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09-26-2010, 05:12 PM   #31
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QuoteOriginally posted by Urkeldaedalus Quote
I'm glad if it's s true that the FA Limiteds are indeed not being discontinued. The truth is, however, they will be eventually, hopefully to be replaced by something else, but maybe not, and Pentax will still keep going on regardless. Pentax actually has already discontinued (arguably) better lenses than the FA Ltds. in its history and it's still going. Some of these classics even show up from time to time in this forum's marketplace.

More than anything I hope Pentax keeps its fine lens design tradition alive. It's high time for the next generation of great lenses, even if most of them end up being for the 645D
Except for over the past 2 years, Pentax is a subsidiary of Hoya and who knows what will happen given Pentax isn't completely in control of its destiny anymore. If lenses like the DA 35/2.4 become the Hall Mark, Pentax won't be around as long as you think.

09-26-2010, 05:17 PM   #32
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Personally I don't see what the fuss is if all FA Limited got terminated. The existing DA Limited lineup is not so bad. What Pentax really need is to fix optical misalignment, SDM, P-TTL and predictive AF. If they managed to maintain a solid lineup between the existing 12-300mm, Pentax would still be viable alternative to many consumers. Sadly, I don't see Pentax is addressing those issues.
09-26-2010, 05:17 PM   #33
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QuoteOriginally posted by Blue Quote
. . . unless they are working on a new motto: "Be the Same."
Blue, I respectfully submit that Pentax is running a business, and businesses have to make a profit, so whatever they have to do to stay in business is what they have to do. It's not the first time a business had to abandon a loved and high end product to continue to survive. I love my Pentax, but unless they continue to be profitable, my beloved Pentax will go the way of the Dodo.
09-26-2010, 05:25 PM   #34
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QuoteOriginally posted by interested_observer Quote
So, exactly where did you find an email address for Pentax Japan. I have searched through their website, and for the US they refer everything back to Pentax USA. There is an email address for the CCTV cameras, but that is not the consumer products. Here is their inquiry page...

... also, check this out - where their Pentax Forum is located in Japan
PENTAX Forum

MB ( Middle Basement ) Floor, Shinjuku Center Building, 1-25-1, Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 163-0690 Japan
... I guess that pretty much sums up how Pentax feels about us. Maybe I should be happy that its not the sub-basement or lower- basement.

Going to Hoya Corporation, they have a Contacts page..... with a link for Pentax Brand, which send you right back to where you started. I guess that contacting either Hoya or Pentax is discouraged.

I wound up sending an email to...



I have been to Pentax Forum at Shinjyuku. Let me assure you that it is not a dark, hidden basement at all. Shinjyuku is where the cost per square foot is most expensive by a large martin in Japan, although where the Pentax Forum is is about 1/2 miles west of the city center of Shinjyuku. The place is at the lower half of the split first floor of a high rise building. It is about a thousand square feet, and split in two main sections; one is a gallery, and another section is where all the cameras and lenses including 645D are being displayed. You can speak with Pentax employees although I am not sure of their capacities as far as job title goes. You can also have your sensor cleaned while you wait. THey also have discounted merchandises, as well as pentax accessories that you will never find anywhere else. It is a very nice place. I would hate to imagine what the rent would there - probably about $20,000/month, conservatively estimating.


Last edited by Nubi; 09-26-2010 at 05:31 PM.
09-26-2010, 05:27 PM   #35
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QuoteOriginally posted by Blue Quote
Except for over the past 2 years, Pentax is a subsidiary of Hoya and who knows what will happen given Pentax isn't completely in control of its destiny anymore. If lenses like the DA 35/2.4 become the Hall Mark, Pentax won't be around as long as you think.
Why do you think that Pentax is controlled by Hoya and is not an independent company anymore? Hopefully Pentax will, under sound business management, become a stronger and a more vital company than they were before. Let's hope that is the Scenario.
09-26-2010, 05:34 PM   #36
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I commend the effort, but I think the customer service reps that are answering those web form emails aren't exactly high up enough in the ladder to be "in the know" or even if they did know this information, they wouldnt be allowed to state so.
09-26-2010, 05:35 PM   #37
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QuoteOriginally posted by brecklundin Quote
How about the Pentax 1.7x AF converter that is supposed to be for sale new in shops in Japan right now? You would even still have AF is I understand correctly on how that TC works. If you can locate a source it's around $350 shipped to the US.
Should we have to jump through hoops to get it? Not to mention it doesn't have WR, so I'd have to wrap plastic or something around it. I've heard of it and $350 isn't exactly a deal breaking price, but :ugh: How hard would it really be to get it stocked at adorama or b&h? really...

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

I just sent a response to the mail they sent me thanking them for the feedback saying that I felt Pentax tools have been a good fit for me.

