My long appraisal of the K1 and how we got to it

**jeffshaddix** · 07-07-2016, 10:45 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by jonlg

Jonathan Gorse Photography | Pentax K1 - the 35mm legend returns...

Always interested in comments but I hope it's an entertaining read and even makes you laugh!

jonlg

Captured every reason why I shoot Pentax, nice work!

My wife just agreed to let me get my mid life crisis out of the way and buy a K-1 this year. Huzzah!!

bxf · 07-08-2016, 01:53 AM - **1 Like**

Some of the text in the article should be used in an advert, to make the public aware.

Originally posted by lesmore49

As an aside, I realized I had incorrectly spelled Pentaxian, so I corrected. My spell checker insisted that the word I wished to use was Phoenician.

In some minds, these are pretty close...

**Rondec** · 07-08-2016, 02:40 AM

Originally posted by bxf

Some of the text in the article should be used in an advert, to make the public aware.

In some minds, these are pretty close...

I believe Hannibal was one of the earliest Pentaxians...

bxf · 07-08-2016, 03:14 AM

Originally posted by Rondec

I believe Hannibal was one of the earliest Pentaxians...

Yup. Taken with one of the earliest pre-Asahi bodies, but I forget the actual model:

jeverettfine · 07-08-2016, 10:26 AM - **1 Like**

My first SLR was a Mamiya DTL 500 in 1968 with the "universal screw-mount". It got stolen and I ended up replacing it with a Pentax Spotmatic, then a MX, but lost touch with Pentax for a number of years primarily using Leica rangefinder and large format 4x5 and 8x10. I had a short experience with The Canon F-1 (superb camera) and then a Canon EOS, which was a nice camera, but they were set aside. I have NEVER liked Nikon much and have used one (an FM) only for a while. Pentax always seemed to be in my mind, though I just did not like their auto-focus film camera designs. I had shut my home darkroom down and begun to think about getting a good digital cameras when I came upon a used K20 outfit and snatched it up. I loved it right away, especially the FA 20-35 zoom that came with it. I upgraded a couple of years ago to the K-3 and have kept on going. I acquired three DA Limited lenses (15, 35 macro, 70) and re-acquired some old vintage glass (A 24 2.8, A 50 1.4, A 135 2.8, A 200 4.0) Now I am considering getting a K-1 and your review has pushed me along a good ways towards doing it. All my lenses are useable FF except the 15 (the A 24 being a great FF substitute). Thank you for the enthusiastic review of Pentax/Ricoh. Now I need to convince my camera store (Precision Camera and Video, Austin TX) to promote Pentax more and give Pentax a good plug to every photographer I talk to.

AYD · 07-08-2016, 12:02 PM - **1 Like**

In Jonathon Gorse's wonderful article, he wonders how Pentax is going to capture back market share. The K-1 is a great start and will definitely appeal to APSC photographers moving to FF, but they are going to have to come up with pro DC/SDM ultra-wide, wide, normal and telephoto primes (6-7 lenses) (they have the zooms covered for now), plus a $1000 FF with a subset of the K-1's features. Next a 10+ frame FF with ~24 MP with built in Motor drive with Cfast cards. The K3II can keep going with improvements. All this in 18 months maximum. That is quite a tall order.

They are going to have to re-brand precision camera as a Ricoh Pentax Repair centers and cater directly to professionals with fast turnaround and loaner cameras. Pentax does have going for it the right kind of features and Photographer friendly controls, plus a legacy of good glass.

Poit · 07-10-2016, 10:07 PM - **1 Like**

Thanks Jonathan. A well written, informative and entertaining read, and a great overview of the Pentax story (so far...).

Like you, I would love to see Pentax reclaim some lost ground. Ricoh has certainly done a great deal of work to make that happen. Let's hope it continues in the same manner.

---------- Post added 07-11-16 at 03:10 PM ----------

Originally posted by Gyroscope

That was a great read and a I learnt something about Pentax's history. I've been a canon shooter for 20 years by default simply because the first camera I bought was a canon. I've become a Pentax convert of sorts after buying the 645z which is AMAZING. I am now going to buy a K1 and a couple of lenses since I no longer use my canon gear for my landscape work and need a companion camera for the 645. I guess it is a way of dipping my toe in the water and will not sell all my canon gear yet but I wouldn't be surprised if 2 or 3 years from now I have fully converted. All this to say that if Pentax can temp me away from Canon then they could make an inroad into the market generally not just to existing pentax users. Nikon users may have less need to switch as they at least have sensors with decent DR

Welcome to Pentax-land!!! You'll be a fully-fledged Pentaxian before you know it

It's always great to hear from someone new to Pentax, it means the message is slowly but surely getting around.

