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Forum: Photographic Industry and Professionals
03-23-2024, 06:28 AM
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Paul recently brought John back from the dead so that he could finally finish a song from 50 years ago.
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Forum: Photographic Industry and Professionals
03-22-2024, 06:31 AM
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Biz, maybe you could get in touch with Musk, Altman and so on to tell them how this fad "actually works" because they are some of the prominent people who have publicly admitted they can't claim to know how AI actually works or where it will land in the future.
But yeah, it will likely go like other fads like the Internet, personal computers, cell phones, cars, electricity and so on - none of which had any long lasting effect on our human world.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
03-05-2024, 09:26 AM
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I think there will be long between new digital cameras, film or no film. The way I see it, DSLR is such a mature technology that Pentax has pretty much reached the ceiling for what THEY can do - unless they want to try to become a completely different brand (Leica. With just as high prices). They rely on sensors and all kind of specialized stuff, they cannot make themself - they "just" stitch all these units together. Film they can make - it is mostly mechanical and optical engineering, what they are best at.
Each and every guy here waiting for a K1 III have slightly different needs and wants, and half will be disappointed once it arrives (and slam the door). Meanwhile the APS C-brigade will start talking about how their life have come to a halt while they have been waiting for K3 IV (which should have feature A and B, but absolutely avoid feature C.
I am pretty sure we'll see an K1 III eventually, and then later another C. But there will be several years between each release now. Enter film ...
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
03-05-2024, 01:08 AM
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Ergonomics of smartphones make people gravitate towards vertical. But it is also recommended if you want to share your photos/videos on social media - and this goes not only for young people on TikTok but also professionals working for companies' Instagram profile. Vertical orientated photos/videos fill the screen better and therefore have more impact.
So old folks can complain as much as they want here ... This guy, TKO?, even explicitly make clear the camera is made for young people who will be gettng their first film camera, not for people who started with a K1000 60 years ago and now would like the same camera, only new and shiny and with AF with bird detection.
None of this was actually aimed at you. One guy on Instagram gained a big following shooting with old cameras and expired films. He call it "Expired Film Club" As he stated he began shooting with expired film because he was tired of perfection and demands of being productive and effective. To "escape" he began exploring old film stock. Don't throw your old film to the trash yet!
This is more like the kind of customer TKO is betting on. They are not on this forum. And with AI generated photography exploding just now this will just be getting bigger - there will be a counter trend, people wanting the aesthetics of photos that look like it is from the days of their grandparents as this is the aesthetics of autenticy before AI and layers of filters. Personally, I don't see why this attitude has less merit than wanting to shoot birds with a huge lens. Pentax have all but lost the "serious amateur" to Sony, Nikon etc. They might find a market here.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
03-03-2024, 10:22 AM
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I'm probably the odd one on this forum, but this is the exact feature that caught my attention, and I have been puzzled that most everyone else here seems to think this is a big problem. I would have fun shooting deliberately with this in mind, but also just see what kind of pairs I happen to end up with.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
03-02-2024, 06:17 AM
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Instead of making jokes, maybe one of you super smart engineers could make a process flow chart or something like that? Because after 20 years with (D)SLRs I have only managed to shoot in landscape orientation, and I would sure like to know what I do wrong. I plan to buy this new film camera just for the vertical orientation, but if there is a cheaper solution, I would love to hear about it.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
02-23-2024, 12:36 PM
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This being an US-based forum, I'll call it! Half frame is the biggest mistake ever. It might work in Japan with slim Japanese people. But let's be honest, the average American is twice the width since the days were half frame cameras were a thing. Even with Reh's pragmatic approach to people's portraits - just shoot them in landscape mode! - people just wont fit easily on a frame in half width. Square format and as big as possible is what we need!
... bye? ...
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
02-16-2024, 04:14 AM
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I don't mind fun and funky, but the problem is Pentax is already all over the place - some retro, some sober functionalism, some cheap plastic, some high end, some exotics and oddities. Our discussions about the film cameras reflect this - we have no idea what to expect. The speculations might be fun for diehard Pentaxians but everybody else don't care one bit. In that situation it takes time and money to teach the potential customers about the product - think about how long it took for KP to gain a following, and by then Pentax had moved on to different things.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
11-25-2023, 10:25 AM
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What is AI then? HAL from 2001 A Space Odyssey and Androids from sci fi? Maybe you don't agree with that definition, but AF that has been trained to recognize faces in a photo - and maybe will learn to recognize and automatically tag the face of your wife, that recognize subject and background and makes automatic adjustment (making the sky more vivid but not the blue car in front) uses AI as we talk about AI today.