I also took to opportunity to solidify the aspects of Pentax I find useful (WR, solid quality construction, photographer ergonomics (rule of 3rds finder), size, ...).

Mentioned that my D-FA 100mm WR Macro is a great lens (good price, good build, FA, WR, saying: "isn't it almost perfect?" ) and it would be very useful with a KODAK CCD FF camera for dynamic range as I felt that video in APS-C is sufficient. I also said I'd love to see more D-FA WR. I said FF was useful as I have glasses and would like to get more versatility out of my lenses, but the 645D isn't for me as I'm not a "Pro").

I said that a rear-converter is of most interest to me, but I also said I wonder if a 400mm f4.5 WR would be useful/profitable as it would be a great partner for the K-7 and K-5.

That's about it. I don't think they will respond this time.

09-26-2010, 05:44 PM   #38
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QuoteOriginally posted by jimH Quote
Why do you think that Pentax is controlled by Hoya and is not an independent company anymore?
For one, the email response address was hoya.co.jp...


QuoteOriginally posted by uchinakuri Quote
I commend the effort, but I think the customer service reps that are answering those web form emails aren't exactly high up enough in the ladder to be "in the know" or even if they did know this information, they wouldnt be allowed to state so.
Well it's a lot closer to the source than emailing Pentax USA. My main reason for doing it was to try and place a seed of things I find useful about their tools by crafting a personal letter to them. I don't know how often they get messages from foreign countries, so it might have just enough uniqueness to it to move up in their ranks so decision makers see it. I tried writing it in Japanese, so I think that was important as well to show them their users outside Japan care enough about the tools that they would bother to contact them in Japanese about concerns or ideas.



QuoteOriginally posted by Nubi Quote
I have been to Pentax Forum at Shinjyuku. Let me assure you that it is not a dark, hidden basement at all. Shinjyuku
I went to Tokyo in 2008, but could not find the place. I didn't try too hard to find it though. Stayed in Shinjuku for a week. I'd like to visit again, but there is no way I could afford a full trip, especially considering the exchange rate and my current employment situation. I could still buy a few new camera toys though!
09-26-2010, 05:53 PM   #39
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QuoteOriginally posted by sjwaldron Quote
For one, the email response address was hoya.co.jp...




Well it's a lot closer to the source than emailing Pentax USA. My main reason for doing it was to try and place a seed of things I find useful about their tools by crafting a personal letter to them. I don't know how often they get messages from foreign countries, so it might have just enough uniqueness to it to move up in their ranks so decision makers see it. I tried writing it in Japanese, so I think that was important as well to show them their users outside Japan care enough about the tools that they would bother to contact them in Japanese about concerns or ideas.





I went to Tokyo in 2008, but could not find the place. I didn't try too hard to find it though. Stayed in Shinjuku for a week. I'd like to visit again, but there is no way I could afford a full trip, especially considering the exchange rate and my current employment situation. I could still buy a few new camera toys though!


Sorry to hear about your current situation. I hope it looks up for you.


The place is about 5 minutes from the train station. The thing is that it is not at the eye level. Being slightly below, you do have to take about 10 steps of stairs, and but once down there, very visible. I think I got pics somewhere . . . .



Again, I applaud your effort. It was a very cool thing you did!
09-26-2010, 05:54 PM   #40
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QuoteOriginally posted by jimH Quote
Why do you think that Pentax is controlled by Hoya and is not an independent company anymore? Hopefully Pentax will, under sound business management, become a stronger and a more vital company than they were before. Let's hope that is the Scenario.
Hoya is known for a very tight leash . . . .
09-26-2010, 06:11 PM   #41
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QuoteOriginally posted by Nubi Quote
Hoya is known for a very tight leash . . . .
That's not always a bad thing, is it? Companies can't stay in business unless they are profitable. Pentax has great products, I hope that Hoya can take these great products and turn them in to a very profitable business. Eh what?
09-26-2010, 06:21 PM   #42
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QuoteOriginally posted by jimH Quote
That's not always a bad thing, is it? Companies can't stay in business unless they are profitable. Pentax has great products, I hope that Hoya can take these great products and turn them in to a very profitable business. Eh what?


Hm . . . Not sure if it is good or bad. I'm not sure if this is the right time to determine that. It feels premature. It has only been few years since Hoya took over. They may well have a long term plan for Pentax, more like a 10, 20 year visions kind of things.

Hoya is a huge company with very conservative tradition, and this company has been very opportunistic and wildly successful in the past, even during tough times.

To a certain extent, we may have a lot to thank Hoya. If it wasn't for them, Pentax may not exist today.

You are right that Pentax had and have great products. But before Hoya took over, it was a sinking ship. If the business operation was carried out as it were before, I am not sure how successful that would be.


