What's up with Pentax - first hand account here...

tapir said:

tapir wrote:
Few months ago for some silly reason he was banned from DPR forum.

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DPR does not announce reasons for banning - but I remember the incident. It seemed obvious he was banned for blatanty ignoring the rules against advertising. I remember wondering how long it would be before they noticed and banned him.

Interesting man (though personally I don't like his fashion work; personal taste. He is quite skilled and the look he uses obviously sells in Paris. He does seem to have an "in" with Pentax and hopefully his statements about continuation of the camera division and increased R&D are factual - certainly good news if so.

If the new cameras and lenses are real and not smoke and mirrors in the merger wars it is truly excellent news. Good to hear.
--
bill wilson

nosnoop said:

I don't care for Fuji sensor, it has its own problem. If you want
a Fuji sensor, buy a Fuji camera....

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And if I expressed a wish for a fast normal I should by a Canon?
If I want a smaller camera I should by an Olympus?

If I want it to be allowed to express a wish I should turn a discussion forum?

--
Jonas

Jim King said:

An insider (Bemjikan) posts some goreat news and many of the
replies are full of concern and uncertainty. Are we Pentaxians so
beaten down as a group that we can't accept the possibility that
better things lie ahead? Doesn't the fact that we own a great
camera justify being positive about the future?

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JIM - I agree with you, this is great news - and I remember him, he seemed to have a genuine connection with Pentax.

As to the Pentaxians - I have come to the conclusion a lot of the old-line Pentax enthusiasts really do not like the K10D-K100D line; they were happy with the "swimming against the tide", "I am SO different" position of Pentax when it was a real niche camera. The K10D position as a genuine trailblazing pace-setter (basically far more features for the money than anyone else at this time) has really upset their image of themselves and Pentax.

It is a great change from the old days of being proudly on the outside looking in. I can sympathyze with them but Pentax has simply changed, and I think for the better. Of course I am not a "Pentaxian" - having no brand loyalty and seeing the camera as a tool. For now Pentax is much more useful to me than Canon was. Essentially the same reason Ben-whatever gave for his switch...

Hopefully they have somehow gotten a better sensor in the new bodies - maybe the new Sony we have been hearing rumors of. The sensor is really the only weak spot in Pentax (though I personally prefer Pentax's software treatment of it to Nikon's).
--
bill wilson

JensR said:

JensR said:

An insider (Bemjikan) posts some goreat news and many of the
replies are full of concern and uncertainty. Are we Pentaxians so
beaten down as a group that we can't accept the possibility that
better things lie ahead?

Click to expand...

Of course, better things could lie ahead. Or Pentax could screw
them up. Neither prediction is more correct than the other. I for
one will wait and see and hope Pentax gets the new stuff to market
in a professional manner. Hopefully my DS will hold up until then
and hopefully one of the cameras is what I'm waiting for. LOL, now,
I am getting unrealistic #sigh#

JensR said:

Doesn't the fact that we own a great
camera justify being positive about the future?

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No. Just like current problems don't mean that the future will be bad.

JensR said:

I guess I'm just a cockeyed optimist...

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I wouldn't say cockeyed (daft/stupid) but certainly an optimist

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... certainly out of "left field". Nobody (even the insiders who had been gettign fed info for months) could have predicted the depth of development that produced this feature rich camera. Can you remember the stir it caused when the specs were released? Huge! We haven't seen that sort of fuss since maybe the 300D (because if was cheap) or the 5D (because it is sort of cheap for FF). And the camera delivers. Don't under estimate what this smallish camera company can do.

Some people make things happen and some just watch it happen. Sadly the world is populated mostly by the later.

--
Brett
http://www.pbase.com/shreder



The Journey is the Thing

Jonas B said:

nosnoop said:

I don't care for Fuji sensor, it has its own problem. If you want
a Fuji sensor, buy a Fuji camera....

Click to expand...

And if I expressed a wish for a fast normal I should by a Canon?
If I want a smaller camera I should by an Olympus?
If I want it to be allowed to express a wish I should turn a
discussion forum?

