[Bernie_Rain]

2. Ricoh WILL NOT fade out Pentax. They are not stupid enough to remove a brand name known around the world for one thing: top quality DSLRs and optics.

I really wish you are right with this assumption.
A company naturally wants to put its name on products which it designed and built.

Minolta was a great "name" (my first Film SLR was a Minolta). Sony was then only known for producing Video-Cameras, etc.
I don't know the details about the merger of Sony and Konica-Minolta, but the long-standing Minolta name vanished.

I can live with a big Pentax on the Pentaprism casing and a small Ricoh on the back under the lcd, but I hate the idea that this is just the beginnng of the end of a great, great name (Pentax).

[vonBaloney]

I really wish you are right with this assumption.
A company naturally wants to put its name on products which it designed and built.

Minolta was a great "name" (my first Film SLR was a Minolta). Sony was then only known for producing Video-Cameras, etc.
I don't know the details about the merger of Sony and Konica-Minolta, but the long-standing Minolta name vanished.

I can live with a big Pentax on the Pentaprism casing and a small Ricoh on the back under the lcd, but I hate the idea that this is just the beginnng of the end of a great, great name (Pentax).

If they get rid of the name, the K-mount is sure to go with it. Otherwise, wouldn't make much sense just for the fact of those millions of lenses...maybe they just want to remind people that old Ricoh lenses are K-mount too. (Maybe they'll uncripple the mount AND re-enable the Ricoh pin for whatever it was for.)

[aleonx3]

I really wish you are right with this assumption.
A company naturally wants to put its name on products which it designed and built.

Minolta was a great "name" (my first Film SLR was a Minolta). Sony was then only known for producing Video-Cameras, etc.
I don't know the details about the merger of Sony and Konica-Minolta, but the long-standing Minolta name vanished.

I guess I was surprised about that too until someone said that the "Minolta" name was not in the purchase agreement when Sony acquired the Minolta camera division... the original Minolta mount then became the alpha mount that Sony uses in the DSLR. That was what I heard... someone please correct me if it is not the case..
The bottom line is that it is different in the case of Ricoh acquiring Pentax from Hoya.

[monochrome]

Minolta was a great "name" (my first Film SLR was a Minolta). Sony was then only known for producing Video-Cameras, etc. I don't know the details about the merger of Sony and Konica-Minolta, but the long-standing Minolta name vanished.

The Konica/Minolta name was retained by the company for its business imaging division. Konica-branded office copiers and printers and optical devices.

Sony bought camera patents, manufacturing facilities, technology and the mount.

[noser]

I noticed it as well..... VERY nice and I might buy one if they offered it. I also stumbled onto this interesting pentax strap...
Pentax DSLR Leather Hand Strap 85101 B&H Photo Video

The hand straps work very well on the K10D/K20D bodies.

They totally blow goats on K5 bodies.

The issue is that the ISO button is too far back and toward the edge of the top plate to reach without loosening the strap. I guess shorter fingers might help.

It's like they never tested it together, which I find amazing.

I still use one on my K5, it just has to be either worn loose to change ISO quickly (more like a handicam strap), or if I'm in consistent light it's not as bad it can be more secure... but it certainly isn't as awesome as on my K20D.

[Immortal.Eternal]

i have never had a limited camera, collector's item... it is a nice idea! my card? I have no credit card... I never use credit... i have no debt... just money you mean call bhphoto or pentaxwebstore? I don know if i want to call pentaxwebstore like i said... i don like dishonest business... but if it means i can have a silver, maybe i will... ^^ i really like the idea of having one... if they never produce more...

Oh I forgot that camera is ordered by my card so you cannot call them. Sorry!

[Kunzite]

I really wish you are right with this assumption.
A company naturally wants to put its name on products which it designed and built.

Minolta was a great "name" (my first Film SLR was a Minolta). Sony was then only known for producing Video-Cameras, etc.
I don't know the details about the merger of Sony and Konica-Minolta, but the long-standing Minolta name vanished.

I can live with a big Pentax on the Pentaprism casing and a small Ricoh on the back under the lcd, but I hate the idea that this is just the beginnng of the end of a great, great name (Pentax).

It's not an assumption, is something communicated by Ricoh Imaging.

They did, it's right under the LCD.

