Digital Camera Magazine Interview: Comments on Full Frame

JPT · 12-22-2014, 08:57 AM - **2 Likes**

The Japanese magazine "Digital Camera Magazine published interviewed with the main eight camera manufacturers this weekend. I only have the print version, but it may be put on the associated DC Watch website in the coming days. That would make it easier to run it through a translator. For now I've translated, with the help of my long-suffering wife the answer to question about Full Frame. It's vague s usual, but I think it sounds a little more firm than before.

"It isn't possible to share concrete details about future products but development is continuing. The judgement on whether to make it into an actual product will be clarified next year. You can consider that there is a possibility that it will be released in the near future. It's only a hypothetical discussion, but if it did happen, we would take K-mount seriously and it would work properly with the lens specification."

I know how people obsess over the wording, so I've tried to stay pretty close to the original, which has a lot of hedging language, like "you can consider that" - quite common in the Japanese language and not necessarily a sign of trying to evade questions. My feelings are that this is the most positive statement so far. I don't see why anyone would add that "near future" statement if it wasn't true. In a separate question, they said that any APS-C or Full Frame mirrorless camera is just at the ideas stage.

Clavius · 12-22-2014, 09:01 AM

Originally posted by JPT

The judgement on whether to make it into an actual product will be clarified next year.

What does this mean? That they still have to decide wether if they will take it into production or not? That's not good...

eyeswideshut · 12-22-2014, 09:08 AM

Originally posted by Clavius

What does this mean? That they still have to decide wether if they will take it into production or not?

That's how I would read it too. Sounds like the development phase is over, it'll be k mount and released in short order - provided that they decide to release it at all.

Docrwm · 12-22-2014, 09:10 AM - **1 Like**

It means that they haven't decided to announce it yet.

JPT · 12-22-2014, 09:22 AM

I agree that the second and third sentences seem contradictory. There were actually four Ricoh employees involved in this interview. Perhaps those sentences were said by different people.

dakight · 12-22-2014, 09:46 AM

Where there's smoke, there's fire. There have been enough vague and evasive statements out of Ricoh to lead me to believe that it's clearly on their radar. At this stage, given what they've said I believe that they have completed or very nearly completed the engineering and development and the remaining questions are related to marketing. That doesn't by any stretch mean that it's a done deal though. Given the state of the camera market they could very well decide that there just isn't enough money in it to make it worthwhile. Also they have to be very careful where they position it in the product lineup and how they market it so that they maximize the impact without adversely affecting the existing lines. There has to be, in their estimation, a net positive financial impact or they are better off just putting it on the shelf and forgetting about it.

**Spodeworld** · 12-22-2014, 09:51 AM

Ricoh confirms the Pentax full frame camera is coming in 2015 | Photo Rumors

Winder · 12-22-2014, 11:06 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by JPT

It's only a hypothetical discussion

Its official.... FF has advanced all the way to the hypothetical discussion phase. In a year or two they might even be having real discussions about it.

Docrwm · 12-22-2014, 11:12 AM

Originally posted by Winder

Its official.... FF has advanced all the way to the hypothetical discussion phase. In a year or two they might even be having real discussions about it.

Pentax is doomed.

**wtlwdwgn** · 12-22-2014, 11:18 AM

We only have to look back at how many rumors and hypothetical discussions there were about the 645D before it became a reality. Pentax never seems to be in a hurry to introduce a new format. Just as well. Maybe there won't be any oil spots (D600) or light leaks (D750) for the early adopters to moan about.

RonHendriks1966 · 12-22-2014, 12:59 PM

We will learn at CP+ that FF is around the corner.........of this decade.....

Kunzite · 12-22-2014, 01:27 PM

JPT, thanks for posting. It sounds to me they're almost ready to spill the beans... I'd like to know what you think of the following interpretation of your translation:
#1 - what we all know, they won't openly talk about yet unannounced products.
#2 - we will find out about their decision next year, in an unambiguous way. That's not the same as deciding next year. Even in the most optimistic scenario - CP+ product announcements - we'd still find out about it next year.
Given the prototype lenses displayed at Photokina, I think this "will be clarified" means product announcements; not just declarations and roadmaps. I would also link it to:
#3 - the hint that an announcement "might" be near. They wouldn't say so unless we're talking about advanced stages of development, which won't happen unless a decision was made quite some time ago - IMO.

Of course, it very much depends on the missing details; is it "clarified" as in "we don't know yet"? Or as in "we'll make it public"?
I think my interpretation ties nicely all they said; but even so, it's mostly guessing.

DeadJohn · 12-22-2014, 02:19 PM

Originally posted by JPT

...I don't see why anyone would add that "near future" statement if it wasn't true...

It might be true. It's also possible that they think it isn't coming and want to keep Pentax users from jumping ship. It's just like saying a project will be finished "soon".

Kunzite · 12-22-2014, 02:45 PM

That would be very short term thinking; highly unlikely IMO.

DeadJohn · 12-22-2014, 03:54 PM

Originally posted by Kunzite

That would be very short term thinking; highly unlikely IMO.

I think that's a reply to my comment. Corporations and their employees frequently do short term thinking "I can release the truth now, or stall while I find a new job and let the next guy worry about it". I am not claiming Ricoh is doing that but there's no evidence either way. We remain at maybe a full frame is coming, maybe it isn't.