Click to expand...

I am also expressing my wish that Fuji sensor stays with Fuji.

In addition, it is just realistic that in the foreseeable future, if you want Fuji sensor, you have no choice but to buy Fuji camera, don't you agree?

JensR said:

JensR said:

An insider (Bemjikan) posts some goreat news and many of the
replies are full of concern and uncertainty.

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

JensR said:

Of course, better things could lie ahead. Or Pentax could screw
them up. Neither prediction is more correct than the other. I for
one will wait and see and hope Pentax gets the new stuff to market
in a professional manner.

Click to expand...

Most frustrationally negative posts are due to Pentax not saying anything about anything including the future of already purchased K10D cameras.

Benjikan seems to see that this indication of plans is what people need to hear, especially that the K10D will stay current for a reasonable amount of time, unlike the way the PMA interview was translated suggesting a replacement by fall. The camera is too new, and that would have just been a bad idea.

For those that dropped $900 on the K10D already and can't afford another camera, a new K1D pro camera is not as important as this comment by Benjikan on another forum:

"I would recommend you get the K10D as it will be available for quite some time. There will be several future firmware updates that will improve on already a very fine image capturing tool."

If this has been indicated to him by Pentax themselves, then simply hearing this for those experiencing documented niggling issues with the K10D is what's important at the moment - obviously more important than they realize (Unless Pentax fully intended Benjikan to post these statements of the future).

Larry

Hi Brett!

Not really sure how your post relates to mine, as you neither contradict me nor agree with me.

Brett St Pierre said:

Where did the K10D come from?
... certainly out of "left field". Nobody (even the insiders who
had been gettign fed info for months) could have predicted the
depth of development that produced this feature rich camera.

Click to expand...

Umm. The features were reported quite a time in advance, along with stuff that was then not realized.

Brett St Pierre said:

Can
you remember the stir it caused when the specs were released?

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Yes, but I also remember the stir when her problems were revealed.

That's why I don't trust announcements further than that they say "We would like to design a camera..."

Brett St Pierre said:

Don't under estimate what this
smallish camera company can do.

Click to expand...

I don't think I do. But I also try not to overestimate it.

Brett St Pierre said:

Some people make things happen and some just watch it
happen. Sadly the world is populated mostly by the later.

Click to expand...

Thankfully, not all of us are camera engineers. Someone has to design water purifiers or solar panels and someone needs to get on the field and harvest the crops and someone has to know which medication to give.

I think more people than your sullen paragraph suggests are out there doing something for the global community. And you sure know that it not only requires leaders, thinkers and visionaries, they also need followers and helpers to make that happen. To look down upon those "small lights" is the wrong attitude, IMO, they are the eyes, hands and feet of the organisation.

Jens

--
'I only trust those photos I have faked myself.' (Me, 2007)
http://www.jensroesner.de/
--=! Condemning proprietary batteries since 1976 !=--

mutleybird said:

Benjikan seems to see that this indication of plans is what people
need to hear,

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And people need to remember that they are nothing more than plans. Or just an outline of plans, to be fair. And it's not even official.

mutleybird said:

If this has been indicated to him by Pentax themselves, then simply
hearing this for those experiencing documented niggling issues with
the K10D is what's important at the moment

Click to expand...

But if it is just his opinion or he was misinformed, it isn't a base to decide upon.

Don't get me wrong, it's nice to hear that Pentax seem to push forward. Whether it is in the right direction, time will tell.

--
'I only trust those photos I have faked myself.' (Me, 2007)
http://www.jensroesner.de/
--=! Condemning proprietary batteries since 1976 !=--

JensR said:

Hi Brett!

Not really sure how your post relates to mine, as you neither
contradict me nor agree with me.

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Hi Jens, my post wasn't for you in particular, just seems I tacked it on after yours... it was intended for those who have low expectations (the glass half empty crowd)

JensR said:

JensR said:

Where did the K10D come from?
... certainly out of "left field". Nobody (even the insiders who
had been gettign fed info for months) could have predicted the
depth of development that produced this feature rich camera.

Click to expand...

