[Spodeworld]

Especially if it is a publicly traded company. The shareholders will at some point insist on divestiture of business units that are not profitable...and in some cases not sufficiently profitable if they can get better ROI elsewhere. That said, I really don't know whether the Pentax business is profitable or not....and, like everyone else here, I really hope it is.

That is precisely camera manufacturers sole purpose. If they don't have customers interested and buying their products, they don't have a company.

[ogl]

I think that a K-3 II replacement is overdue for several reasons:

• The K-3 II is discontinued.
• The KP is acknowledged by Pentax to not be the replacement.
• The KP is better in certain areas than the K-3 II.

Yes. K-3II was disappeared from stores rather long time ago...

[ffking]

Yes. K-3II was disappeared from stores rather long time ago...

There's a case for arguing that it's more important to sell what you make than make all you can sell - most businesses attempt to cut production earlier rather that later these days - but it would be nice to get the equation just right...

[EssJayEff]

And in your opinion Pentax isn't doing that?
Because all that would be would be an opinion, which leads to the next question, what is your expertise that qualifies you to hold such an opinion?

I do not know enough to hold a strong enough opinion one way or the other, but I sense it is a critical time in company history; I could be wrong. I'm fairly neutral when it comes to Pentax, yet hopeful at the same time. Some Pentax digital cameras have fared very well, others less so (K-S1, for example, based upon user reviews here at PF). The marketplace will decide, and a little more than a year ago Nikon took quite a financial bashing despite offering some very capable cameras. Fuji and Sony, meanwhile, held their own and more with innovative, new cameras.

I can only speak to my experiences. For my needs I have been very happy with Pentax. I loved my K-5 and still use it occasionally. I am more than pleased with my K-1. I bought a K-01 for a very specific purpose, but didn't use it much as I redefined my project. (It came in handy, though, for my daughter working on a video documentary for a college internship, but it didn't perform as well as other cameras used by other students performing the same type of video work.) I was very happy with my year spent using the 645D, and only wish I could explore the 645Z or its eventual replacement.

Any opinion I would form about a new Pentax camera would be relevant to my needs only at the time I need to make that decision about any new gear I would need for a new project. I would form my opinion when that comes time, enough so to make my next purchase, based upon research on then-current options and what would look to be its future-forward viability.

[reh321]

I'm thinking the same way atm. The more time passes, the more interesting other brands look (Hello there, D500). What's holding me back still is having a decent selection of very good APS-C-lenses for Pentax. Took me some years and would be a lot of work (and pain and money) to get the same again with another brand. And it would be a pity because I really love my K-5/3. But nothing lasts forever, and there will be a day I need a replacement. So I keep my fingers crossed.

Why do you need a replacement? what does the D500 do that a K-3ii doesn't do?

[awscreo]

That is an easy one to solve: Laowa 12mm F2.8. Very small and takes 95mm screw in filters.

---------- Post added 9th Sep 2018 at 18:36 ----------



+1


Can't be argued with (IF your old enough to accept responsibility for your life. Otherwise the world is full of dumb people, except one: you. ).

I enjoy the convenience of the zoom. I had a rokinon 14 lens, but I hated switching to 28-105 if I wanted a closer perspective. The canons 16-35 4 is very popular lens for that system, I'd imagine a Pentax alternative would be as well

[Belnan]

Why do you need a replacement? what does the D500 do that a K-3ii doesn't do?

Your right, the K-3 II is a damn good camera and it doesnt need a major update. (Better Autofocus) However the Kp has better IQ so you know thats got to change. (Better Autofocus)Then add batter battery life. (Better Autofocus) Deeper buffer, (Better Autofocus) a flippy screen a la K-1, and also they need better autofocus on the K-3 replacement.

Perfect.

[reh321]

Your right, the K-3 II is a damn good camera and it doesnt need a major update. (Better Autofocus) However the Kp has better IQ so you know thats got to change. (Better Autofocus)Then add batter battery life. (Better Autofocus) Deeper buffer, (Better Autofocus) a flippy screen a la K-1, and also they need better autofocus on the K-3 replacement.

Perfect.

So, there is no point to Pentax's releasing a K-3 replacement if they haven't nailed better autofocus. If they have it now, great! If it takes until February, that should also be OK. If it takes until next summer, that should also be OK. None of us knows how long doing that will take, so none of us knows when it "should" be ready.

