[redrockcoulee]

I don't understand this. As a professional you can't stand by your tools and methods!? Why be ashamed?
Why can't you just grin and say 'Yeah they do make some cheesy consumer models don't they? This kit gives me the results I need for this job though and I'm all about delivering the results.'?

It is the customer/client I do not understand. John Deere made some terrrible snowmobiles and yet no farmer would have kicked out a custom combiner company from his farm for using John Deere combines. If Ford comes out with a dopey car does not mean that their heavy trucks are laughed off of construction sites? Hasselblad is maybe a better example with their overpriced whatever their little camera is should not affect a pro using a HD5 on a shoot. Pentax is not the first to produce coloured cameras for the consumer market even if they are the first to provide it for the DSLR market it is still for the consumer market. Maybe those that buy a coloured camera have small minds. Not my words. My grandaughter wanted a pink Pentax but settled for a black one. She is pretty smart in my mind but is also a typical teenager who wants her stuff to look fun as well as be it.

Those who put down people for buying coloured cameras as the colour does not improve the image quality should also put down those who mock the K01's appearance because unusual appearance should also not affect image quality.

A note to those who stated that Fuji had a runaway sucess with the X100, it was replaced with the X100S to correct all its flaws. And these flaws were greater than those of the K5 which was replaced with the K5II. Same movement on both companies, fix what was wrong with a otherwise good product to extend its lifesapan.

I do not own a K01 those at times I wished I had bought one locally when they were under $300. Most likely would have bought the black one, but do not expect others to have the same taste as mind or even think that black is the only right one, a yellow one would have been a close second.

[Raffwal]

I really honestly cannot grasp the idea.

They can release a "new" product and gain visibility with zero investment. But that does not work very well in the long run.

[mickey]

Judging by all the rants on here, there's a reason why Ricoh has chosen to make this model for the Japanese-only market.

Lighten up, chaps.

[Clavius]

I don't understand this. As a professional you can't stand by your tools and methods!? Why be ashamed?
Why can't you just grin and say 'Yeah they do make some cheesy consumer models don't they? This kit gives me the results I need for this job though and I'm all about delivering the results.'?

I'm about delivering the results that my customers need though, not the results that I myself need. If they don't want me to shoot with the Micky-Mouse brand, then I won't. But, as soon as I have more customers then I have time, I'll do exactly as you say.

Is it possible that Pentax is really targeting consumers who will simply buy a camera and wouldn't be bothered with looking like a "professional"? The typical Tom, Dick and Harry, who will never understand what an aperture is if their lives depend on it?

While this may or may not impact us (mostly fanatics), it is possible that we are probably not the critical mass that Pentax has in mind when they think customers. We are the vocal ones, but are we sure that we are the target customers?

But in the past we were the target customers. Otherwise, optical marvels like the FA ltds wouldn't have happened. Those are definitely aimed at enthuastic prosumers/pro's. But you're right, maybe they've switched target markets. If Pentax is making such a switch, then I think it would be very fair of them to be open about it.

[blacknosugar]

Judging by all the rants on here, there's a reason why Ricoh has chosen to make this model for the Japanese-only market.

Lighten up, chaps.

You know, the design kind of works in the blue... Oh god, I think I might want a Smurftrooper!

[drypenn]

I'm about delivering the results that my customers need though, not the results that I myself need. If they don't want me to shoot with the Micky-Mouse brand, then I won't. But, as soon as I have more customers then I have time, I'll do exactly as you say.



But in the past we were the target customers. Otherwise, optical marvels like the FA ltds wouldn't have happened. Those are definitely aimed at enthuastic prosumers/pro's. But you're right, maybe they've switched target markets. If Pentax is making such a switch, then I think it would be very fair of them to be open about it.

Agree! But I have doubts that they will be vocal about it. Pentax or for that matter Ricoh, I hope, will not be stupid enough to openly admit that they're not interested with us, so we can continue buying those Limiteds.

But I fear, that we are not really the people they have in mind, when somebody in their board rooms mention the word "customers." Definitions can change abruptly in the corporate worlds depending on who controls the white board, and who pulls the purse strings, for better or for worse.

[blacknosugar]

I'm about delivering the results that my customers need though, not the results that I myself need. If they don't want me to shoot with the Micky-Mouse brand, then I won't. But, as soon as I have more customers then I have time, I'll do exactly as you say.

"He who pays the piper, calls the tune" as they say. I get that, but does he also tell the piper what brand of pipe to play? Do you tell your car mechanic what brand of wrench to use? Do you choose your photographer by whether he edits on Mac or PC? Tell your surgeon to use a number 3 or a number 5 scalpel?

It's your business but I just don't think you should stop using the equipment you enjoy most and feel gives you the right result because of one idiot who knows nothing about photography. As the professional, *you* know what gives the right results and it's *your expertise* they're paying for. Up to you but that's my 2 cents anyway.

[Kenn100D]

I like the blue but if they release a new yellow Minions version that would be better!!

[anthony mazzeri]

Professionally, I've stopped using my Pentax gear completely now. I had to. Dispite the black tape over the Pentax-logo, one of my clients said: "Pentax?! But aren't they the ones with all the happy coloured cameras? You're kidding, right?" Ashamed I told them it was a mistake and went to my car to get my "serious" camera. A 5DmkII, which I dislike using a lot. Next time the K-5IIs stays at home.

Canon 5DmkII? But aren't they the ones with all the happy coloured cameras? You're kidding, right?

[monochrome]

K-01 will become a new K1000 — still in demand by users even after 25 years since the official production cease ..

Wouldn't that just square the circle?