Scientists talk about strong AI and weak AI, about AI and machine learning. Please report back when you find a definite meaning, AI scientists agree on. There are several definitions and they are changing all the time as the field evolves.
It's a nerdy discussion. The relevance here is perhaps, that Pentax seems to be left on the station in this regard. MILC will use improved AI in their cameras - tracking subjects is the most obvious. Pentax will have a steep learning curve (going from "this seems to be a subject in front of a background - focus on that!" to "this is my wife among other people - focus on my wife!", and I.wonder if the focus on film cameras and vintage this and that is because they have realized that the gap between them and their competition will be widened year by year. That's what I would do if I was in their shoes: Make a point of the process, the fun and challenge rather than the features of the camera. I think we see signs that this is in fact their strategy now.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
01-26-2023, 04:15 AM
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Oliver Stone already ordered one of each.
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
01-03-2023, 07:09 AM
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It is a niche market, but it exists. I am on Instagram, and the photographers who manages to catch my attention shoots film. My friends are more of the "artists" side of things - plays music, paints etc. and they have zero interest in digital photography.
I shoot digital for the reasons you mention, but if I was to pursue photography more seriously or professionally it would be on film. Digital has drowned in its own success.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
11-10-2022, 07:32 AM
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This is their entry level model and will have to carry that burden for the next years to come. I don't think they have any hope that many new to Pentax will look twice at this. It will extend the life of lens collections around the world - some will replace their old K10d or just want a body for their Pentax lenses while also having a fancy mirrorless. I agree with most here that it should have been called K70s or something like that. But if there is any positive to take from this, there is perhaps a genuine chance that sometime in the future KP will get an update. Had they updated the K70 I think we could abandon all hope on that.
No matter what we feel about this, we have to be realistic that it is the reality and it is not going to change in the future: Pentax is a tiny player now, they will carry few models and actual releases will be very far between.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
11-07-2022, 11:44 AM
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They are at least consistent in their inconsistency.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
04-14-2022, 08:34 AM
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My theory is, the lens and camera designers do the marketing when they have some time left at the end of the day.
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Forum: Photographic Industry and Professionals
02-23-2022, 12:59 PM
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I'm not really known as a business savvy person, but I also think the K70 will be the last of its kind. Like Wheatfield I cannot see them making any money on a K70 update. It will be destined to compete hard on price vs features. If they leave the aps c with only one body, then I'm afraid I'm out, though, and I suspect I'm not alone. That's a genuine dilemma.
When I last looked at cameras (and bought one) I was in Tokyo and therefore I was able to try every bloody model. The one that didn't appeal to me was the k70 and that was because of how it felt in my hands - the one aspect you'll never capture in a spec sheet.
On basis of what I gathered from the sales guys there, I'm not sure KP was such a failure. Remember it was quite a lot more expensive and I suspect each sold unit have brought Pentax a higher profit than k70 or K3ii. I chose the K3ii and that was largely bc of value for yen - The KP was more expensive while having less features and feeling less solid. To me the KP was poorly positioned - the K3ii still available at a much lower price, while being more powerful on all but one point, the KP had the better sensor.
Now, an updated KP would complement the K3iii in Pentax' product portfolio better than the K70 - with an update of the latter it will compete hard on price with pretty much the same features except build. The KP is a bit more street minded. So ... I would make an KP II - 1200 dollars, updates to AF, video and a few added features. A smaller, lighter camera with a different "look and feel".
