[ragingtornado]

Not everyone thinks they're next Anal Adams.

You want a status symbol, buy a Leica.

+3.

I would never buy a rainbow colored kx, but i'm pretty sure it could take the same photos as a "serious" black one. If this increases Pentax brand awareness/sales I'm all for it.

[kevinschoenmakers]

Brilliant marketing?

How does Pentax expect to attract serious photographers when they market toys?

Perhaps it might be nice for Pentax to put a little money into developing a nice 400 or 500mm prime lens? Maybe look into upgrading the K7 to true Semi Pro levels? Instead of sitting around the board room table with coloring books and crayons, how about some real improvements in the camera line?

Or perhaps Pentax doesn't care. Which begs the question, "what the heck happened to my favorite camera company?"

You're hilarious. It took some sales guy something like an hour to sign this deal with that recordlabel. I don't think it involved any people who would otherwise be designing a 500mm lens. This is just a marketing thing that looks weird to our western eyes, but will be craved by enough Japanese to make it sell. If you're really that concerned about how this colourscheme will reflect on the fact that you have a camera by the same brand, you should perhaps start looking for another way to enlarge your manlyhood.

[Al_in_the_Shire]

Thank you for the insight and advice Kevin. I will take it under advisement.

[NaClH2O]

Hey Salty, I always thought you were in your early 30s

Still shocked...



Yep, still...


...

Miserere, I guess I'm honored. Wow! 30 something! To be truthful the only 30 something I can lay claim to is that last Feb I celebrated the 28th anniversary of my 33rd birthday!
I have to admit that when everyone here talks about getting a new body, instead of faster AF, my thoughts turn to new knees, a different back, and other similar parts.
BTW you know you are getting old when you see a nice young college coed crossing the street with her mom and you focus on the mom.

NaCl(my LBA says that the other 30 something I should admit to is the desire to own 30 something lenses)H2O

[nakey]

Thank you for the insight and advice Kevin. I will take it under advisement.

Maybe you should seriously think about it.

Let's be realistic here. you're not going to see a rainbow tower records or Kore Ja Nai Roboto in the shops. that the 100 colour option is Japanese only shows why they're marketing it only to them. It'll sell to them and them only. Yes, there's more colours available for the US market, but that's only because people have been asking about them.

What Pentax Japan do with their colour scheme is only important to me because it will promote people buying pentax, which means more money for R&D, which mean more money for them to roll out the good stuff.

And you really want a super-tele, the FA*600mm F4 is still available, albeit on special order... Why bother spending R&D when they have a great 600mm already for those who do want it...

If someone picking some weird colour is making you question the professionality of a company, maybe you should switch.. Cause clearly, having a black K-x is far more professional choice than others out there.. like the K7...

BTW you know you are getting old when you see a nice young college coed crossing the street with her mom and you focus on the mom.

I'm 26, and i do that anyway...


EDIT: with my own money, yeah I'd get black too. But given a camera, I'll shoot with anything. it should be about the picture, not what takes it...

[MrPetkus]

I don't agree with Al..Shire's assessment of Pentax but I don't believe he meant to start a flame. Glancing at his other posts he seems like an average forum member seeking advice, etc. While some of the responses here are funny I don't think we should belittle one another. My humble $.02.

[NaClH2O]

I don't agree with Al..Shire's assessment of Pentax but I don't believe he meant to start a flame. Glancing at his other posts he seems like an average forum member seeking advice, etc. While some of the responses here are funny I don't think we should belittle one another. My humble $.02.

I agree
And I didn't mean to belittle Al...well maybe a little gentle ribbing to lighten up some, and if I went beyond that I apologize; but I still see nothing wrong with the color scheme, yeah it's a bit wild, but I think meant in a fun way.

NaCl(and I'm all for fun)H2O

[johnmflores]

I agree
And I didn't mean to belittle Al...well maybe a little gentle ribbing to lighten up some, and if I went beyond that I apologize; but I still see nothing wrong with the color scheme, yeah it's a bit wild, but I think meant in a fun way.

