New Firmwares for K-3 and K-50 for Supporting KAF4 Lenses

http://www.ricoh-imaging.co.jp/english/support/download_digital.html

K-50 Big Price Cut at Adorama

See what Photocritic refers:

http://photocritic.org/deals-on-the-pentax-k-50-with-adorama/

A free 200FG flash and a 16GB SD card will be complimented. Note that the code you enter during checkout could be either "PENTAXJUNE" or "SUMMERSALE".

Btw, it seems that something new is coming, or the K-mount line is to be discontinued! ;-P

Pentax Won Best Cameras of the Year 2013 for Some Recent Elections

1. http://www.dpreview.com/news/2014/01/02/best-gear-of-2013-the-results-are-in/11

Pentax internet fanboys are in action again! But the poor K-50 and K-500 received nearly no votes at all! :-o But everytime when the fanboys played hard to win a poll but then those Pentax models still won't sell well, what is the real meaning??

2. http://www.neocamera.com/article/best_cameras

It is elected that the K-50 and K-5IIs are the best DSLRs in the entry level and advanced categories.

K-5II/s New "Urgent" Firmware V1.06

http://www.ricoh-imaging.co.jp/english/support/digital/k-5_2_s.html

It seems that there was a major bug in the last firmware, so an urgent update is needed. The bug is not told, though. I have also seen quite some users of other Pentax models reported about strange phenomenon since the last recent updates for their bodies. So, it would be wise not to do the update if you have other newer model(s) but not yet, until the actual problem is told clearer, my humble advice!

New K-50 Official Full Samples are Now Available

http://www.ricoh-imaging.co.jp/japan/products/k-50/ex/index.html
(in Japanese)





Lenses used include DA*16-50, DA*55, DAL18-55, DA*50-135 and DA50/1.8. Measurbation Time Now!

German IFA 2013: Ricoh Will be On Show

The IFA show  is coming next month, from 6 to 11 September. This show is meant for consumer electronics and digital products. A quick search at their official page found that Ricoh will be on show:



But yet entering key word of "Pentax" in the same search page gives two returns, one Sigma lens and one Metz flash. So, the Ricoh booth above is the only real Pentax related thing that is found, hopefully!

After all, I expect Ricoh will not be there to show photocopiers of theirs. So, what will be shown? K-50 and Q7?? :-o

New Pentax Reviews: Q7 and K-50

1. DPR's Q7 review is out. Wow, it is completed published so quickly this time. Has Ricoh done something? ;-)

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/pentax-q7

The overall mark given is quite low, though.

2. Full K-50 review at PF:

http://www.pentaxforums.com/reviews/pentax-k-50-review/conclusion.html

So, this is the key point of the conclusion:

"With that said, the K-50 is essentially nothing more than a K-30 in a redesigned casing.  The differences that do exist between these two cameras are subtle and do not affect image quality or usability.  The only new feature to speak of is dedicated support for eye-fi wireless SD cards.  Thus, relative to the competition, Pentax has stood still for about a year now."

"The one thing that discourages us from recommending the K-50 is the fact that it's so similar to the K-30." 

Yet Another Camera Database and Comparison Website

At digicamdb.com, which has some more detailed comparisons for the sensor specs, in addition to the body specs. For instance:

Leica S2 Vs Pentax 645D: http://www.digicamdb.com/compare/leica_s2-vs-pentax_645d/

Canon 5D3 Vs Nikon D800: http://www.digicamdb.com/compare/canon_eos-5d-mark-iii-vs-nikon_d800/

Pentax K-50 Vs Pentax K-30: http://www.digicamdb.com/compare/pentax_k-50-vs-pentax_k-30/, which we could indeed see very subtle differences between the "two" camera(s)! >:-o

So, such comparisons and obsession can always be on-going! ;-p


Related:- 

Online Sensor Size Comparison Tool for Different Cameras

Virtually Compare the Sizes of Different Cameras

A Latest Interview with the Japanese Ricoh Head

The Chinese Fengniao editors interviewed the Ricoh head who is in charge of the Pentax camera business just a few days ago, when he came to China for something:

http://qicai.fengniao.com/387/3874303.html
(in Simplified Chinese, Google English Translation Here.)

I've opted to translate some key excerpts of the interview and putting aside all the other marketing bullshits (although many things are still bullshiting, which I can't help and avoid!), as follows:


Q: With the integration of Pentax and Ricoh, will the brand Pentax be removed in the end?

A: No, we have no plan to do so. For those products which are special enough, they will continue to carry the Pentax badge, like the Q and WG series. Otherwise, some adjustments would be needed.

