Pentax to join the micro4/3 standard?

**boriscleto** · 04-19-2010, 05:12 AM

Originally posted by jct us101

Oh I think I get it now, so it was just kind of a subsidiary of the original company, but now the original company has changed its name to the subsidiary in order to better identify itself with shareholders and consumers?

More along the lines of Pentax was a brand name of Asahi Optical then Asahi was renamed Pentax Corporation in 2002. If you look at any Panasonic device made before 2008 it says Matsushita Electric Co., Ltd.. The Panasonic brand name originated in 1955 for export audio speakers. In Japan the brand name was National until 2008.

MRRiley · 04-19-2010, 05:19 AM

The only place I think Pentax would benefit from a micro4/3 format would be to use it in a digital version of the Auto 110. This form factor combined with those tiny lenses would make any Olympus look like Andre the Giant by comparison.

Mike

Urkeldaedalus · 04-19-2010, 07:37 AM

It makes no sense to me that Pentax would pass on Samsung's NX project when Samsung offered to let them contribute, and then they would turn around and decide, "Hey, instead of building an EVIL camera based on lenses we have, let's design a whole new lens line based on a new standard that we'll have to pay more for!"

But, this said, since it makes no sense, I'm sure Pentax will do it.

Blue · 04-19-2010, 07:46 AM

Originally posted by Urkeldaedalus

It makes no sense to me that Pentax would pass on Samsung's NX project when Samsung offered to let them contribute, and then they would turn around and decide, "Hey, instead of building an EVIL camera based on lenses we have, let's design a whole new lens line based on a new standard that we'll have to pay more for!"

But, this said, since it makes no sense, I'm sure Pentax will do it.

Maybe Pentax isn't ready to ditch their k-mount lenses at this point. I don't think there would be an advantage to do so. Furthermore, they showed they could put a manual focus version of the 43mm ltd called the 43mm Special with matching rangefinder for the Leica. Thing I try to remember is that Hoya keeps a tighter seal on classified info than Pentax did.

Blue · 04-19-2010, 07:48 AM

Originally posted by MRRiley

The only place I think Pentax would benefit from a micro4/3 format would be to use it in a digital version of the Auto 110. This form factor combined with those tiny lenses would make any Olympus look like Andre the Giant by comparison.

Mike

I was comparing my Auto 110 70mm lens with the FA 77mm ltd this morning. The 110 is nicely made and is actually overall smaller even though they are about the same length. I think a digital version of the 110 is more than reasonable to do.

Edit:

cateto · 04-19-2010, 11:20 AM

Originally posted by Urkeldaedalus

It makes no sense to me that Pentax would pass on Samsung's NX project when Samsung offered to let them contribute

Is there any evidence demonstrating that Samsung did in fact offer Pentax to contribute, or is this just speculation?

From what I have read, it seems that the relationship Pentax/Samsung is cold for a longtime already. Thus I would not be surprised if such an offer did never happen, actually.

Urkeldaedalus · 04-19-2010, 11:44 AM

Originally posted by cateto

Is there any evidence demonstrating that Samsung did in fact offer Pentax to contribute, or is this just speculation?

From what I have read, it seems that the relationship Pentax/Samsung is cold for a longtime already. Thus I would not be surprised if such an offer did never happen, actually.

I believe I read this discussed in an interview with either Pentax or Samsung, but since I can't remember which and don't have a link to the interview, it's not much better than mere speculation

Tommy · 04-19-2010, 12:45 PM

Originally posted by Urkeldaedalus

I believe I read this discussed in an interview with either Pentax or Samsung, but since I can't remember which and don't have a link to the interview, it's not much better than mere speculation

I believe that I read in an Interview with Pentax that they found out about the NX-system no sooner than the rest of us here did. But we have one thing in common: I don't have a link either...

/Tommy

quarc · 04-19-2010, 02:21 PM

Could it not be that Pentax consider to just launch one or two lenses for 4/3 just to show how it should be done and create some buzz? A true pancake, and a really small tele lens a la 110 auto. If they are successfull they could follow up with a camera later on. If not, they have not lost a fortune.

jct us101 · 04-19-2010, 02:34 PM

Originally posted by Tommy

I believe that I read in an Interview with Pentax that they found out about the NX-system no sooner than the rest of us here did. But we have one thing in common: I don't have a link either...

