[DaveBlack]

I imagine it means that they are currently working on the Q and for K-mount people to just hang on a little bit more.

It is a real shame if they are spending resources on the Q and it is delaying resources being spent on the K.

Dave

[eddie1960]

he's a sales and marketing manager of a single market. Not a product manager who would be more in the loop. for an explanation of how marketing works see below

[Winder]

It is a real shame if they are spending resources on the Q and it is delaying resources being spent on the K.

Dave

The Q might be the most irrelevant camera to ever make it to market in the digital age. Pentax could have taken those resources and used them to strengthen the K-mount system. Maybe a better flash..... tethering...... 1 new lens..... New AF system.

It is only a few months in to the Ricoh/Pentax deal, but it looks like very little will change any time soon. CES would have been a good opportunity to put a K-r replacement on display and build a little momentum going into the Feb show in Japan. Instead their booth looks like an afterthought. The award for this years Mr. Irrelevant goes to .........

[Sinister]

The Q might be the most irrelevant camera to ever make it to market in the digital age. Pentax could have taken those resources and used them to strengthen the K-mount system. Maybe a better flash..... tethering...... 1 new lens..... New AF system.

It is only a few months in to the Ricoh/Pentax deal, but it looks like very little will change any time soon. CES would have been a good opportunity to put a K-r replacement on display and build a little momentum going into the Feb show in Japan. Instead their booth looks like an afterthought. The award for this years Mr. Irrelevant goes to .........

Alhough I agree on the first part, I am convinced that we'll see new stuff at the CP+ in february

[glanglois]

Q was a bold move. I'm impressed that they were willing to take that step - it showed a big change in the recent Pentax culture.

OTOH, it's not clear that they got it right. Bold moves have a tendency to have a high failure rate and that's the risk that companies take. I had no interest when it arrived. After watching a pile of other brands introduce small ILCs that really aren't (small, that is) and compacts that are not improving low-light performance, I'm rethinking that whole thing.

Q may be a modest success in its own and create a new line for Pentax.

[Docrwm]

I imagine it means that they are currently working on the Q and for K-mount people to just hang on a little bit more.

That's what I took from it.

[AGWoodard]

The steps needed to be taken for Pentax to evolve above anything more than a nice enthusiast DSLR camera are so huge that I doubt they will happen. There are simply to many holes to be plugged to be taken seriously as a "pro system". What we have, is probably what we will always have. A very nice enthusiast camera and some wonderful old glass that makes it worth while to "be different". Loving Pentax is something you either have or you don't. You can't explain it to other people, it's just there. Sitting at the keyboard, I often long for things that Pentax doesn't have, and envy the Canon and Nikon guys. Then I go take some photos, and all that goes away. In the end, if worse comes to worse, there will always be KEH.

[Docrwm]

To me this answered a very central question:

DE: We've been hearing rumors for awhile that the K-r is being discontinued, and Pentax Japan no longer lists it as a current model. This is a question that you may not be able to answer, but can we expect to see a replacement in the near future, or do you feel the Pentax Q effectively fills the gap left with the K-r's departure?
JC: That's one where the production is finished with that product. I hesitate to call it "discontinued," because there is still product in the channel. Obviously, there's material or product available out there, and it's still a great camera. It's still a very capable camera. As far as a replacement to that, I can't address that. I wouldn't call the Q a replacement for that.
DE: It's a different product.
JC: Yeah, definitely - totally different part of the line for us.
DE: Looking at your K-mount lens line-up, are there any particular gaps you'd like to see filled up in the next year or so? Perhaps a weather-sealed 55-300mm, or something else with a bit more telephoto reach? Or is it maybe time to go back to the drawing board with teleconverters? They kind of fell off the road map a few years ago.
JC: If you look purely at what we're hearing from customers, there's a lot of demand for longer focal lengths. Something like 300mm f/2.8, something like that. As far as what's on the road map, it's not something that I'm able to share. That's where it seems the most demand is for us, is with the longer focal length. You just look at what we have available, that's definitely where I would say we have a hole that I hope we explore.

[ogl]

Imaging Resource Interview:*John Carlson, Pentax - Imaging Resource

What did he say? No any concrete info at all....Just friendly chat

[DaveBlack]

It was good to hear John Carlson's interview and let people know that he is excited with the direction Ricoh is going to take Pentax. Otherwise no real details. I am guessing we will finally see a super-telephoto or a 300/2.8.

It would have been nice to see a the K-r replacement even if it was under glass. Just something to build some excitement. The interview built a little excitement in that Pentax isn't dead.

I will expect something shown at CP+ with maybe an announcement in early Febuary. Maybe on Pentax Day. I will think the K-r replacement should be shown at CP+ and maybe even a super-telephoto, but then again it could only be a long zoom for the Q :-). Then the really supper exciting stuff will be announced at Photokina this fall.

I am kind of excited about the Ricoh GXR APS-C 24-80 modual. It should be a Canon G1X killer if marketed correctly. Then again I don't think they didn't even show it under glass at PMA @ CES.

Dave

[ogl]

To me this answered a very central question:

JC: If you look purely at what we're hearing from customers, there's a lot of demand for longer focal lengths. Something like 300mm f/2.8, something like that. As far as what's on the road map, it's not something that I'm able to share. That's where it seems the most demand is for us, is with the longer focal length. You just look at what we have available, that's definitely where I would say we have a hole that I hope we explore.

Every Pentaxian knows it. Longer focal length is problem. And everybody know that Pentax will make any 400 or 500 lens some day...

[ogl]

It was good to hear John Carlson's interview and let people know that he is excited with the direction Ricoh is going to take Pentax. Otherwise no real details. I am guessing we will finally see a super-telephoto or a 300/2.8.

Why do you think so? Who needs 300/2.8 for USD2000-2500 if there is DA*300/4 SDM.

DA*400/4 or 500/5.6 + new TC 1.7 would be much better for nature shooters.

[Sinister]

DA*300/2.8 plus a decent TC 1.7 gives you a 500/4.5 (if I am not mistaken?)

[ogl]

DA*300/2.8 plus a decent TC 1.7 gives you a 500/4.5 (if I am not mistaken?)

500 is not long enough for wild nature...500 + 1.7 will be 850 mm

Anyway, APS-C line of lenses needs something to change FA*600/4. It means - 400 mm lens is more attractive...

And Pentax made 1.4x, 1.7x and 2x TC in film era.

[Frogfish]

Imaging Resource Interview:*John Carlson, Pentax - Imaging Resource

That's a great interview and whilst not saying a lot ... says a lot !

Definitely worth a Like' for posting that - Thanks !