rumored Pentax mirrorless camera - something between K1000 and K-01

mecrox · 10-08-2016, 08:59 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by monochrome

Argument from a position of weakness?

Fuji have a profile among photography folk some way ahead of Pentax, I would guess, and quite likely a better markeshare too. The bulk of their development of modern digital equipment is already done. They have a particularly strong following among high-end and professional users which is where the bulk of future revenue and profits is going to come from for all camera-makers. And unlike the DSLR outfits they aren't facing the daunting challenges of a future changeover to mirrorless. Not a bad position to be in. If Pentax could produce something as impressive as the Fuji X-T2 then they would be really steaming.

Last edited by mecrox; 10-08-2016 at 09:41 AM.

**monochrome** · 10-08-2016, 09:57 AM

Originally posted by mecrox

Fuji have a profile among photography folk some way ahead of Pentax, I would guess, and quite likely a better markeshare too. The bulk of their development of modern digital equipment is already done. They have a particularly strong following among high-end and professional users which is where the bulk of future revenue and profits is going to come from for all camera-makers. And unlike the DSLR outfits they aren't facing the daunting challenges of a future changeover to mirrorless. Not a bad position to be in. If Pentax could produce something as impressive as the Fuji X-T2 then they would be really steaming.

Ricoh -

Doesn't develop/manufacture sensors
Doesn't develop/manufacture a camera/video imaging processor
Hasn't yet developed EVF technology (though at one time said they were waiting for OLED)
Has spent its non-traditional mount (SLR) energy on Q
Has not developed 'viral marketing' relationships as Fuji has
Has reduced traditional global marketing infrastructure (if that's even possible) in western markets
Hasn't (apparently) migrated the manufacturing process engineering necessary for MILC profitability from the parent to the child company

Which is why I have always been skeptical about a larger format Ricoh / Pentax MILC. They would need to develop everything from scratch and component suppliers, with various limiting factors.

But for some reason I have a sense something is changing.

mecrox · 10-08-2016, 10:05 AM

Originally posted by monochrome

Ricoh -

Doesn't develop /manufacture sensors
Doesn't develop/manufacture a camera/video imaging processor
Hasn't yet developed EVF technology (though at one time said they were waiting for OLED)
Has spent its non-traditional mount (SLR) energy on Q
Has not developed 'viral marketing' relationships as Fuji has
Has reduced traditional global marketing infrastructure (if that's even possible) in western markets
Hasn't (apparently) migrated the manufacturing process engineering necessary for MILC profitability from the parent to the child company

Which is why I have always been skeptical about a larger format Ricoh / Pentax MILC. They would need to develop everything from scratch and component suppliers, with various limiting factors.

But for some reason I have a sense something is changing.

The head of the Ricoh imaging division is a very bright spark with a view (and business experience) far beyond the traditional photography business, imho. I would not rule anything out, including alliances, mergers, etc.

ogl · 10-08-2016, 10:08 AM

Originally posted by monochrome

Ricoh -
[*]Hasn't yet developed EVF technology (though at one time said they were waiting for OLED)

I had EVF for Ricoh GXR from 2012. But it was developed on 2009. It was better than Panasonic Lumix GF1 - bigger and brighter.

Last edited by ogl; 10-08-2016 at 11:00 AM.

**monochrome** · 10-08-2016, 10:11 AM

Originally posted by mecrox

I would not rule anything out, including alliances, mergers, etc.

The American idiom 'something out of left field' wouldn't surprise me at all.

mecrox · 10-08-2016, 10:45 AM

Originally posted by monochrome

The American idiom 'something out of left field' wouldn't surprise me at all.

Yes, who knows. Panasonic would probably be a candidate. My understanding is that Pany already provide a lot of the stuff which goes into Leica cameras and they could provide quite a few of the things you listed earlier as yet-to-dos. The argument is that Pany get to do FF by proxy for brands known for FF while at the same time using that revenue/scale to lay off the development costs of what they themselves are best known for, i.e. top video on the m43 platform.

