[Fontan]

Well, in that case, with the K-r discontinued, I can look forward to the K-5 coming in a myriad assortment of colors.

Really, I don't care as long as they re-issue the FA* 250-600 in a myriad assortment of colors.

Producing higher end models in multiple colors seem like not such a fine idea, but personally I think it can work. But, I am not sure if the increase in sales as a result of that will offset the cost involved in producing them that way.

[Clinton]

Ah, but I'm serious. If they reissue the awesome glass in colors, It'll mean people in the marketplace fighting over a hot pink FA* 600/4 .

Mostly though, it would mean the availability of good glass.

[Fontan]

Ah, but I'm serious. If they reissue the awesome glass in colors, It'll mean people in the marketplace fighting over a hot pink FA* 600/4 .

Mostly though, it would mean the availability of good glass.

So am I. I think it can work. Remember when k-x first came out? So much frowning, but big sales. You never know.

[hut234]

Producing higher end models in multiple colors seem like not such a fine idea, but personally I think it can work. But, I am not sure if the increase in sales as a result of that will offset the cost involved in producing them that way.

It would be quite offset though by those who sincerely feel it's a bad sign that a company can only put out a rainbow of color options and put that more front and center than more useful product updates. If they don't balance it by some serious (even minor) releases as well it only makes them look foolish to anyone except those who dress and act like the models in their ads. If it doesn't even rate the phrase "too little, too late" it does more harm than good.

Did anyone even buy any of the garishly colored K-x's? Here in the U.S. we didn't get the whole spectrum but apparently were offered Red, while and blue. Never, ever seen any of these in the wild here. Swing and a miss, strike...three and a half?

[Kunzite]

"balance it by some serious releases"? How about the 645D and the K-5?

[drougge]

Did anyone even buy any of the garishly colored K-x's? Here in the U.S. we didn't get the whole spectrum but apparently were offered Red, while and blue. Never, ever seen any of these in the wild here. Swing and a miss, strike...three and a half?

I've seen at least one red K-x in the wild (in Sweden). Maybe two (or the same one again). I'm usually not close enough to see what model camera people have, so I can't say how many black K-x's I've seen. But I can say that I would probably have bought a coloured K-5 if it had been available.

[hut234]

"balance it by some serious releases"? How about the 645D and the K-5?

Kunzite, I'm a happy K5 user, which I regard as quite serious : ) Since the chat was about new stuff in garish colors I was referring to the feelings of Pentax fans waiting for improved tools in the meantime rather than seeing more ads for purple mid-range versions of last year's model. Wasn't real clear on that, sorry : ) As a huge Pentax fan my feelings are "colored" by the imbalance of unimportant product they've put out in recent memory to the amount of important product, which undoubtedly would be assuaged by more good new product releases overall. Or maybe it's just that they're so good at splashing the ads for the blue cameras in the glossy mags and my peers still look at me like I'm a martian when I show up with my K5? You have to understand that I'm in the US, where we're constantly having to defend being Pentax shooters : ( and I want it to not be that way here anymore! : ) MORE serious stuff! LESS goofy stuff! : ) I just think they won't make any market headway with sizzle and no steak this and next year, so hold off on the solo sizzle please! : )

[hut234]

I've seen at least one red K-x in the wild (in Sweden). Maybe two (or the same one again).

I say that absolutely qualifies as a two count if it's the same one!!! Definitely some statistical value there! : )

[johnmflores]

It would be quite offset though by those who sincerely feel it's a bad sign that a company can only put out a rainbow of color options and put that more front and center than more useful product updates. If they don't balance it by some serious (even minor) releases as well it only makes them look foolish to anyone except those who dress and act like the models in their ads. If it doesn't even rate the phrase "too little, too late" it does more harm than good.

Did anyone even buy any of the garishly colored K-x's? Here in the U.S. we didn't get the whole spectrum but apparently were offered Red, while and blue. Never, ever seen any of these in the wild here. Swing and a miss, strike...three and a half?

My understanding was that the colored K-xes were a massive success, not only from a sales standpoint but from a buzz standpoint as wee. I bought my wife a red K-x and she says that people always ask her about it. I brought to PDN in NYC in 2010 and everyone asked me about it. I'd guess that the K-x was one of Pentax's most successful cameras of the past 10 years. And the colors drew enough attention that Canon and Nikon have since releases colored cameras.

And let's not forget that fancy colors aside, the K-x is a serious photographic tool. I've had many photos published with that camera and my wife has sold many prints with it.

And the best way to "defend" yourself against those knocking on Pentax is to take better pictures than them.

[johnmflores]

I've certainly exaggerated my point. Credit granted.

Good may be good enough in case of µFT. But nevertheless, there will now be competition "from below" with offers like a Nikon V1 which has the same IQ. This is why I do still think that an OM-D wouldn't shake the market.

