- A trusted Pentax leaker claims a new DSLR is coming in 2026, but Ricoh leadership was still figuring out its DSLR strategy just months ago.
- The last truly new Pentax DSLR design was the K-1 Mark II in 2018 — recent releases have been re-releases or niche variants.
- If a new camera does arrive this year, expect a refresh of an existing model rather than the ground-up redesign Ricoh has been discussing.
A well-known Pentax insider has confidently stated that a new Pentax DSLR will arrive in 2026. The photography community is buzzing, but there are good reasons to keep expectations in check.
The claim comes from “Asahi Man,” a long-time member of the DPReview forums with a strong track record on Pentax information. Their post was blunt: “Yes, the new one is coming in 26, no speculation.” The rumor was quickly picked up by Digicame Info and spread across photography forums.
Pentax’s Long DSLR Drought
Pentax’s release cadence has been glacial by modern standards. The last Pentax DSLR to reach stores was the K-3 III Monochrome in 2023 — a niche black-and-white-only variant that appears to already be out of production. Before that, the KF in 2022 was essentially a re-released K-70 with minimal changes.
The last full-frame Pentax DSLR? That was the K-1 Mark II, which launched way back in 2018. For context, Sony, Canon, and Nikon have each released dozens of mirrorless bodies in the time since Pentax last introduced a genuinely new camera design.
What Ricoh’s Leadership Actually Said
Here’s where the reality check comes in. In October 2025 — just five months ago — PetaPixel spoke directly with Ricoh President Yasutomo Mori about Pentax’s future. His comments suggest the company was still very much in the planning stages.
“Inside of Ricoh, the A-team was developing GR, the B-team was developing new Pentax products. So I combined those teams and asked them to design something for the Pentax brand that is a totally new concept,” Mori said.
He acknowledged a core challenge: “Focusing solely on current customers will not sustain the brand.” Ricoh’s engineers were reportedly still researching what a DSLR system camera should look like to attract younger photographers — a question the company admitted it hadn’t yet answered.
That team consolidation happened shortly after the Ricoh GR IV launch in August 2025. Developing a camera from scratch typically takes two to three years — the Pentax 17 film camera, for example, was announced as a project in 2022 and didn’t ship until summer 2024.
What to Realistically Expect
Could Pentax release a DSLR in 2026? Absolutely. But based on Ricoh’s own timeline, it’s almost certainly not the revolutionary, youth-targeting redesign the company has been discussing internally.
What’s far more likely is another refresh or re-imagining of an existing design — similar to how the KF was a warmed-over K-70, or the K-3 III Monochrome was a sensor-swapped K-3 III. That kind of product doesn’t require years of R&D and could plausibly ship within months.
A completely new Pentax DSLR built from the ground up — one that cracks the code on appealing to younger photographers while staying true to the DSLR form factor — is certainly in the pipeline. But the company itself suggested less than six months ago that it was still figuring out what that camera should even be.
Why It Still Matters
Even a modest Pentax DSLR refresh would be significant. In a market that has almost entirely abandoned the mirror, Pentax remains the last major manufacturer committed to DSLRs. Any new release sends a signal that the optical viewfinder isn’t dead yet — and that there’s still a community willing to invest in the platform.
For Pentax lens owners especially, a new body — even an incremental one — means the K-mount ecosystem stays alive. That’s worth getting excited about, even if it’s not quite the revolution some are hoping for.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was the last new Pentax DSLR released?
The most recent Pentax DSLR was the K-3 III Monochrome in 2023, a black-and-white-only variant. The last full-frame model was the K-1 Mark II in 2018.
Who is “Asahi Man” and are they reliable?
Asahi Man is a well-known member of the DPReview forums who has a track record of accurate Pentax leaks. Japanese camera site Digicame Info considers them a credible source.
Is Pentax making a mirrorless camera?
No. Ricoh has repeatedly stated that Pentax will continue focusing on DSLRs and optical viewfinders, not mirrorless. The brand sees this as its differentiator in the market.
Will the new Pentax DSLR be full-frame or APS-C?
No details have been confirmed. Given Pentax’s recent releases have all been APS-C (K-3 III series, KF), an APS-C body seems more likely for a near-term release. A new full-frame model would require more development time.
Sources used for this article:
Featured image: Photo by Tom Ramalho on Unsplash.
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