RiceHigh's Pentax Blog: Interview with Hoya's Pentax Top Officials at China P&E

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Interview with Hoya's Pentax Top Officials at China P&E

See this latest and exclusive interview report:-

http://qicai.fengniao.com/226/2267506.html
(Simplified Chinese, Google English Translation Here)

So, the main points of the interview are summarised as below:-

1. 135 full frame DSLR is not urgently required for Pentax as there is the 645D, which has better IQ. However, Pentax is not eliminating any possibility for making one whenever market need is there. In the meantime, Pentax will continue to concentrate in the development of the 645D system before a 135 FF one would come.

2. There is no plan to develop 135 FF lens lineup as there is no plan for a 135 FF body and system.

3. A new digital zoom lens for the 645D is under development.

4. Whilst Pentax is making many colours for the new DSLRs, the black colour ones have still been the most popular choices for the market in China, of which the buyers are possibly still being more conservative.

5. The 3-11 earthquake and tsunami at Japan does not affect Pentax and the production much in general, but it is not totally unaffected and the actual impacts are indeed unsure.

6. The spy photos of the new EVIL/ILDC products leaked in the Internet this April are true but then it is only prototypes of new products under development.

Speaking of the new products and the last Pentax teaser, actually even Mr. Blurry Cameraphone, the General Manager of Pentax Shanghai Company, Mr. Jopy Yang (the guy dressed in blue shirt in the above interview photo), does not know what is covered under the black cloth, as it was told! :-o It seems that the Hoya/Pentax Japanese officials have treated that as top secret. Anyway, there may be nothing under the cloth, as possibly it is simply just a teaser, but nothing else! >:-(

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0 Vote up Vote down

full_frame_wanted · 728 weeks ago

The market wants full frame or medium format in an affordable compact body.

18 replies · active 726 weeks ago

-22 Vote up Vote down

67pentax · 727 weeks ago

645d is for hoya profit, and pentax fanboys, cannon ff users adviced I don't get the 645 is because I am fanboys enough. I want something from Pentax related to 5d...at least. or jump ship.

Hoya is not Pentax anymore. Pentax is dead!

-22 Vote up Vote down

67pentax · 727 weeks ago

Fulllframe is definitely a better investments rather than spending years after years being Hoya clash cows, with relative low marginal improvment sticking apcs only. Canon user are teasing Pentaxian, that we should go for the 645d that is Pentax fullframe, i TOLD THEM I don't like 645d and if i am not convinced they say I AM NOT FANBOYS ENOUGH. remarked by happy Canon FF user.

4 replies · active 727 weeks ago

-11 Vote up Vote down

WTF? · 727 weeks ago

So they are only developing one lens for the Pentax 645D?

Let me guess, another slow, poorly performing, overpriced zoom.

No plans for a full frame camera? What the...

Sorry Hoya, my money is better spent elsewhere.

1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago

-17 Vote up Vote down

67pentax · 727 weeks ago

I used to be a Pentax croped sensor believer, until my friend loan me his 5d classic for one day with the 24-70 f2.8, and until one day we went shooting, after the result I saw a beautiful skinned tones, I realised I should have explore the quality of FF from Canon!

3 replies · active 726 weeks ago

-23 Vote up Vote down

67pentax · 727 weeks ago

until Samsung comes to FF faster than Pentax , Pentax would be dead again!

-8 Vote up Vote down

67pentax · 727 weeks ago

a successful company do not wait for demand, but create demand to happen, like Apple, that is competitive leadership.

2 replies · active 727 weeks ago

-5 Vote up Vote down

Richard · 727 weeks ago

Full frame does have great image quality. The trouble is the cameras are just so unrewarding to carry around. If I had one it would be for landscape work, not for taking to social events.
Full frame is all about the great viewfinder for many people. If you want one and can't afford it, shoot slides on any film slr, save a bundle of money on gear, and scan to digital. Simply project and recopy with an apsc dslr. It's simple and acceptable.
If you must have a DSLR full frame, then don't wait. Life's too short: borrow the money and get one. Pentax isn't losing a customer because they don't make full frame 35mm format dslr. Personally, I don't blame them. The things are so cumbersome they're better for professionals who make money carrying them

4 replies · active 726 weeks ago

-10 Vote up Vote down

Roadmap? · 727 weeks ago

Leica has a portable full frame. Not dslr, but imagine if someone did the same for half that.

