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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
09-26-2018, 09:02 AM
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No doubt about the K-1. But I donīt want to carry such a big camera and huge lenses, I appreciated Pentax for making relatively small DSLRs and small dedicated APSC lenses. The current direction of producing big heavy FF glass is the exact opposite I want. I would say "more APSC limiteds please", but I already abandoned ship. ;)
---------- Post added 09-26-18 at 06:08 PM ----------
I see it just as you do. I bet my favourite lens that the GR III wont come before CP+, so end of February at the earliest. We can argue whether February is already Spring or it is the beginning of the year, this changes nothing. February is far away and the camera that is "almost ready" would be introduced much earlier. Which wont happen.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
09-26-2018, 08:04 AM
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How much do I have to buy to be allowed to present my opinion? Since I became a Pentaxian 7 years ago I bought 3 cameras (all new) and 13 lenses (12 new, only 1 legacy lens), not mentioning other accesories and spent thousands of euros. But now there is nothing I can or want to buy, since I am not interested in older lenses and the new donīt come. The same with the camera, I am not interested in buying a lower positioned camera when I had the flagship APSC and the new flagship APSC is still not comming. So how should I support Pentax by buying products when there is nothing to buy?
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
09-26-2018, 07:53 AM
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I basically agree and keep saying that a camera costing more than 300 Euros should have a viewfinder. Ok, GR is a small camera so it it not realistic to expect a 0,8x 3,7MPx EVF, but Sony RX100 shows that a viewfinder can be put in a camera even smaller than GR. So you are right that a camera vithout viewfinder is used mostly in point-and-shoot way. OTOH I still donīt think it īs fair to say the GR is just a point-and-shoot. I was considering buying the GR for hiking and mountain climbing where even the smallest DSLR with the smallest lens is simply too big. The GR is really tiny, but still has a big APSC sensor and wide lens, so fine for landscapes. Shooting landscapes is no point-and-shoot thing, you have time to compose properly, maybe use a tripod (I use a small Gorillapod that fits in my small backpack easily). So for me the GR is not only a point-and-shoot, but also a nice travel and hiking camera when you need to keep things as light as possible.
So I like the idea of small APSC compact, I only critisize the useless "announcement of development" and sa the GR should have been introduced in final form and ready to sell.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
09-26-2018, 05:35 AM
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According to Dpreview the lens "has been redesigned.The new lens features six elements in four groups, including two aspheres. The GR/II's lens was made up of seven elements in five groups, also including two aspherical elements." Weĺl see in 2019 what impact will it have on the sharpness the GR IIīlens was known for.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
09-25-2018, 11:45 PM
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If this was true, Ricoh wouldnīt announce the introduction in Spring 2019 (and yes, the materials said "spring"), which is half a year, a loooong time in photo industry and basically half of a life-cycle of many cameras. If the development was "close to production" and "already being tested by photographers", the announcement would be in 1-2 months, not 6.
But anyhow I appreciate your optimism, if everyone was as sceptical (I say realistic) as me, Pentax would be dead already. And Pentax needs believers willing to wait. ;)
---------- Post added 09-26-18 at 08:47 AM ----------
Medium format digital SLR for example. Letīs give credit where itīs due.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
09-25-2018, 11:39 PM
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I donīt have to, I have just bought a new camera and a couple of lenses in August and am very happy with it. However this is not about my will to buy Panasonic or Fuji, its about the future of these brands and the innovations they bring compared to Pentax/Ricoh. You surely see a diffenrence between announcing a brand new system, a first fullframe mirrorless camera (actually two) by Panasonic or a worlds first 100MPx mirrorless medium format camera by Fuji and announcing the development of new generation of... a compact camera. And this clearly demonstrates the difference between Ricoh and the rest regarding inovation, willingness to invest in the brand, perspective and future. Pentax, once a leader, is now only a follower, and a late one.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
09-25-2018, 08:06 AM
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It would be funny if it wasnt sad.
Just compare this:
Fujifilm announced development of 100 MPx medium format mirrorless camera.
Panasonic announced development of two brand new fullframe mirrorless cameras.
