by Pentax has produced some of the best film cameras ever, and now the classic brand may be making a comeback thanks to a new film camera project launched by parent company Ricoh.
Ricoh has launched a new “Film Camera Project” that will include “research and development of new Pentax branded film camera products”. If you’ve spent your formative photography years with a Pentax K1000 (above) or just want to experiment with the tactile pleasures of 35mm film, this could be some really exciting news.
Before you start building a darkroom in your cabin, there are a few caveats. First, the project is currently in the bottoming phase and Ricoh’s statements are somewhat contradictory. For example, Ricoh President and CEO Noboru Akahane says, “I want to emphasize that this announcement does not mean that we will launch new film cameras.”
Fortunately, this seems more like a warning note about the difficulty of the project than a lack of ambition. In a launch video (opens in new tab) (below), Ricoh Product Planner Takeo Suzuki outlined a roadmap for the movie camera project. “We plan to market not one, but a series of motion picture cameras,” he says.
“We will first develop a compact film camera. Then we will continue to develop a high-end compact model, an SLR model, and finally and hopefully a fully mechanical SLR camera, while reviewing a range of technologies.” Suzuki adds. While the latter is a bit off, the goal of the first camera will be to produce a “solid guaranteed” film model that “comes at an affordable price for younger users”.
The earlier note of caution, then, stems from the company’s early stages of discovering how viable its new film cameras actually are. As Akahane explains: “We also know how difficult it will be to start film camera production again long after production has ended. We’re actually just at the starting line right now.”
Still, the intent is clear – Ricoh and Pentax “will begin research to develop new Pentax-branded film camera products”. This could potentially result in a new film camera and maintenance services. But why? The project is more than just a misguided exercise in nostalgia – it makes sense for a few reasons, given the recent resurgence in film photography.
in a roll
First, movie cameras have been resurrected in recent years. Evidence for this is anecdotal and cultural rather than statistical, as there is little data on global movie camera sales today. The effect, however, can be seen in the very high cost of purchasing the film itself (a pack of Kodak Portra 400). (opens in new tab)For example, it now costs twice as much as three years ago and is a similar story with Fujifilm’s color film.
This is partly a result of Kodak and Fujifilm underestimating future demand, leading to shortages that are exacerbated by supply chain issues. But independent factories are now rising to fill the gaps, and the picture will (hopefully) be much healthier with the ‘Pentax Film Project’ down the road.
Film cameras are also becoming increasingly popular, as Ricoh and Pentax have noted in their projects. According to Ricoh, this is “particularly true among the younger generation, who “take pictures with film cameras, develop the film, and then upload the images in digitized form to social media sites without final printing.”
But the problem with old film cameras is that they’re old. This means that mechanical parts such as shutters can break or require the service of a dwindling number of specialist technicians. While still too early, this new project promises to make owning film cameras a smoother experience, including after-sales service.
The final reason why the Ricoh and Pentax project makes sense is that there is no real competition from any brand, specifically Pentax’s legacy. The company has been at the heart of Japanese film camera innovation from the 1950s, and in 1960 introduced groundbreaking devices such as the Pentax Spotmatic that offered TTL (through the lens) measurement for the first time, so you don’t have to carry a separate camera with you. Light meter.
While it’s unclear whether we’ll see a reborn version of the much-loved Pentax K1000 SLR, the ‘Film Camera Project’ is a must-see if you want to join the resurgence of 35mm film cameras.
