Pentax K-1 Officially Announced

Dave L · 02-23-2016, 03:42 PM

Originally posted by ZombieArmy

What I find odd is it runs 60 FPS interlaced, why not just unlock the progressive mode for it? Of course if we had a bigger userbase we could have had Pentax firmware hacked by now to just put in the feature ourselves but I can't help but be a bit confused why it wouldn't be that way out of the box

Still though, looks like a great camera. I have a feeling this will be a very popular camera by every day enthusiasts.

60 frames a second takes more processor power and generates more heat than 60 fields a second (= 30 frames a sec). They almost certainly would have had to develop or buy in a new video processor and maybe redesign the camera itself because of that. It would have added to the cost, probably caused further delay and perhaps made it a bit larger too (for heat dissipation).

So they focussed on still photography and squeezed everything they could get out of that, dropping in what seems to be video from the K-3. Better video will sadly have to wait for now, but I can see why they did it. To get a February 2016 launch and a competitive price. If it came down to say GPS versus better video, well GPS was always going to win that one as it complements and adds value to other sub-systems in the camera.

Last edited by Dave L; 02-23-2016 at 03:49 PM.

**PJ1** · 02-23-2016, 04:06 PM

The Australian K-1 price has been announced. CR Kennedy is taking pre-orders at AU$2899. On current exchange rates that equates about US$2050 or Euro 1895. So I guess we fall somewhere in the middle - more than the US but less than Europe. I don't think I will be getting one for a while but it is not the remote possibility it once seemed.

**clackers** · 02-23-2016, 04:10 PM

Originally posted by PJ1

The Australian K-1 price has been announced. CR Kennedy is taking pre-orders at AU$2899. On current exchange rates that equates about US$2050 or Euro 1895. So I guess we fall somewhere in the middle - more than the US but less than Europe. I don't think I will be getting one for a while but it is not the remote possibility it once seemed.

Without taxes it's about the same, PJ1.

**PJ1** · 02-23-2016, 04:20 PM

Originally posted by clackers

Without taxes it's about the same, PJ1

Only if you go on the proposed 15% GST rate that has now been dumped. But CR Kennedy sometimes has a 15% off day ..... (I got my K-3 from them that way with their "Black Friday" offer in 2014.)

(Did my sums again - you are right, Clackers. We are in the ball park.)

Last edited by PJ1; 02-23-2016 at 04:37 PM. Reason: Correction

WerTicus · 02-23-2016, 04:40 PM

$2899 in the land of the Australia tax.

**monochrome** · 02-23-2016, 04:46 PM

Add between 8% and 10% to the published US price to account for tax. We don't have a national tax. They're all local, and different in each locality.

**clackers** · 02-23-2016, 04:57 PM

Originally posted by PJ1

Only if you go on the proposed 15% GST rate that has now been dumped. But CR Kennedy sometimes has a 15% off day ..... (I got my K-3 from them that way with their "Black Friday" offer in 2014.)

(Did my sums again - you are right, Clackers. We are in the ball park.)

Yeah, it doesn't make much sense to me to purchase from Adorama/B&H or whatever, yet.

At the current prices, it's similar, and because it's more than $1000 you have to pay GST anyway (plus whatever additional import tax there might be - I've no idea), postage on top of that, and you end up with something that doesn't have local warranty anyway!

Full frame cameras are pricier than the cropped ones in *all* brands, so while I am pained at the cost involved, too, it's agreed it's a great one.

The kicking of our local distributor seems a bit tough on them, too. It's the job of the retailers to sell at RRP, and for the wholesaler they order from not to undercut them with their own sales.

You cannot buy from Pentax USA at all, as I understand it. They would say find a retailer.

Our B&Ms have online presences, too, it's up to us to barter with them.

Last edited by clackers; 02-23-2016 at 05:43 PM.

lukulele · 02-23-2016, 05:34 PM

Shelby or Greensboro? I was wondering where in Eastern NC those three would play. I'm sure Kenspo will be displaying some of his concert work fairly soon.

**monochrome** · 02-23-2016, 05:54 PM

Originally posted by clackers

You cannot buy from Pentax USA at all, as I understand it. They would say find a retailer.

Pentax USA has an online Webstore that has been contracted out to a third-party provider (it is thought RIUSA is building an own-manged store).

