Ahh someone’s listening!! I’ve been saying that we need new film cameras to be made, as the existing ones continue to age and wear out. And I’m glad it’s Pentax!! Can’t wait to see what they come up with, but hope there’s an SLR in the old metal 1970/80s style.
Merry Christmas to all. I was happy when I learned that Pentax will manufacture a classic mechanical camera in this era, the peak of pleasure with 35mm film
It is wishful thinking but I am hoping their new film camera will be something of a reimagining of their most famous models such as the K1000/KM/MX/ME etc Solid metal build, simple functions, affordable. In fact I wouldn't even mind if it wasn't a new camera at all but rather simply one of the above going back into production. Leica did do this already with the M6 but let's face it, very few people are willing to pay the price of nearly a car on a film camera. Pentax will have a huge advantage in the industry. Now the cost of film just needs to stop resembling extortion
My hope is for Cosina to hop on that wagon too, there should be enough knowledge with them as it is not that long Cosina stopped making mechanical cameras. Happy new year!
Recently had my Pentax SP1000 refurbished and it works great. Only one repair technician left in area and he’s close to retiring. Hope the skill set remains alive.
I just love watching your videos! And you've got me seriously infected: that VLV hit me (Vintage Lens Virus). It's much better than COVID, and hopefully longer lasting. First batch of two CZJ lenses accompanied by a Praktica body are on the way. I hardly can wait to get my hands on them ... and you started this. Retirement is approaching really fast now, so why not step into photography where I left 3 decades ago? Vintage Praktica going side by side with contemporary mirrorless tech ... Thank you, mate!
Exciting times for sure. Looking forward with anticipation as someone who made the jump from soviet gear and found a soulmate camera (MX & 40mm) it would be great to see again. All the best for the new year hope your Christmas has been as great as mine !
That's very exciting about Pentax. I liked that Pentax Program camera alot. I can't wait to see what they come up with. Thx, and Merry Xmas, and a Happy New Year!
I was very disappointed when Kodak discontinued Kodak Techpan (iso 25) film. I loved the detail and really appreciated it's enhanced red sensitivity. I used it mainly with a Pentax 6x7 - that combo produced wonderful results. I'm ashamed to admit that after I transitioned to digital, I stopped using my film cameras. I'm glad to see young people getting interested in film again.
Good stuff. It will be interesting to see your thoughts and results on the Rolleicord. I first became of aware of the Rolleicord camera when I was watching the 1982 movie 'Gandhi.' The reporter, played by Candace Bergen, took photos of Gandhi (played by Ben Kingsley) using a Rolleicord. Maybe a strange way to become acquainted with a camera, but once I saw it I wanted to know more about it. Never did get one, but that's okay, I still like to learn things.
I'd love a rangefinder like my old Yashica Electro 35 GSN, which had a faster shutter speed, and a meter as good as my old one, which is still fantastic.
It's great news Nigel. Of course, it's entirely coincidental that you were talking about it only the week before. 😉 Look forward to seeing your videos again in the new year.
Yeah, but knowing how slow Pentax are with developing cameras it could be 5 or 6 years before anything comes to market. Couple that with the lowkey original video it sounds like vapourware?
Firstly, if they do produce these cameras, then great kudos to Pentax. What I'd love to see is a well made medium format camera in a point and shoot style. A 75 mm lens with a fast manual f2.8 lens and a shutter speed up to 1000th sec. Not needed are myriad clever features such as autofocus, built in flash, just decent quality. If they make some Holga type camera, it'll be an opportunity missed. Still, it's a hopeful sign that they wish to take this path.
I really hope that Pentax are successful in this venture, but while colour film is so ridiculously expensive, I think they may well struggle. Nice video!
Вот это новость! Это вполне логично, и я ожидал, что именно Pentax снова начнёт выпускать плёночные фотоаппараты. Желаю фирме Pentax удачи на этом пути! Благодарю Автора за прекрасную новость!
A new mechanical film SLR would be a dream come true for me. Yes, I shoot mainly digital on a Sony A7, but I learned photography on an Olympus M-1 that my cousin gave me when I was a kid. The older Olympus Zuiko lenses work great on the Sony, too, as you have so eloquently pointed out on your channel many times. I've shot with the old M-1 for nearly 40 years, and it's been chugging along just fine all the while thanks to my cousin, and later me, having it properly maintained. I say properly maintained, but my local camera shop and the gent who owned it are both gone from this world and have been so for years. That means that I've been maintaining the camera on my own and to the best of my ability for about 20 years now. I feel pretty confident in my ability, but I'm painfully aware that I am no substitute for a trained camera technician. Even with an ideal mechanic, the camera can't last forever, nor can the parts supply. All that is to say that if a new mechanical model should come along I would definitely give it a look. Thanks for bringing this to my attention! We'll keep our fingers crossed.
I really admire the engineering on those old all mechanical cameras and lenses and how well they are build to last. The most part of the production most propably was manual assembly. So I wonder whether Pentax will find ways to do the assembly more or less automated and if not, what the prices of those cameras will turn out to be today. Great news anyways ! Thankx for the work you put in your chanel, I always like to pop by and grap some info about old lenses and cameras. I like your storytelling style as well. Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones and I certainly see you in the new year ! ....