My comment: Did he mean that only mediocre products should carry the Ricoh badge? ;-p And do note that the K series is not mentioned! :-o


A: The ex-Pentax and Ricoh staff of the development team are now working together as a team and at the same place. They can complement each other for the shortcomings amongst them. Because of the integration, some staff are now travelling in longer distances. An Hi-end product is being developed by the team. (But what it actually is was not disclosed.)

My comment: I do not believe in what he said for that "hi-end" thing, according to his past tracking records! :-o 


Q: Now, what's going on for the Pentax Full Frame thing?

A: Our development team is still working on it and the project is not aborted.

Q: What Pentax is to do to tackle with the higher pixel count and new generation of sensors with new functions by the competitors, like the newly developed one used in the Canon 70D?

A: To be a responsible company, we are not chasing only the pixel count, as higher pixel count means worse noise and high ISO performance. That's the reason that we did not follow blindly.

My comment: I have only two words to say: BULL SHIT!

 
Q: All the 16MP Pentax cameras are with the same architecture?

A: No. They are different and the newer is better. If one is going to disassemble the cameras, the differences can be seen.

My comments: Bull shitting again, as usual. Is he going to tell us the K-30 and K-50 are much different, putting aside the body shell?! He forgot that there are also official specifications of the cameras?! Actually, Pentaxians are good at disassembling cameras and lenses! And my Blog has documented many of those, here.


Other things that told by the Ricoh Head himself:

- The K-01 Blue White (Smurfs) edition was endorsed by Marc Newson for the colour combination.

- The K-01 was not discontinued owing to the low demand. But it was discontinued owing to the higher demand than that the production could meet. 

My comment: Man, are you serious? Are you kidding? You are a LIAR!!


Oh, I've really given up at this point. This guy is really helpless and the replies are mostly junk. I do appreciate the direct and acute questions that the Fengniao editors have asked for us, for what we all Pentaxians have been concerning most, though! Thanks, guys! :-)

The Name PENTAX is Dismissed from the Cyber Space! >:-(

The name of PENTAX was a history of the past since August 1st 2013. Look what Ricoh has done to destroy the name Pentax! >:-{ For instance, click the following, i.e., the old Pentax Japanese homepage:

http://www.pentax.jp/

It will be forwarded to the following page immediately:

http://www.ricoh-imaging.co.jp/moved/

It is told that the old webpage does no longer exist, visitors should click on the link to Ricoh Imaging web domain directly, here.

However, in the main page of RICOH, whilst we see the K-50, Q7, GR, K-5II and WG-3, we do not and cannot see the name of Pentax along with them! For instance:



I think a Ricoh K-50 and a Ricoh Q7 as it appears it entirely not correct and is actually rather disgusting!

In particular, I think only this is correct for the make and model amongst the five!



After all these happenings, I think Ricoh heads are actually having their brains grown under their asses! I feel obliged to say this but had to air it out! Even Hoya opted to keep all Pentax websites and domains and of course back to the old Asahi days Pentax.something was used all over the Internet. This is for the first time in the history of Pentax the name of "Pentax" was completed removed in the whole Internet! >:-o It is really a stupid move which is only meant to show sovereignty but no benefit of any but all disadvantages instead!

The intention of Ricoh is now very clear, what they wanted to do is to remove and destroy Pentax the name step-by-step and eventually Pentax will be absorbed and completely removed! I did hope that Ricoh should do good things to Pentax and improved many things by hard working for what Hoya had not yet done. However, the reverse is true for the reality.

After Ricoh's takeover for two years now, Pentax' product development is ever slowest and the name is now even destroyed. Damn Ricoh! If you just want to destroy Pentax, just did NOT buy it even it was dirty cheap for the deal! It is just all stupid and nonsense, even solely in commercial sense!

My last word, if some days later the name Pentax is completed removed and all new cameras and lenses are marked Ricoh, I will not buy anything from the company anymore, and NOT EVEN ONE! >:-[

Update: Now the Pentax Online Camera Store has also disappeared and it is now called "Ricoh Imaging Online Store" but for 99% of the goods it is selling are Pentax items! Funny but ridiculous enough?!




Related:

Change of Company Name: From "Pentax Ricoh" to "Ricoh" Only

Customize and Colorize the Ricoh GR, Pentax Q7 and K-50!

http://www.pentax.jp/japan/support/customize.html
(in Japanese)

Update (8-5): The above picture link is dead because Ricoh has changed the domain name of their website. I just won't bother to correct that as it's the sole fault of Ricoh!

