[fsge]

Ricoh Imaging can only work on two cameras in parallel:

• K-1 and KP until early 2016 (K-1 announcement)
• then KP and K-1 Mark II until early 2017 (KP announcement)
• then K-1 Mark II and Ricoh GR III until early 2018 (K-1 Mark II announcement)
• then Ricoh GR III and K-New until early 2019 (GR III announcement)
• currently K-New and another camera, until the K-New announcement sometimes in (early) 2020.

Interesting point about bandwidth of Ricoh imaging bodies teams. In your opinion Mistral what is the camera they started developing earlier this year ?

Both K70 (launched in 2016) and 645Z (launched in 2014) successors are long overdue.
I assume development of K70 ii is simple as KP and Knew features can be curbed and used directly in facelifted K70 body, so should not take more than a year.
As you mentioned only one body has to be expected next year, thus it can come to market in 2021 at the earliest.
645 Z ii is another story as a new sensor is needed so I believe this is the one that is now on the table for a launch in 2021 as well.
KP ii would make sense in 2022 (5 years after launch) so as not to eat in the plate of Knew.
Last but not least, I do not expect K1 iii before 2022 (4 years after launch of mark ii, and 6 years after mark i).

[Mistral75]

^ I'd say the successor to K-1 Mark II, incorporating the novelties from K-New (autofocus in particular), but it's a mere guesstimate.

[Gianclaudio]

Do you guys arguee for the sake of the the raffle or just sporting nature?

[reh321]

Yet your claim about delays due to technical issues had nothing to do with that. You never, not even once, attempted to support said claim.

I was struggling to come up with a reasonable explanation for unreasonable timing. I have expressed over and over again empathy for K-3ii users even though I am, myself, a happy KP owner.

Whatever. I'm giving up.

Good - the only reason for discussing this is to gain posts - and I already am a happy KP owner.

[TwoUptons]

Do you guys arguee for the sake of the the raffle or just sporting nature?

For most, I think it’s a little of both...

-Eric

[mlt]

In regards to successors to the KP, K70, and 645z lines the probability of those being currently in design or prototype phases is pretty good if those lines are going to be continued. Would not rule out possible surprises either announced or released next year - Ricoh likes to keep everything a closely guarded secret until they feel the time is right .

[reh321]

In regards to successors to the KP, K70, and 645z lines the probability of those being currently in design or prototype phases is pretty good if those lines are going to be continued

I'd be surprised if they continue both the K-70 and the KP lines - but you can never tell.

[Mistral75]

Interesting point about bandwidth of Ricoh imaging bodies teams. In your opinion Mistral what is the camera they started developing earlier this year ?

Both K70 (launched in 2016) and 645Z (launched in 2014) successors are long overdue.
I assume development of K70 ii is simple as KP and Knew features can be curbed and used directly in facelifted K70 body, so should not take more than a year.
As you mentioned only one body has to be expected next year, thus it can come to market in 2021 at the earliest.
645 Z ii is another story as a new sensor is needed so I believe this is the one that is now on the table for a launch in 2021 as well.
KP ii would make sense in 2022 (5 years after launch) so as not to eat in the plate of Knew.
Last but not least, I do not expect K1 iii before 2022 (4 years after launch of mark ii, and 6 years after mark i).

^ I'd say the successor to K-1 Mark II, incorporating the novelties from K-New (autofocus in particular), but it's a mere guesstimate.

To elaborate a bit on my earlier answer (sorry, I had to go):

1. I think the Pentax 645 series as we know it today is at the end of its life.
   xxx
   • The market for medium format cameras with a 33x44 sensor now belongs to the very successful Fujifilm GFX and Hasselblad X1D mirrorless lines.
     • Phase One had to fall back on 40x53.4 sensors and leave the 33x44 field in response to the surge of these cameras.
     • Within their H series, Hasselblad only promote their H6D-100c and H6D-400c Multi-Shot, both of which include a 40x53.4 sensor.
   • Concerning a 'full 645' DSLR line Ricoh are nowhere (unlike Phase One or Hasselblad) since there is no prior 'full 645' Pentax DSLR and there are only two modern lenses covering this format available new (55mm f/2.8 and 90mm f/2.8 Macro).
   • The latest announcement of a new 645 lens (HD Pentax-DA 645 28-45mm f/4.5 ED AW SR) dates back to August 2014, more than five years ago.
   • There hasn't even been any revamping of an FA 645 lens since November 2015 (HD Pentax-D FA 645 35mm f/3.5 AL [IF]), four years ago.
   • The Standard Zoom and Tele Zoom have been on the 645 roadmap for ages -Ricoh didn't even bother to update the roadmap, which still states '2017 or later' for these two lenses. This looks very much like the situation of the stillborn Pentax 09 Telephoto Macro before it was dropped from the Q roadmap.
     xxx
2. Concerning a potential successor to the K-70, I keep on oscillating between two extremes:
   xxx
   • Sometimes I consider there won't be any such camera, given Ricoh's strategy to go upmarket; simply, the price of the KP will be progressively lowered and the KP will become the entry point into the Pentax K DSLR universe once the K-70 is discontinued.
   • Sometimes I'm telling myself that an entry-to-mid level camera such as the K-70 is not too hard to design from existing 'bits and pieces' and this can be done quietly, in parallel to designing more ambitious cameras, and I'm expecting the successor to the K-70 to be announced anytime including tomorrow.

Anyway, for these reasons and probably others I forgot to mention here, I'm still betting on the successor to the K-1 Mark II, as already said.

[kevinWE]

I'm glad I opted to buy the KP instead of wait for this mystery camera.

[Belnan]

Perhaps the K70 successor will be mirrorless.

---------- Post added 11-10-19 at 05:31 PM ----------

I'm sorry I can't help it. Pentax is doomed!

[Gray]

Well, I see no good reason for a fixed screen in 2020 and, if true, will be a blunder by Ricoh and will undermine the camera's "flagship" status and usefulness.

[reh321]

Well, I see no good reason for a fixed screen in 2020 and, if true, will be a blunder by Ricoh and will undermine the camera's "flagship" status and usefulness.

I’m not sure I can think of any situations in which a ‘moveable’ LCD is needed by someone shooting ‘action’; the situations which require a ‘moveable’ LCD are landscape in nature, which means it could be addressed by a K-1ii or a KP. Ricoh may not be thinking that someone someone who shoots ‘action’ will want the camera to also work for landscape applications where a ‘moveable’ LCD was called for - not want to purchase a separate KP or K-1ii for the landscape applications.

[stevebrot]

Do you guys arguee for the sake of the the raffle or just sporting nature?

This is the rumors section...it is always this way.


Steve

[Zygonyx]

So, basically, everybody's wondering if this thread is justified, and/or on which information it woul'd be

[Gray]

I'm a landscape/people photographer. I need the new camera to replace my 2 K-5IIs. The KP isn't it - no IR remote. The K-1 isn't it - the camera system is too large. I need the K-5 APS-C form factor, large battery, IR remote, good autofocus, and tilt screen. Ricoh loses nothing by giving us a tilt screen - ALL their other current Pentax cameras have one. The lack of a tilt screen is a real shortcoming of my K-5II when it comes to my style of photography. Even my tiny Sony RX100iii has a 180 deg. tilt, which can be incredibly useful at times.

Here are three quick examples of images where a tilt screen was very useful to me - all taken with my Sony RX100 and its tilt screen
(click to enlarge):



(click to enlarge)


(click to enlarge)