Topic: New Pentax film cameras????!

[AJShepherd]

Well... maybe?

Ricoh just announced that Pentax is starting a new “Film Project” that could include the release of a new film camera:

('could' doing some heavy lifting there)

"TOKYO, December 20, 2022 — RICOH IMAGING COMPANY, LTD. is pleased to announce a new project involving the research and development of new PENTAX-brand film camera products. There has been a rebirth in interest in film cameras recently; we want to use the film camera skills and technologies developed over the years by Ricoh Imaging/PENTAX (the PENTAX Division of RICOH IMAGING COMPANY, LTD.) and provide camera enthusiasts around the world with new film camera products. We will be developing and launching new products and providing aftercare services so that experienced film camera users and younger photographers who want to try these cameras for the first time can fully enjoy the experience of film photography."

Be interesting if it comes to fruition, a source of new and decent film cameras, even if it's just reinventing the K1000!

[Kai-san]

There's a video as well:

https://youtu.be/FXUmpqY3nWQ

It appears that they will start with a compact camera and then move on to SLR's. This could of course be a long process, but at least there is hope. Nice to see that they will try to use the knowledge of the old staff (and maybe pensioners) before it is gone forever.

[Bryan]

Affordable!  PK or M42 mount?  This will be interesting. 

[Kai-san]

There is a link on the Youtube page to a statement from Noboru Akahane, President and CEO of RICOH IMAGING COMPANY, LTD. Here is an interesting part of his statement:

"One of the new challenges we have taken on is the development of PENTAX-brand film cameras. We feel this will provide camera fans with a joy of photography totally different from what they experience in the digital format. 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."

When he says they will not release new film cameras, does that mean they will release old film cameras? Or does it mean that they will be released by somebody else? This reminds me of when "doc" Florian Kaps booked a meeting with the Fuji management to try to save the Polaroid packfilm. They agreed to the meeting and listened to what he had to say, although everyone at Fuji knew the production machinery had been trashed months earlier.

[Francois]

I'm always a bit cautious when companies announce a research and development program.
R&D is always about spending and not bringing in profits or producing anything new for market.
When I build some prototype one of a kind camera or lens, it doesn't bring anything to the community other than inspiration.
Same thing for a company. While I really hope that they could bring a medium format camera out at a decent price, I'm not holding my breath on this one.

[Kai-san]

I can understand that they are casting around for new (old) ideas to keep the business afloat, the outlook for the remaining camera producers aren't exactly bright. Just look at Leica re-issuing the old model that saved their necks from the M5 disaster, maybe they're hoping the M6 will save them once again.
The guy in the video says they're aiming for the younger generation, perhaps they should rather re-issue the Ricoh GR1 instead. I would buy one, especially if they fix the known weaknesses.

[Francois]

The sad part of all this is that pretty much all film photographers are now putting their hopes and dreams on Pentax. If they don't deliver there's going to be a lot of disappointed people.

[rotarysmp]

The gazillion film cameras in everyones sock drawers and cupboards are a hard market to sell against.

[Francois]

Well, yes and no. Some people like having a brand new thing that comes with a warranty and an ample supply of parts.
And medium format cameras are not exactly run of the mill, especially if you're looking for something more than a box.

[AJShepherd]

Yeah, the increasing problem with film cameras from sock drawers and cupboards is that they're liable to be not in the best condition, have gummed up parts, worn out gears, corrosion, lens fungus, failing old electronics and so on, and the chance of buying a wrong 'un increase.
The part supply is diminishing and the people who used to fix them for a living are retired and not getting any younger.

An affordable, new, reasonable quality name brand film camera with warranty, freshly made parts and trained up engineers who can fix them would be a big step forwards and remove that kind of uncertainty connected with buying old cameras. I've got a few old cameras myself which went wrong and aren't worth fixing even if I could find someone who could fix them and I had the disposable income to pay for it.

But its early days and we need to be careful of counting our chickens before they hatch.

After all, whatever happened to that new super 8 camera Kodak were supposed to be bringing out some years ago?

[Francois]

Right on point.
I just hope that they don't waste the brand name by coming out with a crap cam like Yashica did a few years ago.
Or like Polaroid with various dubious electronic gizmos, or Bell & Howell, Argus and so on.

[Kai-san]

Cosina would probably be happy to make a camera with a Pentax logo, they seem to take on whatever is thrown at them.
Maybe this could become a schläger:

https://petapixel.com/2022/12/15/photographer-fools-the-internet-with-ai-generated-cameras-that-dont-exist/

[Francois]

You mean like this?