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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
08-09-2019, 06:44 PM
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The Japanese website DC Watch has an interesting report on the KP J Limited Night at Ricoh's Shinjuku showroom.
I think the Google translation is understandable for the most part. What struck me was the following.
- The KP J seems to have been successful beyond their expectations (I don't agree with the Google translation "beyond imagination" - too extreme)
- Only Ricoh would be flexible enough about branding to let TKO try this and do things like bring back the old logo. Actually they did this by letting Marc Nelson use the old font on the K-01 too. If they are going to use the old logo, I'd like them to use the old font too. The irony is that design preferences go round and the old logo/font looks more contemporary, while the official 80s-tastic one looks old hat to me. I'd like them just go over to the old brand identity - not for nostalgic reasons but because it just looks better.
- It looks like they are thinking for doing this again with other models, especially the K-1
- It's interesting that there is a strategy behind this camera to get away from homogeneity in the market - the idea that cameras have become "all the same if you cover the logo"
Japanese article
??????????????"1%er"????PENTAX KP J limited NIGHT? - ???? Watch
Through Google
Google Translate |
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
08-02-2019, 05:13 PM
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At a recent event they were showing off versions with the AOCO logo printed on them (i.e. not a sticker applied). Looks better without the cover in my opinion.
It does appear that the reaction to these models is quite positive.
There is something quite interesting about they way they are handling this marketing. The guy who designs this "TKO" is always present at the events, getting reaction from the visitors. He is the person I spoke to at CP+, by the way. He is very friendly, passionate about his project and speaks good English.
When I mention events, I'm talking about the KP J Limited Nights at Ricoh's own Imaging Square locations and the KP J Limited Tour at rented event spaces in other cities.
What I'm interested in seeing is:
- whether they continue the KP J initiative and make some of the other colours they were showing at CP+
- whether they extend it to other models - the K-1 II would be the obvious choice
- whether any of the features they are experimenting with end up in future "regular" models. I'm sure some people would like the AOCO logo, and if the new mount material is really better, they it might make sense to make it standard.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
07-30-2019, 05:36 AM
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Being delivered to stores that ordered them now.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
06-14-2019, 07:26 PM
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I’m not surprised - as I said, it was only momentary. But I still think it’s notable because a few reports have stated that it only available from Ricoh direct. It’s actually available for order at multiple other stores, and is in scope for their loyalty programmes. The difference from previous limited editions is that you have to wait for it to be custom made.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
06-14-2019, 01:06 AM
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Sounds like you need a GR III. Seems to tick most of your boxes.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
06-13-2019, 04:45 PM
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It’s probably only momentary, but it’s #1 on the Yodobashi Camera DSLR bestseller list.
????.com - ???????? ???????????????
So this confirms a couple of things:
- This kind of product does have a market of some kind
- The KP J is not only on sale through Ricoh direct
Another thing I noticed while looking down that list is that Pentax is doing a lot better relative to other DSLR brands (Canon, Nikon) than in the past. I’m not saying that Pentax sales are increasing, because the whole category must be in decline. But if there is a collapse in DSLR sales, it’s with the brands that have plotted a clear strategy away from DSLRs.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
06-13-2019, 07:38 AM
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They aren't charging a huge premium for this really. You are forced to buy from Ricoh direct, which makes it more expensive but gives you some real benefits from doing that.
- The cost is 148,500 yen, before you count the 13% store points you'll get back, so it then comes to 129,195 yen (with 19,000 yen's worth you have to spend at Ricoh within a year).
- Then you consider that by buying direct from Ricoh you get a 3-year warranty, where you'd only get 1 year from other stores.
So the premium they are asking for a custom made product, with a different paint job and higher quality materials is not that much really. It helps that it's a great camera in the first place.
Having had a good look at these at CP+, I thought the mount was the best thing about them. The coloring and grip are really a matter of preference, but the wooden grips were very well finished. The cover over the prism is something I'd just leave off.
By the way, they did say clearly that this isn't meant to be a 100-year anniversary model. They have been quite clear on the website and in interviews that the actual anniversary is not until November. Something tells me they won't be able to resist a 100-year commemorative model of something fin November but it's also around the time we might start to hear something about the D500 class camera or the telephoto zooms. A new 645 is possible too. I think there's more to come from the Pentax brand by the end of this year.
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Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
06-12-2019, 09:27 PM
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I know it’s been mentioned elsewhere, but I think it deserves a thread of its own.
The customized versions of the KP shown at CP+ have been formally released.
The main changes are:
- New paint job (body color nd button markings)
- mount made of new carbon material
- wooden grip
- strange plastic cover over the prism (removable)
- bigger eye cup
- metal hot shoe cover
- presets from a well-known landscape photographer include as a default for one of the user modes
It’s actually a higher degree of customization than the usual limited models.
The Pentax page for it is here, explaining the concept.
PENTAX KP J limited / ??????????? / ?? | RICOH IMAGING
Another detailed report with a lot of images is here. You see how it looks without the prism cover.
???????? PENTAX KP J limited ???????????? - ??????????by????????
It’s not clear whether this will be available internationally.
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