|
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
09-05-2019, 04:00 PM
|
| |
Chris Mac - The KP is an additional mid-range model and the K-3 successor is going to be poisoned higher. You like to portray this as a mistake, but the KP seems to have been the most popular Pentax DSLR the whole time since it’s release in Japan. The K-3 II on the other hand was always considered a bit of a dud while it was on sale. It’s only since it was discontinued that people have got misty-eyed about it. The fact is that to make a competitive top class APS-C camera in 2019 they need to do a lot better than the K-3 II and that is going to need to be a more expensive model. That’s why the lines had to be split.
Ron - What is coming next year is not a KP-derived camera. It’s a camera that “keeps concept” of the K-5/K-3 cameras, but is all new inside and positioned as a top class APS-C camera. It has a new sensor and engine at least. It is around the same size as the K-3, but not exactly. It does not have a permanently attached dual-grip design. This was said by the person leading the project (Shigeru Wakashiro) at CP+.
Clackers - The comments about timing have been deliberately vague. What Wakashiro-San said at CP+ was “not for a while” and when suggested that it might be as late as Xmas 2020, he said “it won’t be that long”. Reminder: Don’t over analyze the specific words I use to paraphrase Japanese from memory. Kimio Tanaka definitely has enough connection to Ricoh to know what’s coming. He appears at their events, he writes a regular column in their magazine and he has had access to unreleased products in the past. He also likes to prod Pentax about always being delayed. His latest comment was that it will be out in the second half of next year, but it’s not clear if he means in stores or announced. It’s possible it will be shown during spring with delivery some months later.
reh321 - I don’t think anyone said specifically the K-3 successor would the next model to be released (i.e. that no other camera will be released in the interim). The Ricoh representatives only talk about future cameras when asked about them, and they were only really asked about the K-3 successor. It’s quite possible that a K-70 level camera, a 645 camera or even a KP2 could come out before that. I can only imagine the histrionics if the latter happens.
Anyway, that is the information I know that came from named people with a clear association with Ricoh. I don’t pay much attention to anonymous posters myself.
I could go further and speculate about a lot more features the camera will have, but no better than you. I think it’s reasonable to look at other Ricoh models K-1 and GR III) and infer that some features will come over. I also think that Ricoh will want to keep up with competitors and implement some other capabilities that competitors have. It makes sense to me.
|
|
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
08-28-2019, 06:35 AM
|
| |
I agree. As I said back on page 4, I don't believe the top Pentax APS-C will use the 26MP sensor. The new battle ground for APS-C will be around 30MP. The 26MP sensor is positioned lower. It would be just right for a K-70 replacement though.
It's interesting that we also have a rumor today about two new Sony APS-C G-series lenses. I'm sure those are designed for a better Sony sensor that will be in their high-end model, and possibly an APS-C model of the Nikon Z. We haven't seen that sensor yet. Fuji is also slow to update their two top models (X-Pro and X-H1). I think they'll be waiting for it too.
Pentax is getting ready for higher resolutions with the DA* 11-18 and the standard zoom on the roadmap. These and the new Sony lenses need to have their peak image quality closer to open aperture because of the pixel density on these sensors.
I think the next year or so is going to be quite interesting for APS-C camera releases.
---------- Post added 08-28-19 at 10:47 PM ----------
That was quick - I'm proved wrong within minutes!
Both new Sony cameras are 24MP.
I still think we'll see higher resolution sensors soon,
|
|
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
08-16-2019, 04:59 AM
|
| |
This could be my fault. I said after seeing the Iwasaki-Wakashiro-Tanaka discussion at CP+ that I thought spring 2020 was a possibility for the new camera. It was a very vague discussion and that was my interpretation. If it is going to cause so much angst, perhaps I should just keep my mouth shut.
Anyway, I do hope your decision to go with Canon is working out well for you.
|
|
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
08-14-2019, 05:29 AM
|
| |
Thanks! So Tanaka-san's main points are:
- He's heard about a new camera this year, but probably only a minor update or a special edition.
- The new APS-C flagship in the second half of next year, but it looks like it will be worth the wait.
- He's not sure what's happening with the lightweight FF zoom lens he was expecting.
|
|
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
06-26-2019, 05:54 AM
|
| |
I think a lot of confusion stems from the misconception that Ricoh is replacing models or even cutting down. Ricoh seems to be realigning models and extending their lines over time.
The K-1 was not replacing anything - it was a new line. The K-S1 caused a lot of fuss when it came out, because it was assumed to be a K-50 replacement. It turned out that that line continued in the K-S1 and K-70 had been attempt at a different type of camera. The KP was not a direct replacement for the K-3 series, and neither will the new high-end APS-C camera from what I hear. The Z1 extends that line higher.
My expectation (without inside info) is that the next three cameras will be the K-70 replacement, a high-end D500-like camera, and a new 645 camera above the 645z, but with the 645z staying as an entry MF camera. Only one of these is an obvious replacement.
Then I expect whatever tech is in the “Pentax D500” to show up in a new FF camera above the K-1 about a year after.
I realize you can also point to cameras like the K-1ii, the Theta SC, the GR III and others as more obvious replacement cameras, so Ricoh does do it. However, I often see people go into “Does not compute” mode when Ricoh comes out with something a bit different to what came before, and make some rather strange assumptions about what it means.
By the way, I don’t think anyone associated with Ricoh said what the NEXT camera would or wouldn’t be at CP+. There was a fair amount of talk about the high-end APS-C camera, but the impetus to talk about that came from the questioners.
|
|
Forum: Pentax News and Rumors
06-14-2019, 08:09 PM
|
| |
I very skeptical about this story.
- We know Ricoh uses Sony sensors and has a need fo APS-C. We know Sony has a 26mp sensor available now. It's the only new APS-C sensor that is confirmed to exist.
- The report does not say what level of camera or when it will be released.
- The admin at Pentax Rumors seems quite happy to fabricate stories to get clicks and get one up on his rival rumor sites.
So I don't think the admin over there has any inside information at all. He's just predicting something that is almost inevitable, so that he can turn around a year from now and say "I told you so".
My opinion is that is not the sensor that would be in a high-end camera. It is more likely for a K-70 or KP replacement. After all it is cheap enough to be in the Fuji XT-30 and when it was put in the XT-3, the price actually went down 100 dollars. A higher resolution sensor is on the way for the real high-end cameras, like the upcoming Pentax APS-C flagship, the Fuji XH-2 and the long-rumored APS-C version of the Sony A9. I guess it will have about 30mp. This has also been rumored extensively, but on another site.
|