Ricoh announced development of new generation of APSC compact.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
09-25-2018, 07:36 AM
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Well you were right, they announced "somethihg", so you are free to go. :D However it is no camera, no lens, just a promise they will bring the GR next year. How typical for Ricoh in last years: later, next spring, someday... though it would bee too little and too late if it was today.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
09-25-2018, 12:01 AM
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So now we finally know. Ricoh announced... development of GR III. Sigh. :-( So not the worst case scenario (no news), but second worst (no new camera or lens, just announcement that they started something).
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
09-19-2018, 06:35 AM
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There are wild rumours about agreement between Samsung and Ricoh; Samsung should allegedly supply sensors to Ricoh in future. I know, no trusted sources, only a rumour, but it could be good for Pentax, buying much cheaper Samsung sensors compared to Sony ones. And before somebody starts bashing Samsung, their last effort: 4 years old 26 MPx sensor in NX-1 was really a great one, so given the current state of technology I believe Samsung could produce great sensors for Pentax APSC DSLRs.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
09-19-2018, 03:07 AM
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Exactly; and that is the problem. What I read here is that many Pentax users are older people (that have been using Pentax gear for decades). This is all fine a shows some loyalty and connection to the brand, but it is young people that Pentax needs to attract. A retired user is not likely to buy a lot of new gear (if any) and has a tendency of being satisfied with what he has. But Pentax is not a closed British 19th century club, it needs to sell and make money; Ricoh needs to sell cameras to new customers. However it seems Ricoh is not only attracting new customers, it is not even able to keep the existing ones. Market share says it all, Pentax keeps falling down year after year. And who knows what is the bottom border acceptable for Ricoh.
Btw. Sigma showed what they think of Pentax brand when they decided not to make new lenses for Pentax mount.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
09-19-2018, 12:58 AM
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Sigma is supposed to announce 5 (!) new lenses at Photokina:
28mm f1,4
40mm f1,4
70-200 f2,8
60-600mm f4,5-6,3
56mm f1,4.
And as you probably have guessed: neither of those lenses will be available for Pentax. The 56mm is a mirrorless lens, so obviously not for Pentax, but the rest are all FF DSLR lenses that would suit the K-1 well, especially the fast primes. :-(
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
09-14-2018, 07:54 AM
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You know the Latin proverb: Quod licet iovi, non licet bovi. :p What works with Leica doesnīt work with Pentax (or any other plebeian, ordinary brand). Plus rangefinder and DSLR, apples and oranges.
---------- Post added 09-14-18 at 05:01 PM ----------
Just like me, if they canīt wait any longer, they leave. The remaining users are forced to be conservative and patient. :lol: But more seriously, I do not see any demand for a mirrorless camera (either FF or APSC), the demand is limited to small improvements of existing DSLRs. People are basically satisfied with their DSLRs, just want some new features, nothing groundbreaking. This is very conservative IMO.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
09-14-2018, 07:48 AM
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Well thatīs Pentaxian way of thinking. I have heard so many Canon and Nikon photographers willing to switch that it actually amazed me. Pentaxians are much more conservative (and itīs just a wild guess, but I believe the age averege of Pentaxians is higher, hence the conservatism). Again, a Pentaxian may argue that when a camera is perfect you donīt need to change. But a producer who wants to survive does not need satisfied customers who do not want new cameras, so Canikon way of business is much more viable.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
09-14-2018, 05:05 AM
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Well the program indicates the show will be about the Ricoh GR so it is not a hard guess to expect a new Ricoh GR III. Which means no Pentax product and the worst case scenario from my prediction(the best was a new flagship APSC DSLR, then some new lenses and then the GR). Hard to be optimistic about Pentax future, aspecially when Photokina will be full of new amazing cameras by almost all other brands and Pentax wonīt introduce anything (again). :(
---------- Post added 09-14-18 at 02:07 PM ----------
Because the Z and R will get no attention and nobody will buy them, right? :lol::D Well, dream on.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
09-13-2018, 07:54 AM
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Conclusion? That Ricoh is gambling with the loyalty of its fan-base? Stretching their patience too much? Making some less patient Pentaxians leave?
