[monochrome]

Presence in worldwide markets is totally abandoned? Is that not enough?
Being a system camera it will be supported for certain firmware updates for future Pentax lenses and flashes, for example, but as a concept for a line of cameras, or a new production run for worldwide markets, it's gone. Forever.
It's dead. And it was a dead end from its conception. It was designed o be a quick flick. Nothing more. How "in more dead terms" can we describe its deceased state of existence? It's not 6 ft below, but 70 ft? Is that deep enough in the ground to claim it's gone forever?

If you look at the technology the K-01 was replaced by the K30.

Pentax admitted it missed an opportunity to market a slim mirrorless - that the 45.46mm registration distance mirrorless didn't work.

[Uluru]

If you look at the technology the K-01 was replaced by the K30.

Pentax admitted it missed an opportunity to market a slim mirrorless - that the 45.46mm registration distance mirrorless didn't work.

Pentax is incredibly smart company tech-wise for such a crazy excuse.
I don’t believe it a second.

They knew perfectly well that they are into a half-hearted attempt.
They knew product has no serious future, that it can’t stand a chance against a slim Olympus Pen or a NEX.
They knew if going mirrorless APS-C, it will kill the K-mount.
They knew if going mirrorless FF, they will kill the K-mount and fall into obscurity.
They knew K-mount must be protected.
They knew slim and more innovative K-mount cameras are possible, but needed more time and better tech.
They knew they need something like the Q; it protects the K-mount, and keeps the company on user radars.
They knew they need time. Badly! Therefore they have issued a handful of cameras that do nothing more than buying them .. time.

I only hope we are over that period by now.

[6BQ5]

I think the K-01 was a sandbox/experimentation for Pentax. We saw the final product but they saw all the technology that had to be developed to make the product appear. I'm sure there were many lessons learned from the K-01 from marketing to technical. The camera is not so much dead in my eyes as much as it is complete. It served it's purpose.

I still think the greatest hit against the K-01 was the lack of an EVF. If it had an EVF (which is not for everyone - I know) then I think the camera would have been wildly successful!

[geomez]

I still think the greatest hit against the K-01 was the lack of an EVF. If it had an EVF (which is not for everyone - I know) then I think the camera would have been wildly successful!

A greed

[JPT]

Not wanting to get any deeper into a discussion about whether the K-01 was successful, I would just say that K-01 purchasers have not been left unsupported by Pentax. I don't see any reason to warn potential customers away from certain cameras just because they are unorthodox.

[totsmuyco]

I believe that the development of the K-01 was haphazardly done just to come up with a mirror less body. The development should have been continued. The concept is good since it used the K-mount which allows Pentax users more options to go mirror less or go for the traditional DSLR. Using the K-mount lenses without any adapter means no compromise in image quality and probably in focusing performance (such as the case with Olympus 4/3 lenses and Pen cameras). But I agree, an EVF like the E-M1 would have helped a lot.

[mecrox]

I believe that the development of the K-01 was haphazardly done just to come up with a mirror less body. The development should have been continued. The concept is good since it used the K-mount which allows Pentax users more options to go mirror less or go for the traditional DSLR. Using the K-mount lenses without any adapter means no compromise in image quality and probably in focusing performance (such as the case with Olympus 4/3 lenses and Pen cameras). But I agree, an EVF like the E-M1 would have helped a lot.

Rather my feeling. I've just spent a long weekend away using the K-01 and some DA Limited lenses, a great combination. Took scores of images with the 15, 21, 40 and 70mm. The K-01 is a well-made, solid camera with (for its day - it's not new anymore) excellent image quality but the lack of an EVF is a real killer in some situations especially when there is glare on the rear screen. The irony in Pentax abandoning this approach is that they could do a much better job now than a few years ago because of newer technology such as on-sensor AF, better internal electronics, advances in EVFs and so forth,

I suppose Pentax could produce a K3- or K50-like body but a little smaller - no mirror but instead a big, top-quality EVF that would give one a kind of FF viewfinder on a crop-sensor camera. If they got on-sensor AF working really well, I'd be very keen on one of these over a traditional OVF camera. A nice big VF with focus-peaking and overlays - and no thunking mirror flipping around - would be selling points for me. Why they seem to have ruled this out is a mystery. Perhaps they think that K-mount is an OVF mount only and end of story, but if so I'd guess they are going to find stormy waters ahead.

