Ricoh Unveils Ultra-Compact PENTAX KP, a Weatherproof DSLR That Provides Outdoor Photographers with New Standard for Quality, Customization and Ease of Use

WEST CALDWELL, N.J., Jan. 25, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Ricoh Imaging Americas Corporation today announced the PENTAX KP, an ultra-compact and highly portable DSLR with features and controls that facilitate capturing outstanding images, even in the most demanding conditions. The PENTAX KP packs many of the advanced capabilities of the award-winning PENTAX K-3 series into a modern, slim-body design that lends itself to applications from casual snapshots to serious outdoor photography while mountain climbing or trekking. The PENTAX KP also adds a new generation of innovations including a new, highly sensitive APS-C CMOS sensor and is the first PENTAX APS-C camera to incorporate Shake Reduction II (SR II), which features a five-axis mechanism to compensate for camera shake up to 5 steps.

The new 24-megapixel CMOS sensor enables shooting in extremely low-light conditions, with sensitivity to ISO 819200, making the camera ideal for night photography. The PENTAX KP features an electronic shutter option in live-view to enable high-speed shooting up to 1/24,000-second, which greatly broadens shooting capabilities when using large aperture lenses to achieve a shallow depth of field on a bright sunny day.

The PENTAX KP's compact body is the result of a complete internal re-design to produce an advanced DSLR camera with an extremely slim profile for optimal comfort and handling. The KP's rugged exterior is dustproof and weather-sealed to enable use in the most challenging outdoor conditions. The camera will perform in temperatures as low as 14 degrees F (-10 degrees C).

The PENTAX KP incorporates additional advanced technologies and ease-of-use features that have long been the hallmark of PENTAX cameras and enable them to be used comfortably and reliably in a wide range of conditions. These include:

    --  5-Axis Shake Reduction System: The PENTAX KP is the first PENTAX APS-C
        DSLR to offer the new generation SR II system, which uses a five-axis
        mechanism to compensate for camera shake caused by horizontal and
        vertical shift (often generated in macro photography), roll (difficult
        to handle by lens-installed shake reduction mechanisms), as well as
        pitch and yaw. The SR II unit is controlled with great precision as soon
        as the camera's power is turned on, providing a wide compensation
        range--as much as five shutter steps--to further expand the limits of
        handheld shooting. With the addition of an optional accessory GPS module
        (O-GPS1 GPS unit), the PENTAX KP, simplifies astro-photography, making
        it possible to record stars as points of light rather than star trails
        during extremely long exposures.
    --  Pixel Shift Resolution: This acclaimed PENTAX technology enables
        producing color-accurate still-life subjects with the highest resolving
        power. The technology uses the KP's in-body Shake Reduction System to
        move the image sensor in single-pixel increments, to capture four
        separate images that are subsequently combined into a single,
        high-definition image.
    --  A vertical-tilt LCD monitor that facilitates high- and low-angle
        shooting.
    --  A grip replacement system that lets photographers choose their
        preference of grip based on shooting style or lens choice. In addition
        to the standard grip that comes with the PENTAX KP, accessory grips
        include medium (M) and large (L) grips (these will come packaged with KP
        bodies sold in North America), as well as the optional D-BG7 Battery
        Grip.
    --  Control panels, button settings and dial controls that can all be
        customized, based on a user's preference.

"We designed the PENTAX KP to appeal to the world's most discerning outdoor photographers, who will appreciate its rich and powerful feature set and rugged, compact design, whether they are shooting a landscape on a trek in Patagonia or capturing an eclipse," said Kaz Eguchi, president, Ricoh Imaging Americas. "From Pixel Shift Resolution to our new generation of Shake Reduction, PENTAX proudly continues to lead the way in photographer-friendly innovation."

| Pricing and Availability |

The PENTAX KP camera will be available on February 25 for a suggested list price of $1,099.95 at www.us.ricoh-imaging.com as well as at Ricoh Imaging-authorized retail outlets throughout North America.

| About Ricoh Imaging Americas Corporation|

Ricoh Imaging Americas Corporation is a subsidiary of Ricoh Company Ltd., a global technology company specializing in office imaging equipment, production print solutions, document management systems and IT services. Headquartered in Tokyo, Ricoh Group operates in about 200 countries and regions.

The company now known as Ricoh Imaging Americas Corporation was originally founded in 1919, under the name Asahi Optical Joint Stock Co. and launched its first SLR camera in the 1950s under the PENTAX name. Today, Ricoh Imaging Americas Corporation continues to produce the heritage-rich, award-winning line of PENTAX DSLR cameras, lenses and sport optics equipment as well as Ricoh's offering of stylish and compact digital cameras, known for their wide-ranging, rich set of features.

For further information, please visit www.ricohimaging.com

© 2017 Ricoh Imaging Americas Corporation. All rights reserved. All referenced product names are the trademarks of their respective companies.

For More Information, Contact:
Barbara Hagin
Breakaway Communications for Ricoh
[phone]
[e-mail]

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SOURCE Ricoh Imaging Americas Corporation