[jatrax]

If I'm going to buy another mount, with another set of glass, I'm just going to pass.

+1 If they come out with a new mount and new glass I do not see the point. But a mirrorless that uses k-mount yeah, I might buy that.

[reh321]

What Pentax can do is just to release a K-mount to new Mount adapter which supports all functionalities of K-mount.

+1 If they come out with a new mount and new glass I do not see the point. But a mirrorless that uses k-mount yeah, I might buy that.

The suggestion I see most often is to have a full-function adapter which would allow the use of legacy K-mount lenses, so you'd buy new lenses only if you wanted the advantages inherent in using the new mount.
However, it would be a failure if they handled it as they do the K-mount to Q-mount adapter - either it would have to be very inexpensive or included "free" with the camera.

[jatrax]

However, it would be a failure if they handled it as they do the K-mount to Q-mount adapter - either it would have to be very inexpensive or included "free" with the camera.

I would agree with that. I've said before that one path forward to a 'new' mount would be to design the camera with the new mount but automatically include a full function k-mount adapter. Eventually people would buy new mount glass but I don't see enough traction for a "new" mount from Pentax to succeed if it does not allow use of legacy lenses.

But that presupposes Pentax wants another mount. I'm not sure that makes enough sense particularly after the large investment they just made in producing a FF K-mount DSLR.

[ScooterMaxi Jim]

I would agree with that. I've said before that one path forward to a 'new' mount would be to design the camera with the new mount but automatically include a full function k-mount adapter. Eventually people would buy new mount glass but I don't see enough traction for a "new" mount from Pentax to succeed if it does not allow use of legacy lenses.

But that presupposes Pentax wants another mount. I'm not sure that makes enough sense particularly after the large investment they just made in producing a FF K-mount DSLR.

Fuji is so far ahead of Pentax on mirrorless lens design... It would be crazy for Ricoh to do anything other than accept the superior and modern designs, adapting the old K-mounts accordingly. Fuji would be the governing mount - for good reason. (I've been in Pentax for better than four decades, and have never owned a Fuji lens... So no trolling accusations.) Neither brand has reason to reinvent the wheel when Fuji is clearly the market leader in IQ.

[Clinton]

However, it would be a failure if they handled it as they do the K-mount to Q-mount adapter - either it would have to be very inexpensive or included "free" with the camera.

I don't think this is apples for apples. The K->Q Adapter isn't as useful because every lens becomes a giant telephoto. It's conceptually interesting, but not very practical.

[totsmuyco]

I'm not trying to argue with anyone but, having another mount would be too expensive to maintain. Plus, I don't like using adaptors even if they're said to work well. I wouldn't buy a mirrorless camera if it wouldn't be a native k-mount.

[Kunzite]

Fuji is so far ahead of Pentax on mirrorless lens design... It would be crazy for Ricoh to do anything other than accept the superior and modern designs, adapting the old K-mounts accordingly. Fuji would be the governing mount - for good reason. (I've been in Pentax for better than four decades, and have never owned a Fuji lens... So no trolling accusations.) Neither brand has reason to reinvent the wheel when Fuji is clearly the market leader in IQ.

There are a few problems with that:
- Fuji being "so far ahead of Pentax on mirrorless lens design", well, duh! Pentax' only mirrorless mount is the Q. But if this were to change, a highly reputable lens maker like Pentax will certainly be able to build high quality mirrorless lenses. Should I say that the 43mm Limited was offered in Leica mount?
- Pentax is not in a hopeless situation. Most technologies are shared with the DSLRs. A new sensor would give them access to on-sensor PDAF and 4K video support. The electronic viewfinders are of course outsourced (e.g. from Epson). It's all a matter of priorities, Pentax developing DSLRs simply concentrated their R&D on other aspects.
- Considering Fuji "superior and modern", and Pentax, "old". Nonsense. Is the new D FA* 70-200 f/2.8 inferior and old? And focus-by-wire is definitely "modern", but at the same time is IMHO very much inferior.
- Fujifilm being "the market leader in IQ". They're up there, of course, but "the market leader"? Really? Don't trust hype, the mirrorless folk is known to exaggerate.
And that's even limiting the discussion to APS-C; Pentax has 2 larger formats.
- Using the X-mount. Pentax could do that, if they want to be stuck - just like Fujifilm - with an APS-C only mount. My guess is they don't
Or, if they would create a new mount, all that logic can be thrown away: there's no "superior and modern" Fujifilm lens for a so far non-existing mount, both supposed partners would have to start from scratch.

