Photokina 2014: Ricoh stand report: Digital Photography Review

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Photokina 2014: Ricoh stand report

Not far from the Nikon booth is Ricoh, which has a cool waterfall at the front that can show various designs. As you can see, there wasn't a long wait for the K-3.

Photokina 2014: Ricoh stand report

Our first stop was the table with the new WG-M1 action cam. While it looks clunky, it actually fits quite well in the hand. Here you can see the top-mounted 1.5" LCD.

Photokina 2014: Ricoh stand report

On one side of the camera are the record and power buttons...

Photokina 2014: Ricoh stand report

... with buttons used for image playback and menu navigation on the opposite side.

Photokina 2014: Ricoh stand report

The WG-M1 has many mounts, including this pistol grip, which looks like something from a sci-fi movie. When going underwater you must swap out the front element with another that can handle the pressure.

Photokina 2014: Ricoh stand report

Up next was the unique Pentax K-S1, seen here in one of its more conventional colors. The LEDs on the grip glow when the camera is in use and also serve as a visual countdown for the self-timer. The K-S1 features a 20MP CMOS sensor with an AA filter simulator and in-body image stabilization.

Read our hands-on with the Pentax K-S1

Photokina 2014: Ricoh stand report

The K-S1 has a backlit mode dial and OK/focus point selection button. As with all Pentax DSLRs, its optical viewfinder is very large for its price range.

Photokina 2014: Ricoh stand report

If you really want your camera to stand out in the crowd, may we introduce the 'sunset orange' K-S1.

Photokina 2014: Ricoh stand report

Notice how well this gold Pentax Q-S1 matches Allison's bracelet. The Q-S1 is the latest version of Ricoh's tiny interchangeable lens camera, with the main changes from the Q7 being cosmetic.

Photokina 2014: Ricoh stand report

The Q-S1 features a 12MP 1/1.7" BSI-CMOS sensor and accepts Q-mount lenses with a 4.6x crop factor.

Photokina 2014: Ricoh stand report

The Q-S1 is available in 40 different color combinations. Naturally, Ricoh had all 40 of them on display.

Photokina 2014: Ricoh stand report

Under glass we found three new lenses under development. This one is a 'high magnification super zoom' with no markings.

And yes, we'll bring a polarizing filter next time.

Photokina 2014: Ricoh stand report

Here's another upcoming lens: 'large diameter zoom'.

Photokina 2014: Ricoh stand report

This 'standard zoom' has markings, so we can identify it as an 16-85mm F3.5-5.6 standard zoom.

Comments

Total comments: 150

And not a word about there best camera. The Ricoh GR.

Comment edited 2 times, last edit 2 minutes after posting

0 upvotes

These lights will eat powers--you can not take to jungles--animals will be alert as they will see these lights!&moreover--Ricoh turns a camera from serious to comedy due to the green lights!

Personally I don't support colourful cameras with bright colours since they can fall you in danger in jungles--so black is good for hiding!

0 upvotes

It's available in black, and you can disable the LEDs. LEDs in any case use hardly any power at all. Any digital camera's LCD is likely to be more of a distraction, and definitely much more of a power drain, by orders of magnitude. You are welcome.

2 upvotes

Why Ricoh forces Pentax to become next Konica-Minolta?

Comment edited 4 minutes after posting

0 upvotes

This Christmas tree with holiday lights? It's a shame that once a respectable company steadily degraded.

0 upvotes

What? Degraded? Pentax makes fantastic cameras. Both in customary black and in all the colors you can think off. And actually, those frivolous colored things are real cameras. Nothing has degraded.

If you want to look at degradation, search for minox and rollei mini digital cameras. That is a shame.

4 upvotes

DPR has missed to present the 645Z and its new lenses because the 645Z is a professional camera setup for people who care about the ultimate in image quality. That, perhaps, doesn't fit DPR's audience in their opinion.

Instead, you have pages after pages after pages of 7D Mk 2 coverage from every angle. Wait for the new front page thread soon, "7D Mk2 — How it feels when you plant citruses with it around your neck", which is a followup of "7D Mk 2 – Planting and photographing azaleas in our winter garden".

