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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
1 Day Ago
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Here are my random speculation worms from the can:
The last several times recently that Pentax has upgraded a camera---K1mkII, the K-something apsc camera, and the K3mkIII----only this last was a significant upgrade. I think that K-something camera that so disappointed people was only upgraded because parts for the previous version became unavailable. The K1mkII wasn't that significant an upgrade---to the extent that they offered a board replacement(!) for K1 owners. I took advantage of that. The K3mkIII's significant upgrade, who knows how long that was in development?
It seems only the huge Sony corporation is really going with incremental upgrades in this current market. So, for Pentax they seem to be looking now only at major upgrades. I think they even mentioned something like that a couple of years ago with respect to the 645 series, noting the problems/challenges with that. And these days a major upgrade for Pentax on the K1 line may mean as significant an upgrade as in the K3 line.
I think Photoptimist, one of our most knowledgeable members, recently stated that sensor technology was starting to reach its practical limits unless some very significant technological change occurs. Perhaps this is playing into this upgrade trajectory, along with Pentax adding better video, for instance, something they did with the K3mkIII. But of course video isn't in their DNA really, and its unlikely they have the requisite video engineers in the way Panasonic, Sony, and Canon do, all of whom make video cameras and have been for decades. The other thing is the new prism technology, and perhaps that's difficult to scale up. Then there's the AF, which is fine for me but seems to bother everyone else.
All speculation of course. What I do know is that my now 10 y.o. 645Z still does a fantastic job in my line of work, cultural heritage, and for my personal artwork. And my K1mkII is a noble backup---I know if I can't use the 645Z for some reason I'm going to get superb shots with the K1mkII. And I know that I wouldn't jump into an upgrade as quickly this time as I did with those cameras unless the K1mkII was indeed a significant upgrade, and possibly the same for a new 645 camera (although here I'd also be considering the age of my trusty unit).
I'd make a quick jump to purchase if:
- the new K1mkII had much better video, and video-helpful features, like a touch screen for focus.
- the new 645 was FF 645 and/or had pixel shift and IBIS, and maybe some other internal features like focus stacking, & etc., or FF video.
- Pentax came out with a compact FF camera, ideally fixed lens
- Pentax came out with a compact crop frame 645 camera, ideally fixed lens.
Those above give you some idea of my perhaps esoteric needs, and how I sit in the camera market as a potential customer!
But one final thought on this, my most significant upgrade lately, besides lighting equipment, was my phone. I upgraded to a Samsung S24 Ultra. The reason I did so was the additional lenses on the camera, that my Note 9 was getting a little long in the tooth, but what really sealed the deal was Samsung's commitment to 7 years of major Android upgrades. I'm wondering if that's not suggestive of something they know and we don't, namely that significant tech upgrades will be slower in coming now. And it makes me speculate that this is where Pentax finds itself.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
6 Days Ago
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Linkage to rangefinder may be a bit complex right now.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
04-14-2024, 09:08 AM
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If so I don't buy.
To b accurate, in the Pentax principles communications, they stated they are committed to the future of SLR photography, still visible here: PENTAX PRINCIPLES | brand | RICOH IMAGING . A lot of people miss-read and remembered "DSLR" instead of "SLR" , probably due to what we people unconsciously want or expect . SLR is what Ricoh are going to do, after the first compact film camera. That's what they said so far. Ricoh will probably focus efforts on what most trendy now: mirrorless GR and Pentax film (SLR) cameras.
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
04-14-2024, 07:39 AM
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Probably true... yet there are members here - neither "Gen Z" nor "hipsters" - who already shoot film, realise that turning the camera 90 degrees miraculously converts the image frame to landscape format if required, and are interested in buying this camera depending on specification and price. We may be a minority of the intended market or a welcome additional tranche, but we're a very real part of it nonetheless...
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
04-08-2024, 01:10 PM
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I shoot both digital and film, and for film I digitise my negatives using a DSLR then convert them in software. So, what's the point of using film?
