[ElJamoquio]

That really seems to be a jump to a conclusion. Are you saying people in that age group are not interested ins DSLRs? I know quite a few who are.

I'm not saying they're not interested. I'm considering whether or not a DSLR designed for a demographic that doesn't own DSLR's, by and large, is a good idea or a bad idea.

---------- Post added 08-28-14 at 10:53 AM ----------

I bought my first DSLR (Kx) when I was 33

Mine was a K200D, when I was 33.

---------- Post added 08-28-14 at 10:54 AM ----------

Target market sounds like marketing BS to me.

Me too.

[luftfluss]

Unicorns are food.

[johnmflores]

What a long, long way we are from something called photography and the notion of "I love photography and this camera is just made for me." Need to get back to that, for folks of any age, imho. The notion that you'll buy a camera just because it's sky-blue and not because you value it as a good camera is pretty insulting whether someone is 16 or 66, I think.

Look at the specs. It's a damn good camera.

[luftfluss]

Look at the specs. It's a damn good camera.

All the current DSLRs are good cameras. This one seems expensive relative to the competition.

---

Last edited by luftfluss; 08-28-2014 at 11:15 AM.

[jimr-pdx]

You can drop by and show it to me when you get it, me being just down the road and all...

Steve

Yeah I hopped from just south to just north of you Pentax party in Kalama soon!!

Those crazy Irish, suggesting that they leave the Red Deer but slaughter the unicorns!
So says seamus o'raghellaigh

[IchabodCrane]

I have been intensely contrary the last few days - i fully admit it - because this feels just like the pre-release phase of the K-01 and I think we helped kill an imperfect but decent camera before it even was released. I hope that doesn't happen again.

However, one of my very first reactions (I can't even find the post now) was something along the lines of, "Nice camera. I think they'll sell a lot of them in Asia. Not so sure about the US unless they get them in Target, Costco and BestBuy - and what's the chance of that if they don't support the sell-through with advertising?"

Frankly if I were Ricoh I would punt 'Americas' altogether and come back later, like Fiat has - maybe after buying another company and cannibalizing their distribution agreements.

There's a small part of me that wants to know the USA share of FF cameras in the global total - if it is comparatively significantly larger than APSc then we know why Pentax doesn't have a FF.

Ricoh has the same problem as Olympus but worse (in the USA). The PEN series has struggled because those who are most likely to buy them can't find them in the places where they shop. By contrast, the OMD series has been a hit quite likely because their target audience largely shops in very big camera stores which, for the most part, all carry Olympus.

If Ricoh wants to truly succeed in the western world, they need to get a better handle on coordinating the product development with their retailing strategies and efforts. Often getting one right and the other wrong is not much better than not doing anything.

[monochrome]

Ricoh has the same problem as Olympus but worse (in the USA). The PEN series has struggled because those who are most likely to buy them can't find them in the places where they shop. By contrast, the OMD series has been a hit quite likely because their target audience largely shops in very big camera stores which, for the most part, all carry Olympus.

If Ricoh wants to truly succeed in the western world, they need to get a better handle on coordinating the product development with their retailing strategies and efforts. Often getting one right and the other wrong is not much better than not doing anything.

What really makes that annoying is both companies make outstanding, different cameras and wonderful lenses - and so few buyers ever have a chance to appreciate them.*


*Full Disclosure: I have owned only Olympus and Pentax cameras and lenses, both bought new and used.

[RonHendriks1966]

Who is the target market? The target demographic?

I think it's tough to convince 25-35 year old people to purchase a camera... when they already have on on their phone.

If the video is any indication, their target market seems to be the 18-24 category. And yes, it will be supremely difficult to market a real camera to that age group.

Well those two categories and maybe even a little the 14-18 years group is clearly the target for this model. If they manage to sell 300.000 of these K-S1's over the coming periode then the camera is a huge succes. This will be (when succesfull) the best selling camera with K-mount between now and x-mas 2015 (expect some new colors in a few periodes).

[Winder]

It looks like someone took a sharp knife and cut slots in the side of the mirror box and inserted a smart phone.

Does it come with Angry Birds and Candy Crush pre-insalled?
Can I program the shutter release button to make machine guns sounds or the phaser sound from Star Trek? Seriously, when I look at the back of it I think they should make gold version to match Captain Kirk's uniform and add the Star Fleet logo to the back of it. Give it the Star Trek theme song for a ring tone. That would triple sales.

[monochrome]

This will be (when succesfull) the best selling camera with K-mount between now and x-mas 2015 (expect some new colors in a few periodes).

That's the only thing that really matters. Sell 300,000 of them @ x dollars a piece profit at the factory level.

[johnmflores]

All the current DSLRs are good cameras. This one seems expensive relative to the competition.

Designer clothes are expensive too but some people are willing to pay for them. I don't think this camera is targeted at those that think a new pair of Levi 501s are all a person ever needs. There are other cameras for such practicality, and some of them are Pentaxes.

[cali92rs]

Designer clothes are expensive too but some people are willing to pay for them. I don't think this camera is targeted at those that think a new pair of Levi 501s are all a person ever needs. There are other cameras for such practicality, and some of them are Pentaxes.

Yea, people pay for things just for prestige...at real small quantities. Most people, especially 20-30 yr olds, cannot afford a $700 DSLR no matter how well spec'd it is.
Especially when the competition has similar specs and is cheaper by $200.

[jcdoss]

Yea, people pay for things just for prestige.....

Yep, I'm gonna sit on the fence till the prestige edition comes out. Maybe it'll be gold, with diamond twinkly LEDs?

[monochrome]

Yea, people pay for things just for prestige...at real small quantities. Most people, especially 20-30 yr olds, cannot afford a $700 DSLR no matter how well spec'd it is.
Especially when the competition has similar specs and is cheaper by $200.

OK, so this has a metal frame, IBIS (AA filter gizmo), 20MPix sensor, Prime MII processor, premium polycarbonate shell, other stuff I can't remember - and we don't yet know the street price. I assume LED's are without cost. Competitors are mature in the market and technology.

What premium features would you trade out of the K-S1, replacing them with whatever crap the competition has, to bring the price down $200?

[johnmflores]

Yea, people pay for things just for prestige...at real small quantities. Most people, especially 20-30 yr olds, cannot afford a $700 DSLR no matter how well spec'd it is.
Especially when the competition has similar specs and is cheaper by $200.

I better go tell Apple, Abercrombie, UGG, Nike, and others that their success is illusory.

I can totally see a millennial creative type–an ad agency creative director, a bespoke bike builder, a fashion blogger, etc… willing to pay more for the K-S1 over another boring black blob of a camera. Or if they want smaller they can look at Micro Four-Thirds. Problem is, the ones that will rival the K-S1 image quality are more expensive still. Fuji? Nah, that's for Brooklyn hipsters and their dads.