Nice video, Nigel! Let's hope that Pentax succeeds! I really like my old Spotmatic and those Super Takumar lenses, they're wonderfully made. However, they won't go back to M42 though, Pentax's advantage is that they kept the K-mount. Congrats with the Rolleicord, great camera! Speaking of which, Rollei ended production not long ago, competense should be existing, but machinery probably isn't, if they were to take up production again. Nice to hear that you miss Kodachrome too. Merry Christmas!
Be nice if they brought back the Takumar lenses. With added weather sealing. I'm curious if they will be making any new MF lenses with this new camera.
I wish for remakes of the Ricoh Tlr and the Gr1 film cameras putting right the minor but annoying faults of the original models. In the meantime I will still use my Pentax Spotmatic with the wonderful 55mm 1.8 lens and my 1957 Yashica Mat with a 75mm 3.5 Lumaxar lens. Also, continuing to enjoy my 8.1 megapixel 2005 Ricoh GR digital camera. The Rolleicord 1V that you are going to review was the first camera that I used when I was an apprentice photographer in 1961 when I was sixteen.
I was hoping to hear your opinion on this. I was very excited about it myself, but a few others have been quite negative about it. Being a Pentax user, it's also a bonus to me that it's Richoh/Pentax who are doing this. My intent is to buy them just to help ensure they're successful. But obviously it's the mechanical camera I really want.
If Pentax (or any other manufacturer) has decided to do this 3 or 4 years ago I would think it would have had a shot at success, but unless the price of film drops drastically I don't see it becoming anything more than a curiosity - unless they can enter into a partnership with a company that makes 35mm film to lower the cost.🤔
Let's think about what a perfect new Pentax film camera would look like:- All, or mainly, metal construction Mainly manual but with an option to use Aperture Priority No dependence on batteries for manual shooting Using the great range of K-Mount lenses A new range of lenses to fill in any gaps An amateur camera AND a Pro model. Heritage styling I can think of much more, but these would make me very happy.
Can you do something about EN-2 film. I know not many people develop it, but vision 3 seems nice and it’s actually cheap as reloaded cinema film. It’s absolutely top notch film also, as filmmakers don’t use cheap film.
It's not what I like, but I hope they start with an excellent point & shoot because that's where I see by far the biggest market for an affortable film camera. Once that money flows in then focus on the rest.
I wonder if it makes sense for these new fully mechanical cameras to be range finder style or slr? Selfishly I hope they go with the Leica style range finder, since the new lenses would adapt better to my mirror-less camera. I LOVE your videos, but you really need to work on your lighting. It is far too harsh on your face. Maybe record them using one of your more dreamy lenses that can be more forgiving to the flaws we have as humans. Keep it up, I always look forward to your reviews, you have definitely motivated me to start buying vintage lenses to fit to my Sigma fp L and I love the results.
People get vision 3 kodak cinema film repackaged in 36exp for about $9 “dirt cheap film” Also found a cheap $5 en-2 film processing in California. Even first class mail does cost, so i may send a few rolls at a time as you still have to pay postage each way course. You also buy large rolls and load it yourself, then the film price drops to about $2 each 36exp. For that film. You can also develop it yourself as well also.
I've seen comments that's it's impossible. I don't think so. Take a k1000 all the technical manuals are available, hopefully Pentax have the materials R+D manuals and the line procedures to assemble the cameras. Half the battle is won and your not starting from nothing. Shutters might be an issue and parts for the light meter. Hopefully fingers crossed this works out well and Canon and Nikon might take note. I won't have any hopes for Fuji (not film) though.
It's certainly possible with enough time and money - plans and blueprints still exist, and retired technicians can give practical input. Machine tools might be a problem though, I'm not sure whether they still exist. It's certainly possible but I guess time will tell.
Hi Nigel, i've read all about it 5 days ago, via DPR Forum and YT, and seen the two videos about it. I hope we'd see some Ricoh GR-style compact camera, even the HighEnd version. Ricoh Imaging/Pentax want to create 4 different cameras, which was: 1) compact camera 2) highend compact camera 3) highend SLR 3) all mechanical SLR Let's hope they'd succeed. Besides Leica, noone, nobody else is currently producing 35mm gear, it doesn't matter if it's a rangefinder or SLR, or compact camera, it's 35mm, that's all that counts. And with warranty of course, and after a hell long time new Film gear, simply lovely. Merry christmas and happy holidays.
