[geomez]

Exactly. Which is exactly why consumers tend to not appreciate planned obsolescence.

People get used to Pentax keeping products viable seemingly forever. So when they say that my three year old camera is obsolete but the two year old camera that is nearly identical to mine is viable, people understandably get upset.

[W.j.christy]

Turns out that the K-70 does. And any DC lens too, in addition to the new PLM lens.

Yep I saw that. I was very excited about it. But since the k70 uses hybrid AF I don't have much hope for it.

[jddwoods]

I have a hunch that they might already be updating the K-3, just haven't said so in the K-70 press release.

Doubt anything will happen for the K-50 or K-5, though.

I have a K-5 and a K-3. I would be very happy to get the firmware update for the K-3.

[totsmuyco]

I got a k-5II and I don't want let go of it. Count me in

[monochrome]

People get used to Pentax keeping products viable seemingly forever. So when they say that my three year old camera is obsolete but the two year old camera that is nearly identical to mine is viable, people understandably get upset.

Relax, everyone.

There's a difference between, "(These) in-production cameras will work with a FW Update." and not yet having said "(These) out-of-production camera(s) will work with this FW update."

They want to keep selling in-production cameras. I'll wait for the camera release and hear what they say about K-3.

[Marathonianbull]

I may as well get this started because there's plenty of interest. Who knows, it may work! I would like for Ricoh to keep the famed Pentax backwards compatibility alive and please allow KAF4 firmware for the K3, K5 series, and K50. I don't know if there are hardware limitations for the latter ones, but the K3 and K3II are basically the same camera with a few differences, and Ricoh themselves said the K3II was not a replacement for the K3.

Love my K-3, so count me in!

[David&karen]

Count us in. We have one K3II but two K3's, and It probably will not happen but it would be nice to see the firmware update for our K5IIs! BTW, when Nikon introduced their electronic aperture control last year all but two camera bodies going all the way back to the D3 series of August 2007 could use them. So why should it be hard for Pentax to go back a few more models?

[Gray]

ABSOLUTELY!!

Add my name to the petition. The K-5ii is a superb camera and doesn't deserve to be obsoleted so easily because Ricoh couldn't be bothered to program a firmware update for KAF4.

[jpzk]

The question is - are they planning to migrate their lens line to electronic aperture control in the near future, or for now there will be some odd product like RE lenses and perhaps few other lenses optimized for video, maybe T&S?

If they're migrating their lens line, then the K-3 really should be updated if possible. K-5-family cameras would be a nice bonus (I own a K-5IIs and not a K-3 by the way).
If it's just the RE for now...

P.S. jpzk, the 55-300 definitely isn't a "K-1 designed" lens.

No, sorry. I was thinking about the newer D FA lens series.

[Pavel_Zhelev]

Count me in However in I tend to agree with monochrome on this

[MiLKMAN]

Add me too with the K-01 and K200D.

[W.j.christy]

I had emailed Ricoh yesterday asking about the possibility of a future firmware update for the K-3 for use with electronic aperture lenses. This is the response I got. Not really encouraging.....

William,

Thank you for contacting RICOH Imaging.

As technology advances, limitations may apply to some products - current or past. Unless specifically noted as compatible - (with or without a FW update), a product is not compatible.

In any event a product requires a FW update for compatibility, proper information and an update would always be provided.

Currently, only the following models are compatible (with a FW update):

PENTAX K-70, K-1, K-3 II, K-S2 and K-S1

For reasons due to product design, (the manufacturer has not indicated specifics regarding design differences); indeed, the K-3 is not indicated in this list.

Whether "built-in" compatibility would be made available in future models, has not yet been determined (or revealed) by the manufacturer.

If you have further questions, please feel free to contact our Customer Service Department at: 800-234-0276.

Thanks again,


Joe Virgil
Product Specialist

RICOH IMAGING AMERICAS CORPORATION
633 17th Street - Suite 2600
Denver, CO 80202
Phone: 800-877-0155 (x1245) / 303-728-0245
Fax: 303-728-0145
joe.virgil@us.ricoh-imaging.com
Ricoh Imaging Americas Corporation

[luftfluss]

Add me in, too, because slacktivism.

[troyz]

Add my name to the petition.

If I have the opportunity to comment on the new 55-300mm F4.5-6.3 (in some manner that gets back to Pentax) I'll be sure to mention that it's unfortunate that I can't use it on my K-3.

[boriscleto]

I had emailed Ricoh yesterday asking about the possibility of a future firmware update for the K-3 for use with electronic aperture lenses. This is the response I got. Not really encouraging.....

We're not going to tell you why it isn't compatible when the virtually identical K-3 II is. Buy a new camera, but that might not work either.

Great answer...

And who is the manufacturer? He makes it sound as if Ricoh is buying this lens from a third party and just rebadging it...