[franco_dc]

I do not know if that's the right place for this post. Please move it if it's wrong.

I apologize for my Italian anglicized this is an half-serious reflections of a pentaxian.
I hope you understand me.

Open letter to Mr.Pentax & Mr.Ricoh

Dear Sirs,
I am here to thank you for having built and sold the last full frame camera K1,
that, I do not say all, but many of us were waiting for years, but I'm allowed to do some small remark.
I can not know the programs of your company but would like to outsource some of my opinion.
A Pentax camera full frame maybe it was not a real necessity in the field of photography.
The differences between the two systems APS C and FF, as you have always said,
They are not so obvious, to justify the start of production
of such a camera, but in the end you have decided to build it.
Mind you I'm glad that there is now Pentax K1, but in my opinion you have waited too long to put it on the market.
Time passes, the years run faster, technological innovations are advancing even faster, and opinions change.
While you were deciding whether to do or not do the FF the world went on and so came the mirrorless!
The photographers especially lovers of photography, which are many, are displaced, undecided.
These are mirrorless light equipment, space-saving, discrete among the people, they have a lot of tempting technological innovations that
help to quickly take pictures, they have small lenses, easy to use, etc. etc.
Perhaps SLRs are still the most suitable for making sports photos, photo hunt, macro shooting,
but otherwise today's mirrorless are able to do almost anything.
And let's face these cameras attract the interest of many professional photographers and amateurs.
Photography today is changing rapidly, and these machines seem to be made to accommodate this change.
Now Messrs Pentax & Ricoh a mirrorless you have already tried to do it, why not try to build a really well done,
with all the automatic devices, the characteristics and the potential of this new system?
We all know now what these mirrorless that go great today, I'm not here to enumerate the various brands.
Messrs Pentax & Ricoh, you also know these brands.
Probably the SLR cameras will never know the sunset, but for years to come mirrorless will continue to spread.
Then I ask myself and I ask Messrs Pentax & Ricoh when you decide to build a truly lives up to mirrorless Pentax brand?
It could be a APSC or even a full frame as to compete in one of the most noble and ancient cameras that here I will not name.
I say this certainly in my interest and that my silly and irrational attachment to the brand,
but I think the most interesting is also your Messrs Pentax & Ricoh.
If you were to go out on the market a good MIRRORLESS PENTAX done in a workmanlike manner would be an extraordinary event.
If there is the quality and the buyer gets the money coming into the coffers.
The mirrorless train is departing Gentlemen, I would say that is already underway,
Now if you do not put him to run inevitably you lose.
The Pentaxian around the world are decreasing, are a protected race, are in danger of extinction,
in a few years no longer exist. sob
Messrs Pentax and Ricoh if you are listening to strike a blow.

Best Regards

Franco Del Conti,
a pentaxian who is trying to withstand the attacks of the competition of the brands that
churn out excellent ... more than excellent mirrorless.

[Kunzite]

Oh, boy, another who believes that Ricoh Imaging should've abandoned all of us in order to go mirrorless!

Dear Ricoh Imaging,

Congratulations for releasing the excellent K-1 and the new D FA lenses. You have the sales data so you don't need me to tell you they're successful products; but I will say this: I enjoy using them.
Please continue releasing more D FA lenses; I can't wait for the primes on the roadmap.

Signed,
A K-1 owner, and long time Pentaxian.

[MarkJerling]

The mirrorless train is departing Gentlemen, I would say that is already underway,

It has already departed. I waved, happily. Hopefully it stays wherever it's going. I do like the clear viewfinder thanks to the Pentaprism in my Pentax camera, which, instantly and clearly shows me what the camera sees. And, I can shoot 7 frames per second, so don't really know what benefit I would gain from mirrorless. I do not want a smaller camera, after all. I need to hold it in my big hands.

So, Ricoh: Please keep doing what you're doing, and if you have a spare K-1 lying about, please send it my way.

[jlstrawman]

I do not know if that's the right place for this post. Please move it if it's wrong.

I apologize for my Italian anglicized this is an half-serious reflections of a pentaxian.
I hope you understand me.

