Camera brand Pentax will soon have a new owner: Tokyo-based Hoya group, which purchased the brand in 2007, is ready to sell [notice of sale as an English PDF] it to Ricoh in October this year. According to Japanese business daily The Nikkei, the office equipment maker plans to pay an estimated US$124 million for Pentax. → Read More
The ultra-tiny Pentax Q is the smallest interchangeable lens camera (which leaked today) in all the land and costs a little over $800, a wild price to pay for a camera that is arguably tiny. Sadly, as Engadget points out, the value for money just isn’t there with a “1/2.3-inch backlit CMOS image sensor” that competes with other compact cameras rather than other cameras from Olympus, Panasonic, Sony, and Samsung. It’s tiny, sure, but it’s not particularly better. However, doesn’t it look like a little cutie? PR after the jump. → Read More
Do you think the TOWER RECORDS×PENTAX RAINBOW K-r Pentax showed two days ago was ugly (as quite a few readers do)? Maybe you already own a K-r but just want to beef it up instead of shelling out over $1,000 for an entirely new one? If yes, then check out these new grips Pentax announced [JP] yesterday. → Read More
Another month, another Pentax special edition camera from Japan: the company today announced [JP] the so-called TOWER RECORDS×PENTAX RAINBOW K-r. The device is a follow-up to the TOWER RECORDS × PENTAX RAINBOW K-x from last year. → Read More
Some photos of Pentax’s NC-1 have leaked ahead of the supposed May / June release. If anything, this says they’re close, if not finished, with the smallest mirrorless camera in the world. → Read More
Ahh, this is a nice break after all that iPad 2 craziness. Pentax has released a new mid-range point-and-shoot called the Optio S1, and it’s just a camera. It doesn’t do stuff, it just takes pictures. → Read More
I don’t know what it is about Pentax and special editions, but today the company announced [JP] yet another one, for the K-r. This time, Pentax inked a licensing deal with Tokyo-based San-X to use their star cartoon character, super-cute bear Rilakkuma, in a special version of the camera. → Read More
Despite having only ever used one for a few minutes, I’m a fan of the K-5. It’s a solid-feeling camera, and it’s got a lens selection going back decades. And with Pentax, if you don’t like the look of the camera, wait a few months and they’ll put out one with a new paint job. This month, it’s silver! → Read More
I managed somehow skipped Pentax’s rugged camera when I last did a rugged roundup, but I’m definitely not missing this one. The WG-1 is the “12th rugged generation” camera from Pentax, and looks to be quite a solid piece of kit. It’s just got that rugged look too, you know? → Read More
Pentax seems to have a sweet spot for digital cameras with funky designs, and this time it’s the Pentax K-r that will receive a limited edition treatment. Pentax today announced [JP] the so-called K-r BONNIE PINK MODEL”, a redesigned version of the camera, which was released last year. → Read More
For some reason, Pentax can’t stop making special versions of their digital cameras. In the last few months, for example, they updated their K-x DSLR with a robotic version and one designed in rainbow colors. And today, the company announced [JP] a special model for its successor, the Pentax K-r. It’s a “robotic” camera again, but this one is cooler. → Read More
Hot on the heels of the consumer-level K-r released yesterday, Pentax’s K-5 is making an appearance, though not quite as officially. Some unethical retailers leaked the specs, and Lens Tip found the leaked photo, though they appear to have taken it down. Chances are this thing is right around the corner, probably set to be released next week. → Read More
Pentax just announced two new budget P&S cameras, both of which are quite reasonably priced and ready to go into your purse or pocket for taking snaps of the kids. The RS1000, is customizable based on the color or design you chose, with a removable face plate and free Skinit gift card. Of the two, the RZ10 is a more serious camera, with a choice between four different colors: black, white, lime, and violet, as well as 10x optical zoom. → Read More
Pentax has updated its DSLR line with the new K-r, successor to the K-x. The improvements are modest: you’ve got improved ISO range (up to 25600 expanded, but I wouldn’t), a better burst rate (6FPS, which is sweet), and a much-improved LCD (3″ at 640×480). You’ve still got the same 12 megapixels and the 720p video is limited to 25FPS, which is likely what I’d choose anyway (well, 24, but eh). → Read More
The Pentax K-x might be the most colorful camera on Earth. It’s already available in a bunch of colors including a rainbow color scheme and “robotic colors” in Nippon. Now, the US version is getting a few new color options in pink, chocolate, olive, and beige. Who said cameras are boring. [Pentax via Photography Bay] → Read More
It seems Pentax Japan just loves redesigning their K-x digital camera. The company started offering extra-colorful versions of the device last September, followed by another limited edition, a K-x in “robotic colors”, one month later. And today, Pentax unveiled [JP] the so-called TOWER RECORDS × PENTAX RAINBOW K-x, designed in collaboration with – you guessed it – Tower Records in Japan. → Read More
In October last year, Pentax launched a “robotic” version of their K-x entry level digital camera, a colorful variation of the conventional black model. And today, the same company, presented another “creative” approach, the “Camera-man” [JP]. It’s not a new camera (or a special version of an existing device) but a set of accessories, namely a special 52mm lens cap (which shows a smiley) and a puppet body that needs to be fixed beneath the cap. → Read More
In March last year, Pentax unveiled the X70, a 12MP “hybrid” digital camera with 24x optical zoom that currently sells on Amazon for $380. And today Pentax in Tokyo announced [press release in English] the successor, the X90. As to be expected, the new model has been upgraded in some areas. → Read More
We’ve been looking at leaked pictures of this thing for a week or so, but there wasn’t much to say without the specs and all that. Besides, the leaked picture was just a little too muddy to show off the camera’s tasteful styling. But check this thing out: not only is the W90 waterproof to 20ft and shockproof from 4ft, it’s got a ring of LEDs around the lens to help with low light photos or movies. How come no one else thought of this? → Read More
