[Serkevan]

I rely heavily on the "Want it Buyers" Nothing pleases me more than when some one sells perfectly functional gear at a discount because Pentax comes out with something new. Often their discards are "new" to me, other times they are copies of something I already have and value. I could never afford to have half the cool Pentax gear I have if people didn't indulge that urge for the latest and greatest. I have the deepest respect for other people with deep wallets as they help me make the most of my shallow wallet.
al

It was with a very heavy heart that I relieved the previous owners of my gear of their burdens
Jokes aside, I got my M20/4 from a lady who was using it on her Sony - apparently she hadn't been using it for a while after getting a modern UWA. I have no doubts that her current lens has better optics, but I am perfectly content with my toss-'er-in-a-pocket-just-in-case pancake; a lens that stays at home because it's too bulky is a lens that doesn't take pictures

[jatrax]

I'm not trying to come off as trashing Pentax - I've gotten great use out of the cameras I've owned and the lenses I have. But from a brand perspective and community engagement perspective, I just don't like being left in the dark when I see the competition being far more open and straight forward. I would think the writing is on the wall here and someone would say, "Hey, don't jump ship just yet, we've got his coming and you're going to love it because it's going to have x feature and y feature." I find it hard to believe they don't have many of the details worked out on their new APS-C flagship by now - and if they don't... that's very telling and very concerning.

I am confident all or at least most of us would appreciate some information from Ricoh. But Ricoh ≠ (Canon/Nikon/Sony/Fuji) . Ricoh is predominantly a business to business company and does not do marketing well (or at all). I think a small group of social media savvy folks could (with little budget) make a significant impact in elevating the Pentax brand. But that is not going to happen because Ricoh's management style does not work that way.

Canon/Nikon/Sony = Brag constantly about new model to keep the hamster wheel spinning even if the new model is not much different than the old model.
Ricoh = Once we have something in stock at retailers we might mention it. Or not.

I doubt anyone is going to argue with your opinion of how this should work, but nothing is going to change Ricoh's opinion of how they do marketing and customer information. So it is what it is and we will get a new camera/lens/flash/whatever when and if they ever get around to it.

[monochrome]

Sure; with free to play games, a handful of very heavy spenders keep the servers up for everyone else. That, however, does not make the point any different... "wants" and "needs" are completely separate and, one could argue, the "wants" are irrational. Not that it's a bad thing, of course. I certainly didn't need a K-1...

I rely heavily on the "Want it Buyers" Nothing pleases me more than when some one sells perfectly functional gear at a discount because Pentax comes out with something new. Often their discards are "new" to me, other times they are copies of something I already have and value. I could never afford to have half the cool Pentax gear I have if people didn't indulge that urge for the latest and greatest. I have the deepest respect for other people with deep wallets as they help me make the most of my shallow wallet.
al

I I guess a fair number of the Want It buyers went to Nikon and Canon instead of waiting for K-1 and a large number of the remaining Want It buyers went to Sony (Fuji, Oly, Panny) when. MILC started to actually work, and almost all of the MF Want it buyers have gone to Fuji (and other) MF MILC, leaving the I “I Want It Cheap” buyers and the frustrated, truly irrational “I Want Pentax” buyers.

Woe betide Ricoh if they dawdle too long and that group also gets fed up with the silence.

[normhead]

Was there any new information about the new flagship in there?

[MarkJerling]

Was there any new information about the new flagship in there?

Is there anything at all about that topic in this thread?

[monochrome]

Was there any new information about the new flagship in there?

I guess there was a thickly veiled reference to nothing official on the new flagship since the end of the 100th Anniversary activities. I’m not even in the market for a new camera or lens and I’m frustrated.

[luftfluss]

Everything is going to be fine (mostly). We just need to keep making photos.

[Serkevan]

Everything is going to be fine (mostly). We just need to keep making photos.

I just uploaded 1600 photos to my computer. This is gonna be a long weekend...

[BigMackCam]

I’m not even in the market for a new camera or lens and I’m frustrated.

