Ricoh to buy Pentax camera business from Hoya

TOUGEFC · 06-30-2011, 11:35 PM

Sounds like good news to me, I think Hoya was holding Pentax back on alot of things, and now with Ricoh in charge, they may just let Pentax be all that it could be.

lammie200 · 06-30-2011, 11:36 PM

Originally posted by Vylen

I for one do not like the idea.

...Maybe it will be a good thing - I don't know.

I have always been leery of Ricoh products ever since I was burned on one of their autofocus Mirai cameras in the 90's. Total POS. Hailed as innovative, but faulty in reality. It was very expensive as well.

While everyone else is tilting toward mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras as the next big thing, Ricoh's flagship model has interchangeable lens with integrated sensor modules. I can only venture a guess as to the high price the consumer is subject to by acquiring this system over others. Innovative? Maybe. Complicated? Definitely. Necessary? Not sure, but guessing it isn't.

If Ricoh is serious about the camera market it should drop its brand and put Pentax in the forefront. Dump loads into R & D, production, quality control, and marketing. There may be room to challenge the big two or three for more market share, but the Ricoh brand isn't going to do it.

EDIT: DAMN! I just rewrote my post because I thought that I screwed up. Oh well, nevermind.

adpo · 06-30-2011, 11:36 PM

@Emacs - or maybe a redesign of the Q a la GRD?

jsherman999 · 06-30-2011, 11:36 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by abgsiddiq

Is this good news or bad news? Hopefully good news

Impossible to say for sure, but it seems to be more likely good news. Ricoh's core business can use Pentax Imaging more than Hoya's. Ricoh is larger than Hoya. Ricoh knows how to compete - it took on Canon directly in copiers and did extremely well against them. And it has a large distribution network.

A possible bad outcome: Pentax was just bought for the Intellectual property only, not the brand, and everything gets rebranded "Ricoh", and slowly undergoes.... a Sea Change. Sort of the Minolta-->Sony pattern, but worse.

hawk1500 · 06-30-2011, 11:43 PM

Hopefully they realize that Pentax has a better name than Ricoh in the camera business...at least I think they do.

Originally posted by jsherman999

Impossible to say for sure, but it seems to be more likely good news. Ricoh's core business can use Pentax Imaging more than Hoya's. Ricoh is larger than Hoya. Ricoh knows how to compete - it took on Canon directly in copiers and did extremely well against them. And it has a large distribution network.

A possible bad outcome: Pentax was just bought for the Intellectual property only, not the brand, and everything gets rebranded "Ricoh", and slowly undergoes.... a Sea Change. Sort of the Minolta-->Sony pattern, but worse.

philbaum · 06-30-2011, 11:54 PM

Well, there should be a synergy between the electronics/programming of Ricoh compact cameras with Pentax DSLR cameras. The overall cost of the programming/electronics effort can now be supported by a larger fleet of cameras, i think.

Hoya probably kept the Pentax brand name to benefit their sales of medical equipment. I'm not sure the Pentax name has much recognition among the younger generations so that may not be much of a loss. It is nice that Ricoh has gone up against Canon before with their copiers. This is probably why Pentax has not announced any new camera lenses for the future, perhaps waiting for subsequent meetings with their new owners.

deejjjaaaa · 06-30-2011, 11:56 PM

now Adam shall sell the forum to Ricoh Forum • Portal

adr1an · 06-30-2011, 11:59 PM

Wonder if Ricoh will do something similar to the Toyota/Lexus thing and market the Pentax lineup under the Pentax brand name as the Premiun/High-End and retain the Ricoh name for the 'entry level' market whilst leveraging the IP/Tech from the Pentax Imaging business.

The medium-format stuff alluded to would compliment their existing document-archiving activities, so I see that definitely done under the Ricoh banner...

Kenn100D · 07-01-2011, 12:00 AM

It is Confirmed!!!! Hoya Sells Pentax to Ricoh.
Official: Ricoh set to acquire Pentax camera brand and business, get serious about digital imaging -- Engadget

Jonathan Mac · 07-01-2011, 12:02 AM

How about we immediately start a new thread for K system requests to Ricoh?

I don´t know enough about their camera philosophy to judge what will happen, but I hope they will be smart enough to develop the lens lineup. Hoya did some good things for the camera lineup but pretty much left the lens lineup to rot. We´ll just have to wait and see. TBH, I´m surprised by the sale, as Pentax is more profitable under Hoya and they could have built up the business more (made more money) and then sold it on later.

Kenn100D · 07-01-2011, 12:02 AM

Its official Then.

Clavius · 07-01-2011, 12:07 AM

I smell the sweet smell of employee discount!!

Kenn100D · 07-01-2011, 12:09 AM

Full Frame Anyone?

KungPOW · 07-01-2011, 12:10 AM

So that fact that old Ricoh lenses get stuck on Pentax autofocus bodies is kind of ironic...

Kenn100D · 07-01-2011, 12:14 AM - **1 Like**

I guess the theme song " Stuck on you" will be nice during the deal.

