Ed, I'll keep coming around because you're a serious photographer, and I'm at that age where I'm pretty nostalgic. I love all your content, love Lee's content, your Pentax content the most. I don't see a need for Pentax to go on, but I'll miss it if it goes. So many great cameras on the market, same with lenses. Have a great holiday season 📷
Thank you so much! The Pentax 67 mint condition lenses on eBay from Japan have to be the deal of the century. The 135 macro can be had for under $150 and it's one of the best lenses I've ever used. Thanks again!
Hi Edward. Great vid. Whatever camera you shot this video, it looks great. So I am a committed Pentax APSC shooter and I recently got the k-3 mk iii monochrome to go with my other mk iii. It is a fantastic B&W camera! However, there is one itch I have not scratched...full frame in the K-1. Recently I saw a video from 'i like pixels'. He got into Pentax not too long ago. I found out that he sold his APSC mk iii bodies in favor of his K-1. For one thing he said the K-1 never missed focus for his uses. Also, the image quality he got on converted K-1 B&W pics was no different than the monochrome! I suppose it must be the more dense sensor of the full frame compensating for the bayer filter being there? Anyway, a part of me wants to try and used K-1. I wonder if I would re-commit to full frame even considering the size difference. Decisions...decisions....
The K1 is a beast. The size and weight is a bit much, but it's my favorite Pentax body. There is a subtle difference in IQ, which is very apparent if you print large, and I much prefer the K1's user interface. The tilting back and is a plus but the lack of a joystick is a minus. Personally I wouldn't buy a used one. The prices of new K1 mark II's are so low, it's worth buying new. Best of luck!
Dispite small and fun fujis (x t 30 and x pro2) I cameback to dslrs after switching to mirrorless and using them for a few years (canons r5 and r). Although they are good cameras for certain jobs (still use them once a month on a theatre, the silent but still mechanical shutter comes in handy) for everything else they feel cumbersome and unreliable to me, not to mention soulness. Also too much time on screens nowadays, now even when taking photos?... I dont praize or agree with the market for discontinuing lenses for the sistem, so I am looking to switch to pentax. The only reason I'm not in the family yet is the k1 ii applying noise reduction to raw files without the option to disable it. I've seen it and didnt like the results. I'm hoping the the iii to let the user decide
Subscribed, really well educated take on the K1 III speculation dilemma. I just bought a k3 III in November, on sale, with a DA 20-40 ltd, to go with my beloved FA* 28-70 2.8 AL that I used with my 90s MZ5. You're right about the Pentax glass, there's something sublime about good Pentax lenses. I had used 5DII / III / IV with EF L Lenses, Sony A7IV with GM lenses, yet that FA* 28-70 blew me away seeing what it could capture in terms of colour, detail, and rendition on FILM, compared to my experience with 5D's and A7's with L / GM lenses... For two years I deliberated on buying a K1 II, or waiting for a K1 III, not wanting to bother with APSC as I found the 7Dii didn't really work well for my use cases. My MZ5 died, and my replacement MZ30 was DOA... With the recent news a k1III was in production, I spent some time thinking how long it would take, and it seems they will either announce it early 2025 for a late 2025 / early 2026 release, or the same except a year further down the line, latest 2027... I couldn't wait that long, so went with the K3 III. So far really loving it, it feels powerful and capable, I'm still getting my bearings with the layout and planning my customisations... Using the FA* 28-70 on a good digital sensor has been simply a joy so far. I may end out getting a Nikon Z or Fujifilm XH2 (GFX if I could...) before the K1 III comes out, lets see what 2025 brings us.
@@jbones360 Full frame is tough. You would think with 5+ manufacturers making them somebody would make one worth shooting. For my purposes the A7 rv is decent as a hybrid package but ultimate IQ is the k1. It's why I've stuck with the Fuji's for so long. Now if fuji made a ff ...
Keep the Pentax videos coming. Personally I still love the brand, glad they are pushing back into film. Still looking forward to seeing a K1mk3. You have got to respect them, they just keep plodding along doing things their way. Meanwhile the rest of the world gets faster, sharper, more detail, AI etc. I still love the OVF and they feel of a Pentax camera.
A huge Pentax fan for decades. I've had three K-1 Mk II's and just replaced one. I was very disappointed to see how they have changed and now have gone to cheap plastic not just on some parts of the camera body, but also lens barrel's. IMHO the brands biggest problem has always been their management and their questionable decisions .So much a part of the history of Photography, it's a shame to watch them fade away.
