[Mistral75]

The Jet Black model isn't wildly successful, is it? (...)

Another proof, if needed, that often people don't put their money where their mouth is. Even Japanese people.

[thibs]

Guys, everybody thinks it is normal to have a car in the colour of your choice, what the heck is the problem ?
A car is a tool. What's the différence ?

[gatorguy]

Another proof, if needed, that often people don't put their money where their mouth is. Even Japanese people.

And that's decided one day after the project became public? Maybe give it a couple weeks at least since I doubt most people in the Japanese market are even aware of it yet since it was hardly front page news.

I often stumble across these funding projects and become a patron days or weeks after they've become available. Impossible to keep up with everything.

[Wheatfield]

Guys, everybody thinks it is normal to have a car in the colour of your choice, what the heck is the problem ?
A car is a tool. What's the différence ?

Everything can be made into a fashion statement.

[BarneyL]

Was there any noticeable interest in such model expressed by Japanese audience before the campaign?

[AggieDad]

They do. You can buy a hammer in red (Mikwaukee), yellow (Dewalt), black (Stanley), blue (Estwing), or classic wood (Stilleto)
You can't buy green because Ryobi doesnt market hammers.

To a certain extent, hammers are as much a fashion item as cameras. I would love to own a classic Stilleto wood handled hammer, they are gorgeous. I wouldn't use it though. For the price of them I wouldn't want to risk marring it.

Oh, Wheatfield! What am I to think of your in-depth knowledge of hammer colors?

As for me, I bought my favorite hammer (I must confess to owning several) before I was married which makes it over 56 years. It has a steel shank with a rubber handle that is well worn and spotted with a variety of paint colors. Oops! There is the color thing again.

[Kunzite]

And that's decided one day after the project became public? Maybe give it a couple weeks at least since I doubt most people in the Japanese market are even aware of it yet since it was hardly front page news.

I often stumble across these funding projects and become a patron days or weeks after they've become available. Impossible to keep up with everything.

Thus my wording: it isn't wildly successful.

Perhaps understandably so. I think a good part of the potentially interested base already have a regular, or a Premium Kit K-3iii.

[Wheatfield]

Oh, Wheatfield! What am I to think of your in-depth knowledge of hammer colors?

Bow down before me, for I am all knowing. Bow down before me or I shall smote thee with my blue hammer.
Or something.😀

[Rondec]

I think it will eventually fill the initial order, but it might take a bit of time. Pentax isn't a huge brand and this is a cosmetic difference from the standard K-3 III. Not to say that there aren't those who are interested in it, but it just isn't as big a deal as say, a monochrome version would be.

It does remind me of the spaceship Zaphod steals in the Restaurant at the End of the Universe from "Disaster Area."

“It’s the wild colour scheme that freaks me,” said Zaphod whose love affair with this ship had lasted almost three minutes into the flight, “Every time you try to operate one of these weird black controls that are labelled in black on a black background, a little black light lights up black to let you know you’ve done it. What is this? Some kind of galactic hyperhearse?”

[Mistral75]

Was there any noticeable interest in such model expressed by Japanese audience before the campaign?

(...) Not to say that there aren't those who are interested in it, but it just isn't as big a deal as say, a monochrome version would be.

(...)

The Jet Black version was the most popular, ahead of the monochrome version, in the survey filled by the participants in the November meeting.

Hence my remark about mouths and wallets.

[deus ursus]

The Jet Black version was the most popular, ahead of the monochrome version, in the survey filled by the participants in the November meeting.

Hence my remark about mouths and wallets.

Maybe people are just thinking the same way as me? I thought at first glance that it was incredibly cool. Then I saw the lettering on the controls, and realised that at my age I'd have a hard time even seeing what mode the camera was in. 😬

[house]

The Jet Black version was the most popular, ahead of the monochrome version, in the survey filled by the participants in the November meeting.

Hence my remark about mouths and wallets.

How many people do you think participated in the meeting? Do you actually believe significantly more than 37 people were at the meeting and voted for the jet black model?

[Mistral75]

How many people do you think participated in the meeting? Do you actually believe significantly more than 37 people were at the meeting and voted for the jet black model?

This is not a matter of thought or belief. People who attended such as @JPT might know how many people took part in the November Zoom meeting.

[house]

This is not a matter of thought or belief. People who attended such as @JPT might know how many people took part in the November Zoom meeting.

Your previous comment only makes sense if you knew, or had reason to believe, that more than 37 people voted for the jet black model. My assumption from what we know about the meeting is that 37 is a high number and most likely fewer than that voted.

[JPT]

This is not a matter of thought or belief. People who attended such as @JPT might know how many people took part in the November Zoom meeting.

I don't remember the exact number, but there were hundreds. They normally get pretty good attendance at these meetings. I do remember that the more recent DSLR meeting had over 850 people attending live.

Anyway, there were 6 models proposed, and the most popular was Jet Black, followed by the Astro model and the monochrome one was third. I think the astro model did so well because Pentax had just announced Astrotracer Type 3 at the same event, so having hyped that up, it made the astro version look attractive. I personally voted for monochrome, but I also left a comment saying that I was planning to buy a standard model.

Having said that, I think the main reason they have done the jet black model first is because it is an easy way to test the idea of crowdfunding on such a costly product. As I understand it, this is a historically high cost for a crowdfunded camera product in Japan, so they probably want to see how people react. The other proposed models would require some kind of deeper change in the camera (components and firmware), so it would probably take more time.

The crowdfunding has just started and they have a month left. The target they set of 10,000,000 yen for the K-3 III Jet Black is 98% achieved and the strap is 170%. Of course they have set a maximum production of 232 for the camera which implies they are ready to make a lot more of the demand is there. I'm sure they are going to reach the 250 limit of the strap, because they are already over half way there. The elderly gentleman that weaves them is going to be busy for some time.

Still, I think it's already clear that this is a feasible way of selling niche products. At the recent J-Limited event, they showed wooden grips aimed at customers of the standard KP. I think that would be a very good candidate for the next campaign.