[repaap]

I do also hope for aps-c flagship to be announced. Hopefully with new focus system with more points and more defined focuspoints(more efficent for finding eye?), which will be put in next FF and 645..also it will be interesting to see what will buffer be like and SD cards..perhaps even if they are going to have some improvements with video.

---------- Post added 09-09-18 at 22:33 ----------

So, there is no point to Pentax's releasing a K-3 replacement if they haven't nailed better autofocus. If they have it now, great! If it takes until February, that should also be OK. If it takes until next summer, that should also be OK. None of us knows how long doing that will take, so none of us knows when it "should" be ready.

I’m absolutelly sure that AF will be better. But how much.. they have put effort in it. Especially obvious with K-1 II already.

[usernametaken]

Why do you need a replacement? what does the D500 do that a K-3ii doesn't do?

I don't need a replacement as long as my camera is fine. However, nothing lasts forever and in case it breaks down (shooting events for some years made the shutter count go up quickly), which options (without drawbacks compared to the K-3, and without having to invest in a set of new lenses) do I have @Pentax? That's the reason other brands become increasingly interesting.

[reh321]

I don't need a replacement as long as my camera is fine. However, nothing lasts forever and in case it breaks down (shooting events for some years made the shutter count go up quickly), which options (without drawbacks compared to the K-3, and without having to invest in a set of new lenses) do I have @Pentax? That's the reason other brands become increasingly interesting.

This whole discussion becomes mute once Pentax does release more cameras - which the OP says will happen. Based on your first sentence, very few brands become interesting, because very few brands could make good use of your existing collection of lenses. Time to take three deep breaths.

[usernametaken]

This whole discussion becomes mute once Pentax does release more cameras - which the OP says will happen. Based on your first sentence, very few brands become interesting, because very few brands could make good use of your existing collection of lenses. Time to take three deep breaths.

That's what's holding me back, and the knowledge that Pentax CAN build great cameras like the K-3 (though there certainly is room for improvement). All I wanted to say is: a break in continuity can make people reconsider their choices over time, and if the cards have to be reshuffled anyway, other brands come into play.

[mlt]

This whole discussion becomes mute once Pentax does release more cameras - which the OP says will happen. Based on your first sentence, very few brands become interesting, because very few brands could make good use of your existing collection of lenses. Time to take three deep breaths.

Just to throw someting else out - is Nikon’s new IBIS strictly their own development, or could they have traded AF tech for a future Pentax? Just very idle spec but no worse than some of the other theories, so we’ll have to wait two weeks to see what, if anything is shown.

[sbh]

So much speculation and dismay -- particularly by people who don't even shoot Pentax cameras any more.

Pentax will release things when they are ready. Under Ricoh that hasn't really fallen at the same time as photo shows. Maybe it will this year, but maybe not. The issue with lenses has been the production lines, not the lens design. My guess is that the DFA *85 is pretty close to done, but manufacturing it in sufficient quantities and with the quality expected is taking time. Hopefully getting the DFA *50 out helped iron out some of the production issues.

It is interesting to me that so many are glossing over the DFA *50. I don't own one but it looks as though it has been a solid seller and the image quality is top notch. Not the sort of lens that a company that was on its way out would produce, I wouldn't think.

You could look at the last couple of years as a dry spell, but you could also say that the release of the DFA *50 is the beginning of a golden age of glass for Pentax. Which is right? Only time will tell.

I feel like that something has indeed changed. Before the K3 was released I had the K5 and was looking what would be next. The K3, wich I had for rental, didn't seem to be an upgrade due to subjectively worse image quality. I bought a used K5iis. The KP release was irritating strange. When the K1 came out, it was like a dream come true. The perfect camera for me. The DFA*70-200 was a good sign on the horizon (although I don't own it). The DFA*50 now manifests a new era. Using the K1 with the *50 is so satisfying. If they keep going this direction, I too see good times coming.

Not quite the beginning. I'd suggest the DFA*70-200 showed the way, but the Fat Fifty confirmed it.

Good times ahead.

Yep (I borrowed your phrase).
The Fat Fifty?! No further comment.

[reh321]

The KP release was irritating. When the K1 came out, it was like a dream come true.

I don't understand why release of the KP, which came 11 months after release of the K-1, should be "irritating".