@@BobbyH-ts3je I noticed that too. When they moved production to Vietnam, they redesigned some parts and went cheap on them. The rear screen frame is now plastic, used to be magnesium. Pentax had great success in the late 1960's, and the management never recovered. Like Harley Davidson more recently. Nikon too.
The most important thing for me would be downsizing. OK, I have small hands, but even with a prime lens, this size is too big for me. (that's why I use APSC) If they could somehow manage to bring the size closer to the size of the old DSLRs, that would be the real big deal. Especially when used with vintage lenses.
I wish they still sold the KP. Not sure why they discontinued those, they sell used on eBay for what they sold for new, which tells you there is still a demand for them.
The clickbait doom may help you with the algorithm (you're welcome), but as you're saying, Ricoh's camera business has been profitable several quarters in a row, so there's no need to kill the Pentax brand anytime soon. As for the K-3 Mark III, I think it retains enough Pentax "DNA" and user experience to shoot and feel like a real Pentax. It's just a substantial evolution/upgrade of the APS-C flagship rather than a merely incremental update. I will say that this meant a bit of a learning curve when I transitioned from the classic K-3 to the Mark III, but now that I've used it over the last nine months, I really appreciate both the bigger and so many smaller improvements that the designers afforded the Mark III.
I recently made a video about the K1 being my all time favorite DSLR. I think if they made a K1 Mark III I'm not so sure I'd get one. I really don't see how it could be any better except for some features I probably wouldn't even use.
@@ryszardtarnowski8213 Nice to have but not need to have things would be UHS II cards, a bigger buffer, the D850 sensor and a joystick. Along with all that would be K33 AF and video and that's about it. I'd buy that for $2500 and that would be good for the next 15 years. But really the only reason a K1 Mark III would be nice is to keep the repair options open longer into the future.
@@EdwardMartinsPhotography, good to hear that from someone with pro-level expectations. I've got a different standpoint. I'm a hobbyist, happily shooting Pentax APS-C and film. Don't tell anybody, I'm tempted by K-1 II at times 😉 But that would be my ultimate camera, gear from the bucket list, one for the lifetime I guess. p.s. I recently went back to prints. They are not meant to be perfect. Parameters and accuracy become less important to me. That's more about representing the reality, not just recording it.
@@ryszardtarnowski8213 The K1 is one of the best cameras of all time, you owe it to yourself to get one. It's well worth it and next week will be at the lowest prices of the year...
My good man what are your thoughts on the five premium functions that was already available that are now behind the five paywalls that did not suit me at all I had functions when I first bought the camera It never specified that you're going to lose these functions behind a paywall I updated the firmware next thing I know I have five functions behind a paywall that I used to use that set a very bitter taste in my mouth and because of that this Pentax K1 Mark II is the last camera I'm ever purchasing from these people they set the tone for a bitter taste to their customers
have you thought about the pentax 6/7 lenses with the gfx in a future purchase.i say this because i was in the market for an xt5 fuji and found the price was more than a good second hand gfx 50s 11.i had no thoughts of buying a gfx until the market price of the xt5 went stupid,so i think i will thank the market for my purchase.once i saw for myself the image it produces i see why fuji bypassed the full frame camera.
I have thought about it. For now, the Pentax K1 satisfies my digital insecurities. And the 67 film cameras are something I want to shoot more of. Maybe someday.
Excellent video. excellent points. I have the original K-1 with DFA lenses. What a great system for landscape photography. I’m shifting more to film cameras,, selling my XT-3 and X-Pro3, which honestly, I just never used. The K-1 is my forever digital beast! What besides video would you like to see on a K-1 Mark 3?
I'd add a joystick, and a higher resolution rear LCD. A bigger buffer would be nice and faster write times, UHS II cards etc. Other than all that there's not much I'd really change, and nothing that is a problem at all with the K1 mark II (except the lack of video. Even just a usable 1080p video would work. The K3 Mark III video is usable, but no tilt screen or aspect ratio's are deal breakers for me. Also why I don't have a K33M.) But the K1 is so good for stills, it's worth using.
@@EdwardMartinsPhotographyIf they do a K1 Mark III, please please PLEASE do not add a 61 megapixel sensor. The resolution of that sensor would kill the limited lenses, which are not designed for that kind of resolution. If the sensor res must be increased, use the D850 sensor like they used the D810 sensor in the K1/K1 II. The superior Pentax a/d conversion software will make it perform really great.
