Originally posted by onefunmudder Is Pentax falling behind or falling out of the race ?
They're behind in some ways. But, I think it's time to accept that they won't be cutting-edge in areas such as AF or video. They are putting all of their efforts in image quality and ergonomics. In those areas, Pentax is very competitive, and often a better value than competitors.
Also keep in mind that compromises probably have to be made at this point for a small camera company to stay profitable. The good news is that the K-1, 645Z, and Theta are selling very well.
Originally posted by onefunmudder Is there anyone on here that has a definitive answer ?
Probably not. We can watch and see; the Pentax interviews are about as close as you will get without working at the company. Our CP+ interview will go live in the coming days, so be on the lookout for that.
Originally posted by onefunmudder Are there any Pro Photographers on here that uses the K1 daily for all aspects of photography ?
Yes. But I also think there are more 645Z pros than K-1 pros, since the K-1 caters pretty directly to Pentax enthusiasts.
Pentaxian Profile: Nguyen Nam - Pentaxian Profiles | PentaxForums.com Originally posted by onefunmudder Are there truly just a few lenses for the K 1 ?
There are currently 15 Pentax FF lenses available new:
Full Frame Lenses | PentaxForums.com
and 43 third-party lenses available new:
Full Frame Third Party Lenses | PentaxForums.com
Add to that hundreds of legacy Pentax options and thousands of third-party options. There is no shortage of lenses, but modern lens development is definitely slower than users would like. We'll be getting the D FA* 50mm in the coming months.
Originally posted by onefunmudder Is Pentax not supporting their cameras customers as they should ?
This is a tough question to answer because people with a bad experience usually speak up a lot more than those who are happy. What I can say is that repair support in the US has really picked up over the course of the past 2 years. Given the size of Pentax, it's clear they are definitely trying.
Originally posted by onefunmudder That isn't a good thing for a companies forum, why are we not hearing from Pentax on these issues.
We do hear from them, actually. Last year they even made a press release in response to continued online trolling about closing up shop:
Ricoh Stays Committed to Cameras & Pentax Brand - Pentax Announcements | PentaxForums.com
Personally I don't think Pentax is going anywhere. But I also don't think they will ever be a major brand. They'll stand where they always have in recent years: a brand that does a few things exceptionally well, available as an alternative to the mainstream brands. And one thing that other brands don't have that Pentax does is the tremendous level of support provided by the awesome members of this very community
Adam
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