[wll]

Wow..Ricoh is *really* emptying the Hoya parts bin!!!!

Ya brilliant, Canon has a new brilliant camera that has folks talking, Olympus has recently come out with a fantastic camera, Fuji is making great equipment along with Sony storm trouping new products, and what does Pentax come out with ..... a K-01 in blue !

LOL, LOL, LOL

wll

[wll]

Despite the fact that the K-01 the market did not respond well to the idea of a DSLR-sized mirror less camera, I believe that this attitude from the camera consumers in general might change, and change rather fast in the coming years. Hence, I wonder if Pentax shouldn't start thinking of a really good, new, version of this very interesting concept? That is, a camera with lighter weight than those with a mirror, but with (almost) as good image quality, and with features like Wi-Fi, electronic view finder, a lot of available colors, and not at least weather sealed. That could very well be a camera that more than one consumer responded well to.

IMHO, it was not the size that killed the K-01 .... it was the fact that it did not have an articulating screen and no provision for a EVF !

The body size is not the reason I did not get a K-01, it was the features I mentioned. Because of that I bought a NEX 5n and have never looked back. I convinced my general manager to buy one and in fact he bought two, we use them for our business all the time. I hope Pentax's next generation of cameras are cutting edge for sure.


wll

[wll]

Agree 100%



Agree with this too.

However, when a company has a product, that was heavily discounted to liquidate inventory, and was officially said to be discontinued, as in the K-01, bringing it back means that a production line is re-started. That means that whatever was to come "after" on that production line, is put in limbo. Unless you have a parts bin that is filled with the parts you need and no "new" parts are actually being made.

These two realities show a horrible insight into a manufacturing company's process.

Unless, in other markets the product had never ceased production, which then makes you look ever worse in that some of your customers were told one thing, and now it means you lied to them.

I don't think I have ever heard of a company, other than a company that is going out-of-business that has such a fractured "message" in all their operations.

As a long time Pentaxian, I struggle to interpret these moves by Ricoh.

With over $70k dollars worth of Pentax gear, I have started to give up on how to plan for what Pentax gear I will buy in the future.

I make an international trip each year to build up my "inventory" of images and video for the subsequent year to use.

My serious tools have been K5 cameras, and where needed, either my MZ-S or 645.
I am waiting on a higher resolution camera with incremental advances based on the technical competence of the K5. Period. Nothing fancy. Pretty simple given what the competition is putting out now.

If Pentax is no longer going to be a "serious" camera company, just tell me, so I can keep all my wonderful Pentax gear, but move on to a "grown-up" company.

I agree 100 %

wll

[blacknosugar]

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

This +1

[blacknosugar]

IMHO, it was not the size that killed the K-01 .... it was the fact that it did not have an articulating screen and no provision for a EVF !

The body size is not the reason I did not get a K-01, it was the features I mentioned. Because of that I bought a NEX 5n and have never looked back. I convinced my general manager to buy one and in fact he bought two, we use them for our business all the time. I hope Pentax's next generation of cameras are cutting edge for sure.


wll

Every time I see an articulated screen I think about it snapping off and wonder how much extra I would be paying for a useless feature. I don't see the appeal, I'd much rather have weather sealing. Some sort of VF might have been good though.

[THoog]

I was hoping for a darker blue.

Darned right! But we're adddressing "Carolina Blue" versus "Duke Blue" in another thread...

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.

I'm still holding out for "K-05", to match the rest of the lineup.

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.

+1, just as the K-01's unconventional looks make it less threatening or socially invisible.

One photographer's toy is another photographer's tool...

[IchabodCrane]

Does Pentax consider the K-01 to now be a playful P&S camera? That's the segment that usually gets all of the colors. Whether they like it or not and whether it's somewhat profitable or not, what Ricoh does with any interchangeable lens camera in some way impacts the overall perception of their offerings. Regardless of whether they could sell any, I certainly don't expect Mercedes Benz to offer a chartreuse and fuchsia automobile.

More important, this barrage of colors on an otherwise extinct camera body calls into question what Ricoh believes they need to do to make money. Everyone here no doubt wants them to advance their camera technology and, unquestionably, their competitors are doing just that. If Ricoh feels that's not Priority #1 (and what evidence have they produced that it is?) then where does that leave us in the long run as Pentax owners?

[monochrome]

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.