@@EdwardMartinsPhotographyThanks. Those additions make sense. A TH-cam photographer I really like is Robbie Maynard. He mostly shoots film and uses a number of cameras, including one I just picked up from KEH: the Fuji GSW 690iii and I also got the GW 690ii. Fixed lenses, but they are supposed to be razor sharp. I can’t wait to try out that 6 X 9 image size! 😊
There's no need for the 61mp sensor, but I don't think it would "kill" the limited lenses either. It's just like the non Fuji optimized lenses for the 40mp APS-c sensor. They don't do any worse, they just don't do as good as some of the newer formula lenses.
Do you prefer a square sensor & format? I think so too. I really regret Hasselblad's turning away from square format, because since Leonardo da Vinci , a certain 'square of the circle' has been forced us to realize optimized proportions - in Italy 'bella figura'. Have a look at all those LP original record sleeves: great masterpieces in creating stunning visions. And - I think you said this here - square format is just the most impressive for creating monochrome images. So I instantly hope Pentax will survive under an eternal brand hatch able to realize precious objects like Leica, better yet for more attractive prices - a likely parent company will manage it. Even today, only Leica and Pentax alternatively offer monochrome varieties.
Doomed! I love my Pentax, too. Totally agree with you about Ricoh, and European sales managers. I'm looking forwards to K1-iii whenever it comes out, but if it takes a couple years I'll just put my budget towards more lenses instead! No rush. Although I suspect they've already finished the design but haven't come to a pricing agreement with Sony on the sensor. And I'm guessing their R&D is working on a film SLR and updated lenses.
Long live Pentax and the (D)SLR. Who cares that they are no longer market leaders or at the top of innovation? The fact of the matter is the big manufacturers have all gone mirrorless now and look what good it has done them financially. None. For some of us you just can't beat a real optical viewfinder, be it a pentaprism or rangefinder, no matter what the advantage an EVF may bring. If you want the real optical experience now it has to be either Pentax or Leica, unless you go to the used market. Whether or not there is a K3 iii really does not matter to me as the shooting experience of the K1 ii is a joy, especially with old MF glass (hooray! for real backwards compatibility). The camera's IQ is more than enough for mortals already. Nothing else really matters. I do wish they would produce a more compact version, a bit like a KP, but FF, but I know that will never happen.
It was also my feeling that all sales outside japan are icing on the cake, and i was convinced my feeling are wrong. we had that discussion in the german forum the distribution for DSLR Sales in the time Jan to Aug 2024 according CIPA The DSLR-market distributes as followed (CIPA, january to august 2024): 1. North- and Southamerica: 37,4% 2. Europe: 30,6% 3. China: 16,9% 4. Asia without Japan and China: 9,1% 4. Japan: 4,7% 5. Rest of the world: 1,4% The ASSUMPTION is Ricoh/Pentax does not deviate significantly from the rest of the pack i started in that discussion with the assumptionJapan would be the dominating market fro Pentax just by sales figures. So as long there are no more precise figures about the distribution of the Pentax-DSLR-sales-figures, the numbers provided by CIPA are the best AVAILABLE guess. Nevertheless even if the figures say something different it does not confirm or deconfirm if the numbers outside of japan are relevant for decisionmaking inside a japanese company.
Canon probably accounts for a lot of those N and S America and Europe sales. I'd bet Pentax accounts for a lot of the Japanese and Asia sales. The breakdown of who sells what, where, is very important to understanding what those figures mean.
@@EdwardMartinsPhotography unfortunately there is no breakdown to brands, sensor sizes et altera, and it seems ricoh makes a state secrecy out of that figures, as long ther are no other figures, these figures are the best guess we have, and they show that over all brands 2/3 of the DSLR market lay on the american continents and europe. If there are no figures proofing that the Ricoh/Pentax scenario ist COMPLETELY opposite its just a wild guess. Of course if they are different than they are different.Hope my Pentaxes will last a long long timewithout any problems. After the surprising big success of the K3-III Mono, my first guess was they would bring out at least 2 fullframe-modells, a K1-III and a K1-III Mono.
I really love Pentax but do wonder about their future. Why can't they get a bit adventurous and bring in film modes (filters) like Olympus or Filters like Fuji has done on their digital cameras. I have a huge collection of Pentax mount lens and would love a digital camera to use them with but their lack of an affordable full frame or APS-C with film modes stops me from buying one. Please Pentax get creative once again.
The reason they survive is because they are doing what they can on a shoestring budget, without a lot of resources and money. I think it's interesting that they have had some success doing this like the K3 Monochrome and the 17.