Comment edited 10 minutes after posting

10 upvotes

Shame indeed this report doesn't include the professional stand, which included some nice spotting scopes and a DA560/5.6 that could be tried next to the 645Z with the impressive new 28-45 lens. It was the busiest part of the Ricoh stand BTW (both in front and behind the counter), and you actually had to wait for your turn to try out the gear, which was much less the case at the other counters in the stand.
Not many new lenses indeed (except for the impressive looking mock-ups), but looking at the entire setup it has gotten *very* complete over the years. Since this is contrary to the often repeated reputation of Pentax lacking lenses, I heard a lot of surprise from other visitors to the stand concerning the lens setup.

8 upvotes

Ricoh's Pentax interchangeable lens cameras continue to march to their own quirkily distinctive beat, and I think long term that's a very good thing. Keep it up Pentax!

3 upvotes

Where is the report of the 645z stand? Don't tell me the professional photographers of dpreview missed that, it's probably just one of, if not the camera with best image quality on market. But probably not a deal at Amazon or the gearshop, so I understand the ignorance ;-)

11 upvotes

Give us the 150-400 4-5.6 zoom as soon as you can laser print the numbers & name on it!! Only wish AF-C was better on the K5II(for birding) otherwise hard to find a better aps-c,except the Samsung if it does what they say

0 upvotes

If Pentax are not planning to make a Full Frame camera, at least make some Limited style lenses for the Sony FE mount, please!

1 upvote

I have used them on my Sony NEX APS-C cameras.

0 upvotes

I am still hoping for an interchangeable lens Pentax auto 110 sized digital camera with the same tiny lenses. Those mirrorless cameras have lenses that are anything but tiny.

1 upvote

You can use the 110 lenses on a Q quite easily I believe!

1 upvote

I have! Results are mixed although the 50mm prime is quite good as the World's smalest 300mm telephoto and IQ pretty good!

0 upvotes

I used to think that the Sony Alpha 7 was the ugliest 35mm format camera of them all. Now comes the Pentax K-S1 to take that title away. LOL

0 upvotes

The Pentax K-S1 costs $750. For that money, you get a really small, non-sealed camera with some good specs. (The full dpr review should be forthcoming sometime in mid-2015).

The only thing that comes close is the one-and-a-half year old Canon EOS 100D (at about $600, now).

I'll bet this finds a market, flashing lights, or no.

0 upvotes

" As you can see, there wasn't a long wait for the K-3."

Sorry - was that humour? True I see no people, but I don't think anyone climbing the waterfall would get to stay long - assuming you are serious. And if you're being funny it's rather sad. Why does Pentax continue to get a disproportionate number of dismissive throwaway lines from DPR staff?

8 upvotes

Everybody must have skipped the (year old) K3 stand and headed straight to the 645Z stand. Except for DPR, they missed that stand completely...

8 upvotes

Because despite being an Old Skool camera company and despite making good cameras they have relatively small market share now.

in other words, the bleeding obvious.

I have a feeling other manufacturers may be looking to put out a slightly lower cost medium format digital fairly soon and when they do I think the benefits of MF will become far more widely known and then I think maybe Pentax will find itself with more limelight with a more technically capable product for slightly more money.
BTW this is all speculation - I have no industry contacts, just noting synthesising what people who do have industry contacts have been writin..

0 upvotes

They have small market share because they don't make cameras people want and because their cameras aren't cheaper or better than the competition's. The *ist D was the last time Pentax was competitive with the competition.

0 upvotes

I'm not a pentax buyer and never have been.
When I spent money on a camera I bought a Nikon, because I thought Nikons were the best, based on what I now look on as pretty thin (and even then very dated evidence).

I think most people are the same, and these days Nikon and Canon are the brands most associated with pro shooters, so most people think they are the best and are not equipend to assess cameras by another criteria other than megapixels.

People may not want pentax cameras, but I don't think that's about the camera, that's about reputation and marketing.

1 upvote

@Anastigmat:

"The *ist D was the last time Pentax was competitive with the competition," you claim.

Sorry, but looking back on a whole sequence of highly competitive DSLRs in the mid- to expert-level departments alone (K10D, K20D, K-7, K-5, K-5 II/IIs, K-3) I beg to differ. At least, if competitiveness means anything beyond sheer AF speed.

There're (some) photographers who do value rugged construction, weather sealing, great ergonomics, accurate 100%-OVFs, compact yet capable lenses, in-body shake reduction (maybe a little less effective, but stabilizing pretty much *any* K-mount lens you may want to use), and highly usable, often gorgeous RAW output, and all that without breaking the bank.

