[lesmore49]

I think that it takes atleast one year to actually see what will be going on. Let the dust settle.

Sony did stirr the pot and here is counter reaction to customers that were interested of what Sony had to offer, instead of what they could not have from their old manufactorers. With good prize ratio. Then there came also top end models from Sony. Dunno how many of the buyers have had money worth, like really. Now mirrorless has more advnced tecnique in them and they begin to be some what bigger deal, but still. Enjoying your DSLR and that mirror going up 'n down, there is not much what new thing can all of the sudden offer. That is if you are not interested in video, or need extremely silent shutter all the time. other than it being new. Is it going to offer you more better shots? Or is it just the same stuff with all pictures with one eye in focus.

All in all, these new things are just there, because some brands NEED new products all the time, just sake of having new model out(big Sony for example). And they NEED to compete, because people is moving. OR they want to have new customers. Old customers have all the lenses already and they are happy with their 2-4 yr old camera. Yes, you can use adapter, but there is new shiny lenses which has been designed to be used with this camera (wink).

I think you're right. I used to do a lot of recreational fishing...fly fishing and spinning reels...mostly. When spinning reel fishing I usually used metal spoons.... lures... like red devils, Johnson silver minnows...some of my favourites. But whenever I would go to the local tackle store, they would always have some new and shiny lures...spoons painted like minnows...some bright green...red... fluorescent ...deep azure blue...well how could any fisherman worth his salt...resist.

So fishing tackle and camera equipment...the manufacturers keep on cranking out new stuff...that doesn't improve your fishing or photography any...but all that new and shiny equipment sure appeals to the fisherman or photographer. Must be marketing 101 !

[repaap]

I think you're right. I used to do a lot of recreational fishing...fly fishing and spinning reels...mostly. When spinning reel fishing I usually used metal spoons.... lures... like red devils, Johnson silver minnows...some of my favourites. But whenever I would go to the local tackle store, they would always have some new and shiny lures...spoons painted like minnows...some bright green...red... fluorescent ...deep azure blue...well how could any fisherman worth his salt...resist.

So fishing tackle and camera equipment...the manufacturers keep on cranking out new stuff...that doesn't improve your fishing or photography any...but all that new and shiny equipment sure appeals to the fisherman or photographer. Must be marketing 101 !

Yes! have to learn that 101 some day...would help me to get more of those shiny things... Fishing BTW can be even more expensive hobby than photography, not to mention when you get pro

[GregL65]

Coming to this conversation late; I've just learned about the L-alliance. I've been shooting Pentax since 2003 and I use a K-5 II now. I plan to upgrade to the KP when used priced come down to US$500 or so, my typical buy-in price, though I'm skipping the K-3.

I think joining the L-alliance would be good for Pentax. They've always made products that appeal very strongly to some of us, but the main concern expressed about buying into their system has always been that they don't have as much available of this or that kind of product as Canikon. If they join the L-alliance, that concern would go away; if Pentax doesn't make some item you want, you can buy it from someone else in the alliance. Pentax could make the products they believe they do best, and let the other alliance members fill in the blanks for their customers.

Pentax could make an excellent K-mount adapter to mount K-mount lenses on L-mount cameras. They'd need to do the same even if they came out with their own mirrorless mount.

With the overall ILC market shrinking, and with the number of mounts proliferating, I think there's reason to be concerned that a new mirrorless mount by Pentax alone just wouldn't get enough air to survive in the market. Joining the L-alliance seems to me a promising way for Pentax to survive and thrive.

Also, with Ricoh apparently restricting R&D money available to Pentax, this would enable them to move forward with the smaller investment available to them.

[repaap]

but it is lenses companies make money with, not just body. I could see Ricoh branded L-mount camera, but Pentax L-mount...? I understand Panasonic and some others going that way, but Pentax. Some guys jumping ship with Pentax class would be happy about K to L mount adapter.Some how L mount is like M42 back in the days and mirrorless would make that easy, as it is relatively new as how these new mounts has made it be. And as canon and Nikon has showed already it can go many ways. not just where Sony has been going.

that said, If pentax do go to mirrorless race, they would have to makethat adapter. and in that case it could as well be L-mount. I would not hold my breath for that thou..

