RiceHigh's Pentax Blog: K-mount is to be Discontinued and Replaced!?

Thursday, March 28, 2013

K-mount is to be Discontinued and Replaced!?

The rumours continue.. Read this Xitek post (Google translated).

Well, it is told that:-

1. The source of information is from an old classmate of the OP who is now working at Tokina in Japan;

2. There is a collaboration project in progress amongst Pentax Ricoh and Tokina (This is confirmed via the previous news posted by the PF);

3. The March 27 rumour is not true! (Yes, that poster firmly said it was not going to happen when everyone or at least most/many people believed that on the day before, me inclusive of course!)

4. The real planned time-frame for a Pentax FF announcement will be in the second half of this year of 2013;

5. The K-mount will be discontinued! A new mount will be used for the new upcoming FF Pentax body, which is NOT compatible with the old K-mount!

In fact, in a previous Japanese interview with the Pentax Ricoh Head in the fall of last year, that Head did really disclose that they were considering a new mount and the K-mount might be aborted! But now this new rumour says something that is so close! So, could it really happen?! >:-(

If it really happens and the K-mount is aborted, the Pentax sky is really falling and I am sure that they will die in a very short time and Pentax the brand will disappear!!

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+15 Vote up Vote down

pentax_kmount · 624 weeks ago

I don't believe the statements, but I agree with you. If they obsolete the K-mount, it would be the biggest mistake in the history of business.

11 replies · active 624 weeks ago

+10 Vote up Vote down

Yvon Bourque · 624 weeks ago

I guess you didn't learned anything from your previous "rumors" post. Rumors are just that...rumors. What Internet Contents that Could be Trusted BTW? (Your words)

4 replies · active 624 weeks ago

-1 Vote up Vote down

rjsd · 624 weeks ago

How many folks do you think jumped ship in the last few days because of the rumors and NO info from Peetax? At least a few had enough frustration with a company that has a long long history of not listening to their customers. If they had anything at all coming out anytime in the near future they would not be keeping it a secret. Especially while the peetax customer base erodes. I’m convinced I will be using a new, modern FF Nikon by summer joining others that have moved to brands that serve their customers.

5 replies · active 623 weeks ago

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rob · 624 weeks ago

This really makes no sense.

If you believe this you also have to believe that Ricoh has decided that their $127mil was either wasted or they have gotten what they want in the way of return.

The K Mount is incredibly valuable. In fact I would go so far as to say that it is the only reason Pentax continues to make DSLRs.

- All DSLRs sold today can produce roughly equal "good enough" images. Choosing Pentax over Nikon or Canon or Sony is essentially a lens and flash choice.

- Launching a new DSLR with a new lens mount would be the death of Pentax DSLRs. There is no way they would attract more new customers than they would lose. A subset of the current Pentax user base - already the smallest of the top 4 DSLR makers - would choose to stay.

On the other hand this could be a mirrorless only version of the K Mount that extends into the body. This was talked about with the K-01.

1 reply · active 624 weeks ago

+2 Vote up Vote down

Ben · 624 weeks ago

This rumors is in contrary to an old post: Pentax Australia has just Confirmed FF!!
"FF hold on to your Lens"...last days information: all nonsense because all contradictory...

2 replies · active 624 weeks ago

+6 Vote up Vote down

mane · 624 weeks ago

What a funny announcement. Another speculation going to be repeated 100 times. It is quite naive to accept even as a rumor all that about K-mount comparing it to the lens road map 2013. Who ever developed a road map for a terminated mount?

3 replies · active 624 weeks ago

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frank · 624 weeks ago

i don't see any disatvantage in the k-mount as it is right now technicalwise...its FF capable, AF is possible and can be weather sealed...so what can we expect from a new mount that would make us buy a new body and a new set of lenses?
Pentax can't be THAT stupid...
It's one of the key points for their marketing, that lenses of the last 30...40 years can be used. Maybe it is just a next generation K-Mount which is compatible to the old K-Mounts like KAF4 or something.
If they put in a complete new mounting system which is not compatible...lets say you own a K-5(II) and want to upgrade to K-3 and you want to use both, one as an upgrade, you can't interchange lenses? Damn! no they will not do this.
I will not return to pentax if they do so! I have a lot of beautiful FF MF glass that i use with my K-5 and what i an waiting for is a FF K-Mount body!!! Otherwise i will continue my investments in beautiful L-Glass and K-5 was my last Pentax body - and i think a lot of customers will do similar...

3 replies · active 624 weeks ago

+4 Vote up Vote down

davescliches 52p · 624 weeks ago

More nonsense,some people never learn, eh Rice.

1 reply · active 624 weeks ago

+1 Vote up Vote down

Farty · 624 weeks ago

Actually, this is the best solution from Pentax/Ricoh to consider. BTW, Ricoh GXR is module based, why not with Pentax also.
http://www.43rumors.com/patent-is-that-the-ultima...

+1 Vote up Vote down

anunnaki · 624 weeks ago

It does not sound as bad as it seems at first sight. A new mount would definitely be better option (more money from sold lenses, better mount for FF etc.) for Pentax.