Hope you never update your firmware because you're going to lose out on something that you already had I'm not buying another Pentax camera after what they just did to me I worked too damn hard for this camera and then they're going to take functions away behind a paywall that was already available when I first bought it
Pentax is dead the day they said they are sticking with DSLRs! May be they said it because they dont have the money to develop mirrorless cameras. Anyway, good bye to another beloved brand of photography community. Contax gone, minolta gone and lots of other brands gone too... So... Whatever
@EdwardMartinsPhotography it will soon. No mirrorless means no future. Even third party lens makers stopped making lenses for them. Ricoh making money from their GR series cameras, printing solutions etc. Pentax is not making any money for them.
@@oblivion_007 People have been saying that for 20+ years. As a brand name under Ricoh I doubt it's going to go one way or the other for many reasons. Pentax doesn't have to make money for Ricoh, they just can't lose money for Ricoh which they are not. It's a prestige thing in Japan and a national brand, and we just get to buy it outside Japan. Pentax is a brand now, not a company. Ricoh may decide to retire it, but why would they do that? They would lose the marketing of the brand which is why they own it.
Everyone ran to mirrorless when it was really not necessary. Architectural and Landscape photography use DSLR still, and sports / action /wildlife photography has transitioned to mirrorless. I shoot architecture and I don't need a mirrorless camera as buildings rarely move. What matters to me is great low light lenses and a great tripod. I think a significant portion of mirrorless users dove into that technology space to try to improve their sloppy technique, I have enough to learn that I don't need an extra complication. That and anybody with $10,000 in their pocket has one, so it seems like the cool kids are all carrying mirrorless.
Hoya's responsible for Pentax's troubles. Hoya's the enemy. Once Pentax's finance from the main income support from the medical equipment division was taken away that's what's stalled Pentax's future development and innovation as a brand.
Nope. Hoya might not be ideal, but Ricoh so far only managed to cut funding, kick most of R&D out, kill Q mount, kill 645 mount and now they are killing K mount which they neglected for decade. It will only end up with Ricoh GR on the market alone..
@@EdwardMartinsPhotography:true but I have shot with M42 lenses including the eight element 50mm f1.4 on SPII and Spotmatic bodies. M and A lenses on MX, LX bodies. 6x7 lenses on the 6x7 mu body. But your answer doesn’t address my point that Pentax do not have a recognisable range of lenses in the way that Nikon and Canon do or even Minolta had. Three over-priced “Limited” lenses of varying quality control didn’t encourage me to take a punt on the K1 when it was launched. I need a dependable brand that offers a good range of lenses and accessories, new and used. I’m not a fanboy just because I owned a particular camera. Pentax have never had and will never have dominance over Nikon/Canon. I think Pentax from the 1960’s/70’s was at its strongest.
@@DessieTots Maybe back in 1980 that was what Pentax's game was. They were trying to compete. But that is not what Pentax is about today. Nobody says, "gosh should I buy a Z8 or R5 or K1?" Just like they don't say " gosh should I buy a Z8 or R5 or M11." And I'm not saying the K1 is in any way competing with an M11. I'm just saying it's a totally different market and game. Pentax is a boutique brand now or a "cult" brand now. Shooting a K1 with the limiteds is not something you choose over an R5 and Canon's lens system or Nikon's or Sony's. But it is a choice, which means Pentax is not dead yet.
Ed, I'll keep coming around because you're a serious photographer, and I'm at that age where I'm pretty nostalgic. I love all your content, love Lee's content, your Pentax content the most. I don't see a need for Pentax to go on, but I'll miss it if it goes. So many great cameras on the market, same with lenses. Have a great holiday season 📷
Thank you so much! The Pentax 67 mint condition lenses on eBay from Japan have to be the deal of the century. The 135 macro can be had for under $150 and it's one of the best lenses I've ever used. Thanks again!
Hi Edward. Great vid. Whatever camera you shot this video, it looks great. So I am a committed Pentax APSC shooter and I recently got the k-3 mk iii monochrome to go with my other mk iii. It is a fantastic B&W camera! However, there is one itch I have not scratched...full frame in the K-1. Recently I saw a video from 'i like pixels'. He got into Pentax not too long ago. I found out that he sold his APSC mk iii bodies in favor of his K-1. For one thing he said the K-1 never missed focus for his uses. Also, the image quality he got on converted K-1 B&W pics was no different than the monochrome! I suppose it must be the more dense sensor of the full frame compensating for the bayer filter being there? Anyway, a part of me wants to try and used K-1. I wonder if I would re-commit to full frame even considering the size difference. Decisions...decisions....