NaCl(and I'm all for fun)H2O

I don't agree with Al..Shire's assessment of Pentax but I don't believe he meant to start a flame. Glancing at his other posts he seems like an average forum member seeking advice, etc. While some of the responses here are funny I don't think we should belittle one another. My humble $.02.

Agreed

[Al_in_the_Shire]

Hey, I'm a big boy and I can take it, no hard feelings at all. I still love my K200 and K20, and the KX is.... well, at least it's black.

But.....

My interest in digital photography is not being met by what Pentax has to offer. I should have done more research when I got into digital a couple years ago but I bought Pentax because that was what I had experience with and I liked my old Pentax stuff. So anyway, much as it pains me, I'm just going to sell my Pentax gear and move on. It has nothing to do with Pentax being evil or bad or not making nice stuff. They just don't make the stuff I want. Yeah, maybe I can order an FA 600, but I can go buy a 500 f4 IS today and have it delivered on Monday from BH, Adorama, KEH, or any number of other outlets.

I think I understand where Hoya is taking Pentax. And it's just not where I want to go, and I doubt they will ever go down that road. So..........

Consider this...........advice taken............. from the posters in this thread.

Al

[Dr_who]

I don't think I'd ever get one for business stuff in that it would be hard to be taken seriously at a wedding or some other event with a rainbow camera, however as my wife said when she saw it, it looks fun and she'd get one.

Besides some places in downtown I don't like walking around being asked for change and carrying a expensive looking camera. This might be a good solution lol.

[MrPetkus]

So anyway, much as it pains me, I'm just going to sell my Pentax gear and move on. It has nothing to do with Pentax being evil or bad or not making nice stuff. They just don't make the stuff I want.

Out of curiosity what is it that you want? Based on an earlier post you want a killer semi-pro with super long tele primes and a serious brand image. What's your camera then? 7D or 300s?

Selling all your gear is a big step. You may be kicking yourself at year's end if Pentax improves on the K7...

[johnmflores]

Hey, I'm a big boy and I can take it, no hard feelings at all. I still love my K200 and K20, and the KX is.... well, at least it's black.

But.....

My interest in digital photography is not being met by what Pentax has to offer. I should have done more research when I got into digital a couple years ago but I bought Pentax because that was what I had experience with and I liked my old Pentax stuff. So anyway, much as it pains me, I'm just going to sell my Pentax gear and move on. It has nothing to do with Pentax being evil or bad or not making nice stuff. They just don't make the stuff I want. Yeah, maybe I can order an FA 600, but I can go buy a 500 f4 IS today and have it delivered on Monday from BH, Adorama, KEH, or any number of other outlets.

I think I understand where Hoya is taking Pentax. And it's just not where I want to go, and I doubt they will ever go down that road. So..........

Consider this...........advice taken............. from the posters in this thread.

Al

I think you're reading a little too much into the colored K-x. Even if they didn't have colors, the K-x would have been a hit camera simply due to its mid-level features at an entry-level price tag. Colors aside, it's an excellent camera. I for one don't blame them for trying to grab even more sales with colors and special editions. If it helps fund more glass and more bodies, then it's all good.

Besides, colored K-xs aren't the only tea leaves to read. What does the 645d say about where Hoya is taking Pentax? Likewise the D-FA 100/2.8 WR?

But, at the end of the day, you want really long glass with minimal effort, then maybe a switch does make sense, but I'd also consider Olympus 4/3 due to the 2x crop factor.

[Al_in_the_Shire]

Based on an earlier post you want a killer semi-pro with super long tele primes and a serious brand image

Camera brand is not the point here. The camera is a tool. But you cannot build a house with just a screw driver. If Pentax offered a camera that could compete with the 7D or one of the 300's, and some readily available long glass, it would be a no brainer for me to stick with Pentax.

The point is, there are no choices in the higher end cameras and lens' with Pentax, and I just dont see them going in that direction.