-1 Vote up Vote down

Lux · 624 weeks ago

Pentax don't need FullFrame - it will be a flop - because the have no lenses for it.
They would have to start with:
2,8/16-35 mm - 2,8/24-70 mm - 2,8/70-200 mm
4,0/16-35 mm - 4,0/24-120 mm - 4,0/70-200 mm
1,4/50 mm - 1,7/85 mm - and Konverters - at least!
If not - who will be buying FF from Pentax?

Pentax has real fantastic FullFrame since long ago: Pentax 645D with best lenses you can image!
My first camera was Pentax ME Super, I loved Pentax LX, Pentax 645, Pentax 67 and even some of the AF-Pentax-World - ther is no need and not enough customers for Pentax FF - even not, iff there are no pro-grade lenses.

Olympus didn't get it with FT, Sony can't make a success for Alpha....

2 replies · active 624 weeks ago

+3 Vote up Vote down

DuGu · 624 weeks ago

Pentax desperately needs a new mount. A mount for future mirrorless cameras, of course. A simple tube adapter will solve the compatibility with K-mount lenses.

0 Vote up Vote down

dominique · 624 weeks ago

Regarding 5)... discontinuation of k-mount:
I reread the interview with the RIcoh head and can't see anything likewise. But I have to say that the translation isn't good and leaves room for interpretation. I could only spot thought about a new mount regarding a possible mirrorless FF camera.
@Ricehigh: What is the exact citation about the consideration of a new mount?

+5 Vote up Vote down

opiparopepino 58p · 624 weeks ago

Discontinuing K mount would be so pointless and stupid that I do not even consider it can happen even in the worst case scenario. There is no point in discontinuing now the K mount, not much to improve, and a lot to lose.

+6 Vote up Vote down

Thursday · 624 weeks ago

FF requires a new mount? I thought K mount was designed for 35mm film (ie. FF size).

Yes! They are talking about the K module slide mount for the GXR. A full frame GXR!

+4 Vote up Vote down

Nonya Bizness · 624 weeks ago

Load of old bollox

+8 Vote up Vote down

VladimirYo · 624 weeks ago

Bad way to get more people traffic, Rice

Diss

+1 Vote up Vote down

pjalves · 624 weeks ago

Absurd.
Discontinuig K-Mount would kill Pentax.
Even Sony picked up Minolta's mount and Fuji's early
dSLRs used Nikon's one.

+8 Vote up Vote down

daedbird · 624 weeks ago

Rice, baby, I think you need to learn a basic thing, that sarcasm is difficult to project online. I mean even you cannot think that this is true, so I got to believe this was meant as a joke. But for too many people, they just did not get that is what you were going for, so I think you need to admit you were going for humor.

For everyone else, c'mon, this idea that Pentax would discontinue the K-Mount, or not use it for its FF cameras is too big of a joke to even warrant a response. Its like responding to a birther, or talking to someone with a tinfoil hat. Or North Korea. It defies all logic and just reading it makes us all dumber.

I would bet $100 billion zillion dollars that Pentax does not abandon the K. I would double that to any move of not using some version of the K in a full frame. I would triple it to say they are sooner to go back to the screwmount before creating a completely new FF mount.

April 1 is Monday people.

1 reply · active 623 weeks ago

+4 Vote up Vote down

James W · 624 weeks ago

I think this rumour is probably a bit wide of the mark. It's particularly brave considering the previous c*ck-up on this blog.
I'm not remotely interested in FF, and think it's a minority-customer-led cul-de-sac for Pentax. Wish they don't do it, but fear they will.

Anyway - on the mount:

1) Bearing in mind the PK mount already fits full frame, there doesn't seem an enormous necessity to replace it with anything else. They can always add extra contacts if they need to. For APSC, which is the bulk of their market, it looks like PK is here to stay.

but...

2) Life does move on. Sometimes you do have to kill your sacred cows in order to progress. If they came out with a FF camera which was a startlingly different product to the SLR that everyone expects... maybe it wouldn't be so silly to change mount. Who knows? And don't dismiss that strategy: the camera market is changing rapidly; the idea of a moving mirror inside a camera seems increasingly silly.

3) ... I rather hope they do, if only to see the frothing fury that would erupt from the FF diehards. It would be side-splittingly funny. Be careful what you wish for, FullFrame-ophiles.

+3 Vote up Vote down

OGL · 624 weeks ago

Funny....One student said - pure absurd.

-1 Vote up Vote down

pentaxgonecase · 624 weeks ago

It because they believe in Fanboys club, who praise Pentax for no FF.. Can do better than the Nik and Can.. They are targeting consumer end not pro end.

+2 Vote up Vote down

Linus · 624 weeks ago

"K-mount is to be Discontinued and Replaced!?"

Aren't there laws against that?

2 replies · active 623 weeks ago

-1 Vote up Vote down

Asp Explorer · 624 weeks ago

If the K-mount is discontinued, bye-bye Pentax and hello Canon.

+1 Vote up Vote down

OGL · 623 weeks ago

I think it's fake news.

But it's really good idea to make NEW mirrorless FF system - the best and the first at the market.
With new fast lenses. And with AF and MF adapter for K-mount. I think it's future of photo world.

1 reply · active 623 weeks ago

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Thursday, March 28, 2013

K-mount is to be Discontinued and Replaced!?

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