The K1 is a beast. The size and weight is a bit much, but it's my favorite Pentax body. There is a subtle difference in IQ, which is very apparent if you print large, and I much prefer the K1's user interface. The tilting back and is a plus but the lack of a joystick is a minus. Personally I wouldn't buy a used one. The prices of new K1 mark II's are so low, it's worth buying new. Best of luck!
Dispite small and fun fujis (x t 30 and x pro2) I cameback to dslrs after switching to mirrorless and using them for a few years (canons r5 and r). Although they are good cameras for certain jobs (still use them once a month on a theatre, the silent but still mechanical shutter comes in handy) for everything else they feel cumbersome and unreliable to me, not to mention soulness. Also too much time on screens nowadays, now even when taking photos?... I dont praize or agree with the market for discontinuing lenses for the sistem, so I am looking to switch to pentax. The only reason I'm not in the family yet is the k1 ii applying noise reduction to raw files without the option to disable it. I've seen it and didnt like the results. I'm hoping the the iii to let the user decide
I still love photouniverse videos, still watch them. You could do both on the same channel though.
I kinda am... :)
Subscribed, really well educated take on the K1 III speculation dilemma.
I just bought a k3 III in November, on sale, with a DA 20-40 ltd, to go with my beloved FA* 28-70 2.8 AL that I used with my 90s MZ5.
You're right about the Pentax glass, there's something sublime about good Pentax lenses. I had used 5DII / III / IV with EF L Lenses, Sony A7IV with GM lenses, yet that FA* 28-70 blew me away seeing what it could capture in terms of colour, detail, and rendition on FILM, compared to my experience with 5D's and A7's with L / GM lenses... For two years I deliberated on buying a K1 II, or waiting for a K1 III, not wanting to bother with APSC as I found the 7Dii didn't really work well for my use cases. My MZ5 died, and my replacement MZ30 was DOA... With the recent news a k1III was in production, I spent some time thinking how long it would take, and it seems they will either announce it early 2025 for a late 2025 / early 2026 release, or the same except a year further down the line, latest 2027... I couldn't wait that long, so went with the K3 III. So far really loving it, it feels powerful and capable, I'm still getting my bearings with the layout and planning my customisations... Using the FA* 28-70 on a good digital sensor has been simply a joy so far. I may end out getting a Nikon Z or Fujifilm XH2 (GFX if I could...) before the K1 III comes out, lets see what 2025 brings us.
@@jbones360 Full frame is tough. You would think with 5+ manufacturers making them somebody would make one worth shooting. For my purposes the A7 rv is decent as a hybrid package but ultimate IQ is the k1. It's why I've stuck with the Fuji's for so long. Now if fuji made a ff ...
Keep the Pentax videos coming. Personally I still love the brand, glad they are pushing back into film. Still looking forward to seeing a K1mk3. You have got to respect them, they just keep plodding along doing things their way. Meanwhile the rest of the world gets faster, sharper, more detail, AI etc. I still love the OVF and they feel of a Pentax camera.
I recently tried a Hasselblad again. You know I prefer the Pentax 67. Go figure. 🙂
A huge Pentax fan for decades. I've had three K-1 Mk II's and just replaced one. I was very disappointed to see how they have changed and now have gone to cheap plastic not just on some parts of the camera body, but also lens barrel's. IMHO the brands biggest problem has always been their management and their questionable decisions .So much a part of the history of Photography, it's a shame to watch them fade away.
@@BobbyH-ts3je I noticed that too. When they moved production to Vietnam, they redesigned some parts and went cheap on them. The rear screen frame is now plastic, used to be magnesium. Pentax had great success in the late 1960's, and the management never recovered. Like Harley Davidson more recently. Nikon too.
The most important thing for me would be downsizing. OK, I have small hands, but even with a prime lens, this size is too big for me. (that's why I use APSC) If they could somehow manage to bring the size closer to the size of the old DSLRs, that would be the real big deal. Especially when used with vintage lenses.
I wish they still sold the KP. Not sure why they discontinued those, they sell used on eBay for what they sold for new, which tells you there is still a demand for them.
Your reasoning concerning the K1 iiii seems solid to me. If you haven't tried them, put an Irix prime on your K1.
