New Pentax Film Cameras?

Maybe. Seems they'll start with a compact P&S and proceed with SLRs if demand warrants. Maybe. Rising film costs and vanishing processing make this a long shot, IMHO. Pass the shochu!

It would be a good thing but then I don't need camera as I have more than I ever need. I need film and processing. 

Why not revive the coal-burning steam-powered motor car as well? 

Go back to whale-oil-burning lamps or tallow candles for lighting and take mercury-vapour developed Daguerrotypes while we're at it? 

1 hour ago, rodeo_joe1 said:

Why not revive the coal-burning steam-powered motor car as well? 

Go back to whale-oil-burning lamps or tallow candles for lighting and take mercury-vapour developed Daguerrotypes while we're at it? 

Not the first time we hear this argument from you, Joe.

Why not enlighten us of how you break down the elements that leads you to the conclusions implied above?

On 12/27/2022 at 3:49 PM, NHSN said:

Why not enlighten us of how you break down the elements that leads you to the conclusions implied above?

If just the number of photos uploaded to Facebook per day were to be taken on 35mm film, it would use nearly 12,000 Km of film, containing about half a metric tonne of silver. 

In a year, you could wrap the film over 100 times around the earth.

And I can't even be bothered to work out how many animal's feet would need to be rendered down for the gelatine.

Our much-loved "Crank-in-Residence."

On 12/29/2022 at 10:12 PM, c_watson1 said:

Our much-loved "Crank-in-Residence."

From the "Snipe-in-residence" who very rarely contributes anything of consequence to these threads.

And attempting to introduce a new 35mm film camera to a market already flooded with better-made used ones isn't 'cranky'?

Crapping on so much from great heights for so long is just plain tiresome. You've been owned but won't admit it. Small pond suits you, mate.

and in this corner, ......

Hey there are lots of people bringing back electric cars and vinyl records, and not all of them are named Musk.

On 12/29/2022 at 1:52 AM, rodeo_joe1 said:

If just the number of photos uploaded to Facebook per day were to be taken on 35mm film, it would use nearly 12,000 Km of film, containing about half a metric tonne of silver. 

In a year, you could wrap the film over 100 times around the earth.

And I can't even be bothered to work out how many animal's feet would need to be rendered down for the gelatine.

Joe:

That would possibly revitalize the need for a product that I worked on as an electronic technician back in the mid-70s. The company was Snook Corporation in Los Gatos, California. We made silver recovery equipment that extracted the silver from photographic chemistry. It was a flourishing business until digital cameras supplanted film.

On 12/29/2022 at 3:52 AM, rodeo_joe1 said:

If just the number of photos uploaded to Facebook per day were to be taken on 35mm film, it would use nearly 12,000 Km of film, containing about half a metric tonne of silver. 

In a year, you could wrap the film over 100 times around the earth.

And I can't even be bothered to work out how many animal's feet would need to be rendered down for the gelatine.

Why do you assume there will be the same number of pictures? It won't even reach 1% of what is today. I am sure there is upload data from the early days of social media when film was still around. BTW, can anyone name the date that would  signaled the end of film? 

Pentax would do better to spend their money and resources to move to mirrorless. This will never turn a profit. (IMO...)

56 minutes ago, dmanthree said:

Pentax would do better to spend their money and resources to move to mirrorless. This will never turn a profit. (IMO...)

Well, Pentax have explicitly stated that they will not go mirrorless.

Their strategy appears to be “last-man-standing” in the DSLR segment - and expand into other minor niches, such as film - it appears.

1 hour ago, Niels - NHSN said:

Well, Pentax have explicitly stated that they will not go mirrorless.

Their strategy appears to be “last-man-standing” in the DSLR segment - and expand into other minor niches, such as film - it appears.

They don't have sufficient market share to make that a viable long-term survival strategy. Best of luck to them, but the world doesn't stand still.

16 hours ago, dmanthree said:

They don't have sufficient market share to make that a viable long-term survival strategy. Best of luck to them, but the world doesn't stand still.

What is their Japanese marketshare?

2 hours ago, Niels - NHSN said:

What is their Japanese marketshare?

Last numbers I saw put them at 3% of the DSLR market.

On 4/25/2023 at 2:46 PM, dmanthree said:

They don't have sufficient market share to make that a viable long-term survival strategy. Best of luck to them, but the world doesn't stand still.

The world doesn't stand still it turns around.

In 2011 Leica had  0.15% of the entire camera market (which admittedly was lager then) and had a pretty good income from the M9. Now they have 1% and have a extremely healthy business.

With the DSLR market quickly shrinking and Canon/Nikon appearing to have no interest in maintaining their positions, I think it is entirely possible for Pentax to be able to carve a niche large enough to make a profitable long term business.

Of course, it is all speculations and only time will tell if they manage to survive.

One thing I think that Pentax should make this film camera in Japan in order to have the kind of prestige assodiated with the Leica. Besides the film camera market is bigger in Japan and I think the Japanese like to bu Japanese made products. 

On 2/5/2023 at 10:05 PM, brian_m.1 said:

BTW, can anyone name the date that would  signaled the end of film? 

Though it started rather earlier (being not a leap, but an evolution), 2004 was the date when nearly everybody switched from film. On a PhotoTrek to Egypt in 2005 only 1 (count her, one) out of 40 some trekkers was still using film.

The virtual end date for film was when the big stores stopped having multiple lists of film scanners in their ads, and local stores stopped doing C41 in-house..

On 12/27/2022 at 8:18 AM, rodeo_joe1 said:

Why not revive the coal-burning steam-powered motor car as well? 

Go back to whale-oil-burning lamps or tallow candles for lighting and take mercury-vapour developed Daguerrotypes while we're at it? 

 

Smells like Kodak to me...