[ThorSanchez]

Assuming it maintained the 'small camera' character of the "Q" family, I would purchase one immediately. My KP is wonderful, but I carry my Q-7 places I would feel uncomfortable carrying anything that large, and the iPhone I get every few years cannot match it yet.

Everyone has to make that choice for themselves, but I just don't want to spend well over $1000 to fill the small niche between the K-3 series and my current phone. That niche will get a lot smaller when I get a new phone. Similar to how I like the idea of the GRIII (or even a Fuji like the X-E4, which is APS-C, has a viewfinder, and is not a lot bigger than a Q7), but for me the use cases are too small to justify the price.

---

Last edited by ThorSanchez; 02-06-2021 at 12:25 PM.

[Kunzite]

Perhaps in a way we can. The analog iterations of the 645 closely followed K-mount technological advances. The Super A/Super Program (1983) was followed by the 645 (1984) using much of the same technology; likewise with MZ-5/ZX-5 (1996) and 645N (1997). I’m not sure if the same pattern applies with the digital 645 bodies. If it is still being followed next year would be perfect for a new 645 based on the new technology of the K-3 III. Of course it might not happen if it does not make sense in economic terms.

In a way, yes - and you're making a good point about the technology sharing, which happened to a large extent with the 645D and 645Z.
This is common sense, more than predicting the future from the past Sharing technology between various cameras, as much as you can. They also started doing it between the GR and Pentax.

In that post, I was referring rather to the product introduction pace. People are "predicting" one camera each 2-3-N years, because that's what they saw happening in the last years (earlier history buried and forgotten).

[Serkevan]

And, I am glad in following you in coming back to the thread theme, as I said, I don't expect that it will see any further development for now. Phones definitely had an impact on the market, but the ILC camera market has come to a saturation anyway. I will probably be hard to even keep the K-70 level, I would not be surprised if the portfolio started at the level of KP. Entry level ILC probably can't provide the revenue they did in a time where any interest in photography led to the purchase of entry class Canon an Nikon. Ricoh was never that strong in this group and could therefore suffer less than someone like Nikon who's income relied to a bigger part on it.

Yeah, the entry segment level is more or less dead, up to somewhere like the Canon 80D, Nikon D7500 or KP.
Like Thor said, the phones are such a mainstay nowadays that they have an unfair advantage because the vast majority of people already have one and budget for the replacement/upgrade. This advantage is large enough to crash the chances of any small-sensor ILC (or fixed lens compact with small sensors) even if those cameras are much better at the act of taking photos - the quality (perceived or otherwise) of the end result overlaps enough that a Q, Nikon 1, or even the M4/3 basic kits suffer a lot.

Heck, bridge cameras survive exclusively by virtue of being the only cheap options for 500+ mm equivalents.

Now the K-3iii... that's something that is leagues above what the phones or small ILCs can do. I hope it puts RI in the black by enough they mention it in the next quarter!

---------- Post added 02-06-21 at 12:31 PM ----------

. Similar to how I like the idea of the GRIII (or even a Fuji like the X-E4, which is APS-C, has a viewfinder, and is not a lot bigger than a Q7), but for me the use cases are too small to justify the price.

For me the GRiii remains as one of those "when I have more spending money" cameras that I wanna get, but it *is* expensive.

[reh321]

Heck, bridge cameras survive exclusively by virtue of being the only cheap options for 500+ mm equivalents.

Early in this sub-thread I commented that the "Q" would have met the same need as "bridge cameras" if Pentax had made their K-to-Q adapter more powerful, but they didn't see it's potential.
But that was then.

[Rondec]

The Q was an interesting platform, I just think Pentax didn't feel like there were enough people interested in it going forward to continue developing it.

(They might have been wrong. The lists I remember from Japan indicated that the Q cameras were good sellers).

I would say that it is hard enough for them to support K mount full frame, K mount APS-C, and medium format, along with the GR cameras. I'm not sure how much they would have time and money to invest in the Q series.

[reh321]

The Q was an interesting platform, I just think Pentax didn't feel like there were enough people interested in it going forward to continue developing it.