An interesting related topic after Christmas would be a video to look at if the resurrected Meyer Optik are in profit with their very expensive new copies of the old MOG lenses. I wish Ricoh/Pentax success but I won't be buying a $4000 new film camera! Meanwhile thanks for all your wonderful video efforts in 2022 :-)
A new film camera in 2023? WHY? Reinventing the wheel? Nostalgia? Time travel? Well, chacon à son goût! Sweet dreams are made of this! Happy New Old Year! ;-)
There is not a single one film camera from any manufacturer that I would want made again the same as before, and not even with some minor modifications, and altrough I'm a pentaxist I think there is no loss if Pentax forget all about old Pentax cameras. But with the lenses is a totaly diferent story... A Contax 645AF with FF645 150MP digital back ( and film back) made with Pentax 645 mount and modern ultra fast AF with 49 well spread AF points with eye conyrol and minijoystick, dedicated AE-L push on the finger, dedicated custom WB push on the finger with no menu fidling, and f2 for 300, 150mm, 75, 65, 55, 45, 35, 25, 23mm, both leaf shutter and focal plane shutter, 1/4000s or faster and up to 1/16 K s or faster electonic shutter, silent and with no rolling efect, that would be nice. My K2 black, K2DMD, MZ-S are all working fine, as my *istD and even my SF10 bought only for the smc F 50 f1.7 that was on it. But I don't need a new K2 even if it has a FE2 or FM3A inside, iso seting on top left and exp comp left on the mount where it is very well, and AE-L like on FM3A, and not even with 1/8000s from F4/F5/F6 or 1/12000s from Minolta 800xi. If it would be made like an F6 but with 0.9X magnification and 25mm eye point and multiple other viewfinders like LX but better, and digital 43-47 MP digital back with custom WB push like on *istD but without needing to enter first in the menu, then that will also be very nice along the FF645 one. And a new 24 or 25mm PC shift. And a 15 f2.8 sharp w.o. with no complex distortion. A remake of the first SMC K 28 f2 distagon design would be slso very nice, and a 35 f1.4 like eos FE bokeh like but with SMC, and a 90 f1.7 with better bokeh when focused @ 1.5m with any background, a 39 f1.8 also with better bokeh, a 24 f2 or faster wirh less droplet distortion and less chromatic aberation then FA 24 f2, and a 24-90 f2, and all with a decent moderate contrast not with the absurdly exaggerated today contrast that eat shadow details and drown in stupid black ink. A Bronica RF 645 made with AF but still compact, and a digital back beside film, that would be also very nice...About the films, Ilford Delta is good as it is from 100 to 3200 ASA. And Fuji Neopan 100 to 800 ASA. But I need Ilford DDX for developing. For slides we need something new, Kodak Ektachrome E200 colors with Provia 100 grain and Gold 200 or Superia 400 exposure latitude...And Agfa Scala also with more exposure latitude. Today when 14EV DR is the norm or even 17EV like on the Arri 35 4.6K, we can't go back cu 3 EV...
Amazing, i still have me K1000, from '83, will be interesting, but well done Pentax, you are light years ahead of nasa, who admitted they can't get to the moon, LOL !
To be fair Nikon only stopped manufacturing of their F6 film camera in late 2020. Ironically perhaps Nikon could fill the void relatively easily given its only been a couple of years since they stopped production. There must still be plenty of Nikon engineers who still have the necessary skills to reintroduce the F6 ☺️
This is a massively ambitious announcement from Pentax. As an old machine tool engineer (apprenticeship done in the 1970s), setting machine tools like centre lathes, capstan lathes, has maybe been largely lost. This Pentax plan is going to require new tooling and the people that can use that tooling. Machine tools today are very much computer controlled, and require less knowledge of the mechanics required to set a tool head. I hope this Pentax plan comes to fruition in some form. It's going to be an interesting journey. Will it happen, who really knows.
Ensure it's mechanical. We want reliability & repairability. Ensure parts r interchangeable across the model range .. commercial win/win. Ensure it's compatible with legacy K-mount lenses then u'll b on a winner. Film rules! Get Pentax 2 read these comments.
Well, my Nikon F from 1970 will probably still work 50 years from now (I certainly won't), while today's digital cameras (even the most advanced) will long ago have been discarded as outdated technology. They already are after a few years. Perhaps the production of 35mm film cameras and film for 35mm cameras at that time has been resumed on a grand scale. The analogue film cameras might have a bright future!
I've clicked on but not watched the video yet (just wrote this so far)... I'm going to guess this is a cash grab to make a film camera at a ridiculous price so all the retro film lovers will go nuts over it :)
This film uptick may bump up (again) the cost of Contax N bodies on ebay. IF, you can still charge the batteries. Their N lenses, which are amazing, cannot be converted to digital, and now lay about in ebay wasteland. Conurus in Canada used to do conversion of N lenses to Canon EF, but no auto focus. All that fabulous glass laying fallow...
A new team of young designers often end up making the same bone-headed mistakes as their predecesssors, with the customers being the final testing phase. Pleased to hear that Ricoh/ Pentax aren't letting them run loose on the design and insist on some attention paid to the hard-won experience of the older designers and production staff. Think Honda cam chains...
That is how even traditions are lost, there is no one there to pick up and continue. It would be funny if current designers at Pentax would have to reverse-engineer their own cameras, from the Spotmatics on. Although, they could revise their technology and improve on their designs to make vintage cameras even better.
It's great that some of the industry is considering supporting film going forward. Let's hope that they have better success than Kodak in their Super8 camera. As you say, the knowledge, skills and manufacturing capabilities are so quickly lost. I think Kodak grossly underestimated the level of complexity in the project. Similarly, Film Ferrania's quest to revive reversal. It's so easy to make sweeping statements, but commercial production is just such a massively involved challenge. The TH-camr Destin of Smarter Every Day was given in depth access to Kodak's film manufacturing in a series of videos he did which give a fascinating insight as to just how much goes into a humble roll of film and why there's so much inertia to this kind of thing.
I can’t see this being a good idea. I have dozens, in fact probably over a hundred of old film cameras and the joy of using them is immense but a big part of that appeal is the history. A new camera won’t give me that. My other passion is record collecting and hifi. The big difference between vinyl records and film is vinyl sounds better than digital downloads but I can’t honestly say film is better than digital. Fortunately the world has realised that vinyl is still the best so pressing plants are flourishing and new releases are common but unfortunately the prices are astronomical. New albums costing £30 and box sets over £100. Second hand records are rising in value too. Good new hifi is very expensive so if a new camera is actually released then I should think that it would cost a fortune also. The tooling and assembly cost would be astronomical for a complex, niche low volume item so the price would have to reflect that. Better to stick to the classics that can be picked up relatively cheaply.