Does Pentax consider the K-01 to now be a playful P&S camera? That's the segment that usually gets all of the colors. Whether they like it or not and whether it's somewhat profitable or not, what Ricoh does with any interchangeable lens camera in some way impacts the overall perception of their offerings. Regardless of whether they could sell any, I certainly don't expect Mercedes Benz to offer a chartreuse and fuchsia automobile.

More important, this barrage of colors on an otherwise extinct camera body calls into question what Ricoh believes they need to do to make money. Everyone here no doubt wants them to advance their camera technology and, unquestionably, their competitors are doing just that. If Ricoh feels that's not Priority #1 (and what evidence have they produced that it is?) then where does that leave us in the long run as Pentax owners?

This is what I think, anyway. They WILL be different. Sometimes what we say we want feels so similar to the other companies' offerings that it isn't really different at all.

But I DO get the point. I believe we will see high-end product very soon.

[IchabodCrane]

This is what I think, anyway. They WILL be different. Sometimes what we say we want feels so similar to the other companies' offerings that it isn't really different at all.

But I DO get the point. I believe we will see high-end product very soon.

I certainly hope you are correct and I have faith based on some of the rumors out there. Either way, the second half of 2013 will say a lot about what Ricoh thinks of the interchangeable lens camera market and how they plan to approach it. We know what they've stated their intention to be but at some point their actions have to come into alignment with those stated intentions.

[monochrome]

at some point their actions have to come into alignment with those stated intentions.

Intermediate Term is probably going to be longer than we want . . . . .

[Zygonyx]

But I DO get the point. I believe we will see high-end product very soon.

Intermediate Term is probably going to be longer than we want . . . . .

Unless i mistake, let's just hope Ricoh hasn't the same time scale as you here !

[RonHendriks1966]

Does Pentax consider the K-01 to now be a playful P&S camera? That's the segment that usually gets all of the colors. Whether they like it or not and whether it's somewhat profitable or not, what Ricoh does with any interchangeable lens camera in some way impacts the overall perception of their offerings. Regardless of whether they could sell any, I certainly don't expect Mercedes Benz to offer a chartreuse and fuchsia automobile.

More important, this barrage of colors on an otherwise extinct camera body calls into question what Ricoh believes they need to do to make money. Everyone here no doubt wants them to advance their camera technology and, unquestionably, their competitors are doing just that. If Ricoh feels that's not Priority #1 (and what evidence have they produced that it is?) then where does that leave us in the long run as Pentax owners?

Well stepps aren't that big at the time. There is only one new sensor (24mp) since the K-5 came out in 2010 and that has more megapixels, but is essential an equal if you don't print to large.

[wll]

Every time I see an articulated screen I think about it snapping off and wonder how much extra I would be paying for a useless feature. I don't see the appeal, I'd much rather have weather sealing. Some sort of VF might have been good though.

With all the cameras with articulating screens I have not heard much problems.

Canon just announced the 70D with an articulation screen, all my Sony NEX cameras have articulating screens as do some of the Sony DSLR cameras. The only reason I see not to have an articulating screen is it adds a bit to the bulk of the camera ..... but it also adds tremendously to the use of the camera and the ease of operation for studio shooting and point of view shots that would be just about impossible without an articulating screen.

I hope the next high end Pentax has an articulating screen or an attachment for one.

The last year or so I have not picked up my Pentax gear as the Sony NEX with an articulating screen is SOOOOOOOO much easier to use. In daylight you do need an EVF, or a good screen shade though.

So much for my musing, I'm heading out to drink beer down on main street as today is Farmers Market day here ;- )

wll

[IchabodCrane]

Well stepps aren't that big at the time. There is only one new sensor (24mp) since the K-5 came out in 2010 and that has more megapixels, but is essential an equal if you don't print to large.

DPR made a claim that the D7100 IQ is superior to the K5 IIs so there's an opportunity for Pentax already. But imagine a DSLR that could micro-adjust the PDAF for each lens on its own. Anyone think Canon isn't working on that now that they've revealed the 70D? P-TTL flash that you could simply select ambient : strobe lighting ratio via a menu and everything "just works" from there?

I know these things take time but re-releasing a fire sale camera in a new color hurts the perception that they are working hard on the things that really matter. That might not be true but perception counts for at least something.

[VisualDarkness]

So this is what they meant with "Not completely discontinued"?