Fogel70 · 10-08-2016, 10:47 AM

Originally posted by monochrome

Ricoh -
Which is why I have always been skeptical about a larger format Ricoh / Pentax MILC. They would need to develop everything from scratch and component suppliers, with various limiting factors.

They do not need to develop everything from scratch, they have useful experience from at least 4 different systems.
Pentax Q - A complete mirrorless system where alot of the design can be up scaled to larger formats.
Ricoh GXR - A large sensor mirrorless system
Pentax K - K01 and DSLRs with LV have already the basic tech needed for large sensor MILC.
Ricoh GR - Large sensor mirrorless camera with fixed lens.

They might not offer the most advanced or highest performance mirrorless at the first try. But Ricoh/Pentax can offer something more important IMO, cameras designed for photographers, instead of high tech toys designed for geeks like some other brands tend to do. Cameras with impressive spec sheets, but frustrating to use.

Last edited by Fogel70; 10-08-2016 at 11:10 AM.

johnmflores · 10-08-2016, 11:41 AM - **1 Like**

A budget APS-C with EVF that was optimized to work with old MF K-Mount lenses would be the digital reincarnation of the K1000 and perfect for college students and 20-somethings taking photo classes. Make the body cheap, add 3 old M primes and you've got a budget system!

Kunzite · 10-08-2016, 11:49 AM - **2 Likes**

A cheap body made for youngsters with no money. I doubt it will happen

**pres589** · 10-08-2016, 12:06 PM

Originally posted by grahame

I saw this and want to post it here:
More on the rumored Pentax mirrorless camera | Pentax Rumors

Really not much has been said other than the title:

"I received an update on the rumored Pentax mirrorless camera – it was described to me as something between the Pentax K-01 (pictured above) and the vintage K1000 SLR camera (see it here on Wikipedia). The official announcement / shipment is expected in Spring of 2017. This is all I have for now. If you have any additional information on this rumored model, you can contact me anonymously here"

The more I see pictures of the K-01 (never been up close to one) I keep wondering who at Hoya gave that camera a green-light to production. I also wonder if the poor sales of the K-01 is making Ricoh less interested in creating a new mirrorless K-mount camera.

mee · 10-08-2016, 12:07 PM

Or they could just buy a K-r/K-30/K-50/K-S1/K-S2, disable autofocus, set the camera to Manual exposure mode, and disable the back LCD panel. Voila.. we're back in the stoneage.

RonHendriks1966 · 10-08-2016, 12:22 PM

Originally posted by pres589

The more I see pictures of the K-01 (never been up close to one) I keep wondering who at Hoya gave that camera a green-light to production. I also wonder if the poor sales of the K-01 is making Ricoh less interested in creating a new mirrorless K-mount camera.

The K-01 sold more copy's then K-S1.

**pres589** · 10-08-2016, 12:26 PM

Originally posted by RonHendriks1966

The K-01 sold more copy's then K-S1.

Wasn't talking about K-S1, K-S1 also looked pretty cartoonish with LED's, K-01 was discounted into the earth at the end of normal sales. But whatever.

Kunzite · 10-08-2016, 12:29 PM

Originally posted by RonHendriks1966

The K-01 sold more copy's then K-S1.

Source, please?

thibs · 10-08-2016, 12:31 PM - **2 Likes**

Originally posted by mee

Or they could just buy a K-r/K-30/K-50/K-S1/K-S2, disable autofocus, set the camera to Manual exposure mode, and disable the back LCD panel. Voila.. we're back in the stoneage.

Not stoneage. Just a tool forcing you to your brain some other way. Different does not mean stone age.

