Pentax CES Press release today

mattdm · 01-07-2013, 02:29 PM

Originally posted by DAZ

Updating the AF 360 FGZ with swivel head, improved P-TTL and even WP would be nice but probably the least important things to do with the flash. Just making these changes may not be enough to get most to upgrade (or even possible buy instead of something ease). There is so much more Pentax could and should do that if this is all they do it would be a disappointment.

Yeah I was excited for a second and then more disappointed than I was before I read the announcement.

Let's look at some recent flash features from Canon:

zooms to 200mm
included gel holder
updated af-assist beam
dot-matrix lcd display
radio triggering of up to five groups of flashes

And, let's look at a feature that Nikon and Canon have had on their mid-range flash for years:

Tilt/swivel

I mean, I'm glad we've finally caught up to that, but, c'mon. If we can't be ahead, can we at least catch up to the state of the art?

thibs · 01-07-2013, 02:35 PM

Originally posted by mattdm

Yeah I was excited for a second and then more disappointed than I was before I read the announcement.

Let's look at some recent flash features from Canon:

zooms to 200mm
included gel holder
updated af-assist beam
dot-matrix lcd display
radio triggering of up to five groups of flashes

And, let's look at a feature that Nikon and Canon have had on their mid-range flash for years:

Tilt/swivel

I mean, I'm glad we've finally caught up to that, but, c'mon. If we can't be ahead, can we at least catch up to the state of the art?

Well, maybe that's why it is called 360FGZ II. It's not meant (yep that's the prob, I know) to be anything but a refresh.

mattdm · 01-07-2013, 02:41 PM

Originally posted by thibs

Well, maybe that's why it is called 360FGZ II. It's not meant (yep that's the prob, I know) to be anything but a refresh.

Yes, true: definite honesty points won for not calling it anything more than that when it isn't.

DaveBlack · 01-07-2013, 02:41 PM

Well I really didn't expect this camera from Pentax or Ricoh. I did expect only p&s camera(s) to be announced at PMA/CES. The new p&s camera does look really nice, still with the small sensor , missing a hotshoe and no accessory port for an EVF it is missing several key features. The "enthusiast" niche is moving toward bigger sensors and WIFI connectivity. This camera missed both so it seems like it should have been released a year or two before now.

So for the time bein just another camera released by Pentax that I have no interest in. The Q, K01, Q10 and now this one.

An upcoming new flash will be nice. Still it does seem a little odd that the 360 is being updated first and not the larger 540. I guess we will know more details on the new flash at CP+.

Dave

elpolodiablo · 01-07-2013, 03:00 PM

Remember, it's a concept product, Ricoh/Pentax is probable focusing the resource in improving the electronics and P-TTL protocols to work with current and future products, but no time to design a new body/weather sealing/control panel/light, so they stuff all the things they've done so far into a AF360 body and call it a concept. It's like concept car in a way don't you think? To give the market some idea what the new products might look like/feature. Besides, AF540 have about the same feature set as AF360 but more power and a tilt and swirl head, maybe Ricoh/Pentax is working on including more feature in the AF540 replacement to justify the flagship status?

People here had been moaning about Ricoh/Pentax not letting us know where they are heading and the flash system is getting outdated, I think this concept gives a a message: yes we have been listening and we are working on improving/updating our P-TTL flash system, here's what we've done so far, stay tuned.

**DAZ** · 01-07-2013, 03:08 PM

People have complained about the AF 360 FGZ not having swivel head and the desire to have an improved P-TTL. Even adding WP or upping the sink speed to 250. Those are nice things but at this point are not really that important. There is now on the newer Pentax cameras a bidirectional digital comport on the hotshot. Using that you could start to do some fantastic things like control 60+ flash units in manual or P-TTL with a RF wireless system with each flash a RF repeater. Just doing something like this and non of the before mentioned things would be much more important. If they just refreshed and then released a flash in the next year that used digital RF Pentax would not make back the money on the refresh flash. Compared to what could be done they are just not that important and in the bigger scheme almost irrelevant.

DAZ

mattdm · 01-07-2013, 05:14 PM

I'm still glad they're doing something.

**Ash** · 01-07-2013, 05:27 PM

Just wait for the flagship update. It'll have to be better than the already very good 540FGZ.

FullertonImages · 01-07-2013, 05:45 PM

Originally posted by Ash

Just wait for the flagship update. It'll have to be better than the already very good 540FGZ.

Let's hope so. If they released something like the 540, with a little more power, zoom to 200mm, more advanced wireless TTL, possibly radio triggers of some sort (elinchrom please) and TRUE WR, I'd be all over it. And I think it would be yet another thing that would make the brand more unique and competitive.

