[audiobomber]

I'm betting the K-01 is a dead end. A GXR with K-mount makes more sense. It can do anything the K-01 can do, it has an EVF and it's far more versatile.

[zosxavius]

Oh no...we are doomed!!! You people make me laugh. Go take some pictures with the best aps-c camera out there and wait a little while for pentax to cook up a big brother. Why are you all in such a rush to get a noisy 24mp camera? Good things are coming, give them some time and learn some patience. I'm sure the k-3 will be out soon so you can all race to replace your ancient k-5s. Remember when 12mp was huge. People just want more and more in less and less time. Nothing is ever good enough is it?

[Blue]

I'm betting the K-01 is a dead end. A GXR with K-mount makes more sense. It can do anything the K-01 can do, it has an EVF and it's far more versatile.

That's what I think also and they could even go with a bigger than aps-c sensor.

[Sol Invictus]

I'm betting the K-01 is a dead end. A GXR with K-mount makes more sense. It can do anything the K-01 can do, it has an EVF and it's far more versatile.

Agreed. And hopefully the new GXR will be designed by Mark Newson.

I kid, I kid.

[zosxavius]

That's what I think also and they could even go with a bigger than aps-c sensor.

Hard to say. The gxr does have space limitations. Ff would be a lot to cram. Their leica mount is very compelling though. I wonder if it is only aps-c due to the microlens problem.

[Winder]

You were coming across like you were campaigning for the replacement of the K-mount. The whole point with Nikon which you ignored up until this post is the fact that they have been using the same mount on their SLR's 16 years longer than Pentax has with the K-mount. Plus, Nikon has the small camera that is in the same arena as the Q. 4 mounts is a bit much for a company with 5% of the market. m4/3 is just starting to have a lens line up even though multiple companies use the mount. As far as the K-01 goes, it probably just got overlooked or ignored which tends to happen. As far as FF evil goes, Pentax hasn't even committed to full frame.

I am not talking about K-mount SLR. At every post I said FF EVIL. That is not an SLR.

IF Nikon does produce an EVIL FF it will not use F-mount. It would be a compromise. If you are going to do something, then do it right. If you are going to build a new system (EVIL is a new system) then do it right and make lenses that are optimized for the new system. Lenses that you can update firmware on.

Nikon and Canon are in completely different positions in the market than any other camera maker. They are playing to keep their market share. Look at Fuji they are playing to gain market share. They are innovative and fairly responsive to their customers. The new XP-1 firmware looks like it fixes a lot of the customer complaints. The firmware updates the lenses and the AF system as is said to double AF speed. The rumored Fuji FF will sell for a premium and will sell well. Even Sigma is updating their lenses and giving the users the ability to update the firmware without sending it in.

The K-01 did not get ignored. It was reviewed separately and did not receive a very positive review. Just to use one example that is in video form from a guy who has been pretty favorable to Pentax products:

Youtu.be

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Youtu.be

They did Pentax a favor by not reviewing it with the other three. Saved Pentax from some embarrassment.

[ogl]

Looking at the photo market, I think that Pentax Ricoh have approx. 6 months not to miss the train...6 months is reservation time...
FF is the locomotive of modern photo market...Even Fuji is seriously looking at producing a Full Frame XF camera.

It means - the technology of FF sensor became cheaper and sensors are really better. Have a look at DXO's results of D800 and D600.

[Laurentiu Cristofor]

IF Nikon does produce an EVIL FF it will not use F-mount. It would be a compromise.

The main problem is the mechanical aperture flange that both these mounts use - having something stick into the camera body is fine for SLR registration distance, but not for a MILC. Canon was decades ahead when they designed their EF mount - they now get to put out the EOS-M with no engineering headaches and with full backward compatibility. Neither Nikon nor Ricoh will be able to match this.

It's going to be amusing to watch - either they'll continue clinging to the old mounts and they'll lose opportunities and market. Or they'll drop the old mounts and then they'll alienate users - Ricoh, at least has the advantage that it won't alienate as many as Nikon. Canon is moving slowly for the same reason - but they can play on both sides of the fence.