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12-22-2014, 08:57 AM - 2 Likes	#1
JPT Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Tokyo Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,821	Digital Camera Magazine Interview: Comments on Full Frame The Japanese magazine "Digital Camera Magazine published interviewed with the main eight camera manufacturers this weekend. I only have the print version, but it may be put on the associated DC Watch website in the coming days. That would make it easier to run it through a translator. For now I've translated, with the help of my long-suffering wife the answer to question about Full Frame. It's vague s usual, but I think it sounds a little more firm than before. "It isn't possible to share concrete details about future products but development is continuing. The judgement on whether to make it into an actual product will be clarified next year. You can consider that there is a possibility that it will be released in the near future. It's only a hypothetical discussion, but if it did happen, we would take K-mount seriously and it would work properly with the lens specification." I know how people obsess over the wording, so I've tried to stay pretty close to the original, which has a lot of hedging language, like "you can consider that" - quite common in the Japanese language and not necessarily a sign of trying to evade questions. My feelings are that this is the most positive statement so far. I don't see why anyone would add that "near future" statement if it wasn't true. In a separate question, they said that any APS-C or Full Frame mirrorless camera is just at the ideas stage.

12-22-2014, 09:01 AM	#2
Clavius Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: De Klundert Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,150	Originally posted by JPT The judgement on whether to make it into an actual product will be clarified next year. What does this mean? That they still have to decide wether if they will take it into production or not? That's not good... Last edited by Clavius; 12-22-2014 at 10:40 AM.

12-22-2014, 09:08 AM	#3
eyeswideshut Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Hamburg Posts: 287	Originally posted by Clavius What does this mean? That they still have to decide wether if they will take it into production or not? That's how I would read it too. Sounds like the development phase is over, it'll be k mount and released in short order - provided that they decide to release it at all.

12-22-2014, 09:10 AM - 1 Like	#4
Docrwm Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Somewhere in the Southern US Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,285	It means that they haven't decided to announce it yet.

12-22-2014, 09:22 AM	#5
JPT Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Tokyo Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,821 Original Poster	I agree that the second and third sentences seem contradictory. There were actually four Ricoh employees involved in this interview. Perhaps those sentences were said by different people.

12-22-2014, 09:46 AM	#6
dakight Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Phoenix, AZ Photos: Albums Posts: 1,216	Where there's smoke, there's fire. There have been enough vague and evasive statements out of Ricoh to lead me to believe that it's clearly on their radar. At this stage, given what they've said I believe that they have completed or very nearly completed the engineering and development and the remaining questions are related to marketing. That doesn't by any stretch mean that it's a done deal though. Given the state of the camera market they could very well decide that there just isn't enough money in it to make it worthwhile. Also they have to be very careful where they position it in the product lineup and how they market it so that they maximize the impact without adversely affecting the existing lines. There has to be, in their estimation, a net positive financial impact or they are better off just putting it on the shelf and forgetting about it.

12-22-2014, 09:51 AM	#7
Spodeworld Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: New Joisey Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,370	Ricoh confirms the Pentax full frame camera is coming in 2015 \| Photo Rumors

12-22-2014, 11:06 AM - 1 Like	#8
Winder Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Tennessee Posts: 6,617	Originally posted by JPT It's only a hypothetical discussion Its official.... FF has advanced all the way to the hypothetical discussion phase. In a year or two they might even be having real discussions about it.

12-22-2014, 11:12 AM	#9
Docrwm Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Somewhere in the Southern US Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,285	Originally posted by Winder Its official.... FF has advanced all the way to the hypothetical discussion phase. In a year or two they might even be having real discussions about it. Pentax is doomed.

12-22-2014, 11:18 AM	#10
wtlwdwgn Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Billings, MT Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,851	We only have to look back at how many rumors and hypothetical discussions there were about the 645D before it became a reality. Pentax never seems to be in a hurry to introduce a new format. Just as well. Maybe there won't be any oil spots (D600) or light leaks (D750) for the early adopters to moan about.

12-22-2014, 12:59 PM	#11
RonHendriks1966 Banned Join Date: Jan 2009 Photos: Gallery Posts: 9,675	We will learn at CP+ that FF is around the corner.........of this decade.....

12-22-2014, 01:27 PM	#12
Kunzite Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Romania Posts: 15,132	JPT, thanks for posting. It sounds to me they're almost ready to spill the beans... I'd like to know what you think of the following interpretation of your translation: #1 - what we all know, they won't openly talk about yet unannounced products. #2 - we will find out about their decision next year, in an unambiguous way. That's not the same as deciding next year. Even in the most optimistic scenario - CP+ product announcements - we'd still find out about it next year. Given the prototype lenses displayed at Photokina, I think this "will be clarified" means product announcements; not just declarations and roadmaps. I would also link it to: #3 - the hint that an announcement "might" be near. They wouldn't say so unless we're talking about advanced stages of development, which won't happen unless a decision was made quite some time ago - IMO. Of course, it very much depends on the missing details; is it "clarified" as in "we don't know yet"? Or as in "we'll make it public"? I think my interpretation ties nicely all they said; but even so, it's mostly guessing.

12-22-2014, 02:19 PM	#13
DeadJohn Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: New York Posts: 4,834	Originally posted by JPT ...I don't see why anyone would add that "near future" statement if it wasn't true... It might be true. It's also possible that they think it isn't coming and want to keep Pentax users from jumping ship. It's just like saying a project will be finished "soon".

12-22-2014, 02:45 PM	#14
Kunzite Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Romania Posts: 15,132	That would be very short term thinking; highly unlikely IMO.

12-22-2014, 03:54 PM	#15
DeadJohn Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: New York Posts: 4,834	Originally posted by Kunzite That would be very short term thinking; highly unlikely IMO. I think that's a reply to my comment. Corporations and their employees frequently do short term thinking "I can release the truth now, or stall while I find a new job and let the next guy worry about it". I am not claiming Ricoh is doing that but there's no evidence either way. We remain at maybe a full frame is coming, maybe it isn't.