[nostatic]

Moots is as good as it gets. My favorite frame.

--> MOOTS <--

[Barnster]

The Canon 7D announced today will compete directly with the K7. The Nikon D300s is in the same boat - similar feature set. So the K7 is out of the gate first, with the Nikon D300s just being shipped and pre-orders being taken for the 7D.

The APS-C is alive and well!

I'm still waiting for the K20d price drop, let alone the K7.

[KungPOW]

Nice Moots...

Is it full frame?

[nostatic]

Nice Moots...

Is it full frame?

it certainly isn't cropped.

But it is a softail. And the chainstays flex so maybe it can be considered a tilt-and-shift.

[monochrome]

Wow...look at that weld. That is truly a work of art :drool:

' ' '

That TIG weld is GORGEOUS....

First thing I thought when I saw the pic. That weld explains why the frames cost as much as they do. Anybody can buy alloy tube - not everybody has the skill and desire and takes the time to make an industrial craft into an art form.

Reminiscent of mechanical cameras with 8000 parts that are still going strong 40 years later.

[CharlieO]

... My goodness how much would 2009 Pentax gear cost if it were also Made In Japan, like my Canon and Nikon gears, all cameras & lenses I bought new from them in 2008 and 2009?

I am not sure if I read your quote correctly so please bare with me. I shoot Nikon and Pentax. My Nikon D80 and my AF-S 18-135 Nikkor are made in Thailand, not JAPAN. I know you said specifically stated "...like my Canon and Nikon gears, all cameras & lenses I bought new from them in 2008 and 2009?" So I can only assume you did not purchase anything that I purchased or I was just unlucky and the local stores only sold Nikon products made in Thailand. I highly suspect the latter is not the case. As someone who is in the business of investigating aerospace quality control issues I will attest to the quality of my Made in the Phillipines K10D and K20D (yes, I own both as well as the D80) against any Nikon or Canon made in any country on the planet earth. They all have QC issues, just read DP review and the specific Nikon or Canon SLR forums.

My advise, please be carefull what you state in your comments and please sell your Pentax products. Purchase something that will make you happy and fill your needs.

[gazonk]

The APS-C is alive and well!

Exactly. The D300s and the 7D are godsends for Pentax, since they may put an end to the "all serious DSLRs are FF DSLRs" idea that gear geeks have been promoting over the last year or so. Also, a quick glance at the samples from the 7D gives me the impression that Canon has put a remarkably good sensor in this beast, disproving that APS-C somehow has come to an end in both the MP and noise department.

I hope Pentax doesn't have to wait too long before releasing a [select your favourite name - K-8, K-7 super, K-7 Mk II] which refines the K-7 by replacing the sensor with an even better one.

[Samsungian]

Good to know Nikon is outsourcing some products, but not the products I bought. D700 is Made in Japan, 14-24mm 2.8 is also Japan. I'll keep their outsourcing inmind when shopping in the future. On Canon side, 5D are made in Japan and the 6 lenses I bought new, all are from Japan. Isn't the point of outsourcing to another country instead of it remaining in home country to cut production costs? I wonder why the "VietNam" is hidden inside the Pentax rear lens mount and not proudly displayed on the lens barrel?

I've asked before with no reply, maybe you know, are there any Pentax manufacturing plants still in operation in Japan? I read Hoya closed several, laid off employees and then put the real estate up for sale. Heck they even shuttered the Pentax Museum in Japan.

Thanks for the vote to move on, cash out of Pentax. Its been on my mind alot lately. Weird thing is I am happy with K20D and the old glass I own in K Mount system. My hessitancy to buy the current non Japan made Pentax lenses is a real roadblock and thus creates a dead end system, for me.

Maybe Pentax should scrap their K-Mount so they can sell both cameras and lenses to a whole new generation of shooters, like Canon successfully did with Eos? It would free Hoya from their 24 million pentax lenses made since 1964 legacy base. Thus Hoya would get more profits as everyone who bought "Pentax" dslr would need to buy into a whole new set of lenses too. It worked for Canon when they abandoned their FD System. Come to think of it, its what Olympus did too. 4/3 mount forced buyers to primarily buy 4/3 mount glass to get full compatibilty. Olympus does supply a OM Glass to 4/3 adapter but they have effectively forced new owners into buying glass too.

On a side note, I was shopping for a new car during the cash for clunkers program. Maybe you can tell me, Why is country of origin data found on all the window stickers I looked at? If Country of Origin doesn't matter, why is it easily found on automobile window stickers?

