[JPT]

Pentax Rumors in particular seems to follow JPT and Mistral75 fairly closely, at least in the past. Maybe it’s considered old news, given that the original ideas for variants on the K-3iii were floated some time ago, but the fact that Ricoh’s engineering team has actually followed through with some hardware trials should be of interest.

Because the extent of the research that the guy who runs it does is to look no further than the thread titles?

Because he doesn't want anything else on the top page to distract from all the links to the Black Friday deals he so desperately wants visitors to click through to?

Anyway, this was quite a limited event. It wasn't really promoted to the Japanese press either. When something is actually announced, it will be time for press releases. However, in recent years Pentax has been really bad at informing sites like DPR about minor releases. For example, they didn't pick up the Astrotracer firmware update to the K-3 III, while they did report on the weird lens-specific seasonal custom image update. It's tempting to blame DPR but really Pentax has to try to control the narrative a bit more.

---------- Post added 11-26-22 at 12:54 AM ----------

Actually, it's not just Pentax news that gets missed. Panasonic launched a revised compact camera yesterday and none of the international sites picked up on it.

---

Last edited by JPT; 11-25-2022 at 07:05 PM.

[RobA_Oz]

Actually, it's not just Pentax news that gets missed. Panasonic launched a revised compact camera yesterday and none of the international sites picked up on it.

Did they pick up on the news/rumour/whatever that Panasonic was planning to get out of the non-performing still camera lines, and just concentrate on video and the best hybrid models?

[Rondec]

Speaking of K-3 III Monochrome, the K-3 III JB version was voted the first, 235 units were sold less than half, how many units of the second voted Monochrome can sell this time? GR Monochrome will sell more.

I actually wouldn't be surprised if the a K-3 III monochrome does better than the Jet Black version. Obviously a lot depends on the cost. This is a camera that I have heard mentioned numerous times as being desired on the Forum, whereas I never heard anyone specifically ask for a "Jet Black" version of any camera.

Beyond that, the Jet Black K-3 III was exactly the same camera as the K-3 III. Many of the people who voted for this camera decided that their current camera was good enough and a number on further thought that functionality would be worse if it was hard to identify what button did what.

If, as was the case with the Jet Black model, this is available worldwide, I think it could be a nice seller for them.

[reh321]

If, as was the case with the Jet Black model, this is available worldwide, I think it could be a nice seller for them.

If I understand OoKU’s last sentence correctly, price may be an issue for some people. I can kind of understand a person with lots of cash purchasing an “all black” camera for display; perhaps someone’s purchasing an “all black” K-3iii if s/he owned no K-3iii yet, but people purchase a monochrome camera to use it. In the days when I had two film cameras, I would sometimes load one with B&W film and then take six months to go through the roll, but I could always use it with color film also {like around this time of year loading one with higher ASA film than I usually used, because I knew our children’s Christmas programs were coming}. In light of price considerations, I would think that a monochrome KF would make sense, since it would have the same flexibility that any other DSLR does.

[Rondec]

If I understand OoKU’s last sentence correctly, price may be an issue for some people. I can kind of understand a person with lots of cash purchasing an “all black” camera for display; perhaps someone’s purchasing an “all black” K-3iii if s/he owned no K-3iii yet, but people purchase a monochrome camera to use it. In the days when I had two film cameras, I would sometimes load one with B&W film and then take six months to go through the roll, but I could always use it with color film also {like around this time of year loading one with higher ASA film than I usually used, because I knew our children’s Christmas programs were coming}. In light of price considerations, I would think that a monochrome KF would make sense, since it would have the same flexibility that any other DSLR does.

I specifically mentioned price in my comment. I was simply saying that people who are interested in monochrome photography are often willing to shell out their hard earned cash for a camera that fits those needs. On the other hand, even if people polled indicated that they were interested in an all black camera, if they already had a standard model with the same functionality, they didn't follow through on that purchase.

If a monochrome sold for, say, 2200 dollars, it would still be significantly cheaper than Leica monochrome models currently available.

[TwoUptons]

I specifically mentioned price in my comment. I was simply saying that people who are interested in monochrome photography are often willing to shell out their hard earned cash for a camera that fits those needs. On the other hand, even if people polled indicated that they were interested in an all black camera, if they already had a standard model with the same functionality, they didn't follow through on that purchase.

If a monochrome sold for, say, 2200 dollars, it would still be significantly cheaper than Leica monochrome models currently available.

At $2,200, it would be significantly cheaper than Leica standard models currently available...

I think the monochrome model is a great idea. A small enough market that Canon, Nikon, and Sony are likely to leave it alone, with a large enough market to maybe sell high quality glass to some folks who would otherwise be shooting mirrorless...