Umm. The features were reported quite a time in advance, along with
stuff that was then not realized.

Click to expand...

Well I had e-mails 3-4 months out from the K10D announcement with much of the detail but not ALL of the detail (e.g. weather sealing) and not one post on this forum predicted everything in advance - a lot was speculated, but not all in one package.

JensR said:

JensR said:

Can
you remember the stir it caused when the specs were released?

Click to expand...

Yes, but I also remember the stir when her problems were revealed.

Click to expand...

What problems? I think I must have missed some things then. I am yet to encounter anything that you wouldn't expect from a 10mp DSLR. The K100D has been the best implementation of that 6mp sensor but overall the K10D has been their best effort so far.. I expect they will refine the 10mp implementation better in another model.

JensR said:

JensR said:

Don't under estimate what this
smallish camera company can do.

Click to expand...

I don't think I do. But I also try not to overestimate it.

Click to expand...

It's wise not to have high expectations but every time since the release of the *istD (which I eagerly awaited), Pentax has always delivered more than my expectations (except maybe the DL). That goes for lenses and bodies. Always. Maybe I was wrong to have just middling expectations... or maybe it is nice to be pleasantly surprised.

JensR said:

JensR said:

Some people make things happen and some just watch it
happen. Sadly the world is populated mostly by the later.

Click to expand...

Thankfully, not all of us are camera engineers. Someone has to
design water purifiers or solar panels and someone needs to get on
the field and harvest the crops and someone has to know which
medication to give.
I think more people than your sullen paragraph suggests are out
there doing something for the global community. And you sure know
that it not only requires leaders, thinkers and visionaries, they
also need followers and helpers to make that happen. To look down
upon those "small lights" is the wrong attitude, IMO, they are the
eyes, hands and feet of the organisation.

Click to expand...

Oh I agree. Because of what I do, on a daily basis I associate with people who have dreams and ideas and are the catalysts for making interesting things happen. I wish I had the vision, the clarity of thought some of these people have, but then maybe I have a few things they don't have. Maybe, I don't know. As you say, there is a place for the everyday doers like me.

Those I don't have time for are those who seek entitlements -- always it is somebody else's problem why they are missing out or why they don't have what they want or why things don't do their way. It's either the government, or their employer, or the person next door or whoever that is holding them back. They are the ones who see the worst in everything and expect the worst from everyone. They suck the life out of you if you let them.

--
Brett
http://www.pbase.com/shreder



The Journey is the Thing

rennie12 wrote:
(snip)

rennie12 said:

As to the Pentaxians - I have come to the conclusion a lot of the
old-line Pentax enthusiasts really do not like the K10D-K100D line;
they were happy with the "swimming against the tide", "I am SO
different" position of Pentax when it was a real niche camera. The
K10D position as a genuine trailblazing pace-setter (basically far
more features for the money than anyone else at this time) has
really upset their image of themselves and Pentax.

It is a great change from the old days of being proudly on the
outside looking in. I can sympathyze with them but Pentax has
simply changed, and I think for the better. Of course I am not a
"Pentaxian" - having no brand loyalty and seeing the camera as a
tool. For now Pentax is much more useful to me than Canon was.
Essentially the same reason Ben-whatever gave for his switch...

Click to expand...

An interesting idea - maybe chronic outsiders can't be comfortable when they become mainstreamers.

While that may be true of some folk here I don't think it reflects most of us. I really think that for many, the buising boardroom battle currently going over the sale to Hoya on has shaken their confidence in Pentax's future, thus the gloomy outlook. For myself, I can't imagine Hoya or anyone else shutting down a segment of the business which is currently doing so well, so I find it difficult to be a pessimist right now...
--
Jim King - Retired Colormonger - Suburban Detroit, Michigan, USA; GMT -5h (EST)
Photo gear and collection listed in my profile.



* * * * *
A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject.

• Sir Winston Churchill

* * * * *
The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits.

• Albert Einstein

To tell you the truth, they are probably going to pull a Nikon... they will have the lower end model stripped of the old AF drive, forcing users to buy the new SDM lenses. This can generate revenue, but it can also come back and bite them.

