A Modified Pentax 300mm Lens is at the Heart of Japan’s Kitsune Satellite
Ricoh Japan has announced that its Pentax DA* 300mm f/4 ED (IF) SDM lens has been installed on Japan's Kitsune 6U Microsatellite and has been sent into space.
Pentax DA* 16-50mm f/2.8 Review: The Best Lens for the K-3 Mark III
Last year, Ricoh Imaging released the Pentax K-3 Mark III, which proved to be an excellent (yet expensive) DSLR. Ricoh says the Pentax-DA* 16-50mm f/2.8 ED PLM AW is the "ultimate general professional-grade zoom lens" for APS-C DSLR systems like the K-3 Mark III, and I have to say it lives up to that.
New Pentax K-3 Mark III Update Improves Astro Photos Without GPS
Pentax has announced a new firmware update for the K-3 Mark III DSLR that improves the performance of its ability to capture astrophotography. Called Astro Tracer Type 3, it tracks celestial objects without using the GPS unit.
Ricoh Explains Its New ‘Workshop-Like’ Business Plan for Pentax
Ricoh Japan has published more details on its plans to adjust its Pentax camera business structure. The company says that its main goals are to add additional contact points with customers and strengthen direct communication with them.
The Best Cameras for Beginners in 2024
Looking to get started in photography but feel overwhelmed at the huge number of different camera models on the market? The daunting feeling can be an obstacle as you try to dive headfirst into the art form, but you have come to the right place: we have selected the best cameras for beginners looking to dip their toes in photography without breaking the bank or getting in over their heads.
The Best Medium Format Film Cameras to Buy in 2024
The past decade has seen an explosion of film users. Whether this is driven by a sense of nostalgia, or a desire to experience the past (for those too young to have shot film earlier in their life), for the simplicity, or perhaps because some celebrities have taken to shooting film, it doesn’t really matter. The reality is likely a combination of many factors.
Ricoh Pentax: The Beginning of the End or the Start of a Bright Future?
Ricoh seemingly made the significant announcement that it would cease the mass production of digital cameras (which includes the Pentax brand), shifting instead to a direct-to-market model. For now, it only affects its business in Japan, although the ramifications could affect its business more widely. What does this mean for Ricoh (and Pentax) and their future?
Ricoh is Dramatically Shifting its Camera Sales Strategy in Japan
Ricoh's President and CEO Noboru Akahane has announced that the Pentax and GR camera brands will undergo a dramatic restructuring of the business.
Pentax-D FA 21mm f/2.4 Review: A Great Lens with Poor Camera Support
If you have been searching for an ultra-wide lens for the Pentax system recently, you likely will come across the $1,400 Pentax-D FA 21mm f/2.4 lens announced late last year. Whether or not you should buy it depends on how much you like Pentax.
The Best Lenses for APS-C Cameras in 2024
While full-frame has received the most attention from camera manufacturers in recent years, there are plenty of great reasons to purchase smaller format sensors like APS-C. These systems can be cheaper, smaller, lighter, and offer greater reach over their full-frame counterparts.
How the Nikon F Revolutionized Photography
As an art form and a technology, photography’s youth is only matched by its blisteringly rapid advancement. This creates something of a paradox for us as enthusiasts and professionals, where the history of the medium we so love can feel both short and overstuffed. Neither condition is conducive to any one camera gaining, let alone maintaining, a sense of permanence or constancy.
Ricoh Launches the Pentax FA 21mm f/2.4ED Limited DC WR Lens
Ricoh has announced the HD Pentax-D FA 21mm f/2.4ED Limited DC WR lens for K-Mount full-frame DSLRs. The company says that this ultra-wide prime is optimized for visual characteristics that can't be measured in numerical values alone.
Pentax K-3 Mark III Review: An Excellent, Expensive DSLR
Pentax put a lot of time and effort into making the K-3 Mark III, and it shows: it's a huge leap in tech for a DSLR. But it's still a DSLR in a mirrorless world, and that perception combined with a premium price might hold back Pentax's latest $2,000 APS-C camera.
