[sjwaldron]

Good to see you're coming around!

Pentax/Ricoh keeping DSLR in aps-c only is just asking for squeeze-death. As I've been saying for a while.

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I agree with everyone else in this assumption.

Ricoh:
Small digicams and quirky unique cameras like the GXR GRD. The benefit to Ricoh now that they have Pentax is the ability to market their cameras to a wider audience.

Pentax:
Interchangeable lens cameras.
- Q for small digicam like cameras, I'd say it is likely we will see a cheaper version of the Q with lesser build quality.
- Large sensor mirrorless (I'm thinking modified K)
- K DSLR for mass market and professionals, or maybe just semi-professional enthusiasts. We should see this expanded according to the press release.
- 645D for professionals, luxury spenders, and custom uses like archiving. I don't think this will go down market much, maybe if they release a revised camera body and keep the existing one available for a lower price.

Pentax digicams will mostly be dropped. They are not even made by Pentax anymore, right?

[RioRico]

I suspect we shall see the Pentax brand disappear from compact cameras and only see Ricoh compacts -

For that, the Ricoh branding wonks will have to decide if splitting the brands is a good idea. A Pentax line of compacts, aggressively marketed, would put the Pentax name in public prominence and presumably would gain from the halo effect of association with the new leader in advanced cameras (that's Pentax, y'know). My instinct is that a single brand would be good for sales, and split brands would not. Maybe Ricoh has done marketing surveys, customer research indicating otherwise, but that would be surprising. We'll just have to see how this plays out.

EDIT: I just realized that this needn't be an either-or. Both names could be on the boxes. For compacts: Pentax Ricoh, like Nikon Coolpix or Pentax Optio or Canon SureShot or Sony CyberShot, where the maker brand is followed by the model brand. I should have thought of that sooner. Not enough depresso (decaf espresso) yet this morning...

[Urkeldaedalus]

The only bad news about this to me is it provides me even more compelling evidence to wait until later this year/next year to buy new stuff to see what all these new companies are going to come out with first. Things I look forward to seeing next year:

• Samsung NX-20/NX200 -- Good enough to validate the system so more people can finally appreciate those nice pancakes?
• The new fullframe monsters from Nikon and Canon (and the new technology that will trickle down to lower models)
• Does Sony have a FF camera up its sleeve? Will the NEX-7 set the new standard?
• Will Leica's APS-C mirrorless be worth its no doubt ridiculous price?
• What is Ricoh going to do with the GXR and with Pentax in general? Pentax has so many options now -- not all of them good, true -- but the potential is there if Ricoh commits to it.
• Got any other cool retro cameras, Fuji?

Damn, guess I'll have to be patient! Unless Pentax pulls out a K-5 or K-r Super this October so I can replace my K-7.

[Mareket]

I think Pentax need to crack out some high end gear and sponsor Pro's to use it and get it seen or something. I've seen loads of threads in the sales forum selling off gear to 'go full frame' with Canon or Nikon, and that's the reality of Pentax. It's not a 'Pro' system, and most people who go professional switch to a bigger brand with better upgrade options and systems. So why go with Pentax in the first place? If Pentax had an excellent upgrade option, priced around the D700 or something, with a K-mount, they'd be able to show new photographers that they can go the whole way with Pentax.

Pentax made one of the best APS-C SLR's ever produced. If they now make one of the best FF SLRs they'll be playing with the big guys methinks. And it will be very expensive. And with that, I think FA Limiteds will become that little bit more popular in the camera world.

Also, the Pentax ME Super is tiny, with an amazing viewfinder AND it's FF. If Sony can make the NEX-C3 with an APS-C sensor, I reckon Pentax can make a K-Mount camera about the size of the ME Super. With detachable (to provide for those who value compactness) portrait AND landscape grips for those who want the ergonomics and better battery life. Would that be possible?

Reel amateurs in with an amazing retro compact SLR and then show them that the lenses they buy can be used if they go Pro with the hulking expensive MD ULTRA EPICFLEX K1000 SUPER Z.

Or maybe they'd just make me a very happy chappie

[Aristophanes]

Good to see you're coming around!

Pentax/Ricoh keeping DSLR in aps-c only is just asking for squeeze-death. As I've been saying for a while.


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APS-C is still where the money is. Low cost inputs and high volume outputs = profits amongst earthquakes and what is probably a nascent worldwide economic depression.