I don’t mind electronic shutters and advanced light sensors. I just hate the plastic bodies. I also need good old Focusing screen or similar as im doing MF. Auto focus only, also made later cameras stink.
About Film prices - please see this video to understand (2019), from the german oldest film supplier (Adox - way older then Kodak, for real). th-cam.com/video/G3bHwFlmBEY/w-d-xo.html
what if they can simplify the developing process.... new film technogy maybe. best would be if film can be processed at home without a need of a darkroom. wouldnt that be grand lol!
It remains to be seen just where this business might lead, as detractors and enthusiast alike have had their say about what photography is or should be, What George Eastman gave the world quickly became exclusiveness for many, with maker's tailoring their camera's for their formats, which in turn quit making film for as the digital age arose to make many obsolete, if not near impossible to shoot. APS, the last of the lot, withered by 2010, after the failed coup of disk which just didn't have any resolution. The Pro-Lot still had their F5/F6 Nikon's surely, but that was never for the average man when a intact lens cost more than most folks monthly mortgage. The Russian industry lingered longest with film, still making half decent examples into the 21st Century, but then even they began using polycarbonate and ABS in their wares as well. Good luck with your TLR foray. Know that photojournalist about the globe used these to good effect, but often the columnation of the viewing and taking lenses makes all the difference in their final focus. I'll just stick with my Voightlander Brilliant with two shutter-speeds and three aperture settings, and pray they never stop making 120 film for it.
If Pentax manage to do a 100 usd concept of besaflex, capable of using all mounts, mechanical slr, iso 6400 and exp comp. They r gonna break it otherwise people is still buying overpriced old canikon cameras on eBay.
i fear that a new film camera will simply price itself out of the market when theres millions of used slr/range finders on the market for peanuts. Lets face it most have been retired simply because of cost of film and processing compared to digital
It's an interesting story, but maybe a bad business decision. With so many of the old film cameras still existing and working I have to say that I really don't get it. It's likely to be expensive enough to not make much sense to buy one. My camera cabinet is already fully stocked up with film cameras that are working like new with all of the lenses to match which I paid very little for and will last my entire lifetime. I think most people who are interested in shooting film are probably at the same point with it.
I have nine film cameras and I am not interested in any new film cameras. I shoot my XT3 98% of the time with my manual focus lens so why would I want a film camera?
Too late. By the time Pentax figures out how to make and then mass produce a film camera, the film fad will be over. I don't think film will disappear but the internet influencers that are mooning over film will have moved on to a new interest, as will their followers.
I am scared of it. scared that it will a simple shitty camera with a ultra premium price :) Never the less. there are literary thousands of camera lenses and combinations of them for me to try for "cheap" :)
what if Pentax just bought it's old cameras still on the market and completely refurbished them? also, why not make new parts so that old Pentax cameras can be repaired instead of being thrown away? unfortunately, Pentax might take many years to design and build new film cameras. i would be very happy if i could get my Pentax 645 cameras repaired. i love Pentax cameras and wish that Pentax would listen to photographers that still use them.
Ahh someone’s listening!! I’ve been saying that we need new film cameras to be made, as the existing ones continue to age and wear out. And I’m glad it’s Pentax!! Can’t wait to see what they come up with, but hope there’s an SLR in the old metal 1970/80s style.
idk theres tons of film cameras in the used market.. at cheap prices..
@@bansheep1 And most of them are only sold for repair. I'm currently looking for something to replace my worn out P50.
The completeness of a KX, the ease of reading the screen for exposure and having the aperture ring back. That is all I ask for, plus WR.
Merry Christmas to all. I was happy when I learned that Pentax will manufacture a classic mechanical camera in this era, the peak of pleasure with 35mm film
It is wishful thinking but I am hoping their new film camera will be something of a reimagining of their most famous models such as the K1000/KM/MX/ME etc
Solid metal build, simple functions, affordable. In fact I wouldn't even mind if it wasn't a new camera at all but rather simply one of the above going back into production. Leica did do this already with the M6 but let's face it, very few people are willing to pay the price of nearly a car on a film camera. Pentax will have a huge advantage in the industry. Now the cost of film just needs to stop resembling extortion
My hope is for Cosina to hop on that wagon too, there should be enough knowledge with them as it is not that long Cosina stopped making mechanical cameras. Happy new year!
Merry Christmas!🌲🌲🌲 Great program! Grettings from sweden
Your videos are so awesome Sir!! Just the pace of your talk ...its so beautiful!! myusic to our ears and years too!
Thanks, glad you're enjoying them!
Recently had my Pentax SP1000 refurbished and it works great. Only one repair technician left in area and he’s close to retiring. Hope the skill set remains alive.
I just love watching your videos! And you've got me seriously infected: that VLV hit me (Vintage Lens Virus). It's much better than COVID, and hopefully longer lasting. First batch of two CZJ lenses accompanied by a Praktica body are on the way. I hardly can wait to get my hands on them ... and you started this. Retirement is approaching really fast now, so why not step into photography where I left 3 decades ago? Vintage Praktica going side by side with contemporary mirrorless tech ... Thank you, mate!
