[heatherslightbox]

I don't think that either of the Ritz stores in my area have anything in the way of Pentax DSLRs at all--perhaps they may have a P&S or 2, but that's it. Not too long ago, one of the mom & pop shops in my area closed, both they and the other one in my area didn't have much in the way of Pentax. At the m&p store that has since closed, I went in there to inquire about the Samsung bodies they had and the girl that helped me immediately steered me towards Nikon, so it's not something that is confined to the corporate camera stores.

With nowhere decent to get Pentax gear in my area (north central Florida), I have to order online. If anybody knows of anywhere within a 2-3 hour drive of Gainesville, Florida that has a decent supply of Pentax, I'd like to know about it (that would include places like Jacksonville, Tampa, and Orlando).

Thanks!
Heather

[MrApollinax]

Searching on pentax's site the only non-ritz/wolf store within a 45 mile radius of 32601 area code is this place:

Photos Ar' Nice (looking at their webpage the camera shop is named Harmon's)
4111 S.W. 35th Terrace
Gainesville, FL 32608
(352) 336-4008
Product lines: Digital SLR, Film Cameras, Film Medium Format, Digital Point & Shoot
Contact - Photos Ar' Nice, Inc.

After that one you need to drive 80+ miles more before you find another non-Ritz/Wolf store. Hope that helps.

[cardnick]

Don't judge all Ritz stores by a bad experience in one. I happen to manage a Ritz store in Idaho and we sell Pentax as much or more than any other. The problem that we run into is supply. Ritz still doesn't order enough Pentax and when they do, they distribute it poorly. If you want your local Ritz to carry more Pentax then there needs to be more Pentax sold/ordered from that store. Just my view on the matter.

Nick

[stevebrot]

I would like to elaborate a little more regarding Ritz pushing the Canon/Nikon line.

For sure, the first thing I was shown when I started my shopping at Camera World of Oregon (owned by Ritz, but hardly a mall store) was the Nikon D40 and D80. My initial impression was highly favorable except for the build quality of the kit lens. The clerk was then good enough to tell me about the lens compatibility issues with the Nikon line. He then got down the lower-end Canons. I was not quite as impressed as with the Nikons. The clerk was then good enough to tell me that the kit lens on the Canon was junk. I then asked about the Sony and Pentax lines. They had the Sony, but the clerk was not enthusiastic and after handling the camera, neither was I.

When we got to Pentax, all they had was the K100D. I asked about the K10D and the clerk told me that they could not keep the K10D in stock because they sold as soon as they hit the shelf and Pentax was having trouble keeping up with the orders. He did assure me that they could get me one from inventory within a couple of days on a special order. I asked about lenses and got much the same answer. The clerk then started to gush about the early release/prototype D* lenses he had seen a trade show and how he could hardly wait until they were in stock. What a shame that it was another 9 months before the 50-135mm actually was available to sell.

Now, the conclusion of the story? They push what they think people want and they push what they have to sell. What you do not have, you cannot sell. What you cannot get, you cannot sell.

The story does not end there. I called the local professional camera shops and got much the same story regarding availability of product. Those that carried Pentax were unable to keep the camera in stock because of high demand and Pentax's manufacturing capacity was lagging in getting the camera to market. Eventually, I purchased two K10D from B&H (one for myself and one for my daughter) because they had the camera in stock and were actually able to ship.

[Photo Tramp]

I go along with Peter. We have heard many a story just like this from many different Pentax shooters Send a letter similar to what you have stated here and let Pentax know. Also send the same letter to Wolf and Ritz (since Ritz owns Wolf) let them know what kind of employees they have. Let them know of the disgust you have for their store. Also let them know that this letter has also been posted in a world wide forum of other Pentax users and make a note business for them could be lost because of their untrained and out of touch employees. This kind of operation is shoddy at best. They deserve to loose business. Believe me David Ritz would be very unhappy to get a letter like this. If you can get the name of the sales person and the store number. Managers and sales people alike will have chunks bitten out of their lower quadrant. up to and including the loss and separation from the company. (in other words some one will have a good ass chewing coming)

[J.Scott]

...Believe me David Ritz would be very unhappy to get a letter like this. If you can get the name of the sales person and the store number. Managers and sales people alike will have chunks bitten out of their lower quadrant. up to and including the loss and separation from the company. (in other words some one will have a good ass chewing coming)

I wonder how much of an ass chewin' they are going to get if they sold 20 Nikon/Canon cameras and sent one potential Pentax customer away unhappy. All that salesperson needs to do is learn to recite the excuses everyone has conveniently noted in this thread. If they start to sing the 'we can't sell what we can't ain't got' song then everyone's collective butt is covered. The potential Pentax customer still leaves unhappy, but informed!