**Ash** · 01-07-2013, 05:56 PM

Sounds like something that should go in the Dear Pentax thread. It's a pretty important accessory.

Class A · 01-07-2013, 06:04 PM

The wait for the next DSLR announcement continues...

P.S.: If Pentax adds radio triggering to their flashes, then -- in my dreams -- it should be compatible with the "Cyber Commander" by Paul C. Buff. Best remote control flash system I'm aware of. Easily beats the Phottix Odin, as far as I can tell from reading descriptions only. Of course this will never happen. But dreams are free...

Unsinkable II · 01-07-2013, 07:16 PM

Originally posted by DavidOBryan

645D: This medium-format SLR delivers 40-mengapixel image quality and professional performance at an attractive price.

Wow. Pentax have invented a new sensor that takes "mengapixels"!

Unless it is just a typo. On a Press Release.

Amateurville.

dmort · 01-07-2013, 07:45 PM

Originally posted by mattdm

I'm still glad they're doing something.

Exactly. The more stuff pentax makes, the more stuff pentax will make.

asw66 · 01-08-2013, 04:40 AM

Originally posted by Unsinkable II

Wow. Pentax have invented a new sensor that takes "mengapixels"!

Unless it is just a typo. On a Press Release.

Amateurville.

Good catch. That should of course read "mangapixels" -- it's a special edition targetted at the Japanese youth market.

RockvilleBob · 01-08-2013, 05:42 AM

I am pleased that Pentax continues to develop new products. I love my K-5 which I bought about a year ago when I sold my Sony Alpha gear. I feel confident that Pentax will introduce new cameras to provide a solid growth path for both DSLR to follow the K-5, K-5II and K-5IIs. I also feel confident that new lenses will be introduced and the lens pricing policy will be tuned to be competitive with other lens manufacturers. I still don't know if I would be a higher end APS-C camera or a FF camera. A lot would depend on the use of my existing lenses, including the DA*16-50 which I have been pleased with so far.
It would be great to have everything now but Pentax/Ricoh has shown me that they plan to stay in the business and offer solid products with the same price performance differentiation that led me to buy my K-5.

01-07-2013, 02:29 PM	#16
mattdm Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Boston, MA Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,948	Originally posted by DAZ Updating the AF 360 FGZ with swivel head, improved P-TTL and even WP would be nice but probably the least important things to do with the flash. Just making these changes may not be enough to get most to upgrade (or even possible buy instead of something ease). There is so much more Pentax could and should do that if this is all they do it would be a disappointment. Yeah I was excited for a second and then more disappointed than I was before I read the announcement. Let's look at some recent flash features from Canon: zooms to 200mm included gel holder updated af-assist beam dot-matrix lcd display radio triggering of up to five groups of flashes And, let's look at a feature that Nikon and Canon have had on their mid-range flash for years: Tilt/swivel I mean, I'm glad we've finally caught up to that, but, c'mon. If we can't be ahead, can we at least catch up to the state of the art?

01-07-2013, 02:35 PM	#17
thibs Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Belgium Photos: Albums Posts: 7,001	Originally posted by mattdm Yeah I was excited for a second and then more disappointed than I was before I read the announcement. Let's look at some recent flash features from Canon: zooms to 200mm included gel holder updated af-assist beam dot-matrix lcd display radio triggering of up to five groups of flashes And, let's look at a feature that Nikon and Canon have had on their mid-range flash for years: Tilt/swivel I mean, I'm glad we've finally caught up to that, but, c'mon. If we can't be ahead, can we at least catch up to the state of the art? Well, maybe that's why it is called 360FGZ II. It's not meant (yep that's the prob, I know) to be anything but a refresh.

01-07-2013, 06:04 PM	#26
Class A Pentaxian Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Wellington, New Zealand Posts: 11,251	The wait for the next DSLR announcement continues... P.S.: If Pentax adds radio triggering to their flashes, then -- in my dreams -- it should be compatible with the "Cyber Commander" by Paul C. Buff. Best remote control flash system I'm aware of. Easily beats the Phottix Odin, as far as I can tell from reading descriptions only. Of course this will never happen. But dreams are free... Last edited by Class A; 01-07-2013 at 06:20 PM.

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01-07-2013, 02:41 PM	#18
mattdm Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Boston, MA Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,948	Originally posted by thibs Well, maybe that's why it is called 360FGZ II. It's not meant (yep that's the prob, I know) to be anything but a refresh. Yes, true: definite honesty points won for not calling it anything more than that when it isn't.