Admittedly, these are boringly photography-related merits. And how do you argue with the following (just a selction):

"It's not what the guy behind the counter showed me."
"It's not what the pros use."
"It's not what my friends have."
"It doesn't say Canon or Nikon on the camera strap."
...

Comment edited 2 minutes after posting

2 upvotes

I'm using K20/K5 with DA18-135WR and Sigma lenses mostly.. I'm served well.. All I want now is some tuned K3 body without flaws.

Usually I use these Sigmas:
8-16
17-50/2.8
17-70/2.8-4.5
70-200/2.8
50-500/4-6.3

Ricoh should replace DA*16-50 and create some 50-200/2.8 and some long 500mm beast and WR wide-angle 8-16 or 10-20 lens, otherwise there is no reason to change my setup.
Also those SDM lenses troubles.. slow focusing DA*60-250.. optically interesting lens killed by AF speed.

Although I also have
DA12-24/4, DA18-55WR,FA*24/2, F28-80, FA28-105/3.2-4.5, FA35/2, FA50/1.4, DA55-300.. they are less and less used.
Sigma won this lens match by range and image quality.
Ricoh should think about their current lens lineup.

And PLEASE get rid of those DA-L lenses. They don't deserve PENTAX label! Build proper DA-WR models only.

Comment edited 4 minutes after posting

1 upvote

The K-3 has flaws? Outside of some questionable design with regard to video, its pretty hard to fault the k-3.

0 upvotes

@zos

Some of the early K3 had a mirror flapping issue but I believe that a FW fixed it and is a non-issue now.

Comment edited 29 seconds after posting

0 upvotes

For me K3 is too little improvement over K5, not worth the investment. Its a great body for people without camera or with old model like K10D/20D/K7. But compared to K5/K5II the difference is not radical enough.
That new AF module needs to be tuned for much better AF-C performance. Contrast detection can always be better. Video also has several options to be desired (like putting back SR during video).

0 upvotes

Still no signs of the FF (rumored) 24MP K-3? I sincerely loved my K-5 but I'm afraid body color choices are more important than camera horse power. Sort of glad I switched to Nikon when I did. Sorry, Pentax.

1 upvote

Pentax is apparently determined not to make a full frame. That is unfortunate, because they are masters at miniaturization. They made the MX and ME, and the wonderful LX. They showed people a pro camera does not have to look like a brick or weigh as much as one. They could have showed people how compact a full frame camera can be.

1 upvote

If they are so determined not to make one, why on Earth would they work on it?

0 upvotes

I have been waiting for the new standard zoom since it was mentioned in the K-mount lens roadmap for the first time (and that is some tima already). Despite the line indicationg the focal length was not clear (it could have meant anything from 15-85 to 17-75mm), I hoped for a 16-85mm, with HD coating, weather sealing and constant f4. Such a lens would have been a natural succesor to the aged DA 17-70mm/4 lens (and partially to the discontinued DA 16-45/4). Because I have a very fast zoom (constant f1,8) for lowlight shooting, I didn´t need a f2,8 zoom and would be happy with f4 (but constant speed), but because of short FL of my Sigma 18-35 I wanted both a wider and also longer lens. Such a lens would nicely complement my Sigma. When I fisrt saw the picture (over at PhotographyBlog), I was raptured when I saw 16-85mm, HD and WR designation. But a second later I noticed the f numbers and the dream was over.

1 upvote

cont.:
Why the h.ll Ricohmust have spoiled this lens with variable aperture and the slow speed of typical cheap kit lens? I had some variable aperture zooms and told myself: never more, it´s really irritating when you have no control over aperture since it changes as you zoom in. 85mm would be a perfect FL for portraits, but man, portrait af f5,6?
So after cca. 2 years of waiting for this lens I experience such a letdown. :-( Why, Ricoh?

0 upvotes

I fear that someone might get shot by the police while holding the WG-M1.

4 upvotes

Wouldn't suprise me.

0 upvotes

That's funny. Had a good laugh.
It's innovation. not sure to what degree? But the consumer keep using this word innovation and the manufacturer is hoping around to be or looking innovative.