Ricoh Unveils the HD Pentax-DA 16-50mm f/2.8 K-Mount Star Series Lens
Ricoh has announced a new wide-angle zoom lens that is classified under its "Star" series optics: the HD Pentax-DA 16-50mm f/2.8ED PLM AW lens. Ricoh says it promises the highest imaging performance available and is designed for use on K-mount DSLRs.
Are Cameras Actually More Expensive Now Than Ever Before?
There is a purveying sentiment that cameras have only gotten more expensive over time. While there is certainly some validity in certain sectors of the market, the truth about camera prices over time is a bit more nuanced and complex than the average person makes it out to be. So, let’s take a look.
Listen To The Satisfying Shutter Sounds of 18 Different Cameras
Photographer Sails Chong has published an acoustically satisfying video that shares the sounds of 18 different camera shutters and certainly qualifies as photography ASMR.
Canon Patents IBIS-Powered AA Simulation Tech, Similar to Pentax
Canon has applied for a patent that would allow a camera to use its in-body-image-stabilization (IBIS) to approximate the effects of an anti-aliasing filter. The idea is similar to how sensor-shift multi-shot works, but in reverse.
Japan’s Favorite Camera Brand Isn’t Canon, Nikon, or Sony, Survey Reveals
A new survey being conducted over in Japan has surprising results on what the most beloved camera brand is. While companies such as Canon, Nikon, and Sony may currently command market dominance, it's Pentax/Ricoh that has gotten the most love.
Review: The Pentax K-3 III Proves That DSLR Tech is Far From Finished
Pentax recently provided me with the new Pentax K-3 III and an 11-18mm lens. It is a pre-production model and the firmware is not final yet. This means that quite a few things don't work yet or don't work as they should.
Ricoh Launches the Pentax K-3 Mark III, Its Flagship APS-C DSLR
After months of hype and an unexpected delay, Ricoh has finally announced the Pentax K-3 Mark III DSLR. The flagship camera features an optical viewfinder, a ruggedized body, an AI-assisted subject recognition technology, and a 25.73-megapixel BSI sensor with ISO sensitivity up to 1,600,000.
Pentax Unveils K-1 Mark II J Limited 01 Recolors, Plans Four More Lenses
In addition to the Limited Lens series announced yesterday, Pentax has also updated its lens roadmap to include four more optics as well as launched a set of K-1 Mark II recolors for Japan.
Pentax Unveils Three ‘Limited Lenses’ for K-Mount SLR Cameras
While some information leaked earlier this week, Pentax has today officially announced the availability of three lenses for K-mount cameras: the HD Pentax-FA 31mm f/1.8 Limited, 43mm f/1.9 Limited, and 77mm f/1.8 Limited. All three lenses are available in black or silver.
Leak Reveals Updated Pentax Optics, Including 77mm f/1.8 Limited Lens
Three new fast Pentax prime lenses are rumored to be coming soon: the HD Pentax-FA 31mm f/1.8 Limited, HD Pentax-FA 43mm f/1.9 Limited, and Pentax-FA 77mm f/1.8 Limited lenses. Additionally, Pentax will supposedly be releasing the K-1 Mark II in four new colors.
The Pentax K3 Mark III Has Been Delayed Indefinitely
Pentax has announced that due to a parts shortage, the K3 Mark III DSLR that was scheduled to be announced at Japan's CP+ show on February 25 has been delayed indefinitely.
Great Reads in Photography: January 10, 2021
Every Sunday, we bring together a collection of easy reading articles from analytical to how-to to photo-features in no particular order that did not make our regular daily coverage. Enjoy!
Godox Unveils Cylinder-Shaped AD100Pro Pocket Flash
Godox has announced the compact AD100Pro Pocket Flash strobe, which features high-speed sync (HSS), wireless control, TTL, and a modeling lamp powered by a 2600 mAh battery. All in, battery included, the tiny strobe weighs only 524 grams (~18.5 ounces).
KEH Reveals Top-Selling Used Cameras and Lenses from 2020
In late December, PetaPixel published an article asking if it was a good idea to buy used. There were mixed responses, but if KEH's data is to be believed, far more people support buying used than you might think. For KEH, 2020 was a "banner year."
