[vonBaloney]

The phones were working. So was email.

Yes, a possible legit excuse for being absent, but not for lack of communication, although it seemed like the person asked about it at the event didn't have a clue either. Maybe no one told them to show up, or they never actually agreed. It is strange, unless he/she just dropped dead or something...

[jcdoss]

Dropping dead would be a pretty good excuse.

[Allison]

Well, that is awful if they did agree to come. I am very interested to see what they say when you go back tomorrow. Still, I am jealous that you are within 50 miles of a store that carries new Pentax.

[vonBaloney]

Dropping dead would be a pretty good excuse.

I use it often.

[Blue]

Dropping dead would be a pretty good excuse.

That would require a 2 week notice.

[MRRiley]

This really stinks. I'd planned to go out but chores kept me at home. Glad I didn't bother to waste even the short 10 minute drive to get there. I WILL be asking MO what happened?

[EricBrown]

This really stinks. I'd planned to go out but chores kept me at home. Glad I didn't bother to waste even the short 10 minute drive to get there. I WILL be asking MO what happened?

I would be interested to hear what happened. I went today and I knew what I wanted. Thankfully the sales rep for Ace was great and helped me, plus the sale price was great.

[RockvilleBob]

I stopped by this morning. My apologies to all - the Pentax Rep called the store to cancel, he couldn't get a flight out of Boston. ACE Photo gets an ace in my book, I will be buying my future photo gear from them, hopefully Pentax if they deliver a good successor to the K-5. The store was just to busy to ask a lot of people and the one ACE employee I did ask said they haven't seen a Pentax Rep in two years.

I am still concerned about the 30% lens price increase (one of the reasons I picked Pentax when I made a switch two+ years ago) but if it really gets Pentax into more stores and supports the efforts of stores like Ace I am OK with the price. So far I have not seen any evidence the lens price increase is anything other than a way to get more money from their users.

[interested_observer]

I stopped by this morning. My apologies to all - the Pentax Rep called the store to cancel, he couldn't get a flight out of Boston. ACE Photo gets an ace in my book, I will be buying my future photo gear from them, hopefully Pentax if they deliver a good successor to the K-5. The store was just to busy to ask a lot of people and the one ACE employee I did ask said they haven't seen a Pentax Rep in two years.

I am still concerned about the 30% lens price increase (one of the reasons I picked Pentax when I made a switch two+ years ago) but if it really gets Pentax into more stores and supports the efforts of stores like Ace I am OK with the price. So far I have not seen any evidence the lens price increase is anything other than a way to get more money from their users.

Excuse me for being cynical, but - T. F. Green Airport in Providence is drivable and is an easy alternate. We use it all the time, since Logan is a mess.

[vonBaloney]

Excuse me for being cynical, but - T. F. Green Airport in Providence is drivable and is an easy alternate. We use it all the time, since Logan is a mess.

If the guy was actually in Boston, that's legit -- the city was on LOCKDOWN. No trains, no buses, no taxis, people not allowed outdoors lockdown...

[MRRiley]

I stopped by this morning. My apologies to all - the Pentax Rep called the store to cancel, he couldn't get a flight out of Boston. ACE Photo gets an ace in my book, I will be buying my future photo gear from them, hopefully Pentax if they deliver a good successor to the K-5. The store was just to busy to ask a lot of people and the one ACE employee I did ask said they haven't seen a Pentax Rep in two years.

I am still concerned about the 30% lens price increase (one of the reasons I picked Pentax when I made a switch two+ years ago) but if it really gets Pentax into more stores and supports the efforts of stores like Ace I am OK with the price. So far I have not seen any evidence the lens price increase is anything other than a way to get more money from their users.

Ace Photo is GREAT and the Pentax rep's failure to show (and more disappointingly, Pentax not sending someone else when he couldn't get out of Boston) was not their fault. Pentax may not get a lot of shelf space but at least they have some and the staff does know Pentax when you ask about it. They don't push it mind you, but they do know the gear. Better than anyone at Ritz (except my daughter when she worked for them) or Penn Camera (stopped carrying Pentax 3-4 years ago) any way.