10-08-2016, 09:57 AM	#32
monochrome Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Working From Home Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 26,276	Originally posted by mecrox Fuji have a profile among photography folk some way ahead of Pentax, I would guess, and quite likely a better markeshare too. The bulk of their development of modern digital equipment is already done. They have a particularly strong following among high-end and professional users which is where the bulk of future revenue and profits is going to come from for all camera-makers. And unlike the DSLR outfits they aren't facing the daunting challenges of a future changeover to mirrorless. Not a bad position to be in. If Pentax could produce something as impressive as the Fuji X-T2 then they would be really steaming. Ricoh - Doesn't develop/manufacture sensors Doesn't develop/manufacture a camera/video imaging processor Hasn't yet developed EVF technology (though at one time said they were waiting for OLED) Has spent its non-traditional mount (SLR) energy on Q Has not developed 'viral marketing' relationships as Fuji has Has reduced traditional global marketing infrastructure (if that's even possible) in western markets Hasn't (apparently) migrated the manufacturing process engineering necessary for MILC profitability from the parent to the child company Which is why I have always been skeptical about a larger format Ricoh / Pentax MILC. They would need to develop everything from scratch and component suppliers, with various limiting factors. But for some reason I have a sense something is changing. Last edited by monochrome; 10-08-2016 at 10:11 AM.

10-08-2016, 10:05 AM	#33
mecrox Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Oxford, UK Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,375	Originally posted by monochrome Ricoh - Doesn't develop /manufacture sensors Doesn't develop/manufacture a camera/video imaging processor Hasn't yet developed EVF technology (though at one time said they were waiting for OLED) Has spent its non-traditional mount (SLR) energy on Q Has not developed 'viral marketing' relationships as Fuji has Has reduced traditional global marketing infrastructure (if that's even possible) in western markets Hasn't (apparently) migrated the manufacturing process engineering necessary for MILC profitability from the parent to the child company Which is why I have always been skeptical about a larger format Ricoh / Pentax MILC. They would need to develop everything from scratch and component suppliers, with various limiting factors. But for some reason I have a sense something is changing. The head of the Ricoh imaging division is a very bright spark with a view (and business experience) far beyond the traditional photography business, imho. I would not rule anything out, including alliances, mergers, etc.

10-08-2016, 10:45 AM	#36
mecrox Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Oxford, UK Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,375	Originally posted by monochrome The American idiom 'something out of left field' wouldn't surprise me at all. Yes, who knows. Panasonic would probably be a candidate. My understanding is that Pany already provide a lot of the stuff which goes into Leica cameras and they could provide quite a few of the things you listed earlier as yet-to-dos. The argument is that Pany get to do FF by proxy for brands known for FF while at the same time using that revenue/scale to lay off the development costs of what they themselves are best known for, i.e. top video on the m43 platform. Last edited by mecrox; 10-08-2016 at 11:06 AM.

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10-08-2016, 08:59 AM - 1 Like	#31
mecrox Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Oxford, UK Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,375	Originally posted by monochrome Argument from a position of weakness? Fuji have a profile among photography folk some way ahead of Pentax, I would guess, and quite likely a better markeshare too. The bulk of their development of modern digital equipment is already done. They have a particularly strong following among high-end and professional users which is where the bulk of future revenue and profits is going to come from for all camera-makers. And unlike the DSLR outfits they aren't facing the daunting challenges of a future changeover to mirrorless. Not a bad position to be in. If Pentax could produce something as impressive as the Fuji X-T2 then they would be really steaming. Last edited by mecrox; 10-08-2016 at 09:41 AM.

10-08-2016, 10:08 AM	#34
ogl Banned Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Sankt Peterburg Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 8,382	Originally posted by monochrome Ricoh - []Hasn't yet developed EVF technology (though at one time said they were waiting for OLED) I had EVF for Ricoh GXR from 2012. But it was developed on 2009. It was better than Panasonic Lumix GF1 - bigger and brighter. Last edited by ogl; 10-08-2016 at 11:00 AM.*

10-08-2016, 10:11 AM	#35
monochrome Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Working From Home Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 26,276	Originally posted by mecrox I would not rule anything out, including alliances, mergers, etc. The American idiom 'something out of left field' wouldn't surprise me at all.

