[Serkevan]

Ricoh Imaging have themselves given the answer: the F in KF is for Finder and Field.

Yeah, which is... sorta puzzling. I'd argue that's a name that better suits either the K-3iii, or even the K-1, seeing as one has possibly the best OVF experience in the land of DSLRs, and the other's one of the best field cameras out there.

In the entry-mid level segment, the KF is 100% a top contender for outdoors photography, but I'm not sure the naming scheme is optimal. Then again, it's a name, it's not a big deal once it's a bit more established. People won't mind too much I guess.

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Last edited by Serkevan; 11-11-2022 at 05:30 AM.

[D1N0]

In Japanese the only words pronounced with an F are Fu sounding words like Fujifilm

Going off some posts in this thread you'd think the F stood for F***ed

Moderator note: careful, Craig, you know the rules about language

[UncleVanya]

Going off some posts in this thread you'd think the F stood for F***ed

Fooled? Lol.

[reh321]

Yeah, which is... sorta puzzling. I'd argue that's a name that better suits either the K-3iii, or even the K-1, seeing as one has possibly the best OVF experience in the land of DSLRs, and the other's one of the best field cameras out there.

In the entry-mid level segment, the KF is 100% a top contender for outdoors photography, but I'm not sure the naming scheme is optimal. Then again, it's a name, it's not a big deal once it's a bit more established. People won't mind too much I guess.

They’ll include a KF with each K-3iii sold - then people will stop complaining about the lack on a movable LED on the K-3iii!.

[reh321]

These are not video cameras. It's 2022, every camera is a decent video camera. It has to be, to justify its price, when any smartphone and cheap Chinese action cam can do 4K 60 fps.

People here seem to concentrate on the sensor. Yes, smart phones can do video despite their small sensors, but they pack incredible processing power. That is where the “magic” occurs in most video {and where the KF apparently lacks}

[borisII]

*I'm thinking of starting a "Pentax Positivity" thread.

for self-illusion life? better to be sober-minded man, not simply positive...why they didn't add SAFOX 11 to KF?

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Last edited by borisII; 11-11-2022 at 08:48 AM.

[Wheatfield]

Unfortunately Ricoh/Pentax Australia is all we have left for choice now for this brand in Australia. Moving forward this will be our only option, this is why Pentax pulling away (from the West) actively harms the brand. You won't be having your SRS perks for long... enjoy it while it lasts.

My understanding is that Ricoh's Australian distributor isn't especially willing to distribute Pentax. In the construction industry, if a contractor gives you a ridiculously high quote it's because he doesn't want to work for you.
I expect the Australian distributor feels that way about Pentax. The rest of tge world has pretty decent pricing and generally OK, albeit disinterested, distributors. Your experience in Oz is something of an outlier, it's not the norm, it's not the way it is elsewhere.

[Wheatfield]

Unfortunately Ricoh/Pentax Australia is all we have left for choice now for this brand in Australia. Moving forward this will be our only option, this is why Pentax pulling away (from the West) actively harms the brand. You won't be having your SRS perks for long... enjoy it while it lasts.

That's a declarative sentence based on supposition not fact. It's also running pretty close to brand bashing.

[Cerebum]

Hehehe...I know!

I sold the KP to fund the K3III and didn't keep it because it was too close to the K3III and I like shiny new things...so maybe a shiny new KF might be a-comin' along one of these days! There's no logic in this hobby for some people!

I actually get what you mean. My KP is a very precious camera, not just because it is a stellar performer but also because it is wonderfully different. I feel it would be herecy to take it canoeing or bungee jumping, whereas I would be far less precious about a KF. As for performance, the K70 was up there with the KP so there would be no real compromise.

Re. The written word, I am often guilty of being overly florid and so very English, to the point where I had to return to my post and clarify what I was banging on about. Its an English pedant thing

[gatorguy]

My understanding is that Ricoh's Australian distributor isn't especially willing to distribute Pentax. In the construction industry, if a contractor gives you a ridiculously high quote it's because he doesn't want to work for you.
I expect the Australian distributor feels that way about Pentax. The rest of tge world has pretty decent pricing and generally OK, albeit disinterested, distributors. Your experience in Oz is something of an outlier, it's not the norm, it's not the way it is elsewhere.

