[BigMackCam]

a body based on the KP will still have a right on its own. I would have wished for astrotracer in it.

It's the lack of such features, as well as the single SD card, smaller buffer, lack of IR control that convince me the KP was never meant to be the K-3II replacement, but a distinct model in its own right. Maybe Ricoh thought a good number of folks would consider it as the K-3II's successor, but I just don't believe they were so out of touch that they planned for it to occupy a "flagship" spot in the line up, no matter how good a camera it undoubtedly is...

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Last edited by BigMackCam; 09-06-2019 at 05:02 AM.

[Serkevan]

The KP is clearly an enthusiast's model. Something with maybe not better but definitely more "elaborate" design, jam-packed with IQ-related features, and in a slightly more compact and lighter package; it also foregoes the GPS for the flash, while a flagship would presume the user would anyway want to use on- or off-camera lighting more than the pop-up flash, I guess. The K-3 platform is more of a workhorse, with more conservative design and more "auxiliary" features (as you mentioned, buffer, battery, etc.). It's aimed at taking pictures all day long.

[RobG]

I think you'll find there's only been the DA*11-18 this year, Rob.

Releasing a new, premium grade DA* lens suggests they're not giving up on APS-C.

I think you should read the various interviews with the Pentax executives, a replacement for the K-3 is happening, it's in black and white. Now, it may be a step up in pricing as well as performance, and many forum members may not be able to afford it as they did their previous camera.

That was my understanding, which is why I find the nay-sayers in this thread surprising. I had thought that Pentax would release something significant this year.

[SSGGeezer]

I also think that Ricoh will want to keep up with competitors and implement some other capabilities that competitors have. It makes sense to me.

I suspect based on the value oriented products they have re-released with new coatings and such, that any of the added and or upgraded features in any new camera body willl have to be able to be added at a reasonable cost in materials and even on software. (Read that as, obsolete to Sony and even Canon, but still better than what is available in the Pentax line currently.)

Ricoh seems to get the firmware pretty close to right before release, but other things like IT seem to be ignored after a few patches, so they had better get it right at release. .

[reh321]

Releasing a new, premium grade DA* lens suggests they're not giving up on APS-C.

That was my understanding, which is why I find the nay-sayers in this thread surprising. I had thought that Pentax would release something significant this year.

I agree with both thoughts. Looking at their sales during the Christmas Season, I thought they might quietly 'give up' on APS-C, giving it the same treatment the "Q" family got - but then the 11-18mm came out early this year. I certainly cannot explain why the "K-3" spot on store shelves has been bare for so long - clearly something is happening that they are not talking about.

[Merv-O]

I certainly cannot explain why the "K-3" spot on store shelves has been bare for so long - clearly something is happening that they are not talking about.

reh: The thing to me is that the KP should be on that shelf. The KP has never quite been recognized as a true prosumer piece, but I think by leaving out the 2nd SD slot, using a smaller battery, adding a small flash, removing the GPS, and an adjustable grip, Ricoh/Pentax was seeking a wider audience to expand the APS-c market for themselves. Obviously, camera sales will now be a permanent niche purchase as phones are the new "brownie" or budget point and shoot successor.
I think RICOH has come to grips with an ever shrinking market and one can only hope that Pentax continues to exist as a separate brand. RICOH is already using a lot of Pentax tech in their GR series. We'll have to wait and see, but I remember last November you and I having several discussions about the KP and when it went on a Black Friday $700 kit deal, we both jumped in--the KP is mighty fine and in many respects is an improvement over the K-3 series--I love the size and compensate for zoom lens bulk by always keeping the largest grip on the camera.

If RICOH does finally give the masses a new APS-c, I hope it is of the prosumer variety and not merely a KP successor (as technically the K-3ii is 2 models removed). The speculation is fun, the reality will unfold soon enough.

[gaweidert]

The new Canon EOS 90D is looking pretty impressive. 32.5MP sensor. 4K video, 1,300 shots per battery charge. Pre order for $1,199 US at B&H Photo. It is going to e interesting to see how this is all going to work out.

[BigMackCam]

The new Canon EOS 90D is looking pretty impressive. 32.5MP sensor. 4K video, 1,300 shots per battery charge. Pre order for $1,199 US at B&H Photo. It is going to e interesting to see how this is all going to work out.

Yes, it looks very good... and yet, the 4K video isn't true 4K, but digitally upscaled, from what I've read. Meanwhile, "Eye AF" is allegedly only useful at close range and dual pixel AF (in Live View) is pretty slow. Only one SD card slot, too. As always, nothing's perfect...

