[JPT]

One exception is Phototrend, which published a series of reports and interviews:

CP+ 2023 : tous les articles (in French)

Thanks for that! Read through the day by day reports and they are really well written.

Pity I was busy on that weekend this year. To be honest, if Ricoh/Pentax has been there, I would probably made myself not busy. But they weren’t.

Before COVID they reported visitor numbers for the whole four days of 70-80,000. It will be interesting to see how much they report this year.

The big difference between this show and the ones overseas is that it’s commuting distance from the head office of the main camera companies. So it must be so much cheaper to staff without having to pay for flights and accommodation. That’s why I think it will continue. Also, they do make a big effort to get general customers to visit and promote the idea of photography as well as just promoting products. It’s a nice event.

[Mistral75]

(...)

Before COVID they reported visitor numbers for the whole four days of 70-80,000. It will be interesting to see how much they report this year.

(...)

38.181 on-site visitors and 118,476 online visitors.

Source: 【CP+2023】オンライン来場者は過去最高の11万8,476人…次回もハイブリッド開催に - デジカメ Watch

[lemono]

It is not like this was source of information for their abroad customers Well, I got used that I am third rate eat leftovers type of customer :P



Now any reasonable source of information? Cause if it is right it will be "Pentax is doomed" again.

The latest I've got is that the two new GR and the new Pentax full frame cameras are delayed. And they should not be released this year.
They were originally scheduled for release in 2023.
I don't think this will have any serious effect, because there are actually no new products except for the limited editions of GR and K3III last year.Any adjustment will take time, just wait calmly.

[pschlute]

The latest I've got is that the two new GR and the new Pentax full frame cameras are delayed. And they should not be released this year.
They were originally scheduled for release in 2023.

What is the source of your information ?

[jersey]

The latest I've got is that the two new GR and the new Pentax full frame cameras are delayed. And they should not be released this year.
They were originally scheduled for release in 2023.
I don't think this will have any serious effect, because there are actually no new products except for the limited editions of GR and K3III last year.Any adjustment will take time, just wait calmly.

What @pschlute said. If you can say?


I am not worried, my K-3/3 is still ok and no need for replacement. But if Pentax does not release anything this year despite expectations of many people, it will make them really bad press.

[jcdoss]

... but surprisingly as much as Pentax Poland online presence sucks, life evens are hold regularly.

How can you tell what's going on with them if their online presence sucks so bad?

[jersey]

Cause I visit RI homepage from time to time. If I did not know where to search for information, I would never know that Pentax exist. Even recent greatest charity event in Poland was sponsored by Ricoh industrial copiers. Pentax was present, true, but with binocular set on auction, no mention about cameras.

[lemono]

What is the source of your information ?

The information comes from the dealer. He has a good relationship with Ricoh Image employees.

[repaap]

The latest I've got is that the two new GR and the new Pentax full frame cameras are delayed. And they should not be released this year.
They were originally scheduled for release in 2023.
I don't think this will have any serious effect, because there are actually no new products except for the limited editions of GR and K3III last year.Any adjustment will take time, just wait calmly.

Seems like similar thing what happened with K-3III, was dealyed, but hopefully not by 2 yrs this time That said, my economical situation does like this delay...will need atleast 1 year to get money for the new K-1...

[reh321]

Seems like similar thing what happened with K-3III, was dealyed, but hopefully not by 2 yrs this time That said, my economical situation does like this delay...will need atleast 1 year to get money for the new K-1...

I feel sympathy for K-1 owners - but only so much. I decided that the life of a digital camera was about five years - the same allowance I give to a computer. I realized last night that my KP will be five this coming Christmas season, with the only reasonable replacement {the KF} being even older in design. I had thought it was the last camera I would purchase …… before I understood it’s focusing issues. Now, I’m thinking of turning off the auto focus when photographing {moving} trains, and using the same technique I used 40 years ago, or even making more use of the 40-year-old {film} “Super Program”.

[Wheatfield]

I feel sympathy for K-1 owners - but only so much. I decided that the life of a digital camera was about five years - the same allowance I give to a computer. I realized last night that my KP will be five this coming Christmas season, with the only reasonable replacement {the KF} being even older in design. I had thought it was the last camera I would purchase …… before I understood it’s focusing issues. Now, I’m thinking of turning off the auto focus when photographing {moving} trains, and using the same technique I used 40 years ago, or even making more use of the 40-year-old {film} “Super Program”.

I just dropped over $4k into upgrading my Fuji system with an X-T5, a lens, and some other accessories, and I have another lens on the horizon. If Pentax doesn't release a K1 replacement fairly soon, I might end up being so invested in Fuji that I won't be buying a K1III, and that would be sad. This is the risk Ricoh takes by not putting sufficient resources into getting new products out the door.
As an aside, the X-T5 recognizes trains as part of it's AF function.

