Photokina 2012

I know it's months away yet, but I thought I'd give you the dates - 18-23 September, and let you know you can buy your tickets online with up to a 37% discount already.

The Pentax stand could be interesting again .

What's your thoughts on the interview with John Carlson link

My favourite pieces are:

"John, Pentax has just released new new models, why should someone choose Pentax over other brands?"

The weather sealing, the image quality, they're the obvious ones, but then there's the heritage of the K-mount, which has been around for almost 30 years. So there's a huge legacy of lenses, whether people own them already or whether they pick them up on Ebay, they can use the lenses on any of our current DSLR bodies, and even the K-01. Or on the Q, with the new adapter. This is a huge advantage that most companies don't have.

Unfortunately one other rather large manufacturer does have that advantage but does not use it as a sales reason to use their equipment.


"Will there be a full-frame K-mount model in the future?"

All I can say is that we're studying the market.


....and counting the sales of the D600's and 6D's as they fly of the shelves.


Otherwise it looks like a great show with some brands attracting large numbers of interested potential customers.

Best regards

I presume you mean Nikon K10D. The mount has remained the same, it is true, but it doers suffer technically from being slightly smaller than the K mount. There is also not backwards compatibility to quite the universal degree as the K mount. And there are not as many lenses about to buy.

I think Pentax are right to point out their excellent heritage and compatibility. The K mount was a superb technical design right from the start and has adapted well to the electronic age.

The Full Frame reply simply means "we aren't saying we will or we won't" but they will I'm sure be doing the numbers very carefully. Will the cameras mentioned fly off the shelf? We'll find out soon enough.

Interpretation is a wonderful thing really. I'm still somewhat surprised that we have not had any comments posted here about the show.

I am intrigued to here that a mount smaller than the K mount suffers technically. As it happens, I don't own any old Nikon glass as they offer enough current glass to choose from.

It must sound odd to a customer to be told at the point of sale of a Pentax body that they can troll eBay for used glass to fit their new pride and joy if they can't find anything new or funds won't allow the purchase of modern lenses.

It's just not good sales. Yes, the faithfully are fully supportive and proud of the old glass but then they are a generation that are falling in numbers every year. I doubt very much that gen X or gen Y customers would even consider that route.

Best regards

The smaller mount size is relevant and one of the reasons why Pentax moved from the 42mm screw mount to the 45mm K mount. This is because it makes it easier to make more sdventurous lenses, such as the 50mm f1.2, which is an excellent lens in the A series. Yes, it's possible to make a similar lens in 42mm screw thread mount, but more challenging to do so. It also makes more adventurous zoom designs easier as well.

Obviously we can put whatever spin we like on the backwards compatibility, but it is a fair sales point. The benefit is that the Pentax policy of many years is well established. Legacy products do not become useless. This bodes well for the future and encourages us to jump in and buy with confidence. The worst offender IMHO is Olympus, whi abanoned their OM users and the adapters available now only allow limited use of OM lenses at a reduced range of apertures. Pentax lenses are pretty much fully compatible, going back nearly 50 years if you want to.

In fact, you could use Asahiflex lenses if you were of a mind to, via the Adapter K and the Asahiflex adapter to 42mm mount.

I don't see how any of this is negative.

Well (imo) all the interesting stuff was from other manufacturers and we aren't allowed to mention them on the forum.

It is Pentax User! However, there's not much about Photokina on our ADAPS website either. Maybe it's all on ePHOTOzine. There are plenty of reports there and the facility to comment if we feel inspired to.

It sounds like some strange hybrid love child!

Should suit you then Gareth .

Didn't make it to Cologne this year sadly, just too much else going on. Maybe in 2014.

Not negative, just so not what today's consumer is looking for.

Best regards

Are you sure? It's often tempting to make these sort of assumptions, but in reality I don't feel we can speak for the mass of others. How would we know?

People buy for all sorts of strange reasons and it can be mysterious sometimes. Very often it's a whim. The "I Want That" when it hits will sway a sale perhaps, I suspect, more than most logic.

Pentax hit the nail on the head in the home 'i want that' youth market with the multi coloured DSLRs.

As far as I can see, from posts on this forum, the traditionalists in the UK are deeply resistant to any innovation (like the K-01 or the Q) Hopefully for Pentax this market will be in a minority globally.

Am I the only one happy with what Pentax are up to: - no 24mp apsc - improvements on what went before and now.........

some long glass I can't afford but can aspire to

No moaning from me on this point - a rework/improvement of the cracking K5 makes sense to me

K30 looks good - I actually like the K01 and to be honest would like a Q - to be honest though I am still looking for a waterproof/ shockproof camera for my other half and son but folowing the new phone for her today, the new 'mountain' coat she would like for her birthday the camera may be a way off

Stuey, you are not alone.

Stuey, there's nothing wrong with the K5 II, as I said previously, it's what the K5 should have been two years back. Personally, I'm happy with all of the Pentax kit I own else whatever I am not happy with would have long gone.

It just may be that some are unhappy with what Pentax are not up to. Yes, easy to say that when they do launch a product that is requested such as the 560 (longer glass), people then say it's too expensive but that is true. B&H currently list the new Sigma 120-300 f/2.8 for Pentax (it's due in stock). That along with a matched TC is far cheaper than the initial price of the 560 Pentax.

The improved, faster AF of the K5 II is how long overdue? Let's hope it is much improved, even with the same AF points. If it is not up to expectations, then that means another wait for Pentax users. I am only needing a FF from Pentax. If they release one, I'll buy one. It will only be used for static subject matter or street along with the Ltd's.

I don't expect or need it to compete with Nikon or Canon AF, that's just too much to expect. For some who may want that, think hard as you'll either be much older if that happens or dead.

I take the approach that photography comes first and kit comes second. Everyone has want's and Pentax can't cater for all. I do feel that a FF would put a lot of issues to rest.

If it takes the sales of a million Q's or K bricks to generate the money to produce a FF then I hope they sell them as fast as.

Where do I rank my Pentax kit today? Well it's a good low speed system with excellent IQ that makes no difference in a commercial world. I've produced images from my Pentax and Nikon kit for clients and they haven't got a clue what took what image.

What I have noticed here is that there are an increasing number of members who are investing in other brands along side their Pentax kit. Those people, as I, are filling the gaps, sometimes large, that Pentax have failed to fill.

Best regards