Konica-Minolta sold their camera division to Sony. Konica-Minolta continues to exist, they didn't transfer the name - and Sony wouldn't want it anyway. In the last 5 years, I don't remember seeing people complain about the name change, and I'd say many of them don't even know about Minolta.

I'd rather live not fearing that something might happen. Ricoh said they'll continue using the brand, so far they kept their word - that's good enough for me.
After all, what I want are "Pentax-like" products, not products bearing a Pentax label (that's just a bonus).

[cream]

Oh I forgot that camera is ordered by my card so you cannot call them. Sorry!

oh okay... that's okay ^^ black or silver, I will be happy... (but good you said, I was going to call them on monday )

[gazonk]

The hand straps work very well on the K10D/K20D bodies.

They totally blow goats on K5 bodies.

The issue is that the ISO button is too far back and toward the edge of the top plate to reach without loosening the strap. I guess shorter fingers might help.

You know you can set the front wheel to control ISO? I use Av most of the time - with ISO on the front wheel. In Tav I don't need the ISO button, I almost never use Tv or P, so that leaves only M. I think I can live with that.

[woodywesty]

The hand straps work very well on the K10D/K20D bodies.

They totally blow goats on K5 bodies.

The issue is that the ISO button is too far back and toward the edge of the top plate to reach without loosening the strap. I guess shorter fingers might help.

It's like they never tested it together, which I find amazing.

I still use one on my K5, it just has to be either worn loose to change ISO quickly (more like a handicam strap), or if I'm in consistent light it's not as bad it can be more secure... but it certainly isn't as awesome as on my K20D.

I think I will give it a try when I get a new K3. The camera and lens is a big investment and I like the idea of having it attached to my hand!

[Tanzer]

Sorry, I have to agree with Kunzite's comments. The official Pentax hand strap screws up the otherwise awesome ergonomics of the K-5 camera, by restricting your wrist movement too much. As soon as you install it, you will be frustrated how suddenly you cannot reach all the top plate buttons. And you cannot easily slip your hand out of it either. The way it is anchored/secured, if you make the strap looser, you might as well not use it.

This might seem off topic, but I suspect the same problems might apply to the K-3, since the ergonmics look similar.

[D1N0]

A hand strap seems much to confining to me. I am not in the habit of dropping my gear, and when i feel insecure i just use the neck strap. You can wind it around your hand. I am thinking about a sling strap though.

[noser]

A hand strap seems much to confining to me. I am not in the habit of dropping my gear, and when i feel insecure i just use the neck strap. You can wind it around your hand. I am thinking about a sling strap though.

I used to do the wrist-wrap thing with the neck strap on my K10D, but I found I was probably wrapping the wrong direction when shooting portrait and it tended to either get in front of the lens or otherwise annoy my left hand doing focus/zoom.

It's funny though, that I have BG-x grips for the K20D and K5 now, both with hand straps. Shooting portrait and not switching to the grip controls is kinda goofy. I usually don't use the extra strap to secure it to the wrist, though, so I can slip it off quickly.

I started shooting for work this year with one of those dual Black Rapid straps, I haven't committed to removing the hand straps just yet. The Black Rapid setup is a little over-the-top, but perfect for shoot-and-run with two bodies.

Anyway, getting back on topic...

I think if I had a nice silver K-3 with that sexeh leather strap I might change habits, it looks a bit more substantial than a thin nylon neck strap.

I wonder if that strap will come with the Ltd 645D-II ?

[audiobomber]

Neck straps are a pain in the neck. I use a Carry Speed CS-Pro sling. It comes with a heavy duty wrist strap that mounts in the tripod socket. Nice setup.

With one body, I usually have the wrist strap attached and carry in a messenger bag. I often use two bodies, one on the sling across my left shoulder, and the other in a messenger bag across my right shoulder.

[woodywesty]

Neck straps are a pain in the neck. I use a Carry Speed CS-Pro sling. It comes with a heavy duty wrist strap that mounts in the tripod socket. Nice setup.

With one body, I usually have the wrist strap attached and carry in a messenger bag. I often use two bodies, one on the sling across my left shoulder, and the other in a messenger bag across my right shoulder.

Generally I agree about the lack of comfort with neck straps but I'd be willing to give that nice brown leather strap shown on the K3 a try! On the other hand.... I'm going to look up that Carry Speed CS-Pro on B&H's web site. Never seen one. Sure wish I was going to be in NY so I could go to B&H and look at straps and bags..... Don't have many choices at Best Buy