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Last edited by repaap; 03-10-2019 at 02:14 AM.

[GregL65]

I could see Ricoh branded L-mount

If the powers that be at Ricoh are looking for an opportunity to change the brand name of their ILC product line from Pentax to Ricoh, a switch to L-Mount might be just about the best time possible to do that.

I'm not very concerned about the brand name. Everyone knows Pentax is "just" a brand name owned by Ricoh. If that means newcomers choosing a first system to buy into would be would be more comfortable if it were branded Ricoh, because Ricoh isn't "just" a brand name owned by some other company, I'd say that's probably a good thing.

[reh321]

If the powers that be at Ricoh are looking for an opportunity to change the brand name of their ILC product line from Pentax to Ricoh, a switch to L-Mount might be just about the best time possible to do that.

I'm not very concerned about the brand name. Everyone knows Pentax is "just" a brand name owned by Ricoh. If that means newcomers choosing a first system to buy into would be would be more comfortable if it were branded Ricoh, because Ricoh isn't "just" a brand name owned by some other company, I'd say that's probably a good thing.

Brands are powerful things - Ricoh was willing to purchase "Pentax" because of the deep history and reputation associated with that name. Why would an ILC camera with only the name "Ricoh" on it have more attraction to someone thinking of purchasing a camera than one labeled "Iscabibble"?? What could Ricoh possibly gain by selling a few bodies that other companies would provide lenses for; do you really believe a "Ricoh" camera would attract customers away from a "Panasonic" camera???

[repaap]

Brands are powerful things - Ricoh was willing to purchase "Pentax" because of the deep history and reputation associated with that name. Why would an ILC camera with only the name "Ricoh" on it have more attraction to someone thinking of purchasing a camera than one labeled "Iscabibble"?? What could Ricoh possibly gain by selling a few bodies that other companies would provide lenses for; do you really believe a "Ricoh" camera would attract customers away from a "Panasonic" camera???

Brand is powerful, why I brought Ricoh in thisis that they have had that GRX line, and it could go well with them. At least better that doing L-mount thingy with Pentax. Which I could say would not be appriciated by long term Pentax fans. which is Ricoh Pentax biggest target group.

[reh321]

Brand is powerful, why I brought Ricoh in thisis that they have had that GRX line, and it could go well with them. At least better that doing L-mount thingy with Pentax. Which I could say would not be appriciated by long term Pentax fans. which is Ricoh Pentax biggest target group.

I believe the two most valuable things obtained by Ricoh were (1) use of Pentax name and (2) K-mount. Personally, I don't have any problem with their putting "Ricoh Pentax" on prism housing, but I may be unique in that feeling. Having held a Z-7 during Nikon's "road show" introducing their new mount, I see little point to Pentax's going to another mount.

[repaap]

I believe the two most valuable things obtained by Ricoh were (1) use of Pentax name and (2) K-mount. Personally, I don't have any problem with their putting "Ricoh Pentax" on prism housing, but I may be unique in that feeling. Having held a Z-7 during Nikon's "road show" introducing their new mount, I see little point to Pentax's going to another mount.

I do agree. But that is where all others are, except Sony(sony make new mount and models anyway), so everyone want that now. I have been thinking that Pentax developed already lens for K-01, which was going in the mount. So that it could not have been used with K-mount cameras with mirror. to me it sounds little a bit like what is going on with Nikon and Canon right now. Lenses developed for mirrorless only. Especially canon seems to be going for smaller size. DA 40 XS was developed for ultimate compact, and that new what ever was on the paper, had same idea, but with restrictions.

