[pathdoc]

Note the date carefully and spill out your wildest gear fantasies here. What (within realms of reason*) would you like to see on the Pentax shelves that you know they will never make? And how glad will you be if they prove you wrong?


* = no, you cannot wish for an 8-500mm rectilinear full-frame f/1.2 zoom that is crisp from edge to edge with the size and weight of a DA40, a macro ratio of 2:1, and a minimum focus distance of 1mm from the glass.

[Dartmoor Dave]

Didn't even have to think about it: the K1000D. An exact digital clone of the K1000, with all the same manual controls in all the same places. . . right down to a shutter that you have to cock by throwing the thumb wind. No autofocus and no LCD screen on the back either: raw only, with the white balance set to daylight and no option to change it. Basically a Pentax equivalent of that special edition digital M that Leica made a couple of years back.

[pathdoc]

Didn't even have to think about it: the K1000D. An exact digital clone of the K1000, with all the same manual controls in all the same places. . . right down to a shutter that you have to cock by throwing the thumb wind. No autofocus and no LCD screen on the back either: raw only, with the white balance set to daylight and no option to change it. Basically a Pentax equivalent of that special edition digital M that Leica made a couple of years back.

I'll see you and raise you a KM-D, so you can have depth of field preview and a self-timer, or a Spotmatic F-D so you can use M42 lenses without having to stop down to meter (at least with S-M-C/SMC lenses; the usual routine would apply with the Supers, autos and presets).

I would ask for an MX-D along the same lines, but there might be difficulties with squeezing the power and electronics into that small shell.

[UncleVanya]

A Q/GXR hybrid, with Q style ergonomics and interchangable sensor modules and some with interchangable lenses. A 16mp Q style sensor ILC, a 20mp 1" sensor w/fixed high quality zoom, and a 20mp m43 sensor ILC - all available at launch along with a new q lens or two. The camera would of course have an evf.

An updated K-01based on a 24mp-36mp full frame sensor. New ergonomics. An Evf would be integrated.

A k3ii replacement that retains all the features of the k-3 series, adds back flash, keeps gps, and manages to increase battery life. The new camera would have auto fine tuning for lenses and be able to do so in an assisted fashion with manual lenses via a table at startup. This camera would also launch with an updated flash system that would embody the best features of Nikon and Cactus.

A new partnership with Sigma making all their new lenses in K mount (KAF4 perhaps).

A speed booster with full AF that allows the use of 645 lenses on K mount bodies.

[pathdoc]

KAF4 back compatibility for the K-5 series.

A full-frame version of the *istD/DS series. CCD sensor is fine, with pixel density maintained across the sensor. Restoration of the analogue TTL protocol, including with the inbuilt flash and (if possible) the LX's OTF-type long exposure algorithms (surely with integrated circuits they can at least TRY to do what was once possible in the 1980s). External power option would be mandatory. And a new-build tilt-swivel flash to match. I would be happy to do without shake reduction to keep things as small as possible. AA batteries please, as with the originals.

[photoptimist]

A new line of instant film cameras with film that has a sticky back so you can put the photos on the wall.

Introducing.... "Pentacks"

[Rondec]

I like the idea of Pentax going all the way and releasing a camcorder that features beta max tapes for high quality video recording capability that is unmatched in the rest of the market currently.

Edit: Maybe Pentamax?

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Last edited by Rondec; 11-29-2017 at 11:30 AM.

[photoptimist]

How about a Digital LX with swappable viewfinders.

VF options could include:
* standard OVF,
* vari-mag OVF,
* EVF (for the mirrorless folk),
* waist-level finder, and
* standard OVF with built-in fill-flash

[08amczb]

I would like to see a Pentax K-1 with changable back. There would be the 36MP back, wich is currently built in and a there would be a stabilized film back also. Film back would be changed any time.

[89Y49Si]

Full frame, mirrorless, uncrippled K-Mount with a global shutter that shoots 1080p at 120fps and 4K at 60fps all at 200mbps. Hell, I’d even take an S35 sized sensor that shoots those video specs.

[monochrome]

How about a Digital LX with swappable viewfinders.

VF options could include:
* standard OVF,
* vari-mag OVF,
* EVF (for the mirrorless folk),
* waist-level finder, and
* standard OVF with built-in fill-flash

Thread Winner!

My sumbmission:
150Mp 645Ω

(645 Omega = FF 645)

[Dericali]

100 megapixel medium format 645Z successor camera, simultaneously released as a DSLR and a mirrorless camera.

Then a mirrorless camera that can be used with K-mount lenses.

At the same time, the new APS-C flagship will have blindingly fast autofocus and 4K video.

All of which will merge into the eventual K1 successor around 2019.

[pathdoc]

Then a mirrorless camera that can be used with K-mount lenses.

We have one of those already - the K-01 - but I think a lot of people got put off by the absence of an eyepiece viewfinder for use on sunny days that wash out the back screen. It's a tiny little thing that's just made for the DA Limited primes, but that lack of an EVF is a deal-breaker for me. Until Pentax/Ricoh sort out their technical aversion to EVF on K-mount, I don't think that experiment will be repeated. When/if this is sorted out, I expect it to do very, very well.

[ZombieArmy]

That's easy. K-02, full frame edition.

Also an update to give all capable cameras focus peaking while recording and OGPS support.

We have one of those already - the K-01 - but I think a lot of people got put off by the absence of an eyepiece viewfinder for use on sunny days that wash out the back screen. It's a tiny little thing that's just made for the DA Limited primes, but that lack of an EVF is a deal-breaker for me. Until Pentax/Ricoh sort out their technical aversion to EVF on K-mount, I don't think that experiment will be repeated. When/if this is sorted out, I expect it to do very, very well.

I've never had an issue with my K-01 in the extremely bright sun of Florida. And I mainly use manual lenses. The K-01 to a lot of people just looks weird.

[stevebrot]

I am still holding out for Keurig support. Sorry, but that is a deal-breaker for me.


Steve