[masloff]

Sorry for repost of this article from well known person (RiceHigh), but sometimes he knows news that are about to hit us.

Link to his blog

If you don`t want to ramp up his blog hits, here is the complete news he posted:

http://bbs.kakaku.com/bbs/K0000152653/SortID=13971212/
Google translate

This is quoted from a shop who claimed to learn from a Pentax staff. And yes, K-5 has been discontinued and now it will still be available until the existing stocks run out.

Some people would then deny this rumour straight-forwardly by the logic that "There is not yet any replacement model announced that will come!" But the same thing did already happen for the K-r. So, it is actually possible!

But, if it is true, WHAT body would now be still stay in the current Pentax K *lineup*? Will there be only lenses?! :-o

For these days, I just wonder what Ricoh are doing on Pentax, really.. >:-(

[Zygonyx]

Our first Ricoh monthes of enthousiasm could indeed be largely decieved if K-mount is to disappear.
And so would Pentax go, for sure in the short or medium term, in my opinion.

But this rumor already dates from october 31st, 2011...

[Adam]

The K-mount isn't going- I'm 100% sure of that

In any case, whatever the rumors may be, I'm sure Pentax will announce something within the next 2 months- they have to!

Our first Ricoh monthes of enthousiasm could indeed be largely decieved if K-mount is to disappear. And so would Pentax go, for sure in the short or medium term, in my opinion.

[Billgscott]

The K-mount isn't going- I'm 100% sure of that

In any case, whatever the rumors may be, I'm sure Pentax will announce something within the next 2 months- they have to!

I hope you are right about the K mount.

With PMA next week and CP+ next month it would be a marketing disaster if nothing was announced this week.

The K5 is further discounted in UK at the moment - just after I bought mine! So I think it has been discontinued.

So, Kr replacement, K5 replacement and new FF! A boy can dream.

[DaveBlack]

It is only a guess but I would think a K-r replacement will be announced at PMA/CES next week. Then in February at CP+ a K-5 replacement will be announced. Then in the fall at Photokina something "big" will be announce.

Dave

[Raffwal]

The K-mount isn't going- I'm 100% sure of that ...

I wonder what 100% means in this context? As in "I have been personally told by Pentax/Ricoh executives and shown the next camera release"? Or as in "my guess is as good as anybody's" which is hardly 100%?

[Kunzite]

You're right. Anyone can go insane, so there's some 0.001% chance they will abandon the K-mount, losing their customers (i.e. their income) in the process - thus willingly risking to go bankrupt.
On this forum, that's not so far from the other 99.999%

[Clinton]

I like the K mount. I am the 99%

OCCUPY K MOUNT!

[boriscleto]

<ch>They can have my K mount when they pry it from my cold dead haaannndddsss!</ch>

Sorry, for I moment there I thought I was Moses.

[lurchlarson]

Whatever it is that Pentax announces, I hope it's good. Remember a few years back when the big Pentax announcement that people were excited about was that the K2000 was going to start shipping in white?

[aurele]

If they announce the replacemet model at PMA, so they will do like the big two, and more generally like all big company : we wait for stock to lower as long as possible, then we launch the new product. Less old product in stock, mean less promotional offer and more money.

And btw, it's very unlikely that Ricoh abandon the K mount, because that's the only very valuable asset of Pentax right now, because the Q and 645D system are good too, but not as "mainstream" as the K mount.

[TomB_tx]

Even though both K-R and K-5 were quite new products to the Pentax-Hoya way of doing things, Ricoh likely felt that they had about saturated the "niche" market that Pentax is now in. (Non-mainstream Nikon-Canon users. Every other dSLR is also-ran.) They may well feel that there aren't big gains to be made in the APS dSLR market, so get out before getting caught with large inventory. It may not be accidental that the first product photos from Ricoh-Pentax showed the Q, 645, and NO K-mount.
All guessing on future direction is speculation and wishing. I've got my K-5, and wouldn't buy another APS camera as long as it is working. I don't much care what they do now, unless they go full-frame (which I doubt). I went 20 years between camera purchases, so I don't understand all the fuss about potential new offerings. Just use and enjoy what you have.

[guppy350]

If the K mount goes.... that really does mean the END OF THE WORLD. I'm pretty sure it won't though, as with most people.

[wlachan]

Cameras come & go. As to K-r & K-5, the sooner the better since they are plagued with problems. Hopefully Ricoh will do right this round.

[RioRico]

Even though both K-R and K-5 were quite new products to the Pentax-Hoya way of doing things, Ricoh likely felt that they had about saturated the "niche" market that Pentax is now in. (Non-mainstream Nikon-Canon users. Every other dSLR is also-ran.) They may well feel that there aren't big gains to be made in the APS dSLR market, so get out before getting caught with large inventory.

Except that dSLR sales are rising worldwide, Pentax market share has been rising worldwide, CaNikon market share has been falling, Ricoh announced that they're big on SLRs, and Ricoh wants to eat Canon's market. Sure, except for facts, it's apparent that Pentax is doomed. Right.