The Pentax Webstore sells a somewhat limited catalog of all the cameras bodies and most of the lenses, but not everything in the Japanese catalog. Prices are held at List so the don't compete with their retailers, but they do run an advertised (by email) special every so often.

**clackers** · 02-23-2016, 06:18 PM

Originally posted by monochrome

Prices are held at List so the don't compete with their retailers, but they do run an advertised (by email) special every so often.

Thanks for the info, Monochrome.

It's similar in Australia.

I think the moment that what's left of the retail presence here thinks CR Kennedy (the contract holders) will compete with them instead of supply them, that's it as far as they're concerned.

CRK are also the official repairers, so they're the Precision equivalent I guess.

Quite a few hats ... they're the Sigma and Leica importers too, along with surveying optics, etc.

rawr · 02-23-2016, 06:40 PM

Originally posted by clackers

the Sigma and Leica importers too

And Hasselblad. And Metz. And Tokina.

They have a lot of points of product competition with Ricoh within their distribution portfolio.

dcpropilot · 02-23-2016, 07:11 PM

According to B&H, looks like the K-1 has been pushed back to April 22. Originally it was showing April 6.

**Digitalis** · 02-23-2016, 07:21 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by ZombieArmy

I am a tad dissapointed they couldn't even just force the damn thing to run video at 60 FPS though.

Among purist cinematographers 24fps is all you need.

normhead · 02-23-2016, 07:41 PM

Originally posted by dcpropilot

According to B&H, looks like the K-1 has been pushed back to April 22. Originally it was showing April 6.

A larger number of buyers than anticipated? The production lines are running, what else could it be?

**monochrome** · 02-23-2016, 07:42 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by dcpropilot

According to B&H, looks like the K-1 has been pushed back to April 22. Originally it was showing April 6.

COOL!!!

Demand is outstripping supply, just like 645z.

My 'permission date' is August. I hope they're caught up.

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02-23-2016, 03:42 PM	#511
Dave L Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Hampshire UK Posts: 306	Originally posted by ZombieArmy What I find odd is it runs 60 FPS interlaced, why not just unlock the progressive mode for it? Of course if we had a bigger userbase we could have had Pentax firmware hacked by now to just put in the feature ourselves but I can't help but be a bit confused why it wouldn't be that way out of the box Still though, looks like a great camera. I have a feeling this will be a very popular camera by every day enthusiasts. 60 frames a second takes more processor power and generates more heat than 60 fields a second (= 30 frames a sec). They almost certainly would have had to develop or buy in a new video processor and maybe redesign the camera itself because of that. It would have added to the cost, probably caused further delay and perhaps made it a bit larger too (for heat dissipation). So they focussed on still photography and squeezed everything they could get out of that, dropping in what seems to be video from the K-3. Better video will sadly have to wait for now, but I can see why they did it. To get a February 2016 launch and a competitive price. If it came down to say GPS versus better video, well GPS was always going to win that one as it complements and adds value to other sub-systems in the camera. Last edited by Dave L; 02-23-2016 at 03:49 PM.

02-23-2016, 04:06 PM	#512
PJ1 Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Toowoomba, Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,484	The Australian K-1 price has been announced. CR Kennedy is taking pre-orders at AU$2899. On current exchange rates that equates about US$2050 or Euro 1895. So I guess we fall somewhere in the middle - more than the US but less than Europe. I don't think I will be getting one for a while but it is not the remote possibility it once seemed.

02-23-2016, 04:10 PM	#513
clackers Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Melbourne Photos: Albums Posts: 16,397	Originally posted by PJ1 The Australian K-1 price has been announced. CR Kennedy is taking pre-orders at AU$2899. On current exchange rates that equates about US$2050 or Euro 1895. So I guess we fall somewhere in the middle - more than the US but less than Europe. I don't think I will be getting one for a while but it is not the remote possibility it once seemed. Without taxes it's about the same, PJ1.

02-23-2016, 04:20 PM	#514
PJ1 Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Toowoomba, Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,484	Originally posted by clackers Without taxes it's about the same, PJ1 Only if you go on the proposed 15% GST rate that has now been dumped. But CR Kennedy sometimes has a 15% off day ..... (I got my K-3 from them that way with their "Black Friday" offer in 2014.) (Did my sums again - you are right, Clackers. We are in the ball park.) Last edited by PJ1; 02-23-2016 at 04:37 PM. Reason: Correction

02-23-2016, 04:40 PM	#515
WerTicus Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Perth Australia Photos: Albums Posts: 1,514	$2899 in the land of the Australia tax.