Mike

[Clavius]

This is facepalm-worthy. It's unforgivable. Even if the representative couldn't get out of Boston because of a lockdown, which is a legitimate excuse of course, then get ANY other PRI employee within travel distance there to show their face. Even if it would mean he/she would be fashionably late. It's not like things are going so extremely well for Pentax, that they can afford to miss out. Pentax is like the kid in PE that always gets picked last: not interested in playing the game and clearly shows it too.

[monochrome]

This is facepalm-worthy. It's unforgivable. Even if the representative couldn't get out of Boston because of a lockdown, which is a legitimate excuse of course, then get ANY other PRI employee within travel distance there to show their face. Even if it would mean he/she would be fashionably late. It's not like things are going so extremely well for Pentax, that they can afford to miss out. Pentax is like the kid in PE that always gets picked last: not interested in playing the game and clearly shows it too.

It is entirely conceivable that there are no other Pentax employees east of the Mississippi River. The Mississippi River is 1000 US Miles from Boston at its shortest. That's 24 hours by car; there are no trains; and unplanned air travel is nearly impossible here - every seat is booked days in advance.

The Denver Post article about Pentax moving to Downtown Denver from Golden, CO said 50 employees made the move. That's all - 50, including Marketing, Parts, Warehouse, bookkeepers, secretaries and everything else After JC and JM (was Ned), how many Rep's does it take to cover Amazon, B&H, Adorama, Crutchfield, Best Buy, Target, Abe's of Maine (probably all John Carlson) and then Hunt's, Ace, Creve Coeur, Samy's Frys, Calumet and the remaining few Authorized B&M Dealers? I bet there are three Rep's: 1).National Accounts, 2).East and 3).West.

I think this was just an unfortunate coincidence, though it does indicate the tough challenge PRAC has trying to expand USA market share. UPP can't do it alone.

[normhead]

We all hate it, but Pentax is really as small as you can get and still call yourself a camera company. This thread to me is a sign of frustration with that. I'm at the point now, there isn't really a lens I want, all my lenses were purchased after a ton of research and bought on-line. The nearest brick and mortar store is 70 miles from me. I'm the kind of shopper who loves to pick up and handle everything, so shopping on-line has been an experience. I have 8mm to 400 mm covered with top quality glass. It's taken a couple of years.

But, at this point, I don't feel the need to get to a Pentax store. So the Pentax rep not getting to a show is kind of a yawn. If I've learned anything it's if a reviewer has a problem with an item, you probably will too. If you like pictures taken with a lens, you can learn to do what the guy who took the picture did. Don't ever buy a lens expecting to achieve more than the photos you like on line did. And perhaps the biggest one, gleaned form my experience with the Sigma 120-400, if there are no images on-line taken in the style you shoot with a particular lens, it's probably because you physically cannot take those images with that lens. It's just not good enough.

I'm hoping to see the Pentax Reps at EXPOSure in Toronto at the end of May. But just to hang out and chew the fat. There must be some places like that some where locally for those who like to hobnob. Even Henry's where I often buy my stuff, don't seem to know as much as i do, when I'm shopping for glass, and they rarely have anything more than the various low end lenses on the shelf. Almost everything i buy is special ordered. That's just life for Pentaxians.

Lat time I was in Huntsville, I asked to see a D600, she put a fast 85 on it, and it was impressive. And it was off the shelf. I can't image in being able to do that for Pentax stuff in a small town. So ya, I feel your pain, Pentax is not like the other guys. We suffer.

[RockvilleBob]

Ace Photo is GREAT and the Pentax rep's failure to show (and more disappointingly, Pentax not sending someone else when he couldn't get out of Boston) was not their fault. Pentax may not get a lot of shelf space but at least they have some and the staff does know Pentax when you ask about it. They don't push it mind you, but they do know the gear. Better than anyone at Ritz (except my daughter when she worked for them) or Penn Camera (stopped carrying Pentax 3-4 years ago) any way.

Mike

ACE reminds of the original Penn Camera in DC circa early 1970'2 - a lot of equipment, staffed by knowledgeable people. I bought my first DSLR - Olympus OM-1 from them along with additional bodies and lenses. I plan to buy from ACE whenever it makes sense in the future.