[Winder]

Looking at the photo market, I think that Pentax Ricoh have approx. 6 months not to miss the train...6 months is reservation time...
FF is the locomotive of modern photo market...Even Fuji is seriously looking at producing a Full Frame XF camera.

It means - the technology of FF sensor became cheaper and sensors are really better. Have a look at DXO's results of D800 and D600.

I think the fact that we are seeing sensors for low volume bodies like the 1DX and D4 not being used in other bodies to keep volume up means that the cost has probably fallen and yields have probably risen. Nikon now has 3 different FF sensors and there is reason to believe the 16MP is not made by Sony. Canon also has 3 different FF sensors in production. Last year they were putting the same sensor in different bodies to spread out cost.

There is a definite shift in the market. It appears that costs have fallen and demand for FF has risen.

[Winder]

The main problem is the mechanical aperture flange that both these mounts use - having something stick into the camera body is fine for SLR registration distance, but not for a MILC. Canon was decades ahead when they designed their EF mount - they now get to put out the EOS-M with no engineering headaches and with full backward compatibility. Neither Nikon nor Ricoh will be able to match this.

It's going to be amusing to watch - either they'll continue clinging to the old mounts and they'll lose opportunities and market. Or they'll drop the old mounts and then they'll alienate users - Ricoh, at least has the advantage that it won't alienate as many as Nikon. Canon is moving slowly for the same reason - but they can play on both sides of the fence.

Because of this I think we might see a Ricoh FF EVIL with a new mount. Pentax can develop it and even produce it. I don't care who's name is on it or what mount is uses as long as it is well designed and works really well. The boat anchor known as K-mount might force Ricoh to be the innovative name brand and Pentax to be the legacy brand.

[bossa]

Pentax doesn't need us, ogl.
We are an insignificant minority.

If by 'us' you mean Pentax customers, I have no idea how that'd work for them.

[Winder]

If by 'us' you mean Pentax customers, I have no idea how that'd work for them.

I think what he means by that is that future and new users are the key to the success of Pentax. The legacy user base is too small and too polarized to be overly relevant in the long run. Canon changed mounts and everyone thought it was the end of the world, but it paid off for Canon over the long run. Made a lot of legacy users pretty mad, but made the company better off.

[mee]

So where's the transcript with all the questions and answers?

Yes.. inquiring minds want to know.

I only saw 4 Pentax responses in the OP.. that is not even close to an interview or Q and A session. So we must be missing something!

[mee]

Looking at the photo market, I think that Pentax Ricoh have approx. 6 months not to miss the train...6 months is reservation time...
FF is the locomotive of modern photo market...Even Fuji is seriously looking at producing a Full Frame XF camera.

It means - the technology of FF sensor became cheaper and sensors are really better. Have a look at DXO's results of D800 and D600.

Miss the train? It isn't as if the only photographers in the market for FF are currently in existence and will be permanently locked into a given company's FF product line within the next 6 months.

If a camera and lens line is that good, they will come (to Pentax Land).

Because we shouldn't want just any FF body. We want a really really nice one.

Otherwise we will all read the dramatical FF fanaticals complaining how Pentax missed the boat by releasing a weak FF body and the next gen Canonikony is sooooooooooooooo much better and they are jumping ship and Pentax is doomed and life is over and woe is me.

[Blue]

I am not talking about K-mount SLR. At every post I said FF EVIL. That is not an SLR. . . .

.

You didn't say FF evil at every post, only the one prior to this one (209) did you mention FF. At least that is the only one you mentioned during our exchange. However, I see no reason for k-mount to not work with ff evil or the F mount either should Nikon go that way. Pentax may eventually stick a bigger sensor in the Q line if they maintain it. Canon had a different situation when they were using the FD mount (breech lock) because it wasn't really conducive to auto focus like the k-mount and F were. Plus, Canon probably couldn't get away with such a mover in the current environment.