[biz-engineer]

According to Pentax rumors, Ricoh will release 6 different version of the Pentax K3 mk III. I guess Ricoh didn't know how to decide what variant is best to make, so they decided to do them all, only a guess.

Source: Pentax online event additional coverage: there will be a total of six different versions of the Pentax K-3 Mark III DSLR camera - Pentax Rumors

[BarneyL]

I would buy an astro version of k-1 ii. This one, being crop sensor, is a hard sell to me, and I suspect special versions will be considerably more expensive, so I'm out.

[reh321]

According to Pentax rumors, Ricoh will release 6 different version of the Pentax K3 mk III. I guess Ricoh didn't know how to decide what variant is best to make, so they decided to do them all, only a guess.

Source: Pentax online event additional coverage: there will be a total of six different versions of the Pentax K-3 Mark III DSLR camera - Pentax Rumors

If they organize production as automakers do {all parts for a red convertible arrive at the same moment}, there might be little impact on price or profit, but I’m surprised they would choose this model to do this experiment with.

[c.a.m]

Reading the translated version of the original report, my interpretation is that these versions were presented as ideas and Ricoh Imaging was looking for feedback. I'm not sure that they were presented as firm plans for production models. Perhaps I misunderstood the presentation.

Still, it shows that their team continues to think about further evolution of the K-3 Mark III, which is great.

- Craig

[Ronald Oakes]

Maybe one of the six versions will have a screen that is articulating ?
From what I can deduct that would add another 40% to sales from us Pentaxians that are still waiting for our real "Flagship" model to finally arrive !

[luftfluss]

From one of the links on the Pentax Rumors page:

six types of derivative model proposals

Anyway, these proposals were mentioned in the thread about the meeting: Pentax Meeting on Nov 27: K-3 III evolution (firmware and model variants) - PentaxForums.com

[Pål Jensen]

We already got a thread for this....

[reh321]

Maybe one of the six versions will have a screen that is articulating ?
From what I can deduct that would add another 40% to sales from us Pentaxians that are still waiting for our real "Flagship" model to finally arrive !

So the K-3 and K-3ii were not 'real flagships'?
People complained that the KP had insufficient queue capacity and that the burst mode was too slow on the K-1, K-1ii ..... these comparisons were to the earlier K-3 models.

[Serkevan]

Still, it shows that their team continues to think about further evolution of the K-3 Mark III, which is great.

- Craig

From JPT's and kwb's accounts in the other thread (they both attended) it's more about Pentax wanting to do some niche stuff that doesn't really take any development time. It's probably borne out of the success the J-Limited mods seem to have been enjoying - if there are enough people happy to pay for one of those versions, why not do a slightly different production run?

I'm honestly quite happy that they are exploring these "boutique" options. It definitely makes the brand feel more exclusive for those who want to pay extra for some flair... and if it pays R&D for us utilitarians, I can't complain

[texandrews]

Reading the translated version of the original report, my interpretation is that these versions were presented as ideas and Ricoh Imaging was looking for feedback. I'm not sure that they were presented as firm plans for production models. Perhaps I misunderstood the presentation.

Still, it shows that their team continues to think about further evolution of the K-3 Mark III, which is great.

- Craig

That was my understanding as well.

[biz-engineer]

Anyway, these proposals were mentioned in the thread about the meeting: Pentax Meeting on Nov 27: K-3 III evolution (firmware and model variants) - PentaxForums.com

The Pentax meeting was to collect customer opinions about product variant. In the rumor posted by photorumors, it looks like Ricoh decided to make multiple variants, maybe only delivered on demand via pre-ordering, unless someone made up that rumors or took the freedom to modify the original info.

[PocketPixels]

If they organize production as automakers do {all parts for a red convertible arrive at the same moment}, there might be little impact on price or profit, but I’m surprised they would choose this model to do this experiment with.

That analogy would have made perfect sense in 2019—and I fervently hope it will make sense again in 2022—but in 2021 nobody can schedule Just-In-Time production for a ham sandwich, let alone for a sophisticated gizmo full of optics and microchips. They can make what the supply chain allows them to make, and they get the same crummy excuses from shipping companies that other companies get. I work for a luxury products company that is perhaps 5x larger overall than the Pentax division of Ricoh. In 2019, we offered our bestselling models in 6x4x3 = 72 possible color combinations; now it's dark brown with grey trim or "join the waitlist."

I say all this as someone who really values color and style variations for camera gear. I wish all Pentax cameras (and lenses) came in black, silver, and colorful options, much like the Ricoh Theta ϴ. It's a nice way to stand apart from the crowd. My K-S2 is dazzlingly white, and I get comments on it all the time along the lines of "I didn't know cameras could be white!"

Traditionally, Pentax has been very conservative with their flagships in terms of color and style options: The 645z is only made in black. The K-1 and K-3 came in black, and eventually silver followed as a special edition. The K-1 mk ii and the K-3 mk iii come in black and silver right out of the gate. Compare that to what Pentax has traditionally offered for mid-range models such as the K-x and K-r. I worry a bit that Ricoh might see no room for a mid-range model; reh321 of all people would surely agree that the KP had a few more years of good mid-range utility, yet Ricoh discontinued it after briefly offering that infrared "samurai" version. Now we have a camera brand with 1-2-3 three flagships and the entry-level K-70 (also black & silver only). Seems top-heavy to me.

I'm Team Flippy Screen for life thanks to my K-S2, so a gunmetal K-3 mk iii wouldn't be enough to tempt me. I'm going to hold out for a K-S3 or K-T mid-range model in something other than black or silver.

[TwoUptons]

I keep thinking that as cool as some of these other options would be, the KP replacement would be a better platform for some of those.
Monochrome? how many people need the K3iii's buffer (though 4k monochrome video might be neat...) and burst rate?
Same with manual focus...

The Jet Black/Gunmetal could be on any model, though... and I agree a K1 for Astro would be cool.

-Eric

[Smolk]

Still, it shows that their team continues to think about further evolution of the K-3 Mark III, which is great.

- Craig

I'm honestly quite happy that they are exploring these "boutique" options. It definitely makes the brand feel more exclusive for those who want to pay extra for some flair... and if it pays R&D for us utilitarians, I can't complain

I wholeheartedly agree. As long as they sell, they increase the premium of the mark and brand. I'd be interested in the MF version - but as I already have the standard Mk III, I won't go for it now.

[ThorSanchez]

From JPT's and kwb's accounts in the other thread (they both attended) it's more about Pentax wanting to do some niche stuff that doesn't really take any development time. It's probably borne out of the success the J-Limited mods seem to have been enjoying - if there are enough people happy to pay for one of those versions, why not do a slightly different production run?

I'm honestly quite happy that they are exploring these "boutique" options. It definitely makes the brand feel more exclusive for those who want to pay extra for some flair... and if it pays R&D for us utilitarians, I can't complain

It's nice that these models will (apparently) exist. But I wonder how much R&D is going to be paid for with the sales of a handful of $3000 monochrome K-3 IIIs?

A few weeks ago Wheatfield was speculating that only a couple dozen Pentax Forums users had a normal K-3 III. If that's the case we'd be lucky if one or two members bought one of these boutique models. With the numbers they'd likely sell would even $3000 make them worthwhile to produce? Maybe as a halo/vanity project just for the press?