[c.a.m]

I'm not sure if anyone else has commented on those two fellows with blurred out faces. I wonder who they might be and why their faces are blurred.

DPR staff?


Before this thread gets too distracted, I just want to thank @JPT for the OP and useful insights.

[yorik]

I'm not sure if anyone else has commented on those two fellows with blurred out faces. I wonder who they might be and why their faces are blurred.

Dr Strange and Spiderman, resurrected after `the snap'?

(Sorry - I have a 14 year old son)

[Mistral75]

In this thread we've already talked about the MZ-1, a professional SLR which should have been released in the late 1990s.



The FA Limited lenses were designed for the MZ-1 as well as for the 24x36 DSLR, the internal codename of which was MR-52 and the unofficial trade name MZ-D.

Pentax spent a fortune in the development of the MR-52 / MZ-D, much more than expected. A rough prototype was presented at Photokina 2000 and a more advanced version at PMA 2001 but the camera was eventually cancelled in October 2001 because of its expensive, energy inefficient and poorly performing Philips CCD sensor (which made it into the poorly received Contax N Digital that Kyocera persisted in launching, which accelerated the demise of Contax).

Given the budget overruns of the MR-52 project, the MZ-1 project had been stopped. Later, what could be reused from the development of the MZ-D made it into the quickly-designed MZ-S.

Back to the MZ-1 and fast forward until mid-February 2019. You've heard of Kimio Tanaka, a professional Japanese photographer mainly known for car photography, also a kind of celebrity photographer who often appears in magazines. He's been involved with Ricoh presentations and product endorsements before. He is the one who published pictures of and taken with the stillborn Pentax-09 Telephoto Macro and who published the first in-depth review of (a prototype version of) the HD Pentax-D FA★ 50mm f/1.4 SDM AW.

On his Twitter account 田中希美男 (@thisistanaka) | Twitter Kimio Tanaka recently published three pictures of a design mock-up that corresponds to the MZ-1. The upper dials can be removed -may be one of the purposes of this mock-up was to compare and choose between different dial designs.







If this mock-up comes out ten days before CP+, in the hands of Kimio Tanaka, it is not a coincidence. I suppose it will be associated in one way or another with the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the founding of Asahi Optical. Perhaps a re-edition of this mock-up will be one of the commemorative goods that Ricoh Imaging plan to launch on this occasion.

[wed7]

Very cool info we have here. I hope Ricoh brings this into fruition.

[monochrome]

If this mock-up comes out ten days before CP+, in the hands of Kimio Tanaka, it is not a coincidence. I suppose it will be associated in one way or another with the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the founding of Asahi Optical. Perhaps a re-edition of this mock-up will be one of the commemorative goods that Ricoh Imaging plan to launch on this occasion.

The K-3 replacement is supposed to be an evolution. Anniversaries often prompt strong references to distinctive historical designs. The shape of things to come?

[MMVIII]

In this thread we've already talked about the MZ-1, a professional SLR which should have been released in the late 1990s.



The FA Limited lenses were designed for the MZ-1 as well as for the 24x36 DSLR, the internal codename of which was MR-52 and the unofficial trade name MZ-D.

Pentax spent a fortune in the development of the MR-52 / MZ-D, much more than expected. A rough prototype was presented at Photokina 2000 and a more advanced version at PMA 2001 but the camera was eventually cancelled in October 2001 because of its expensive, energy inefficient and poorly performing Philips CCD sensor (which made it into the poorly received Contax N Digital that Kyocera persisted in launching, which accelerated the demise of Contax).

Given the budget overruns of the MR-52 project, the MZ-1 project had been stopped. Later, what could be reused from the development of the MZ-D made it into the quickly-designed MZ-S.

Back to the MZ-1 and fast forward until mid-February 2019. You've heard of Kimio Tanaka, a professional Japanese photographer mainly known for car photography, also a kind of celebrity photographer who often appears in magazines. He's been involved with Ricoh presentations and product endorsements before. He is the one who published pictures of and taken with the stillborn Pentax-09 Telephoto Macro and who published the first in-depth review of (a prototype version of) the HD Pentax-D FA★ 50mm f/1.4 SDM AW.

On his Twitter account 田中希美男 (@thisistanaka) | Twitter Kimio Tanaka recently published three pictures of a design mock-up that corresponds to the MZ-1. The upper dials can be removed -may be one of the purposes of this mock-up was to compare and choose between different dial designs.







