Digital Camera Technology

Once known as the Asahi Optical Company, Pentax Corporation is known for its lens products and they used to supply optical products for camera companies like Konica and Minolta.  Today, Pentax Corporation is keen on regaining a market that they seemed to have lost to competitors like Nikon and Canon.  One of their major products right now is the production of DSLR lenses and consumers are starting to take notice.  In 2007, Pentax aims to release more lenses that will be compatible with their own brand of DSLR cameras.

The Exhibition

Pentax Corporation just recently held an exhibition in the United States and Japan in March.  The company showcased their photographic merchandise and an overview of some of the upcoming Pentax products that consumers can expect to be released later this year.  Included are a couple of lens options and a couple of DSLR cameras that the company is excited to release very soon.

Lenses

Pentax is scheduled to release three interchangeable lenses in September of 2007.  These upcoming Pentx products are for exclusive use with Pentax DSLR cameras.  The lenses are to be developed as Star-series lenses, providing superior performance and an advanced system that will provide smooth and quiet auto focusing.  The lenses have a built in motor in the body making this possible.  Two of the uni-focal lenses (one with an angle view of 306mm, the other 460mm) are due out in September.  The third lens is a 92mm to 384mm zoom lens that is scheduled for release in December of 2007.  A compact macro, high quality lens is also scheduled for release but there has been no date announced yet; there are hints of its release in 2008.  It will also be ideal for use as a standard lens.  Lastly, one lens that will probably steal the spotlight by SLR and DSLR users us the tentative Pentax-D FA645 55mm F2.8, which can be used with existing Pentax-645 SLR film cameras as well as their digital equivalents.  There is no clue as to when this will be released but its expected to be marketed simultaneously with the new Pentax camera.

Cameras

Pentax Corporation will also be releasing a new camera and have teamed up with Kodak to improve on their DSLR units.  A tentative name the camera is the PENTAX 645 Digital.  As one of the upcoming Pentax products, it will feature a large Kodak CCD image sensor with a tentative total of a whopping 31.6 mega pixels.  It will still be compatible with existing Pentax lenses and will have two storage slots: one for SD memory cards and one for Compact Flash cards.  No date has been set for this monster of a DSLR but it is expected to hit the market by 2008.

There may be some specifications that will change with the coming release of these products but one thing is clear: Pentax is back in the marker and is willing to compete with any brand of camera out there.  If you are looking for something new and powerful for your DSLR or if you are waiting for the right DSLR unit to appear in the market, chances are that some of the upcoming Pentax products will end up on your shopping list.