Originally posted by Uluru The GR, perhaps the K-3-equivalent for Ricoh brand, was announced in April and I'm not sure that many people outside Japan knew anything about it. The venue was private, organised by Ricoh and not associated with any show.
I expect a similar, low-profile announcement for anything related to Pentax this year too. Like those new flashes and DA Ltds with red ring.
I take your point about the GR . I fully expect Ricoh to tread a different marketing path to canikony. It can't hurl.
I'm not in the 'full frame or I'm jumping' camp. i happen to be perfectly content with what I believe to be a wonderful piece of engineering in the K- 5 classic. I really don't see how my photography could be Improved by a 35mm sensor.
I do a lot of photo workshops and everyone of them has a roughly 70/30 canon/Nikon turnout (with me as the token 'other'). In reviewing what is submitted by the various contributors to these common shoots I find that what I can produce with my k-5 and some very wonderful lenses is more than a match for people of similar or lesser skills with much more 'vaunted' camera systems. I'm particularly unimpressed with the output of the canon 5dmkII which seems to be an industry standard. The L series lenses seem to me to be far too big and unwieldy compared to say, my fa 77 or 43 or da 55 or the wondrous 50-135. The Nikon lenses are more svelte, but no match for my pentaxes in ergonomics.
The latest example was today's workshop. Some bloke with a 'blah' d7000 thought he was the bees knees. He announced to every body that he had been shooting 'about 2 years', but came to a portrait shoot with a sigma 17 - 70 (the cheap one) and a fast 50 and fast 35mm lens. He proudly announced that he intended to turn 'pro' In the next few months because he had to as he had spent 'so much money' on his gear. The odd thing was he didn't seem know what an f stop was, or how it would effect his image, or what difference a lens length would make to a portrait shoot....etc
My point? It is not always the path well travelled that gets the results. Let Ricoh do whatever they do, sit back and wait. I find it hard to believe that a company as large and successful as Ricoh makes a major purchase like Pentax without some sort of game plan. The most hyped toys are not always the best. I've got a pocketful of lenses that prove it.
But then again, I have a lot of toys.......