Actually I never understood the attitude of Pentax/Ricoh management - being tight-liped as regards their future plans. As long as I remember it corretly from economy lectures, expectations are an important economical factor, they move the whole stock exchange business or can burry a company. And when the silence of the company confirms worries of customers that there is nothing interesting to expect, it can cause direct economical damage to the company (e.g. people switching to other brands because of seeing no future: "Is there goint to be something new at Photokina? Or do we have to wait untill CP+? Is there a reason to stay with Pentax?"). IMO what Pentax needs is being open with their future plans, so that people can have something to look forward to. Speculations like this whole thread do more damage than help.
---------- Post added 09-13-18 at 05:01 PM ----------
Well, next to the bunch of attention-grabbing novelties from Canon (FF mirrorless, brand new system and 4 new lenses), Nikon (FF ML) or Panasonic (FF ML announcement) such an announcement from Ricoh would be covered in dust and interest nobody. Imagine that: a FF mirrorless with 4 new lenses vs. a mock-up DSLR lens... Even a brand new DLSR will not attract a lot of attention (and that is the most we can expect).
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
09-13-2018, 06:13 AM
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Nikon introduced D500 as a new, higher-positioned flagship APSC, so they needed to differenciate the D7500 a little. The worse for Pentax, since the D7xxx line competes with K-3 and the D500 is one level higher (you cannot deny that K-3 II lags behind the D500 in almost all aspects). So Ricoh competes with 3 years old K-3 II (which itself was only a slight improvement over K-3 from 2013), whereas the competition has introduced newer cameras (one or even two).
And most importantly, the focus of the whole photo industry is shifting towards mirrorless, where Ricoh not only has nothing to offer, but it even has no plans to (re)enter the segment at all.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
09-13-2018, 04:37 AM
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Well since there are only 3 DSLR makers and a direct competition means basically other high-end APSC DSLRs, to be "one of the best" can also mean 3rd, i.e. the worst. :D Not to mention the K-3 wasnīt an improvement in all aspects (for example it was an actual downgrade as regards the sensor, itīs dynamic range and low light ISO).
Nobody argues that the K-3 II is a great camera capable of producing stunning pictures, but the same can be said about the K-5 IIs or the older K-5. It is not about a camera suddenly loosing the capability of taking pictures, itīs about innovation and progress (and of course revenues). The thing is, the competition has moved on, while Pentax is staying still. The K-3 II was introduced in 2015, when there was e.g. Nikon D7200 (itself a stunning camera) or Canon 70D. Since that time Canon came up with D80 and Nikon with D7500 and D500, and the D80 is rumoured to get a successor soon (at Photokina?). So during the time the competition introduces 2 new cameras Pentaxians still have to make do with a 2015 model. And this model is already discontinued.
What is more, it is not only the users who suffer, but also Ricoh suffers since it looses possible revenues (in 2 ways: not having a new product for sale, and also by loosing customers that couldnt wait and switched to other brands). Yes, we can still use the K-3 for great pictures, but this is not the way to survive in the competing market.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
09-13-2018, 01:09 AM
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I agree, the 100mm Macro is super sharp (the sharpest lens I ever had), but for portraits super sharpness is not that critical, somethimes a little softness is better and more pleasing.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
09-12-2018, 11:28 PM
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I forgot the 70mm Limited was f2,4, not 2,8 (and itīs a lens I owned, shame on me ;-), however the DA Limiteds can be generally described as slow (narrow aperture) lenses (15/4, 21/3,2, 35/2,8, 40/2,8, 70/2,4).
And you are right with the 100mm, I owned the 100mm/2,8 macro and used it mostly for portraits; it did the job and I was happy with it, however a faster lens would be more suitable for portraits, plus as a macro lens the long focus range was sometimes a pain... (you know where). I know there is the FA 77/1,8, but it is considerably shorter and most importantly very expensive. Something like Fuji 90mm/2 would be ideal.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
09-12-2018, 06:34 AM
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Exactly. Pentax primes are great, but mostly quite slow, especially the DA Limiteds (f2,8 is the fastest aperture). Fuji primes from the "compact line" have mostly f2 (18mm, 23mm, 35mm, 50mm) and their line of fast primes is f1,4 (16mm, 23mm, 35mm) or even f1,2 (56mm).