If you do get a K-1, be sure to team it up with the three Princesses (31mm ltd, 43mm ltd, and 77mm ltd)

dakight · 10-14-2016, 06:53 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by jeverettfine

My first SLR was a Mamiya DTL 500 in 1968 with the "universal screw-mount". It got stolen and I ended up replacing it with a Pentax Spotmatic, then a MX, but lost touch with Pentax for a number of years primarily using Leica rangefinder and large format 4x5 and 8x10. I had a short experience with The Canon F-1 (superb camera) and then a Canon EOS, which was a nice camera, but they were set aside. I have NEVER liked Nikon much and have used one (an FM) only for a while. Pentax always seemed to be in my mind, though I just did not like their auto-focus film camera designs. I had shut my home darkroom down and begun to think about getting a good digital cameras when I came upon a used K20 outfit and snatched it up. I loved it right away, especially the FA 20-35 zoom that came with it. I upgraded a couple of years ago to the K-3 and have kept on going. I acquired three DA Limited lenses (15, 35 macro, 70) and re-acquired some old vintage glass (A 24 2.8, A 50 1.4, A 135 2.8, A 200 4.0) Now I am considering getting a K-1 and your review has pushed me along a good ways towards doing it. All my lenses are useable FF except the 15 (the A 24 being a great FF substitute). Thank you for the enthusiastic review of Pentax/Ricoh. Now I need to convince my camera store (Precision Camera and Video, Austin TX) to promote Pentax more and give Pentax a good plug to every photographer I talk to.

My first SLR was also a 500DTL which I bought in Vietnam in 1967. When I got to Germany in 1968 I bought a black body Spotmatic which I used until the early 90s when I bought a PZ-1. My first DSLR was a K-50 followed shortly by a K-5IIS then the K-1 this year. Pentax and Mopar... what can I say?

**Kerrowdown** · 10-14-2016, 10:58 AM - **1 Like**

Thanks an interesting read, worryingly I can remember doing and being there for much of the history bit.

normhead · 10-27-2016, 12:50 PM

Thanks for posting that. Its an informative and interesting read... from a Pentax users perspective.

mikeSF · 10-31-2016, 02:38 PM

like it, thanks!

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07-07-2016, 10:45 PM - 1 Like	#16
jeffshaddix Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Colorado Posts: 1,473	Originally posted by jonlg Jonathan Gorse Photography \| Pentax K1 - the 35mm legend returns... Always interested in comments but I hope it's an entertaining read and even makes you laugh! jonlg Captured every reason why I shoot Pentax, nice work! My wife just agreed to let me get my mid life crisis out of the way and buy a K-1 this year. Huzzah!!

07-08-2016, 01:53 AM - 1 Like	#17
bxf Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Lisbon area Posts: 1,660	Some of the text in the article should be used in an advert, to make the public aware. Originally posted by lesmore49 As an aside, I realized I had incorrectly spelled Pentaxian, so I corrected. My spell checker insisted that the word I wished to use was Phoenician. In some minds, these are pretty close...

07-08-2016, 02:40 AM	#18
Rondec Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Gladys, Virginia Photos: Gallery Posts: 27,653	Originally posted by bxf Some of the text in the article should be used in an advert, to make the public aware. In some minds, these are pretty close... I believe Hannibal was one of the earliest Pentaxians...

07-08-2016, 03:14 AM	#19
bxf Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Lisbon area Posts: 1,660	Originally posted by Rondec I believe Hannibal was one of the earliest Pentaxians... Yup. Taken with one of the earliest pre-Asahi bodies, but I forget the actual model:

07-08-2016, 10:26 AM - 1 Like	#20
jeverettfine Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Austin, Texas Photos: Albums Posts: 328	My first SLR was a Mamiya DTL 500 in 1968 with the "universal screw-mount". It got stolen and I ended up replacing it with a Pentax Spotmatic, then a MX, but lost touch with Pentax for a number of years primarily using Leica rangefinder and large format 4x5 and 8x10. I had a short experience with The Canon F-1 (superb camera) and then a Canon EOS, which was a nice camera, but they were set aside. I have NEVER liked Nikon much and have used one (an FM) only for a while. Pentax always seemed to be in my mind, though I just did not like their auto-focus film camera designs. I had shut my home darkroom down and begun to think about getting a good digital cameras when I came upon a used K20 outfit and snatched it up. I loved it right away, especially the FA 20-35 zoom that came with it. I upgraded a couple of years ago to the K-3 and have kept on going. I acquired three DA Limited lenses (15, 35 macro, 70) and re-acquired some old vintage glass (A 24 2.8, A 50 1.4, A 135 2.8, A 200 4.0) Now I am considering getting a K-1 and your review has pushed me along a good ways towards doing it. All my lenses are useable FF except the 15 (the A 24 being a great FF substitute). Thank you for the enthusiastic review of Pentax/Ricoh. Now I need to convince my camera store (Precision Camera and Video, Austin TX) to promote Pentax more and give Pentax a good plug to every photographer I talk to.

