[PMunks]

Pentax seem to be in big trouble. Major high street retailers in the UK (& elsewhere?) don't even stock their DSLR's.

The 1.7x TC is a unique & useful product. It turns a DA* 300 F4 into a much lighter & shaper 500mm F6.7 than a Bigma & in good light also AF's with my DA 55-300mm.

With some complications, it will also AF t-adapter lenses.

Yet it only seems to on sale in Japan.

Does anyone know a sensible or logical reason for this?

[Mike.P®]

Does anyone know a sensible or logical reason for this?

It ceased production years ago .. It seems Pentax (Hoya) have just started making it again in very small numbers and from the looks of it they can sell all that they make (from Japan).

As for being in big trouble .. people come, people go .. pentax is still here.

[PMunks]

It ceased production years ago .. It seems Pentax (Hoya) have just started making it again in very small numbers and from the looks of it they can sell all that they make (from Japan).

As for being in big trouble .. people come, people go .. pentax is still here.

Very interesting.

I hope you are right about the brand. They do bite the dust sometimes.

I think Pentax are still very budget conscious. Better to sell all they make than to have them lying around. Lenses are made in production runs so it's also likely that the TC has a lower priority when it comes to scheduling.

[Mike.P®]

Very interesting.

I hope you are right about the brand. They do bite the dust sometimes.

I bought my K10D used from this forum 2 years ago now (to the month) and there were people saying the same thing then. I think Pentax are a lot better now than they were when I joined.

[PMunks]

I bought my K10D used from this forum 2 years ago now (to the month) and there were people saying the same thing then. I think Pentax are a lot better now than they were when I joined.

I think the K-x & the Pentax lenses I have seen are terrific & I sold half my Canon kit on Ebay to buy them before Xmas.

The history of the 1.7x TC has changed my view a bit. Jessops etc don't sell Pentax SLR's but they are losing money too.

[GoremanX]

Because the 1.7x teleconverter is not ROHS compliant. They're still using the old manufacturing parts and techniques to make it, and there's lead in the lenses. ROHS regulations prohibit the sale of such products within the European Union, and presumably there are other similar regulations for North America. This means sale of the 1.7x teleconverter by Pentax is limited to within Japan for the most part.

[PMunks]

Because the 1.7x teleconverter is not ROHS compliant. They're still using the old manufacturing parts and techniques to make it, and there's lead in the lenses. ROHS regulations prohibit the sale of such products within the European Union, and presumably there are other similar regulations for North America. This means sale of the 1.7x teleconverter by Pentax is limited to within Japan for the most part.

I'll have to stop cleaning the lens with my tongue then

[Mike.P®]

Jessops etc don't sell Pentax SLR's but they are losing money too.

Jessops aren't selling Pentax purely because Hoya refused them the credit needed to carry the brand. Instead of admitting this to the public Jessops have instead told everyone they pulled them from their shops as Pentax could no longer offer anything interesting to their customers .. which is trash, especially if you look at the K-x and K-7 now. If you notice Jessops also no longer stock Sigma lenses because, according to them, Tamron are superior .. nothing to do with Sigma pulling their credit as well then.

[pinholecam]

Because the 1.7x teleconverter is not ROHS compliant. They're still using the old manufacturing parts and techniques to make it, and there's lead in the lenses. ROHS regulations prohibit the sale of such products within the European Union, and presumably there are other similar regulations for North America. This means sale of the 1.7x teleconverter by Pentax is limited to within Japan for the most part.

That is interesting information.
If its indeed the case, at least it does mean that many older items might still be available in Japan. This seems to be the case for A50/1.2 as well, but isn't ROHS compliance applicable in Japan as well and the stuff are assembled in Vietnam?

[GoremanX]

That is interesting information.
If its indeed the case, at least it does mean that many older items might still be available in Japan. This seems to be the case for A50/1.2 as well, but isn't ROHS compliance applicable in Japan as well and the stuff are assembled in Vietnam?

ROHS is a European Union thing only as far as I know. Other countries have their own legislation which is different and may not apply in the same way. Check it out on Wikipedia.

[GoremanX]

I'll have to stop cleaning the lens with my tongue then

no no, by all means, keep doing it

[PMunks]

Jessops aren't selling Pentax purely because Hoya refused them the credit needed to carry the brand. Instead of admitting this to the public Jessops have instead told everyone they pulled them from their shops as Pentax could no longer offer anything interesting to their customers .. which is trash, especially if you look at the K-x and K-7 now. If you notice Jessops also no longer stock Sigma lenses because, according to them, Tamron are superior .. nothing to do with Sigma pulling their credit as well then.

So as usual, nothing is quite what it seems

Actually, my local Jessops has a rather third-world look about it. They are immediately opposite a defunct Borders in the local mall. I wouldn't put money on them being there in 12 months.

Thanks for straightening me out on Pentax everyone.

[Bart]

This might be of interest, especially the exemptions!

RoHS - RoHS Exemptions

[Blue]

Very interesting.

I hope you are right about the brand. They do bite the dust sometimes.

I heard the same think in a Wolf Camera in 1988. They went through a bankruptcy (along with Ritz) this past year. Some how the CEO was allowed to buy the auctioned off part of Wolf/Ritz or they wouldn't be around. The 2 big companies took it in the ear hole when that happened. Since '88, Polaroid is gone, Minolta is gone (the camera unit) and Sony has the remnants of the camera division.