. Far too much is made of the "brand X doesn't do what brand Y does". Buy brand Y if you want the features offered by brand Y, simple as that. Pentax >has< made mirrorless cameras in the past and I personally won't be surprised when they begin making them again, though I'm sure they'll be distinctive in their own Pentax way. However, for the present Pentax is very firmly committed to making excellent, rugged, feature-rich, ergonomic DSLRs and they do that very, very well.

05-02-2018, 11:12 AM - 1 Like	#15
UncleVanya Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2014 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 28,385	Originally posted by derelict I get brand allegiance and all that but statements like that are just blind fandom. The truth is that Pentax would probably LOVE to have at least an APS-C mirrorless on the market but they simply do not have the money. I think that the KP should have been delayed just a little longer and been designed around one of Sonys mirrorless sensors. Um. Then they would need to develop an entire line of lenses as well or the body wouldn't accoplish anything. Also as for cameras for photographers that's propaganda but also a nod to the fact that they are not a video oriented company.

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