[ogl]

Photokina 2012: Interview - John Carlson of Pentax: Digital Photography Review

Is there room for a higher-end Pentax K-mount DSLR?

We have the 645D, and Pentax is dedicated to that system, but whether there's room between the K-5 cameras and the 645, I can't say

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How are you planning on developing mirrorless in the future? Or is the K-01 a one-off?

I haven't seen any future roadmaps for that type of product.

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Last edited by ogl; 09-19-2012 at 09:17 AM.

[NightPorter]

This answer shows how poorer Pentax's marketing and product strategy they are

[glanglois]

This answer shows how poorer Pentax's marketing and product strategy they are

I disagree, NightPorter. The answers show that Mr. Carlson wishes his employment to continue.

They also show that Ricoh does not want to be seen as one of those companies that's always talking about how great next year will be. I think I respect them for that. I've seen too many small players who focus on selling their roadmap rather than their existing product line. Often looks more like acts of desperation than helpful guidance.

[cali92rs]

Is there room for a higher-end Pentax K-mount DSLR?

We have the 645D, and Pentax is dedicated to that system, but whether there's room between the K-5 cameras and the 645, I can't say

By my math, theres about $7,600 between the K-5II and the 645.
Nikon, Canon, Sony and even Leica easily find room and play within that gap...

[froeschle]

Is there room for a higher-end Pentax K-mount DSLR?

We have the 645D, and Pentax is dedicated to that system, but whether there's room between the K-5 cameras and the 645, I can't say

Question: [...] ?
Answer: [...] I can't say

An answer, which is no (definitive) answer at all...

[LaurenOE]

After Ned's departure - er - retirement, I think John is going to keep a low profile.

[illdefined]

If there's one thing we can expect from Pentax in recent years, it's this....STALLING.

Let's face it, they're in complete stasis. check back next year folks and see if they've woken up when the rest of the industry is polishing their Mark IIIs while Pentax timidly shows a mock-up under glass.

too much time has passed.

[Adam]

Well, all I'm going to say is that we were told more in our interview Stay tuned!

There were only two questions that we didn't get an answer to:
-Is the Pentax 18-270mm based on a Tamron design?
-Can you tell us anything about the new in-lens shake reduction in the new Pentax 645 90mm macro?

[eddie1960]

If there's one thing we can expect from Pentax in recent years, it's this....STALLING.

Let's face it, they're in complete stasis. check back next year folks and see if they've woken up when the rest of the industry is polishing their Mark IIIs while Pentax timidly shows a mock-up under glass.

too much time has passed.

he's not going to talk about stuff under development not even ready for preview, if it bothers you to wait don't many people will look at your stuff in the marketplace. it takes time to develop product, it looks like hoya killed development for the most part in the lead up to the sale. this is the last batch of hoya related product is my guess and at cp+ when everyone else has less to show pentax will have ricoh developed product.
the K5IIs is actually unique in the market being an aa filterless apsc DSLR . AF has been improved dramatically apparently, lenses came out..... more will arrive in the new year. yep the big guns launched some cool stuff, Pentax either will or won't come the new year but not much will be leaked until close to then

[illdefined]

Well, all I'm going to say is that we were told more in our interview Stay tuned!

unless they're announcing they have a time machine, or that Ricoh is funneling ALL their resources into making Pentax fully competitive again in the next calendar year, I can't fathom what other words could make me believe Pentax will be truly relevant again soon.

Pentax has fully settled into being a niche, affordable, outdoorsy brand and won't compete again with the mainstream in the forseeable future.

[Laurentiu Cristofor]

Q: A lot of the feedback that we got about the Pentax Q was about its price.

A: Yes, I think we recognized that rather too late.

This indicates how out of touch with their customers they are. This was the major feedback to the Q. If anything, it proves that Pentax doesn't pay any attention to any request or feedback voiced on PF.

I loved the way he talked about the appeal of the K-01 in the "designer community". What is that? What happened to the photographer community?

I hope Ricoh has a better plan, but I do not even know what that might be. There is very little that Ricoh can offer that is not being offered already and even the opportunities I can still see are not likely to be exploited by them effectively, if at all. Even if they offer a FF DSLR, the best outcome will be keeping their existing market - I don't think they'll acquire many new customers coming so late to that market.

[cali92rs]

I hope Ricoh has a better plan, but I do not even know what that might be. There is very little that Ricoh can offer that is not being offered already and even the opportunities I can still see are not likely to be exploited by them effectively, if at all. Even if they offer a FF DSLR, the best outcome will be keeping their existing market - I don't think they'll acquire many new customers coming so late to that market.

Pentax entered late into the AF and then the digital scene and they haven't recovered since.
In my opinion, it's going to take a "perfect storm" kind of product like the Fuji X100 to get people from the other brands back to Pentax.

[illdefined]

he's not going to talk about stuff under development not even ready for preview, if it bothers you to wait don't many people will look at your stuff in the marketplace. it takes time to develop product, it looks like hoya killed development for the most part in the lead up to the sale. this is the last batch of hoya related product is my guess and at cp+ when everyone else has less to show pentax will have ricoh developed product.
the K5IIs is actually unique in the market being an aa filterless apsc DSLR . AF has been improved dramatically apparently, lenses came out..... more will arrive in the new year. yep the big guns launched some cool stuff, Pentax either will or won't come the new year but not much will be leaked until close to then

I understand it's all under development. and we all know how much time it's taken.

The first digital Pentax FF body, new FF SR, new FF AF system with more than 11 points, and a whole new FF lens set. That's quite a lot to finish, test and release all at the same time for ANYbody much less a small outfit like Pentax, and then to expect no quirks like SAFOX or SDM....the big guns have been working with FF for years...

yes, the K-5 and K30 is favorably competitive against current (2+ year old) APS-C DSLRs, no question, but that yardstick will move up again really, really soon (Jan.) and the APS-C DSLR itself as a platform is shrinking due to mirrorless and FF.... and we're still waiting for what will essentially be a prototype...

[disya2]

...
Even if they offer a FF DSLR, the best outcome will be keeping their existing market - I don't think they'll acquire many new customers coming so late to that market.

I quoted this text because that thought is very common among other pentaxians. I don't think that is true because:

1. Canon and Nikon are very good brands because their resale value is very good. I would say it costs almost nothing to buy a C/N camera, use it for a year then sell it 10-20% lower. I not even mention used lenses which are sold almost at the same price as new. My point here is that switching back from C/N is cheap.

2. Pentax is unique in size of cameras and prime lenses. Today I bought a new bag for K-5. It is so small (and I would not afraid even to say "cute") that hardly any other DSLR could fit but K-5 + FA 31 easily sleeps in leaving space for FA 77 and a couple of DA limiteds. If Pentax' FF offering will be comparable in size I would sell my (yet imaginative) D600 in a wink

[bobell69]

I honestly think that Carlson is the wrong guy to talk to. Lets face it Pentax USA has had a terrible public relations problem for the past several years and John's response to the questions from DPREVIEW just show how bad things still are for Pentax USA. Best to follow Adam's lead and talk to people who are really in the know, folks who are more closely associated with Ricoh than the old guard at Pentax. At least that's my two 2 cents worth.

There was however one thing that I got out of the interview and that was that Ricoh's influence has not as yet begun to show up in the product line. All of the products released to date were on the drawing board before the takeover. I'm looking forward to seeing the synergy between the Ricoh products and the Pentax products. The GXR is a very high quality system that is little known in this part of the world.