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
02-20-2022, 04:31 AM
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Guys, after 5-10 years of back and forth and trying this and that, Pentax seems to have finally decided on their path pushing bigger, brighter viewfinders and a philosophy of the most direct interaction with whats in front of the lens. Their communication explicit signal they want to be the SLR brand for the minority who prefer that, while their secret hope for the future actually seems to be to attract some mirrorless users as well - not to make them jump from mirrorless, but to use Pentax on weekends so to speak. And you still think it is relevant to discuss a pellicle mirror as a solution to ... what exactly besides your technological curiosity? Because the technology is theoretically possible and they have a patent laying around along with hundreds of other patents. Not going to happen.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
01-20-2022, 07:09 AM
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I think this should have happened 5 years ago. It has been my opinion Ricoh/Pentax haven't had the scale to plug along, doing what they have been doing. Yes, prices will go up, but I think the price of K3iii already reflects this reality. Personally, I already struggle to see tech in that camera to reflect the price compared to what I paid for my K3ii. It is also a strategy by which they can keep models alive in the marketplace for more years. So rather than a new body every year, we will see Limited versions of K3iii (monochrome etc), before we get to see a new APS C model.
As for FB/Instagram vs. their own "channel". I totally understand the aversion towards FB etc. But for Ricoh to build their own international community ... Well, that will take time and require quite an effort from them. If not, it will end like a sad, abandoned place. So Big Mack and others might have to cut back on the FB/Instagram resentment, if they want Ricoh to have some success with this. I think you guys underestimate how many people it will require to build and run this internet community (programmers, moderators, content creators). FB/Instagram offers a massive shortcut.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
01-20-2022, 11:27 AM
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Yes, but that is the heart of the matter: Heaps of money. I would love see Pentax make a portal with tons of inspiring stuff. But anyway, I never suggested a FB-only strategy. To me and a lot of people FB, youtube and Instagram are mostly search engines, complimenting Google, but offering the possibility of interacting with others with similar interests. Pentax building a community around around their own site - maybe in Japan, the rest of world, I don't see it happening.
I recently considered applying for a job as a content creator with a (ahem) sex toy internet shop. Turns out they are 12 people dedicated to making content, SEO , keeping up with tech trendsetc. This is not 12 people to make posts on FB. It is because they recognize they have to be present on several platforms and making different kinds of content in order to meet different kinds of customers. I know sex is quite a success, but this is not a huge, global cooperation. And Pentax are even not on their level.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
12-20-2020, 06:19 PM
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That is the backward brains bicycle:
You Tube
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src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MFzDaBzBlL0?controls=1" allowfullscreen>
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But yes, some of the simplest stuff, we take for granted every day, like walking or riding a bicycle is highly complex "habits", as AI scientists trying to learn machines do the same have realized through decades of failure.
The AF in our latest Pentax is an impressive engineering feat - and at the same time "stupid" as hell - like when we point the camera towards the one face in the scene and AF shifts to some irrelevant stuff in the background. No human brain is THAT daft.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
11-28-2020, 03:54 AM
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Shape the knob like a parabolic antenna! That should work :-)
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
02-16-2020, 01:46 AM
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I find these interesting. But what I find really interesting is watching the video from Ricoh and comparing it to the videos on K3 or K1. The video on the bino- and monoculars focuses on showing how they actually work and handle in the hands of the user, and then back this up by high quality photos and videos. It is, to me, quite engaging and inspirational - "oh, I could use that when ..."
The official videos Ricoh made about the K3 and K1 seem to be scripted by an engineer for another engineer. It focuses on what I will call tech fetischits qualities - what feels like half a min. of macro shots of buttons with water droplets, then images of sensor and motherboard and description of pixel shift techonology. We are to marvel at this technological marvel with its impressive datas. It doesn't engage me at all.
I am likely the odd one here. How do you feel about this?
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
11-24-2020, 09:55 AM
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As leather crafter (hobbyist) I am currently looking into making a half case for one of my film cameras (which are purely exhibition objects these days). I would have made one for the KP If I had one. Personally, I chose the K3ii exactly because I didn't like the grip on the KP - too small.
Of course, I cannot recommend anyone buying the one from AliExpress - "PU leather" is not leather but plastic ;-) It have to made by proper veg tan leather, thank you.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
08-21-2020, 04:26 AM
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I'm actively looking for an argument, but I don't see much basis for one here :-)
They seem to continue the k3 ethos of fixed and rugged. I do understand people who think that is a bit underwhelming, so I do expect them to have something like wifi tethering to smartphone. We'll see!
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
07-14-2020, 02:17 AM
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Let's get back to this! I'll now expect nothing less than something truly transcendental.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
06-04-2020, 08:49 AM
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The price in Denmark will be so high it is taboo to ever mention it.
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