[btnapa]

Ricoh Imaging is launching a new product. They always put some images with it online. Mostly images made by a toddler. A professional organisation would sent one of their ambassadors with the new lens, like 150-450mm, to Africa to make a nice set of images to present with the lens on the release date. They don't do that. An ambassador can if he Likes go to Africa on his own budget and get the lens as a loner. That is far from professional in my view.

You are absolutely right. Why bother putting these amateurish JPEG quality images up for people to see. What is the point? The images they post could just as well be made by a point and shoot camera. Can't gauge anything with these images.

[RonHendriks1966]

You are absolutely right. Why bother putting these amateurish JPEG quality images up for people to see. What is the point? The images they post could just as well be made by a point and shoot camera. Can't gauge anything with these images.

I had that with the last update for the K-1



We all know that the FA*85mm/F1.4 is the flowerpower lens. Not a lens one would use to make a portrait

[C_Jones]

It all depends on the performance you are looking for. Obviously the 645 series cameras have their attributes/features. Obviously the K-3/K-3II and the K-5/K-5II/K-5IIs cameras have theirs. They all have shown features that are recent technology and perform at an excellent level for their period of engineering. What an individual needs and has preferences for, and what completes the tasks they are planning to do may define the camera that the individual is looking for. If someone is going to be looking for a full frame, the new Pentax full frame will be a candidate. If it uses new and previous Pentax technology for its control set and image rendering it should fulfill the needs expected of it by any level of photographer as long as they go by the instructions. Its name does not need to be "Pro" for it to be an excellent performer, and if it carries on as the new member of the Pentax line with some improvement, I would think it is not going to disappoint any so called "Pro" if they know/learn how to use it for their full frame needs.

[Not a Number]

Back in the film days a professional level camera meant:

• ruggedness for heavy duty usage - using metal as much as possible for construction and manufacturing to higher tolerances than for consumer grade
• features that a casual shooter probably won't need/use - motor drive (often integrated), interchangeable viewfinders, full manual metering
• higher price tags - premium quality/premium price - to a working pro tools of the trade/business expense
• black body

[RonHendriks1966]

Today that is different. Professional means camera's in hands of photographers who have access to places to make images that can make a sale.

So look at Paula Creamer, professional golfer, and global ambassador for Ricoh.
Paula Creamer ? Ricoh Brand Ambassador | Ricoh

And look at these images of Paula Creamer. Not a single one is taken with a Pentax Camera. Not even in 2015.
https://www.google.nl/search?q=paula+creamer+ricoh&client=tablet-android-sam...qFB4wQ_AUIBygB

Even her wedding, just one year ago. There was a Getty Images photographer, so that means Canon, but not someone with a 645Z.

[johnmflores]

Today that is different. Professional means camera's in hands of photographers who have access to places to make images that can make a sale.

So look at Paula Creamer, professional golfer, and global ambassador for Ricoh.
Paula Creamer ? Ricoh Brand Ambassador | Ricoh

And look at these images of Paula Creamer. Not a single one is taken with a Pentax Camera. Not even in 2015.
https://www.google.nl/search?q=paula+creamer+ricoh&client=tablet-android-sam...qFB4wQ_AUIBygB

Even her wedding, just one year ago. There was a Getty Images photographer, so that means Canon, but not someone with a 645Z.

Ricoh≠Pentax

[jsherman999]

The begging question is : what defines "pro"?

At this point it's completely and utterly a marketing term.

It's meant to sell cameras - as in, look, I'm buying the 'pro' body!

Two reasons why this is so:

1) if Pentax meant for his to be sold primarily to real 'pros', they wouldn't sell enough to make it worthwhile - not by a long shot. Neither would Canon or Nikon. The actual current 'pro' market is dwarfed by the consumer/hobbiest/enthusiast market.

2) If Pentax did want to truly enter the 'pro' market - to gain visibility (a useful thing,) not significant sales #'s, because there aren't any - then they could, but it would mean expanding the support structure and initiating sponsorships, etc. In truth it would probably involve giving away a lot of FF kits to get a foot in the door on the sidelines or in places pros work and be seen. (I personally think this may be a worthwhile idea.)

So calling a body a 'pro' body is like calling a pair of basketball shoes 'pro' shoes - it's a marketing thing. If Nike sold only to NBA and college players, they wouldn't last the month.


.

[clackers]

Even the great sage Ken Rockwell says Canon makes just one pro camera - the 1D X. :-P

In professional cycling, those $20,000 bikes are not allowed to be as good as they could be, because the moment they differ too much from what could be bought in a store by the public, they become irrelevant.

In fact, they're required to be at least 7.5kg or so in weight, and sometimes at the last moment teams have to add washers or whatever to make the minimum.

[RonHendriks1966]

Ricoh≠Pentax

And Pentax is run for years now by people who don't have a clue about marketing.

[Davidparis]

Even the great sage Ken Rockwell says Canon makes just one pro camera - the 1D X. :-P

In professional cycling, those $20,000 bikes are not allowed to be as good as they could be, because the moment they differ too much from what could be bought in a store by the public, they become irrelevant.

In fact, they're required to be at least 7.5kg or so in weight, and sometimes at the last moment teams have to add washers or whatever to make the minimum.

Not to argue, but the current UCI pro bike weight is precisely 6,8 kilos. It is equally under revision now as they hope to approve an even lighter weight.

[johnmflores]

And Pentax is run for years now by people who don't have a clue about marketing.

That's a completely different discussion. I'm just pointing out that you can't expect a brand ambassador for Ricoh to also be a brand ambassador for Pentax.

[Zygonyx]

@ Ron :
I don't really agree : if you remember, there were some teasings made for both D-FA 150-450 and D-FA*70-200 that involved some kind of Pentax ambassadors in Australia and in the Alps, to show some situational and nice shots.
Of course, they could have done more and better.
And everyone would prefer to have been chosen by RI, that's easy to understand. But you cannot dismiss RI like you do, just because you're not IN

---------- Post added 01-01-16 at 15:17 ----------

That's a completely different discussion. I'm just pointing out that you can't expect a brand ambassador for Ricoh to also be a brand ambassador for Pentax.

Not so sure, RI has "co-branding" services...

[RonHendriks1966]

@ Ron :
I don't really agree : if you remember, there were some teasings made for both D-FA 150-450 and D-FA*70-200 that involved some kind of Pentax ambassadors in Australia and in the Alps, to show some situational and nice shots.
Of course, they could have done more and better.
And everyone would prefer to have been chosen by RI, that's easy to understand. But you cannot dismiss RI like you do, just because you're not IN

Well there is a good reason why I'm not in. Then again this is not about my personal thing for me.

If I remember correct there where shots made in Italy, but don't know them preciesly now.

If you think that the marketing from Ricoh Imaging is great, then we simply disagree, but I respect your opinion on this. Then again, the marketing for K-1 has to be starten, and there is no reason to think that they can't do that good. Remember......results from the past, not always have influenced on the future.

[monochrome]

Butt that's the whole problem.

[Kunzite]

There's so much room between "great" and "disastrous" (or "don't have a clue")... why talking only about the extremes?
Ricoh Imaging people know more about marketing than us. This is generally true when comparing professionals with armchair experts.