But I will say this; Pentax engineers have been quoted in various photography magazine that Hoya does give them lots of leeways.


So I am not sure.
09-26-2010, 06:43 PM   #43
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QuoteOriginally posted by sjwaldron Quote
Should we have to jump through hoops to get it? Not to mention it doesn't have WR, so I'd have to wrap plastic or something around it. I've heard of it and $350 isn't exactly a deal breaking price, but :ugh: How hard would it really be to get it stocked at adorama or b&h? really...

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

Oh, I hear ya....something to think about though is we in the US are used to being the primary market for companies. It's sort of obvious Hoya does not view the US market or many outside of Japan as viable, right now...I suspect it's part of their on-going reorganization of the new HoyaTax. For that reason many products might be initially sold only in Japan, and maybe, and that is a "for certain" maybe in other nearby Asian countries. I offer the 645D as an example. For a change the US consumer was NOT used to help shake out the distribution and any issues a new device might have. Remember as recently as the fiasco of the green-line-syndrome of the K7 released on a world wide basis. So, maybe it's a good thing that for now it's a Japan only, if that is really the case and it's not a case of just not getting to the US and distributed to resellers yet.

I actually see the genuine Pentax 1.7x TC as a super way to get longer glass across the board for a reasonable price. Plus from what I have seen around the web, the thing really does not seem to crush the IQ like other TC's.

But, again I know what you mean about the need to be creative or "jump through hoops" to get a piece of gear, but remember in decades gone by that was not an uncommon thing for many brands or specific bits of gear.

And it could be that the big three gear sellers, B&H, Adorama and Amazon don't want to keep stocking Pentax gear under the new Hoya terms and their PITA MAP agreement. Pentax might have been a PITA but Hoya is downright Draconian in their agreements, which until we know if anything happens thanks to the new law in Maryland about things like MAP agreements which limit a retailers rights to price merchandise they have legally purchased however the retailer feels works best. But the Maryland law might render the Hoya MAP agreement requirements illegal and anti-consumer and anti-competitive. But these things take time, or might not materialize at all as it might not be worth the effort for these retailers to pursue the issue since it's not like they will go broke if they either stop completely or carry only a small set of Pentax gear.

I only offered it as a possibility for your desire for longer glass. As well as better than dropping $5k+ on the 600/5.6 lense of which they might build just 100 or so/year until a valid market shows itself.

I am not defending HoyaTax because I am not thrilled with the direction things look to be going. It's not what I bought into and for me the brand has regressed. My issues come from the lack of tethering with Liveview as all the others have...I was willing to live with marginal LV while waiting for the K7 because with the obvious that their LV had to improve, I mean it could not have gotten worse than the K20D... , it was not a rough stretch to assume the addition of LV tethered shooting...but neither happened, in fact they took away tethering. So, I am displeased with the current state of the system and in a wait and see mode for the final time with Pentax. Not too worried because either I will have croaked or my limiteds will have increased in price enough to cover a switch back to Canon and a 7D.

And yeah, the TC has no WR...not sure the 600/5.6 would either but for the price I would hope the figure anyone with that sort of cash would drop another few hundred on a 600WR.

Anyway, hope a solution finds you one way or the other...trust me, life is too short to worry about all of this...even if it's how you pay for the right to keep living...Burger King can do the same thing.
09-26-2010, 07:03 PM   #44
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QuoteOriginally posted by Nubi Quote
I have been to Pentax Forum at Shinjyuku. Let me assure you that it is not a dark, hidden basement at all. Shinjyuku is where the cost per square foot is most expensive by a large martin in Japan, although where the Pentax Forum is is about 1/2 miles west of the city center of Shinjyuku. The place is at the lower half of the split first floor of a high rise building. It is about a thousand square feet, and split in two main sections; one is a gallery, and another section is where all the cameras and lenses including 645D are being displayed. You can speak with Pentax employees although I am not sure of their capacities as far as job title goes. You can also have your sensor cleaned while you wait. THey also have discounted merchandises, as well as pentax accessories that you will never find anywhere else. It is a very nice place. I would hate to imagine what the rent would there - probably about $20,000/month, conservatively estimating.
Although I have never been there, I got that impression from the overheads, along with the ground imagery available on google earth. Interesting that Pentax does not have their name on the building.

Still, I find it difficult to be able to send an email......
09-26-2010, 07:16 PM   #45
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QuoteOriginally posted by interested_observer Quote
Although I have never been there, I got that impression from the overheads, along with the ground imagery available on google earth. Interesting that Pentax does not have their name on the building.

Still, I find it difficult to be able to send an email......


I can't quite remember, but the building is owned by an insurance company, or something like that . . . . .
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