The Current Chapter of Pentax DSLRs Is Officially Over

Ricoh Imaging has announced that all current K series digital SLR cameras are officially discontinued and this chapter of Pentax SLR cameras has ended. That said, a new one is being written now behind the scenes.

The writing was on the wall. The final two Pentax DSLRs were discontinued this year, starting with the KF in the spring and, just last week, the K-1 Mark II, the most recent full-frame Pentax DSLR. However, Ricoh Imaging had said very little about the situation.

Today, the company finally clarified what had increasingly seemed a foregone conclusion: the current era of Pentax K series digital SLR cameras is over.

“As part of our transition to a new stage, we will discontinue production of the current K series digital SLR cameras,” Ricoh Imaging says in a statement. “We would like to express our deep gratitude to everyone who has supported the K series for so long.”

The company’s statement, titled “Pentax Digital SLR Cameras Aim for a New Stage,” is part heartfelt eulogy, part promise for a future of Pentax DSLR cameras. Ricoh Imaging recalls the first Pentax DSLR, the Pentax *ist D released in 2003; the sensor-shift-type shake-reduction-equipped Pentax K100D in 2006; and its first full-frame DSLR, the 2016 K-1, a great camera that was somehow both ahead of and behind the times.

The Pentax K-1, the first full-frame Pentax DSLR, arrived in 2016 with features not seen in any other DSLR. | Pentax

“Now, as we continue to examine the ever-evolving experience of taking photographs, we are developing products that aim to allow more people to enjoy the process of photography itself,” Ricoh Imaging says.

“While it will take time for these products to come to life, we will leverage the K-mount legacy that was built over more than half a century, to develop a new series of digital SLR cameras based on an entirely new concept. We will provide updates on the progress of the product development as we have more information to share,” the company continues.

As part of this transition to its “new stage,” Ricoh must leave its current K series DSLR cameras behind. But it’s clear that Ricoh Imaging believes in the DSLR system and remains optimistic that there is still something valuable about the experience of using an SLR camera.

“Ricoh Imaging will continue to pursue the shooting style that is unique to SLR cameras and are committed to creating products that allow everyone with an interest in photography and everyone who wants to try using a camera, to experience the distinctive enjoyment of SLR photography and discover the wonder of photography itself.”

This echoes what Pentax told PetaPixel last year, when it said that Pentax remained committed to the DSLR system.

“When considering the Pentax brand, focusing solely on current customers will not sustain the brand. The engineers are researching and making a strong effort to answer what a DSLR system camera should be which will attract the younger generation. That is the discussion we are having internally,” Ricoh President Yasutomo Mori told PetaPixel.

Mori characterized Ricoh’s mission concerning Pentax DSLR cameras as one committed to finding a way to make a digital SLR that was made by people devoted to photography for people who truly love to take photos. At the very heart of a Pentax camera is the idea that photography should be fun. The success of a camera goes beyond features and specs and inspires people to pick it up and use it.

The Pentax KF was the final APS-C Pentax DSLR left standing when it was discontinued earlier this year. | Pentax

That’s precisely what Ricoh Imaging has promised today for the future of Pentax digital SLR cameras, whatever that future is and whenever it arrives.

“Cameras are more than just tools for capturing images; they will be a presence that enriches the very experience of taking photographs. We look forward to bringing you the next stage of Pentax digital SLR cameras,” Ricoh Imaging concludes.