[Fogel70]

Unlike you, evidently, I have no plans to leave the universe in the foreseeable future, so I may go and buy another body if I feel it will yield more keepers.

Where can you buy a new body? I would not mind a 20 year younger body.

[bxf]

Where can you buy a new body? I would not mind a 20 year younger body.

You can rent one in many places. Buying one, however, involves a process referred to as "marriage" This can get quite expensive sometimes.

[reh321]

What failure are you talking about ?

A "failure" is something that causes me to stop using the camera in less than 3-1/2 years.

For example, my first Pentax, an ME/SE, lasted me only 3-1/2 years. It got wet at Niagara Falls and was never the same again. I sent it in to be fixed, but they couldn't do much for it. I did use it for those 3-1/2 years though, so it counts as "successful".

I was a Canon customer when I switched to digital. For reasons of expense, I tried a 'compact camera', but I used it for less than a year because it lacked the flexibility that I wanted; our daughter - who was an undergraduate student at the time - managed to crack the LCD of her camera, so I gave it to her and bought myself a Rebel. Lasting less than a year as my camera, it counts as a "failure".

That Canon Rebel eventually developed intermittent processor issues - then failed. I used it for six years, though, so that counts as "successful".
It was followed by another Rebel which also developed intermittent processor issues - then failed. I used it for only nineteen months, so it counts as a "failure".

I replaced the second Rebel with a K-30. It developed what I call "Dark Image Syndrome" after three years of use, but I got a FA 28-105 lens and continued using it until I got the KP. I still use it on occasion, so it is a definite "success" because its aperture-control issues did not prevent me from making good use of it.

[rdj92807]

As a long time Pentax user, I'm getting pretty frustrated.

Pentax needs to get off their ass and:
- improve their video and stabilization to equal my Samsung 3 year old cell phone
- incorporate AI into their chip like Google and Apple so night pics, etc. look awesome. Why do DSLRs, with the better and larger sensors, not using AI?????????? Utter stupidity IMO.

[lytrytyr]

Pentax needs to get off their ass and:
- incorporate AI into their chip like Google and Apple so night pics, etc. look awesome. Why do DSLRs, with the better and larger sensors, not using AI?????????? Utter stupidity IMO.

Artificial legs are substitutes for people whose real legs don't work.

I guess Pentax are making similar conclusions about artificial intelligence,
and figure that their users don't need any substitutes.

[thibs]

A "failure" is something that causes me to stop using the camera in less than 3-1/2 years.

For example, my first Pentax, an ME/SE, lasted me only 3-1/2 years. It got wet at Niagara Falls and was never the same again. I sent it in to be fixed, but they couldn't do much for it. I did use it for those 3-1/2 years though, so it counts as "successful".

I was a Canon customer when I switched to digital. For reasons of expense, I tried a 'compact camera', but I used it for less than a year because it lacked the flexibility that I wanted; our daughter - who was an undergraduate student at the time - managed to crack the LCD of her camera, so I gave it to her and bought myself a Rebel. Lasting less than a year as my camera, it counts as a "failure".

That Canon Rebel eventually developed intermittent processor issues - then failed. I used it for six years, though, so that counts as "successful".
It was followed by another Rebel which also developed intermittent processor issues - then failed. I used it for only nineteen months, so it counts as a "failure".

I replaced the second Rebel with a K-30. It developed what I call "Dark Image Syndrome" after three years of use, but I got a FA 28-105 lens and continued using it until I got the KP. I still use it on occasion, so it is a definite "success" because its aperture-control issues did not prevent me from making good use of it.

OK thanks. Understood differently.

[monochrome]

As a long time Pentax user, I'm getting pretty frustrated.

Pentax needs to get off their ass and:
- improve their video and stabilization to equal my Samsung 3 year old cell phone
- incorporate AI into their chip like Google and Apple so night pics, etc. look awesome. Why do DSLRs, with the better and larger Sony sensors, not using AI?????????? Utter stupidity IMO.

IMO Ricoh’s entire point for the Pentax brand is to be the camera for people who enjoy and want to do these things for themselves and really only care about still images..

I fixed part of it for ya.

[Winder]

A webpage dedicated to explaining "What Pentax Values Most in Future Cameras" has just been released.

1. We design new cameras through sheer devotion.
   It is our intention to produce cameras that will be the preferred choice for photo enthusiasts, because we love photography and have an in-depth knowledge and understanding of cameras.

They already produce an excellent camera that fits the needs of most photo enthusiasts and a few professionals. Ricoh is not the "preferred choice" if market share is any indication. They have some work to do. With Canon and Nikon abandoning DSLRs at an amazing pace, Ricoh is in position to be #1 in DSLR sales very soon.