That probably describes the majority of folks who are frustrated. Among the rest are those who want a new camera or lens but don't actually need one. Then, those who might benefit from one but can get by just fine with what they have. Next, those who think they need one, because "shiny new thing" will make their photography better (easier?), when in reality it probably won't... and, finally, those who genuinely need one (to replace a failing and/or very outdated model, for example). I feel some sympathy for that last group, though I suspect they're very much the minority. I'll admit to being perplexed about all the rest... but I guess everyone's entitled to feel what they wish...

[microlight]

I’m not in the market for a new camera, and not frustrated. My current set-up suits me just fine and gives me excellent results, and will no doubt do exactly that in the forthcoming weekend in a wet and windy Anglesey/Ynys Môn.

And yet I still visit this thread regularly as the thought of what Ricoh might present to delight us APS-C users in their own good time to be fascinating. Ground-breaking - maybe. Ergonomic - definitely. Pretty - eye of the beholder (apologies to Beholder) but to me, very. Need, no. Want - no. But then, I didn’t need a new car until more or less out of the blue, I went and changed it on a ‘want’ basis.

The prism design is really pretty... 😀

[taktoon]

I am not in the market now, but I will probably be looking for new FF camera - better AF, bigger buffer, faster processing to card - in 12 to 18 months. I try to buy gear after at least a year after the release date - because the price is better and cameras and lenses are reviewed and tested. So Would be perfect to see new FF body this year, but it is highly, highly unlikely.

[reh321]

And yet I still visit this thread regularly as the thought of what Ricoh might present to delight us APS-C users in their own good time to be fascinating. Ground-breaking - maybe. Ergonomic - definitely. Pretty - eye of the beholder (apologies to Beholder) but to me, very. Need, no. Want - no. But then, I didn’t need a new car until more or less out of the blue, I went and changed it on a ‘want’ basis.

The prism design is really pretty... 😀

I don't expect any real news in this thread - I expect at least one more thread before then - and now I don't expect any more news until summer at the earliest. I am disappointed - something must have gone 'wrong' for the "APS-C" flagship shelf to remain empty for so incredibly long and for us to wait so long after the K-1ii for the next Pentax camera. And, yet, I remain hopeful that the wait will be worthwhile. Meanwhile, my actual want is satisfied, and I keep on taking pictures with my KP, which is a wonderful camera.

[ThorSanchez]

That probably describes the majority of folks who are frustrated. Among the rest are those who want a new camera or lens but don't actually need one. Then, those who might benefit from one but can get by just fine with what they have. Next, those who think they need one, because "shiny new thing" will make their photography better (easier?), when in reality it probably won't... and, finally, those who genuinely need one (to replace a failing and/or very outdated model, for example). I feel some sympathy for that last group, though I suspect they're very much the minority. I'll admit to being perplexed about all the rest... but I guess everyone's entitled to feel what they wish...

It's human nature to want new, exciting, innovative things that we don't necessarily need. If we only bought from need the economy would be a tiny fraction of what it is. We'd all drive Nissan Versas or take the bus, and live in 500 square foot apartments. We'd eat generic nutritive tablets instead of going to good restaurants, television would be a single channel looping on local public service announcements, and we'd only take photographs to document specific things for work with a basic, functional low-end camera.

We want an awesome new Pentax APS-C camera with a hybrid viewfinder and ridiculous tracking autofocus because we're people and it's cool. And it won't cost quite as much as an Audi RS6 Avant.

[BigMackCam]

It's human nature to want new, exciting, innovative things that we don't necessarily need. If we only bought from need the economy would be a tiny fraction of what it is. We'd all drive Nissan Versas or take the bus, and live in 500 square foot apartments. We'd eat generic nutritive tablets instead of going to good restaurants, television would be a single channel looping on local public service announcements, and we'd only take photographs to document specific things for work with a basic, functional low-end camera.

We want an awesome new Pentax APS-C camera with a hybrid viewfinder and ridiculous tracking autofocus because we're people and it's cool. And it won't cost quite as much as an Audi RS6 Avant.

With respect, you miss my point (or I explained it poorly)... I understand that folks want new cameras and lenses. I want them too It's the frustration I don't understand...

[aslyfox]

With respect, you miss my point (or I explained it poorly)... I understand that folks want new cameras and lenses. I want them too It's the frustration I don't understand...

For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose . . .

luckily I don't care