I wouldn't even bother with Pentax anymore not after what they did with their firmware updates
The clickbait doom may help you with the algorithm (you're welcome), but as you're saying, Ricoh's camera business has been profitable several quarters in a row, so there's no need to kill the Pentax brand anytime soon. As for the K-3 Mark III, I think it retains enough Pentax "DNA" and user experience to shoot and feel like a real Pentax. It's just a substantial evolution/upgrade of the APS-C flagship rather than a merely incremental update. I will say that this meant a bit of a learning curve when I transitioned from the classic K-3 to the Mark III, but now that I've used it over the last nine months, I really appreciate both the bigger and so many smaller improvements that the designers afforded the Mark III.
Doom... that's TH-cam for you. Join my Patreon page for free and you can avoid the melodrama! 🙂
Just got my copy, looks beautiful!
Thanks!
I recently made a video about the K1 being my all time favorite DSLR. I think if they made a K1 Mark III I'm not so sure I'd get one. I really don't see how it could be any better except for some features I probably wouldn't even use.
That was a good video, and I agree completely!
_I really don't see how it could be any better except for some features I probably wouldn't even use._
Well said, @JimsPhotographyArt 💯
@@ryszardtarnowski8213 Nice to have but not need to have things would be UHS II cards, a bigger buffer, the D850 sensor and a joystick. Along with all that would be K33 AF and video and that's about it. I'd buy that for $2500 and that would be good for the next 15 years. But really the only reason a K1 Mark III would be nice is to keep the repair options open longer into the future.
@@EdwardMartinsPhotography, good to hear that from someone with pro-level expectations. I've got a different standpoint. I'm a hobbyist, happily shooting Pentax APS-C and film. Don't tell anybody, I'm tempted by K-1 II at times 😉 But that would be my ultimate camera, gear from the bucket list, one for the lifetime I guess.
p.s. I recently went back to prints. They are not meant to be perfect. Parameters and accuracy become less important to me. That's more about representing the reality, not just recording it.
@@ryszardtarnowski8213 The K1 is one of the best cameras of all time, you owe it to yourself to get one. It's well worth it and next week will be at the lowest prices of the year...
My good man what are your thoughts on the five premium functions that was already available that are now behind the five paywalls that did not suit me at all I had functions when I first bought the camera It never specified that you're going to lose these functions behind a paywall I updated the firmware next thing I know I have five functions behind a paywall that I used to use that set a very bitter taste in my mouth and because of that this Pentax K1 Mark II is the last camera I'm ever purchasing from these people they set the tone for a bitter taste to their customers
I agree. Dumb move.
I would recommend the channel 'Shot on Film' - Ari Jaaksi. Quite likely my favorite photography channel.
I'll have to check it out, thanks!
have you thought about the pentax 6/7 lenses with the gfx in a future purchase.i say this because i was in the market for an xt5 fuji and found the price was more than a good second hand gfx 50s 11.i had no thoughts of buying a gfx until the market price of the xt5 went stupid,so i think i will thank the market for my purchase.once i saw for myself the image it produces i see why fuji bypassed the full frame camera.
I have thought about it. For now, the Pentax K1 satisfies my digital insecurities. And the 67 film cameras are something I want to shoot more of. Maybe someday.
Excellent video. excellent points. I have the original K-1 with DFA lenses. What a great system for landscape photography. I’m shifting more to film cameras,, selling my XT-3 and X-Pro3, which honestly, I just never used. The K-1 is my forever digital beast! What besides video would you like to see on a K-1 Mark 3?
I'd add a joystick, and a higher resolution rear LCD. A bigger buffer would be nice and faster write times, UHS II cards etc. Other than all that there's not much I'd really change, and nothing that is a problem at all with the K1 mark II (except the lack of video. Even just a usable 1080p video would work. The K3 Mark III video is usable, but no tilt screen or aspect ratio's are deal breakers for me. Also why I don't have a K33M.) But the K1 is so good for stills, it's worth using.
@@EdwardMartinsPhotographyIf they do a K1 Mark III, please please PLEASE do not add a 61 megapixel sensor. The resolution of that sensor would kill the limited lenses, which are not designed for that kind of resolution. If the sensor res must be increased, use the D850 sensor like they used the D810 sensor in the K1/K1 II. The superior Pentax a/d conversion software will make it perform really great.
@@EdwardMartinsPhotographyThanks. Those additions make sense. A TH-cam photographer I really like is Robbie Maynard. He mostly shoots film and uses a number of cameras, including one I just picked up from KEH: the Fuji GSW 690iii and I also got the GW 690ii. Fixed lenses, but they are supposed to be razor sharp.