All those DA 15/21/35/40/70/16-50/50-135/60-250/10-17 buyers need a home and the magic price point is sub-$1,500. I don't see FF getting there for 4-5 years, and I certainly don't see Pentax leading the charge.

All eyes are on NEX-7 sales, Nikon press releases, and Canon's first shoe.

[Class A]

Well just how much development is really needed in Pentax's SLR line-up at this point.

There is a lot of potential to improve the AF system:

• address low-light bug of the K-5.
• have an extra sensitive (f/2.8) centre AF area.
• decrease the size of the AF areas, probably by having more AF areas.
• improve continuous AF, i.e., tracking of moving objects.

[Aristophanes]

There is a lot of potential to improve the AF system:
address low-light bug of the K-5.
have an extra sensitive (f/2.8) centre AF area.
decrease the size of the AF areas, probably by having more AF areas.
improve continuous AF, i.e., tracking of moving objects.

All achievable, but are you willing to sacrifice a modestly larger body for this? These extra features take up physical space.

[rparmar]

I think Pentax need to crack out some high end gear and sponsor Pro's to use it and get it seen or something.

645D

yep.

[Ash]

All achievable, but are you willing to sacrifice a modestly larger body for this? These extra features take up physical space.

That's the sticking point. The K-5's just the right size IMO and smaller and lighter than the competition's offerings. FF is certainly going to have to be a little bigger and heavier, and I personally wouldn't mind that too much, but I'd still keep a lighter APS-C body for general shooting on the move. In keeping with Pentax's niche future bodies will have to satisfy the size/weight factor first - little point having a huge camera (FF or not) to be buddied up with the petite FA/DA limiteds.

[Edvinas]

All achievable, but are you willing to sacrifice a modestly larger body for this? These extra features take up physical space.

Well, this year my wife started to do some event and wedding photography. Sometimes I assisted her. We were using two K-5s. Once I have borrowed Nikon D700 to try it out and now I am 100% sure that we're going to switch from Pentax to Nikon when D700 sucessor comes out... K-5 focus isn't bad, however it really takes much less effort to get in-focus picture with D700. It just effortlessly locks focus precisely all the time. Makes event photographer job much easier.

[Asahiflex]

Well, this year my wife started to do some event and wedding photography. Sometimes I assisted her. We were using two K-5s. Once I have borrowed Nikon D700 to try it out and now I am 100% sure that we're going to switch from Pentax to Nikon when D700 sucessor comes out... K-5 focus isn't bad, however it really takes much less effort to get in-focus picture with D700. It just effortlessly locks focus precisely all the time. Makes event photographer job much easier.

Is this because of assisted AF (by the flash)? Anyway I would never get a Pentax for flash photography (at least not now).

[Edvinas]

Is this because of assisted AF (by the flash)? Anyway I would never get a Pentax for flash photography (at least not now).

No, we have used both K-5 and D700 outdoors in good light.

[Asahiflex]

No, we have used both K-5 and D700 outdoors in good light.

Interesting. My K-5 focuses super fast in good light, virtually instant. But I do not have any SDM lenses, only screwdrive ones, so that may be the cause of your experience?

[Ash]

Even in quite low light I've been reasonably happy with the K-5 in weddings. I did wish for the LED AF-assist to work instead of the flash spotbeam AF-assist, but otherwise, Pentax isn't bad for weddings at all. The D7000 successor will be matched by the K-r successor me thinks, and the K-5 successor should be an even more refined flagship.

[Edvinas]

Interesting. My K-5 focuses super fast in good light, virtually instant. But I do not have any SDM lenses, only screwdrive ones, so that may be the cause of your experience?

I mainly use FA limiteds, which aren't SDM.

And it's not about slow AF. K-5 AF is fast, however it's not so precise and not so consistent. Out of a few hundred pictures taken with D700 only a few were out of focus. Out of focus rate of K-5 is much higher.

Also I really liked how D700 focus worked in multipoint mode: it really manages to pick the right object to focus at. Makes portrait photography really easy, no need to focus and recompose. No chance for this with K-5 AF.

Even in quite low light I've been reasonably happy with the K-5 in weddings.

Me too. However I found out that it still lacks a lot compared to competition. With K-5 you can take excellent pictures, however you need to put much more effort just to take picture technically right (correct AF, etc.). With D700 you don't need so much effort to get technically good picture, so you can put more effort into creative part of photography.

After using D700, the main remark from my wife was: "After a few dozens pictures I just stopped checking them for correct focus - they all were precisely in focus."

By the way, In my opinion, K-5 ergonomics and camera control is way better than D700...