Links to the press release and the 'PENTAX Film Project Story #03' video:
PENTAX Film Camera Project shifts to the next stage in the development of a new film camera｜RICOH IMAGING
Youtu.be
|
src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xqRQTOkhOJU?controls=1" allowfullscreen>
|
Transcription of TKO's statement:
"Hello, everyone! It’s TKO again.
The Film Camera Project, which we launched at the end of 2022, has received tremendous support of many people, not only film camera enthusiasts both in Japan and overseas, but also from industry partners and students who assisted our research. Their support made us realize the growing popularity of film cameras and analog photography while serving as great encouragement to us.
We wondered over and again whether we should proceed with this project and whether it would be possible for us to develop the product we intended to. It was your support and advice that helped us regain our confidence and encouraged us to move on. We are very thankful for this.
We visited a number of countries and received many opinions and suggestions.
Finally, we were able to visualize the overall image of our new film camera.
Today I’ll tell you more about the camera.
As I explained in previous video presentations the basic concept of this product is a camera that allows younger photographers to fully enjoy taking photos as they enter the world of film photography.
So, what kind of camera should it be? We repeatedly asked ourselves this question. Here is how we’re thinking about it now. I’m going to share some new product information with you today.
First of all, this camera is basically designed for vertical-format photos. That is, it provides a vertical-format image when you look into the viewfinder and the basic format of image framing is also vertical.
Why did we decide on vertical-format framing?
In today’s society, which is saturated with digital gadgets, smartphones are such an important part of people’s daily lives.
When we communicate with each other using smartphones and tablet computers, we basically hold the device in a vertical position. The result is that we more often capture vertical-format photos.
When we exchange images via social media, vertical-format photos come in handy.
One of the pleasures younger photographers have with film photography is in exchanging photos developed from the film as digital data.
Based on these factors, we decided that the vertical format would be better accepted by younger photographers.
There was another reason why we felt that the vertical format is a better choice.
Compared with the peak of film photography, the price of film is much higher today. This is a very difficult hurdle to overcome in enjoying analog photography. Due to the limited number of photos that can be captured on a single roll of film, the high running costs, including that of development, are also a big issue.
By designing a vertical-format camera, we figured that we could double the number of photos captured on each roll of film. This led us to adopt a half-size format. Because this format takes up about half the size of the conventional image area, it doubles the number of photos that can be captured.
We believe that this is a very effective solution to reduce the costs involved, including that of film purchases. It means that you can capture 48 photos on a roll of 24-exposure film or 72 photos on 36-exposure film.
Our hope is that it would make analog photography more enjoyable and more accessible to younger photographers, keeping it within their budget.
PENTAX has been engaged in the development of film cameras for many decades. But this is the first time that we produce a PENTAX-branded half-format camera. When we came up with the idea of a half-format camera we came to realize that there was a camera format we hadn’t yet used.
It was a bit of surprise for us.
The vertical format brings yet another benefit. You can lay out two vertical-format photos side by side on the space of a single 35mm-format image. This provides a tremendous advantage. By placing two photos together in a single image you can create a work of art that can better tell a concept or story.
I expect that this will stimulate the creativity of younger photographers and inspire them to capture beautiful photos and produce fine works of art.
We expect that many photographers will use a film camera for the first time. At first, they may capture totally black photos due to underexposure or white-washed photos due to overexposure.
To prevent such troubles, we incorporated a few electronic-control mechanisms in the new camera.
One of them is the acclaimed electronic shutter unit. We plan to customize it for use in a film camera. It will provide the camera with a number of electronic-control features, including automatic control of aperture and shutter speed.
In other words, even a first-time user will be able to use the camera effortlessly and without trouble.
So, can the camera automatically take a photo with a single push of the shutter-release button? Yes, it can. I hope that we can make it happen. That’s not all, however; the camera will also allow the photographer to manually change some settings.
One idea is to allow the photographer to choose the desired shooting mode via dial control. I hope you’ll look forward to it!