[pres589]

What role would Ricoh Pentax play in the L-mount tie-up? They have high end and lower end body manufacturers and high and low end lens manufacturing. Sigma is ending camera production as part of this grouping around the common mount. What does Pentax bring to the party that isn't already there?

[repaap]

What role would Ricoh Pentax play in the L-mount tie-up? They have high end and lower end body manufacturers and high and low end lens manufacturing. Sigma is ending camera production as part of this grouping around the common mount. What does Pentax bring to the party that isn't already there?

they get to hold the candle.

[reh321]

I do agree. But that is where all others are, except Sony(sony make new mount and models anyway), so everyone want that now. I have been thinking that Pentax developed already lens for K-01, which was going in the mount. So that it could not have been used with K-mount cameras with mirror. to me it sounds little a bit like what is going on with Nikon and Canon right now. Lenses developed for mirrorless only. Especially canon seems to be going for smaller size. DA 40 XS was developed for ultimate compact, and that new what ever was on the paper, had same idea, but with restrictions.

What K-01 lens would not be usable on my KP? It's namely proudly proclaims that the K-01 is a K-mount camera.

[GregL65]

What K-01 lens would not be usable on my KP? It's namely proudly proclaims that the K-01 is a K-mount camera.

The 2012 roadmap included a K-mount lens that could not be used with a mirror, because part of the lens went deep into the mirrorbox. See the top lens shown in this article, labeled "Pentax K-01 lens":

Pentax lens roadmap for 2012 - Photo Rumors

On the roadmap images, it was listed as "DA Wide Zoom". In this article, PentaxForums staff indicated that they believed it would be approximately 10-30mm:

Pentax Publishes Updated Lens Roadmap - Pentax Announcements | PentaxForums.com

But I don't think the lens looks like a zoom, so there could be a disconnect somewhere. I see one knurled ring next the mount that appears to be for grasping the lens when mounting and dismounting it, and another one that appears to be for focusing. But it could be that the mockup was incomplete. It's certainly much smaller than Sigma's 10-20/4.5-5.6.

The lens was obviously meant for the K-01 along with any future mirrorless K-mount bodies. But with the addition of mechanical mirror lockup, I don't see any reason why it wouldn't work with a standard K-mount DSLR, in Live View mode. I think it would require mechanical mirror lockup because otherwise I think the mirror flaps back down if you turn the camera off (or just take it out of Live View mode).

Back in the film SLR days, I believe Nikon had a 220-degree fisheye that went too deep into the mirrorbox to allow the mirror to flap. You had to mount the lens, compose on a tripod, then dismount the lens, lock up the mirror, remount the lens, and finally take your shot.

[reh321]

The 2012 roadmap included a K-mount lens that could not be used with a mirror, because part of the lens went deep into the mirrorbox. See the top lens shown in this article, labeled "Pentax K-01 lens":

Pentax lens roadmap for 2012 - Photo Rumors

On the roadmap images, it was listed as "DA Wide Zoom". In this article, PentaxForums staff indicated that they believed it would be approximately 10-30mm:

Pentax Publishes Updated Lens Roadmap - Pentax Announcements | PentaxForums.com

But I don't think the lens looks like a zoom, so there could be a disconnect somewhere. I see one knurled ring next the mount that appears to be for grasping the lens when mounting and dismounting it, and another one that appears to be for focusing. But it could be that the mockup was incomplete. It's certainly much smaller than Sigma's 10-20/4.5-5.6.

The lens was obviously meant for the K-01 along with any future mirrorless K-mount bodies.

This is a rather inexact description; what was the actual name of this lens when it was produced??

In any case, not exactly a strong basis for a future line of MILC bodies.

[GregL65]

This is a rather inexact description; what was the actual name of this lens when it was produced??

The lens was never produced. I don't think it ever had any more description than what I posted. It was on the lens roadmap for a while, and there was that one picture. Then it dropped off of the roadmap. As far as I know, that's all. I don't think even a prototype was ever shown publicly.