Exciting times for sure. Looking forward with anticipation as someone who made the jump from soviet gear and found a soulmate camera (MX & 40mm) it would be great to see again. All the best for the new year hope your Christmas has been as great as mine !
Your video is the best of any so far on Pentax. Thanks!
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks, happy new year!
When it comes out, I’m buying one
Great content and Happy Christmas .... ⭐
Now we are talking!! And if they can swing the mechanical one it would be amazing!
Thanks for a wonderful year of videos, looking forwards to your videos of 2023!!!
Glad you liked them!
That's very exciting about Pentax. I liked that Pentax Program camera alot. I can't wait to see what they come up with. Thx, and Merry Xmas, and a Happy New Year!
I was very disappointed when Kodak discontinued Kodak Techpan (iso 25) film. I loved the detail and really appreciated it's enhanced red sensitivity. I used it mainly with a Pentax 6x7 - that combo produced wonderful results. I'm ashamed to admit that after I transitioned to digital, I stopped using my film cameras. I'm glad to see young people getting interested in film again.
Yuletide Greetings Nigel - Have a Great New Year...
I'll be first in line for anything coming out of this project. Fixed focal length compact, SLR, anything.
Good stuff. It will be interesting to see your thoughts and results on the Rolleicord. I first became of aware of the Rolleicord camera when I was watching the 1982 movie 'Gandhi.' The reporter, played by Candace Bergen, took photos of Gandhi (played by Ben Kingsley) using a Rolleicord. Maybe a strange way to become acquainted with a camera, but once I saw it I wanted to know more about it. Never did get one, but that's okay, I still like to learn things.
I'd love a rangefinder like my old Yashica Electro 35 GSN, which had a faster shutter speed, and a meter as good as my old one, which is still fantastic.
It's great news Nigel. Of course, it's entirely coincidental that you were talking about it only the week before. 😉 Look forward to seeing your videos again in the new year.
Yeah, but knowing how slow Pentax are with developing cameras it could be 5 or 6 years before anything comes to market. Couple that with the lowkey original video it sounds like vapourware?
Firstly, if they do produce these cameras, then great kudos to Pentax. What I'd love to see is a well made medium format camera in a point and shoot style. A 75 mm lens with a fast manual f2.8 lens and a shutter speed up to 1000th sec. Not needed are myriad clever features such as autofocus, built in flash, just decent quality. If they make some Holga type camera, it'll be an opportunity missed. Still, it's a hopeful sign that they wish to take this path.
A hopeful sign indeed!
Totally agree! Full manual rangefinder 645 :)
I really hope that Pentax are successful in this venture, but while colour film is so ridiculously expensive, I think they may well struggle. Nice video!
Merry Christmas and a Prosperous 2023 (Let’s hope 😅)
Happy Holidays, Nigel
You too mon ami
Вот это новость! Это вполне логично, и я ожидал, что именно Pentax снова начнёт выпускать плёночные фотоаппараты. Желаю фирме Pentax удачи на этом пути! Благодарю Автора за прекрасную новость!
A new mechanical film SLR would be a dream come true for me. Yes, I shoot mainly digital on a Sony A7, but I learned photography on an Olympus M-1 that my cousin gave me when I was a kid. The older Olympus Zuiko lenses work great on the Sony, too, as you have so eloquently pointed out on your channel many times. I've shot with the old M-1 for nearly 40 years, and it's been chugging along just fine all the while thanks to my cousin, and later me, having it properly maintained. I say properly maintained, but my local camera shop and the gent who owned it are both gone from this world and have been so for years. That means that I've been maintaining the camera on my own and to the best of my ability for about 20 years now. I feel pretty confident in my ability, but I'm painfully aware that I am no substitute for a trained camera technician. Even with an ideal mechanic, the camera can't last forever, nor can the parts supply. All that is to say that if a new mechanical model should come along I would definitely give it a look. Thanks for bringing this to my attention! We'll keep our fingers crossed.
I really admire the engineering on those old all mechanical cameras and lenses and how well they are build to last. The most part of the production most propably was manual assembly. So I wonder whether Pentax will find ways to do the assembly more or less automated and if not, what the prices of those cameras will turn out to be today.
Great news anyways ! Thankx for the work you put in your chanel, I always like to pop by and grap some info about old lenses and cameras. I like your storytelling style as well. Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones and I certainly see you in the new year ! ....
Thanks, drop in anytime!
Nice video, Nigel! Let's hope that Pentax succeeds! I really like my old Spotmatic and those Super Takumar lenses, they're wonderfully made. However, they won't go back to M42 though, Pentax's advantage is that they kept the K-mount. Congrats with the Rolleicord, great camera! Speaking of which, Rollei ended production not long ago, competense should be existing, but machinery probably isn't, if they were to take up production again. Nice to hear that you miss Kodachrome too. Merry Christmas!
Be nice if they brought back the Takumar lenses. With added weather sealing. I'm curious if they will be making any new MF lenses with this new camera.
I wish for remakes of the Ricoh Tlr and the Gr1 film cameras putting right the minor but annoying faults of the original models.
In the meantime I will still use my Pentax Spotmatic with the wonderful 55mm 1.8 lens and my 1957 Yashica Mat with a 75mm 3.5 Lumaxar lens.
Also, continuing to enjoy my 8.1 megapixel 2005 Ricoh GR digital camera.