10-08-2016, 10:47 AM	#37
Fogel70 Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Stockholm, Sweden Photos: Albums Posts: 3,062	Originally posted by monochrome Ricoh - Which is why I have always been skeptical about a larger format Ricoh / Pentax MILC. They would need to develop everything from scratch and component suppliers, with various limiting factors. They do not need to develop everything from scratch, they have useful experience from at least 4 different systems. Pentax Q - A complete mirrorless system where alot of the design can be up scaled to larger formats. Ricoh GXR - A large sensor mirrorless system Pentax K - K01 and DSLRs with LV have already the basic tech needed for large sensor MILC. Ricoh GR - Large sensor mirrorless camera with fixed lens. They might not offer the most advanced or highest performance mirrorless at the first try. But Ricoh/Pentax can offer something more important IMO, cameras designed for photographers, instead of high tech toys designed for geeks like some other brands tend to do. Cameras with impressive spec sheets, but frustrating to use. Last edited by Fogel70; 10-08-2016 at 11:10 AM.

10-08-2016, 11:41 AM - 1 Like	#38
johnmflores Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Somerville, NJ Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,361	A budget APS-C with EVF that was optimized to work with old MF K-Mount lenses would be the digital reincarnation of the K1000 and perfect for college students and 20-somethings taking photo classes. Make the body cheap, add 3 old M primes and you've got a budget system!

10-08-2016, 11:49 AM - 2 Likes	#39
Kunzite Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Romania Posts: 15,132	A cheap body made for youngsters with no money. I doubt it will happen

10-08-2016, 12:06 PM	#40
pres589 Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Wichita, KS Photos: Albums Posts: 4,529	Originally posted by grahame I saw this and want to post it here: More on the rumored Pentax mirrorless camera \| Pentax Rumors Really not much has been said other than the title: "I received an update on the rumored Pentax mirrorless camera – it was described to me as something between the Pentax K-01 (pictured above) and the vintage K1000 SLR camera (see it here on Wikipedia). The official announcement / shipment is expected in Spring of 2017. This is all I have for now. If you have any additional information on this rumored model, you can contact me anonymously here" The more I see pictures of the K-01 (never been up close to one) I keep wondering who at Hoya gave that camera a green-light to production. I also wonder if the poor sales of the K-01 is making Ricoh less interested in creating a new mirrorless K-mount camera.

10-08-2016, 12:07 PM	#41
mee Veteran Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 7,403	Or they could just buy a K-r/K-30/K-50/K-S1/K-S2, disable autofocus, set the camera to Manual exposure mode, and disable the back LCD panel. Voila.. we're back in the stoneage.

10-08-2016, 12:22 PM	#42
RonHendriks1966 Banned Join Date: Jan 2009 Photos: Gallery Posts: 9,675	Originally posted by pres589 The more I see pictures of the K-01 (never been up close to one) I keep wondering who at Hoya gave that camera a green-light to production. I also wonder if the poor sales of the K-01 is making Ricoh less interested in creating a new mirrorless K-mount camera. The K-01 sold more copy's then K-S1.

10-08-2016, 12:26 PM	#43
pres589 Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Wichita, KS Photos: Albums Posts: 4,529	Originally posted by RonHendriks1966 The K-01 sold more copy's then K-S1. Wasn't talking about K-S1, K-S1 also looked pretty cartoonish with LED's, K-01 was discounted into the earth at the end of normal sales. But whatever.

10-08-2016, 12:29 PM	#44
Kunzite Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Romania Posts: 15,132	Originally posted by RonHendriks1966 The K-01 sold more copy's then K-S1. Source, please?

10-08-2016, 12:31 PM - 2 Likes	#45
thibs Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Belgium Photos: Albums Posts: 7,001	Originally posted by mee Or they could just buy a K-r/K-30/K-50/K-S1/K-S2, disable autofocus, set the camera to Manual exposure mode, and disable the back LCD panel. Voila.. we're back in the stoneage. Not stoneage. Just a tool forcing you to your brain some other way. Different does not mean stone age.