[mecrox]

All valid points but Ricoh has shown it's hand via the *new* HD DA primes. They aren't going to destroy their current market with something revolutionary at this time but more evolutionary.

I agree. Our posted crossed - I was revising mine while you were posting yours.

[Jean Poitiers]

Not sure about that. If Ricoh want to increase their market share, they need new products. Every time they take more milk from the cow, it produces less at the next milking so, long-term, they are onto a loser without continuous development. At the least, they need a new sensor and seriously overhauled AF. In addition, folks talk about the next wave as if Pentax was going to produce something big and mould-breaking. Wishful thinking? I'd have thought the reality is that they are a small company which produces mainstream, highly conservative rather than innovative things. By comparison, outfits like Sony and Olympus (and for lenses, Sigma) are the innovators in the conventional camera biz; Apple, Samsung and Nokia are in the "smart camera" mobile biz which probably outsells the conventional biz by 100-1. In any case, innovative is hugely oversold. Give me tried, tested and reliable any day.

Pentax do have an opportunity to be highly innovative with the 645D, however, not least because the high price of DMF products gives them much more room in which to play. No mirrorbox, in-lens stabilisation, perhaps a new approach to shutters, an EVF of mega proportions - there is plenty they can play with. However, at this level I'd have thought a product alone is not enough. The product probably has to live in an entire ecosystem dedicated to the professional photographer, right down to support and purchasing plans. Even a quick glance at the website of, say, Phase One shows the kind of approach the high-enders take. if I were in the market for a camera like this, I would pay much more if doing so meant full support in a switched-on pro environment. Buying a cheaper set-up where you are pretty well on your own as soon as you leave the dealer is a complete false economy especially if you are writing down your investments in hardware through the business you are (presumably) running. If Pentax really want to make waves with a professional DMF, it would be no surprise if they set up almost a parallel operation with dedicated websites and all the trimmings, quite separate from the consumer biz side. "Just another" 645D on its own would suggest to me that they are thinking small.

OK ... not saying that you are wrong ... time will tell. But, I have five "word" direct response : CANON EOS 5D MARK III ... J

[Caat]

In which way?
Pentax only gave a technical reason - mirror slap.

Mirror slap is a big one I think, but also being less unwieldy. Also presenting it as a non-niche high end imaging device - DMF is intimidating, but a mirrorless 645 could be marketed as a superior imaging camera in a more general use sense.

[Kunzite]

The 645D is surprisingly comfortable to hold/use for it's size (I admit though, I never had extensive shooting sessions with it, just playing around)
I don't think that going EVF would bring in a significant cost/price reduction; going mirrorless in itself won't make the camera less niche.

[TomE]

What's the love affair with mirrorless cameras, I personally find them extremely difficult to use in bright light situations, compared to any DSLR i have ever used?

[IchabodCrane]

Mirror slap is a big one I think, but also being less unwieldy. Also presenting it as a non-niche high end imaging device - DMF is intimidating, but a mirrorless 645 could be marketed as a superior imaging camera in a more general use sense.

It's not obvious how the current 645 lens prices intersect with "more general use sense". I think that's a barrier Ricoh would have to find a way to overcome.

[RonHendriks1966]

Some potential variations on the K-5 theme:

K-5HD (high definition)
K-5ii/HD
K-5ii-M (mirrorless)
K-5x (monochromatic)
K-5iii/s
K-5 Super

or maybe not ;-)

You are forgetting:

K-5ii-as (astro)
K-5ii-IR (Infra red)

Maybe it sounds silly, but we and cameramakers are way to conservative as an industrie.

Try this Opel car:

Opel Nederland - Opel ADAM Configurator

[Clavius]

Some potential variations on the K-5 theme:

K-5HD (high definition)
K-5ii/HD
K-5ii-M (mirrorless)
K-5x (monochromatic)
K-5iii/s
K-5 Super

or maybe not ;-)

You're brilliant! One K-5x for me please! Such a thing would have 48mp. No wait, a K-5iii/s-Mx, I would prefer to see the monochrome image in the vf.

[Barry Pearson]

You are forgetting:

K-5ii-as (astro)
K-5ii-IR (Infra red)

Chuckle!

This very morning I sent away my K-7 to be converted for IR!

Do I call it K-7-IR?

[lytrytyr]

What's the love affair with mirrorless cameras, I personally find them extremely difficult to use in bright light situations, compared to any DSLR i have ever used?

Well, based on my K-01 experience:

1. No mirror slap, so you can use lower shutter speeds hand-held,
which is great in low light.

2. You can get precise manual focusing, even with a lens at f/1.2,
which is great in low light. (Did I say that already?)

3. CDAF focuses accurately with lenses like the Tamron 17-50,
which are hard to get adjusted properly for PDAF on a DSLR.

4. You can use lenses that would foul the mirror on a DSLR.

5. You can photograph from angles and places
where you couldn't get your head behind the eyepiece of a viewfinder.

YMMV.

[derekkite]

I suspect Ricoh will keep the K5 line alive. It is a great camera body and is a mid line price. A few improvements such as focus and a bit more dense sensor, complete movie support and better LV would make a worthy upgrade. The new toys would probably show up in a higher priced model whatever sensor. We shall see of course.

[cali92rs]

Wasn't it Einstein that said insanity is doing the samething over and over and expecting different results? The K-5 (and II and IIS) are great cameras, but they didnt increase Pentax's marketshare, and Ricoh has stated that they want to increase marketshare. How will doing the samething yield different results?

[monochrome]

Wasn't it Einstein that said insanity is doing the samething over and over and expecting different results? The K-5 (and II and IIS) are great cameras, but they didnt increase Pentax's marketshare, and Ricoh has stated that they want to increase marketshare. How will doing the samething yield different results?

The current mid-range body (close to K-5) might work well for the K500 / K50 ranges. A different (larger) body might work for the flagship APSc body assuming addition of a larger viewfnider and peripheral features, and eventual extension to a larger sensor.

[Kunzite]

1. There are many ways of not doing the same thing over and over. Changes are done as we speak.
2. Not every change would be an improvement. It's extremely important to understand what issues you're having, and to work on fixing those.
For example, having competent products is one thing that should not be changed.

[cali92rs]

1. There are many ways of not doing the same thing over and over. Changes are done as we speak.
2. Not every change would be an improvement. It's extremely important to understand what issues you're having, and to work on fixing those.
For example, having competent products is one thing that should not be changed.

Both are very nice and safe...but won't increase marketshare. If they did, the K-5II wouldve done so.