/Tommy

Can you blame them? Have you seen that NX camera, I would hope that Pentax wouldn't want to design anything that ugly with them! I think that there were some developing issues though between Samsung and Pentax that might have resulted in them not going with the NX project though, especially considering the K-x sensor is made by Sony instead of Samsung too.

dnas · 04-19-2010, 04:05 PM

Originally posted by Blue

Maybe Pentax isn't ready to ditch their k-mount lenses at this point. I don't think there would be an advantage to do so. Furthermore, they showed they could put a manual focus version of the 43mm ltd called the 43mm Special with matching rangefinder for the Leica. Thing I try to remember is that Hoya keeps a tighter seal on classified info than Pentax did.

Who said that Pentax would ditch the K-mount, just because they might add micro 4/3 to their line of products?

Surely Hoya is not silly. They can see that mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras have a big market impact. Panasonic and Olympus have gone from around 5-6% of the DSLR market in 2007, to more than 20% just on micro 4/3 in Japan. Add to that regular DSLR sales for Olympus, and you're looking at maybe 23-24% of the total interchangeable lens (DSLR & micro 4/3) in Japan!!! This means that Panasonic and Olympus have TAKEN market share away from Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Pentax.

Have a look 10 years down the road. Can we honestly say that MOST of the interchangeable lens cameras will have a mirrorbox like they do today?? I don't think so.
10 years ago, most of the SLRs were film cameras, and I'm sure many die hards said that DSLRs would NEVER take over that segment. Look at it now!!!!

thibs · 04-20-2010, 03:28 AM

Originally posted by jct us101

Can you blame them? Have you seen that NX camera, I would hope that Pentax wouldn't want to design anything that ugly with them! I think that there were some developing issues though between Samsung and Pentax that might have resulted in them not going with the NX project though, especially considering the K-x sensor is made by Sony instead of Samsung too.

You're mixing everything....

NX project announcement and used sensor dates prior to KX, this isn't related
Samsung developped NX without Pentax which probably why Hoya is pissed off (I would be)
I can't see Pentax joining Samsung when Samsung basicaly screwed Pentax
Whenb Samsung and Pentax had their alliance for DSLRs, Samsung sold cameras with Sony sensopr inside, so really, there's nothing weird in this.
Samsung never did much if anything in this DSLR alliance but sensors, which Pentax still had to pay but Samsung went alone with NX.

Supernaut · 04-20-2010, 03:58 AM

I saw a rumor a while ago claiming that canon was up to a evil with sensor smaller than 4/3. True or not, I think this is the way to go for the evil format today for unrivaled portability. The Oly/Pana evils are not very small once you mount a tele zoom. Scaling down things further would make sense imo.

dimon19 · 04-20-2010, 06:37 AM

It probably will not happen for one simple reason: samsung did not use Pentax mount to avoid royalty pay, for same reason Pentax will continue to use its old time proved mount, but mirror less compacts are here to stay and they(Pentax) have to pay attention, before it's too late and the market gets crowded.

gazonk · 04-20-2010, 07:17 AM

Originally posted by Supernaut

I saw a rumor a while ago claiming that canon was up to a evil with sensor smaller than 4/3. True or not, I think this is the way to go for the evil format today for unrivaled portability. The Oly/Pana evils are not very small once you mount a tele zoom. Scaling down things further would make sense imo.

Yes, I also think this may be a possible way to go. There's a large gap in sensor size between the "large sensor" compacts like the Pan. LX3 and the 4/3 sensors. Canon can produce a sensor in this mid range - but can Pentax find someone that makes such a sensor for them?

04-19-2010, 07:48 AM	#95
Blue Moderator Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Florida Hill Country Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,377	Originally posted by MRRiley The only place I think Pentax would benefit from a micro4/3 format would be to use it in a digital version of the Auto 110. This form factor combined with those tiny lenses would make any Olympus look like Andre the Giant by comparison. Mike I was comparing my Auto 110 70mm lens with the FA 77mm ltd this morning. The 110 is nicely made and is actually overall smaller even though they are about the same length. I think a digital version of the 110 is more than reasonable to do. Edit: Last edited by Blue; 04-19-2010 at 10:48 AM.

