[DeadJohn]

I am guardedly optimistic that Ricoh will be better than Hoya. I'm waiting to see whatever replaces the K-5 before making any big decisions. A roadmap or new products will increase my optimism.

[RioRico]

Ricoh seems determined to punch Canon's clock. They have done so in office machiney. Pentax is their instrument for doing so in the camera business. Maybe this is significant:

Canon President Will Step Down as Annual Profit Forecast Misses Estimates - Bloomberg

Canon Inc. (7751) said its president will step down after the world’s largest camera maker forecast profit will increase by less than 1 percent for a second straight year.

I foresee a big, bright, profitable future for Pentax.

[RonHendriks1966]

One year ago I did looked into changing to Nikon or Canon. I did'nt do that because of the money to spend and the still available learning stage to take with Pentax.

At the time I'm in a situation where I can still go on with my current Pentax gear. I even could go true 2012 without buying anything. (aldo I miss a good 300mm/f2.8).

For future, if I would descide to jump into sportsphotography for real and not hobby, then Pentax needs to grow with me. Faster camera's, with longer lifespan and better image quality at hi-iso settings then K-5 with a good and modern AF-system.

Can Pentax do that? I think: Yes we can!

Pentax needs to make a jump to a more pro-status for it's top of the line camera. If it stays in advanced league then the future is very blurry I think.

[VisualDarkness]

Pentax are already running with the big boys with the K5.

So true! After the holiday season Pentax K-5 seem to be one of the most selling DSLR in all online shops that got the camera in Sweden. Earlier they had multiple kits in the top but hey still keep up with the big boys with one of them:
(Scroll down to "Mest sålda systemkameror")
CyberPhoto - Digitalkameror, videokameror och fototillbeh

[iocchelli]

No, the autofocus electronics were in the body. The motor was in the lens. It was not successful because the contrast detect focus was terrible. Minolta stole phase detect focus from Honeywell and put the motor in the body.

Right - and, besides, I mentioned this only in response to the earlier comment that Pentax was late to the autofocus party and it's entire history has been as a laggard.

UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT!

[JFN]

Knowing nothing about the history of Ricoh's cameras, I see that this may possibly be the key here...


A short lesson in branding...

What is Xerox doing? (Most people's answer here is: photocopiers ie. "Xeroxes")
What is Ricoh doing? Ehh.. Anyone? Printers? Fax-machines?
What is Pentax doing? Cameras (Everybody knows that!)


So, if I was the global brand manager at Ricoh, and got this excellent opportunity to develop their market for cameras, I would be full of enthusiasm and work my way through Panasonic/Lumix, Fujifilm, Sony, nd all other that are not Nikon or Canon, and try to create myself a position for the brand inbetween all of those and Nikon/Canon. Next thing I'd do is stop releasing cameras that are named "Ricoh".

I think Pentax is here to stay this time.

[jimH]

I think that Ricoh has a wonderful chance of capitalizing on the Pentax brand. Pentax engineering can crank out some great DSLRs. I know Ricoh can compete head to head with Canon in the Copier and and Printer field, that doesn't mean that they need to compete head to head with Canon and Nikon right away in the professional DSLR business.

With current Pentax technology they can make a very credible entrance into the DSLR business. In my mind, what has been lacking in the companies that have owned Pentax company in the recent past, is a lack of commitment to the camera business, and the lack of a willingness to commit capital to the imaging business. So far the aquisitors of the Pentax brand have been mostly interested in their medical optics where, if you have ever had medical procedures done, is where the money is.

Now we have a company that is actually in the "imaging" business so, in my mind, they may have a different mind set when it comes to the basis of their business. I, for one am fairly optimistic in the possible future of the Pentax brand. There is a lot to be happy about with the technology they can carry forward. Pentax's weakness, in my mind, is in the electronic aspect of their technology.

Today, unlike years past, where mechanical engineering was the key to camera development, electronics, ie. sensors, processors are the basis of our modern digital cameras, Pentax, like most imaging companies, must rely on the "electronics" companies for their innovation. I'm thinking that Ricoh, with their electronic imaging expertise could leverage their technology in the electronic imaging business to work to their advantage in the "Camera" business. I may be wrong, because that's just my opinion.

[Verglace]

Unlike most here I don't really particularly care about Pentax's future. I have the camera I want and the set-up I want. If Pentax goes down it doesn't matter, its not like my gear will disappear with them. But I am interested in their (imo bad) strategy to stay relevant in the modern world.

For one thing Pentax says (in the past at least) they don't have the resources to take on Canon, Nikkon, Sony in the full frame format. So, instead they try to take them on in the APS-C format which has more competition. Now theyre trying to go into the mirrorless market. The mirrorless market to me is more saturated. Okay Canon has no mirrorless option right now and Nikon only has the 1, but its a no brainer Canon/Nikon will go there soon, so not only will they be competing against Canon and Nikon they will have to compete against Fuji, Panasonic, Sony, Samsung, Olympus. I don't know about you but that seems like more competition to me. Pentax is at a disadvantage in the mirrorless format too since they decided/have to stick with the K-mount. So they will be fighting with one hand tied behind their backs as they can never make their cameras as slim and small as the pure mirroless designed cameras.

