[Douglas_of_Sweden]

A high odds would be as follows:

"Ricoh is proud to announce that we under the Pentax brand offer a new serie of high quality astronomical telescopes. Pentax has been one of Japans oldest telescope manufacturers, always among the best in quality. The devastating earthquake and tsunami destroyed the Pentax telescope factory in 2012, but it has now been replaced with a brand new facility in Vietnam. The new telescopes applies the Ricoh/Pentax exclusive HD coating technology. The telescope serie includes two refractors and two reflectors. The telescopes are equipped with CCD sensors that are fully compatible with the Ricoh GXR image platform and offers high precision sky-orientation systems."

That would certainly not interfere with any plans to buy K-3...

[mecrox]

Have a look at the kind of words used to describe the D800 and it's 'system' (ie, it doesn't have one), and not the first time it's been said this way:

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-medium-format-645-6x7-645d/238836-...what-deal.html



It's a different crowd all right; one that prefers to own it's cameras and shoot often, rather than rent or lease them for the occasional shoot. I don't yet charge $25k per sitting, so, yeah, different. Obviously I'm stretching it a bit here, I do know of one studio in town that I think owns 2 or 3 'Blads, but at $35-$55k I'd worry about my business model and not my manufacturers...



So, full disclosure time, I just bought a 645 (film, not D), mainly for portraiture. The look of the larger sensor/film area is what grabbed me. It is an impossibility of physics to get that look any other way. And before anyone says 'Oh, you can shoot 30mm 1.4' .... HAH! If you want your subjects noses to look as big and distorted as a moose, maybe. I own a Sigma 30mm for my K5, and it's a great lens - if your have some distance between you and a human subject. Otherwise it's Bozo the Clown time. Or you're standing so far away you have to yell at your client. Classy.

I really think Pentax does ok on the digital bodies, heck, if they can offer a limited run of those red lacquered 645D's, I think the black bodied ones are a no-brainier. And they sold like hot cakes, enough to be released outside of Japan. Even my local store sells them!

As for support, I've always had 2-3 week turnaround; so I do have backup bodies, still, I'd love to see a pro/loaner program!

Thanks for that very interesting reply, noser, and congrats on your new purchase! I'll admit I've been tempted to try this route myself. There is a popular street photographer in this town who uses all sorts of old MF and plate cameras with superb results - see here.

I'm just interested in the way digital photography is going, I suppose. All sorts of new things are coming out so there are plenty of changes in store. Even so I suppose the best camera I've ever owned was an FE2 back in the day. It survived 3-4 trips to India, got doused in gasolene at one point, was used as a club to fight off a pariah dog, was dropped onto pavements - you name it. But it never failed to work and compared to today's cameras both it and a fast fifty were a snap to carry.

Another poster remarks on the popularity of landscape photography in Japan in connection with the 645D. I guess it's another indication of the Japanese sensibilities which inform what Pentax has done, and does. You're either in tune with it or you're not. Simplicity, precision, nothing that isn't directly to the point. I do like it.

[Zygonyx]

A high odds would be as follows:

"Ricoh is proud to announce that we under the Pentax brand offer a new serie of high quality astronomical telescopes. Pentax has been one of Japans oldest telescope manufacturers, always among the best in quality. The devastating earthquake and tsunami destroyed the Pentax telescope factory in 2012, but it has now been replaced with a brand new facility in Vietnam. The new telescopes applies the Ricoh/Pentax exclusive HD coating technology. The telescope serie includes two refractors and two reflectors. The telescopes are equipped with CCD sensors that are fully compatible with the Ricoh GXR image platform and offers high precision sky-orientation systems."
That would certainly not interfere with any plans to buy K-3...

Do you think of this, with RICOH written under the mount ?

[stevbike]

It would be nice to see base model Dslr come out as well. I some threads on the K1000D from 2008 and that was the time the Pentax K-m came out.It be nice to see digital version of the K1000 anyways that could modeled after some of the later P series cameras like the P3/P30 model. It could be based on the K-m platfom minus the pre-programmed modes but given a silver top plate for the older retro look. The shutter speeds could be placed on the top dial just like the K1000 film camera. I would like to see he return of the open aperture metering ring allowing the older series lenses (M series, screw mount wih adaptor ring etc) and use some form of digital equal to the older needle metering system (LCD needle). Seeing that the K-m was already made, there could not be the need for a K1000d type today. The K500 fills the need in this market already. A K1000D could be a stripped down version the K500 model with the changes mentioned above.

---

Last edited by stevbike; 10-16-2013 at 11:25 AM.

