[thibs]

Yes there is.

[mattdm]

This isn't an SLR, how can it be a successor to anything at this point? IMO it's something completely new which will appeal to an entirely different group of people. The SLR fans will have to wait until more is announced along those lines!

It's not entirely unreasonable to think that they've decided to go a whole new route with the entry-level. Maybe it's not time yet in the market, but this day will come.

[Pablom]

I don't see any reason why someone who's used to a SLR will want to switch to a camera with no viewfinder (unless they only shoot with a tripod and have to eliminate mirror slap)

[Pål Jensen]

It's not entirely unreasonable to think that they've decided to go a whole new route with the entry-level. Maybe it's not time yet in the market, but this day will come.

I think that is very unreasonable. SLR's have co-existed with mirrorless for over 60 years now....

[Blue]

It's not entirely unreasonable to think that they've decided to go a whole new route with the entry-level. Maybe it's not time yet in the market, but this day will come.

I think what he was getting at is that the K-01 is the first generation of a new line.

[Smeggypants]

This isn't an SLR, how can it be a successor to anything at this point? IMO it's something completely new which will appeal to an entirely different group of people. The SLR fans will have to wait until more is announced along those lines!

I'm with Adam on this!!

[ElJamoquio]

I don't see any reason why someone who's used to a SLR will want to switch to a camera with no viewfinder (unless they only shoot with a tripod and have to eliminate mirror slap)

I'd guess that most people buying their first SLR haven't used a camera with a viewfinder in ten years, and don't miss the crappy viewfinders they had before then.

[mattdm]

I'd guess that most people buying their first SLR haven't used a camera with a viewfinder in ten years, and don't miss the crappy viewfinders they had before then.

Exactly. And since that's who is buying entry-level SLRs, it makes sense to tailor things to that market. Mirrorless is going to eat that segment alive, viewfinder or no.

[aruk5]

inspite of having dslr aps-c sensors most mirrorless cameras are categorised as 'compact' systems. So its not a k-5 replacement as the k-5 is a dslr while k-01 is mirrorless though its sensor is based on the k5

the k-01 has been released to more compete with panasonic's g series, sony's nex and samsung's nx series than with dslrs [including their own]

[Pablom]

I'd guess that most people buying their first SLR haven't used a camera with a viewfinder in ten years, and don't miss the crappy viewfinders they had before then.

I don't quite get you. most viewfinders I used pre-digital are way better than any digital I've seen through.

[ElJamoquio]

I don't quite get you. most viewfinders I used pre-digital are way better than any digital I've seen through.

I'd think that first-time SLR buyers... are used to viewfinders from disposable cameras, 2000-2006 model year point-and-shoots, etc.

Those customers don't want a viewfinder. They think looking at an LCD is better, because in their experience it *is* better.

[thibs]

I'd think that first-time SLR buyers... are used to viewfinders from disposable cameras, 2000-2006 model year point-and-shoots, etc.

Those customers don't want a viewfinder. They think looking at an LCD is better, because in their experience it *is* better.

To be more correct, I beleive, the problem is they dunno what a proper viewfinder is.

I annoy my fellows owning a D700 and a Samyang 14mm when I invite them look into my MX + Sigma 18mm.
The 14 is wider but they always say something like 'ho** **it' when they look through it

[kyteflyer]

Those customers don't want a viewfinder. They think looking at an LCD is better, because in their experience it *is* better.

Only some of them. As an "older" member of the photography community I can tell you unequivocally that many of my peers are looking to buy DSLR now, after years of P&S, because their eyesight is beginning to fail them, and a good viewfinder will always be better than an LCD for this particular group (not excluding younger people who also have visual difficulties).

There will always be a market for DSLR in its current format, and if the camera makers forget that... I'd be very surprised.

[Docrwm]

Only some of them. As an "older" member of the photography community I can tell you unequivocally that many of my peers are looking to buy DSLR now, after years of P&S, because their eyesight is beginning to fail them, and a good viewfinder will always be better than an LCD for this particular group (not excluding younger people who also have visual difficulties).

There will always be a market for DSLR in its current format, and if the camera makers forget that... I'd be very surprised.

This is true ONLY if you can get the Diopter adjustment necessary for the viewfinder. Pentax USA doesn't stock them. My process of finding one was complex and, ultimately, satisfying because an unnamed higher up at Pentax Imaging was embarrassed into it but the process also pointed up to me the severe lack of knowledge and concern at Pentax USA's CS people for "little" things.

[mattdm]

Sure. There's also still a market for horses and buggies.

I can see some of the arguments here applied in the days of the early automobile as well.

Now, we're not necessarily at the day when the carriage companies needed to switch to being horseless-carriage companies or vanish, but it's certainly the case that Ricoh's strategists are considering that question and reevaluating constantly.

Or, to use an analogy that hits closer to home: there will always be a market for film photography. There's no question. But it's not going to be a mass market ever again.

Now, like a lot of you, I'm not ready to switch to mirrorless. I don't think the technology is there yet. But there may be a point where being on the leading edge of the market is more important than appealing to what I want.