The KX is a compromise, high ISO in an entry level camera, with serious mirror slap and shutter noise, no grip, and no third party accessorizes. Like a dedicated camera plate for one.

My current long lens is a Sigma 150-500. Again, a compromise. It was mentioned that the FA 600 could be special ordered. I looked on the Pentax Imaging web site and found nothing about it. A quick google search said it was discontinued in 2004. Even if it could be ordered, how long would it take to get? If I were able to get one, what about a 1.4 TC? Could I get one if I wanted it?

As for kicking myself if they improve the K7, it is still pointless if there are no long lens readily available. There's not even a TC available for the DA* 300.

If I was going to shoot landscapes or macro with my Pentax gear, I would buy into the limited lens' and get a K7. At base ISO it is a remarkable camera. The only reason I have not done so is because I have the Mamiya system for that. I did rob a guy of a Sigma 105 macro for 200 bucks off Craigs List though a while back. A very nice lens.

My interest with the digital gear is wildlife and birds. The Sigma 150 500 is a very nice lens, slow, but the little KX makes up for a lot of that, but if we are honest about it, it's not near the quality of a good prime lens.

Take a quick look over on KEH. A 400, 500 or even 600mm lens can be had today for 2000 to 3000 bucks used. A new 500mm F4 can be had for 5,000 at B&H and delivered by Monday.

If I thought there were any chance that Hoya was going to let Pentax come out with a good 400 F4 and a matching TC, I would wait for it and be ready to jump the day it arrived. A 500 F4 or even F5.6 would be worth waiting for as well. But Hoya is not aiming at people in this market. They want to sell a ton of $500 cameras. And in truth, I don't blame them. For everyone who says they want a good 400 or 500mm lens from Hoya, 1 in 100 will actually buy one. There is no money in it. The reason you don't see Canikon coming out with a rainbow colored T1i or D50 is because they don't have too. Hoya has too. There corporate sites are now set on the younger generation, the casual photographer, the enthusiast who just wants a nice simple camera that is a step up from a point and shoot and takes good pictures that they can e mail and plaster on their Facebook walls. The KX fits that bill, and they are going to run with it until they run out of room to run. They've found a niche, and they are going to exploit it as much as they can. I think, what that means is, there isn't going to be a whole lot of time and effort, let alone money, put into developing camera's that are going to have to compete with canikon and will for the most part, just sit on shelves and cost them money in the long run.

Anyway, it's really not personal. I may hold out until September and hope for the best, but I just don't see it coming, and like Salty, I'm not getting any younger.

[Blue]

It may cut down on the risk of being robbed. When the mugger stopped to laugh, you could make a run for it. This one is better looking than the lego version though. However, I don't know why some people are getting their wig twisted so tight over the option of having different colors available. Its not like its going to effect the actual specs of the body.

Edit: This thread is about various colored k-x bodies, and not about whether or not the next top Pentax dSLR will be FF or aps-c.

[MrPetkus]

There corporate sites are now set on the younger generation, the casual photographer, the enthusiast who just wants a nice simple camera that is a step up from a point and shoot and takes good pictures that they can e mail and plaster on their Facebook walls.

Interesting that you mention this -- recently, I completed a web-based survey for Pentax, one of those "for each comment select a radio button between strongly disagree and strongly agree." For a section titled impressions of Pentax there were statements like "Old", "Young", "Serious", "Fun". In this context one can only see Young and Fun as positive. So while you may have come across as absurd to rail against the funky K-x, you may be pointing to a larger corporate shift. Time will tell.

Otherwise, you made valid points. At the high-end Pentax will have the 645D but at >$7k it'll leave a lot of folks behind. Certainly that product line doesn't represent a viable upgrade path for me. Whereas with Nikon, Canon, and even Sony there are compelling upgrade options for <3k.

For my current application, however, the K-x coupled with nice short-n-wide to medium-tele glass is sufficient to generate the quality I'm seeking. Wish the body was more substantial, had viewfinder AF-point indicators, and better auto-focus but I'd be fooling myself if I believed a better camera would make me a better photographer...