As first reported by dpreview on Monday, the K-01 has now been shifted to the ‘discontinued’ products section of the Pentax Japan website.
Amateur Photographer approached Pentax Ricoh Imaging UK to find out why the K-01 has been consigned to history less than 12 months since it went on sale.
Product coordinator Stephen Sanderson told us: ‘As with all cameras, once they have reached the end of their planned cycle they are discontinued.’
He added: ‘The K-01 is an award-winning camera praised for its excellent image quality and customers should snap one up while stocks last.’
Launched in the UK in March 2012, the K-01 carries a 16.28-million-pixel APS-C size sensor and sported looks created by Australian designer Marc Newson.
Newson told journalists at the time: ‘I wanted to return to the high quality roots of the brand and create something which was really unique and iconic.’
He admitted that the camera differed from others on the market and that it was targeted at people who have an interest in design.
In an accompanying video he added: ‘I think consumers will be happy that they have been given a choice.’
It is not clear whether Pentax will eventually replace the K-01.
Pentax has not announced one at this stage.
