[LesDMess]

I would certainly buy into it especially if they incorporate my wish list as follows:

1. Build quality on par with the LX
2. Fully hybrid shutter that works when batteries die
3. Full manual and aperture priority capability of the LX
4. Spot and averaging metering with focus confirmation
5. Huge bright viewfinder with built-in diopter and interchangeable screens
6. Add on vertical/horizontal use motor drive that provides 8fps and power to the body when in use

[monochrome]

I expect I will be able to shoot film as long as the 2012 CLA on my 1997 LX lasts (15 years?) but not longer. That will be my last film body. My next camera body will be a Pentax FF dSLR.

[jmclaugh]

Nope, I have a thirty something MX that is still going strong.

[Ontarian50]

Considering how expensive a high-end film SLR would be these days (remember what the Nikon FM3a cost more than 10 years ago) the main problem is that any new film camera would have substantial competition.
How could anyone justify spending $2,000 on a brand-new film body when there are tons and tons of excellent, sometimes hardly used, film bodies available on the used market. We have that auction site to thank for that too.
Every single day another somebody drags that old camera bag out of the back of the closet, finally convinced they will never again put it to good use, and they try to see what they can get for it, if not at the local camera store, then on line.

Sometimes that old camera bag contains a near-mint MX or LX. How can Ricoh-Pentax compete with that?

[LesDMess]

Considering how expensive a high-end film SLR would be these days (remember what the Nikon FM3a cost more than 10 years ago) the main problem is that any new film camera would have substantial competition.
How could anyone justify spending $2,000 on a brand-new film body when there are tons and tons of excellent, sometimes hardly used, film bodies available on the used market. We have that auction site to thank for that too.
Every single day another somebody drags that old camera bag out of the back of the closet, finally convinced they will never again put it to good use, and they try to see what they can get for it, if not at the local camera store, then on line.

Sometimes that old camera bag contains a near-mint MX or LX. How can Ricoh-Pentax compete with that?

Ad from Pop Photo 2002 shows the Nikon FM3A ($489.95) not much more than the currently selling Nikon FM2 ($429.95).


Obviously the interest only applies to folks who actually use film . . . still . . .

[AquaDome]

If Ricoh produced a new PZ1P or MZ-S in the $400 range (with the Pentax name on the front), I would buy it. What I really want is a K2n with 1/4000 shutter speed, LX-style metering, & TTL flash.

[Odinz]

Unfortunately, no I wouldn't buy one. I've kept most of my cameras over the years and currently have many more film SLR's than I have rolls of film. Various versions of the Spotmatic, the 'X' trio (KX, MX, LX) a pair of PZ1P's, an MZ-S and a couple Ricoh and Sears cameras as well and that doesn't count medium format, 110 or other brands. In reality I only use the LX or a PZ1P any more, and that's mainly for B&W which I end up developing and then scanning to digital any way (since I never bothered to rebuild my darkroom when I renovated the basement). I do miss Kodachrome, but while I don't think that I will ever stop shooting film completely (as long as film is available any way, as I do find it a bit nostalgic), I find that more and more when I reach for a film camera I end up deciding to go with the K3 instead.

[tuco]

Nope. The negatives are too small for me and probably the camera would have too much automation.

[stevebrot]

I would consider it, but purchase would depend on whether it offered something other than newness.


Steve

[AtitG]

Yes. Some pentaxians who may want to try film photography will realize that even the most current pentax film cameras are not fully compatible with new FA lenses with dc motors. Sigma SDM lenses or pentax DFA DC lenses will lose their autofocus on pentax film cameras. Servicing/cla for vintage cameras are also very difficult for some countries. A film camera with very basic exposure controls and decent AF will do for me. Though the resolution may not be good enough for big prints, its certainly good enough for instagram and flicker.ü

[Eyewanders]

I'm still working on my 1st coffee, the 'hypothetical' part had not sunk in yet

Well, ergonomically comfortable like a MZ-S.
Auto Focus improvements of the newer** dSLR's.
The LX viewfinder & focus screen options.
Traditional mode & shutter speed dials where possible.

** newer than K7. My 'lowly' MZ-3 nails auto focus far more reliably that my 'newer' K7 did.

^^ This... Plus the technicians Pathdoc mentions.

---------- Post added 09-22-15 at 11:20 AM ----------

I would certainly buy into it especially if they incorporate my wish list as follows:

1. Build quality on par with the LX
2. Fully hybrid shutter that works when batteries die
3. Full manual and aperture priority capability of the LX
4. Spot and averaging metering with focus confirmation
5. Huge bright viewfinder with built-in diopter and interchangeable screens
6. Add on vertical/horizontal use motor drive that provides 8fps and power to the body when in use

So, basically an LXII?

[LightBug]

Not me. I enjoy shooting with my film slrs, but cost of developing film has gotten more expensive that I cannot justifying paying for a film body.

[Eyewanders]

Nope, I have a thirty something MX that is still going strong.

A thirty-something MX? That must have been quite the prototype before the company even existed!?

[6BQ5]

No, I wouldn't. The used market is too saturated with perfectly adequate manual and auto focus bodies for <$50. There is probably plenty of NOS left of Zenit and Vivitar bodies if manual focus is your bag. Considering the cost of product development, marketing, and distribution this hypothetical product probably wouldn't cost that much less than a low end DSLR on sale. In order for this hypothetical film body to be successful it would have to be luxury good similar to Leica.

Don't get me wrong here ... I love film and I love film bodies but the market doesn't have any space for a new entry.

[Rondec]

35mm film doesn't make a lot of sense in the long run. I do shoot it a little bit, but it is an awful lot of work and pretty expensive, considering the price of digital full frames these days.