Well, for one thing it just looks different. The way detail is rendered by film grains / dye clouds, the appearance of those, the tonality - and for colour film, the colour reproduction - from each film stock is very different from the regimented pixel grid, colour-profiled output I get from my digital gear. Of course, you can apply custom profiles, LUTs, curves, grain and other processing to digital photos in an attempt to emulate each film's characteristics - and I sometimes do so with my own digital images - but the result is always at best a vague facsimile... mildly convincing at first glance, but the subterfuge doesn't hold up to scrutiny. In fact, it takes quite a lot of effort to make a digital photo look like film... I mean, really look like it... and then, for me, the question is "What's the point of shooting digital and trying to make it look like film, when you can shoot film in the first place?" :)
Then, there's the whole approach with film photography. You have a fixed ISO for the currently-loaded roll (and development approach), meaning you have to make exposure decisions around that and accept whatever grain characteristics are inherent to the film. When shooting digital, you can vary the ISO setting alongside aperture and shutter speed to take a shot precisely as you want it - but with film, you have to shoot with the fixed ISO speed in mind (to some extent... exposure latitude gives you a lot of wriggle room, admittedly)... so you might have to accept a faster or slower aperture or shutter speed to get the shot - and that can result in images that look quite different to digital where depth of field and/or motion capture are concerned. Plus, of course, there's no screen for chimping / live view / image review, a limited number of shots per roll before the hassle of loading a new one, and the cost aspect of film and developing, so you tend to be more selective and careful (well, I do). Again, you can emulate this by restricting the way you use digital, but I don't know anyone who successfully does so without being tempted to step outside those self-imposed boundaries when the need or desire arises. With film, you can't - and that enforces a different mindset to digital.
Overall, it's just a different experience. Both digital and film will produce great images of the same scenes and subjects, but there are differences in both the approach and final result. Whether that matters or not is down to the individual. Personally, I love shooting film - and for B&W, I love developing it too. It's just a very enjoyable process, and with a sense of anticipation for the final images that I find exciting in a quite different way to digital...
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
04-04-2024, 09:01 AM
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Look, the majority of people in these threads ask the question, "Why would I need 'x' piece of gear?" They then come to the conclusion that they don't need it, whatever that thing is -- an f1.4 prime, f2.8 zoom, a short telephoto zoom, or a camera that does more than 5 fps frame rate.
I am sure they are right in that assessment, but that isn't a question that Pentax ever has to ask. The question Pentax is interested in is, "If we make 'x' piece of gear, will we sell enough of it to benefit our bottom line?" Depending the cost of R and D, number of sales, and the price of the piece of equipment, the answers delivered will be different, but if and when they make a DA *50-135 Mark II, it will be because they think they can sell enough of it at the right price to make it worthwhile to release.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
04-04-2024, 10:37 AM
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That is a great way to phrase it. Is it cost effective to develop and market XYZ.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
03-28-2024, 05:22 AM
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No, the KP was never intended to be a flagship as in many ways it was a significant downgrade from the K-3 II, but it became the de-facto APS-C flagship as there was nothing better available new. I believe that Ricoh decided "now that we have the K-1 out, that's the flagship and we don't need a separate flagship for the APS-C format" and had no plans for a K-3 III at all. Then it became clear that an APS-C flagship was wanted and would sell and they started putting it together, hence why it took so long to appear after the K-3 II.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
01-03-2024, 12:48 PM
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Can I just point out to any film naysayers that in the first two pages of this thread, already six of us have mentioned our interest in film, with four or five showing genuine interest in picking up a new Pentax film camera. Active PentaxForums members are but a tiny, English-speaking subset of the global user base, but I'd guess we're probably fairly representative of Pentax users in general... which makes me think there's going to be a good level of interest for the new film camera(s). Just sayin'...
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Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras
03-19-2024, 11:44 AM
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About all we know is it's half frame film and a fixed lens. Not enough information.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
03-19-2024, 04:52 AM
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As I recall, back in the mid-90s, the Polaroid 35mm film (black and white or color transparencies) was about $20 per roll with the processing pack. That was not quite double the retail price of E6 film and processing at the time, and the Polaroid did not include mounts. The Polaroid film also wasn’t nearly as good as regular stuff when it came to resolution and color.
