[JPT]

In collaboration with the Japanese style magazine Barfout, Pentax has put out a bit more information about the Film Project.

In this case I’m not going to summarize it in my words. I wasn’t very happy about the way my last summary was copied and misinterpreted last time. You can use your translator of choice for this one.

?????PENTAX???????????????vol.1 Guest ?????UM?×?? ??Prism Lab.KICHIJOJI? | BARFOUT!

A lot of this is a restatement of what TKO said in December’s video, but towards the end, I think there are some hints as to what the first camera might be like.

Also interesting that Pentax is going for communication channels that are quite different from the usual publications for this project.

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Last edited by JPT; 03-18-2023 at 07:40 PM.

[TwoUptons]

You know what? I also want a hand-rolled camera that I can take into a volcano and won't be stolen by thieves

That's an interesting article, but I think I liked your translations better than Google's...

-Eric

[StigVidar]

but I think I liked your translations better than Google's...

I'll second that!!!

[gatorguy]

So what I get from it is they are more likely to invest in making a film camera as close to all-manual as possible. No auto-advance on the film, no auto mode for the capture?

[Mistral75]

A few excerpts, translated:

Although young people started using film cameras spontaneously some years ago, the environment is not good.

The price has gone up because the main market is the second-hand market, and of course there is no warranty if the camera needs repair due to a malfunction. Also, as you know, the price of film has gone up and the number of places that develop film has decreased. Young users are trying to enjoy it. So, if we could do something, what would it be? If we could do anything, it would be to make cameras. We launched this project in the hope that if we could make a camera, the industry and the environment would improve, even if only a little.

We have the right documents that have been managed in our company, so we are working on creating reference data for the design by dropping old blue-print drawings into CAD (computer-aided design) and making them three-dimensional, but there are many things that we don't understand on our own. For this reason, even though the engineers from the time of development have retired, we receive advice on the details of the development at that time. We thought that if we didn't pass this technology on to the next generation, if we didn't start now, we wouldn't really be able to make it after this.

One I particularly like:

Noboru Akahane (President) also used to say that it would be good if Pentax became a kawai [可愛, 'cute'] company that people could look up to with a feeling of "Pentax are doing something strange again, but it can't be helped".

Hints as to what the first camera might be like:

From the very beginning, we didn't want to try our best to make a reissued version, or one that was modelled after the famous models of the past. First of all, we want to help young users enjoy it, so we think a compact camera would be good. However, as Mr Nagoshi said, it's not the same as setting everything to auto and just pressing a button to take a beautiful picture. That's one of the reasons we're thinking about a full new, hand crank camera.
(...)
Manual winding is really hard work, and it is sometimes easier to make a self-winding camera with a motor, but the act of manual winding is a special act that is unique to film. I really want young people to experience this.

(emphasis is mine)

[reh321]

In collaboration with the Japanese style magazine Barfout, Pentax has put out a bit more information about the Film Project.

In this case I’m not going to summarize it in my words. I wan wasn’t very happy about the way my last summary was copied and misinterpreted last time. You can use your translator of choice for this one.

?????PENTAX???????????????vol.1 Guest ?????UM?×?? ??Prism Lab.KICHIJOJI? | BARFOUT!

A lot of this is a restatement of what TKO said in December’s video, but towards the end, I think there are some hints as to what the first camera might be like.

Also interesting that Pentax is going for communication channels that are quite different from the usual publications for this project.

I don’t like it when others miss-use your words, but since I don’t speak Japanese, and am really bad at using “auto translators”, I do find them to be helpful - and {in this case} I am very eager to see any result of the ‘film project’, especially a camera, I do “hang on them”. Thank you for what you do provide.

[borisII]

Japanese camera for Japanese market

[jersey]

If I look at K-3 Mk III I would say it is anything but kawaii more like Gundam, and with telephoto more like gundam with big gun But yeah, I suppose the idea of Pentax being "unique" company where you go when you want something that is not standard or the same as anyone else has to offer is a good one.

I read deep and if it interpreted text good it seems that they want to make something easy to use, for young people (so not current Pentaxians :P) but still having manual winding. So a compact with full auto exposures and manual film winding?

I am more excited about this camera, even compact, then I am about K-1 Mk III or new lenses (other then new telezoom).

[FozzFoster]

March 17 Article on Pentax Film Project

Thank you so much for your posts and all your effort to keep this community informed!

[sculptor666]

if they do it, i hope they start selling film themselves because as fuji has figured out, there is money in film. canon gets all my ink cartridge money, dammit!

[builttospill]

Thank you JPT and Mistral.

I'm really excited about new fim cameras. I hope as part of their film project, they start making parts for older cameras like the K1000, MX, and LX. Even if they don't sell these parts, having Pentax servicing these cameras would be a big deal.

[filmamigo]

They mention a compact camera, auto to help the kids, but manual wind because they like the feeling.

I think that misses the biggest part of the market.

The used market (that they talk about a lot) is driven by cameras in the Pentax K1000 / Pentax K2 / Nikon FM / Nikon FE style. If they make a decent K-mount SLR with an A setting on the shutter speed and allowing the use of all K / M / A / FA lenses, they will have a huge hit that will sell for years. Everyone else has stopped making these (even Cosina). The used prices are climbing and buying used is always a risk for someone who just wants a camera that works (kids, students, new hobbyists.)

[reh321]

They mention a compact camera, auto to help the kids, but manual wind because they like the feeling.

I think that misses the biggest part of the market.

The used market (that they talk about a lot) is driven by cameras in the Pentax K1000 / Pentax K2 / Nikon FM / Nikon FE style. If they make a decent K-mount SLR with an A setting on the shutter speed and allowing the use of all K / M / A / FA lenses, they will have a huge hit that will sell for years. Everyone else has stopped making these (even Cosina). The used prices are climbing and buying used is always a risk for someone who just wants a camera that works (kids, students, new hobbyists.)

I don’t know if winders were available for the K1000; most are sold without. The K1000 also didn’t have ‘auto’ aperture. I haven’t studied the market, as Pentax undoubtedly has. I wouldn’t question these decisions.

I already have a Pentax “Super Program”,
but I expect to purchase their new film camera soon {they have to produce it first}.

[Jeff]

I don’t know if winders were available for the K1000; most are sold without. The K1000 also didn’t have ‘auto’ aperture. I haven’t studied the market, as Pentax undoubtedly has. I wouldn’t question these decisions.

I already have a Pentax “Super Program”,
but I expect to purchase their new film camera soon {they have to produce it first}.

Whoa there!

That's some big news REH!

I've not read that from you before - I'm genuinely excited that you're going to get one of the new film cameras.

Let's hope it's worth it.

[reh321]

Whoa there!

That's some big news REH!

I've not read that from you before - I'm genuinely excited that you're going to get one of the new film cameras.

Let's hope it's worth it.

I wouldn’t be thinking of replacing my “Super Program”, but I would want to get a ‘simple camera’ below that - especially since I have looked and looked, but not been able to locate my pocketable Olympus Infinity, which didn’t give me direct control over aperture and shutter-speed, which apparently their simple camera would.

Right now, I’ve heard enough of their talk. I’m ready to spend my money on {the right} product; their talk does indicate they are still working on it.


added: My initial reaction was “I ‘ll use my ‘Super Program’ if I have a desire to use film - in fact I do”, but as discussion continued, I became convinced that I was lucky to still have {despite over 12 years of use} a working K-mount {film} camera, and {as previously mentioned} I had been unable to locate my pocketable 35mm camera