[reh321]

reh: The thing to me is that the KP should be on that shelf. The KP has never quite been recognized as a true prosumer piece, but I think by leaving out the 2nd SD slot, using a smaller battery, adding a small flash, removing the GPS, and an adjustable grip, Ricoh/Pentax was seeking a wider audience to expand the APS-c market for themselves. Obviously, camera sales will now be a permanent niche purchase as phones are the new "brownie" or budget point and shoot successor.
I think RICOH has come to grips with an ever shrinking market and one can only hope that Pentax continues to exist as a separate brand. RICOH is already using a lot of Pentax tech in their GR series. We'll have to wait and see, but I remember last November you and I having several discussions about the KP and when it went on a Black Friday $700 kit deal, we both jumped in--the KP is mighty fine and in many respects is an improvement over the K-3 series--I love the size and compensate for zoom lens bulk by always keeping the largest grip on the camera.

If RICOH does finally give the masses a new APS-c, I hope it is of the prosumer variety and not merely a KP successor (as technically the K-3ii is 2 models removed). The speculation is fun, the reality will unfold soon enough.

Yes, I totally agree.

I had privately set the highest amount I was willing to pay for my next camera at $700 - this was a personal choice based on the most I had ever spent on a film camera {a Canon EOS Elan in 1995}; thinking about the inflation that has occurred since then, I was debating how much I should raise my limit when the Black Friday offer was posted. With that low price, I had serious concerns that Pentax might be abandoning the APS-C market, and might announce what I was calling a 'KR' - a 'KP' modified only to provide a 24mp "FF" sensor - in a few weeks, and wondering if I could stuff its expected price-tag {I was guessing $1200} into our budget. Fortunately, after talking it out with my wife, I stopped thinking and just bought the thing. I have been totally pleased since then. I have never had two card slots, and the last camera I had with any LCD on the top deck was that Elan, which I retired in 2007. I have never run the "small" battery completely down {I have four of them now}, and the only time I have set the burst on 'high' it was too fast for me. I love its low light performance. The smallest grip is the only one I have ever used on it. In short, it is the perfect camera for me.

But I have never expected a company to make a camera just for me. I have heard the constant comments from K-3 users. Their needs are different from mine, and I am willing to believe their needs are genuine. Their market seems untouched/abandoned by Pentax, and it remains inexplicable to me how they could leave it so very long.

[dstar]

This is may be make life more interesting

Canon is Developing a Mirrorless-to-DSLR ‘Converter’: Report Petapixel.com

[ogl]

Yes, it looks very good... and yet, the 4K video isn't true 4K, but digitally upscaled, from what I've read. Meanwhile, "Eye AF" is allegedly only useful at close range and dual pixel AF (in Live View) is pretty slow. Only one SD card slot, too. As always, nothing's perfect...

Does Ricoh have good working Eye-AF in K-1 and KP? Like Canon or Sony system, for example? I don't know.

[Fogel70]

This is may be make life more interesting

Canon is Developing a Mirrorless-to-DSLR ‘Converter’: Report Petapixel.com

Maybe something like Visoflex that Leica introduced 1951. This was designed for being able to use macro and long tele lenses on range finder camera.
Visoflex - Leica Wiki (English)

The main problem with an adapter like this is that a moving mirror will require more space than is available in a EF-RF adapter, so either it has to have a fixed mirror, or the adapter would require new lenses designed for a longer register distance than Canon EF.

[MarkJerling]

Does Ricoh have good working Eye-AF in K-1 and KP? Like Canon or Sony system, for example? I don't know.

Apparently Pentax has something like that, although not the same. Except they call it face detect, although I understand it works by focusing on eyes. I've never tried using it, so as to how well it works, I don't know.

[BigMackCam]

Does Ricoh have good working Eye-AF in K-1 and KP? Like Canon or Sony system, for example? I don't know.

No.

Sony's mirrorless offering is best suited and best developed for both face and eye detect, the latter of which is rather well implemented by now.

Canon's eye detect on the 90D is limited to Live View, which is understandable given that the metering sensor doesn't have sufficient resolution to allow reliable identification of an eye... But, unlike older camera models (including the KP and K-1) it does have enough resolution to support face detection when using the OVF, which I think is pretty neat - and, arguably, far more useful than eye AF in Live View (who, honestly, is going to use a DSLR in Live View for portraiture that needs eye detect?)...

When DSLR metering sensors reach sufficient resolution, we'll probably see eye detect for OVF focusing. Now that could be very useful...

[ZombieArmy]

(who, honestly, is going to use a DSLR in Live View for portraiture that needs eye detect?)...

Err... Why wouldn't you? Unless your self conscious about it or something. If you're shooting at 1.2/4 and you need eye in focus for a photo shoot then you're going to do what you need to do to get the shot.