Mark

I just want a reasonably prized DA28mm/f2.4 Limited lens. I love the FA31mm/f1.8, it just is so expensive. And being a DA lens, that 28mm could be a bit smaller that the 31mm, ideally the size of the 21mm/70mm lenses. I know, I know, that would be hard to realise. But a boy can dream, can't he?

Hoffel.

I have one question: is Pentax trying to "leak" some info this way?

Or should we expect some official announcement soon? Not sure if rumors are the best way to sell a brand.

nosnoop said:

Jonas B said:

nosnoop said:

I don't care for Fuji sensor, it has its own problem. If you want
a Fuji sensor, buy a Fuji camera....

Click to expand...

And if I expressed a wish for a fast normal I should by a Canon?
If I want a smaller camera I should by an Olympus?
If I want it to be allowed to express a wish I should turn a
discussion forum?

Click to expand...

I am also expressing my wish that Fuji sensor stays with Fuji.
In addition, it is just realistic that in the foreseeable future,
if you want Fuji sensor, you have no choice but to buy Fuji camera,
don't you agree?

Click to expand...

I agree too, Fuji sensors will not find their way to any other camera - they are in the business of making cameras now.

and I did buy a Fuji camera - I like Pentax cameras, but i've always shot fuji negative and slide film because i'm partial to their colors - and unfortunatly, with digital cameras the "film"gets decided by the Camera manufacturer, and you can't change it

PhotoCrawl said:

I have one question: is Pentax trying to "leak" some info this way?

Or should we expect some official announcement soon? Not sure if
rumors are the best way to sell a brand.

Click to expand...

I suspect that there may be some "official" announcements in late May / early June.
--
Richard Day - 'Carpe Diem!'
Gloucester UK

PhotoCrawl said:

I have one question: is Pentax trying to "leak" some info this way?

Or should we expect some official announcement soon? Not sure if
rumors are the best way to sell a brand.

Click to expand...

Yes. This is one way that Pentax communicates with us without actually commiting themselves to future product details.

Joe

markalan159 said:

To tell you the truth, they are probably going to pull a Nikon...
they will have the lower end model stripped of the old AF drive,
forcing users to buy the new SDM lenses. This can generate
revenue, but it can also come back and bite them.

Click to expand...

Almost certainly not. There are only expensive Pentax SDM lenses. Selling a cheap camera that only fit expensive lenses won't work. I believe Pentax will reserve the SDM control to the more expensive bodies. I can't see any other reason for keeping a dual AF system on the lenses as older bodies can't used them anyway with the exception of the *ist'd and K100D.

PhotoCrawl said:

I have one question: is Pentax trying to "leak" some info this way?

Or should we expect some official announcement soon? Not sure if
rumors are the best way to sell a brand.

Click to expand...

It's a personal face to face account by a top fashion photog who enjoys quite an unprecedented support and access to Pentax brass (at least its French division). Hardly source of "rumors".

--
http://www.pbase.com/klopus

tapir said:

PhotoCrawl said:

I have one question: is Pentax trying to "leak" some info this way?

Or should we expect some official announcement soon? Not sure if
rumors are the best way to sell a brand.

Click to expand...

It's a personal face to face account by a top fashion photog who
enjoys quite an unprecedented support and access to Pentax brass
(at least its French division). Hardly source of "rumors".

--
http://www.pbase.com/klopus

Click to expand...

I realize that what benjikan said is coming from horses-mouth.

What I meant to say was that letting out some non-specific details through less than official channels leads to lots of rumors. And that might not be the smartest thing to do (to sell one's brand), IMHO.

Don't know how reliable this guy is or how good his sources are but what he says makes sense: I've heard rumors from good sources about a camera above the K10D to be announced this fall - 14-15 megapixel CMOS sensor.

I have no information about the other camera but my educated guess would be a stripped-down K10D: Without the weather sealing and using a pentamirror instead of a prism. (Basically a K100D with a 10 megapixel sensor.) This would make a lot of sense from a marketing standpoint.