When apple released the iPad they had the whole tablet market to themselves. Did other manufacturers go "oh nah they have that market cornered", nope they went "wow theres this whole market (pie) and theres only 1 manufacturer having that pie, we want some of that pie". Now, apple still has a big percent of that pie but the android tablets are catching up. In DSLR world however there that full frame pie and theres 2 manufacturers sharing the pie, other manufacturers are too wimpy to try to take that pie, kudos to sony for trying. (I know sony is failing but I see different reasons for why they failed) Don't even get started on full frame range finders, Leica has that pie to themselves. Petax should have made a full frame range finder for $3000 to take on Leica's $9000 monster but instead they release the Q(the worlds tiniest sensor with an interchangeable lens) an $800 monster to take on legions of $100 tiny cameras.

Pentax is trying to make cheap things expensive, instead of making expensive things cheap

[benhai]

Petax should have made a full frame range finder for $3000 to take on Leica's $9000 monster but instead they release the Q(the worlds tiniest sensor with an interchangeable lens) an $800 monster to take on legions of $100 tiny cameras.

Pentax is trying to make cheap things expensive, instead of making expensive things cheap

This is exactly what I feel about Pentax now ^_^

[cali92rs]

I think Ricoh will be good for Pentax...but I don't really care to be honest with you. If Pentax becomes the worlds largest, most successful camera maker, I won't be getting a cut of the profits.

[audiobomber]

I am guardedly optimistic that Ricoh will be better than Hoya.

How could Ricoh not be better than Hoya? Hoya had no interest in Pentax camera divsion and it showed. They killed the midrange DSLR line (K200D successor) and virtually killed off lens production. The cameras were good, but not innovative at all, just refining the K2000 and K-7 line. The 645D was released by Hoya, but it was a Pentax project before Hoya. I am thrilled to see Hoya off.

Can Pentax do that? I think: Yes we can!

LOL!

[slip]

I am confused about the direction of Pentax. I don't understand why it is still pumping out pocket cameras when the public is shifting towards smart phones and Ipads that will also take reasonable quality shots. lets face it... the majority of pocket camera owners like it more for convenience... the same which can be delivered by the previously mentioned.
I think that mirrorless, when the price drops to be more affordable is going to be the future... pocket camera that delivers DSLR quality at a (in the future) comparable price.
Yes, I think many pentax fans want to see a full frame, but at this point with a great flag ship like their Digital medium format camera, there is less of a need for this. I think if they can get a "regular" sized sensor to give as good results as full frame (and in my opinion it is going to be only a couple of model years away) this is the way to go to keep prices in the market where most of the new DSLR photographers stay.
I bought the K10D knowing it will not blow the competition away, but because it had comparable features at a lower price point.
I don't see Ricoh really a big gain for pentax.... how often in the past have you even known someone who has a Ricoh DSLR?
I think Samsung was a better match in heaven for pentax, just on their R&D budget alone. Look how well they are doing in other fields?

so to sum up what I think, I don't see a Ricoh Pentax partnership to be the best plan... maybe some cross patients agreements with other firms so they can concentrate on what they do best instead of trying to be the best at everything

Bla bla bla

[benhai]

Smart phone seems to be a big competitor on low end PS cameras. Then where should the break through comes from? Below is an interesting company that rumor said that Steve Jobs was very excited about it.




Click on one picture and then click the blurry part … What do you see? ^_^ Do you want your future pictures like this?


Lytro


Will this change the game?

:)

[slip]

Smart phone seems to be a big competitor on low end PS cameras. Then where should the break through comes from? Below is an interesting company that rumor said that Steve Jobs was very excited about it.




Click on one picture and then click the blurry part … What do you see? ^_^ Do you want your future pictures like this?


Lytro


Will this change the game?

:)

If this is achieved by taking multiple shots, then Photoshop is way ahead on this
called "focus stacking"
I think I would, if I had the money, rather carry a i something or equivalent then to by a pocket camera.
would have all I need in one pocket... maybe someday I can live the same as my kids

cheers

[boriscleto]

If this is achieved by taking multiple shots, then Photoshop is way ahead on this
called "focus stacking"
I think I would, if I had the money, rather carry a i something or equivalent then to by a pocket camera.
would have all I need in one pocket... maybe someday I can live the same as my kids

cheers

Not 'focus stacking". Light field capture.

https://www.lytro.com/science_inside

The very first light fields were captured at Stanford University over 15 years ago. The most advanced light field research required a roomful of cameras tethered to a supercomputer. Today, Lytro completes the job of taking light fields out of the research lab and making them available for everyone, in the form of the world’s first Lytro Light Field Camera.