I can’t wait to try out that 6 X 9 image size! 😊
There's no need for the 61mp sensor, but I don't think it would "kill" the limited lenses either. It's just like the non Fuji optimized lenses for the 40mp APS-c sensor. They don't do any worse, they just don't do as good as some of the newer formula lenses.
I like Robbie as well. He does a good job with his channel.
Do you prefer a square sensor & format? I think so too. I really regret Hasselblad's turning away from square format, because since Leonardo da Vinci , a certain 'square of the circle' has been forced us to realize optimized proportions - in Italy 'bella figura'. Have a look at all those LP original record sleeves: great masterpieces in creating stunning visions. And - I think you said this here - square format is just the most impressive for creating monochrome images. So I instantly hope Pentax will survive under an eternal brand hatch able to realize precious objects like Leica, better yet for more attractive prices - a likely parent company will manage it. Even today, only Leica and Pentax alternatively offer monochrome varieties.
Agreed.
I hope you're right. I'd like to see the brand survive. (I love their monochrome camera!)
The GR Mono coming next year is going to well extremely well.
How can Pentax survive if they put five functions behind a paywall after a firmware update that was already available to the public for 8 years
@@jimzielinski946 if you love their monochrome camera do not ever upgrade the firmware You will lose a crap ton of functions behind a paywall
Doomed! I love my Pentax, too. Totally agree with you about Ricoh, and European sales managers.
I'm looking forwards to K1-iii whenever it comes out, but if it takes a couple years I'll just put my budget towards more lenses instead! No rush.
Although I suspect they've already finished the design but haven't come to a pricing agreement with Sony on the sensor. And I'm guessing their R&D is working on a film SLR and updated lenses.
Thanks!
Long live Pentax and the (D)SLR. Who cares that they are no longer market leaders or at the top of innovation? The fact of the matter is the big manufacturers have all gone mirrorless now and look what good it has done them financially. None. For some of us you just can't beat a real optical viewfinder, be it a pentaprism or rangefinder, no matter what the advantage an EVF may bring. If you want the real optical experience now it has to be either Pentax or Leica, unless you go to the used market. Whether or not there is a K3 iii really does not matter to me as the shooting experience of the K1 ii is a joy, especially with old MF glass (hooray! for real backwards compatibility). The camera's IQ is more than enough for mortals already. Nothing else really matters. I do wish they would produce a more compact version, a bit like a KP, but FF, but I know that will never happen.
The EVF is convenient, the Prism is for composing fine photographs.
Don't ever update your firmware You will lose
I had no idea that they were going to take away five functions that I was already using behind a paywall
@@cgriggsiv That was a dumb move on Pentax's part for sure.
It was also my feeling that all sales outside japan are icing on the cake, and i was convinced my feeling are wrong.
we had that discussion in the german forum the distribution for DSLR Sales in the time Jan to Aug 2024 according CIPA
The DSLR-market distributes as followed (CIPA, january to august 2024):
1. North- and Southamerica: 37,4%
2. Europe: 30,6%
3. China: 16,9%
4. Asia without Japan and China: 9,1%
4. Japan: 4,7%
5. Rest of the world: 1,4%
The ASSUMPTION is Ricoh/Pentax does not deviate significantly from the rest of the pack
i started in that discussion with the assumptionJapan would be the dominating market fro Pentax just by sales figures.
So as long there are no more precise figures about the distribution of the Pentax-DSLR-sales-figures, the numbers provided by CIPA are the best AVAILABLE guess.
Nevertheless even if the figures say something different it does not confirm or deconfirm if the numbers outside of japan are relevant for decisionmaking inside a japanese company.
Canon probably accounts for a lot of those N and S America and Europe sales. I'd bet Pentax accounts for a lot of the Japanese and Asia sales. The breakdown of who sells what, where, is very important to understanding what those figures mean.
@@EdwardMartinsPhotography unfortunately there is no breakdown to brands, sensor sizes et altera, and it seems ricoh makes a state secrecy out of that figures, as long ther are no other figures, these figures are the best guess we have, and they show that over all brands 2/3 of the DSLR market lay on the american continents and europe. If there are no figures proofing that the Ricoh/Pentax scenario ist COMPLETELY opposite its just a wild guess. Of course if they are different than they are different.Hope my Pentaxes will last a long long timewithout any problems.
After the surprising big success of the K3-III Mono, my first guess was they would bring out at least 2 fullframe-modells, a K1-III and a K1-III Mono.