[repaap]

I hear you. Reason for me selling off my K-1 and buying K-3III was because I wanted to see my self the difference with AF being updated to 'modern standards'. Other than that, improvements were quite small compared to previous gen cameras and I'm alright with that, because it would be unrealistic to expect anything more. By having the K-3III I'm quite optimistic that K-1III will do the same thing. really for example taking photos just for fun at home/birthdays is quite different when yuou have nice pictures of the persons who did come at there and you don't have to stop everything in order to get those memories and all properly focused. Let alone if some one would pay you a bit of money to do so at their own parties/events.

Huge cold sweat day before shoot did go away. (yes, all did go well in the end, but percentage was very low with keepers)

This is my thoughts and for many it might not be that big deal, but many would expect having atleast decent AF, and not to have to worry about that too.


Yes, you can use also MF skills and even more so use old manual lenses to make it even more enjoyable process. In fact I do do so too, and we re not alone. I have a feeling that this new K-1III might have even more smart way to do it that K-3III has now, just because it will be the new flagship... I'd also think that 5 yrs is good age for a camera, first 2 yrs you have still plenty new tricks to learn. there are still pretty good 10 yrs old cameras out there, they will lack most recent features, but can still be used and they do deliver great images...

I feel sympathy for K-1 owners - but only so much. I decided that the life of a digital camera was about five years - the same allowance I give to a computer. I realized last night that my KP will be five this coming Christmas season, with the only reasonable replacement {the KF} being even older in design. I had thought it was the last camera I would purchase …… before I understood it’s focusing issues. Now, I’m thinking of turning off the auto focus when photographing {moving} trains, and using the same technique I used 40 years ago, or even making more use of the 40-year-old {film} “Super Program”.

---------- Post added 03-09-23 at 18:57 ----------

I just dropped over $4k into upgrading my Fuji system with an X-T5, a lens, and some other accessories, and I have another lens on the horizon. If Pentax doesn't release a K1 replacement fairly soon, I might end up being so invested in Fuji that I won't be buying a K1III, and that would be sad. This is the risk Ricoh takes by not putting sufficient resources into getting new products out the door.
As an aside, the X-T5 recognizes trains as part of it's AF function.

Yeah, well it is Pentax after all...so a bit of delay is part of the process. I did get Canon R5C for video/photos and I also needed lens and I did buy RF dual FE 5.2/2.8(main reason why Canon 3D180VR, I believe it is still coming!(I do like VR video actually)). was looking at Canon RF70-200/2.8 and now I'm looking at /4 version(better with video actually and I have 24-105/4 and that is also nice for video, and cheap compared to 2.8 vers.), because my DFA * 70-200/2.8 is cheap compared to either of those. I also think that DFA * 50&80/1.4 are also bargains for what they are(IF there is updated AF, like K-3III) and will just go with those instead of investing higher end Canon lenses for the same purpose...


After all taking photos is great with Pentax as well as colours&files are very nice


I can wait, only becaue K-3III was the -game changer- for pentax.

[jersey]

Yes, K-3 Mk III is a great camera. I will always treat it as action, fast paced camera and I think it does not lack anything in that regard. You do not really need eye-AF for action, maybe for wildlife though I think AF sensors in K-3 Mk III are now more dependant on software then limited by hardware. Current AF is more then enough for tracking trains, planes, cars, running people (without focussing on eye) etc. Lenses are still an issue, but that is for another discussion.


But I think it is not all-roundish enough to make people want to jump the wagon ASAP or at all. Lack of tilt screen, no gps (and no, Image Sync still sucks and is not a replacement), lack of allure of bigger sensor, still being test bed for what Pentax does (face it - it was rushed camera software wise).

If Pentax does not release something for high-end masses it will be as @Wheatfield said - people may start looking elsewhere and once they get there it will be hard to get them back.

[reh321]

…. though I think AF sensors in K-3 Mk III are now more dependant on software then limited by hardware. Current AF is more than enough for tracking trains, planes, cars, running people (without focussing on eye) etc. Lenses are still an issue, but that is for another discussion.

I was talking about lower tier bodies, for which hardware processing is not ‘up to the job’, as the last lower-tier body predates the K-1ii, and probably won’t be replaced for some time if a K-90 is somewhere behind the K-1iii. Pentax also has to be concerned about our ‘abandoning ship’, as Canon, etc also produce lower level cameras. My K-30, which I purchased used in 2015, stlll works fine, so {once they had finally ‘fixed’ the solenoid}, the basic structure seems to be OK. Since I don’t of course know the figures that Ricoh is looking at, but I don’t think the best use of their R&D staff is obvious.

[Wheatfield]

If Pentax does not release something for high-end masses it will be as @Wheatfield said - people may start looking elsewhere and once they get there it will be hard to get them back.

To be perfectly honest, I'll have a K1III on it's release date.