FF Officially Confirmed! Latest Interview with the Head of Pentax Ricoh China at the Chinese P&E 2013

(Left: Mr. Tomoyoshi Shibata, the Managing Director and General Manager of Pentax Ricoh China (Shanghai) Company; Right: Pentax Ricoh at P&E 2013, Beijing, China.)

Read this interview, in Chinese:-

http://www.pcpop.com/doc/0/900/900149.shtml

The key points of what are told by the MD are as follows:-

1. The sales of the MX-1 has been quite good.

2. The sales of the K-01 is actually very good. It is a case that the demand is more than supply. (Oh really? :-o)

3. A professional class APS-C *Pentax* camera is being planned.

4. Pentax will continue to develop new pancake lenses and will develop and evolve the K-mount so as to meet the market needs. (The Head was asked about the latest development of the Pentax *mirrorless* system and this is his answer.)

5. A Pentax FF camera is under development. It will be a type that is different from all the others'.

6. The Pentax 645D is not threated by the Nikon D800/E which is considered to be a camera not targeted clearly for a specific market segment than what the 645D has been. (Replacement of the ageing 645D is not mentioned.)


In contrast, in the last year's interview with the same guy in the P&E 2012 (in Chinese), the Head actually refused to confirm the development and existence of a Pentax 135 FF (what he told was only "studying", but this year it is completely different! :-D

Last but not least, below are some photos of the exhibition. It seems the PR booth is not as popular and crowded as the other brands':-

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