[ramseybuckeye]

It's probably been a while since so many product announcements were made in a two week period, The K-3III Monochrome, the GR III Diary Edition and 4 new binoculars were all introduced this month. We don't hear a lot about the binoculars, but they must be profitable and obviously take development and manufacturing resources, but apparently the binoculars are made in Japan.

[SelrahCharleS]

Oh, I hadn't seen news about the binoculars. I'll have to look those up.

I have a set of Papilio II's which are awesome.

[ismaelg]

Had to read it more than once as my brain read "Dairy" (instead of diary) and thought of milk and cows.... like.. what?

[bofh]

4 new binoculars

The AD 7x32 ED is the nearest approximation to what I'm looking for years: 7x magnification, 30-35mm front lens, good mechanical and optical quality, relatively wide aFOV, compact, light and relatively affordable.
Well done, Pentax - I'll buy one.

E.

[AfterPentax Mark II]

As far as I know the cheaper ones with standard warranty are made in China. The better ones with 30 (!) year warranty are made in the Philippines. This one https://pentax.eu/nl/products/sport-optics-binoculars-8x30-pcf-cw is one made in the Philippines and has a 30 year warranty. This is an awesome pair of binoculars. At the time Hoya closed down all the Pentax Japan plants, that is including the one for the binoculars, which just like the camera's with the Pentax brand on it (the DSLR's) are now made in the Philippines. But correct me if I am wrong.

[Robot camera]

Had to read it more than once as my brain read "Dairy" (instead of diary) and thought of milk and cows.... like.. what?

No, dairy is correct. The camera is in milk white, special processing gives us creamy bokeh, and the camera weighs the same as a pack of butter.*

*Yes, I know these are cheesy jokes!

[TwoUptons]

No, dairy is correct. The camera is in milk white, special processing gives us creamy bokeh, and the camera weighs the same as a pack of butter.*

*Yes, I know these are cheesy jokes!

You have taken that joke whey too far...

My AD 8x36 binoculars were made in China. I really like them...

-Eric

[biz-engineer]

The number of new products from ricoh imaging isn't bad. The timing of product variants, tied to manufacturing, isn't in sync with customer demand or expectations. Last year and this year, I would have seen medium format or full frame served first, and K3 III monochrome later. To say it another way, some customers are still new to the K3 III, while other are still learning more about K3III capabilities. While at the same time, there has been nothing new for owners of Pentax FF system, and even less for owners of 645d/Z system. Alternating between formats would be better for customer retention than releasing product variants "shortly" spaced in time and long absence on other product lines. I'm not sure so how many customers will buy into all product lines just because it's fun to buy, rather than need and utility, it's certainly not the whole market. If you're a 645 owner, it may be hard not to switch brand when you see nothing new coming for as long as 10 years, a lot of things can happen in 10 years.

[Smolk]

As far as I know the cheaper ones with standard warranty are made in China. The better ones with 30 (!) year warranty are made in the Philippines. This one https://pentax.eu/nl/products/sport-optics-binoculars-8x30-pcf-cw is one made in the Philippines and has a 30 year warranty. This is an awesome pair of binoculars. At the time Hoya closed down all the Pentax Japan plants, that is including the one for the binoculars, which just like the camera's with the Pentax brand on it (the DSLR's) are now made in the Philippines. But correct me if I am wrong.

The one you linked to happens to be on a special offer of €79 rather than €249 - so thanks for the link, as I was thinking about one.
Somewhat curiously, the website, after completing payment, gave me a pop-up window:

"Pentax.eu says

Nada"

[Mistral75]

(...) at the same time, there has been nothing new for owners of Pentax FF system, and even less for owners of 645d/Z system. (...)

The Pentax 645 system has been on life support for many years and is progressively unplugged.

The latest version of the Pentax 645 Mount Lens Line Up was published in February 2017. The 'Current Line Up' listed 16 lenses. Since then, eight lenses, in other words half of them, have been discontinued:

• smc Pentax-FA645 33-55mm f/4.5 AL
• smc Pentax-FA645 45mm f/2.8
• smc Pentax-FA645 45-85mm f/4.5
• smc Pentax-FA645 55-110mm f/5.6
• smc Pentax-FA645 150-300mm f/5.6 ED [IF]
• smc Pentax-FA645 200mm f/4 [IF]
• smc Pentax-FA★645 300mm f/4 ED [IF]
• smc Pentax-FA645 400mm f/5.6 ED [IF]

Source: Discontinued: list of lenses for medium-format digital SLR cameras / Lens line-up / Lenses / Products | RICOH IMAGING

As of today, there are only eight Pentax 645 lenses left, of which three from the digital era and five from the film era (including one reissued with HD coating):

• HD Pentax-DA645 28-45mm f/4.5 ED AW SR (August 2014)
• HD Pentax-D FA645 35mm f/3.5 AL [IF] (November 2015)
• smc Pentax-D FA645 55mm f/2.8 AL [IF] SDM AW (March 2010)
• smc Pentax-FA645 75mm f/2.8
• smc Pentax-FA645 80-160mm f/4.5
• HD Pentax-D FA645 Macro 90mm f/2.8 ED AW SR (September 2012)
• smc Pentax-FA645 Macro 120mm f/4
• smc Pentax-FA645 150mm f/2.8 [IF]

[AAlfano]

Ricoh already made a "Dairy Edition" GR:

[ramseybuckeye]

Ricoh already made a "Dairy Edition" GR:

That’s pretty cheesy

[Wheatfield]

Ricoh already made a "Dairy Edition" GR:

Now if they do one in dark brown, they could call it the Chocolate Dairy Edition.

[Rondec]

Now if they do one in dark brown, they could call it the Chocolate Dairy Edition.

Diarrhea Edition?

(I'll put myself in time out now)...

[Wheatfield]

Diarrhea Edition?

(I'll put myself in time out now)...

Good thing too. Don't make me do it for you!
Kidding.