If no FF roadmap, where is the aps-c map? Remember fourthirds?

SLT is indeed bad.

-24 Vote up Vote down

67pentax · 727 weeks ago

I am convinced and confident with the kind below average interview Pentax has no talent..except marketing colours!

-7 Vote up Vote down

Tick · 727 weeks ago

I think they are missing a large consumer group, due to their idiotic strategy. From my observation, there is a huge gap between FF professionals and medium format professionals in terms of budget and spending. And those who can spend 10,000$ on the 645D will surely go for low range or used Hasselblads; for the wide range of lenses and well known superb IQ. Saying the 645D fills the gap Pentax has in FF is just a bunch of bull crap. who is doing market segmentation and product positioning for these fools? I'm extremely disappointed, I'm moving to Canon.

+9 Vote up Vote down

fanboy · 727 weeks ago

Wow. So much whining in one place :-D you all would be happier if you would just realize that the only thing you need to do is to go and by the gear you need and use it. Brand loyalty is bull imo. Buy whatever you need. There is nothing personal between a brand a buyer. The brands make their gear and you buy what you need. Move on with your lifes.

personaly.... I love pentax as they are now. But i understand that the ones that loved pentax in the past might not do so now

+9 Vote up Vote down

Move on · 727 weeks ago

Fanboy is so right. Why does anyone get angry when they can go buy what they need? Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Oly, Sony et al are not single individuals: they're companies who make and sell what they can.
If someone jumps ship to another brand to suit their needs, well good and so be it.
But to complain constantly and not move on is a pain to everyone who is happy with their, in this case, Pentax choice.
If you don't want to play on the team, fine, but give someone else your parking place.

-19 Vote up Vote down

67pentax · 727 weeks ago

Hoya is not Pentax! Pentax want to produce quality stuffs
while Hoya want to make money as priority. Have't u heard of the issues between the two management teams?

1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago

-5 Vote up Vote down

larger_sensor · 727 weeks ago

Ken Rockwll had an interesting review of the 645D.

This blogger has a good blog post on why full frame is wanted. http://falklumo.blogspot.com/2010/08/photokina-20...

How's the fourthird's DSLR format doing?

4 replies · active 727 weeks ago

-1 Vote up Vote down

Alan Ch'ng · 727 weeks ago

The reason for not developing FF is due to its tiny market share. Then you went and developed a medium format 645D which is much much less affordable, expecting bigger sale???!!

+2 Vote up Vote down

Keep it real · 727 weeks ago

Amazing that Pentax has the audacity to develop a MF camera that has received great reviews. Google and see. It has great usability compared to competitors and as usual can use all the old 645 lenses. Then Pentax is bad for not developing full frame 35mm format dslrs when Nikon and Canon still get the greater part of their revenue from amateur entry-level dslrs.
Use your old Pentax lenses on full frame?
Get a Canon and an adaptor if you must, but get on with it.

+3 Vote up Vote down

ERR · 727 weeks ago

As much as I'd wish Pentax to release a FF DSLR, I'm not sure if the FF DSLRs released so far have been financially successful. Any information about this? No FF DSLR has been released since 2009 and some still being sold today are from 2008. If that category would be a huge financial success, I'd expect the brands to have released many more by now.

1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago

+4 Vote up Vote down

Moritz Schwertner · 727 weeks ago

That's indeed a good point, "ERR". Nikon is over due with the replacement for the D700, aswell is Canon for their next 5D Modell, not to mention that Sony is indeed overdue, too with their Alpha Full Frame Modells...

