Is the K-mount hurting Pentax?

dws1117 · 02-04-2009, 02:53 PM

Please don't gang tackle me. A friend and I were discussing the current camera business. He has been around photography since high school (almost 20 years ago) and I am a relative noob. He suggested that one of the things hurting Pentax is the K-mount. He thinks that it is outdated and Pentax can't really squeeze more out of it but are reluctant to loose the backwards compatibility that is one the big selling points. I tend to disagree. It seems to me that it is just a mount and I don't see where a mount could hold back progress. It seems like he may be full of hot air. That's why I am bringing this to the wise members of the Pentax forum. Is it true that Nikon and Canon have changed their mounts over time? What was the reason for the changes?

I don't know why Pentax doesn't or won't compete, but I hope they do something soon. At least get some of the things to market that they have been showing at shows for a few years. I like my Pentax and don't intend on changing, but a few more options would be nice.

**Lowell Goudge** · 02-04-2009, 03:02 PM

When I look at the interface, and possible options, No it is not out dated,

could it be expanded upon, perhaps, but before people go off looking at this, what is the contact count on the pentax mount. only 9 pins last time I looked.

what are canon and nikon, about the same If I recall correctly

the moutns all do about the same thing.

changing it solves NOTHING

change for the sake of change is a waste of energy, eneergy that pentax can spend better elsewhere

Gooshin · 02-04-2009, 03:06 PM

did your experienced friend tell you WHY he believes the k-mount is a hinderence to pentax??

Wheatfield · 02-04-2009, 03:07 PM

Consider that the Nikon F mount is something like 25 years older than the K mount and ask your friend if he thinks the Nikon mount is outdated and holding them back.
Minolta and Canon changed their mounts during the 80s because the throats were too narrow for the faster lens designs that were being made possible by using computers during the optical formulation phase.
Pentax is being held back by Pentax and/or their masters at Hoya.
They are being far too slow to bring new products, especially lenses, to market, and are mistakenly (IMHO) concentrating overly on the low profit entry level sector, while ignoring anything above the lower mid range of the camera market.

Vylen · 02-04-2009, 03:08 PM

wait what... pentax cant squeeze more out of the k-mount? squeeze what out? i sure dont get it... it's got a whole lot more electrical contacts since well, when it was first conceived where it had none...

what's your friend on about? i think we should gang tackle him! :P

afaik, canon did change their mounts to the current canon EF mount but that was in 1987 (k mounts been around in 1975)..

meanwhile, current nikon f-mount has been ar ound since the 50's....

the only changes these past years have been the introduction of electrical contacts - which, there is plenty of room in that nice big circle of mountedness (yea, thats a word now)

dws1117 · 02-04-2009, 03:20 PM

Ok Ok Ok I get it. LOL That's why I brought it here. His arguement didn't seem logical. Thanks for the information though.

Gooshin - No he couldn't explain why, but he is one of those that seems to think if it's old it must not be good.

unkabin · 02-04-2009, 03:20 PM

Minolta's mount change (and flash shoe change) is the main reason I switched away from Minolta. With no compatibility with my manual lenses, I had nothing invested anymore. And the K mount and easy use of manual-focus lenses was one of the main reasons I chose Pentax.

Gooshin · 02-04-2009, 03:22 PM

Originally posted by dws1117

Ok Ok Ok I get it. LOL That's why I brought it here. His arguement didn't seem logical. Thanks for the information though.

Gooshin - No he couldn't explain why, but he is one of those that seems to think if it's old it must not be good.

hehehe, does he change wives every 5 years?

**Rense** · 02-04-2009, 03:29 PM

Originally posted by dws1117

Gooshin - No he couldn't explain why, but he is one of those that seems to think if it's old it must not be good.

Try not to become an old friend of him.....

dws1117 · 02-04-2009, 03:29 PM

Originally posted by Gooshin

hehehe, does he change wives every 5 years?

Nope he can't get one. never been married.

dws1117 · 02-04-2009, 03:30 PM

Originally posted by Rense

Try not to become an old friend of him.....

Too late. Been friends for 16 years. He's a good guy just sometimes come up with wacky thoughts.

**Rense** · 02-04-2009, 03:33 PM

Well, probably it's better this way...loyalty is a good thing, I think....

Ratmagiclady · 02-04-2009, 04:19 PM

Exactly what camera function is the 'outdated' K-mount not compatible with, especially since the trend of the 'up to date' is to *remove* mechanical connections?

The mounts that couldn't adapt to the autofocus era were Canon FD and old Minolta Oh, and Olympus OM.

The mounts Canon and Minolta made twenty years ago to be able to do these things, aren't really substantially different from a KAF mount. Which is a K mount. With a screw drive and some contacts in it.

Marc Sabatella · 02-04-2009, 05:13 PM

I've havng difficulty seeing what his argument actually is. Saying it is outdated imlies to me there is something it isn't doing that it could be doing. Is there some feature that his favorite mount supports that Pentax doesn't? Do Nikon lenses come with built-in GPS units and trasmit location data to the camera? Do Canon lenses have contacts that allow the camera to tell the lens to rotate a polarizing filter so you can do that using the rear dial?

Wheatfield · 02-04-2009, 06:35 PM

Originally posted by Marc Sabatella

Do Canon lenses have contacts that allow the camera to tell the lens to rotate a polarizing filter so you can do that using the rear dial?

Now that you've mentioned it, they will probably have one next year.....

