Second Pentax Mirrorless Camera Confirmed.

Got this from the other forum courtesy of Riorico. Basically this confirms the second line of mirrorless bodies to go alongside the Q... But with a larger sensor of course. The source is from Ricoh, and there are interesting thoughts about the direction they plan to take Pentax in.

http://www.tmcnet.com/viewette.aspx?u=http%3a%2f%2fwww.tmcnet.com%2fusubmit%2f20...

Good to hear confirmation that the Pentax brand is going to get a serious cash injection. Things are looking good.

No confirmation on whether this will use a full K mount - but surely it would be craziness to introduce yet another mount.

Wow. It looks like the Pentax brand is going to get some serious investment from an owner that actually cares about making photographic products. Its not before time. Shame it could not have happened a few years ago.
I have a good a good feeling about the Ricoh purchase.

MFT exists already.
Samsung NX too. (pentax technology)

Imagine an 12-36mm MFT R* lens F2.8

Interesting, but are we really talking 'larger' as in APS-C sensor size?

The thought that goes along with that is are they going to re-body the Samsung NX?

If that's the case then it could be a winner with Pentax software and menus.

If not, let's hope we can use our lenses on the new system.

I didn't think Pentax had anything to do with Samsung any longer .. even more so now they are (soon) owned by Ricoh.

If Pentax licenced the technology to make NX happen then they may well still have an interest.


Hmmmm Samyang already do a few NX lenses

I did hear this rumour when the Q was about to be announced. It seems that it is probably a goer.

I also heard that Samsung and Pentax split not on the best of terms (not long after the Hoya takeover - perhaps Samsung themselves were looking at buying Pentax......) So the likelyhood of a Pentax badged NX seems unlikely.

As for this new mirrorless being a k-mount, that would be unlikely too as the k-lenses are configured for a camera for a mirror, and a mirrorless would defeat the object somewhat as you would still have to have the same distance between the back of the lens and the sensor, even if it had no mirror.

I will expect a new mount, with perhaps a converter for k-lenses and contacts for SDM lenses (no screw for normal AF lenses)

What odds of Pentax getting into bed with Sony and use the E-mount thereby providing a big rival to the micro 4/3rds system? It could happen.
Or, they could sign up to 4/3rds itself as it is a so called "universal" standard.....But then again maybe not.

My hunch is certainly an APS-C sensor, with either their own mount or a shared mount like the E-system.

Hmm going with the E mount would certainly open up a huge lens market for Pentax, while getting over the initial lack of native Pentax lenses. But whatever they do, it has to have excellent compatibility with existing K mount lenses, so a fully functioning adapter is a must.

Whilst we are speculating about the mount, here is an announcement from Sony about making the E-mount sort of open source for lens makers.

http://www.sony.net/SonyInfo/News/Press/201102/11-018E/index.html

Whilst it does'nt make any mention about other makes using the mount for cameras, it does seem that they want to expand the mount further.

Maybe, secretly, Sony want to make it the big rival to micro 4/3rds.

It would make sense for a company like Pentax to buy into a mount, rather than develop a whole new mount for a larger mirrorless camera, I would fully understand if they make their own mount. (they did afterall with the Q system)

Very interesting. But there's no real reason Pentax couldn't just use a shorter register K mount. Even coming up with a totally new mount wouldn't be a problem, this stuff is Pentax stock & trade.

But having access to that massive Sony market might be a good business move.

Wow, that's a brave plan. I sure hop they can pull that off! I'm excited to see where this goes for Pentax.