Pentax is getting back into the film camera business!
Back in October, I wrote an article about a recent announcement by Leica to restart production of the Leica M6 film camera. This news was promptly followed by Kodak’s own announcement that the company was looking to hire more people for its film production division, as it is struggling to keep up with demand.
This sequence of good news was enough indication to me that there was a movement afoot in the film market, and that we were close to that critical mass of interest in film photography, enough to draw the attention of industry executives.
I predicted that this would lead to more companies jumping on the bandwagon to avoid missing out. That prediction seems to be coming true as Pentax just announced that they are getting back into film camera production and are working to produce a series of film cameras!
Mr. Takeo Suzuki aka TKO, the product planning and designer of the project shared some key insight into the vision and process.
To summarize his key message:
Film cameras have been growing in popularity, particularly among younger users, due to their unique aesthetic and qualities.
Currently, there are few new film cameras available to shooters and those that are available tend to be expensive and require a lot of maintenance.
Raw material prices have also increased, leading to higher film prices. Also, there is a smaller range of film types currently available.
PENTAX is trying to address these issues by developing a range of new film cameras that are affordable, reliable, and supported by a solid warranty.
PENTAX is also motivated to reclaim its film camera technology and knowledge, as many of its experienced engineers have retired and this is the company's last chance to pass on their expertise to younger engineers.
PENTAX's younger and older engineers have been working together to overcome various challenges and to not only reproduce the film cameras of the past, but also incorporate new technologies and ideas into the new cameras.
PENTAX's new film camera will be designed with a focus on usability, as the company wants to support the film-camera culture being created by younger users as well as cater to more experienced users.
PENTAX will also consider the needs of professional photographers, as it understands the importance of high-quality images and the emotional satisfaction of using film cameras.
PENTAX is aiming to launch the cameras in the near future and is committed to supporting film-camera culture.
TKO concluded by expressing excitement about the new film cameras and their potential to inspire creativity in photographers.
So there you have it, folks! We may actually be at a key juncture in the revival story of film photography. Here is to wishing that more companies join in the party. I am looking at you, Nikon, Canon and Olympus!