04-19-2010, 02:21 PM	#99
quarc Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Sweden Photos: Gallery Posts: 182	Only lenses Could it not be that Pentax consider to just launch one or two lenses for 4/3 just to show how it should be done and create some buzz? A true pancake, and a really small tele lens a la 110 auto. If they are successfull they could follow up with a camera later on. If not, they have not lost a fortune.

04-20-2010, 03:28 AM	#102
thibs Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Belgium Photos: Albums Posts: 7,001	Originally posted by jct us101 Can you blame them? Have you seen that NX camera, I would hope that Pentax wouldn't want to design anything that ugly with them! I think that there were some developing issues though between Samsung and Pentax that might have resulted in them not going with the NX project though, especially considering the K-x sensor is made by Sony instead of Samsung too. You're mixing everything.... NX project announcement and used sensor dates prior to KX, this isn't related Samsung developped NX without Pentax which probably why Hoya is pissed off (I would be) I can't see Pentax joining Samsung when Samsung basicaly screwed Pentax Whenb Samsung and Pentax had their alliance for DSLRs, Samsung sold cameras with Sony sensopr inside, so really, there's nothing weird in this. Samsung never did much if anything in this DSLR alliance but sensors, which Pentax still had to pay but Samsung went alone with NX.

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04-19-2010, 05:12 AM	#91
boriscleto Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: North Syracuse, NY Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,475	Originally posted by jct us101 Oh I think I get it now, so it was just kind of a subsidiary of the original company, but now the original company has changed its name to the subsidiary in order to better identify itself with shareholders and consumers? More along the lines of Pentax was a brand name of Asahi Optical then Asahi was renamed Pentax Corporation in 2002. If you look at any Panasonic device made before 2008 it says Matsushita Electric Co., Ltd.. The Panasonic brand name originated in 1955 for export audio speakers. In Japan the brand name was National until 2008.

04-19-2010, 05:19 AM	#92
MRRiley Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Sterling, VA, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,275	The only place I think Pentax would benefit from a micro4/3 format would be to use it in a digital version of the Auto 110. This form factor combined with those tiny lenses would make any Olympus look like Andre the Giant by comparison. Mike

04-19-2010, 07:37 AM	#93
Urkeldaedalus Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Iowa Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,369	It makes no sense to me that Pentax would pass on Samsung's NX project when Samsung offered to let them contribute, and then they would turn around and decide, "Hey, instead of building an EVIL camera based on lenses we have, let's design a whole new lens line based on a new standard that we'll have to pay more for!" But, this said, since it makes no sense, I'm sure Pentax will do it.

04-19-2010, 07:46 AM	#94
Blue Moderator Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Florida Hill Country Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,377	Originally posted by Urkeldaedalus It makes no sense to me that Pentax would pass on Samsung's NX project when Samsung offered to let them contribute, and then they would turn around and decide, "Hey, instead of building an EVIL camera based on lenses we have, let's design a whole new lens line based on a new standard that we'll have to pay more for!" But, this said, since it makes no sense, I'm sure Pentax will do it. Maybe Pentax isn't ready to ditch their k-mount lenses at this point. I don't think there would be an advantage to do so. Furthermore, they showed they could put a manual focus version of the 43mm ltd called the 43mm Special with matching rangefinder for the Leica. Thing I try to remember is that Hoya keeps a tighter seal on classified info than Pentax did.

04-19-2010, 11:20 AM	#96
cateto Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Spain Posts: 189 Original Poster	Originally posted by Urkeldaedalus It makes no sense to me that Pentax would pass on Samsung's NX project when Samsung offered to let them contribute Is there any evidence demonstrating that Samsung did in fact offer Pentax to contribute, or is this just speculation? From what I have read, it seems that the relationship Pentax/Samsung is cold for a longtime already. Thus I would not be surprised if such an offer did never happen, actually.