Open letter to Mr.Pentax & Mr.Ricoh

Dear Sirs,
I am here to thank you for having built and sold the last full frame camera K1,
that, I do not say all, but many of us were waiting for years, but I'm allowed to do some small remark.
I can not know the programs of your company but would like to outsource some of my opinion.
A Pentax camera full frame maybe it was not a real necessity in the field of photography.
The differences between the two systems APS C and FF, as you have always said,
They are not so obvious, to justify the start of production
of such a camera, but in the end you have decided to build it.
Mind you I'm glad that there is now Pentax K1, but in my opinion you have waited too long to put it on the market.
Time passes, the years run faster, technological innovations are advancing even faster, and opinions change.
While you were deciding whether to do or not do the FF the world went on and so came the mirrorless!
The photographers especially lovers of photography, which are many, are displaced, undecided.
These are mirrorless light equipment, space-saving, discrete among the people, they have a lot of tempting technological innovations that
help to quickly take pictures, they have small lenses, easy to use, etc. etc.
Perhaps SLRs are still the most suitable for making sports photos, photo hunt, macro shooting,
but otherwise today's mirrorless are able to do almost anything.
And let's face these cameras attract the interest of many professional photographers and amateurs.
Photography today is changing rapidly, and these machines seem to be made to accommodate this change.
Now Messrs Pentax & Ricoh a mirrorless you have already tried to do it, why not try to build a really well done,
with all the automatic devices, the characteristics and the potential of this new system?
We all know now what these mirrorless that go great today, I'm not here to enumerate the various brands.
Messrs Pentax & Ricoh, you also know these brands.
Probably the SLR cameras will never know the sunset, but for years to come mirrorless will continue to spread.
Then I ask myself and I ask Messrs Pentax & Ricoh when you decide to build a truly lives up to mirrorless Pentax brand?
It could be a APSC or even a full frame as to compete in one of the most noble and ancient cameras that here I will not name.
I say this certainly in my interest and that my silly and irrational attachment to the brand,
but I think the most interesting is also your Messrs Pentax & Ricoh.
If you were to go out on the market a good MIRRORLESS PENTAX done in a workmanlike manner would be an extraordinary event.
If there is the quality and the buyer gets the money coming into the coffers.
The mirrorless train is departing Gentlemen, I would say that is already underway,
Now if you do not put him to run inevitably you lose.
The Pentaxian around the world are decreasing, are a protected race, are in danger of extinction,
in a few years no longer exist. sob
Messrs Pentax and Ricoh if you are listening to strike a blow.

Best Regards

Franco Del Conti,
a pentaxian who is trying to withstand the attacks of the competition of the brands that
churn out excellent ... more than excellent mirrorless.

Why does Ricoh / Pentax have to compete with everybody, especially in products they do not currently offer? You some wild predictions. It would be interesting to know where your camera marketing expertise comes from. Since you are in such agony, I suggest you buy one of the Sony, Olympus, Panasonic, or other mirrorless cameras that are already available.

[LensBeginner]

Well, I do have a Pentax mirrorless...
Stay the course, half ahead, revolutions five-zero ;-)

[Tony Belding]

Oh, boy, another who believes that Ricoh Imaging should've abandoned all of us in order to go mirrorless!

I read through Franco's post (did you?) and couldn't find him asking Ricoh to abandon all of us or stop making DSLRs.

---------- Post added 11-30-16 at 05:15 PM ----------

It has already departed. I waved, happily. Hopefully it stays wherever it's going. I do like the clear viewfinder thanks to the Pentaprism in my Pentax camera, which, instantly and clearly shows me what the camera sees.

I do not see where Franco suggested that Ricoh stop producing DSLRs with those pentaprisms that you love. Were you harmed in some way by the K-01 or by the Q system?

I do not want a smaller camera, after all. I need to hold it in my big hands.

I adore my Q7, and it works just fine in my full-sized man paws.

[bertwert]

MIRRORLESS PENTAX

Bla bla bla bla bla bla bla...

[surfar]

Franco, visit the Q section! You will find mirrorless, and its a niche mirrorless to boot!


OR, you can do what plenty of others do and buy into the other brand systems.K mount lenses will adapt to everything.

[Tony Belding]

OR, you can do what plenty of others do and buy into the other brand systems.K mount lenses will adapt to everything.

