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Forum: Photographic Industry and Professionals
12 Hours Ago
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First, inventions are not like hamburgers -- they can't be cranked out on an assembly line day-after-day, year-after-year. Once something is invented, it can't be invented again. Each new invention permanently consumes some chunk of the space of all possible inventions. Sensor technology is near the limits of what silicon sensors can provide. Maybe some exotic new sensor technology (and Foveon ain't it) will eek another stop of dynamic range out of the light levels on this planet but maybe not. Physics places an upper bound on basic camera performance.
Second, many of the more recent inventions (extremes in framerates, video, global shutter) arguably only appeal to a niche audience and might actually turn-off some buyers. Sure, the breathless yammering of influencers and pundits tries to make each new feature a must-have, game-changer disruption of the entire industry. But the truth is that most inventions only bump the needle a little bit (and sometimes in the wrong direction like Sony's global shutter A9). Meanwhile, all of the pre-existing cameras ever built still continue to take decent pictures. The point is that each new invention is both even harder to create and even less likely to capture everyone's interest.
Interest in photography has not waned at all. I'd bet that the number of people taking photographs and the number of photographs taken per person continues to rise. It's just that more and more photographs are taken with smartphones. My wife's iPhone 14 Pro is essentially identical to interchangeable lens camera with a bag of three decent lenses (12, 24, and 75mm equivalent focal lengths). Sure, my Pentax cameras offer much more photographic control, a much wider array of lenses, and better resolution and image quality. But the iPhone takes very acceptable pictures under a wide range conditions. (The ratio of smartphone pictures to "real camera"pictures is nothing new -- I'd bet consumer point-and-shoot camera have always dominated the picture-per-year figures.)
There's also a strong segment of photographers (both established professionals and neophytes) who clamor for simpler cameras, not ones with more and more features. They actually want cameras that provide a more direct experience stripped of all the automagical bells, whistles, and shiny bits of technology that were added only for the sake of claiming the camera has more technology. A key part of that segment is in having more focused cameras that do something especially well rather than trying to do everything for everyone.
Personally, I think Pentax/Ricoh are doing alright in this era of over saturation of technology, especially given their limited resources. The monochrome K3 and forthcoming half-frame film camera epitomize the kinds of new products that are more interesting to actual customers. Rather than bloated technological flagships, maybe it's better to create nice sailboats that put the creativity of photography back in the hands of the photographer.
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Forum: Photographic Industry and Professionals
14 Hours Ago
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I "liked" your post in that other thread, Vincent, and I've done so again here. Your observations are spot-on...
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Forum: Pentax K-3 III
23 Hours Ago
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1. trumpeter
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Forum: Pentax K-1 & K-1 II
2 Days Ago
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With the FA 80-320:
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Forum: Post Your Photos!
4 Days Ago
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I've been working through my archives lately, this image from a series of maybe 40 images, taken on Opalescent Lake in Algonquin Park on a campsite where two summer camp groups had arranged to meet. I'm sure many photos we posted that the time.This one was waiting until I got Topaz. Like a lot of files I originally neglected, Topaz, cleans them up pretty good. It really pays to keep the original files. I remember in one of my many arguments of the day, a few members claimed they had to have more than a K-5 because more MP would look better on a 4k TV screen. They didn't predict Topaz and AI processing. I took my original file, ran it through Apple Photos (quirky, and, poor at some tihings, but definitely not IQ and it has a version of Photo AI s developed by Apple for their phones) (Except Photos usually makes some small improvements in iPhone processing) Then so spot sharpening with Topaz Sharpen AI and finishing with Topaz Denoise.
 2013-08-08-Canoe- by Norm Head, on Flickr
Incidentally T has upgraded her K-5 to a K-5II and my K-3 will turn 10 years old this year. I guess we'll buy new ones if these ever break.
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Forum: Pentax K-3 III
3 Days Ago
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Forum: Lens Clubs
4 Days Ago
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Forum: Pentax Medium Format
5 Days Ago
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gorgeous capture!
---------- Post added 04-13-24 at 07:24 PM ----------
Lightning
While in Texas for the eclipse, was treated to some epic electrical storms on 2 nights. This one from one of the missions.
645Z & 55/2.8
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Forum: Pentax K-3 III Monochrome
5 Days Ago
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Peace Lily and Daisy.
Sigma 70/2.8 Macro.
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Forum: Pentax K-3 III Monochrome
5 Days Ago
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White Pasque Flower  |
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Forum: Pentax K-3 III
5 Days Ago
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K3 iii with SMC Pentax-DA* 300mm f/4 ED [IF] SDM
1/320 f5.6 ISO640
Gold colour profile SOOC jpeg.
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Forum: Pentax K-3 III
5 Days Ago
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A fly that didn't fly away.
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Forum: Pentax Medium Format
5 Days Ago
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Japanese cherry blossom in full bloom in our yard. In our area they only bloom for a week between mid April and mid May depending on the weather. This year is early. I took a whole series at different apertures and eventually selected this one at f/6.7 or f/8 (can't remember), even though it is not the sharpest because of the lack of DoF, I think it is the most pleasing one.
645z + 67 55-100mm zoom.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
6 Days Ago
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As customer, we typically compare the cost of buying a new Pentax camera model with the cost of switching: selling Pentax cameras and lenses, and buying a new camera and similar lenses from competition). In my book, provided the camera specs are competitive, Pentax could hike from $1000 up to $2000 on the initial price of a new Pentax FF body over competition, and still sell. Then they would gradually drop the price over the years and keep selling to folk who are more price sensitive.
But I'm afraid Ricoh doesn't compute and make decisions on a per project projected cash flow. I think, like most established large groups with tight financial controls, financial controllers size budgets based on accounting aggregates of all products together, past , present and future. Paying forward outside of the financial control budget requires executives to step up and make the decision to override financial accounting, as a strategic decision, accepting short term losses to gain a strategic edge in the future. I am not sure how strategic is Pentax for Ricoh. I think that Pentax management has been handed over to accountants who just cut expenses to match current sales, without new cameras.
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Forum: Mini-Challenges, Games, and Photo Stories
04-11-2024, 11:30 AM
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Yep, rjonesace, she played irish songs.
And I wasn't the only photographer to take pictures of the lady... :)
Practise early! by xs4all
Carl Zeiss Planar T*1.4/85 ZK @ K-5 IIs
:cool:
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Forum: Pentax K-1 & K-1 II
04-11-2024, 07:17 AM
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Lilac by Jason Doss
Pentax K-1 mII and Pentax-K 17mm f4.0 Fisheye at f11, 1/125s, and ISO 200
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Forum: Pentax K-1 & K-1 II
04-10-2024, 11:55 AM
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I rode the bike down to the coffee shop for language practice and took the long way home to get these.
Dandelion by Jason Doss
Pentax K-1 mII and Pentax-M 120mm f2.8 at f2.8, 1/250s, and ISO 200
and...
Battlements by Jason Doss
Pentax K-1 mII and Pentax-M 120mm f2.8 at f16, 1/125s, and ISO 400
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Forum: Pentax Medium Format
04-12-2024, 12:28 AM
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I just flew back to CA this evening from Texas and took a look through my eclipse shots. Here's a composite of a few frames.
 Solar Eclipse, 2024
645Z & A*600mm f/5.6 & 1.4x TC
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