[monochrome]

Yep there were two colours/versions, I'd be happy with either one!

Phil.

I’d be happy with that LX 2000.

[gofour3]

I’d be happy with that LX 2000.

Yeah sorry I'm getting greedy now...

Phil.

[pentaxus]

Titanium can be 3D printed which might lower production cost but antenna placement would still be an issue.

[Kevin B123]

I thought Titanium is much lighter than Magnesium that's why I came up with that idea ha !

Selecting the right lightweight metal

The cost of Titanium has come down alot in the last decade or so. The frame of my glasses and my watch are both made of Titanium, mainly because they are strong and made in a minimalist form making them lightweight.
I guess manufacturing processes for mass production are sorted. Your article points out another really useful property of Magnesium: Damping. A Titanium shell might ring like a bell.

[mikesbike]

The silver option is to match the finish with the silver lenses, and these go way back. I am (possibly-we'll see) looking forward to the K-new silver version. It was long in coming with the KP, should have been right along, since the lenses were already there. My silver KP looks great with a silver or a black lens, but extra-great with a silver lens. Even my ancient but excellent FA* 300mm f/4.5, which typically was available in silver, is a good match and looks great on my KP.

I could never fathom why the silver version of the K-70 is of a darker tone and does not match the silver lenses at all! Yet the lenses match up well with the very old, and mostly inexpensive silver 35mm film bodies!

---------- Post added 08-04-20 at 01:00 PM ----------

Your article points out another really useful property of Magnesium: Damping. A Titanium shell might ring like a bell.

Right! The magnesium-alloy concept was and is a very good step forward. Light, strong, and well-damped. (glad you didn't write "dampening"- after all, WR is included too!) And you don't find many others of this construction at the price point of a new KP, in addition to its great performance, even right out of the camera!

[ramseybuckeye]

Titanium is a difficult metal to work with, the shavings are highly combustible. It would also be a lot harder to machine than magnesium alloy. Chances are the heads of the machines are not robust enough to use titanium. I’m retired from a plant that used titanium and there were a lot of challenges to using it. It is a lot more expensive to to buy and even more expensive to process than steel or aluminum.

[Arjay Bee]

This one has titanium look....

This is the K3 "Prestige" I have been using since 2014 - knew I needed it as soon as I saw the original press release. The K(new) in that finish would be great!!! This is my travel pack with both black and silver - helps me recognise the 21 from the 70 at a glance when the 70 is not wearing its hood. The colour was called gun metal blue at release but titanium suits as well. The GRIII street edition calls the colour and finish 'asphalt' which I like better than gunmetal blue. Its more grey than blue.



Since the photo the DA 40 ltd has been added to the pancake group.

[lotech]

The grand daddy of titanium cameras. As far as I can tell, only the top and bottom plates are actually titanium.


Olympus OM3Ti - The OM System Swansong

Yes that's what I asked for, I don't know of any full body Ti model ever existed.

---------- Post added 08-05-20 at 09:32 AM ----------

This one has titanium look....

Yes looks much better than the Silver model

---------- Post added 08-05-20 at 09:34 AM ----------

I can only speak for the Pentax Titanium LX, released in 1994. The LX was already metal, so putting out a gold or titanium version back then when the LX was in it's heyday, was no big deal. A LX also had way less electronics than a modern DSLR and was more mechanical.

So probably a no go in today's market.

Phil.

I got a LX long time ago, I don't know about the Ti version, every major camera maker got a Ti model back then.

---------- Post added 08-05-20 at 09:53 AM ----------

.... A Titanium shell might ring like a bell.

That's interesting and I missed, no matter how strong the material in use, the body must not be hollow and "resonate" when shutter release and cause camera shake. Long time ago I got a Minolta MX it built like a tank and heavy, together with the heavy 58mm/f1.2 I took my first ever sharp photo, much better than the plastic X700, it was bcoz the camera is solid enough to absorb the shock while the plastic models "ring like a bell".

---------- Post added 08-05-20 at 10:08 AM ----------

When Lockheed started building the SR71, they had to figure out how to machine titanium.....

It was even harder to build the A10 with full Ti armor...

[totsmuyco]

The grand daddy of titanium cameras. As far as I can tell, only the top and bottom plates are actually titanium.


Olympus OM3Ti - The OM System Swansong

OMG!!! I was a Nikon and Canon user during my film days and never had an Olympus. But this, is one of my favorites if not my favorite camera. Wowww!!!

[Pål Jensen]

This is the K3 "Prestige" I have been using since 2014 - knew I needed it as soon as I saw the original press release.

I know. I'm using one myself...

[Arjay Bee]

I know. I'm using one myself...

Yah I remember now - I think we two may be the only active forum users with this model...Exclusive within exclusive - yes!

[lotech]

... I get the supreme toughness of titanium in a camera body but there is this fragile thing sticking out at the front that contains glass.

I believe Pentax uses some sort of hardened glass on the display windows, my 6yrs old K3 shows heavy sign of use but not a single scratch on the glass windows.

[Kevin B123]

my 6yrs old K3 shows heavy sign of use

OMG! Nurse, Nurse!

Please tell me it has >500K actuations that is borderline camera abuse, to be reported to Pentax HQ police.

[totsmuyco]

The cost of Titanium has come down alot in the last decade or so. The frame of my glasses and my watch are both made of Titanium, mainly because they are strong and made in a minimalist form making them lightweight.
I guess manufacturing processes for mass production are sorted. Your article points out another really useful property of Magnesium: Damping. A Titanium shell might ring like a bell.

I googled if titanium was lighter than magnesium alloy and result says magnesium alloy is lighter but is inferior in strength. Titanium will give us a tougher body but will be heavier to carry and heavier for our wallets.

[Kevin B123]

I googled if titanium was lighter than magnesium alloy and result says magnesium alloy is lighter but is inferior in strength

Yeah, Titanium is >2.5x as dense as Magnesium, but importantly, Magnesium is strong enough. The body shell don't seem to fail mechanically, but lotech's K-3 above is showing corrosion where the paint is missing. Magnesium LOVES to corrode, given any excuse but should self limit the behaviour.