Well, the main point of those RP cameras is now colours, not the colours of the images they produce, but the colours of the camera shells! Well done, Ricoh! >:-(

Recent Pentax Tidbits

1. An original Leica-made Pentax 645 lenses to S body adaptor:



Via: http://info.xitek.com/news/201307/17-128176.html (in Chinese)

Now those FA 645D lenses can be operated on the Leica S body with AE and AF, for compatible lens models, my beloved FA120/4 Macro lens is excluded, though! :-(

2. An original lens case for the Pentax Q 02 and 06 zoom lenses:



Via: http://www.yaotomi.co.jp/blog/used/2013/06/pentax-q-o-cc1332.html (in Japanese)

According to this Japanese shopping site, the price of this lens case is about $44 US Dollars equivalent, in average.

Speaking of buying Pentax accessories at Japan, the official Japanese Pentax online shop contains some of the old Pentax accessories that you would never imagine before that something are still available and could be purchased!


For instance, this little rubber cap for covering the cable release socket of my MZ-S (and also for the 645NII, but not the 645D, which uses the cheap CS-205 which is just the Canon RS-60 clone) melted over time and deformed, I think I would need to buy a new one!

3. New Ricoh GR Review at the IR:

http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/ricoh-gr/ricoh-grA.HTM

Well, it can be noted that the Image Quality of the camera is not really that good, note the red colour smear and loss of details of all the test samples and crops, even at the lowest ISO speed of 100! :-o

4. New DxOMark results for the K-50:

http://www.dxomark.com/index.php/Publications/DxOMark-Reviews/Pentax-K-50-review-attractive-performance-but-is-there-any-improvement-on-earlier-iterations/Pentax-K-50-versus-competition

Well, it is proven that the K-50 is just the K-30 inside. As we all knew, the K-50 is simply a repackaged K-30 with a stereo microphone but nothing more! >:-(

A K-50 Unboxing + Quick Review with Tests on the New Kit Lenses (DAL WR Zooms)

http://www.monox.jp/digitalcamera-sp-pentaxricoh-k50.html
(in Japanese)

The above is the index page, click on the links to see different test pages. In particular:

1. This is the ISO test for the K-50:

http://www.monox.jp/digitalcamera-sp-pentaxricoh-k50-04.html

The NR setting from left to right is weak, medium and strong, respectively.

2. These are the lens tests for the new DAL WR kit zooms:

http://www.monox.jp/digitalcamera-sp-pentaxricoh-da1855alwr.html

http://www.monox.jp/digitalcamera-sp-pentaxricoh-da50200edwr.html

Distortion, both uncorrected and corrected, and resolution at different apertures were measured.

On the other hand, the other lens tests for the DA18-135, DA50 and DA40XS were made with other Pentax bodies namely the K-30 and the K-01.

More K-50 and Q7 Stuff at Pentax.jp

1. The colour simulator (with matching for a few lens models) for the K-50:-

http://www.camera-pentax.jp/k-50

Meanwhile, this is the classic desert military colour that I have made:-




Note that the DA"L" 18-135 WR lens should be a typo. From the photo of the lens, it should be the old DA 18-135 WR lens, just!

2. Next, there is also a Q7 colour simulator:-

http://www.camera-pentax.jp/q7

Note that now the P-Q 01 prime lens has 20 colours, including the original silver one.

3. The Q7 can be bought as a set. This "special edition" set is made available at the Japanese home market only, for a total of 1,000 sets:-

http://www.pentax.jp/japan/news/2013/20130613_6.html

 

Remark: EXIF shows that the above official picture was taken with a Canon TS-E 90mm/2.8 lens on a Canon DSLR!! :-o ;-p



So, one can get the Q7 with the 01 to 07 lenses altogether at one-go! A P-Q bag as shown in the above will be bundled as the gift.

4.The P-Q 07 "mount shield lens" is officially announced:-

http://www.pentax.jp/japan/news/2013/20130613_5.html

Pentax K-50 Leaked

http://photorumors.com/2013/06/05/pentax-k-50-dslr-camera-leaks-on-retailers-website-in-france/

How is the "new" camera different from the old K-30, except for now the more traditional appearance and a stereo built-in microphone (still no mic-in socket of any!)? Is it really so difficult for Ricoh to make a true new body? And, where is the compact DSLR body of Pentax? E.g., a K-x successor, which could compete with the Canon EOS 100D??

Btw, there is also a "new" kit lens to come. From the picture above, it reads "DAL 18-55mm WR". Bravo, Pentax Ricoh! ;-p


Read Also:-

The Pentax Coffins! >:-o