New Firmwares for K-1/II, K-3/II, KP and K-70

http://news.ricoh-imaging.co.jp/rim_info2/support/

To support better focusing operation for the three FA Limited lenses, include both the old and new versions. But it is unknown that if focusing speed and/or focusing accuracy is/are improved. I shall try it out anyway.

K-3 III to be Released Shortly?

Mr Nokishita has just twitted that three new Pentax accessories have been added to the list of goods for domestic dealers, namely, "Battery Grip D-BG8", "Hot Shoe Cover O-HC177" and "Eye Cup FU" which are the exclusive accessories for the upcoming K-3 III.

In view of this, should the K-3 III be released and launched into the market very soon?

K-3 III Has Eye AF, Firmware is Finalised

Two Chinese Pentax users posted at the Xitek Pentax Forum that they received an early production K-3 III which is confirmed to have the Eye AF function and the firmware has already been updated to V1.0 production version since 1st of March. One tester even posted the below viewfinder snapshot to illustrate the Eye AF does work, even with a flat displayed picture like this: 

It seems that the design is ready for the new body but yet Ricoh have faced difficulties for mass production so that they could not sell the new product, since they have not yet announced the revised launch date of the K-3 III.

Besides, two screen captures of the K-3III's Info screen and its AF options are also posted:

KP Discontinued

 http://www.ricoh-imaging.co.jp/english/products/#digital-slr

Whilst the K-3 III hasn't arrived yet and there is no expected delivery date of any, the KP is now discontinued. What's Ricoh doing in the meantime? They really do not want to sell other APS-C DSLR bodies but only the dated and low-end plastic-built K-70, which also had the infamous aperture-blocked problem for long?  :-(

Development Note of the HD PENTAX-DA★16-50mm F2.8 ED PLM AW

http://news.ricoh-imaging.co.jp/rim_info/2021/20210225_030071.html

(in Japanese)

A quick google translation returned the following:

Ricoh Co., Ltd. (President: Yoshinori Yamashita) and Ricoh Imaging Co., Ltd. (President: Shinobu Takahashi) are new products in the Star Lens series, which are particularly high-performance interchangeable lenses for Pentax SLR cameras. , "HD PENTAX-DA ^★ 16-50mmF2.8ED PLM AW (tentative name)" designed exclusively for APS-C size digital SLR cameras is currently under development.

This product is the latest model of the "new generation star lens" that pursues "pursuit of the highest image quality", "large aperture", "high robustness and operability", and has significantly revised the in-house standard for resolution. We are developing a high-performance lens suitable for the standard zoom lens of our APS-C flagship digital single-lens reflex camera "PENTAX K-3 Mark III", so please look forward to the official announcement.

Product Summary

● Interchangeable lens for K-mount digital SLR cameras

Product name: HD PENTAX-DA ^★ 16-50mmF2.8ED PLM AW (tentative name)

• ・ High-performance star lens that demonstrates high resolution even when the aperture is wide open
• ・ The image circle covers the APS-C size image sensor.
• ・ A large-diameter standard zoom lens with an angle of view equivalent to 24.5 to 76.5 mm in 35 mm format and a fixed open F value of 2.8.
• -Adopts KAF4 mount compatible with electromagnetic aperture
• -Equipped with PLM (Pulse Motor) that enables smooth focus tracking when shooting movies at high speed
• ・ AW (dust-proof / drip-proof) structure is used to prevent raindrops and dust from entering in harsh shooting environments.
• ・ Achieves the shortest shooting distance of 0.3m
• ・ Release date: Scheduled for 2021

* The names, specifications, appearance, etc. of the above products are not final decisions. The price is undecided.

Official: More Technical Information about the K-3 III

 

Claimed new improvements or new features include: 

- New viewfinder optics with a higher magnification factor of which the displayed image is also brighter, with the addition of a new condenser lens and with an overlaid LCD information display, too 

- New metering system with 307k colour pixels which has better metering accuracy and also helps the tracking of moving objects

- New high-speed mirror and shutter driving mechanism 

- New PRIME V processor and high ISO performance which is better than that of the K-1 II in terms of noise/details as well as reproduced colours (but that the ISO performance of the K-1 II is really rather outdated by today's standard, nonetheless). New Fine Sharpness II setting option is also made available for in-camera JPEG sharpening.

- New SAFOX 13 AF module of which the layout is shown in the below diagram

Legend: Red squares = Crossed AF sensors (25 nos.), Red and Blue squares = Selectable AF points (41 nos.), Deep Blue "circled" sensors = -EV4 low light capable and F2.8 lens aperture compatible (9 nos.)

:

K-1 II J Limited (in Four Colours)

 
Source: Nokishita @Twitter

But, I just wish to ask: How and what does these painted "new" bodies help Pentax and her fans?? :-(

Update (Feb 25): The K-1 II J Limited Special Site is now online (in Japanese only). It is mentioned that the golden lens mount is coated by Citizen Watch Co. with its "Duratect" technology. The wooden grip and its paint are also briefed. 

The K-3 III is Delayed and Here Comes the Re-packaged 3 FA Limiteds in HD

We all knew that the K-3 III was delayed without a new release or market launch date announced. :-(

Hence, Ricoh is "kind" enough to let us have something else "new", right before the CP+. ;-P

Here we go:

(Source: Japanese Nokishita Twitter via Cameota. In short, the new features of the re-packaged FA Limited lenses are HD plus SP coatings, round aperture and blades and guaranteed -10 deg.C temperature operation, there is no Weather Resistance, nonetheless. Anyway, my old FA Limiteds have never had any problem working in cold and snowing conditions under -10 to -20 deg.C in the past, so did my other film FA lenses, but getting the lenses wet might cause real problems. As for the aperture ring and aluminium casted lens bodies, these are indeed good old features but nothing new.

Update (Feb 25): The HD FA Limited Special Site is now online (in Japanese only). Online pre-ordering from the Ricoh web store is also made available. The offered prices are not cheap, though.

The LA-KE1 is Delayed

See this previous announcement made by the manufacturer, the LA-KE1 is delayed:

https://m.weibo.cn/status/4587145295306882

(in Simplified Chinese)

The reason of the delay is about the shortage of chipset used in the adapter. It was promised that the first batch of the adapters should be shipped by 1 Feb.

Let's wait and see how it works and performs.

BCN Japanese Camera Market Shares in 2020

https://www.bcnaward.jp/award/gallery/detail/contents_type=251

(Google translated English page here)

Note that the "Award" in early each year is all about the sales figures and results in the preceding whole year in the Japanese home market. A quick capture of what's reported is as below:

DSLR Shares: No. 1 Canon 51.9%, No. 2 Nikon 44.8%, No. 3 Ricoh Imaging 3.0%, Remaining 0.3%

Mirrorless Shares: No. 1 Sony 27.4%, No. 2 Canon 23.8%, No. 3 Olympus 23.4%, Remaining 25.4%

And, looking at the share figures of our persistent 2nd runner-up (since Year 2013) of the Ricoh Imaging in the past years, the up/down trend is summarised as follows:

2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015	2014	2013
3%	2.4%	3.1%	4.2%	4.8%	6.7%	4.5%	5.2%

Surprisingly, there is a slight increase of the market share by Ricoh in +0.6% when compared to the previous year. Congrats, Ricoh! ;-P