(They might have been wrong. The lists I remember from Japan indicated that the Q cameras were good sellers).

I would say that it is hard enough for them to support K mount full frame, K mount APS-C, and medium format, along with the GR cameras. I'm not sure how much they would have time and money to invest in the Q series.

This sub-thread began because I listed the "Q" and the "645" together.
Frankly, I question whether Ricoh has sufficient resources to continue to support either of them.

Yes, the "645" is a good camera, but so was the "Q" - that is not the point.
The point is which good cameras should they continue to support.

Incidentally, my Canon Rebel died in September 2013 after suffering from what appeared to be processor issues. I felt naked with only my film camera, my Canon Elph with its tiny sensor, and my phone to fall back on, so I quickly purchased another Canon Rebel. That one died in May 2015, again after having apparent processor issues. By then I had been using the Q-7 for six months, and I considered it to be useful as a backup. Thus, although we had a trip to a bird sanctuary in Canada, and our younger daughter would be receiving the last degree to be received by my immediate family within the next month, I felt secure. I did purchase the K-30 a month later - shortly after those two events, which the Q-7 was more than adequate for.

[monochrome]

I can see nothing has changed.

[Rondec]

This sub-thread began because I listed the "Q" and the "645" together.
Frankly, I question whether Ricoh has sufficient resources to continue to support either of them.

Yes, the "645" is a good camera, but so was the "Q" - that is not the point.
The point is which good cameras should they continue to support.

Incidentally, my Canon Rebel died in September 2013 after suffering from what appeared to be processor issues. I felt naked with only my film camera, my Canon Elph with its tiny sensor, and my phone to fall back on, so I quickly purchased another Canon Rebel. That one died in May 2015, again after having apparent processor issues. By then I had been using the Q-7 for six months, and I considered it to be useful as a backup. Thus, although we had a trip to a bird sanctuary in Canada, and our younger daughter would be receiving the last degree to be received by my immediate family within the next month, I felt secure. I did purchase the K-30 a month later - shortly after those two events, which the Q-7 was more than adequate for.

I don't think it is clear that Pentax will continue to support the 645 camera system. I think they will. Certainly it doesn't need nearly as frequent updates -- probably a new camera every six years is fine, but Pentax certainly hasn't been churning out new 645 lenses or bodies recently.

[ramseybuckeye]

Early in this sub-thread I commented that the "Q" would have met the same need as "bridge cameras" if Pentax had made their K-to-Q adapter more powerful, but they didn't see it's potential.
But that was then.

That adapter may have helped, but it would also have helped if they had designed the lenses to also be smaller. I had a Q and never bought any lens except the kit zoom that came with it. The lens was nearly as long as the camera and truly kept it from being small enough to be a pocketable camera, like the GR series is. I always felt if it had been kitted with a pancake it may have had a different outcome. And a camera like that needed to be seen in stores.

[monochrome]

That adapter may have helped, but it would also have helped if they had designed the lenses to also be smaller. I had a Q and never bought any lens except the kit zoom that came with it. The lens was nearly as long as the camera and truly kept it from being small enough to be a pocketable camera, like the GR series is. I always felt if it had been kitted with a pancake it may have had a different outcome. And a camera like that needed to be seen in stores.

The 01 was a darned good lens and fairly close to a pancake. It was a shame so few 01 bundles made it to the USA. Pentax US was truly benighted in those days, as if they actually didn't want to succeed.

[reh321]

The 01 was a darned good lens and fairly close to a pancake. It was a shame so few 01 bundles made it to the USA. Pentax US was truly benighted in those days, as if they actually didn't want to succeed.