04-19-2010, 11:44 AM	#97
Urkeldaedalus Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Iowa Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,369	Originally posted by cateto Is there any evidence demonstrating that Samsung did in fact offer Pentax to contribute, or is this just speculation? From what I have read, it seems that the relationship Pentax/Samsung is cold for a longtime already. Thus I would not be surprised if such an offer did never happen, actually. I believe I read this discussed in an interview with either Pentax or Samsung, but since I can't remember which and don't have a link to the interview, it's not much better than mere speculation

04-19-2010, 12:45 PM	#98
Tommy Senior Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Stockholm, Sweden Photos: Gallery Posts: 195	Originally posted by Urkeldaedalus I believe I read this discussed in an interview with either Pentax or Samsung, but since I can't remember which and don't have a link to the interview, it's not much better than mere speculation I believe that I read in an Interview with Pentax that they found out about the NX-system no sooner than the rest of us here did. But we have one thing in common: I don't have a link either... /Tommy

04-19-2010, 02:34 PM	#100
jct us101 Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Rohnert Park, CA Posts: 3,793	Originally posted by Tommy I believe that I read in an Interview with Pentax that they found out about the NX-system no sooner than the rest of us here did. But we have one thing in common: I don't have a link either... /Tommy Can you blame them? Have you seen that NX camera, I would hope that Pentax wouldn't want to design anything that ugly with them! I think that there were some developing issues though between Samsung and Pentax that might have resulted in them not going with the NX project though, especially considering the K-x sensor is made by Sony instead of Samsung too.

04-19-2010, 04:05 PM	#101
dnas Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Japan (Australian expat) Posts: 179	Originally posted by Blue Maybe Pentax isn't ready to ditch their k-mount lenses at this point. I don't think there would be an advantage to do so. Furthermore, they showed they could put a manual focus version of the 43mm ltd called the 43mm Special with matching rangefinder for the Leica. Thing I try to remember is that Hoya keeps a tighter seal on classified info than Pentax did. Who said that Pentax would ditch the K-mount, just because they might add micro 4/3 to their line of products? Surely Hoya is not silly. They can see that mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras have a big market impact. Panasonic and Olympus have gone from around 5-6% of the DSLR market in 2007, to more than 20% just on micro 4/3 in Japan. Add to that regular DSLR sales for Olympus, and you're looking at maybe 23-24% of the total interchangeable lens (DSLR & micro 4/3) in Japan!!! This means that Panasonic and Olympus have TAKEN market share away from Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Pentax. Have a look 10 years down the road. Can we honestly say that MOST of the interchangeable lens cameras will have a mirrorbox like they do today?? I don't think so. 10 years ago, most of the SLRs were film cameras, and I'm sure many die hards said that DSLRs would NEVER take over that segment. Look at it now!!!!

04-20-2010, 03:58 AM	#103
Supernaut Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: West Coast , Sweden Posts: 467	I saw a rumor a while ago claiming that canon was up to a evil with sensor smaller than 4/3. True or not, I think this is the way to go for the evil format today for unrivaled portability. The Oly/Pana evils are not very small once you mount a tele zoom. Scaling down things further would make sense imo.

04-20-2010, 06:37 AM	#104
dimon19 New Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: ny Photos: Gallery Posts: 10	It probably will not happen for one simple reason: samsung did not use Pentax mount to avoid royalty pay, for same reason Pentax will continue to use its old time proved mount, but mirror less compacts are here to stay and they(Pentax) have to pay attention, before it's too late and the market gets crowded.

04-20-2010, 07:17 AM	#105
gazonk Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Oslo area, Norway Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,746	Originally posted by Supernaut I saw a rumor a while ago claiming that canon was up to a evil with sensor smaller than 4/3. True or not, I think this is the way to go for the evil format today for unrivaled portability. The Oly/Pana evils are not very small once you mount a tele zoom. Scaling down things further would make sense imo. Yes, I also think this may be a possible way to go. There's a large gap in sensor size between the "large sensor" compacts like the Pan. LX3 and the 4/3 sensors. Canon can produce a sensor in this mid range - but can Pentax find someone that makes such a sensor for them?