For reasons unexplainable to the modern world Pentax happily remains an under-produced cult classic.

[lithos]

As much as I like Pentax's underdog status, it does annoy me that everyone knows bugger all about them.

Besides, if Pentax does take off, at least we can all do the the Indie-Music-Fan wank thing and say "Yeah, I was shooting Pentax before they got famous."

I asked my local representative of Camera House if they had any news of the K20D - this was during the time that the camera was released in the States, but not in Aus - the response was "Pentax have a new camera coming out? Really?"

Ted's did sell the K20's they had in stock quite quickly after they were released; either they were so popular they sold every one they had reeeeal fast, or they had maybe 5 K20's in stock, as the Demo model was gone from the shelf soon after the launch.

I'd email CRK about this, but I'd imagine they'd just send back something like:

Dear Lithos,

Thank you for the email notifying us of the lack of awareness of the Pentax brand of cameras and photographic accessories. We have been aware of this for some time, and your email thankfully confirms this for us.

As of now, as lack of promotion is directly affecting the sale of Pentax equipment, so as next month we are due to cease import and distribution of all Pentax products, as the brand is no longer profitable.

Thank you for your help. If you're looking for a new digital SLR camera, have you looked into the excellent Sigma products we have available through our licenced resellers?

Yours sincerely,

A. N. Arsehat, CRK Public Relations Manager.

Priests in a cathouse, those guys. I swear to god...

[roscot]

It seems it is not just Pentax, your merchandising and replenishment group has a problem getting to you. I had a long conversation with the Ritz manager local to me concerning an Epson P-3000. He can only get 1 at a time. Not even a 1 to show 1 to go. He is forced to sell the demo model. Now this is a $400 devise, I am certainly NOT going to pay full price for a demo model. The store personnel local to me are competent enough, and like Stevebrot states, you can only sell what you got. I really feel for you guys that try to do the right thing, and get no support from your buying group. It's like they are inviting us to buy on line. If you have a B&M store, the phrase "I can order it and have it in few days" doesn't cut it in this on line world we live in.

[MRRiley]

Me in local Ritz: I'd like to look at the Pentax K20D.
Ritz drone: Wouldn't you rather look at the Canon 5D. Its a much better camera. Pentax isnt a serious camera brand.
Me: Pentax isn't a serious camera brand? You do know they invented the pentaprism don't you?
Ritz drone: What's a pentaprism?
Me: You do know how an SLR works don't you.
Ritz drone: yes sir... with an SLR you look thru the viewfinder and right through the lens.
Me: How can you look straight through the viewfinder and through the lens? They are not lined up are they? What do you think makes it possible to look through a lens that is not lined up directly with the viewfinder.
Ritz drone: With digital cameras you are really looking at an LCD in the viewfinder.
Me: Nooooo. The pentaprism takes the image off of the mirror and bends it around (I didn't want to get to complicated for him) to exit the viewfinder.

at this point I drew him a picture and opened the K20D to show him. LOL

Me: Pentax invented that! Canon and Nikon have been copying it for decades.
Ritz drone: Wow, I never knew that. Are you a camera salesman?
Me: No... Just been using Pentax since 1976...

at this point the conversation became normal and when I left he knew a little more about his products...

funnier thing is... My daughter has worked on and off at Ritz for years and actively pushes Pentax... I have her well trained!

Send it directly to Ned Bunnell through Michelle Martin
Michelle Martin, michelle.martin@pentax.com
303.728.0224

I thought that this was probably a good idea.

I sent an e-mail to Wolf Camera Customer service. I've had no response from them.

I also sent an e-mail to Pentax USA at the above e-mail address.

I did get a response from them.


---------------

From: Martin, Michelle__PAIC_Mkt [Michelle.Martin@pentax.com]
to: *******@*******.net

I wanted you to know that I did pass your email on to our president.



