[anthony mazzeri]

That red adapter ring is just for show. They do blue ones as well and so on.

The proper Ricoh red ring is the one that signifies a top of the line Ricoh 'GR' lens, as per the GXR A12 50mm and 28mm lenses:

[Raffwal]

It hasn't dawned to many...

I don't quite follow you. So you're telling that every time you wake up hangover in the gutter, you wash the windows and paint the walls. Is that it?

[Kunzite]

I agree we're seeing rebranding in action. But I think many others see that as well, and that's what is upsetting them. Red stripe instead of green: "Oh the humanity!" Or in another thread a crappy little point and shoot camera with the Ricoh logo instead of Pentax - "Oh this can't be happening. Now I can't use Pentax in my business any longer."

They are RiceHighs, all of them - full of hate, oblivious to reality.

It hasn't dawned to many is that what we're witnessing right now is a total re-branding and redesign of Pentax.

Well put.
And I'd say that Pentax is pursuing the most effective actions according to a mid-term strategy. They recognized the need of new flashes, and since the DA Limiteds are here to stay, why not update them with better coatings and rounded apertures?

To address the colour scheme of the HD limiteds, and how it's abruptly and without second thought compared to "Canon".

(important parts of the post removed, for compactness)
Well put, again. I guess all colors are reserved, then? Including the barrel color, why not, it can't be black, it can't be white/silver and we hate any other color

[JohnBee]

I don't quite follow you. So you're telling that every time you wake up hangover in the gutter, you wash the windows and paint the walls. Is that it?

My mother in law did that.
Well not exactly that, but close.
Whenever she'd go on a tear, she'd wake up the next day and wash the entire house down in what I could only call, a cleaning frenzy. So... no so uncommon it would appear.

[Tonto]

For those not happy with the lack of WR hopefully we will see it in HD versions of the FA lenses! It HAS to happen 31/43/77 AND Hopefully 24 if they are updating lenses for FF!!
Reason these lenses are already biggish well in terms of the 31 and possible 24mm and of course there is always the DA*55 and DFA100 WR

[Clavius]

For those not happy with the lack of WR hopefully we will see it in HD versions of the FA lenses! It HAS to happen 31/43/77 AND Hopefully 24 if they are updating lenses for FF!!
Reason these lenses are already biggish well in terms of the 31 and possible 24mm and of course there is always the DA*55 and DFA100 WR

Well I can understand why they're not updating the FA ltds. Or at least not disclosing the update of FA's. If Pentax would have announced the update of the FA ltds instead of the DA ltds, then the FF rumor mill would have complete meltdown.

I think they'll announce the HD DFA ltd's only together with the FF DSLR. If/when it comes.

[Barry Pearson]

As it's always been. Remember, even the initial sale of Pentax Corp. to Hoya was a grab for the immensely more profitable medical imaging division, and the Pentax brand is still used by TI Asahi to sell Total Stations and other surveying equipment.

There has NEVER been a company named "Pentax" that has just made cameras.

And originally there weren't lenses branded "Pentax" - that came later. Asahi Optical used to make Takumar lenses and Pentax bodies.

[Caat]

Well I can understand why they're not updating the FA ltds. Or at least not disclosing the update of FA's. If Pentax would have announced the update of the FA ltds instead of the DA ltds, then the FF rumor mill would have complete meltdown.

I think they'll announce the HD DFA ltd's only together with the FF DSLR. If/when it comes.

Yes. Pentax/Ricoh are going to be very aware that actions like that would trigger potentially damaging expectations.

The updating of the DFA 100mm Macro WR was interesting though. However, that FF lens isn't an iconic set of three FF lenses.

I think it might be reasonable to expect the FA Ltds to get updated with HD coatings etc with the release of a FF body - assuming of course that an HD coating is enough to effectively 'digitally optimise' them. Similarly I wouldn't be entirely surprised if the Ltd zoom is being held back whilst Pentax decide what to do vis a vis a FF body.

[bossa]

Bzzzzt.

It began as a product line within a different manufacturer when the "Pentax" was introduced a model of camera made by the Asahi Optics Company, who also made cameras not labeled "Pentax," such as the Asahiflex. The name "Pentax" itself was licensed from Zeiss Ikon, who had already produced their own cameras under that label. That's two companies right there, from the start. Furthermore, cameras labeled Pentax in most of the world continued to be branded as "Asahiflex" in countries such as South Africa where Asahi did not have the Pentax license.

Likewise, in the Asahi and later Pentax Corp days, there were certainly multiple other camera/lens lines within the parent company that were not Pentax; Cosmicar, for example in both the video and low-end SLR markets. Takumar itself was split off as a separate line when Asahi moved to bayonet. There are plenty of Takumar lenses from the K, A, and F generations that have the word "Pentax" nowhere to be seen on them or on their packaging.

Finally, It also takes a lot of hair splitting to avoid calling Hoya "another camera manufacturer," since although they did not manufacture bodies, they did have an established history of manufacturing SLR camera lenses as well as the same kinds of diversified optics/imaging products that Asahi, Pentax Corp, and finally Ricoh had.

Hoya was a glass manufacturer which made filters NOT a camera manufacturer. Do you honestly think that's "splitting hairs"?

[bossa]

And if Leica, rather than Ricoh, had bought Pentax?

Canikon is generally considered the arch enemy around here, which is why I mentioned them - but I forgot to mention Leica. It probably would have been more interesting if any of the other camera manufacturers (other than Ricoh) had bought Pentax for a number of reasons. Perhaps the subject of another thread?

Would you help me out and explain why your post is so witty that it required an emoticon?

[Mazhe]

K-3 actually.
K-5 body size build(slightly wider) w/articulated screen.
20mp sensor with IQ improvements(RES, DR, NOISE ETC) across the board

Pentax is going to make alot of waves this year with the introduction of their new vision.

I would not hope too hard about articulated screen, those do not play well with weather sealing.

[Barry Pearson]

I would not hope too hard about articulated screen, those do not play well with weather sealing.

But is it impossible?

Look what we have that is weather resistant: pop-up flash on cameras, rotating and articulating flash heads just announced, focus and zoom and AF/MF switches on lenses.

[gazonk]

Hoya was a glass manufacturer which made filters NOT a camera manufacturer. Do you honestly think that's "splitting hairs"?

I don't think Hoya makes filters. They're sold as Kenko in Japan, I think Hoya just sticks a Hoya label on Kenko filters outside of Japan.

[gazonk]

I would not hope too hard about articulated screen, those do not play well with weather sealing.

At this point, somebody will mention the Olympus E-3 and E-5, so I might as well be the one doing it.

[Barry Pearson]

I don't think Hoya makes filters. They're sold as Kenko in Japan, I think Hoya just sticks a Hoya label on Kenko filters outside of Japan.

I've just bought a "Hoya" filter that says "Made by Tokina Co. Ltd."