02-23-2016, 04:46 PM	#516
monochrome Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Working From Home Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 26,276	Add between 8% and 10% to the published US price to account for tax. We don't have a national tax. They're all local, and different in each locality.

02-23-2016, 04:57 PM	#517
clackers Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Melbourne Photos: Albums Posts: 16,397	Originally posted by PJ1 Only if you go on the proposed 15% GST rate that has now been dumped. But CR Kennedy sometimes has a 15% off day ..... (I got my K-3 from them that way with their "Black Friday" offer in 2014.) (Did my sums again - you are right, Clackers. We are in the ball park.) Yeah, it doesn't make much sense to me to purchase from Adorama/B&H or whatever, yet. At the current prices, it's similar, and because it's more than $1000 you have to pay GST anyway (plus whatever additional import tax there might be - I've no idea), postage on top of that, and you end up with something that doesn't have local warranty anyway! Full frame cameras are pricier than the cropped ones in all brands, so while I am pained at the cost involved, too, it's agreed it's a great one. The kicking of our local distributor seems a bit tough on them, too. It's the job of the retailers to sell at RRP, and for the wholesaler they order from not to undercut them with their own sales. You cannot buy from Pentax USA at all, as I understand it. They would say find a retailer. Our B&Ms have online presences, too, it's up to us to barter with them. Last edited by clackers; 02-23-2016 at 05:43 PM.

02-23-2016, 05:34 PM	#518
lukulele Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Blue Ridge Escarpment, North Carolina, US Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,850	Shelby or Greensboro? I was wondering where in Eastern NC those three would play. I'm sure Kenspo will be displaying some of his concert work fairly soon.

02-23-2016, 05:54 PM	#519
monochrome Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Working From Home Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 26,276	Originally posted by clackers You cannot buy from Pentax USA at all, as I understand it. They would say find a retailer. Pentax USA has an online Webstore that has been contracted out to a third-party provider (it is thought RIUSA is building an own-manged store). The Pentax Webstore sells a somewhat limited catalog of all the cameras bodies and most of the lenses, but not everything in the Japanese catalog. Prices are held at List so the don't compete with their retailers, but they do run an advertised (by email) special every so often.

02-23-2016, 06:18 PM	#520
clackers Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Melbourne Photos: Albums Posts: 16,397	Originally posted by monochrome Prices are held at List so the don't compete with their retailers, but they do run an advertised (by email) special every so often. Thanks for the info, Monochrome. It's similar in Australia. I think the moment that what's left of the retail presence here thinks CR Kennedy (the contract holders) will compete with them instead of supply them, that's it as far as they're concerned. CRK are also the official repairers, so they're the Precision equivalent I guess. Quite a few hats ... they're the Sigma and Leica importers too, along with surveying optics, etc.

02-23-2016, 06:40 PM	#521
rawr Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 11,913	Originally posted by clackers the Sigma and Leica importers too And Hasselblad. And Metz. And Tokina. They have a lot of points of product competition with Ricoh within their distribution portfolio.

02-23-2016, 07:11 PM	#522
dcpropilot Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Vermont Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 941	According to B&H, looks like the K-1 has been pushed back to April 22. Originally it was showing April 6.

02-23-2016, 07:21 PM - 1 Like	#523
Digitalis Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Melbourne, Victoria Photos: Gallery Posts: 11,694	Originally posted by ZombieArmy I am a tad dissapointed they couldn't even just force the damn thing to run video at 60 FPS though. Among purist cinematographers 24fps is all you need.

02-23-2016, 07:41 PM	#524
normhead Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Near Algonquin Park Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 40,451	Originally posted by dcpropilot According to B&H, looks like the K-1 has been pushed back to April 22. Originally it was showing April 6. A larger number of buyers than anticipated? The production lines are running, what else could it be?

02-23-2016, 07:42 PM - 1 Like	#525
monochrome Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Working From Home Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 26,276	Originally posted by dcpropilot According to B&H, looks like the K-1 has been pushed back to April 22. Originally it was showing April 6. COOL!!! Demand is outstripping supply, just like 645z. My 'permission date' is August. I hope they're caught up.