[nosnoop]

I checked recent bcnranking in Japan and it was a bit worrying for Pentax.
For the weekly sales as of last week, none of the Pentax was in the top 50. The top selling model was the outgoing K-7 at #51, and top K-r bundle was in #54; while K-5 was at #61.

For the monthly sales in December, K-5 was at #46, while K-r was at #70. This compared with the #9 position of K-x for the whole year in 2010.
I don't think it is a supply issue, as they have been released long enough. A quick check on Amazon Japan showed that all the models are in stock.

History seemed to have repeated itself when successor models could not duplicate the success of K10D/K100D. Could this prompt Pentax to put its mirrorless/NC-1 on a fast track? In last week's chart, 4 cameras in the top 10 are mirrorless. And NEX-5 is the solid #2 in December monthly sales chart (could even be #1 when all the bundles are added together).

[aurele]

You have to consider the fact that some DSLR have different ranking due to lens kit, for exemple all those mirrorless are overrepresented du to the great number of lens kit they can be sell with.

Moreover, all those numbers are not final. BCN Ranking give their final ranking every 3 or 6 months, because some reseller give back the sell ranking lately.

[Fontan]

Dirty sensors killed it.

[luke0622]

just give a month or so, they WILL go up.... I think some of the mirrorless cameras have better sales numbers because their size, a lot non-photographers are getting it and a lot people just need a little better quality cameras than point and shoot...

[bobmaxja]

It could simply mean , Pentax do not have enought product to seel because they have to replace many of them. Look almost impossible to get in the USA

[nosnoop]

for exemple all those mirrorless are overrepresented du to the great number of lens kit they can be sell with.

If anything, this would cause the ranking of individual bundle to drop because of sales dilution. The fact that more than one bundle ranking high in the chart means that the cameras are selling very well.

just give a month or so, they WILL go up....

I do hope so. Generally, the sales of other non-Big 2 cameras tend to drop steadily, with the occasional spurts due to significant price drop.

[tybeck]

I've never been one for rankings, they don't always tell the whole picture. My question would be is Pentax pulling profit and do they have enough cash to continue R&D efforts. If you have that as a company you are doing very well.

[ukwoody]

Since Pentax America said they had sold out and exceeded their expectation, one can only assume that demand has been seen in other economies as well, especially due to the publicity the K5 is getting. That being the case, we can also assume Pentax are making money (sensor fault excepted). So I would guess the picture looks quite good at the moment.
The 645 appears to be doing well, and we know there are plans afoot for new lenses and (if rumours are correct) a new camera soon. So bring it on I say!

woody

[wlachan]

Blame poor QC which Pentax have failed to take seriously. I know many will disagree.

[magkelly]

Well let's see if Canon was selling more new cameras than they could actually make and keep on the shelves, or Nikon was, some would call that a success, but OH WAIT, we're talking about Pentax, so of course that can't be happening, now can it?

Yeah they had a little problem with a batch of the first few K-5's off the assembly line. But it seems to me that they have been selling K-x's all over the place, and that the K-7, K-r and K-5 have been doing respectably too over the past year or two.

Yeah, poor Pentax. Forgive me if I snort audibly here at the very idea that they are not doing well. Particularly in Japan where they've been selling tons and tons of those silly candy colored K-x cameras. I'm reasonably sure that Pentax is in no danger of folding anytime soon no matter how many people are seemingly wishing them into a premature grave.

QC control issues happen. Canon and NIkon have surely seen their share of problems in their day too. No big deal. Pentax is fixing the issue and making more cameras. The fact that they've sold out in a lot of places is GOOD news, not bad. It means more people want their cameras than can currently get them, which means they're in demand. Far better they are, than they're just sitting on the shelves not selling at all.

[epqwerty]

In some ways Pentax is losing momentum yes. The last two production model cameras have been a huge success. The Kx and the K7 have been very well received by reviews an the K5 have been a huge rave. They have good momentum. However, what I do see is that the marketplace is getting smaller too. In terms of Canada, we have just lost Black's as a marketplace for Pentax DSLR. They have stopped carrying the Kx and have not put up the Kr. All signs pointing to no more Pentax for them. For me that is sad since I purchased both my Km and a Kx from them.

However, you should consider the timing. It is January in which I would hazard to guess that spending ridiculous amounts of money on toys is not a top priority for most of the public.

[londy]

For the weekly sales as of last week, none of the Pentax was in the top 50. The top selling model was the outgoing K-7 at #51, and top K-r bundle was in #54; while K-5 was at #61.

Have you heard of kakaku? It's a very popular price comparison website. During the same week as the bcn rankings, kakaku has Pentax at the 2nd (k-5) and 4th (k-x) spots. I think they both show Pentax on the extreme end of the charts and the truth is more in the middle.

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[luke0622]

come on, man, still talking about QC?

Quality Control, please define that, there are more variables on QC than any of us can think of. Every single thing we own in this world would have some issues, especially electronic stuff...

Well, wanna check out the QC issue on DSLRs? Check out some issues that Canon has with their beloved 1D Mk III!!!!!!!!

[StepOne]

Quality control is all those complex things they were doing and failing. I don't think any unsatisfied owner cares about Canikon failures in QC. You buy a product, whatever the price is, and expect for it to performed as described. It's not the end of the world, they took responsibility for it, can and will be fixed. But i guess many are waiting for the next official statement "we've replaced all the crap parts, no more afected cameras on the market". Then probably you will see K5 higher in rankings.

[ukwoody]

Go onto to Oly forum on DPR and see what they think. They are actually jealous that pentax have not only admitted a fualt but offered free repair. The E-3 ( E5?, sorry can't remember which off hand) owners are furious Oly havent taken the same approach with what is apparently badly designed flaws, especially software wise.

woody