[Uluru]

Screwdrive is not bad, it focuses fast and free of motor failure. Noisy yes, especially for the one behind the viewfinder, but it's not audible at 1 meter away from the camera.

More like 3-5 meters, depending on the level of ambient noise. I am forced to manual focus on concerts and plays.

For consumers, screw-drive lenses are bad. Consumers, especially younger folks, always complain about something, and I was afraid Ricoh Imaging scared them off. I mean, to issue 7 screwdrive lenses in less that a year (2012-13)? It was bad for consumers.

But for grandpas like myself, they are great. If the camera does not grind something when it's focusing, they the camera ain't doing anything; that's the old school rule. It must be broken then. So I like the fact Pentax cares about us grandpas. Screw-drive lenses are virtually indestructible too. Concrete, beware, the lens is coming.

When I come among people, and my Pentax starts buzzing, everyone knows — the old guy with a Pentax is there. Bzzum, bzrrrm … brm .. Love it. It's like driving an old Pontiac; everyone knows when you ignite, break, and park.

I really like that. Pentax — grandpa's camera. My goodness, Ricoh may even take that as the slogan. We need something, some gesture that appreciates people who made Pentax great.

---------- Post added 04-27-2017 at 10:24 PM ----------

(Laughs)

All this shows is that you don't understand that premium lines are the best place to pioneer new technology, and when proven it is made on a larger production scale and flows down later to the consumer end.
That is the normal sequencing.
The K-1 benefited from the 645Z's tilt screen, the K-P now has the K-1's five way image stablilizing, etc. Every company does it.

It's a little problematic statement with Pentax, because they do the opposite.
Considering HD was pioneered on lenses like 55-300, and screwdrive DA Ltds, does it mean they are premium lenses, and that one day the HD and Aerobright 2 tech will come to the consumer oriented DA ★ lenses? You see ..
Tilt screen was pioneered on a camera like MX-1, and was brought to 645Z.

But yes, KP is a miniature version of the K-1. KP is great. It will finally replace my ME.

Will the KP + DA20-40 combo be too modern?

---

Last edited by Uluru; 04-27-2017 at 06:18 AM.

[rangercarp]

Well tomorrow is the ending episode cliffhanger for this seazon when Ricoh present it's year financials.

If history is any guide the financial statement will say very little if anything about the imaging division. Luckily, we have you to read between the lines and give us a glimpse of the real data Ricoh is withholding from those of us who are less enlightened.

[Kunzite]

It's a little problematic statement with Pentax, because they do the opposite.
Considering HD was pioneered on lenses like 55-300, and screwdrive DA Ltds, does it mean they are premium lenses, and that one day the HD and Aerobright 2 tech will come to the consumer oriented DA ★ lenses? You see ..
Tilt screen was pioneered on a camera like MX-1, and was brought to 645Z.

The alternative facts are strong with this one...

Of course, "Pentax" will introduce technologies where it makes sense for them. We have the PLM drive and the KAF4 introduced with the 55-300 RE PLM, the latter pretty much required by the retractable design, I think.
The HD coating, however... there are two things you must understand about it:
1. it's not Pentax' best - that would be the ABC, which is expensive and not very resilient. HD coating is an overall replacement of the "old" SMC, from consumer lenses to high-end ones (the latter, in combination with ABC).
2. it was actually introduced with the Pentax HD DA 560mm F5.6 ED AW and the HD Pentax D FA 645 Macro 90mm F2.8 ED AW SR - both quite expensive products, and both announced in September 2012. The HD Pentax DA 55-300mm F4.0-5.8 ED WR was announced more than a year later. The HD DA Limiteds were introduced in August 2013.
Traditionally, Pentax' coating advancements were made in higher-end lenses; ghostless SMC, ABC, HD.

[Uluru]

The only problem to this is that the dslr market keeps shrinking according to cipa up to march this year.

http://www.cipa.jp/stats/documents/e/d-201703_e.pdf

Everything is shrinking. Even sales of smartphones.
But that is normal.

I would say DSLRs are getting better. K1 and D500 inspire hope. Nikon and Pentax will lead with DSLR innovation, although I am not so sure about Nikon, they are weird. They have too many pointless models.

I also wait for Pentax to bridge the gap between the DSLR and the mirrorless, with an EVF overlay and PLM lenses.

Then the game will be totally confused, and we won't have clear distinction between the DSLR and the mirrorless, because such a DSLR can work in fully mirrorless mode. That too will attract more new users.

---------- Post added 04-28-2017 at 08:27 AM ----------

The alternative facts are strong with this one...

