[pathdoc]

Because the management wanted to have fun when it was time to be serious about the most valuable consumer asset they had.

Smart companies diversify. Subspecialisation is the pathway to extinction. The trick lies in not becoming so diverse as to spread yourself too thin.

[RonHendriks1966]

Smart companies diversify. Subspecialisation is the pathway to extinction. The trick lies in not becoming so diverse as to spread yourself too thin.

Wich is what Pentax did with Q, K-apsc, K-ff and 645.

[BigMackCam]

Wich is what Pentax did with Q, K-apsc, K-ff and 645.

At the time, I don't think that was too diverse a range. Remember, they didn't have the FF at the time the Q-series came out, so it was actually just the Q, K-crop, and 645, although there were arguably too many APS-C models offered concurrently. You could argue that in the current market, with FF added into the mix, it's too diverse a range... in which case, K-crop (one, or at most, two models), K-FF and 645 would probably be ample.

I still hope that the Q-series doesn't get killed off, but I suspect it will only be a matter of time.

[Simen1]

I don't agree there was too many formats at one time. All formats made profits and so participated to research and developments with synergy effects on R&D between the formats. In the market the different formats serve different roles so they don't compete but complement each other.

Also several APS-C models don't need to take up notably more resources if they share much of the interior with simultaneous models or older models. For example, many models share the same viewfinder, same sensor, same AF-module and so on. Many of the variations don't take much engineering resources to vary: Amount of buttons and wheels, choice of shutter module, top LCD or not, hinged LCD or not, size and type of battery, features to be removed from firmware for cheaper models and so on.

I believe Pentax are using their engineering resources very cleverly.

[pathdoc]

You could argue that in the current market, with FF added into the mix, it's too diverse a range...

Hence the de-emphasis on further lenses for the Q system. I think we're going to see stabilisation on one body each of high and low end crop (with the KP representing the low end), one full-frame, and the 645. First priority is to get the rest of the roadmapped full-frame primes out, and possibly to put a 100MP sensor into a revised 645 to fight Fuji. Q will get whatever resources are left over, whenever they are spare. Don't hold your breath, though.

[BigMackCam]

I think we're going to see stabilisation on one body each of high and low end crop (with the KP representing the low end), one full-frame, and the 645. First priority is to get the rest of the roadmapped full-frame primes out, and possibly to put a 100MP sensor into a revised 645 to fight Fuji. Q will get whatever resources are left over, whenever they are spare. Don't hold your breath, though.

Bingo

[lytrytyr]

not only there is no particular burst of enthusiasm in this thread, not only there is only ONE comment to the article made by Pentax Rumors (and none to the one made by Photo Rumors) but there are only 28 comments on the (Japanese) website Digital Camera Info, of which 12 are positive, 5 neutral and 11 negative.

No surprise there.

Photographers "get" the Q, gearheads don't.

[surfar]

I think we're going to see stabilisation on one body each of high and low end crop

That may be correct? However, I see the KS2 leaving soon and K70 becoming entry level( and what an entry!)...KP( which I believe is a KS3, but how confusing would that be to be released with that designation) being the mid level, then the highend Apsc dual card(1400-1500) model.Call it a K3iii( most people do).And perhaps the duo card model is later this year, what a nice thing for Santa to bring along!

[normhead]

If Kimio Tanaka wanted his tweet to entice people to "stand up and cheer" to support / request from Ricoh Imaging the launch of 09 Telephoto Macro, he will be disappointed: not only there is no particular burst of enthusiasm in this thread, not only there is only ONE comment to the article made by Pentax Rumors (and none to the one made by Photo Rumors) but there are only 28 comments on the (Japanese) website Digital Camera Info, of which 12 are positive, 5 neutral and 11 negative.

Ite missa est.

I guess I could have been more enthusiastic in my post.

We are just waiting for this lens, we can't wait until it is released, we will buy the first day it's available.

Is that enthusiastic enough to catch your attention or do I need to be even more extreme?