The Rolleicord 1V that you are going to review was the first camera that I used when I was an apprentice photographer in 1961 when I was sixteen.
Thanks for a great year of vidoes!
And many thanks for watching!
Good news indeed.
I actually knew how to put a steel tyre on a cart wheel. I think I saw it on TV once, probably a programme with Jack Hargreaves or someone like that.
I was hoping to hear your opinion on this. I was very excited about it myself, but a few others have been quite negative about it. Being a Pentax user, it's also a bonus to me that it's Richoh/Pentax who are doing this. My intent is to buy them just to help ensure they're successful. But obviously it's the mechanical camera I really want.
Also, nice to see some TLR stuff on here. I have a Mamiya C3- far from a Rolliecord but still a beauty!
I wish they could make a medium format camera
This is exciting news particually as a fan of old Pentax SLR's.
I know exactly how you feel!
If Pentax (or any other manufacturer) has decided to do this 3 or 4 years ago I would think it would have had a shot at success, but unless the price of film drops drastically I don't see it becoming anything more than a curiosity - unless they can enter into a partnership with a company that makes 35mm film to lower the cost.🤔
True. Film got so expensive
I don’t even want to buy a new film camera if prices doesn’t get lower in upcoming months.
Let's think about what a perfect new Pentax film camera would look like:-
All, or mainly, metal construction
Mainly manual but with an option to use Aperture Priority
No dependence on batteries for manual shooting
Using the great range of K-Mount lenses
A new range of lenses to fill in any gaps
An amateur camera AND a Pro model.
Heritage styling
I can think of much more, but these would make me very happy.
HAD THE K1000 FOR MANY YEARS AND IT NEVER FAILED! NOTHING WRONG WITH A NEW MECHANICAL FILM CAMERA.
Can you do something about EN-2 film. I know not many people develop it, but vision 3 seems nice and it’s actually cheap as reloaded cinema film. It’s absolutely top notch film also, as filmmakers don’t use cheap film.
It's not what I like, but I hope they start with an excellent point & shoot because that's where I see by far the biggest market for an affortable film camera. Once that money flows in then focus on the rest.
Let's see how it pans out!
I wonder if it makes sense for these new fully mechanical cameras to be range finder style or slr? Selfishly I hope they go with the Leica style range finder, since the new lenses would adapt better to my mirror-less camera. I LOVE your videos, but you really need to work on your lighting. It is far too harsh on your face. Maybe record them using one of your more dreamy lenses that can be more forgiving to the flaws we have as humans. Keep it up, I always look forward to your reviews, you have definitely motivated me to start buying vintage lenses to fit to my Sigma fp L and I love the results.
As a hard Pentaxian, I think they'll do something like this:
1) Pentax PC35-AF
2) Ricoh GR
3) Pentax K1000 (with AF?)
4) Pentax LX
or...
4) Pentax 645
Pentax LX & 645 2.0 worthy investments.
MERRY CHRISTMAS !!🎉
Many thanks, you too!
I wonder, if Cosina are going to 'do' a shutter for this project, would be just up their street ;-)
Maybe my three Ricoh's (KR5, KR10, KR10 Super) will gain some value in years to come. But I doubt it.
Will there be film for it? It's already harder to get lately
I'm pretty sure there will at least be cinema film for some time to come, so no worries, well sort of anyway!
People get vision 3 kodak cinema film repackaged in 36exp for about $9 “dirt cheap film” Also found a cheap $5 en-2 film processing in California. Even first class mail does cost, so i may send a few rolls at a time as you still have to pay postage each way course. You also buy large rolls and load it yourself, then the film price drops to about $2 each 36exp. For that film. You can also develop it yourself as well also.
I've seen comments that's it's impossible. I don't think so. Take a k1000 all the technical manuals are available, hopefully Pentax have the materials R+D manuals and the line procedures to assemble the cameras.
Half the battle is won and your not starting from nothing. Shutters might be an issue and parts for the light meter.
Hopefully fingers crossed this works out well and Canon and Nikon might take note. I won't have any hopes for Fuji (not film) though.
It's certainly possible with enough time and money - plans and blueprints still exist, and retired technicians can give practical input. Machine tools might be a problem though, I'm not sure whether they still exist. It's certainly possible but I guess time will tell.
Hi Nigel, i've read all about it 5 days ago, via DPR Forum and YT, and seen the two videos about it. I hope we'd see some Ricoh GR-style compact camera, even the HighEnd version. Ricoh Imaging/Pentax want to create 4 different cameras, which was:
1) compact camera
2) highend compact camera
3) highend SLR
3) all mechanical SLR
Let's hope they'd succeed. Besides Leica, noone, nobody else is currently producing 35mm gear, it doesn't matter if it's a rangefinder or SLR, or compact camera, it's 35mm, that's all that counts. And with warranty of course, and after a hell long time new Film gear, simply lovely.
Merry christmas and happy holidays.
I really hope this project succeeds, it's exactly what I've been waiting for. Happy holidays mon ami!
An interesting related topic after Christmas would be a video to look at if the resurrected Meyer Optik are in profit with their very expensive new copies of the old MOG lenses. I wish Ricoh/Pentax success but I won't be buying a $4000 new film camera! Meanwhile thanks for all your wonderful video efforts in 2022 :-)
A new film camera in 2023? WHY? Reinventing the wheel? Nostalgia? Time travel? Well, chacon à son goût! Sweet dreams are made of this! Happy New Old Year! ;-)
Pentax should make digital camera with M42 mount
There is not a single one film camera from any manufacturer that I would want made again the same as before, and not even with some minor modifications, and altrough I'm a pentaxist I think there is no loss if Pentax forget all about old Pentax cameras. But with the lenses is a totaly diferent story...