I think they are working on a K1 mark III. But they are also working on 2 GR models and one of them is Mono slated for next year.
I really love Pentax but do wonder about their future. Why can't they get a bit adventurous and bring in film modes (filters) like Olympus or Filters like Fuji has done on their digital cameras. I have a huge collection of Pentax mount lens and would love a digital camera to use them with but their lack of an affordable full frame or APS-C with film modes stops me from buying one. Please Pentax get creative once again.
The reason they survive is because they are doing what they can on a shoestring budget, without a lot of resources and money. I think it's interesting that they have had some success doing this like the K3 Monochrome and the 17.
Hope you never update your firmware because you're going to lose out on something that you already had I'm not buying another Pentax camera after what they just did to me I worked too damn hard for this camera and then they're going to take functions away behind a paywall that was already available when I first bought it
Gran Pentax K1 mark II. Me encanta. Siempre Pentax, ojala saquen la Mark III.
Me too!
Pentax is dead the day they said they are sticking with DSLRs! May be they said it because they dont have the money to develop mirrorless cameras. Anyway, good bye to another beloved brand of photography community. Contax gone, minolta gone and lots of other brands gone too... So... Whatever
Lol, Pentax is profitable. That's far from dead.
@EdwardMartinsPhotography it will soon. No mirrorless means no future. Even third party lens makers stopped making lenses for them. Ricoh making money from their GR series cameras, printing solutions etc. Pentax is not making any money for them.
@@oblivion_007 People have been saying that for 20+ years. As a brand name under Ricoh I doubt it's going to go one way or the other for many reasons. Pentax doesn't have to make money for Ricoh, they just can't lose money for Ricoh which they are not. It's a prestige thing in Japan and a national brand, and we just get to buy it outside Japan. Pentax is a brand now, not a company. Ricoh may decide to retire it, but why would they do that? They would lose the marketing of the brand which is why they own it.
Everyone ran to mirrorless when it was really not necessary. Architectural and Landscape photography use DSLR still, and sports / action /wildlife photography has transitioned to mirrorless. I shoot architecture and I don't need a mirrorless camera as buildings rarely move. What matters to me is great low light lenses and a great tripod. I think a significant portion of mirrorless users dove into that technology space to try to improve their sloppy technique, I have enough to learn that I don't need an extra complication. That and anybody with $10,000 in their pocket has one, so it seems like the cool kids are all carrying mirrorless.
@@restaurantattheendofthegalaxy Definitely a solution to a problem nobody had. The SLR is superior, the non mirror cameras are cheaper to make.
Hoya's responsible for Pentax's troubles. Hoya's the enemy. Once Pentax's finance from the main income support from the medical equipment division was taken away that's what's stalled Pentax's future development and innovation as a brand.
Nope. Hoya might not be ideal, but Ricoh so far only managed to cut funding, kick most of R&D out, kill Q mount, kill 645 mount and now they are killing K mount which they neglected for decade. It will only end up with Ricoh GR on the market alone..
What’s the bloody point, Pentax don’t make lenses. “Their” lenses are a mixed bag of Tamron, Tokina and goodness know who else designs.
You have obviously never shot with a Pentax Limited. Best lenses I've ever used, and I've owned Leica's and Hasselblads.
@@EdwardMartinsPhotography:true but I have shot with M42 lenses including the eight element 50mm f1.4 on SPII and Spotmatic bodies. M and A lenses on MX, LX bodies. 6x7 lenses on the 6x7 mu body. But your answer doesn’t address my point that Pentax do not have a recognisable range of lenses in the way that Nikon and Canon do or even Minolta had. Three over-priced “Limited” lenses of varying quality control didn’t encourage me to take a punt on the K1 when it was launched. I need a dependable brand that offers a good range of lenses and accessories, new and used. I’m not a fanboy just because I owned a particular camera. Pentax have never had and will never have dominance over Nikon/Canon. I think Pentax from the 1960’s/70’s was at its strongest.
@@DessieTots Maybe back in 1980 that was what Pentax's game was. They were trying to compete. But that is not what Pentax is about today. Nobody says, "gosh should I buy a Z8 or R5 or K1?" Just like they don't say " gosh should I buy a Z8 or R5 or M11." And I'm not saying the K1 is in any way competing with an M11. I'm just saying it's a totally different market and game. Pentax is a boutique brand now or a "cult" brand now. Shooting a K1 with the limiteds is not something you choose over an R5 and Canon's lens system or Nikon's or Sony's. But it is a choice, which means Pentax is not dead yet.