Traditionally, Pentax' coating advancements were made in higher-end lenses; ghostless SMC, ABC, HD.

You are absolutely right. That is why I wait HD and ABC to hit the DA ★ lenses. Pentax clearly demonstrated superiority of HD versus the SMC and superior DA ★ lenses deserve it.

---

Last edited by Uluru; 04-27-2017 at 03:30 PM.

[clackers]

Considering HD was pioneered on lenses like 55-300

It was not.

Tilt screen was pioneered on a camera like MX-1, and was brought to 645Z.

It was not.

I remember reading Pentax talking about the 645Z design and how for them, they worked out how to do it and make it waterproof. The K-1's iteration is so robust it can support the weight of the whole camera. It isn't like a little P&S screen at all.

The MX-1 was not even Pentax designed or built AFAIK but a third-party camera that was also sold as the Olympus XZ-2.

[Uluru]

It was not.

It was not.

I remember reading Pentax talking about the 645Z design and how for them, they worked out how to do it and make it waterproof. The K-1's iteration is so robust it can support the weight of the whole camera. It isn't like a little P&S screen at all.

The MX-1 was not even Pentax designed or built AFAIK but a third-party camera that was also sold as the Olympus XZ-2.

It was pioneered in HD560. But that is not a consumer lens, and I wrote exclusively about consumer lenses. See my post above. First consumer lenses with HD were 55-300 and 16-85. DA Limiteds and Ltd Zoom too got it. Are DA Ltds and DA Ltd Zoom consumer lenses? Perhaps. So, they got it too before DA Stars.

HD is better than SMC, as Ricoh Imaging clearly demonstrated in Photokina. HD and ABC 2 combination is simply above old coatings. So that it was introduced in consumer optics predominantly, and not in DA Star optics, is a bit confusing. I don't understand it, and no one is offering any logical explanation for it.

Re tilt screen, no further discussion is needed. I have already proven the statements about certainty of mitigation were inaccurate. Ricoh imaging mitigates tech in random ways, there is no clear order to it. The timeline above addresses all such details. It is all random. It seems they trial tech in various areas, and the tilting screen was first trialled in MX-1, regardless where it's coming from. Sensors too come from Sony, shutters from Seiko, optical glass from Hoya or who-knows-where etc.

I look at timeline, and I don't understand the lens roadmap, nor I understand how things work with Ricoh Imaging. There is no logic there. So, let's forget it.

On the other hand, I still wait some recommendation: will the KP and DA20-40 combo be too modern for a grandpa?

[surfar]

will the KP and DA20-40 combo be too modern for a grandpa?

Yes, the K1 is more Granpa speed!

[clackers]

I look at timeline, and I don't understand the lens roadmap, nor I understand how things work with Ricoh Imaging. There is no logic there. So, let's forget it.

I'm not sure why we neglect something just because you don't understand it.

Anyway, that's enough from me in this conversation.

[x4rd]

You are absolutely right. That is why I wait HD and ABC to hit the DA ★ lenses. Pentax clearly demonstrated superiority of HD versus the SMC and superior DA ★ lenses deserve it.

As far as I know, ABC was at first introduced in 645 lineup - 90 macro and later offerings with in-motor drive where equipped with ABC and HD. Of course, in my opinion, new DFA* 70-200 has for sure ABC II coating and maybe HD.

[Kunzite]

The HD PENTAX-D FA★70-200mmF2.8ED DC AW has ABC II, HD (ABC is no good for exposed surfaces - too fragile) and SP.

[RonHendriks1966]

Everything is shrinking. Even sales of smartphones.

Well surprisingly sales of smartphones are still rising.

http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170427005931/en/Worldwide-Smartphone...m-Quarter-2017


P.S. KP with 20-40 is a great combo I think. I had the 20-40 a short time and found it a great lens. Sold it since I mostly used it at 30mm setting and I had also a 31mm lens.

[Kunzite]

Well surprisingly sales of smartphones are still rising.

Maybe the next version's interface would not lag

[cali92rs]

Ummmm....so any word on release date?

[Zygonyx]

Well surprisingly sales of smartphones are still rising.

http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170427005931/en/Worldwide-Smartphone...m-Quarter-2017


P.S. KP with 20-40 is a great combo I think. I had the 20-40 a short time and found it a great lens. Sold it since I mostly used it at 30mm setting and I had also a 31mm lens.

Top smph prices rise too.
How long will consumers care about this non-sense ?

PS : i totally agree for KP + 20-40mm

[zapp]

page 75, let's keep it simple, where is the 1.4/50?