If this mock-up comes out ten days before CP+, in the hands of Kimio Tanaka, it is not a coincidence. I suppose it will be associated in one way or another with the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the founding of Asahi Optical. Perhaps a re-edition of this mock-up will be one of the commemorative goods that Ricoh Imaging plan to launch on this occasion.

IIRC the 43/1.9 limited was introduced 1998, together with the Mz-3, which was a new version of the Mz-5(n). For years the 'flagship' discussion dominated the Pentax Discussion Mailing List, and everyone was hoping for a Nikon F5-killer. Naturally this was neither the plan, nor anyhow realistic, but some were hoping for a 'limited' camera, but noone knew the Mz1 was that far in prototype stadium. I still don't think the limited series started with that camera in mind. It was more the success of the Mz-5 and Mz-3 for which the limiteds were developed that led to the possibility of the Mz-1. Instead the Mz-S was presented, that was no F5 type of camera, but very nice. I don't think the Mz-s was just a spin off of the digital FF-prototype. The prototype used the body design of the Mz-s including an integrated grip, but the original design was still for film.
That much on the history from my memory.

If a Mz-1 type of product might come, that would be fabulous!

[repaap]

In this thread we've already talked about the MZ-1, a professional SLR which should have been released in the late 1990s.



The FA Limited lenses were designed for the MZ-1 as well as for the 24x36 DSLR, the internal codename of which was MR-52 and the unofficial trade name MZ-D.

Pentax spent a fortune in the development of the MR-52 / MZ-D, much more than expected. A rough prototype was presented at Photokina 2000 and a more advanced version at PMA 2001 but the camera was eventually cancelled in October 2001 because of its expensive, energy inefficient and poorly performing Philips CCD sensor (which made it into the poorly received Contax N Digital that Kyocera persisted in launching, which accelerated the demise of Contax).

Given the budget overruns of the MR-52 project, the MZ-1 project had been stopped. Later, what could be reused from the development of the MZ-D made it into the quickly-designed MZ-S.

Back to the MZ-1 and fast forward until mid-February 2019. You've heard of Kimio Tanaka, a professional Japanese photographer mainly known for car photography, also a kind of celebrity photographer who often appears in magazines. He's been involved with Ricoh presentations and product endorsements before. He is the one who published pictures of and taken with the stillborn Pentax-09 Telephoto Macro and who published the first in-depth review of (a prototype version of) the HD Pentax-D FA★ 50mm f/1.4 SDM AW.

On his Twitter account 田中希美男 (@thisistanaka) | Twitter Kimio Tanaka recently published three pictures of a design mock-up that corresponds to the MZ-1. The upper dials can be removed -may be one of the purposes of this mock-up was to compare and choose between different dial designs.




If this mock-up comes out ten days before CP+, in the hands of Kimio Tanaka, it is not a coincidence. I suppose it will be associated in one way or another with the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the founding of Asahi Optical. Perhaps a re-edition of this mock-up will be one of the commemorative goods that Ricoh Imaging plan to launch on this occasion.

Interesting indeed!

[Ritschie]

At the same day he posted another camera. A anniversary dslr!

Twitter

[Mistral75]

At the same day he posted another camera. A anniversary dslr!

Twitter

That's the AP 50th Aniv. from 2007 that marks the 50th anniversary of the Asahi Pentax (AP) camera from 1957. The camera is based on K10D. The prototype itself was an empty shell with a chassis made of wood (no viewfinder, no electronics,...).

[stevebrot]

Pentax K-3 Warpdigivolve To!.... MEGA K4 ! ... Mega K4 Burstmode! 40fps RAW pixelshift hand held laser and lidar guided AF.

Relax it's just a silly parody. This place could use a little levity.

The levity on these rumor threads is built-in.


Steve

[Adam]

And since they now anyway brought it out of whatever closset it rests in, and they even mounted an FA limited on it....why didn't they took and posted some test shots? Would have been interesting to see how bad that Philips sensor was!?

I've heard there is no charger/battery available for the prototype...

[Docrwm]

I've heard there is no charger/battery available for the prototype...

Self powered......

[totsmuyco]

Pentax should give us a big bang. You only get to be 100 once in your life. Then you get to be 101, 102, 103 if you have more years ahead of you. 😁😁😁