[Clavius]

Tell your surgeon to use a number 3 or a number 5 scalpel?

If that surgeon approaches me with a white/blue scalpel with the word "Mattel©" on it, absolutely yes!

It's your business but I just don't think you should stop using the equipment you enjoy most and feel gives you the right result because of one idiot who knows nothing about photography. As the professional, *you* know what gives the right results and it's *your expertise* they're paying for. Up to you but that's my 2 cents anyway.

I understand what you guys are saying, and I agree with you fully. But professionally I'm not in that place yet where I can allow myself to use that attitude.

[monochrome]

Or, they targeted a population not typically on pentaxforums?

This camera coming out on the domestic Japanese market sounds like Ricoh has exactly done their homework: if they can make a profit on the camera, and then target a niche which no other system targets, then they're good.

I'd say that the K-01 in the "Smurf" and "Bumblebee" version are spot-on for a part of the Japanese market: more "fun" than the "retro-hip" offerings from competition, yet not infantile either, while offering great quality, it's something that I can easily picture a tweenager or a business-woman from a well-off family pull out of her purse to take picture of her friends (with bunny-ears) in an izakaya.

Actually, I do not need to simply picture that, I saw it happen (with the bumblebee) twice two weeks back in Tokyo (once, I admit, was in Nabezo in Shinjuku, and not in an izakaya). Plus, while "fun" it's a "real camera" - even though most may not ever take the 40/2.8Xs off, it keeps the mount alive and some will buy new lenses.

Given the almost orgasmic enthusiasm we saw on Pentaxforums regarding the mock-up spoof "Spotmatic D" that somebody posted just a minute ago, I'd say that Ricoh exactly did their homework, realized that "those guys on Pentaxforums want retro-hip, not fun, so let's not market this camera to that crowd"

I think that in one of the interviews with the executives from the company, they said that they wanted to enter a market only if they could transform it by being different - no need to go in to become "just another of the same". Like the K-01 or not, but they tried exactly that. And, it seems that the K-01 works in some markets, and not in others - works in some colors (the "fun" ones) and not in others (the "retro-hip black and silver" ones). The smart thing to do is, then, to target those markets/colors, and retire the rest.

And loo and behold, by releasing this "Smurf" K-01 in Japan only, they created scarcity-attractiveness, chatter about it, regrets that it's not sold overseas, a bit more attention to the brand, ....

Yeah, the K-01 never appealed to many, and that's OK. The K-30/50/5/* exist for a reason. And if the "pentaxforum-market" becomes big enough, who knows, perhaps we'll see exactly a Spotmatic-D one day

Yet in the name-change threads we call Ricoh clueless. I personally think they pretty damned smart.

[monochrome]

I am worried about the direction that Ricoh is taking Pentax. Adding more colours does not enhance a camera.

I think we're all completely missing the point. Their business strategy is to be the "third camera brand" in the intermediate term. The short term tactics are to increase the installed base of K-mounts. The wrappers around the K-mounts don't matter one whit. All they care about is the number of K-mounts in the hands of their customers. Then they release the cutting-edge Pentax stuff with the Pentax pixie dust we all talk about.

Think proprietary accessories. Think Nokia charger stands and extra batteries and car chargers for an entire family in the mid-2000's. Once we had all those additional $40 accessories we sure weren't going to change to another brand (until Nokia changed to the mini-plug). I think Apple's biggest mistake was changing to the new plug. They obsoleted all the iHomes in the world and opened the door for Samsung.

Once the installed base of K-mounts is large enough the current small trickle of loyalty cash flows (accessories, lenses, third-party accessories, flashes, TC's, adapters) becomes a stream, then a river - and locks users into the brand - so new bodies are repeat sales.

If it takes colors to increase the installed base, so what? In the end we get the pro stuff.

[Kunzite]

And it's an effective way of doing it, with almost no R&D effort.

Professionally, I've stopped using my Pentax gear completely now. I had to. Dispite the black tape over the Pentax-logo, one of my clients said: "Pentax?! But aren't they the ones with all the happy coloured cameras? You're kidding, right?" Ashamed I told them it was a mistake and went to my car to get my "serious" camera. A 5DmkII, which I dislike using a lot. Next time the K-5IIs stays at home.

Wrong answer.

[Na Horuk]

I like it. Not the colours I would personally choose, but its good to see it revived. I was hoping for a darker blue. I love the original yellow one. I hope this also means that the camera sold decently well and that they will make a K-02. I would love to get another camera of this type, with some of the kinks ironed out.

Ashamed I told them it was a mistake and went to my car to get my "serious" camera. A 5DmkII, which I dislike using a lot. Next time the K-5IIs stays at home.

I hope that was a joke, because (I don't think there is a nice way of saying this) that response was pathetic. I wouldn't respond to that about any brand I use, least of all Pentax, which has a long history of making cameras. I mean, Kodak made some terrible cameras, Canon is a printer business, Nikon sells bad P&S cameras.. So what if Pentax also has some products that you don't like? Its just not in any way relevant. And especially when its just colour, its not even a bad camera. Its a decent camera at a good price in an interesting package.

And coloured cameras do help. A big black camera looks intimidating, serious. People put up an act for it, they have their guard up, they think they have to look their best. If you whip it out in public, people get suspicious, think you are a detective, a paparazzo, someone who will publish their likeness or use it for profit somehow. If you have a coloured camera, they are more relaxed and show their true emotions, might even smile, for the camera if not for you. Especially if you are working with people who like colours, like young people, fashion conscious people, children. Pretty much everyone needs some colour in their life. If a guy says "herpa derpa you gonna use a Pentux? thats gotta be a joke" he really needs to lighten up