I attended too, and here's my addition to JPT's excellent report.
Lenses:
I have to add that there were many users including myself writing "Q-09 telephoto macro lens" in the comment.
Next FF (sorry I initially titled this "K-1 successor", but looking at my memo, this was NOT necessarily about K-1 successor):
I was surprised that they are still internally debating its concept. They presented all four on the table in this order.
- New prism a la K-3III, new image processing engine, higher Mp (no specific number was mentioned). Some K-3III technology. "Technically the most difficult." I thought that Wakashiro-san sounded as if he doesn't think that this will be likely.
- Low-res ("for example 25 Mp"), no new image processing engine, but quicker operation speed due to smaller data.
- "Compact, lightweight, simple model". Full manual. Sounded similar to K-3 III full manual model they want to offer on crowdfunding (discussed in another thread) but I'm not sure if that was really what Wakashiro-san was talking about.
- K-1 prism will stay the same, but based on the existing K-3 III tech. This is a much less ambitious version of 1.
Many in the comment section pushed for 4. Many also commented they don't need higher Mp.
"Battle of DFA 21 Ltd Devs" photo competition.
I echo JPT's comment, it was great to know that developers/designers were themselves keen photographers. The winner of the competition (voted by the users) was Mr. Saori, the product manager(?), and he'll write an article about that on Pentax Official site in the future.
"Official" camera and lens hashtag for social media.
Didn't know this, but apparently they've made a list of hashtags for Pentax cameras and lenses for social media use. Of course you're not forced to do anything but you're encouraged to use their "official" hashtag when sharing photos shot with Pentax camera and/or lens.
At the moment, all Pentax digital bodies are listed, even discontinued ones. But the list only covers the current lenses. See attached.
Giveaway.
This was supposed to be done by rock, paper and scissors. People secretly vote their choice of rock, paper or scissors online. After everyone voted, president Akahane will declare his choice. People who won will proceed to the next round, and this repeats until the only one stands. The problem was that this was an honor-based system. Each round, the MC couldn't immediately identify who'll proceed, he just knew how many will.
Unfortunately enough people proceeded to the next rounds w/o actually winning, so at some stage they cancelled the thing and decided to randomly choose the winner (who will be announced later). A shame, really. Otherwise it was a good fun.
The prize is what the MC described as "something that's worthless for anybody except Pentax users", and that's about right I guess, but it's a really neat-looking display box with all elements of DFA 21 Ltd.
New president Akahane.
As you know, he was the president of Ricoh Imaging Co. Ltd. before ex-president Takahashi took over, and now he's back. He was an investment banker specialized in restructuring other companies before hired by Ricoh. I didn't know what this means, so I was curious to hear what he had to say, like the subtlest sign about future of Pentax and things like that. You know, sometimes I overthink about these things.
Anyway, no clue yet.
But there's this one thing Akahane-san told us that left me a strong impression.
He started by saying that people with smartphones are producing incredible number of pictures per day. He's extremely happy about that because this allows many people to build and maintain what he calls an instant, "horizontal" connection via photography. (I think he's visualizing that the time axis is running "vertically", and people who are living the same "now" moment are next to each other, "horizontally" if you will. )
On the other hand, in his view, the value of pictures shot with Pentax is that they are "vertical", will "live" beyond this "horizontal" moment to make connections over time. He continued "PENTAX wants to be able to live with you by your side." He was talking about pictures, but at the same time he was clearly talking about Pentax the brand and Pentax the products.