Pentax rumored to work ona new film camera

titrisol70 · Joined: 14 Dec 2021 Posts: 149 Location: State of Denial

There is an announcement up today that Pentax is starting a Film Project, which includes the possibility of making new film cameras.

This announcement is in English too, so please take a look at the announcement, which explains some of the thinking behind this.

PENTAX brand launches a film camera project focused on developing new film-based products along with camera fans?RICOH IMAGING

Videos on you tube (in Japanese)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilBbVpgLP_0

https://youtu.be/FXUmpqY3nWQ

Thoughts?

RokkorDoctor · Joined: 27 Nov 2021 Posts: 1268 Location: Kent, UK

Not clear to me what they really want to do / hope to achieve with this.

I quote Noboru Akahane, President and CEO of RICOH IMAGING COMPANY, LTD.:

"I want to stress that this announcement does not mean we will release new film cameras. Instead, it's an ongoing project based on the assumption that, as long as photographers remain obsessed with the ambiance of light and environment, there will also be some who will want to use film cameras as their tool of choice in capturing unique images. But we also know how difficult it will be to restart the production of film cameras long after production was terminated. In fact, we're only at the starting line right now."

Given the statement above, from my own and an environmental sustainability perspective, it probably would make more sense to do a limited production run of often-failed components and provide a refurbishing service program for the plentiful available used Pentax film cameras out there.

cooltouch · Joined: 15 Jan 2009 Posts: 9097 Location: Houston, Texas

At the very least, it's a start, and perhaps the beginning of a trend.

If it ever comes to pass that Pentax begins producing film cameras again, my guess is whatever the camera will be, it will involve some sort of modular-based construction, composed of electronically governed components. Eg, a mirror box and shutter that are separate but that communicate with each other. Same for the lens aperture control and meter, which is cross-coupled with the shutter and shutter speed dial.

My personal vote would be for a reintroduction of the KX, or maybe the MX, but they would likely be too costly.

kypfer · Joined: 27 Sep 2017 Posts: 516 Location: Jersey C.I.

visualopsins · Expire: 2025-04-11

http://forum.mflenses.com/pentax-to-possibly-make-a-new-film-camera-series-t84197.html