There's no doubt in my mind that if Ricoh had not taken control then Pentax would have walked the plank in 2011. Since then Ricoh seem to have worked their way through Pentax methodically and they seem to have introduced robust management and brought plant and R&D up to steam at a cost of many millions of $$$. The result is a Pentax line-up that's stronger than anything they've had since the advent of digital cameras particularly now that there is a highly impressive FF camera in the range.
That said, things are still very bitty. Pentax strikes me as a very good choice if you live somewhere the brand is popular and well-supported, as it is in France, say. I do think the lens catalogue is in need of an update, though. The screwdriven divisions have had their day. Alas, though, in my country the Pentax presence is modest and half-hearted to the point that dealing with them was just plain depressing and I had to let them go. A few ads here and there, patchy retail availability and some amateur kids no one's heard of for brand ambassadors just doesn't cut it. Happy to revisit if this changes but it's hard to see how Pentax are going to hang on in some geographic regions with their present below-the-radar marketing. Other brands here have put a lot into impressive community relations with their users and/or retailers and they are reaping the benefits.
Last edited by mecrox; 07-16-2016 at 01:09 PM.