[dafbp]

XQD card (1) and 330 shots? Looks like a "I've got the latest most expensive kit", but not necessarily the best, type of camera.
Taking 12fps bursts will burn through that battery (I know 310 is conservative, but still...) in how many seconds?! Is it a joke?

[DeadJohn]

I'm curious about the Z7 even though I have no intention of going to Nikon.

Previews claim the viewfinder doesn't update during a 9 fps burst, making it unsuitable for tracking movement. There's a reduced 5.5 fps rate available for panning. Buffer seems small, too, for a $3400 camera.

Battery life is only 330 shots. That's a major shortcoming IMO.

Bundle prices are attractive. 24-70 f4 native Z mount lens and adapter for f-mount lenses only costs $750 more than the body. That bundling has me thinking Nikon is trying to retain customers who are considering switching to the Sony A7riii.

[beholder3]

and not only crippled mount, but now old screw drive lenses alre also dead on top line, as the adapter doesnt support it any longer.

[DeadJohn]

As many others have stated Pentax has no plans to enter the mirrorless market. Can I ask you a question? Why would I or you for that matter want this camera considering it's price and the price of the 3 lenses available for it. I don't see the value in it currently. Maybe in the future.

Like you, I see no reason for a Pentax system user to switch to the Z6/7.

Compared to my K-1, if I needed a smaller body, higher burst rate for action, and increased lens availability the Sony A7RIII looks more attractive than the Z7. Not attractive enough to make me jump systems.

[IgorZ]

Nikon finally caught up with Pentax by introducing IBIS

I think the camera is too expensive, especially when you factor in adapter. Having said that, if Pentax made a camera like that, I'd be interested. I love using legacy lenses in obsolete mounts, and this would make it easier.

[JimmyDranox]

Everyone here seems to think that Pentax will be happy to be left alone, as the only one manufacturer without a competitive mirrorless camera. I think that your are wrong. Maybe I am wrong, but I think that Pentax is already working in that field. And the fact that they didn't realise no new DSLR in the last period is a sign. And those statements made by Pentax representatives reminds me about other statements, about FF camera, before the release of K1. More, even this discution is similar with those about the necessity, or not, of a FF camera in Pentax line, in that time.

And, most probably, I will receive a lot of flak now, as I did then, when I said, ''FF or dead''.

[pschlute]

It looks like things are moving forward though and can Pentax afford to be left behind ?

That Nikon looks a great camera, and if I were thinking about ML would consider it.

As far as Pentax being left behind, they have already stated they are not planning anything in ML at the moment. What they intend to do is continue offering a niche product to their main market which is Japan. So I expect more top quality lenses like the DFA*50mm 1.4, and continued development of the DSLR aps-c and FF camera range. This is what their market wants them to produce. They are still settling into Ricoh, and at a time when expensive camera sales are losing out to the cameraphone, I don't think branching out into new areas is advisable.

Pentax will never be the camera giant it once was. But with solid backing which it appears to have in Ricoh, it can continue to provide top quality products to a loyal customer base and make a profit. And maybe in a few years a ML Pentax camera will come along if they perceive a demand for it from their customers.

[reh321]

As many others have stated Pentax has no plans to enter the mirrorless market. Can I ask you a question? Why would I or you for that matter want this camera considering it's price and the price of the 3 lenses available for it. I don't see the value in it currently. Maybe in the future.

Apparently you aren't a current Nikon user. As a different question: suppose you were thinking of trying MILC; if Pentax offered a camera like this, would you get it rather than going to Sony and a completely different ecosystem?

[reh321]

Having said that, if Pentax made a camera like that, I'd be interested. I love using legacy lenses in obsolete mounts, and this would make it easier.

That is exactly the point - and Nikon has a lot more current users than Pentax does, and they want to keep it that way.

[reh321]

many old lenses won't AF. With a bigger than possible body and lenses the same size, and a high price tag, it doesn't appeal to me.

Nikon has exactly the same problem Pentax does, and they've decided to face it. As they evolved to the current version of the F-mount {as Pentax did to the KAF4-mount}, instead of jumping as Canon did to the EF-mount, they left various variations out there. Supporting all of them became iffy, so they decided to finally draw a line somewhere.

[pathdoc]

Supporting all of them became iffy, so they decided to finally draw a line somewhere.

Best that they did it with a jump to mirrorless, which is going to need new lenses for the shortened flange distance anyway.

The only major functionality that Pentax has lost is in direct reading of aperture on older manual (pre-A) K-mount lenses. Even there, the workaround (green-button metering) is acceptable because all of these lenses are manual focus anyway. The harsh decision Pentax may take one day is to stop fitting screwdrive motors to their cameras. When that happens, when all the aperture and focus manipulation has shifted to the lens, you might as well change mounts. The potential for access to very, very fast, very shallow DOF lenses is the only thing which makes me keep one eye on various mirrorless systems that can accept such lenses, but I would rather have them for film, which needs the extra light at short notice, than for digital, which can compensate by raising ISO on the fly.

[tvdtvdtvd]

It looks like Pentax and the rest are going to have to up their game.

That is a narrow vision, (and sadly, a not uncommon one).

Will Panasonic and Olympus have to up their game and go FF?
Will Phase One and Horseman have to up their game and enter the general consumer market?
Will Lomo have to up their game and offer a digital camera?

The answer to your question and all the above is 'no' for the simple fact that their is more than one game
in the world of photography.

Yes, mirrorless digital is assuredly becoming the dominant format for most photographers. But that is a
far cry from suggesting that mirrorless will replace all other formats.

I do think the desire for a Pentax mirrorless system, with all the inherent benefits of Pentax design,
is a natural one. But such a personal want does not equate to a reality that Pentax must go mirrorless
or die. There are multiple markets and Pentax has its place. Current Pentax design philosophy is
focused on two areas; absolute image quality and weather resistance. And Pentax provides those
two capabilities at a price no other manufacturer can come close to match. For the same price you
will get a much less capable camera. For the same capability you will pay a lot more. Pentax has
its place in the market, quite independent of the trend towards mirrorless.

Would I embrace a Pentax FF mirrorless system? Very likely. But I'm not yearning for one. I thoroughly
enjoy what Pentax currently has on offer AND I know there are plenty of good choices on the market
should I want a mirrorless system to complement my Pentax gear.

[reh321]

Like you, I see no reason for a Pentax system user to switch to the Z6/7.

Compared to my K-1, if I needed a smaller body, higher burst rate for action, and increased lens availability the Sony A7RIII looks more attractive than the Z7. Not attractive enough to make me jump systems.

I don't think they're after you; this is aimed at current Nikon users who might otherwise "jump ship" to Sony.

[reh321]

Pentax clearly stated that they will stay focused on further developing DSLRs and for me that is a wise decision!

Actually, when asked about mirrorless, the Pentax representative said something like "We're going to stay focused on K-mount". Under the words they have spoken, they could release what I call a K-07 {mechanism from a K-70 in a MILC body plus EVF} today.

That would be great, since the post count here would pass 51,000 today just about the time the server went up in smoke.

[Kunzite]

I was thinking... this new Nikon Z isn't quite the game changer.
It doesn't look bad, but then it doesn't put Pentax in a much more difficult position, compared with the previous Nikon products (especially the D850).
Its frame rate when you want a live view stream is of just 5.5fps, and the buffer is of 18 14-bit RAWs. Yes, it should empty its buffer considerably faster, but...

IMO Pentax is no more "left behind" than it was yesterday.