Ricoh Confirms Plans for "Full Frame" Pentax DSLR

[jarski]

agreed this should have been done years ago but if they plan to remain in dSLR business, mandatory step IMO.

 

[nongfuspring]

Here's the "reference" mock up camera:

Looking good so far if you ask me, so long as it's the right price I'll be all over it - I imagine those old K mount lenses will be going up in price real soon.

 

[Keith]

Available end of 2015

By which stage digital will be totally defunct and photography will have returned to film!

Couldn't resist that! 😀

 

[shadowfox]

I'm surprised that they don't make a *slightly* larger than FF sensor packaged in a DSLR size body.

This way they have a unique in-between their APS and Medium Format offerings. They can charge the premium price and I bet no Pentaxians with available fund would be able to resist buying one. And I bet it'll turn many Canon and Nikon -heads also.

What about those fun K-mount old lenses, you may ask?
Answer: In-body sensor crop to FF.
If Nikon can give us an FF camera that can crop to APS, why can't Pentax do a similar thing?

 

[Pioneer]

I'm surprised that they don't make a *slightly* larger than FF sensor packaged in a DSLR size body.

This way they have a unique in-between their APS and Medium Format offerings. They can charge the premium price and I bet no Pentaxians with available fund would be able to resist buying one. And I bet it'll turn many Canon and Nikon -heads also.

What about those fun K-mount old lenses, you may ask?
Answer: In-body sensor crop to FF.
If Nikon can give us an FF camera that can crop to APS, why can't Pentax do a similar thing?

I suspect that only works if the lenses available will effectively cover that "slightly" larger sensor.

They are also introducing a couple of very interesting full frame zoom lenses as well. I hope they are well received.

It is still early but this will undoubtedly get people talking.

 

[Doug]

I'm surprised that they don't make a *slightly* larger than FF sensor packaged in a DSLR size body....

Slightly larger sensor would certainly separate it from the other brands. But it would have to be a clear advantage in some way.

How much larger? Say, about 30 x 45mm? Undercut Leica! 😀
One consideration for a larger sensor is that the extra mass makes sensor-shake Shake Reduction difficult. Pentax was an early leader in that technology and has taken it to interesting new uses in the K-3... But in the 33x44mm Pentax 645D and Z there is no in-body SR, instead they offer a new 90mm lens featuring SR.

Leading to a whole new lens lineup has obvious disadvantages but also advantages in making clear break with past lenses designed for film. Leica did that in moving from their R system to S.

 

[CameraQuest]

More here:
http://petapixel.com/2014/09/18/con...l-frame-dslr-debuted-two-ff-lenses-photokina/

5 years ago this would have been great.

Now its just bad timing as SLR sales are falling and Nikon and Canon rush to build a competitor to the Sony A7 series.

The funny thing, the hilarious thing, is that for a time Ricoh arguably had the lead in the mirrorless race with the GXR-M - which Ricoh foolishly killed. My, what a full frame camera that would have made.

Stephen

 

[DNG]

Sold my Pentax DSLR and lenses a few years back....
Nuff Said... Moving on

 

[aizan]

been waiting for this forever, and hopefully won't have to wait forever again. 😛

 

[michaelwj]

A full frame DSLR now?
It's like finally learning the steps to the macarena and wondering why no-one will dance with you.

Hilarious! Post of the day (or yesterday I suppose).

 

[nightfly]

Throw it in a Ricoh GRD and I'd be excited.

Otherwise, yawn.

 

[jsrockit]

Throw it in a Ricoh GRD and I'd be excited.

Otherwise, yawn.

Rumored to be at CP+ now too...

http://photorumors.com/2015/02/05/rumors-of-a-ricoh-gr-camera-replacement/

 

[kanzlr]

hopefully the new FA limiteds will have an aperture ring to work on the MZ-S 🙂

 

[Contarama]

As a fan it's nice to have a FF Pentax but they're entering a market that's oversaturated already and looking how they faired/struggled in a APS-C market, it won't get any easier.

IMHO, having already digital MF experience then brand reputation- and marketing- wise they should focus on a digital Pentax 67 mk3 instead with a true unique 70 x 55mm sensor, develop their own multi-layer chip. At this size the pixels doesn't matter much - non-interpolated (3x) 30-60MP is enough to outperform the best IQ in the market, maybe cooperate with Sigma-Foveon (I'm sure they wouldn't mind competition-wise since they have no MF-lenses or experience, while they have sensor-design experience) and drop all the digital MF competition into dust. At a price of course, but this would be an iconic move by Pentax/Ricoh brand, based on their legendary 6x7 system, just like Hasselblad has done, but at much better quality due to raw sensor size and ratio. They produced world-class SMC 6x7 lenses just recently, some with unique (in MF-terms) aspheric design so it'd be a proven battle-ready solution to catapult them back into pro and high-end market with literally no competition.

Just me 2c anyways,
Margus

This from another forum...

"It just seems to get better and better :

http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/1...x-cameras.html

Apparently, Pentax will have a technical discussion on super resolution sensor shifting during CP+ on the 12th.

Basically speaking, the sensor shifts over the Bayer array to get per pixel resolution (Think Foveon type crazy resolution)"

They may be planning to do just what you say sir.

 

[ChrisPlatt]

Damn! There goes all my K-mount manual focus lens bargains! 😉

Chris

 

[MrFujicaman]

Perfect for use with my Tamron Adaptall 200-500 lens !