Ricoh/Pentax Announces New Film Cameras

[BWF]

Very exciting. I hope they pull it off. And I’ll support it by buying it, unless it’s atrocious.

 

[zane0777]

Here is a street shot from Tokyo, of the new Pentax analog 4x5 film rangefinder. Where can I sign up for the pre-order? All the Hipsters are gonna have one! ;-). SW

Have you been playing around with the latest AI/machine-learning text-to-image generators?

 

[Pál_K]

Looks like a one-off homemade kluge, a category of cameras dear to my heart! If someone offered me one, I'd snap it up in a heartbeat. Maybe a Contax IIA and a Speed Graphic hooked up for a night, and this camera is the love child?

Maybe a Contax and a Medalist. Either way, someone let it out in public before calling a mohel.

 

[zane0777]

Have you been playing around with the latest AI/machine-learning text-to-image generators?

For example - https://petapixel.com/2022/12/15/ph...et-with-ai-generated-cameras-that-dont-exist/

 

[Pál_K]

For example - https://petapixel.com/2022/12/15/ph...et-with-ai-generated-cameras-that-dont-exist/

Ok, this is it!!!!! Pentax, take note and build these!

 

[Abbazz]

This is exactly right. Not sure how the OP thought something different.

To quote my words: "Ricoh Imaging just published a video announcing a range of new Pentax film cameras." Nothing about delivery dates, just an announcement...

Cheers!

Abbazz

 

[ChrisPlatt]

To all doubters, naysayers and cynics: What other major camera manufacturer has made such a statement?

I doubt Ricoh/Pentax would make an official announcement if they weren't serious about going though with this.

Chris

 

[fireblade]

Part 2.

https://youtu.be/ilBbVpgLP_0

 

[cboy]

Im guessing from the video it to be all mechanical? I could be wrong. Would or could they adapt their proprietary KAF mount for AF?. Surely it wouldn't be branding under ricoh, unless it was a fixed lens. Will it be a reissue of an older pentax film body?

 

[nickthetasmaniac]

Im guessing from the video it to be all mechanical? I could be wrong. Would or could they adapt their proprietary KAF mount for AF?.

Not sure what you mean, the KAF mount is AF…

Surely it wouldn't be branding under ricoh, unless it was a fixed lens. Will it be a reissue of an older pentax film body?

My feeling is that a P&S would be branded under Ricoh (eg. a GR model) and anything with an interchangeable mount (35mm or 120) would be Pentax.

 

[Retro-Grouch]

Ok, this is it!!!!! Pentax, take note and build these!

Keep your shorts on. First, they have to build the Hello Kitty Pentax 67III, just for you and me.

 

[jsrockit]

A lot of dreamers here. Honestly, it will be a miracle if they can make anything more than a plastic camera with one shutter speed, much less recreate anything from its past. The answer is likely something inbetween and entirely new.

 

[Pál_K]

A lot of dreamers here. Honestly, it will be a miracle if they can make anything more than a plastic camera with one shutter speed, much less recreate anything from its past. The answer is likely something inbetween and entirely new.

Most likely you’re right. If they adopted the K mount or even M42 mount, that invites usage of many nice lenses. As for the shutter, if they duplicated the old Kodak folder’s 100, 50, 25, B simple shutter, that is more than usable.

The real issue is the viewfinder. If it’s an SLR or rangefinder, that really increases the production cost and makes the project less likely. A direct optical viewfinder with framelines may be acceptable. I’d buy it if the camera’s quality was good.

 

[jsrockit]

Most likely you’re right. If they adopted the K mount or even M42 mount, that invites usage of many nice lenses. As for the shutter, if they duplicated the old Kodak folder’s 100, 50, 25, B simple shutter, that is more than usable.

The real issue is the viewfinder. If it’s an SLR or rangefinder, that really increases the production cost and makes the project less likely. A direct optical viewfinder with framelines may be acceptable. I’d buy it if the camera’s quality was good.

K mount seems completely possible, even probably. However, why would they use a shutter from an ancient folder? Is it even made today in any variety? They still make SLRs so a viewfinder should not be hard. Why would they make a rangefinder? Pentax never did.

 

[agentlossing]

To all doubters, naysayers and cynics: What other major camera manufacturer has made such a statement?

I doubt Ricoh/Pentax would make an official announcement if they weren't serious about going though with this.

Chris

This is exactly what I'm saying as well.

 

[Capt. E]

I see no reason for Pentax to produce anything but a K mount camera. They have already been dedicated to it for 5 decades. I still have and use a K3. Their lenses are one reason to stick with them, especially the Limited line.

 

[JeffS7444]

Maybe we'll see something more substantial in 2023 at CP+. They are currently trying to gauge the level of interest in new film cameras, much as Olympus did in 2008 when they exhibited a concept model of what became a new class of mirrorless cameras.

 

[David Hughes]

Reading the entire thread from the beginning my main thought is that this is a good example of how the internet and forums kickstart all sorts of things; mostly based on wishful thinking.

Part of the problem is that the word "research" can cover a multitude of things. I did some research into replacing the M9 with a new one a while ago. It consisted of reading the reviews, looking at the price list and remembering how little I had n the savings. And that was the end of it. But it was research. Having said that I now expect people will ask me what I bought and what I think of it...

Regards, David

 

[Steevo]

Keep your shorts on. First, they have to build the Hello Kitty Pentax 67III, just for you and me.

Funny you mention that....;-). SW

 

[David Hughes]

Just a thought or two: imagine the reaction if Cosina had announced they were looking into producing a film camera or two and:-

Suppose they (Ricoh) came up with a modern version of the Ricohflex...

Regards, David