Finally A Sensible Explanation

[smoke665]

As all the others rush to ditch the DSLR Pentax remains against. A good read as to why that might be the best decision they can make. Why Pentax is Making the Right Call in Sticking with DSLRs

 

[Space Face]

Interesting read and good on them for sticking to what they believe in.

 

[Mike Drone]

Quote someone else "James Madison discussed why he thought Pentax should go back to producing film cameras."

This! Film for life!

 

[smoke665]

Interesting read and good on them for sticking to what they believe in.

Back in 1972 I owned three newspapers, we had a mix of Canon, Nikon, and Pentax. Pentax was the only one of the three that held up to the daily abuse. I haven't changed since, especially when they went to the K mount. To this day I have legacy lenses that will swap out on my new K1MII without any sort of adapters, the quality of Pentax glass is such that so long as it's cared for it can be passed down. How many manufacturer's out there can claim that?

Quote someone else "James Madison discussed why he thought Pentax should go back to producing film cameras."

This! Film for life!

There are likely some advances that could be made in the body, but by and large the limiting factor is the film. Unless the film manufacturers come up with some sort of breakthrough, I don't know that the market is there for a new film camera. Especially when you consider the number of old perfectly usable bodies at good prices that are still working today. I mean they really were built like tanks, and part of that durability was their simplicity. They were almost-all metal, mechanically (springs, gears, levers) controlled, manual-focus SLR with manual-exposure control. It was completely operable without batteries. The only battery needed was for the galvanometer (a simple center the needle affair). Drop them, bang them around, get them wet, didn't really matter, to an old K1000.

 

[Space Face]

Pentax is a brand I've never considered to be honest having always been a Canon user. I'll not change my Canon gear but you have certainly made me interested in perhaps adding some Pentax equipment to it.

 

[smoke665]

@Space Face I still have (an still occasionally use) my father's EF with 50mm 1.4. It's also a solidly built model, that has performed well for 45 years. It's only downside is that it eats batteries (the little 625 mercury cells) like I eat potatoes chips. It's so bad that Canon included a little battery pouch that attached to the strap, because you'd invariably need them before you were done shooting for the day. Still it's a great feeling to capture a new memory with the same camera that I have pictures of my father holding/using.

 

[Space Face]

@Space Face I still have (an still occasionally use) my father's EF with 50mm 1.4. It's also a solidly built model, that has performed well for 45 years. It's only downside is that it eats batteries (the little 625 mercury cells) like I eat potatoes chips. It's so bad that Canon included a little battery pouch that attached to the strap, because you'd invariably need them before you were done shooting for the day. Still it's a great feeling to capture a new memory with the same camera that I have pictures of my father holding/using.

I've still got my first 'real' Camara, an Olympus OM30 from the early/mid 80's and a couple of lenses. The film winder is busted but I've often thought if it was worth fixing.

 

[smoke665]

with this Asahi Pentax S1a (still in my possession after 53 years

My first was a late 60's spotmatic that carried me through till the K1000. I had both of these, at one time, but I put them up somewhere, and can't find them now.

Built my first newspaper darkroom in 1972, custom built sinks with temperature controlled trays, horizontal process camera extended through one wall so with one person outside changing pages on the shooting board, we could go straight from camera to tray, doing full page films. One end was devoted to film processing and printing, we only did 35mm B&W.

 

[Space Face]

Gee, there must be some right old guys on here, the 60's

 

[smoke665]

Gee, there must be some right old guys on here, the 60's

Age is just a number to the mind, but the body has a way of reminding it that it's memory isn't always the sharpest.

 

[Braineack]

Article sounded like excuses, to be honest.

 

[Space Face]

Gee, there must be some right old guys on here, the 60's

Age is just a number to the mind, but the body has a way of reminding it that it's memory isn't always the sharpest.

Yeah, I'm reminded every day

 

[smoke665]

Article sounded like excuses, to be honest.

Really, and maybe they know their customer base a little better. People tend to forget that Pentax was first on the scene with mirror less in 2012 with K-01 Pentax K-01 - Wikipedia despite complete back/forward compatibility to Pentax glass (something not available on today's offering), 16mp Sony sensor, build and image quality, it wasn't well received and discontinued a year later in 2013. Sometimes you learn to not screw with what works.

 

[The Barbarian]

I don't know that the market is there for a new film camera. Especially when you consider the number of old perfectly usable bodies at good prices that are still working today. I mean they really were built like tanks, and part of that durability was their simplicity.

Right. I have a Contax II, a Nikon F, a Pentax Spotmatic, and a Topcon RE Super, all of which are in fine functional shape. I even have a Nikkormat EL, if I want auto exposure. Why would I want a new film camera?

 

[pez]