These days I think a home processing kit would be cool, and a positive film without mounts is by far the easiest way to share the results digitally. Price would still be a worry, however, as $50/roll for 72 half frame transparencies seems like a lot…
-Eric
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
03-12-2024, 01:01 PM
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Your comments are spot on Mike. The whole point of using film is to get a film-look.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
03-09-2024, 02:11 PM
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I've no issue with wishful thinking and constructive suggestions to Ricoh - and yes, I get that's what this thread is about. I filled in the survery myself shortly after the thread appeared, and my own bit of wishful thinking was embedded in my survey response. But when the discussion is used as yet another opportunity to point out how clearly lacking the K-mount system is, and image quality from some of its equipment likened to that of mobile phones, I'm sorry but I bristle. It's all too familiar territory. Anyway, I've said my piece, so I'll stand down now... As you say, this thread is about the survey - not me :o
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
03-09-2024, 12:48 PM
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There's a big difference between mumbling occasional dissatisfactions every now and then - especially with a view to finding solutions - and carping on about them time and time again (perhaps dressed up in slightly different ways) over a period of years, for no other reason than enjoying a good moan or wallowing in self-pity (sorry, I know that seems harsh, but there it is). All the old complaint and rant posts are still readable by members and non-members alike, via web search engines. Repeating the same complaints - with no real objective other than venting - adds nothing of value to these forums, and does nothing to help the brand. It's neither useful nor entertaining.
Look, I'm not 100% satisfied with Pentax - there are things I like, things I don't, things I wish were different... and yes, I've mentioned a few of them every now and again - hopefully, in a somewhat constructive rather than purely negative and self-serving way... but I don't go on and on about them. I don't want to be "that guy" whose forum reputation is rooted in negativity. I have my moments, like everyone else, but I generally try to be a constructive influence, not least out of consideration for fellow members who largely enjoy shooting Pentax. This is a brand-specific community inhabited by folks who are mostly here to enjoy constructive discussion about photography, equipment and the brand... at least, that's what I thought this was. If it's a soap-box for repackaging and repeating the same complaints about the brand ad infinitum, I've misjudged it terribly...
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
03-09-2024, 10:16 AM
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Thanks for the clarification, biz - I can absolutely see why you bought the K-1 now. Unfortunately - and this isn't a criticism, but merely an observation - you bought it with the expectation that as-yet-unreleased products would come to market... but there was no firm commitment from Ricoh, only a loose plan in the form of a roadmap - and as you well know from your day job, plans change all the time. You got everything you paid for - cameras, lenses, warranties (assuming you bought them new)... what you didn't get - and it was never part of the deal - was a guarantee from Ricoh that it would deliver all the products on the roadmap, or others that you hoped for. You assumed it would, but that's on you and you alone, I'm afraid. I've advised other members here in these forums several times previously, only buy into - or stay with - a system based on what currently exists in the line-up, not what the manufacturer says - or you hope or think - might be coming months or years down the road (a recipe for disappointment - though I completely understand the temptation). This way, the likelihood of frustration is minimised, and any subsequent product releases are simply welcome bonuses that you may or may not choose to buy.
None of this really matters, biz. Whatever each of us may want from Pentax, the line-up is what it is. In time, it will change... Ricoh will (at least we hope it will) release new Pentax products in future, in its own good time - but we don't know what they'll be or when they'll materialise. There's absolutely zero benefit to navel-gazing on what could have been and what might be. You're far better off acknowledging and accepting the current state of things, then either (a) knuckling down, making the best of what you have and actually enjoying it, or (b) taking some positive action to identify and switch to a system that already offers everything you need for both your hobby and part-time professional photography (and if it doesn't exist or you can't afford it, choose option "a"). Either way, repeatedly focusing on the downsides, failings and flaws in Pentax and Ricoh Imaging does none of us any good, yourself included :o
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
03-07-2024, 05:23 AM
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It’s not really that simple. A full frame compact would be larger and not wide angle with the half-frame mask in use. It would also require a lens with a larger image circle.
I think I’d rather they do this one as a half frame then make “Camera 2” a more advanced full frame model.
-Eric
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
03-07-2024, 12:53 PM
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Outperforms?
There is no new, warranted camera out there that yields 72 images per standard film roll.
By that measure alone, and I can think of others, the new camera will outperform.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
03-06-2024, 05:20 PM
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Some of my most popular shots were done on a half-frame Ricoh caddy. See below. Problem is, it’s old and sometimes the aperture and shutter gets sticky. I ought to get it CLA’d; but im excited for this to come out so I can use it out and about.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
03-06-2024, 05:03 PM
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Even if Pentax’ choice is not the one I would have made, it is intriguing and I think about more than just cost minimization.
I’ve been shooting with my Dial 35 half frame this week. It’s well made, zone focus, shutter priority (or manual), and auto wind with a clockwork spring movement (winding it is very satisfying). It is not cheaply made, and I hope Pentax aims for this style of build quality.
