[Docrwm]

I keep seeing posts that question whether Pentax will be around. Odd to see that on a Pentax dedicated forum but anyway.

I was at BJ's Wholesale Club last night and stopped by the camera display (naturally). Guess what they had on display?

That's right a K-7 with 18-55 WR lens for $1149. Granted it's not the best price, but it is available from BJ's and that's the first time I've seen a Pentax there at all.

[dankoBanana]

personally I don't think I can stay with Pentax without the "Pentax is dead" drama ... maybe I should buy an Olympus E5?

[Urkeldaedalus]

personally I don't think I can stay with Pentax without the "Pentax is dead" drama ... maybe I should buy an Olympus E5?

Lol, Olympus 4/3 users seem to content with the knowledge that their camera system is dead. They use the power of Zuiko to continue with their Undead camera system.

Zombie Olympus 4/3...brains!

[glanglois]

If we can settle this question, Adam can decrease forum bandwidth and I can quit wasting time and blood pressure reading those threads. We all win!

[GeneV]

I, personally, would like to see an end to threads with these words in the title.

[FullertonImages]

Pentax just handed everyone else their asses on a platter. They're not dead. I'm sure the ass handing will be reversed soon enough, but for now, it's a pretty strong sign that Pentax is back in the game, with a strong product, and won't be going anywhere.

Also, I'm with GeneV. We should have a filter set up on the forum that automatically blocks thread, upon creation, with certain keywords in the title. "Pentax is dead", "When will we get Full Frame", "Check out my first HDR", to propose a few.

[Docrwm]

I am just glad to see Pentax marketing a bit. Getting into the membership clubs is a good sign IMHO.

[GeneV]

Also, I'm with GeneV. We should have a filter set up on the forum that automatically blocks thread, upon creation, with certain keywords in the title. "Pentax is dead", "When will we get Full Frame", "Check out my first HDR", to propose a few.

Not sure about the HDR topic, but I'm with my Rocky Mountain neighbor to the north on the other titles. At the very least, directing all of these topics to single existing threads would keep the negativity confined and repetition reduced.

[WerTicus]

Cant kill it, its like a monarchy:

Pentax is dead, long live Pentax!

[KungPOW]

The "Death of Pentax" comes up everytime there is a major new release from the company.

Camera newbies, looking for their first DSLR, reading the Nikon and Canon reviews stuble onto this brand called "Pentax" and they look into getting a K10D/K20D/K-7/K-5. The reviews look good, the price looks good, and before they drop the cash online, they head down to the local camera shop, only to find not a single Pentax on the shelf.

The guy behind the counter then makes a comments like, "Pentax? didn't they get bought out by Toyota, and now they accelerate madly, and pose a danger to the other wedding guests?" or "we don't carry Pentax because we don't know that they will be arround for much longer"

The thing is, 90% of the "Death of Pentax" stories come from the USA. Sorry, but Pentax sells in a global market. The USA although it is a MASSIVE market, is not the only market. In my kneck of the woods, I don't know of a store that does not have Pentax on the shelves. I know of stores that have dropped Sony, but as far as I know, they all have Pentax gear.

My point? Pentax has a big sales void to fill in the USA. Outside of the US, Pentax is doing fine.

And that brings us back to the DSLR newbie that just bought his first Pentax. How many posts do we see in these forums, after every major release, of newbies looking for confirmation that they made the correct purchase.

The unseen benifit though, to all you in the US of A, is that the price of Pentax bodies drop faster, farther, and sooner then do the prices north of the border. Until last week the K-7's up here, were still selling for $1100.00. The K-5 is selling for $1,600.00

Yes Pentax is dead. They will not last past the 22nd century. You should sell everything now and buy Sony. Because even though they will suck till the year 2113, they will make a breathrough with their 112 Gigapixel APS-T sensor in the year 2114, and they refuse to sell it to any other companies. Start preparing now.

[Docrwm]

Did ANYONE else actually read my post? Humor and sarcasm seem to escape so many. Sorry I used it in my title. Just wanted to point out that Pentax USA seems, seems, to have been making some strides in its marketing recently. Geez.

[GeneV]

Did ANYONE else actually read my post? Humor and sarcasm seem to escape so many. Sorry I used it in my title. Just wanted to point out that Pentax USA seems, seems, to have been making some strides in its marketing recently. Geez.

I think everyone read the post and gets what you are saying, but there are certain topics that have been through the grinder here so many times that some can't bear the thought of seeing that sausage again.

I think everyone read the post and gets what you are saying, but there are certain topics that have been through the grinder here so many times that some can't bear the thought of seeing that sausage again.

Exactly. For the almost 3 years that I have been hanging around this forum I have seen this thread come up nearly monthly. It's an old topic. Just because they have some marketing now doesn't mean they are any closer are further away from dying than they were a year or ten years ago. Perhaps now with the K-5 they will get some life now and be able to afford more marketing.

[EyeSpy]

Olympus is Dead?