I am not sure if I read your quote correctly so please bare with me. I shoot Nikon and Pentax. My Nikon D80 and my AF-S 18-135 Nikkor are made in Thailand, not JAPAN. I know you said specifically stated "...like my Canon and Nikon gears, all cameras & lenses I bought new from them in 2008 and 2009?" So I can only assume you did not purchase anything that I purchased or I was just unlucky and the local stores only sold Nikon products made in Thailand. I highly suspect the latter is not the case. As someone who is in the business of investigating aerospace quality control issues I will attest to the quality of my Made in the Phillipines K10D and K20D (yes, I own both as well as the D80) against any Nikon or Canon made in any country on the planet earth. They all have QC issues, just read DP review and the specific Nikon or Canon SLR forums.

My advise, please be carefull what you state in your comments and please sell your Pentax products. Purchase something that will make you happy and fill your needs.

[gazonk]

Thus Hoya would get more profits as everyone who bought "Pentax" dslr would need to buy into a whole new set of lenses too.

Maybe they don't need to: I read some time ago sales statistics (from Japan? Don't remember) that showed that Pentax has an uproportionally high share of the DSLR lens market (compared to the camera body market).

[Ash]

Maybe Pentax should scrap their K-Mount so they can sell both cameras and lenses to a whole new generation of shooters, like Canon successfully did with Eos? It would free Hoya from their 24 million pentax lenses made since 1964 legacy base. Thus Hoya would get more profits as everyone who bought "Pentax" dslr would need to buy into a whole new set of lenses too.

You mentioned how Canon did the same but do you think that if Pentax followed suit they would maintain a strong following?

Scrapping K-mount would mean starting afresh, and a good excuse for many Pentax users even loyalists to consider a different system.

[Samsungian]

Pansonic GH1 announced today, another camera, their third since September 2007

All G series cameras are still in production & now they add a couple more new lenses for their growing niche system:

Panasonic unveils DMC-GF1 Micro four-thirds camera: Digital Photography Review

& how about this A Full Review with "Conclusions" on day one of GH1 announcement?

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/panasonicdmcgh1/


I wonder who'll sell (more) digital interchangable lens mount cameras in 2009?

pentax or panasonic

New lens:

Panasonic introduces LUMIX G 20mm / F1.7 ASPH. lens: Digital Photography Review

New lens:

Panasonic Leica 45mm F2.8 Macro lens with OIS: Digital Photography Review

You mentioned how Canon did the same but do you think that if Pentax followed suit they would maintain a strong following?

Scrapping K-mount would mean starting afresh, and a good excuse for many Pentax users even loyalists to consider a different system.

[KungPOW]

I don't see your point Samsungian,

Panisonic has released an entirely new type of camera. It makes sense for there to be a new mount for it. I don't think Panisonic changed FROM another mount did they?

As for Pentax's K-mount, changing it would be pointless. I doubt there is anything that the K-mount is not able to do.

Canon changed their mount because it was part of a complete change to a new autofocus system. In retrospect, they made the right choice.

[Kunzite]

Scraping the K-mount (for a new reflex camera system) means:
- no lenses; it would take several years to make the new lens system to look as it is now (let's not talk about something comparable with Canikon). No, they can't just launch ~25 lenses in a week or two
- killing the K system, thus starting with 0 market share.
- incompatible lens mount would made many Pentax users to switch to another system. I doubt an adapter could provide the same level of functionality with "old" (current, actually) lenses as a K-mount camera.
- an utterly useless operation, as the K-mount is still adequate. Well, from what I understand the idea is to upset all current Pentax users (and try to 'milk' the ones that wouldn't instantly switch to another system, both of them), and not offer new functionality.
Please, do not insist on such "innovative" ways for Pentax to commit suicide. They won't do it.

[JonPB]

I would like it if there is no K-7 price drop; if Pentax is able to sell enough cameras at the current price to keep it there. Pentax had an operating loss of 3.9% in the quarter ending June 30, partly due to "fierce price competition" in the DSLR market.

What makes Pentax special in my mind are the lenses: weather sealing is unique, and the Limiteds are all unique. I hope they're special enough to keep Pentax in business, even if not the camera business.

On a side note, I was shopping for a new car during the cash for clunkers program. Maybe you can tell me, Why is country of origin data found on all the window stickers I looked at? If Country of Origin doesn't matter, why is it easily found on automobile window stickers?

I'm guessing the UAW might have had something to do with it.

[Rorschach]

I've just gotta ask, Samsungian, being a bit piqued by some sore spots about not having that kind of money, and linked-aspersions cast upon how much I know what I'm doing because of them:

How can you* have* all that money, the means by which you got it, all these niggling complaints, generally having nothing good to say about the brand you're ostensibly a fan of...

And still find it worth your time to try bitching at Pentax, Hoya, and Samsung to be Nikon or Canon or whoever... Rather than just go buy what you want?

You've *never* got anything good to say about this stuff, without backhandedly slagging on it at the same time.

What do you *want?* And why are you here spreading 'rumors' to this effect, if it's not working for you?

The guy is probably just an alter ego of the other whiner who has been silent for a while...what's his handle again...oh, yeah, ricehigh