0 upvotes

Not that long ago, a man holding a water nozzle (he was watering his garden) was shot by police. They thought he had a gun in his hand. Does that make you have a good laugh too?

0 upvotes

In the US, you can get shot by the police for standing there not looking "right.".

1 upvote

New FA645 28-45 IS lens had to be there somewhere I would think.

2 upvotes

just feel the urge to point sth out: colour combinations are a matter of taste. Ricoh is not producing ugly colour combinations to be sold, they merely offer the possibilities. It is CUSTOMERS who WANT those colour combinations who can order them, customised. I don't see why there is anything negative about that.

I personally think some look really cool. Though admittedly most beautiful is a combination of different colour options beside each other, as in pic 11 – very 'Parapluies de Cherbourg' ^^

0 upvotes

Where is the MF camera?!?!

I LITERALLY only clicked this article to ogle that thing, and you couldn't be bothered to show the single best thing on the stand? WTF dpr

6 upvotes

The Nikon report was "updated." This one could be updated as well.

1 upvote

This is a ridiculous report, missing the MF camera, and the development of the new FF camera from Pentax...

7 upvotes

Look at the yellow surrounding the entire DPR website all week. That should be familiar.

0 upvotes

DP can only report what they see.

2 upvotes

"And yes, we'll bring a polarizing filter next time."

:-)

Also, "large diameter zoom" is probably really "large aperture zoom", i.e. F2.8 constant aperture or similar. I can see how that got lost in translation.

0 upvotes

Nope, it's actually "large diameter zoom". Here's the source: http://news.ricoh-imaging.co.jp/rim_info2/2014/20140916_005812.html

0 upvotes

@Matewka. Yes, I know that's what it reads in English. It's miss-translated.

The Japanese reads
http://news.ricoh-imaging.co.jp/rim_info/2014/20140916_005811.html

大口径望遠ズームレンズ。The proper translation is "Large aperture telephoto zoom lens."

Comment edited 4 minutes after posting

5 upvotes

@Richard. Thanks for clarification. I didn't dig that deep ;)

0 upvotes

Well I have expected a more thorough coverage of Pentax/Ricoh, but at least there is something. But maybe DPR could have concentrated less on different colours and more on important stuff like new lenses or fullframe (being admited by Ricoh representative for the first time). Especially the lenses deserved more attention: the two big lenses are supposedly fullframe lenses.

0 upvotes

The only indication that one of these lenses *might* be fullframe is in the K-mount lens roadmap: both lenses omit the DA nomenclature on the roadmap. In Pentax land, DA = crop. Therefore, the rumours that the 16-85 could be fullframe borders on rediculous, as the 16-85 is described as "DA zoom" on the roadmap. Yes, some DA lenses actually cover the fullframe image circle, but none of them are standard zooms. And besides, if a 16-85 is feasible on fullframe, why doesn't anyone else make it? I know I'd very much like viewing angles like that. But so far it hasn't happened, and there's probably a reason for that.

0 upvotes

I didn´t talk about the DA 16-85mm, this is clearly a usual APSC lens (not only it is clear from the designation DA, but also from the size, shape and focal length). I was talkinga bout the first two chunky lenses and some Ricoh manager admitted they are FF lenses.
P.S. I am the last one that would bet on FF comming soon, after all the rumours in the past that didn´t fullfill. But I see a ray of light that the FF might eventually come just because after all these "maybe...", "we are concidering..." now there is an admission by Ricoh people that they are developing FF. And that´s a difference.

0 upvotes

Photos 12, and 13 do look like the rumoured D-FA 100-400mm and 70-200mm lenses which are weather resistant and full frame compatible.

It would be nice to know more about those lenses DPR!!!

0 upvotes

Article

Photokina 2014: Ricoh stand report

Photokina 2014: Ricoh stand report

Photokina 2014: Ricoh stand report

Photokina 2014: Ricoh stand report

Photokina 2014: Ricoh stand report

Photokina 2014: Ricoh stand report

Photokina 2014: Ricoh stand report

Photokina 2014: Ricoh stand report

Photokina 2014: Ricoh stand report

Photokina 2014: Ricoh stand report

Photokina 2014: Ricoh stand report

Photokina 2014: Ricoh stand report

Photokina 2014: Ricoh stand report

Photokina 2014: Ricoh stand report

Photokina 2014: Ricoh stand report

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