As you can see, I'm not fond of the idea that Pentax is inferior and should play second fiddle to some niche yet much-hyped brand, especially seeing it expressed on a Pentax forums.

[RonHendriks1966]

New figures from cipa are out about the camera sales. The february sales figures. So if I look at the first two months on shipped camera sales...

Total sales in yen was 95.6 billion yen. There are three categorie, compact camera wich was 31,5 % of sales, dslr wich was 45,6 % and mirrorless counted for 22,9 %.

With compact camera's market shrinking the fastest and mirrorless still growing one could think that entering that market with a serious contender could do good for the brand and company.

Looking at the average unit sales price (this is for the manufacturer and not shop prices)
- compact sells for 14.396 yen/unit
- dslr sells for 40.165 yen/unit
- mirrorless sells for 51.596 yen/unit

Mirrorless is up market segment!

[jatrax]

Mirrorless is up market segment!

Q must be doing awesome!

[Zygonyx]

"Mirrorless is up market segment !"

But the climbing session looks eternal, with no certitude to reach the top

[Dipsoid]

There are a few problems with that:
- Fuji being "so far ahead of Pentax on mirrorless lens design", well, duh! Pentax' only mirrorless mount is the Q. But if this were to change, a highly reputable lens maker like Pentax will certainly be able to build high quality mirrorless lenses. Should I say that the 43mm Limited was offered in Leica mount?
- Pentax is not in a hopeless situation. Most technologies are shared with the DSLRs. A new sensor would give them access to on-sensor PDAF and 4K video support. The electronic viewfinders are of course outsourced (e.g. from Epson). It's all a matter of priorities, Pentax developing DSLRs simply concentrated their R&D on other aspects.
- Considering Fuji "superior and modern", and Pentax, "old". Nonsense. Is the new D FA* 70-200 f/2.8 inferior and old? And focus-by-wire is definitely "modern", but at the same time is IMHO very much inferior.
- Fujifilm being "the market leader in IQ". They're up there, of course, but "the market leader"? Really? Don't trust hype, the mirrorless folk is known to exaggerate.
And that's even limiting the discussion to APS-C; Pentax has 2 larger formats.
- Using the X-mount. Pentax could do that, if they want to be stuck - just like Fujifilm - with an APS-C only mount. My guess is they don't
Or, if they would create a new mount, all that logic can be thrown away: there's no "superior and modern" Fujifilm lens for a so far non-existing mount, both supposed partners would have to start from scratch.

As you can see, I'm not fond of the idea that Pentax is inferior and should play second fiddle to some niche yet much-hyped brand, especially seeing it expressed on a Pentax forums.

I think you're taking the defensive, all he said was that Fuji is far ahead of Pentax in mirrorless lens design, which they objectively are, no doubt. He didn't say anything about Pentax's inability to design mirrorless lenses or say Pentax doesn't make "modern" lenses. If Ricoh wants to break into the mirrorless market on a strong way it would be a big mistake if they didn't reach out to a company with more experience in that field and try and share technology.

I don't know if it's been mentioned yet, but with the rumors swirling about of Fuji wanting to get into medium format, does anyone else think it would be interesting to see a larger medium format sensor, especially with the way sensor prices are dropping? Ricoh could release a new mirrorless mount with the ability to adapt 6x7 lenses, I think the 67 is a system too big for a mirror, especially reading all of the warnings of mirror slap with the older cameras. This would of course be blue sky, quite a few years down the line, but I honestly see 67 or 66 as the next logical step in professional photography as 645 becomes more affordable.