I've been using M42 lenses (including several Takumars) and manual K-mount lenses on my Sony A7. It's good. However. . . I expected other companies to come up with mirrorless full-frame systems to compete with Sony. So far nobody has. It would be nice to have some other options. It would be really nice with the Pentax controls and user interface, and easy access (even if via adapter) to the whole Pentax lens catalog.

Not saying Pentax must do this or die. Not saying they should abandon DSLRs either. It would be cool if they made it, though. I could go for that.

[surfar]

The K-02 will be FF!

[MarkJerling]

I read through Franco's post (did you?) and couldn't find him asking Ricoh to abandon all of us or stop making DSLRs.

---------- Post added 11-30-16 at 05:15 PM ----------



I do not see where Franco suggested that Ricoh stop producing DSLRs with those pentaprisms that you love. Were you harmed in some way by the K-01 or by the Q system?



I adore my Q7, and it works just fine in my full-sized man paws.

That's fine Tony. Like you, I gave my opinion. I've tried, first hand, the Sony FF mirrorless, and I don't like the viewfinder. It is, in my view, a poor substitute for analogue.

[sumitkar1971]

I'm so tired of hearing about the size advantages of mirrorless - A Sony A7 R2 with a Gmaster 85 VS K1 and the DFA 77 , Gmaster 24-70 on the A7 r2 vs Pentax 24-70 on the K1 - where's the size and weight difference? Any quality glass mounted on a mirrorless body negates the size and weight advantages it claims to have over DSLR's

[Kunzite]

I read through Franco's post (did you?) and couldn't find him asking Ricoh to abandon all of us or stop making DSLRs

How about the part where K-1/FF would not bring and advantage* over APS-C, and it was too late anyway, and everyone is going mirrorless and OMG Pentax missed the train? What was that "missed opportunity", if not to abandon us and go mirrorless instead?
Besides, Franco decided that we'll cease existing in a few years.

* That, I believe, is Fujifilm's marketing - not Pentax'

---------- Post added 01-12-16 at 02:05 AM ----------

That's fine Tony. Like you, I gave my opinion. I've tried, first hand, the Sony FF mirrorless, and I don't like the viewfinder. It is, in my view, a poor substitute for analogue.

Unfortunately for me is not a mere dislike; EVFs can literally give me headaches.

Let's look at the market - both DSLRs and MILCs are declining (while the DSLR market is still about 2.9 times larger). If the DSLR market was in free fall and the MILC market was increasing explosively, then, maybe, Pentax should've jumped to MILCs in a panic.
As things are, though, protecting the existing customers are IMHO the best strategy - as new customers are harder to find. And new customers on a 3 times smaller, overcrowded, declining market? Yeah, right.
A large sensor MILC? Sure, once they get the D FA lens line done.

[clackers]

The mirrorless train is departing Gentlemen, I would say that is already underway.

Did you know mirrorless sales are declining now too, Franco, and at a rate similar to DSLR sales?


There is an industry-wide crisis.

[Skewed]

I just unpacked my K1 and 28-105 (bought the B&H bundle), inserted a backup battery from my K3, inserted a spare SD card, kept the basic default settings, adjusted the diopter for my right 20/40 eye using the excellent OVF, and took a couple of decent test shots. All indoors in incandescent light, with the K1 choosing F4, 1/60, ISO 800. That whole process was quite natural to me, so I'll keep my K3 and K-mount lenses so I can go on shooting intuitively.

Admittedly, I started shooting film at age 9 in the 1950s, but I have used the K-01 and "bridge" cameras with good results. Still, I much prefer the size and mechanical feel of the Pentax DSLRs when I set out to shoot, although my hands are just medium-sized. I sold the K-01 because the ergonomics didn't work for me; for snapshots, my iPhone is good enough. Though I think the mass camera market is going the way of the smartphone, I do know some millennials who are quite enamored of the old tech-- one even shoots medium format film. And I've noticed, to my dismay, that the supply of used legacy K-mount FF lenses, especially at the short end, has shrunk considerably.

So Pentax has not missed the boat; it will (continue to) be a niche player, but the mass market for dedicated still cameras is shrinking anyway. And competing with Sony for share of mind would be suicidal.