1. Our goal is to produce cameras with the power to capture images that allow for direct communication with the subject.
   We intend to design cameras that create memorable images, that make us feel as if we're connecting directly with the subject, capturing our imagination and captivating our senses.

I don't know of any camera that doesn't assist in accomplishing this. Ultimately its the photographer who creates not the camera. Is there a camera that prevents direct communication with the subject? What does this actually mean in the real world and can someone list some cameras that don't achieve this?

1. We design cameras that allow our users to enjoy all the processes involved in taking a picture.
   We pursue every essential element involved in the joy of photography. From looking through the viewfinder to composing the image, focusing on the subject and releasing the shutter.

They must mean "every essential element involved" except AF-C. The joy of waiting for your buffer to clear or the joy of culling 30% of the images because AF-C missed focus. If you just need AF-S and you are an enthusiast or professional who works at slow and deliberate pace then these are non-issues.

1. We pursue a level of quality and performance that can’t be measured by numbers alone.
   We produce our cameras not only by pursuing higher performance based on numerical values, but by integrating our designers’ sensory feedback into the design and development.

Sales numbers measure just about everything. The better job your products do of meeting the needs of buyers, the more products you will sell. Its a simple world.

1. We respect and value the photographic experiences of our users and view this as an invaluable asset.
   We want to share all the inspiring experiences of our users, from the hardware to the shooting processes, creating and viewing the images.

Awesome. So does every other manufacturer in the business. If a manufacturers user base felt like they were not respected and valued by said manufacturer they would quickly move on to another brand and said manufacturer would quickly find themselves at the bottom in terms of sales and user retention and it would only be a matter of time before people would start speculating about the manufacturers future.

Ricoh delivers great cameras that already deliver on basically all of the points that they mention. They already have great ergonomics and deliver a great user experience for people who prefer the OVF and work at a slow and deliberate pace. The problem is that most manufacturers also make cameras that capture extremely high quality images with amazing color and dynamic range. Fuji has done an excellent job of delivering cameras that provide what many users consider an exceptional user experience that, while I don't care for it, I understand why other do. Ricoh is releasing a pretty fluffy video that really doesn't mean a whole lot. They make a great camera and they plan on continuing to do exactly what they have always been doing which is good news. Ricoh will probably survive Olympus and Nikon in the near future.

[reh321]

OK thanks. Understood differently.

My last two film cameras were twelve years with a Pentax “Super Program” and eleven years with a Canon “EOS Elan” {I switched to Canon when I went AF because I liked the EF/usm system so much better than the screw-drive systems Pentax and Nikon used}. In general I set a tradition of switching only if switching would provide new capability to me. The KP’s graceful performance at higher ISO values gives me a new freedom I’ve never known. Right now, I can’t think of any other capability that would induce me to purchase a new camera, but I am open to that if Pentax would surprise me. Because of my definition of “success”, I wouldn’t switch for another couple of years in any case, giving me time to think about it.

[surfar]

Ricoh is in position to be #1 in DSLR sales very soon.

How soon is very?

Sales of mirrored/unmirrored hover around 50/50.....take into account the combination of $ony,Fuji,Oly Panasonic who only sell no mirrored bodies and CaNik sales are mostly with mirrors.Those 2 are not going to stop making Dslrs,they have both diversified to try and bring back the switchers who went to $ony.Z and RF are both being developed reasonably fast,by end of next year there should be around 20 native lenses in each system.After that I'd guess there will be equal development between mirrored/unmirrored from both companies.Perhaps RI may increase their market share by a couple of %,time will tell.

---------- Post added 07-21-20 at 05:29 PM ----------

Ricoh is releasing a pretty fluffy video that really doesn't mean a whole lot.

It was a prelude to tomorrows which will be a lot more specific,lets hope they spill the beans like all the other releases this month.

[Kunzite]

They already produce an excellent camera that fits the needs of most photo enthusiasts and a few professionals. Ricoh is not the "preferred choice" if market share is any indication. They have some work to do. With Canon and Nikon abandoning DSLRs at an amazing pace, Ricoh is in position to be #1 in DSLR sales very soon.

Market share? They're not talking about market share.
Having a sustainable business is more important.

They must mean "every essential element involved" except AF-C. The joy of waiting for your buffer to clear or the joy of culling 30% of the images because AF-C missed focus. If you just need AF-S and you are an enthusiast or professional who works at slow and deliberate pace then these are non-issues.

You're talking about the past.

Sales numbers measure just about everything. The better job your products do of meeting the needs of buyers, the more products you will sell. Its a simple world.

Wow. McDonalds must make the best food in the world, and in the photography world, Leica and Zeiss make garbage.
Is the cheapest kit zoom better than a Limited lens? Because they had Limited lenses in mind, you know, those where they'd use not only numerical evaluation, but also sensory evaluation using prints in its development.