Btw, your image comparison illustrates low light noise. But the K-5 excels in dynamic range more than in low light performance.

Yes, as I've said elsewhere, mirrorless cameras with M43 and APS-C sensors are just incrementally smaller than APS-C dSLRs when configured with kit zooms. I predict that the winner of the mirrorless wars will be the manufacturer that can compete with entry level dSLRs on price and performance while demonstrating a huge size advantage with a kit zoom lens. The smallest M43 bodies (Olympus E-PM1, Panasonic GF3) mated to the Panasonic 14-42X collapsing zoom are sufficiently small, but don't yet have the price or performance formula right. As sensor technology improves, the Nikon 1 may hit the sweet spot. Even the Q, with an updated, larger sensor, has a chance.

[Laurentiu Cristofor]

I predict that the winner of the mirrorless wars will be the manufacturer that can compete with entry level dSLRs on price and performance while demonstrating a huge size advantage with a kit zoom lens.

I think it's important to have a full line, including entry level cameras as well as advanced ones. Panasonic and Olympus have entry level cameras but no real high end models. Fuji will bring a high end camera but doesn't have any entry level model. Sony doesn't really have an inexpensive entry level camera, although they cover the rest of the range well with their NEX5N and NEX7. I hoped Ricoh/Pentax would jump in and work on this, but it looks like I might be wrong on that.

[Kunzite]

Kunzite, I'm a happy K5 user, which I regard as quite serious : ) Since the chat was about new stuff in garish colors I was referring to the feelings of Pentax fans waiting for improved tools in the meantime rather than seeing more ads for purple mid-range versions of last year's model. Wasn't real clear on that, sorry : ) As a huge Pentax fan my feelings are "colored" by the imbalance of unimportant product they've put out in recent memory to the amount of important product, which undoubtedly would be assuaged by more good new product releases overall. Or maybe it's just that they're so good at splashing the ads for the blue cameras in the glossy mags and my peers still look at me like I'm a martian when I show up with my K5? You have to understand that I'm in the US, where we're constantly having to defend being Pentax shooters : ( and I want it to not be that way here anymore! : ) MORE serious stuff! LESS goofy stuff! : ) I just think they won't make any market headway with sizzle and no steak this and next year, so hold off on the solo sizzle please! : )

My point is: they made "garish colors" versions, but they also gave us "improved tools". I believe we will see more "improved tools" in the future, now with Pentax Ricoh.
The "goofy" stuff is a good move from a marketing point of view and it's very cheap to make (unlike a new camera, even entry level). It's not like they couldn't make "improved tools" because of it.

[Frogfish]

It would be quite offset though by those who sincerely feel it's a bad sign that a company can only put out a rainbow of color options and put that more front and center than more useful product updates. If they don't balance it by some serious (even minor) releases as well it only makes them look foolish to anyone except those who dress and act like the models in their ads. If it doesn't even rate the phrase "too little, too late" it does more harm than good.

Did anyone even buy any of the garishly colored K-x's? Here in the U.S. we didn't get the whole spectrum but apparently were offered Red, while and blue. Never, ever seen any of these in the wild here. Swing and a miss, strike...three and a half?

Limited colours were offered in Europe/USA but a plethora of colours were available in Asia - where the Kx / Kr in multiple colours were huge sellers for them. Canon seem to have caught on to this now and are offering at least one new model in multiple colours. I asked my local Pentax dealer which were their best sellers by colour (Kx/Kr) : 1. Red 2. White 3. Black.

[VladimirYo]

I asked my local Pentax dealer which were their best sellers by colour (Kx/Kr) : 1. Red 2. White 3. Black.

Very interesting!

[Fontan]

It would be quite offset though by those who sincerely feel it's a bad sign that a company can only put out a rainbow of color options and put that more front and center than more useful product updates. If they don't balance it by some serious (even minor) releases as well it only makes them look foolish to anyone except those who dress and act like the models in their ads. If it doesn't even rate the phrase "too little, too late" it does more harm than good.

Did anyone even buy any of the garishly colored K-x's? Here in the U.S. we didn't get the whole spectrum but apparently were offered Red, while and blue. Never, ever seen any of these in the wild here. Swing and a miss, strike...three and a half?

Eh, I don't quite follow you there. First of all, I am not sure what you mean by "serious" users, and what that has to do with the color of the camera. Are you saying that for example that you the serious user is always more serious of a photographer than anybody who has a goofy colored camera? Or, are you saying that people with goofy colored camera do not take better photographs than people who use camera with conventional colored camera? Are people who act and dress like models in their ads always stupid? I dated a girl in college who was a model and dressed accordingly and got into a better medical school than mine. I don't know which part of US you live, but if you don't see red k-x near where u live, then no where in US you will not see red k-x? I never had k-x, but at the time of its release there no advancement from the previous model?

I am sorry, but I cannot seem to connect dots here . . . .