The technology has existed for a long time to make a full frame 35mm camera small. The Petri Color 35, Rollei, and Olympus XA all did it at various price points (and the Olympus was a rangefinder, even). Choosing half-frame was intentional, obviously, but I don’t think it is about cost savings. I think it is about something different, just like TKO said, something phone-using kids will understand immediately. Most of us probably won’t…
And if you want an example of Pentax being cheap, check out the Pino. Focus free, super cheap. Mine came apart in my hands.
-Eric
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
03-06-2024, 01:26 PM
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I'm getting one for sure.
It'll be perfect as a backup/second film camera when I travel. My primary travel SLR camera (currently a Z-1p or MZ-S) will shoot E6 slide film and this new half-frame will shoot b&w.
Phil.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
03-06-2024, 10:21 AM
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I shoot film (Pentax, only Pentax) and digital (non Pentax body but often with Pentax glass). I have no need of a half frame entry level camera, and I doubt I'll have the discretionary income to buy their new SLR or even mecha SLR if ever they do work their way up to it.
But that's not the point. I am not the market!
We've forgotten just how much of a market-subverting tradition AOco and its Pentaxian successors have had. How much of a user friendly revolution the Asahi Pentax and the second generation Spotmatic had, and how they changed the market. And also how the AP was not the first offering; it was preceded by the Asahiflex. Which did not move the market but certainly opened up the vista along the road to the AP.
And when the Asahiflex was introduced, Leica struck rangefinder loyalists derided it and its strange viewfinder and secondary eyepiece...
The unclassifiable camera Pentax has just come up and some of the negative reactions remind me very much of the Asahiflex.
I don't know whether Pentax's road map is the same path to glory AOco embarked on in 1952. If not, not. But I really get the sense in all this that Pentax is just being Pentaxian.
And I venture it's possible that some Pentaxians may not turn out to be Pentaxian enough.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
03-04-2024, 06:30 AM
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I was never interested in FF camera. I would like them concentrate on film and next generation of APS-C flagship. From my POV designing FF is waste of money.
Luckily for us both, Pentax will do what they think is best for business, not what single customer wants from them.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
03-03-2024, 11:01 AM
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No way would I leave APS-C now for full-frame. I have some excellent APS-C lenses , as well as many 'vintage' full-frame, but I find the quality of the KP sensor as good as I will ever need. Having grown up with film, I waited until I felt that digital was getting close, and then bought my first DSLR ( *ist DL2). I've changed cameras when sensor quality made it worthwhile, i.e. when there was noticible improvement. But i cherish the relative compactness of my current 2 APS-C cameras, the K-S1 and KP and I'm not going back to FF.So I for one applaud Pentax for giving us both formats. There is also the undeniable fact that you are highly unlikely to ever get a FF DSLR for APS-C money.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
02-24-2024, 11:00 AM
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I'm not sure it's a non-starter.
They are focussed on the Japanese market, which is the only one left where the brand Pentax still has high cachet.
If Japan has enough half-frame processing labs, they may well do it.
And if they aren't doing it, what was the point of the teaser with Riko?
---------- Post added Feb 24th, 2024 at 11:20 AM ----------
... And, just to add -- Pentax is selling film now. What is to stop them from opening processing labs in Japan?
In the USA there was a 1950s monopoly ruling against Kodak bundling film and processing. But that's just the USA.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
01-14-2024, 07:41 AM
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LOL :lol:
Seriously, though, it's been ten years since I last enjoyed a decent income (by choice, I might add)... and If you discount the few snaps I took with the family Kodak Instamatic when I was a kid, I didn't shoot any film until the early-mid 2000s. In fact, I've only been using it seriously for the last couple of years... so it's not a nostalgia thing for me. However, despite coming from a technology background I do find much of today's techno-wizardry increasingly tiresome... nothing's simple any more (and I'm speaking as a tech-savvy 54-year-old, not an octogenarian). I'm open-minded enough to appreciate and respect others' desire for - and enjoyment of - the latest digital cameras that shoot at 30fps and AF-track the eye of a gnat in near-darkness, but personally I find greater enjoyment in simpler equipment like my Samsung GX-10 for digital, and - yes - film cameras. I wish more folks could understand and respect that :o
There's an Amish saying: “A narrow mind and a wide mouth usually go together"...
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