06-30-2011, 11:36 PM	#32
lammie200 Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: San Francisco Photos: Albums Posts: 1,033	Hmmm... Originally posted by Vylen I for one do not like the idea. ...Maybe it will be a good thing - I don't know. I have always been leery of Ricoh products ever since I was burned on one of their autofocus Mirai cameras in the 90's. Total POS. Hailed as innovative, but faulty in reality. It was very expensive as well. While everyone else is tilting toward mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras as the next big thing, Ricoh's flagship model has interchangeable lens with integrated sensor modules. I can only venture a guess as to the high price the consumer is subject to by acquiring this system over others. Innovative? Maybe. Complicated? Definitely. Necessary? Not sure, but guessing it isn't. If Ricoh is serious about the camera market it should drop its brand and put Pentax in the forefront. Dump loads into R & D, production, quality control, and marketing. There may be room to challenge the big two or three for more market share, but the Ricoh brand isn't going to do it. EDIT: DAMN! I just rewrote my post because I thought that I screwed up. Oh well, nevermind.

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06-30-2011, 11:35 PM	#31
TOUGEFC Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Brisbane Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,561	Sounds like good news to me, I think Hoya was holding Pentax back on alot of things, and now with Ricoh in charge, they may just let Pentax be all that it could be.

06-30-2011, 11:36 PM	#33
adpo Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Arizona Photos: Gallery Posts: 888	@Emacs - or maybe a redesign of the Q a la GRD?

06-30-2011, 11:36 PM - 1 Like	#34
jsherman999 Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Photos: Gallery Posts: 8,237	Originally posted by abgsiddiq Is this good news or bad news? Hopefully good news Impossible to say for sure, but it seems to be more likely good news. Ricoh's core business can use Pentax Imaging more than Hoya's. Ricoh is larger than Hoya. Ricoh knows how to compete - it took on Canon directly in copiers and did extremely well against them. And it has a large distribution network. A possible bad outcome: Pentax was just bought for the Intellectual property only, not the brand, and everything gets rebranded "Ricoh", and slowly undergoes.... a Sea Change. Sort of the Minolta-->Sony pattern, but worse.

06-30-2011, 11:43 PM	#35
hawk1500 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 270	Hopefully they realize that Pentax has a better name than Ricoh in the camera business...at least I think they do. Originally posted by jsherman999 Impossible to say for sure, but it seems to be more likely good news. Ricoh's core business can use Pentax Imaging more than Hoya's. Ricoh is larger than Hoya. Ricoh knows how to compete - it took on Canon directly in copiers and did extremely well against them. And it has a large distribution network. A possible bad outcome: Pentax was just bought for the Intellectual property only, not the brand, and everything gets rebranded "Ricoh", and slowly undergoes.... a Sea Change. Sort of the Minolta-->Sony pattern, but worse.

06-30-2011, 11:54 PM	#36
philbaum Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Port Townsend, Washington State, USA Posts: 3,659	Well, there should be a synergy between the electronics/programming of Ricoh compact cameras with Pentax DSLR cameras. The overall cost of the programming/electronics effort can now be supported by a larger fleet of cameras, i think. Hoya probably kept the Pentax brand name to benefit their sales of medical equipment. I'm not sure the Pentax name has much recognition among the younger generations so that may not be much of a loss. It is nice that Ricoh has gone up against Canon before with their copiers. This is probably why Pentax has not announced any new camera lenses for the future, perhaps waiting for subsequent meetings with their new owners.

06-30-2011, 11:56 PM	#37
deejjjaaaa Veteran Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: steel city / rust belt Posts: 2,043	now Adam shall sell the forum to Ricoh Forum • Portal

06-30-2011, 11:59 PM	#38
adr1an Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Canberra Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 739	Wonder if Ricoh will do something similar to the Toyota/Lexus thing and market the Pentax lineup under the Pentax brand name as the Premiun/High-End and retain the Ricoh name for the 'entry level' market whilst leveraging the IP/Tech from the Pentax Imaging business. The medium-format stuff alluded to would compliment their existing document-archiving activities, so I see that definitely done under the Ricoh banner...

07-01-2011, 12:00 AM	#39
Kenn100D Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Paranaque City, Philippines Photos: Gallery Posts: 697	It is Confirmed!!!! Hoya Sells Pentax to Ricoh. Official: Ricoh set to acquire Pentax camera brand and business, get serious about digital imaging -- Engadget

07-01-2011, 12:02 AM	#40
Jonathan Mac Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Madrid, Spain Posts: 10,897	How about we immediately start a new thread for K system requests to Ricoh? I don´t know enough about their camera philosophy to judge what will happen, but I hope they will be smart enough to develop the lens lineup. Hoya did some good things for the camera lineup but pretty much left the lens lineup to rot. We´ll just have to wait and see. TBH, I´m surprised by the sale, as Pentax is more profitable under Hoya and they could have built up the business more (made more money) and then sold it on later.

07-01-2011, 12:07 AM	#42
Clavius Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: De Klundert Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,150	I smell the sweet smell of employee discount!!

07-01-2011, 12:09 AM	#43
Kenn100D Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Paranaque City, Philippines Photos: Gallery Posts: 697	Full Frame Anyone?

07-01-2011, 12:10 AM	#44
KungPOW Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Vancouver, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,699	So that fact that old Ricoh lenses get stuck on Pentax autofocus bodies is kind of ironic...

07-01-2011, 12:14 AM - 1 Like	#45
Kenn100D Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Paranaque City, Philippines Photos: Gallery Posts: 697	I guess the theme song " Stuck on you" will be nice during the deal.