[CNunez]

we dont need a new camera. We need new FF lenses.

[Serkevan]

In my career we were often presented with roadmaps from various semiconductor manufacturers. While they were thought provoking, we almost never committed design resources to any of the projected new parts. The manufacturers also looked for feedback on their plans which helped to steer their limited resources. We never viewed their presentations as anything more than what they were thinking would be needed to respond to the market. Only once a product was actually in development and accompanied by an NDA did we count on something being available by a given date.

I suspect that adopting such a philosophy in the world of photography would reduce stress and permit focus on what is important.

Whaaaaaat? Bringing logic into the thought process? That is not at all how this works!
(Jokes aside, absolutely agreed. Purchasing decisions must always be made with what's in store and never based on promises).

---------- Post added 09-15-19 at 07:35 AM ----------

re Pentax roadmap, I have to say - and this echoes another post I recently made - given Pentax's history, if you are taking the Pentax roadmap as Gospel you are not living in reality.

And since Fujifilm has been brought up... I like Fuji, and have been considering auditioning the X-H1 for a while. If I were to swtich brands/go MILC Fuji would be at the top of my list. BUT... as adoring as Fuji fans are toward their gear, there are many complaints about AF performance, Fuji not listening to customers and providing the lenses they want, quality control issues, etc. Sound familar?

No brand is a panacea, at least not for long.

Something about the grass being always greener...

I happen to like the Pentax greens, always lovely rendered.

[BarneyL]

Purchasing decisions must always be made with what's in store and never based on promises.

Well, some systems (Nikon Z, Canon RF) basically consist of promises (you guessed it - roadmaps) at the moment; but, I guess there's no point in getting deeper into this topic.


Gotta learn to stop worrying and love the bomb.

[Scout]

In that case we will definitely get a new camera in the 11 days left of summer, and 10 days of winter, in 2019

+1 , I can't believe a Big brand name of photography can say "offhand" something like : "there will be no announcement linked to our raison d'être this fall...", it's a dodge posture ...

Of course there will be announcements for 100 years history ... I would say first days of next November

[CNunez]

honestly if we were ever to compare "innovations" or whatever new releases, great things being released.

I believe canon released a 24-70 f/2 zoom. THAT is an amazing feat. I would absolutely love to shoot that. To me, it beats Sony A7mk4 whatever high megapixel iris focusing camera house any day of the week.

[reh321]

So I guess someone may treat Pentax roadmap seriously if approaches it similarily to Fuji roadmap.

In my humble opinion, Pentax lens roadmap is pointless.

Roadmaps are useful for 'herding cats' - keeping tactical thinking in line with strategic thinking.

My personal opinion is that Pentax's strategic thinking has changed several times in recent years.
We will know what they are delivering when they do it.

[RookieGuy]

Besides autofocus, video, and a handful of FF lenses, where is the need for something new? Yeah, there's camera bodies getting long in the tooth. But those bodies can (and do) go toe to toe with other makers in the same class. Unless autofocus, video, and professional level support are that important to you, what are we champing at the bit for? Another lens for the sake of another lens?

Yes, shiny new toys are lots of fun. And maybe that's it. Just something new and shiny and different to spend legal tender on. Make yourself feel like you're moving forward. And I really do see that a new something is concrete proof that Ricoh is standing by the brand for a little while longer. For someone who just dumped money into a system, yeah, that's pretty important.

But seriously, I'm looking through the Pentax catalog, including some vintage glass gems, and I can't see what should be there that isn't. Perhaps not to the level as others, but for the cost to performance certainly. There's something I'm not seeing in this mountain that looks to be built on the foundation of a molehill.

[HolgerS]

we dont need a new camera. We need new FF lenses.

+1

When there will, maybe, come new FF lenses also aps-c user would be pleased (or more plm's). The K3 (ii) is a
great aps-c camera and the K1 (ii) is a fantastic FF camera (I've heared). Ok, Pentax is not the best
for sports and action but it's possible to make good photos here as well, there are a lot
of examples in the www and here in this forum.

CaNiSo is mainstream, ok, but Pentax is quality and has a lot of features there are missing in
other brands.

I admit that I have already looked at Nikon/Sony because the faster and the eye-af but hey,
I'm just an old guy with an expensive hobby, no more. And a faster af is
not all... but an eye-af would be fine and how knows what will come next with a sony sensor in
a Pentaxcamera (?). And I've made my photos so far without an eye-af, so what...

[ffking]

Perhaps not to the level as others

and that doesn't apply to lenses, just some features of cameras - actually mostly AF, and it's not so far off as some people make out.

[gaweidert]

Just for the record, I'm an anaesthesiologist, not a surgeon. But, whatever

Even better!!!!!!!!!!!! You can get us the stuff that will keep us all happy and calm. Group rates?????

[Fotus Tuus]

Even better!!!!!!!!!!!! You can get us the stuff that will keep us all happy and calm. Group rates?????

I think the best remedy for the dilemmas around the future of Pentax will be when everybody takes some good photos with their Pentax. Instead of worrying on

[Larrymc]

I think the best remedy for the dilemmas around the future of Pentax will be when everybody takes some good photos with their Pentax. Instead of worrying on

Some of us already are.

[Fotus Tuus]

I meant all participants of this interesting debate about a problem that did not yet exist I just came back from the woods:

[Serkevan]

I meant all participants of this interesting debate about a problem that did not yet exist I just came back from the woods:

I went around town for a couple hours today with a Tokina 35-70/3.5-4.5 from, I dunno, the early 90s? I don't think the gear limited me in any way. Definitely less limiting than the droves of tourists

[monochrome]

I think Pentax has been doomed since they were late moving from screwmount to K mount.

And I know they’ve been doomed since they discontinued the K1000.

So you can’t blame it on the *ist.

-Eric

Pentax was a small family business that got lucky with the instant return mirror and the Pentaprism right at the time the American Upper Middle Class was coming into its most acquisitive years. At the very end of the screwmount era (I recently read) Pentax sold more camera bodies than Canon and Nikon combined. They had massive revenue from SMC licenses and were diversifying into higher ROIC businesses - I think 70 of them. They built the “Factory in a Park” that was praised literally across the industrialized world - my father even talked about it.

I think they felt invincible, and I think they were caught totally unprepared for the global recession caused by the first energy crisis. They never got their mojo back. Nikon and Canon had stolen a march on them with reportage cameras as glossy color magazines took off (Paris Match, Der Stern, Sports Illustrated) and Olympus with small ones, then Canon with AE and Minolta with AF. And the high volume, low margin, brand image advertising business model didn’t suit them.

They never