I had to purchase mine from a Japanese merchant.
Frankly, I hardly use it now.
I find the 02 {normal zoom} to be much more useful, and both it and the 06 zoom fit in the small bag I got for them.
They are like carrying a 25-70 zoom and a 70-200 zoom for a “FF” kit plus a charger all in a small bag.
That kit is all I took in 2016 when I went by train to California to serve as my daughter’s co-driver back to Indiana, and bringing anything larger would have defeated the purpose of my going {we and two cats made the trip in her Prius}

[onlineflyer]

Net cash provided by operating activities increased by ¥13.8 billion as compared to the previous corresponding period, to ¥72.6 billion.
Although the loss for the period was recorded due to the spread of COVID-19, the proceeds increased due to the decrease in trade and other
receivables and lease receivables.
Net cash used in investing activities decreased by ¥79.7 billion as compared to the previous corresponding period, to ¥45.4 billion. This was
factors such as temporary cash income from the partial transfer of Ricoh Leasing shares and the change of Ricoh Leasing from a consolidated
subsidiary to an equity-method affiliate, which resulted in a decrease in capital investment. In addition, there were expenditures due to the
acquisition of DocuWare GmbH to expand the digital business in the previous corresponding period.
Free cash flow (net cash provided by operating activities plus net cash used in investing activities) totaled ¥27.2 billion, up by ¥93.5 billion.
Net cash provided by financing activities decreased by ¥22.5 billion as compared to the previous corresponding period, to ¥34.7 billion. Since
there was a decrease in procurement due to Ricoh Leasing becoming an equity-method affiliate from a consolidated subsidiary, the proceeds
decreased as compared to the previous corresponding period in spite of the execution of borrowings in preparation for the risk of deterioration
of the business environment by COVID-19.
As a result, the balance of cash and cash equivalent at the end of period increased by ¥62.1 billion as compared to the end of previous fiscal
year, to ¥325.8 billion.

A company can survive on positive cash flow and negative profitability for a long, long time, so stop the 'Pentax is dead" scenarios.

[monochrome]

I had to purchase mine from a Japanese merchant.
Frankly, I hardly use it now.
I find the 02 {normal zoom} to be much more useful, and both it and the 06 zoom fit in the small bag I got for them.
They are like carrying a 25-70 zoom and a 70-200 zoom for a “FF” kit plus a charger all in a small bag.
That kit is all I took in 2016 when I went by train to California to serve as my daughter’s co-driver back to Indiana, and bringing anything larger would have defeated the purpose of my going {we and two cats made the trip in her Prius}

01 and 06 are very good lenses. 02 is just so-so.

[reh321]

01 and 06 are very good lenses. 02 is just so-so.

are you saying this because of aperture or because of quality of image created??

[texandrews]

Net cash provided by operating activities increased by ¥13.8 billion as compared to the previous corresponding period, to ¥72.6 billion.
Although the loss for the period was recorded due to the spread of COVID-19, the proceeds increased due to the decrease in trade and other
receivables and lease receivables.
Net cash used in investing activities decreased by ¥79.7 billion as compared to the previous corresponding period, to ¥45.4 billion. This was
factors such as temporary cash income from the partial transfer of Ricoh Leasing shares and the change of Ricoh Leasing from a consolidated
subsidiary to an equity-method affiliate, which resulted in a decrease in capital investment. In addition, there were expenditures due to the
acquisition of DocuWare GmbH to expand the digital business in the previous corresponding period.
Free cash flow (net cash provided by operating activities plus net cash used in investing activities) totaled ¥27.2 billion, up by ¥93.5 billion.
Net cash provided by financing activities decreased by ¥22.5 billion as compared to the previous corresponding period, to ¥34.7 billion. Since
there was a decrease in procurement due to Ricoh Leasing becoming an equity-method affiliate from a consolidated subsidiary, the proceeds
decreased as compared to the previous corresponding period in spite of the execution of borrowings in preparation for the risk of deterioration
of the business environment by COVID-19.
As a result, the balance of cash and cash equivalent at the end of period increased by ¥62.1 billion as compared to the end of previous fiscal
year, to ¥325.8 billion.

A company can survive on positive cash flow and negative profitability for a long, long time, so stop the 'Pentax is dead" scenarios.

And Japanese corporations/companies have a bit of a different playbook than U.S. ones. The U.S. situation is much more shark tank. Even a company that is "only" modestly successful is not safe.