02-04-2009, 02:53 PM	#1
dws1117 Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Spring, TX. Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,157	Is the K-mount hurting Pentax? Please don't gang tackle me. A friend and I were discussing the current camera business. He has been around photography since high school (almost 20 years ago) and I am a relative noob. He suggested that one of the things hurting Pentax is the K-mount. He thinks that it is outdated and Pentax can't really squeeze more out of it but are reluctant to loose the backwards compatibility that is one the big selling points. I tend to disagree. It seems to me that it is just a mount and I don't see where a mount could hold back progress. It seems like he may be full of hot air. That's why I am bringing this to the wise members of the Pentax forum. Is it true that Nikon and Canon have changed their mounts over time? What was the reason for the changes? I don't know why Pentax doesn't or won't compete, but I hope they do something soon. At least get some of the things to market that they have been showing at shows for a few years. I like my Pentax and don't intend on changing, but a few more options would be nice.

02-04-2009, 03:02 PM	#2
Lowell Goudge Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,891	Here comes the first hit When I look at the interface, and possible options, No it is not out dated, could it be expanded upon, perhaps, but before people go off looking at this, what is the contact count on the pentax mount. only 9 pins last time I looked. what are canon and nikon, about the same If I recall correctly the moutns all do about the same thing. changing it solves NOTHING change for the sake of change is a waste of energy, eneergy that pentax can spend better elsewhere

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02-04-2009, 03:06 PM	#3
Gooshin Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Toronto, the one in Canada. Posts: 5,610	did your experienced friend tell you WHY he believes the k-mount is a hinderence to pentax??

02-04-2009, 03:07 PM	#4
Wheatfield Moderator Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: The wheatfields of Canada Posts: 15,986	Consider that the Nikon F mount is something like 25 years older than the K mount and ask your friend if he thinks the Nikon mount is outdated and holding them back. Minolta and Canon changed their mounts during the 80s because the throats were too narrow for the faster lens designs that were being made possible by using computers during the optical formulation phase. Pentax is being held back by Pentax and/or their masters at Hoya. They are being far too slow to bring new products, especially lenses, to market, and are mistakenly (IMHO) concentrating overly on the low profit entry level sector, while ignoring anything above the lower mid range of the camera market.

02-04-2009, 03:08 PM	#5
Vylen Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Sydney, Australia Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,262	wait what... pentax cant squeeze more out of the k-mount? squeeze what out? i sure dont get it... it's got a whole lot more electrical contacts since well, when it was first conceived where it had none... what's your friend on about? i think we should gang tackle him! :P afaik, canon did change their mounts to the current canon EF mount but that was in 1987 (k mounts been around in 1975).. meanwhile, current nikon f-mount has been ar ound since the 50's.... the only changes these past years have been the introduction of electrical contacts - which, there is plenty of room in that nice big circle of mountedness (yea, thats a word now)

02-04-2009, 03:20 PM	#6
dws1117 Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Spring, TX. Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,157 Original Poster	Ok Ok Ok I get it. LOL That's why I brought it here. His arguement didn't seem logical. Thanks for the information though. Gooshin - No he couldn't explain why, but he is one of those that seems to think if it's old it must not be good.

02-04-2009, 03:20 PM	#7
unkabin Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Moorhead, MN Posts: 176	Minolta's mount change (and flash shoe change) is the main reason I switched away from Minolta. With no compatibility with my manual lenses, I had nothing invested anymore. And the K mount and easy use of manual-focus lenses was one of the main reasons I chose Pentax.

02-04-2009, 03:22 PM	#8
Gooshin Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Toronto, the one in Canada. Posts: 5,610	Originally posted by dws1117 Ok Ok Ok I get it. LOL That's why I brought it here. His arguement didn't seem logical. Thanks for the information though. Gooshin - No he couldn't explain why, but he is one of those that seems to think if it's old it must not be good. hehehe, does he change wives every 5 years?

02-04-2009, 03:29 PM	#9
Rense Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Zetten - The Netherlands Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,050	Originally posted by dws1117 Gooshin - No he couldn't explain why, but he is one of those that seems to think if it's old it must not be good. Try not to become an old friend of him.....

02-04-2009, 03:29 PM	#10
dws1117 Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Spring, TX. Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,157 Original Poster	Originally posted by Gooshin hehehe, does he change wives every 5 years? Nope he can't get one. never been married.

02-04-2009, 03:30 PM	#11
dws1117 Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Spring, TX. Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,157 Original Poster	Originally posted by Rense Try not to become an old friend of him..... Too late. Been friends for 16 years. He's a good guy just sometimes come up with wacky thoughts.

02-04-2009, 03:33 PM	#12
Rense Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Zetten - The Netherlands Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,050	Well, probably it's better this way...loyalty is a good thing, I think....

02-04-2009, 04:19 PM	#13
Ratmagiclady Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: GA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,563	Exactly what camera function is the 'outdated' K-mount not compatible with, especially since the trend of the 'up to date' is to remove mechanical connections? The mounts that couldn't adapt to the autofocus era were Canon FD and old Minolta Oh, and Olympus OM. The mounts Canon and Minolta made twenty years ago to be able to do these things, aren't really substantially different from a KAF mount. Which is a K mount. With a screw drive and some contacts in it.

02-04-2009, 05:13 PM	#14
Marc Sabatella Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Denver, CO Photos: Gallery Posts: 10,685	I've havng difficulty seeing what his argument actually is. Saying it is outdated imlies to me there is something it isn't doing that it could be doing. Is there some feature that his favorite mount supports that Pentax doesn't? Do Nikon lenses come with built-in GPS units and trasmit location data to the camera? Do Canon lenses have contacts that allow the camera to tell the lens to rotate a polarizing filter so you can do that using the rear dial?

02-04-2009, 06:35 PM	#15
Wheatfield Moderator Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: The wheatfields of Canada Posts: 15,986	Originally posted by Marc Sabatella Do Canon lenses have contacts that allow the camera to tell the lens to rotate a polarizing filter so you can do that using the rear dial? Now that you've mentioned it, they will probably have one next year.....