[Rupert]

Agreed. Such nonsense.

I'm going back to the thread where the guy is considering jumping....at least there is a chance to see something go splat! I love those threads...so many in attendance gathered around to try and save them from.......themselves!

Regards!

[normhead]

Or as I've said, the FF will make them money, and most people, even folks like myself who don't really need one, will still look at one on our next upgrade cycle, just because it offers something a little different, using the same glass. Need it or not, variety is the spice of life and being able to sue the same lenses on two systems seem like the best deal ever.

[boriscleto]

I'm going back to the thread where the guy is considering jumping....at least there is a chance to see something go splat! I love those threads...so many in attendance gathered around to try and save them from.......themselves!

Regards!

Don't go. no one has even mentioned cheese yet.

[skyoftexas]

I'm relatively new to photography so maybe it's just my lack of experience and knowledge talking, but I really don't understand why ricoh is wasting any time and money at all on a FF. pentax FF isn't going to be groundbreaking to where canikons will switch. I'm just speculating here but how many aps-c users will upgrade to the FF? Maybe half? And I think that's a very optimistic guess. Pentax has some of the best apsc cameras available, an the best MF camera available so why not focus on what they're good at? Maybe work on an affordable MF camera priced the same as canikons FF cameras. A camera like that can be pentaxs offer to the professional photographers instead of another option for a FF.
its almost 2016. people like spending money on new technology. why not work on something like a stellar mirrorless camera that wirelessly tethers with a tab? something where you can edit your pictures on the spot.
Offer a pro package where you can control your whole system, flashes, camera, editing- all on the tab- on location. Maybe it's just me but I don't see a point in playing follow the leader when you can be the leader. Why play catch up with companies like canikon? And who cares about a pentax ff anyhow? The people on here. Maybe a few thousand people? Seems like a big waste to me.

I can appreciate your thinking, but I don't believe Pentax is a reinvent the wheel kind of company. I think they try to cherry pick some of the best aspects of camera technology, and put that in cameras at a price point that makes them a very good value. Pentax cameras have many advantages over the Canikon models, including price, and that has made them an attractive alternative. They are a pleasure to use (ergonomically), have excellent image quality, are compact in both camera body and lenses, and have features not available in similarly priced cameras. In short, Pentax cameras are very usable, and appeal to photographers as a less expensive alternative for image producing tools. An FF will increase the range of possibilities, inviting more professional photographer participation, which will increase marketing exposure. Once the FF is launched, I suspect that a mirror-less FF will follow. Given the excellent quality of Pentax cameras, it is hard not to be excited/curious as to what their FF will offer. I already own the tres amigo lenses – 31mm, 43mm. & 77mm. I am itching to see how they perform on Pentax FF DSLR.

[normhead]

Cheese... cheddar, ricotta, blue cheese

[RAART]

Lets take different approach... Pentax has amazing Pentax 645Z camera and many pro photographers jumping already on the ship. Let say you are a PRO who uses 645Z camera but need a back up or FF camera to take care of the other stuff you photograph. If I owned 645Z for sure I will embrace Pentax FF and if you ask why, then you need to know that all flashes and some other accessories can be used on both cameras... Even now K-3 or K-3II batteries are the same as 645Z ones, and the rest of the stuff.

This is one of the reasons Pentax need FF to establish a good relations with their PRO clientele and not to lose them to Phase One in example. You mention yourself that Pentax need to take care of the stuff they good at it, medium format stuff and that is what they just doing.

YMMV

[jatrax]

The likely total number of members who would like a Pentax / Ricoh FF camera, from a survey taken calculated with 99% certainty is 39,000 PF forum members

Mark, I know we have disagreed on this in the past and I know I should just let it go.

But, I have to ask. There is a total of 63,649 members on this forum. Only Adam knows but I would suspect a large portion of those 'members' are inactive and don't come here anymore. So the real number to be used is far less than 63,349 but even if we ignore that particular elephant those numbers do not make any sense to me. 60% of members of this forum will buy a FF camera?

Honestly, do you really believe that? I'm not going to dispute your math or your methodology, we have been down that road. All I want to know is do you honestly believe 60% of the people who have an account here will buy a FF camera?

[Ian Stuart Forsyth]

I'm relatively new to photography so maybe it's just my lack of experience and knowledge talking, but I really don't understand why ricoh is wasting any time and money at all on a FF. pentax FF isn't going to be groundbreaking to where canikons will switch. I'm just speculating here but how many aps-c users will upgrade to the FF? Maybe half? And I think that's a very optimistic guess. Pentax has some of the best apsc cameras available, an the best MF camera available so why not focus on what they're good at? Maybe work on an affordable MF camera priced the same as canikons FF cameras. A camera like that can be pentaxs offer to the professional photographers instead of another option for a FF.
its almost 2016. people like spending money on new technology. why not work on something like a stellar mirrorless camera that wirelessly tethers with a tab? something where you can edit your pictures on the spot.
Offer a pro package where you can control your whole system, flashes, camera, editing- all on the tab- on location. Maybe it's just me but I don't see a point in playing follow the leader when you can be the leader. Why play catch up with companies like canikon? And who cares about a pentax ff anyhow? The people on here. Maybe a few thousand people? Seems like a big waste to me.

The largest asset pentax has is the K mount system based on a FF format why would pentax not exploit this ?

[Danaher Dempsey]

I think it is wise to review the computer industry. If the application was only word processing, then consumers would not have upgraded machines every few years.
Central to industry growth and success was the creation of more power hungry applications, which drove new machine demand and made the old machines obsolete.
Talk about "planned obsolescence" masterfully done.

Currently I see the opposite occurring in digital photo land, the thrust is for less photo power. With the move to posting massive numbers of online snapshots improved IQ is not needed. The demand from the masses is for simplicity and ease of posting to Facebook etc. For most of the populace that own a DSLR or less expensive digital camera current IQ is just fine no need to upgrade for IQ. Really will even 2% of the population need a camera better than a Pentax k3 in the next decade?
Of course marketing can often create desire where no real need exists.

Is there a photo "killer ap" that can drive photo industry growth? ... Or will we just see a continued proliferation of Smartphones and the cameras in those phones?
No way do I see Pentax being able to significantly improve the k3 line every two years to drive sales. With shutters rated for well beyond 100,000+ clicks don't look for camera replacement to be needed by many users. --- Maybe camera tail-fins and chrome can drive sales.

Ricoh's thinking is undoubtedly many steps ahead of mine. Ricoh sees Pentax FF as being a good direction to go. I find it amusing that as a Pentax-forum group we have lots to say about Ricoh's move, while we know nothing much about the FF product Ricoh will release.

I am sitting on the sidelines for likely at least 9 months, while things shake out a little more. (If I can be that patient)

Hope great things are on the way, but I have no crystal ball.

Wonder how Ilford's film and processing business is going?

[672]

Pentax is doomed…………..

[Rupert]

Just to update on the "jumper"...at last check he still hadn't jumped. Otis has sent a film crew to document the big splat in case he does...Otis likes to illustrate the bedtime stories he reads to the little blind orphan squirrels. If it happens...photos on the 10PM news on the Otis Channel.

Regards!

[monochrome]

Oh dear. Another preemptive thread deviewing.

[MarkJerling]

Cheese... cheddar, ricotta, blue cheese

Brie! Gorgonzola!

[Digitalis]

Don't go. no one has even mentioned cheese yet.

or APS-H

[stevebrot]

I don't know why I'm even putting this much effort into this thread lol.

Perhaps because you started it? As a responsible parent, you are bound for life.


Steve