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
09-12-2018, 06:30 AM
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Well this depends on where you live. In Europe Pentax is generally quite expensive, especially in my country (I bought almost all my Pentax gear from abroad). I have many times looked at great prices of Pentax gear (especially during sales like Black Friday etc.) on B&H, The Camera Store etc., but adding custom and taxes when buying from Europe makes it almost the same. However you can get Fuji lenses for great prices in some shops, for example the abovementioned Fuji 35mm/2 for 294 EUR here: http://www.eglobalcentral.eu/fujifilm-fujinon-xf-35mm-f2-r-wr-lenses-black.html
Btw. Pentax 35mm/2,4 is one of the cheapest Pentax lenses (along with the DA 50mm) and it is the cheapest build lens (all plastic), whereas the Fujinon 35mm is an all-metal, weather sealed lens, basically an equivalent to Pentax Limiteds or DA*. And we all know the price of the Limiteds or Star lenses.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
09-12-2018, 12:15 AM
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Many people (or most of them) here mention lens lineup as a main reason to stay. Funny is, I left mostly because of the lenses. I fully agree that Pentax has a wide range of APSC lenses and I really loved some of them. But while I loved the recent ones (16-85mm, 15mm, 70mm...), I was not so raptured by the older ones. For example the wideangle lenses. I really loved my HD DA 15mm Limited, it was so small and light, while optically nice, it was my main hiking lens. But there were times when I felt a need for something a bit wider and most importantly faster (f4 was unusable at night or indoors), so I looked at the two possibilities: the 12-24mm and 14mm. However the zoom, while wider, was the same f4, so not an improvement. The 14mm f2,8 looked ideal on paper, both wider and faster. However it was way bigger and heavier than the 15mm and optically no match to beautiful Limited. This is where some Pentax lenses show its age: a lens introduced in 2004 (one of first DA lenses, made for first DLSRs with only 6 MPx) struggles a bit on modern cameras. And Pentax had seemingly no intention of upgrading these old lenses (at least new HD coating etc.). The new wideangle zoom has been in the roadmap for years, and when it finally came close to production, Pentax kept delaying it (recently a release date no earlier than 2019); plus it seems it will be huge. So despite having a lot of lenses, many of them are old and not that great and new or upgraded APSC lenses dont come.
Now I bought a Fuji 14mm f2,8, exactly the same specs as Pentax 14mm, however much smaller and lighter (235g vs. 420g). So it has exactly what I have been looking for: a lens that is wider and faster than Pentax 15mm, yet only marginally bigger and with the same optical quality (if not better).
So while for the majority Pentax lenses are the reason to stay (and it is a perfectly acceptabe reason), for me paradoxically it was a reason to leave.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
09-11-2018, 07:28 AM
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So basically you say the same, just in other words. ;-)
See, that is the problem I felt. Pentax has been "a bit late" with many products, be it the long awaited FF or the K-3 successor. And some impatient people like me ;-) just couldnīt wait any longer and left the brand. And I believe testing the patience of its (already quite small) fan-base is not the wisest business plan, especially when there are no new customers (from other brands) that could be attracted by Pentax products and substitute for those who left.
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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
09-11-2018, 06:45 AM
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I think exactly the same. The talks about dpreview, Tony Northrup etc. not liking Pentax are BS, there is no world conspiracy against Pentax, jut Pentaxī own business decisions.
---------- Post added 09-11-18 at 03:48 PM ----------
Nobody denies commitment to K-mount. But now there is APSC and FF and the commitment goes clearly to FF, what means - with limited sources - neglecting APSC. For a K-1 shooter no problem, for me (or other APSC-only shooters) quite a big one.
---------- Post added 09-11-18 at 03:52 PM ----------
You are 100% true. The thing is in my opinion Fuji is the closest camera system equivalent to Pentax (at least philosophy-wise), so despite obvious diferrences (DLSR vs ML, OVF vs EVF etc.) the Fuji is very similar to Pentax and I kinda feel I have a Pentax successor. No other camera made me feel this way.
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