A Contax 645AF with FF645 150MP digital back ( and film back) made with Pentax 645 mount and modern ultra fast AF with 49 well spread AF points with eye conyrol and minijoystick, dedicated AE-L push on the finger, dedicated custom WB push on the finger with no menu fidling, and f2 for 300, 150mm, 75, 65, 55, 45, 35, 25, 23mm, both leaf shutter and focal plane shutter, 1/4000s or faster and up to 1/16 K s or faster electonic shutter, silent and with no rolling efect, that would be nice. My K2 black, K2DMD, MZ-S are all working fine, as my *istD and even my SF10 bought only for the smc F 50 f1.7 that was on it. But I don't need a new K2 even if it has a FE2 or FM3A inside, iso seting on top left and exp comp left on the mount where it is very well, and AE-L like on FM3A, and not even with 1/8000s from F4/F5/F6 or 1/12000s from Minolta 800xi. If it would be made like an F6 but with 0.9X magnification and 25mm eye point and multiple other viewfinders like LX but better, and digital 43-47 MP digital back with custom WB push like on *istD but without needing to enter first in the menu, then that will also be very nice along the FF645 one. And a new 24 or 25mm PC shift. And a 15 f2.8 sharp w.o. with no complex distortion. A remake of the first SMC K 28 f2 distagon design would be slso very nice, and a 35 f1.4 like eos FE bokeh like but with SMC, and a 90 f1.7 with better bokeh when focused @ 1.5m with any background, a 39 f1.8 also with better bokeh, a 24 f2 or faster wirh less droplet distortion and less chromatic aberation then FA 24 f2, and a 24-90 f2, and all with a decent moderate contrast not with the absurdly exaggerated today contrast that eat shadow details and drown in stupid black ink. A Bronica RF 645 made with AF but still compact, and a digital back beside film, that would be also very nice...About the films, Ilford Delta is good as it is from 100 to 3200 ASA. And Fuji Neopan 100 to 800 ASA. But I need Ilford DDX for developing. For slides we need something new, Kodak Ektachrome E200 colors with Provia 100 grain and Gold 200 or Superia 400 exposure latitude...And Agfa Scala also with more exposure latitude. Today when 14EV DR is the norm or even 17EV like on the Arri 35 4.6K, we can't go back cu 3 EV...
Amazing, i still have me K1000, from '83, will be interesting, but well done Pentax, you are light years ahead of nasa, who admitted they can't get to the moon, LOL !
I really hope Pentax retain the K mount on any new SLR camera. It may be a good few years before we see these cameras in production
To be fair Nikon only stopped manufacturing of their F6 film camera in late 2020. Ironically perhaps Nikon could fill the void relatively easily given its only been a couple of years since they stopped production. There must still be plenty of Nikon engineers who still have the necessary skills to reintroduce the F6 ☺️
I guess so!
Nikon stopped film camera R&D long ago
This is a massively ambitious announcement from Pentax. As an old machine tool engineer (apprenticeship done in the 1970s), setting machine tools like centre lathes, capstan lathes, has maybe been largely lost. This Pentax plan is going to require new tooling and the people that can use that tooling. Machine tools today are very much computer controlled, and require less knowledge of the mechanics required to set a tool head. I hope this Pentax plan comes to fruition in some form. It's going to be an interesting journey. Will it happen, who really knows.
That's interesting - I do hope enough of those skills are left to pass on to (hopefully) these new engineers at pentax.
Isnt the new "Leica M6, with "new bells and whistles" good?
Good luck with developing Kodachrome as color, Ill be waiting to see that!
Let's see what it yields!
Ensure it's mechanical. We want reliability & repairability. Ensure parts r interchangeable across the model range .. commercial win/win. Ensure it's compatible with legacy K-mount lenses then u'll b on a winner. Film rules! Get Pentax 2 read these comments.
Well, my Nikon F from 1970 will probably still work 50 years from now (I certainly won't), while today's digital cameras (even the most advanced) will long ago have been discarded as outdated technology. They already are after a few years. Perhaps the production of 35mm film cameras and film for 35mm cameras at that time has been resumed on a grand scale. The analogue film cameras might have a bright future!
I've clicked on but not watched the video yet (just wrote this so far)... I'm going to guess this is a cash grab to make a film camera at a ridiculous price so all the retro film lovers will go nuts over it :)
This film uptick may bump up (again) the cost of Contax N bodies on ebay. IF, you can still charge the batteries. Their N lenses, which are amazing, cannot be converted to digital, and now lay about in ebay wasteland. Conurus in Canada used to do conversion of N lenses to Canon EF, but no auto focus. All that fabulous glass laying fallow...
That seems a shame, for sure.
I agree knowledge can be lost easily. For example how did NASA go to the moon and back in a tin can is lost forever!
This is great news but the other side of the coin is to produce film. Pentax should join with Fujifilm to work on affordable film
A new team of young designers often end up making the same bone-headed mistakes as their predecesssors, with the customers being the final testing phase.
Pleased to hear that Ricoh/ Pentax aren't letting them run loose on the design and insist on some attention paid to the hard-won experience of the older designers and production staff.