Michelle Martin

Public Relations

PENTAX Imaging Company

600 12th Street Suite 300

Golden, CO 80401

303.728.0224


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: *****@******.net
Sent: Monday, April 21, 2008 12:48 PM
To: Martin, Michelle__PAIC_Mkt
Subject: To Ned Bunnell via Michelle Martin



For Ned Bunnell, please forward



This is an excerpt of an e-mail which I sent to Wolf Camera Customer Service today.



It outlines the local Wolf Camera stores position and attitude as concerns Pentax Cameras.



Since Wolf Camera is a national distributor for Pentax, I thought this might be of interest to Pentax Imaging.



Thanks for reading.

[lithos]

Errrrr...Pentax didn't invent the Pentaprism. Contax did, on the Contax S in 1949, but since that was a Commie camera, I guess it didn't count. Pentax didn't even make the first Japanese SLR with a Pentaprism - that was the Miranda Orion.

Other things people believe Pentax invented:

1) The M42 Screwmount. In the US, Pentax cameras were the most popular featuring the M42 mount, and thus Pentax was associated with it. Again, the M42 screwmount was invented for the Contax S in 1949.

2) The name. "Pentax" was bought by Asahi Optical Company in 1954 from...the Commies again. From VEB Zeiss Ikon, a DDR camera maker. Of course, the Asahi name was still a little too furrin for the US, hence all those "Honeywell Spotmatic" and "Tower 26" cameras.

3) The instant-return mirror. First created by a small...Hungarian, wouldyabelieve, camera maker called Gamma, for their Duflex camera.

What's important, though is that Pentax popularised these things. I 'spose during the Cold War, Pentax may have well as invented these things, in the Free World™ at least, and still is a lot of innovation for a company none of these no-talent ass-clowns flogging photo gear sneer at.

Of course, what really pisses me off is that I've been trying to get a job in a camera store for ages. Apparently using a camera other than Canon, Nikon, Leica or Hasselblad means you're not really a photographer, nor fit to talk about cameras.

[séamuis]

Me in local Ritz: I'd like to look at the Pentax K20D.
Ritz drone: Wouldn't you rather look at the Canon 5D. Its a much better camera. Pentax isnt a serious camera brand.
Me: Pentax isn't a serious camera brand? You do know they invented the pentaprism don't you?
Ritz drone: What's a pentaprism?
Me: You do know how an SLR works don't you.
Ritz drone: yes sir... with an SLR you look thru the viewfinder and right through the lens.
Me: How can you look straight through the viewfinder and through the lens? They are not lined up are they? What do you think makes it possible to look through a lens that is not lined up directly with the viewfinder.
Ritz drone: With digital cameras you are really looking at an LCD in the viewfinder.
Me: Nooooo. The pentaprism takes the image off of the mirror and bends it around (I didn't want to get to complicated for him) to exit the viewfinder.

at this point I drew him a picture and opened the K20D to show him. LOL

Me: Pentax invented that! Canon and Nikon have been copying it for decades.
Ritz drone: Wow, I never knew that. Are you a camera salesman?
Me: No... Just been using Pentax since 1976...

I spit out my cranberry juice reading that, it was as hilarious as it was disturbing.

[MRRiley]

Errrrr...Pentax didn't invent the Pentaprism. Contax did, on the Contax S in 1949, but since that was a Commie camera, I guess it didn't count. Pentax didn't even make the first Japanese SLR with a Pentaprism - that was the Miranda Orion.
....

True, ya caught me (wondered who would catch that little white lie... LOL)... Pentax didn't really "invent" it but they're the oldest "surviving" pioneer. To go into details with this guy would have taken much more time than I cared to spend at the time. My real point though was the same as yours... Pentax popularized many features and standards in the world of SLRs and too many of these drones just ain't got a clue! LOL He does now.

[séamuis]

The instant-return mirror. First created by a small...Hungarian, wouldyabelieve, camera maker called Gamma, for their Duflex camera.

yes But I believe the first camera to use a 'true' instant return mirror was the Praktiflex in 1938., then Gamma Duflex in 1947? but there is no question that Asahi Opt. Co. was the First Japanse manufacturer to introduce this system with the Asahiflex IIB 1954.

[séamuis]

here is a good list of pentax milestones and 'firsts' in the industry. they didn't invent the pentaprism but the modern camera industry owes the Asahi Opt. Co., Ltd. JAPAN alot of debt because I doubt very seriously that without this company the modern SLR would exist the way it does now. Pentax can claim more world's firsts and SLR improvements than any other manufacturer in the world.

Milestones
AOHC website