mas24 Loc: Southern CA

I read an article on this camera when it first came out, and I said that this camera will surely be a winner because of its brand new price of about $1900. The camera has 36.3 megapixels, and had some bells and whistles to offer. I don't see it advertised in any photo magazines, and no mention of it on this forum. Was this camera a marketing failure?

jethro779 Loc: Tucson, AZ

MT Shooter Loc: Montana

MT Shooter Loc: Montana

Not a failure at all, just a victim of Pentax's long standing marketing flaws. It's actually the best FF DSLR on the market under $2000, and better than some $3000+ cameras.
I still sell about one K1 per month, about 2/3 of those sales are to tourists who have never seen one in person before.

rjaywallace Loc: Wisconsin

Here is a review from DPReview with links to additional news, including I believe, a firmware update. /Ralph

https://www.dpreview.com/search/?query=Pentax%20k1&product=pentax_k1

mas24 Loc: Southern CA

B&H is selling it too. But how many are being sold?

mrpentaxk5ii

No, the camera has been out awhile and Pentax does not have as large of a draw as Nikon, Canon or Sony.

mas24 Loc: Southern CA

One camera sold per month from one business owner, isn't bad at all. That's about 12 per year. I realize Pentax can't compete with Nikon or Canon in marketing, but Pentax needs to do something about their marketing flaws. Especially if they had a quality, inexpensive, full frame camera available to consumers. Now, the Nikon D810 price has been reduced. That's not good news now, for Pentax's K-1 future sales. Thanks for your reply.

mas24 Loc: Southern CA

Thanks for the link. I had not read a DP Review on the camera.

mas24 Loc: Southern CA

This camera is less expensive now at Amazon than it is at B&H. It is $105.76 less. You can also purchase a Pentax 28-105mm f3.5-5.6 ED DC WR HD Lens for it. Price for this lens is $497. This appears to be an everyday type of lens. I'm not familiar with this Pentax Lens.

Haydon

I suppose with Pentax's less than 5% of the marketshare and as mentioned a lack of a stiff push in marketing, it's in low quantities. I have a friend who bought one a month ago. Seems like a great camera but lacks many FA prime lenses that the two big guns have available. Honestly, I'm not that impressed with the 100 macro as I would like to be with filter threads at 49 mm. She seems happy with it so that's all that matters.

I'd be more inclined to buy a D810 just for the plethora of OEM glass available.

mas24 Loc: Southern CA

Yep. You will be hard pressed to outdo the array of lenses that Nikon and Canon have. But, one would think that whatever Pentax lenses are unavailable, that you get get third party lenses. Tamron, Sigma, etc. But, I am not sure on third party availability either. Pentax's K-1, knowing that Pentax lenses would be very limited, and not planning for any future lenses production, pretty much made this camera unpopular to begin with. A full frame camera, without good lenses to purchase, is pretty much doomed.

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

I know they sold quite a few the first couple months the K-1 was available. Pentax fans have been waiting years. I know a few of the buyers, fanatical Pentax fans with the money to spend. The K-1 came out at a great price, $1,795.00 or there about. Virtually the same Sony sensor as the Nikon D810. I think Pentax these days seems to be stick in a small but dedicated place. I really want a K-1 (FF, 36MP) and a K-3II (APS-C, 24MP). My current two cameras are "old", Pentax K-5 (16MP), and K-20 (14MP). But I don't have the cash right now. Also a marketing problem with Pentax and (current parent company) Ricoh, is they don't seem to get featured in most big box retail stores. Their products have for years been mostly available mail order and from the Web.

But then again, there are different business models. How many cameras does Leica sell per year? But look at the price per unit. There also is a lot of used Pentax equipment moving on eBay and Amazon. Also note Pentax also had/has an APS-C Mirrorless model that can also use any and all Pentax lenses. That really disappeared from the mainstream too, but yet they are still out there. The one I'm thinking of is actually doing OK in Japan.

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

Actually that is incorrect. For many years Pentax has made and sold both DA-series and FA-series Pentax lenses. The DA and DA* ones are (only) for APS-C Sensor cameras (all that Pentax had up until the K-1). The FA-series lenses are Full Frame and I don't really think that Pentax as late as 2015 was making new model lenses for it's no longer made film cameras. So the FA's worked on Film, APS-C, and FF (that did not exist yet). Currently they have an even newer series or two, D FA and HD-FA that are maximized for digital use and high IQ uses. Personally I have not actually touched a D FA or HD-FA so I am not sure completely how they differ, or from FA's, but the higher prices should mean something. Again a thing about Pentax is one came mount and use all Pentax and Takumar lenses, from Screw Mount M-42 to current. Do note Pentax also has had a Medium Format 645 digital camera for years, replacing its film 6x4.5cm and 6x7cm Film cameras.

Tropichal Loc: Queensland, Australia.

I have the Pentax K-1, along with three of the new DFA lenses. The quality of the lenses and the files from this camera are way up there.
You just have to know that it is no sports camera, but landscapes, portraits, astro photography etc. are among some of it's strong points.