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Last edited by mecrox; 05-13-2014 at 04:31 AM.

[Uluru]

...A nice big VF with focus-peaking and overlays - and no thunking mirror flipping around - would be selling points for me. Why they seem to have ruled this out is a mystery. Perhaps they think that K-mount is an OVF mount only and end of story, but if so I'd guess they are going to find stormy waters ahead.

An OVF + EVF combination is also possible, and no one has done it — yet — in a DSLR design.
So let's not rush ahead and say K-mount must have an EVF option too, when it's possible to have both as well.

But an EVF only body is possible too, and will be, most likely, priced cheaper.

However, all tech gizmos aside and our infatuations with them, there is a substantial difference between Pentax DSLRs and all the others. Pentax employs a real OVF, true pentaprism with 100% view in the entire line of its cameras, and that is rare today. There will always be people who like OVF for many reasons, and if catering only for them, Pentax will have plenty of happy customers.

They don't need to please everyone.

[JPT]

Rather my feeling. I've just spent a long weekend away using the K-01 and some DA Limited lenses, a great combination. Took scores of images with the 15, 21, 40 and 70mm. The K-01 is a well-made, solid camera with (for its day - it's not new anymore) excellent image quality but the lack of an EVF is a real killer in some situations especially when there is glare on the rear screen. The irony in Pentax abandoning this approach is that they could do a much better job now than a few years ago because of newer technology such as on-sensor AF, better internal electronics, advances in EVFs and so forth,

I suppose Pentax could produce a K3- or K50-like body but a little smaller - no mirror but instead a big, top-quality EVF that would give one a kind of FF viewfinder on a crop-sensor camera. If they got on-sensor AF working really well, I'd be very keen on one of these over a traditional OVF camera. A nice big VF with focus-peaking and overlays - and no thunking mirror flipping around - would be selling points for me. Why they seem to have ruled this out is a mystery. Perhaps they think that K-mount is an OVF mount only and end of story, but if so I'd guess they are going to find stormy waters ahead.

I think Pentax is one of the only companies that hasn't implemented on-sensor PDAF in any of it's models. That seems like a very useful technology for the future and would make a K-01 successor more viable, not to mention a new Q model.

By the way, I spoke too soon about the K-01 still being a current model in Japan. As of this week it is on the discontinued list. So you're right, Uluru, 27 months after the launch it is truly dead and buried. Unless it comes back from the grave for one last haunting in pink!

I've also noticed that retailers are showing the K-5 II as being out of production and supplies are drying up, but the K-5 IIs is still listed as normal. Does it mean that they are deliberately keeping the K-5 II around, or did they just overproduce it? Interesting.

[6BQ5]

The K-5 IIs is still current and the K-5 II has no more production runs planned. So, you could say it's discontinued.

[bdery]

Ricoh is hesitant add electronics retailers to their retailer list. Those stores go in 10-12 year boom/bust cycles.

That's a mistake i think. If they can ensure a presence in a store for 10 years, they should do so!

[bobell69]

Thanks for your report Boris. Most informative.

[bdery]

They knew product has no serious future, that it can’t stand a chance against a slim Olympus Pen or a NEX.

I don't agree. I think its main flaw was the price. A cheaper price point would have put it on the radar for a lot of people.

[ElJamoquio]

It was a hodgepodge. Almost the price of the K-5, almost the size, almost the cost, large downside of no VF and poor A/F.

[monochrome]

The K-5 IIs is still current and the K-5 II has no more production runs planned. So, you could say it's discontinued.

January 14 asahi man posted the K5II and K5IIs had been already been out of production for two months in favor of K3. Perhaps (if correct) K5II stocks are depleted but the IIs remains in warehouses.

He also posted this regarding EVF/OVF debate. Apparently Pentax has a Patent.

Better will be the Pentax Patent with optical finder and a digital overlay finder to have both in one optical system
Nikon has a similar older patent.
Best regards