For focusing operation, we are planning to incorporate a manually set zone-focus system. It will allow the user to set the desired focus range based on the distance to the subject by turning the focus ring positioned on the lens barrel.
We would also like to incorporate a mechanism that tells you the selected focus zone at a glance when you look into the viewfinder.
These features will provide the pleasure of manual control while also benefiting from the simplicity of automatic operation.
For film winding operations we plan to recreate an old-fashioned winding mechanism used in past film-format SLR cameras because we would like you to rediscover and enjoy the touch of this old mechanism. It works and feels exactly the way it was!
If you wind the film manually, you’d also like to rewind it manually, right? The good news is that we plan to recreate a vintage film rewinding mechanism as well. When you finish shooting a roll of film, pull out the rewinding crank and rotate it to rewind the film.
For film winding and rewinding operations it would have been much easier to use a motorized mechanism. However, we decided to go for the time and effort needed with a mechanical unit because we wanted you to enjoy the action and sound of winding/rewinding operations.
Next is the lens, the core element of a camera. When we decided to adapt the half-size format, we drew great inspiration from two of our past models.
One was the angle of view provided by the RICOH Auto Half, which was a popular half-size camera from decades ago.
Another was the optical design of the lens. For this, we referred to the optical design of PENTAX Espio mini, which was acclaimed as a masterpiece by many fans in the past.
Please look forward to this new lens, too!
That’s all I can tell you now.
After listening to my presentation some of you may be wondering why we decided to develop this kind of camera.
Film photography has a long history during which manual mechanical cameras became handier and simpler to operate and finally evolved into fully automatic, electronically controlled models.
When we talked to many people after we launched this film camera project, which was aimed at creating a new camera for young, photography-loving people, we began to realize that it didn’t have to be one of two choices: either fully manual or fully automatic.
For operations demanding convenience, we can incorporate electronically controlled mechanisms. For operations recreating the classic pleasure of mechanical action, we can use manual mechanisms.
We assessed each feature and every function based on these factors and carefully chose the most appropriate mechanism for each of them so that we could create a new camera that would meet all the expectations of young photographers.
This is not a camera that can be rated or classified simply in terms of features and functions.
In this presentation, I have explained to you what the overall product concept of our new film camera is. I’ve also noted that we have now reached the next stage of product development.
I hope that we can deliver a camera that allows first-time film camera users to fully and effortlessly enjoy film photography and also brings back former film camera lovers after years of absence.
To tell you the truth, we finished assembling a prototype and I actually took some photos with it. It was so much fun! It was really, really fun to use this camera. I was so overjoyed with this camera that I kept shooting a photo one after another. I’m not sure if I’m actually allowed to talk about this at this point. But it was so much fun that I cannot help it. What’s more, every photo came out very nicely.
Thanks to your tremendous support, our new film camera is finally taking shape.
Developed as a part of the Film Camera Project we strongly believe that this is one of the most important models that we will be introducing to the camera market.
Analog photography will never disappear. It will never, ever become extinct.
For this project, I visited various countries and met many people involved in the analog photography business. All of them were very enthusiastic and supportive. They showed overwhelming interest in this camera.
I believe that young photographers will keep enjoying analog photography for generations to come. I hope that we can help them achieve their goals and dreams.
I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation to those of you who have supported this project: all film camera enthusiasts, the industry partners and students who assisted our research, retired PENTAX engineers who volunteered their services, and the members of our development team who have been working so hard to overcome difficulties day after day.
We are just a step away from our ultimate goal. We have come this far in making an actual product.
I appreciate your continuing support and encouragement all the way to the end of this project. I also wish that other camera manufactures would follow suit and enter the analog camera market. I will be very happy if this happens. Please consider my proposal!
But if and when it happens, please go easy on us.
It's time for film.
PENTAX, PENTAX, PENTAX
Film photography is coming back!
That’s all from TKO."
|