01-07-2013, 02:41 PM	#19
DaveBlack Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Louisville, Kentucky Posts: 441	Well I really didn't expect this camera from Pentax or Ricoh. I did expect only p&s camera(s) to be announced at PMA/CES. The new p&s camera does look really nice, still with the small sensor , missing a hotshoe and no accessory port for an EVF it is missing several key features. The "enthusiast" niche is moving toward bigger sensors and WIFI connectivity. This camera missed both so it seems like it should have been released a year or two before now. So for the time bein just another camera released by Pentax that I have no interest in. The Q, K01, Q10 and now this one. An upcoming new flash will be nice. Still it does seem a little odd that the 360 is being updated first and not the larger 540. I guess we will know more details on the new flash at CP+. Dave

01-07-2013, 03:00 PM	#20
elpolodiablo Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Sydney, Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,637	Remember, it's a concept product, Ricoh/Pentax is probable focusing the resource in improving the electronics and P-TTL protocols to work with current and future products, but no time to design a new body/weather sealing/control panel/light, so they stuff all the things they've done so far into a AF360 body and call it a concept. It's like concept car in a way don't you think? To give the market some idea what the new products might look like/feature. Besides, AF540 have about the same feature set as AF360 but more power and a tilt and swirl head, maybe Ricoh/Pentax is working on including more feature in the AF540 replacement to justify the flagship status? People here had been moaning about Ricoh/Pentax not letting us know where they are heading and the flash system is getting outdated, I think this concept gives a a message: yes we have been listening and we are working on improving/updating our P-TTL flash system, here's what we've done so far, stay tuned.

01-07-2013, 03:08 PM	#21
DAZ Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Everett, WA USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 744	People have complained about the AF 360 FGZ not having swivel head and the desire to have an improved P-TTL. Even adding WP or upping the sink speed to 250. Those are nice things but at this point are not really that important. There is now on the newer Pentax cameras a bidirectional digital comport on the hotshot. Using that you could start to do some fantastic things like control 60+ flash units in manual or P-TTL with a RF wireless system with each flash a RF repeater. Just doing something like this and non of the before mentioned things would be much more important. If they just refreshed and then released a flash in the next year that used digital RF Pentax would not make back the money on the refresh flash. Compared to what could be done they are just not that important and in the bigger scheme almost irrelevant. DAZ

01-07-2013, 05:14 PM	#22
mattdm Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Boston, MA Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,948	I'm still glad they're doing something.

01-07-2013, 05:27 PM	#23
Ash Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Toowoomba, Queensland Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 23,920	Just wait for the flagship update. It'll have to be better than the already very good 540FGZ.

01-07-2013, 05:45 PM	#24
FullertonImages Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 883	Originally posted by Ash Just wait for the flagship update. It'll have to be better than the already very good 540FGZ. Let's hope so. If they released something like the 540, with a little more power, zoom to 200mm, more advanced wireless TTL, possibly radio triggers of some sort (elinchrom please) and TRUE WR, I'd be all over it. And I think it would be yet another thing that would make the brand more unique and competitive.

01-07-2013, 05:56 PM	#25
Ash Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Toowoomba, Queensland Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 23,920	Sounds like something that should go in the Dear Pentax thread. It's a pretty important accessory.

01-07-2013, 07:16 PM	#27
Unsinkable II Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Hong Kong Posts: 1,352	Originally posted by DavidOBryan 645D: This medium-format SLR delivers 40-mengapixel image quality and professional performance at an attractive price. Wow. Pentax have invented a new sensor that takes "mengapixels"! Unless it is just a typo. On a Press Release. Amateurville.

01-07-2013, 07:45 PM	#28
dmort Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Bronx, NY Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 415	Originally posted by mattdm I'm still glad they're doing something. Exactly. The more stuff pentax makes, the more stuff pentax will make.

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01-08-2013, 04:40 AM	#29
asw66 Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 347	Originally posted by Unsinkable II Wow. Pentax have invented a new sensor that takes "mengapixels"! Unless it is just a typo. On a Press Release. Amateurville. Good catch. That should of course read "mangapixels" -- it's a special edition targetted at the Japanese youth market.

01-08-2013, 05:42 AM	#30
RockvilleBob Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Lewes DE USA Photos: Albums Posts: 1,780	I am pleased that Pentax continues to develop new products. I love my K-5 which I bought about a year ago when I sold my Sony Alpha gear. I feel confident that Pentax will introduce new cameras to provide a solid growth path for both DSLR to follow the K-5, K-5II and K-5IIs. I also feel confident that new lenses will be introduced and the lens pricing policy will be tuned to be competitive with other lens manufacturers. I still don't know if I would be a higher end APS-C camera or a FF camera. A lot would depend on the use of my existing lenses, including the DA*16-50 which I have been pleased with so far. It would be great to have everything now but Pentax/Ricoh has shown me that they plan to stay in the business and offer solid products with the same price performance differentiation that led me to buy my K-5.