Awesome. So does every other manufacturer in the business. If a manufacturers user base felt like they were not respected and valued by said manufacturer they would quickly move on to another brand and said manufacturer would quickly find themselves at the bottom in terms of sales and user retention and it would only be a matter of time before people would start speculating about the manufacturers future.

Not quite. Some would ruin one's experience by replacing optical viewfinders with miniature TVs.

Ricoh delivers great cameras that already deliver on basically all of the points that they mention. They already have great ergonomics and deliver a great user experience for people who prefer the OVF and work at a slow and deliberate pace. The problem is that most manufacturers also make cameras that capture extremely high quality images with amazing color and dynamic range. Fuji has done an excellent job of delivering cameras that provide what many users consider an exceptional user experience that, while I don't care for it, I understand why other do. Ricoh is releasing a pretty fluffy video that really doesn't mean a whole lot. They make a great camera and they plan on continuing to do exactly what they have always been doing which is good news. Ricoh will probably survive Olympus and Nikon in the near future.

This isn't about a 180o change of strategy. This is Pentax continuing to do what they do best, and stepping up their game (as seen with the D FA* 85mm f/1.4).
It's a message of commitment, reinforced by their President (someone commented about what losing face means to the Japanese) so it's to be taken seriously.
And I like it.

[thibs]

That's what AMD Ryzen's or Threadrippers are for Throw 4 or 8 x 16GB sticks in and let 12+ cores munch through the data. NVMe is the game changer in compute space, freeing us up from the Sata6 limitation of 550MB/s to 3000+MB/s with consumer rated TLC drives. Then it's a case of speeding up the import from your cards so a Type C Sdcard reader will help there. Just need Adobe to pull their fingers out with better muktithreaded capabilities with Photoshop & Lightroom. So 60mp files should be no problem

As a long time Pentax user, I'm getting pretty frustrated.

Pentax needs to get off their ass and:
- improve their video and stabilization to equal my Samsung 3 year old cell phone
- incorporate AI into their chip like Google and Apple so night pics, etc. look awesome. Why do DSLRs, with the better and larger sensors, not using AI?????????? Utter stupidity IMO.

AI? There's smartphone if you want the camera to think for you and guess what you'll like.
Why not artificial shallow DOF with a f/8 picture on a DSLR too ?
Why not it will decide for you when to take the shot ?

[Rondec]

As a long time Pentax user, I'm getting pretty frustrated.

Pentax needs to get off their ass and:
- improve their video and stabilization to equal my Samsung 3 year old cell phone
- incorporate AI into their chip like Google and Apple so night pics, etc. look awesome. Why do DSLRs, with the better and larger sensors, not using AI?????????? Utter stupidity IMO.

The whole AI thing is of questionable utility. People want their RAW images to be RAW. There was already a big tempest about the accelerator which smooths images over iso 800 a little bit. If you are talking about jpeg processing, I am sure they could add some improvements and they usually do with each new camera.

Honestly, all of these things take processing power. If you have ever shot hand held pixel shift on a K-1 II, each image takes at least 45 seconds to process. This isn't surprising since it is combining four 36 megapixel raw images. I am sure the next full frame camera will have faster processor and quicker operation, but it still isn't something you would want to use frequently if you want to keep your buffer empty and continue to shoot.

[phoebus]

As a long time Pentax user, I'm getting pretty frustrated.

Pentax needs to get off their ass and:
- improve their video and stabilization to equal my Samsung 3 year old cell phone
- incorporate AI into their chip like Google and Apple so night pics, etc. look awesome. Why do DSLRs, with the better and larger sensors, not using AI?????????? Utter stupidity IMO.

"OK HAL, I want to take a photo"
"Sorry Dave, I can't let you do that"

'Artificial Intelligence' has emphasis on the 'Artificial' and a miss on the 'Intelligence'. Don't think that's what is hinted at in the video. Better look elsewhere...

Bye!

[Cerebum]

I managed some cracking night street shots with my K30 & K3, maybe I have AI and didn't realise! Pentax have stated that their mission is to create a user experience, so, if you're waiting for AI, don't hold your breath!

---------- Post added 07-21-20 at 04:08 AM ----------

A "failure" is something that causes me to stop using the camera in less than 3-1/2 years.

.

I couldn't agree more. Although I would like to add durability to the measure. My K3 and KP have taken 30k images between them in two years without missing a beat! I am calling that a win

The irony is, people say phones will replace cameras, yet I have only had one that lasted two years let alone 3½. In my eyes, in terms of photography, using the camera is 70% of my enjoyment! Replace that with a phone? Unless phones change a lot, that is very unlikely