Think Honda cam chains...
That is how even traditions are lost, there is no one there to pick up and continue. It would be funny if current designers at Pentax would have to reverse-engineer their own cameras, from the Spotmatics on. Although, they could revise their technology and improve on their designs to make vintage cameras even better.
It's great that some of the industry is considering supporting film going forward. Let's hope that they have better success than Kodak in their Super8 camera. As you say, the knowledge, skills and manufacturing capabilities are so quickly lost. I think Kodak grossly underestimated the level of complexity in the project.
Similarly, Film Ferrania's quest to revive reversal. It's so easy to make sweeping statements, but commercial production is just such a massively involved challenge. The TH-camr Destin of Smarter Every Day was given in depth access to Kodak's film manufacturing in a series of videos he did which give a fascinating insight as to just how much goes into a humble roll of film and why there's so much inertia to this kind of thing.
People are excited with the news, but it will take at least two years to release the camera. There is no rush for Pentax.
So, prepare for the worst, BUT HOPE FOR THE BEST!
I can’t see this being a good idea. I have dozens, in fact probably over a hundred of old film cameras and the joy of using them is immense but a big part of that appeal is the history. A new camera won’t give me that.
My other passion is record collecting and hifi. The big difference between vinyl records and film is vinyl sounds better than digital downloads but I can’t honestly say film is better than digital. Fortunately the world has realised that vinyl is still the best so pressing plants are flourishing and new releases are common but unfortunately the prices are astronomical. New albums costing £30 and box sets over £100. Second hand records are rising in value too. Good new hifi is very expensive so if a new camera is actually released then I should think that it would cost a fortune also. The tooling and assembly cost would be astronomical for a complex, niche low volume item so the price would have to reflect that. Better to stick to the classics that can be picked up relatively cheaply.
I don’t mind electronic shutters and advanced light sensors. I just hate the plastic bodies. I also need good old Focusing screen or similar as im doing MF. Auto focus only, also made later cameras stink.
Film cameras are OK as they are very cheap to purchase used but its just the price for color film that is off putting.
About Film prices - please see this video to understand (2019), from the german oldest film supplier (Adox - way older then Kodak, for real).
th-cam.com/video/G3bHwFlmBEY/w-d-xo.html
what if they can simplify the developing process.... new film technogy maybe. best would be if film can be processed at home without a need of a darkroom. wouldnt that be grand lol!
Perhaps Ricoh are hoping Pentax will become the Kate Bush of cameras as the ME Super appeared in Stranger Things.
It remains to be seen just where this business might lead, as detractors and enthusiast alike have had their say about what photography is or should be, What George Eastman gave the world quickly became exclusiveness for many, with maker's tailoring their camera's for their formats, which in turn quit making film for as the digital age arose to make many obsolete, if not near impossible to shoot. APS, the last of the lot, withered by 2010, after the failed coup of disk which just didn't have any resolution. The Pro-Lot still had their F5/F6 Nikon's surely, but that was never for the average man when a intact lens cost more than most folks monthly mortgage. The Russian industry lingered longest with film, still making half decent examples into the 21st Century, but then even they began using polycarbonate and ABS in their wares as well. Good luck with your TLR foray. Know that photojournalist about the globe used these to good effect, but often the columnation of the viewing and taking lenses makes all the difference in their final focus. I'll just stick with my Voightlander Brilliant with two shutter-speeds and three aperture settings, and pray they never stop making 120 film for it.
Most mechanics today can't fix an old car to save their life, so I get what you're saying.
If Pentax manage to do a 100 usd concept of besaflex, capable of using all mounts, mechanical slr, iso 6400 and exp comp. They r gonna break it otherwise people is still buying overpriced old canikon cameras on eBay.
i fear that a new film camera will simply price itself out of the market when theres millions of used slr/range finders on the market for peanuts. Lets face it most have been retired simply because of cost of film and processing compared to digital
It's an interesting story, but maybe a bad business decision. With so many of the old film cameras still existing and working I have to say that I really don't get it. It's likely to be expensive enough to not make much sense to buy one. My camera cabinet is already fully stocked up with film cameras that are working like new with all of the lenses to match which I paid very little for and will last my entire lifetime. I think most people who are interested in shooting film are probably at the same point with it.
Wouldn't it be nice to have a new camera though, with warranty and service backup? I'll certainly buy one, if I can afford it.
I have nine film cameras and I am not interested in any new film cameras.
I shoot my XT3 98% of the time with my manual focus lens so why would I want a film camera?
Nope, m6 got there first
Too late. By the time Pentax figures out how to make and then mass produce a film camera, the film fad will be over. I don't think film will disappear but the internet influencers that are mooning over film will have moved on to a new interest, as will their followers.
I am scared of it. scared that it will a simple shitty camera with a ultra premium price :)
Never the less. there are literary thousands of camera lenses and combinations of them for me to try for "cheap" :)
Your channel is very dangerous to my pocketbook!
what if Pentax just bought it's old cameras still on the market and completely refurbished them? also, why not make new parts so that old Pentax cameras can be repaired instead of being thrown away? unfortunately, Pentax might take many years to design and build new film cameras. i would be very happy if i could get my Pentax 645 cameras repaired. i love Pentax cameras and wish that Pentax would listen to photographers that still use them.
Can you imagine a new 645 system... OMG
Pentax should just convert the LX to digital.