07-08-2016, 12:02 PM - 1 Like	#21
AYD New Member Join Date: Feb 2016 Posts: 18	In Jonathon Gorse's wonderful article, he wonders how Pentax is going to capture back market share. The K-1 is a great start and will definitely appeal to APSC photographers moving to FF, but they are going to have to come up with pro DC/SDM ultra-wide, wide, normal and telephoto primes (6-7 lenses) (they have the zooms covered for now), plus a $1000 FF with a subset of the K-1's features. Next a 10+ frame FF with ~24 MP with built in Motor drive with Cfast cards. The K3II can keep going with improvements. All this in 18 months maximum. That is quite a tall order. They are going to have to re-brand precision camera as a Ricoh Pentax Repair centers and cater directly to professionals with fast turnaround and loaner cameras. Pentax does have going for it the right kind of features and Photographer friendly controls, plus a legacy of good glass.

07-10-2016, 10:07 PM - 1 Like	#22
Poit Banned Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Canberra, Australia Posts: 423	Thanks Jonathan. A well written, informative and entertaining read, and a great overview of the Pentax story (so far...). Like you, I would love to see Pentax reclaim some lost ground. Ricoh has certainly done a great deal of work to make that happen. Let's hope it continues in the same manner. ---------- Post added 07-11-16 at 03:10 PM ---------- Originally posted by Gyroscope That was a great read and a I learnt something about Pentax's history. I've been a canon shooter for 20 years by default simply because the first camera I bought was a canon. I've become a Pentax convert of sorts after buying the 645z which is AMAZING. I am now going to buy a K1 and a couple of lenses since I no longer use my canon gear for my landscape work and need a companion camera for the 645. I guess it is a way of dipping my toe in the water and will not sell all my canon gear yet but I wouldn't be surprised if 2 or 3 years from now I have fully converted. All this to say that if Pentax can temp me away from Canon then they could make an inroad into the market generally not just to existing pentax users. Nikon users may have less need to switch as they at least have sensors with decent DR Welcome to Pentax-land!!! You'll be a fully-fledged Pentaxian before you know it It's always great to hear from someone new to Pentax, it means the message is slowly but surely getting around. If you do get a K-1, be sure to team it up with the three Princesses (31mm ltd, 43mm ltd, and 77mm ltd)

10-14-2016, 06:53 AM - 1 Like	#23
dakight Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Phoenix, AZ Photos: Albums Posts: 1,216	Originally posted by jeverettfine My first SLR was a Mamiya DTL 500 in 1968 with the "universal screw-mount". It got stolen and I ended up replacing it with a Pentax Spotmatic, then a MX, but lost touch with Pentax for a number of years primarily using Leica rangefinder and large format 4x5 and 8x10. I had a short experience with The Canon F-1 (superb camera) and then a Canon EOS, which was a nice camera, but they were set aside. I have NEVER liked Nikon much and have used one (an FM) only for a while. Pentax always seemed to be in my mind, though I just did not like their auto-focus film camera designs. I had shut my home darkroom down and begun to think about getting a good digital cameras when I came upon a used K20 outfit and snatched it up. I loved it right away, especially the FA 20-35 zoom that came with it. I upgraded a couple of years ago to the K-3 and have kept on going. I acquired three DA Limited lenses (15, 35 macro, 70) and re-acquired some old vintage glass (A 24 2.8, A 50 1.4, A 135 2.8, A 200 4.0) Now I am considering getting a K-1 and your review has pushed me along a good ways towards doing it. All my lenses are useable FF except the 15 (the A 24 being a great FF substitute). Thank you for the enthusiastic review of Pentax/Ricoh. Now I need to convince my camera store (Precision Camera and Video, Austin TX) to promote Pentax more and give Pentax a good plug to every photographer I talk to. My first SLR was also a 500DTL which I bought in Vietnam in 1967. When I got to Germany in 1968 I bought a black body Spotmatic which I used until the early 90s when I bought a PZ-1. My first DSLR was a K-50 followed shortly by a K-5IIS then the K-1 this year. Pentax and Mopar... what can I say?

10-14-2016, 10:58 AM - 1 Like	#24
Kerrowdown PEG Moderator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Highlands of Scotland... "Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand" - William Blake Photos: Gallery Posts: 57,819	Thanks an interesting read, worryingly I can remember doing and being there for much of the history bit.

10-27-2016, 12:50 PM	#25
normhead Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Near Algonquin Park Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 40,451	Thanks for posting that. Its an informative and interesting read... from a Pentax users perspective.

10-31-2016, 02:38 PM	#26
mikeSF Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: East Bay Area, CA Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,620	like it, thanks!