Pentax Ricoh future

Having been disappointed with the last 2 Pentax mirrorless cameras, I am very excited with the new K-30.
Pentax is being different to Canikons. I think the future is bright. Bring on the K3 ...

I cannot answer the poll as none of the answers fit.

The problem is that Pentax have a mountain to climb to compete with Canon/Nikon. Minolta are effectively out of the game and Sony were never in it!

All the new cameras in the world won't make a difference* but new glass will. Pentax need to come out with a few very serious lenses, on which they will lose a lot of money. But without great glass they will never tempt a lot of people (myself included) back.

But... If the glass comes and it is good (and cheaper than Nikon) and the AF is improved then yes, one day I might return to the fold. Who knows?

*Just to be clear, you have to keep bringing out new cameras I know, but glass matters more to serious photographers

"But without great glass they will never tempt a lot of people"

Ok Canon & Nikon are giants in the photographic world and that probably will not change. However in my opinion Pentax does have some great glass, take the DA* 50mm to 135mm this lens is supurb and despite it's increase in price recently it still gives a lot of other lenses in this class a run for their money. Pentax may not provide the amount of lens choice that Canon & Nikon provide, but Pentax does offer some great lenses even if they are limited. Speaking of limited who else offers such lenses? If people jump ship to Canon & Nikon the question is do they really need too, or are they just sucked in to the photography brand Propganda? I think Pentax will offer and provide what people want now that they have the backing of Ricoh, we just need to stay loyal and patient and give them a little time to get the ship back on course. I do like the Nikon D800e but anything above £2000 is currently just out of my price range, besides I am getting some great images from my K5 and the Pentax lenses I have. Pentax has taken me on a journey and I don't intend to get off as long as they meet my needs and my available funds. Photographers can take great images with most cameras and lenses available now if you have the skills to apply the craft, People just seem to think these can be purchased in the latest model. The truth is that despite the brand or model money can be wasted if the photographer does not invest in effort to learn the skills, obtain the knowledge and gain the experience to take captivating images.

Pentax has great lenses and the new K-30is a wonderful and refreshing design to move the company into the digital future. Lots of Pentaxians in Singapore are eagerly waiting for its arrival as well as the K5 replacement.

The low price and weathersealing are major plus points. The camera looks different (unlike the excellent but bland K200D) so buyers will look twice and actually notice that the camera offers WR - something unique in its price bracket. The lens point is very true, however the K30 should, IMO, draw in lots of new users with no immediate aspiration to go beyond a couple of kit lenses (to be honest that's propbably 80% of all users!)

Exactly. IMO there's nothing about the lenses of Pentax that prevent anyone from taking great pictures.

However, if anyone can provide any rationale to show that using Canon or Nikon Lenses will allow me to take better pictures then I'm all ears.

Pentax can never compete with canikon, they can however keep coming out with niche products. Glass is a long term investment and a range can be built upon over time, as happened in the last few years.

But bodies have a two year lifespan, even my nine monbth old k-5 is already starting to look antiquated. The k-30 excites me alot.

The k-x should have been successful but focus points failed it

The k-7 was desperately let down by its sensor and having the better sensor in the k-x was a huge mistake

The k-r was a superb little camera & in my point of view should have stayed in production a little longer, this was more a beginners / introduction to dslr camera. Then the k-30 could have filled the gap between k-r and k-30.

now we are back to the k-7 k-x ituation where the base model is better than the top model k-5 minus an LCD.

So the k-5 predecessor needs to be a really significant improvement otherwise Ricoh may have a problem on their hands.

Hopefully the k-5 replacement will be a lot better than the k-30 but then the entry price is going t obe around £1500 which is in 5d mk2 d700 category which are still being produced I believe...

Well I think an entry level model that is pretty near on parr with the last top of the line model is quite a statement. I wonder what they will have to come out with for the K5 replacement!
I agree that the glass situation needs to be addressed. They need some seriously good long glass. The other area where Pentax loose out is sports photography. Better AF and fast long glass is a must.

I think MarkD may have put it slightly better. I'm not saying Pentax glass is bad and for 90% of what I shoot there would be nothing wrong with it.

But there is nothing above 300mm. Yes I know 400mm+ glass is expensive, but I'm happy to hire it for the times I need it.

Wildlife is what I like to shoot and 300mm doesn't always do it for me.

We know there's a 560mm on the way, so hopefully that will help.

I couldn’t disagree more on the second bit, and groaned inwardly when I saw the official K30 ‘splash’.

Sure weathersealing appeals to a segment of the total market, but it is undoubtedly a tiny, tiny proportion.

On the other hand what Pentax needs to ensure their long term survival is volume. The volume segment of the market would undoubtedly prefer to buy a camera associated with sun, sea and sand, or say family and children, or cuddly pets.

Needless to say mud and the pouring rain are complete turn offs.

Use your collective loaves, Pentax marketing; this stuff really ain't that had.

Just as well its weathersealed

"now we are back to the k-7 k-x ituation where the base model is better than the top model k-5 minus an LCD."

Unless I've missed something, I can't see how the K-30 bests the K-5? I agree that it seems an improvement over the KR, but not the K-5.

Weather Resistance is a major plus for us. We're not afraid to get out in the rain and it's great to know that the cameras and lenses can take it.

As long as Pentax sell enough to stay in business, they can just carry right on with what they are doing for me.

New faster AF, updated version of the same sensor, better video, more weather seals and focus peeking are all improvements over the K-5.

The K-5 has a top LCD and microphone input/hdmi output in it'd favour

I would take the K30 any day .. and I use the K-5