[ofer4]

"optimization of K mount" scaring me.

There was a thread on here awhile ago about a Pentax patent for a new type of lens. Rather than the extending front element, it extended backward, into the body. For a mirrorless box, this would be very cool. It could make the use of K mount actually a bonus rather than a "stupid mirrorless idea". All of the focusing throw action happens inside the camera housing. Then again, it may also ruin compatibility with SLRs. Still a cool idea, though.

[ElJamoquio]

I disagree. The interviewer made a presumption: "Even after the huge price drop, the sale of the camera didn't improve significantly."

You're correct, I was wrong. I wasn't interpreting the sentence in the correct way.

[Kunzite]

About:

"optimization of K mount" scaring me.

I refuse to get scared (or even remotely concerned) over interpretations of lously automated translations from a completely foreign, Asian language.
But in this case, there's also a human error involved. The Google translation actually said "optimization of K mount lenses". And lenses can be "optimized" in many ways, with absolutely no change to the mount.

[jpyykonen]

Thanks for the info. It's nice to see some more credible info than just usual forum speculation. So if I interpret the rumors/facts it seems like it will be some APS-C bodies this year and FF next year. Looks good to me. But some seem to find negative even from that Most positive thing I see here is the commitment to K-mount and focus on pancake lenses. Pancake lenses or "pancakish" lenses are very good idea to specialize as you can fit lot of them in your camera bag (smaller lenses -> more of them can fit in your bag -> more sales). Also the "unique full frame camera" which is mentioned I think is just small form factor (maybe retro-styled) DSLR. Pancake lenses support this.

[Clavius]

- a Pentax 24x36 camera is under development and it will be "distinctive" (different from competition, I presume)

It has been under developement for the last decade. This statement doesn't bring anything new to the table.

[Kunzite]

Except that Pentax now openly talks about it?

[mikemike]

It has been under developement for the last decade. This statement doesn't bring anything new to the table.

It is the most assertive statement I have seen regarding Pentax's commitment to bring a FF DSLR to market

[NickLarsson]

You haven't been reading asahi man on dipreview recently? He's saying three new APS-C DSLR bodies this year starting in the summer with a "lower medium level" one.

He also said that there would be no more Ricoh-branded camera, which was wrong.

A：恰恰相反，宾得K-01的销量很好，甚至供不应求。
A: It is just the opposite of what you said, K-01 sale is very good, we can't even produce enough to satisfy the market needs.

So they are still producing a discontinued product ?

[THoog]

So they are still producing a discontinued product ?

Well, if "produce" means "finding unopened boxes that were gathering dust in the warehouse until the price dropped and shipping them out as fast as we can", yes.

From following the K-01 "Has it shipped yet?" thread, there did seem to be several waves of shipments with longer delays in between, as they hunted further for stock.

I've got my "corporate-speak" and "translated rumors" filters set to HIGH, but I can't help but feel slightly less pessimistic about possible future XS lenses. Previous comments from Pentax were neutral to negative.

[Cambo]

to equal or better the K5...this thing is astonishing...

Cheers,
Cameron

[H. Sapiens]

A：宾得645D是一款定位非常明确的机器，它针对专业人群而设计。尼康D800高像素单反相机则没有明确的定位，对于宾得645D的冲击并不大。
A: PENTAX 645D targets towards a specific market, it targets professionals. On the other hand, Nikon D800 doesn't have a clear market placement, thus the effect is minor.

Yeah, Nikon screwed up badly on this one!

[Rondec]

A：宾得645D是一款定位非常明确的机器，它针对专业人群而设计。尼康D800高像素单反相机则没有明确的定位，对于宾得645D的冲击并不大。
A: PENTAX 645D targets towards a specific market, it targets professionals. On the other hand, Nikon D800 doesn't have a clear market placement, thus the effect is minor.

Yeah, Nikon screwed up badly on this one!

Well, I think the point is more that the Nikon D800 and the 645D target different groups. The digital medium format group of professional photographers is a fairly small and focused group that wants just that -- medium format digital. They deal with the lack of auto focus capability and lack of live view and relatively small numbers of lenses because that is what they are used to and that is what they want. The D800, for all of its bells and whistles, probably hasn't made much of an impact on the target for the 645D.

And I don't think Nikon particularly wants to target the medium format market, anyway. It is such a small segment that even if they stole all of the Pentax 645D and Phase one camera users, it wouldn't impact their sales very much.

[VisualDarkness]

So they are still producing a discontinued product ?

That goes in the line of the Pentaxforum interview a while ago where they stated "Not completely discontinued" or something like that. Maybe they prepare a batch for the future but it sounds weird indeed.

[IchabodCrane]

He also said that there would be no more Ricoh-branded camera, which was wrong.


So they are still producing a discontinued product ?

Of course I don't know exactly what he meant but it could have been (paraphrasing) "we can sell many more than we still have".

[Cannikin]

Also I would really hope that it isn't small like the K-5, I preferred the K-20 because of the size and it was excellent to be able to put in the hand grip a battery, extra memory card, AND the wireless remote. I hate misplacing that stupid thing in my pocket.

I don't think you have to worry about that, unless Pentax does a fundamental rearrangement of the AF system. As it currently is, the PDAF assembly sits inside the mirror box itself, using space at the bottom that would have otherwise been empty to accomodate a FF mirror/image circle. Even if everything else is the same, at the minmum the FF would have to extend a further centimeter or so at the bottom.