Yes Australian prices are quite out-of-place, and that applies to far more than Pentax. For example you can buy a new Fuji GFX 100 here in the US at roughly two-thirds what you'll pay in the Land of Oz, while a new XT-5 will cost you almost twice the price of the same camera here in the US. I feel for you guys.

[termy]

My thoughts exactly.

I had a KP but sold it as it was too close to the K3III in performance, but the gap between the latter and the new KF would be significantly big enough to consider one of each. I'm perhaps being somewhat unclear in my articulation but I think you all get the gist of what I'm trying to say. (And I'm an English teacher...dear me!)

This >>
"I had a KP but sold it as it was too close to the K3III in performance"

This, cannot hold water.
KP too close to the K3III in performance"??

Maybe a KP mkiii might be "too close to the K3III in performance".

cuz the KP as it is, nowhere near a K3III in performance.

(I do use a KP and a K3III. and nope, they are nowhere even near in performance).

[reh321]

for self-illusion life? better to be sober-minded man, not simply positive...why they didn't add SAFOX 11 to KF?

They apparently did as little as possible to continue building and selling them.

As far as details are involved, I would have preferred a modern processor. As I have said, I believe that would enable faster focusing - I really don’t care about the fleas on a squirrel - nor on focusing on their eyes.

[Erictator]

Like others have said, I don't have a dog in this hunt, but, I AM GLAD that Ricoh is still interested enough to keep putting out product. It means maybe my wish for the K1-Mk3 might still be a thing.

I've worked in manufacturing... what many here are calling an insignificant refresh might not take into consideration what goes into something as simple as having to take an existing model and cram in a new higher resolution view screen. You need a new video board to drive it, capable of the new resolution, with more video memory to handle the added throughput, new integration, more power required from the battery unless you can find newer more efficient components, and more heat to dissipate, and then test it all out as this new package to make sure its functional and reliable. All the menu's had to be tweaked to fit the viewing size, text altered so it doesn't jaggie up or look like junk. Etc etc. And that is just one component, and the news said several components were no longer available (lets hope one of them was that dang solenoid! heh)

When it comes to this kind of stuff, I'm inclined to give the manufacturer the benefit of the doubt. Even a quickie refresh isn't exactly effortless is what I am trying to say. Sure, more stuff would have been nicer, but I don't think the timing of running out of components matched their timetable for an actual tech refresh of the K70, so this is what you get. Certainly beats them just deleting the product from the lineup and throwing in the towel.

As for the F in KF being Finder, I think we have to look at it from the budget buyer viewpoint. It makes marketing sense if you think along the lines of not what the K70 already was, or what the rest of the Pentax lineup already has, but instead look at it as more of a differentiator from the other manufacturers low end budget models with pentamirrors. From that viewpoint, it at least makes some sense to me, and it puts it out there in public view to help justify cost to those who might be flipping a coin between a N*kon D3500 series with pentamirror or whatever and a KF.

That's all I got... have fun.
Eric

[texandrews]

I am increasingly mystified by this thread, although it's also reminding me about the ways SM and certain "news" organizations, but generally all 24/7/365 "news" outlets these days keep eyeballs on their pages by dredging up outrage, grievance, speculation & etc.---all influencing the the amygdala. Since we all know about this, I guess it just goes to show how difficult it is to resist, like the old ad for a brand of potato chips: "Bet you can't eat just one."


I believe there's been an official explanation for the existence of this camera---the inability to source new parts for the K70. For better or worse it was seen as an opportunity to change the name. It is basically a reasonably well spec'd entry level camera with some features entry level cameras don't always have. As for price, I think adjusted for inflation it's pretty on target.

Why some in this thread are especially interested in an entry level camera is a head scratcher to me, but see my first paragraph. In no way does this pre-holiday release say anything about medium format, FF, or other apsc cameras, or the future of Pentax, or Ricoh Imaging division, the economy, politics, religion, philosophy, and on and on.