[BigMackCam]

I guess I could have been more enthusiastic in my post.

We are just waiting for this lens, we can't wait until it is released, we will buy the first day it's available.

Is that enthusiastic enough to catch your attention or do I need to be even more extreme?

Stop dithering, Norm... do you want the lens or don't you?

[PJ1]

Well, if they don't do it, the 09 (of which we know there is one) seems destined to be the rarest Pentax lens out there. I doubt it will turn up on ebay any time soon. But when it does, move over 100mm/f2!

[caliscouser]

Looks like the R&D for the 09 was done and it made at least pre-production testing. Seems like the hard work is done and the up front dollars spent. Therefore it seems low-risk to produce a small batch and see what happens. It is third-party production anyway.

It would be a niche product, no question, but If it is stellar there is the opportunity to attract some new people onto the platform and into the brand and generate secondary sales.

The Q could have a future as a multi-niche platform. The problem is Ricoh (and Pentax) are not very good at low cost targeted marketing to niche audiences. They are too large, too conventional, too cumbersome in their thinking around marketing.

[mee]

Hence the de-emphasis on further lenses for the Q system. I think we're going to see stabilisation on one body each of high and low end crop (with the KP representing the low end), one full-frame, and the 645. First priority is to get the rest of the roadmapped full-frame primes out, and possibly to put a 100MP sensor into a revised 645 to fight Fuji. Q will get whatever resources are left over, whenever they are spare. Don't hold your breath, though.

Q's place in the Pentax lineup is confusing to me though if their plan is really to adopt a premium / pro level lineup.

The Q is a consumer product. Despite the build quality and features.. it's a fun camera.

How do cameras geared towards fun sit in the current premium / pro lineup? Does it? Does it not?


I think you're correct in that it will get the leftover resources as RI themselves admitted to this in the interview:

"(paraphrased) Although the macro for the Q has been removed from the map, it is not a terminated project. It's still pending, but no date anymore. All resources are being focused on K-mount lenses. The Q series is still an active line and the Q-S1 and lenses are still being made and marketed for Asian markets. The US market is not actively marketing the Q line as it's concentrating on pushing the K-1 and other K-mount products; essentially the Q line is "frozen" in the US market."

That leads me to believe they are either unsure themselves of the future of Q or are currently ending it by slowing down development.. I'm guessing the former though. They admitted there is a long downturn in the compact market and this Q is a compact camera system. So I suspect it lingers for a year or so while they figure out what to do.

Read more at: CP+ 2017 Pentax Interview: Part 2 - CP+ 2017 | PentaxForums.com

[reh321]

Looks like the R&D for the 09 was done and it made at least pre-production testing. Seems like the hard work is done and the up front dollars spent. Therefore it seems low-risk to produce a small batch and see what happens. It is third-party production anyway.

It would be a niche product, no question, but If it is stellar there is the opportunity to attract some new people onto the platform and into the brand and generate secondary sales.

The Q could have a future as a multi-niche platform. The problem is Ricoh (and Pentax) are not very good at low cost targeted marketing to niche audiences. They are too large, too conventional, too cumbersome in their thinking around marketing.

And Pentax management seems to have trouble seeing beyond their island nation. If something works there, we get to share it. I will continue to buy their stuff as long as it works for me.

[lytrytyr]

Q's place in the Pentax lineup is confusing to me though if their plan is really to adopt a premium / pro level lineup.

The confusion starts if you insist that:

The Q is a consumer product. Despite the build quality and features.. it's a fun camera.

Like any good system, the Q is not a one-trick pony.

Sure, it's a fun camera with the toy lenses or the 02 zoom,
but it is also an extremely useful photographic tool
that does things other systems cannot do.

It's the history of the Leica repeating itself a century later,
or at least making a darn good rhyme.
The Leica wasn't really taken seriously in the US for many years,
as press photographers carried on using Speed Graphics and Rolleiflexes.