[audiobomber]

After the K-3 announcement, asahiman said "something else is coming... something BIG".
In the past he used the BIG qualifier in relation to the 645D, so that's my bet; the 645D update will be announced this year.

[audiobomber]

It would be nice to see base model Dslr come out as well. I some threads on the K1000D from 2008 and that was the time the Pentax K-m came out.It be nice to see digital version of the K1000 anyways that could modeled after some of the later P series cameras like the P3/P30 model. It could be based on the K-m platfom minus the pre-programmed modes but given a silver top plate for the older retro look. The shutter speeds could be placed on the top dial just like the K1000 film camera. I would like to see he return of the open aperture metering ring allowing the older series lenses (M series, screw mount wih adaptor ring etc) and use some form of digital equal to the older needle metering system (LCD needle). Seeing that the K-m was already made, there could not be the need for a K1000d type today. The K500 fills the need in this market already. A K1000D could be a stripped down version the K500 model with the changes mentioned above.

Pentax brass said in an interview that they had discussed a digital K1000 and decided it was not to be.

[Asahiflex]

After the K-3 announcement, asahiman said "something else is coming... something BIG".
In the past he used the BIG qualifier in relation to the 645D, so that's my bet; the 645D update will be announced this year.

The way he worded it later made me think of a new long lens...

[thibs]

If any K1000-like (I'd rather say KX or MX-like) retro camera was to come it wouldn't be a cheap option but an expensive one or at least a 800$, bare minimum.
Les modes, less apparent electronics but nice metal construction and very good VF. That would be something like an MX-like, right?
Too bad, it costs half a kidney in our modern times. I'm the first to be pissed off but at a budget, it just won't come.

I can see though, a retro cam from Pentax but in another alternative body serie. Not in the K500<K50<K5II<K3 scheme.
They could even call it retro-K if they wanted. That would be the body to put the aperture simulator back with a huge VF and a FF sensor

BTW, if you noticed the Sony announcement, look at the sensors: one of'em should be the Pentax FF sensor. So 24Mpix with built-in PDAF or conventionnal AF with 36mpix ?

[stevbike]

If any K1000-like (I'd rather say KX or MX-like) retro camera was to come it wouldn't be a cheap option but an expensive one or at least a 800$, bare minimum.
Les modes, less apparent electronics but nice metal construction and very good VF. That would be something like an MX-like, right?
Too bad, it costs half a kidney in our modern times. I'm the first to be pissed off but at a budget, it just won't come.

I can see though, a retro cam from Pentax but in another alternative body serie. Not in the K500<K50<K5II<K3 scheme.
They could even call it retro-K if they wanted. That would be the body to put the aperture simulator back with a huge VF and a FF sensor

BTW, if you noticed the Sony announcement, look at the sensors: one of'em should be the Pentax FF sensor. So 24Mpix with built-in PDAF or conventionnal AF with 36mpix ?

I thought something like this would be the case. I guess I am just getting to think a bit about the old film days and how I used to work in the darkroom. In saying this it would be nice to see a simple D-slr like the K1000 film camera but the market is simply not there. I still like the fact that with any current Pentax camera's, the old glass can STILL be used on them! As far as modes go, simply put your current camera into manual mode and do the work for creating yourself. I really still enjoy using my K-m even though the camera is dated in many ways. Just have fun with whatever camera you use!

[StigVidar]

After the K-3 announcement, asahiman said "something else is coming... something BIG".
In the past he used the BIG qualifier in relation to the 645D, so that's my bet; the 645D update will be announced this year.

The word "Big" again.....

Re: What will the Sony A7 Full Frame do to the K-3: Pentax SLR Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review

[StigVidar]

Regarding the teleconverter...

Re: What will the Sony A7 Full Frame do to the K-3: Pentax SLR Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review

[Pål Jensen]

The way he worded it later made me think of a new long lens...

the 120~380 ?

[Asahiflex]

the 120~380 ?

Yes, that's what I thought. Or whatever zoom range that "Pentaxma" wil have

[audiobomber]

I need the 1.4X TC before next spring.

I'll be glad to see the 100-400 or whatever it turns out to be, not because I want one (I don't), but because a lot of people are looking at Pentax telephoto offerings since the K-3 debut. Unfortunately, pickings are slim. They should have had superteles ready to support the K-3 launch.

[Cynog Ap Brychan]

They should have had superteles ready to support the K-3 launch.

That may have delayed the advent of the K-3. I'm hoping they wanted a decent time gap between the launch of the K-3 and the sure-to-be-around-the-corner full frame camera (yeah, right).