For Professionals Full Frame is undoubtly the best choice. Superb wide-angles, no matter which System your using, that extra Stop DOF and so much more makes it especially compelling.

As much as I like the idea of a Pentax Full Frame Body, who in their right mind has the money to spend on so much more equipment that is indeed needed? I for one haven't got the cash to do so, so I'll make sure that I get the best system for my money. And in my eyes, and many people who have worked with a recent Pentax including me, won't argue that ergonomic and iq-wise the K5 is the best APS-C DSLR on the Market.... Just have a look at www.photoodyssey2011.com/ , a mostly Pentax based Photography project. There are two fellas working with Canon (APS-C aswell as Full Frame), would you spot the difference(s)? I bet that you can't!

Go out and shoot, there's so much more to explore!

Moritz Schwertner

http://www.moritzschwertner.de/ http://www.photoodyssey2011.com/

1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago

+2 Vote up Vote down

full_frame · 727 weeks ago

If the FF models from others were such flops, they'd cancel the next generation. They just need to make them smaller, which is possible based on past film cameras.

The flip side is why do some APS-C owners defend the format so much and aren't open to improvements? Mention full frame and they lose it. Just look at the posts above and other forums where threads are closed or moved if you mention full frame. Is it because they have so much invested in crop-sensor lenses?

The best system for the money could be a small full frame DSLR. Please keep an open mind.

0 Vote up Vote down

Keep it realer · 726 weeks ago

In a few years the best APS-C DSLR will be like the best Betamax or 8-track.

Full frame does not mean larger camera.

APS-C users are just defending their investment in expensive lenses. Keep an open mind. You might even like full frame when it's affordable and smaller.

8 replies · active 726 weeks ago

-2 Vote up Vote down

WTF? · 726 weeks ago

HA, HA, after reading this forum again, it looks like the Pentax APSC fanboys skewed the thumbs up/down feature. What's the worst thing about Pentax? The APSC fanboys!

If Pentax does read this forum they should focus on the comments. Not the thumbs up/thumbs down.

1 reply · active 726 weeks ago

+7 Vote up Vote down

SAD! · 726 weeks ago

You have to have a sense of humor to use Pentax, their cameras are a joke!
Plus, the extent their die hard fan base will go to cripple product development!

+3 Vote up Vote down

ERR · 726 weeks ago

Some opinions and topics keep going back and forth when discussing a potential FF Pentax DSLR.

- "If you want a FF DSLR, go buy one, since Canon, Nikon and Sony make them."

Well. it's not as simple as that really. Having invested in lots of Pentax lenses and accessories, it's not so easy to switch brand. It's quite natural for a Pentax user to wish and expect the brand to stay competitive in the from of a FF camera. I expected and hoped for that for a long time. But now I just don't believe it'll happen. It's just not the path Pentax has chosen.

- "If you want to upgrade from your APS-C Pentax, the upgrade option is the 645D."

Yeah, right. What kind of an upgrade is a camera that shares maybe the flash and strap with your old one? Most Pentax DSLR users have several FF capable lenses, so a K mount FF DSLR would be a real option for them. Starting from scratch, it would be the same to choose another brand. Also, is a $10k MF camera really an option for most of us hoping for a $2k FF body?

- "Stop whining, Pentax makes today fantastic cameras!"

Well, to be honest, most DSLRs today are fantastic products capable of so much. And it's certainly true that for many of us shooting more and reading the net less would be a good thing. And while Pentax has its weak points, all brands have some. But having said that, there are several issues where Pentax just needs to get a grip - and to address the issues publicly. We all know about the AF and SDM problems and while something HAS been done, I'm not sure if that's enough.

After all the above, I'm fairly happy with my Pentax gear (just upgraded to the K-5). But if I was starting from scratch, I'd probably choose another brand. I see the brand's current course and future somewhat uncertain and debatable.

1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago

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Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Interview with Hoya's Pentax Top Officials at China P&E

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