[Kunzite]

For the record, those figures are not sales, but shipments. So all we know is that a large amount of higher-end MILCs were shipped in the first two months
As for why... who knows? Perhaps there are too many cheap MILCs gathering dust on shelves?

[ScooterMaxi Jim]

There are a few problems with that:
- Fuji being "so far ahead of Pentax on mirrorless lens design", well, duh! Pentax' only mirrorless mount is the Q. But if this were to change, a highly reputable lens maker like Pentax will certainly be able to build high quality mirrorless lenses. Should I say that the 43mm Limited was offered in Leica mount?
- Pentax is not in a hopeless situation. Most technologies are shared with the DSLRs. A new sensor would give them access to on-sensor PDAF and 4K video support. The electronic viewfinders are of course outsourced (e.g. from Epson). It's all a matter of priorities, Pentax developing DSLRs simply concentrated their R&D on other aspects.
- Considering Fuji "superior and modern", and Pentax, "old". Nonsense. Is the new D FA* 70-200 f/2.8 inferior and old? And focus-by-wire is definitely "modern", but at the same time is IMHO very much inferior.
- Fujifilm being "the market leader in IQ". They're up there, of course, but "the market leader"? Really? Don't trust hype, the mirrorless folk is known to exaggerate.
And that's even limiting the discussion to APS-C; Pentax has 2 larger formats.
- Using the X-mount. Pentax could do that, if they want to be stuck - just like Fujifilm - with an APS-C only mount. My guess is they don't
Or, if they would create a new mount, all that logic can be thrown away: there's no "superior and modern" Fujifilm lens for a so far non-existing mount, both supposed partners would have to start from scratch.

As you can see, I'm not fond of the idea that Pentax is inferior and should play second fiddle to some niche yet much-hyped brand, especially seeing it expressed on a Pentax forums.

I think you're missing the gist of the argument, and I admit I could have clarified for context. Overall, I think the Pentax technology is very good. That is, the lenses (new and legacy) and dslr system work just fine together. In fact, better than what Fuji brings to the table in slr/dslr historically. However, a lot goes into making quality, small optics at close registration distances. Pentax is not a player in this realm, and adapting dslr lenses to the mirrorless registration is a significant compromise, especially so for normal to wide angle lenses. In this regard, Fuji really is more modern and superior - for mirrorless systems.

It is interesting to think about how Fuji and Pentax would sort out and apply their strengths in a partnership. I'm not quite sure what Fuji gains - other than a large legacy lens lineup. Possibly Fuji is interested in getting back into the dslr realm, and the two companies could divvy dslr and mirrorless accordingly.

[johnmflores]

I stopped updating New Camera News regularly because it was the same story over and over again lol.

American Marketing Association Recruits Camera Bloggers and Forum Members | New Camera News

[ScooterMaxi Jim]

I don't know if it's been mentioned yet, but with the rumors swirling about of Fuji wanting to get into medium format, does anyone else think it would be interesting to see a larger medium format sensor, especially with the way sensor prices are dropping? Ricoh could release a new mirrorless mount with the ability to adapt 6x7 lenses, I think the 67 is a system too big for a mirror, especially reading all of the warnings of mirror slap with the older cameras. This would of course be blue sky, quite a few years down the line, but I honestly see 67 or 66 as the next logical step in professional photography as 645 becomes more affordable.

That does ring pretty true. Historically, Fuji was seen as the studio alternative to Nikon (shared mount), even in the early dslr days. Certainly Hassy and Phase One could end up with even more competition than what the 645z now provides, although I don't see anything larger than FF as more than a specialty pro niche. The growth might be steady, but never reaching mainstream. More than price, convenience gets in the way. From personal experience, I say medium format can be a pain in the back (literally).