Camera Predictions for 2021: What We Think You Can Expect
DPReview just released its annual camera industry predictions video where Chris and Jordan discuss what they think will come from the leading manufacturers. I think that, for the most part, they're right on the nose.
Pentax ‘Cannot’ Go Mirrorless: Ricoh Imaging CEO
In an interview with Alfa Romeo Japan, the President and CEO of Ricoh Imaging Shinobu Takahashi is surprisingly upfront about Ricoh's acquisition of Pentax and the issues the company has had with finding its place in a competitive and collapsing market.
A Hands-On Preview of the Pentax K-3 Mark III
Tokyo-based journalist Albert Siegel has published one of the first hands-on previews of Pentax's new APS-C flagship DSLR, the K-3 Mark III. His 6-minute video above provides a closer look at a camera that's set to be officially launched sometime in early 2021.
FCC Filing Reveals ‘Naked’ Pentax K-3 Mark III Without its Outer Shell
It's a bit rare to get any concrete information out of FCC filings for any product far ahead of its release, so finding photos of the upcoming Pentax K-3 Mark III without its magnesium alloy shell is definitely unusual.
Upcoming Adapter Brings Pentax K Glass to Sony E-Mount, AF Included
Earlier this year, Pentax released an 85mm f/1.4 full-frame lens that looked incredible despite its one flaw: it was for the Pentax mount. But MonsterAdapters might just eliminate that issue with its upcoming Pentax K to Sony E adapter.
Pentax’s New APS-C DSLR Can Hit ISO 1.6 Million, Will Cost Around $2,500
Ricoh has released a new video all about the upcoming Pentax flagship APS-C DSLR that has been slowly revealed over the past year. The camera will be called the Pentax K-3 Mark III (imagine that), and we are finally getting some information about specs and price point beyond just the fact that it has a nice optical viewfinder.
Pentax vs Contax: Testing 2 Go-To Film Cameras for Wedding Photography
Today we’re going to take a look at two film cameras. We have the Pentax 645nII and the Contax 645: two of the last medium format film bodies ever produced, and the two most popular go-to cameras for wedding shooters who are still shooting film.
Review: Pentax D FA* 85mm Doesn’t Compromise on Image Quality
First of all, many thanks to Pentax, who provided me with this lens exclusively and as a super-early-bird pre-tester, but this report was not sponsored in any way. I use the Pentax K1 in my daily work as a freelancer in my advertising agency, mainly commercially for portrait, product and reportage jobs.
Pentax Shares More Details About Its Upcoming APS-C Flagship DSLR
When Ricoh announced the new "Brand Vision" for Pentax, they promised to share more details about upcoming products very soon. Earlier today, they delivered in a follow-up video showing off the upcoming Pentax APS-C flagship DSLR.
Why Pentax is Making the Right Call in Sticking with DSLRs
As the majority of camera manufacturers move away from the SLR type cameras and start producing mirrorless systems, one company continues to hold on to the past. Pentax has now in multiple statements confirmed that it will not be producing a mirrorless camera and will continue to develop SLR cameras.
Pentax Reasserts Commitment to SLRs Over Mirrorless in New ‘Brand Vision’
Agree or disagree, you have to admire Ricoh/Pentax' stubbornness. As every other company focuses all of their resources on mirrorless cameras, Pentax has just launched a website and multiple videos reasserting the brand's commitment to "the future of SLR photography."
Pentax Officially Unveils Long-Awaited FA* 85mm f/1.4 Lens for the K-Mount
After first showing off the lens over a year ago, and sharing a few more teasers during a livestream two weeks ago, Ricoh has officially unveiled the HD Pentax-D FA* 85mm f/1.4ED SDM AW—a "next-generation, high-performance" portrait prime for K-mount DSLRs.
Pentax Reveals New APS-C DSLR and Three Lenses in Online Presentation
Ricoh released a 40-minute video presentation last night on YouTube, detailing its plans for several Pentax products that are "in-development." The video was released in lieu of a CP+ 2020 presentation, and shared details about the upcoming APS-C DSLR, one previously-announced 85mm lens, and two brand new lenses we hadn't heard about before.