And if it really takes off, then maybe a monochrome KF would be in the cards as well...

-Eric

[reh321]

At $2,200, it would be significantly cheaper than Leica standard models currently available...

I think the monochrome model is a great idea. A small enough market that Canon, Nikon, and Sony are likely to leave it alone, with a large enough market to maybe sell high quality glass to some folks who would otherwise be shooting mirrorless...

And if it really takes off, then maybe a monochrome KF would be in the cards as well...

-Eric

If a monochrome K-3iii sells well, I don’t see any reason for Pentax to develop a monochrome KF; I don’t have any ‘skin in the game’ - no personal interest - in any case. I was just thinking that a $1K specialized camera might sell better than a $2K specialized camera, and the launch of the KF gives them another option.

[RobA_Oz]

I actually wouldn't be surprised if the a K-3 III monochrome does better than the Jet Black version. Obviously a lot depends on the cost. This is a camera that I have heard mentioned numerous times as being desired on the Forum, whereas I never heard anyone specifically ask for a "Jet Black" version of any camera.

Beyond that, the Jet Black K-3 III was exactly the same camera as the K-3 III. Many of the people who voted for this camera decided that their current camera was good enough and a number on further thought that functionality would be worse if it was hard to identify what button did what.

If, as was the case with the Jet Black model, this is available worldwide, I think it could be a nice seller for them.

The possible benefit of releasing the unsold Jet Black model stock to the rest of the world is that we may more prominently figure in Ricoh’s otherwise Japan-centric thinking about their product, now. I wouldn’t hold my breath, but every little bit helps, as the lady said.

The Jet Black was really a collectors’ item. The Monochrome will be functional and different because of its added feature, not its style.

[Mistral75]

Leica monochrome cameras aren't that more expensive than their standard counterpart. For instance:

• Leica M10-R: €8,150. Leica M10 Monochrom: €8,350.
• Leica Q2: €5,650. Leica Q2 Monochrom: €5,700.

(don't compare prices between the Leica M10 -24 Mpix sensor- and M10 Monochrom -40 Mpix sensor-)

Why should a Pentax K-3 Mark III Monochrome be much more expensive than a standard Pentax K-3 Mark III?

[Rondec]

Leica monochrome cameras aren't that more expensive than their standard counterpart. For instance:

• Leica M10-R: €8,150. Leica M10 Monochrom: €8,350.
• Leica Q2: €5,650. Leica Q2 Monochrom: €5,700.

(don't compare prices between the Leica M10 -24 Mpix sensor- and M10 Monochrom -40 Mpix sensor-)

Why should a Pentax K-3 Mark III Monochrome be much more expensive than a standard Pentax K-3 Mark III?

It will be more expensive because Pentax will view it as an opportunity to make money. Making a small batch of monochrome cameras is a way to bump the revenue from the K-3 III will relatively small effort.

[RobA_Oz]

Leica monochrome cameras aren't that more expensive than their standard counterpart. For instance:

• Leica M10-R: €8,150. Leica M10 Monochrom: €8,350.
• Leica Q2: €5,650. Leica Q2 Monochrom: €5,700.

(don't compare prices between the Leica M10 -24 Mpix sensor- and M10 Monochrom -40 Mpix sensor-)

Why should a Pentax K-3 Mark III Monochrome be much more expensive than a standard Pentax K-3 Mark III?

Why, indeed. As far as I can tell, it’s simply a firmware difference and a sub-assembly change.

[reh321]

It will be more expensive because Pentax will view it as an opportunity to make money. Making a small batch of monochrome cameras is a way to bump the revenue from the K-3 III will relatively small effort.

Pentax will make money simply by selling more camera units, as long as unit price is higher than cost of making them.

[Mistral75]

It will be more expensive because Pentax will view it as an opportunity to make money. (...)

Because Leica Camera AG, owned by the Kaufmann family (56%) and a private equity fund (Blackstone, 44%), don't view their Monochrom cameras as opportunities to make money?

Yet their Monochrom cameras are only €50 (Q2) to €200 (M10) more expensive than their standard counterparts.

[OoKU]

In previous official surveys, the Monochrome model was priced about at 350,000 yen, while the standard K3III was released at 250,000 yen.

[Rondec]

Because Leica Camera AG, owned by the Kaufmann family (56%) and a private equity fund (Blackstone, 44%), don't view their Monochrom cameras as opportunities to make money?

Yet their Monochrom cameras are only €50 (Q2) to €200 (M10) more expensive than their standard counterparts.

I'm just saying that Pentax could price a K-3 III monochrome quite a bit higher than a regular K-3 III and still be significantly under Leica's monochromes. Leica makes money off of all of their cameras. I'm not too worried about them.