Ricoh to buy Pentax camera business from Hoya

KLSMpls · 07-01-2011, 08:14 AM

Originally posted by Nass

^^

Lastly, whilst we're all dissing Hoya, I think it's worth remembering that in their very short ownership they've come out with some models that do seem to have worked rather well. Would Pentax actually have survived had Hoya not bought it?

This is a matter of is the glass half full or half empty? They may have kept the brand alive and produced some good recent cameras, but so much was left on the table. Their lens line-up was neglected as just one example and marketing was close to non-existent. Who knows what could have been? Hopefully Ricoh will see the potential and think longer term when making decisions.

vespats · 07-01-2011, 08:14 AM

Ricoh does make digital cameras already. The only two reasons buying pentax is the name and their k-mount(customers).

They basically have a k-mount history to build on, so for me it sounds great and makes sense

froeschle · 07-01-2011, 08:18 AM

Originally posted by KLSMpls

I'll have to wait for my Japanese Rosetta Stone to arrive I guess.

Google translate at least gives an impression

: Japanese Rosetta Stone alternative

steve1307 · 07-01-2011, 08:23 AM

Originally posted by audiobomber

You probably didn't watch the video I posted earlier. It would be no great challenge for Ricoh to develop a weather-resistant K-mount module.

That a good idea, might buy it in a Kmount?

This was at PMA Sydney last weekend.... I saw it.... but nobody noticed because Ricoh had a small stand right up the back corner. Pentax had a small glass case at CRKennedy. Nikon had a car standing on its end. Panasonic had a "forest" in the middle of their stand. Canon stand was unnecessarily huge (just like their cameras).

I hope Ricoh and Pentax dont just combine their marketting departments. we wont se any difference.

KLSMpls · 07-01-2011, 08:26 AM

Originally posted by froeschle

Google translate at least gives an impression

: Japanese Rosetta Stone alternative

Thanks. Doesn't work real well, but learned something new!

johnmflores · 07-01-2011, 08:30 AM - **1 Like**

Let's welcome our new overlords with a collection of Ricoh photos!

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/mini-challenges-games-photo-stories/15044...ml#post1564135

GibbyTheMole · 07-01-2011, 08:35 AM - **2 Likes**

What I absolutely need from the new Ricoh/Pentax:

1) Solidly built, reliable DSLRs at least equal in all respects to the current lineup.
2) The same backwards-compatible K-mount. This is the main reason I went with Pentax in the first place.

What I would like to see from the new Ricoh/Pentax:

1) A little advertising so people at least know they exist.
2) A few stores in the US where you can actually walk in, pick up and check out, and buy their stuff.
3) More of the non-limited lenses, particularly in the over 300mm selection.

What I don't care about:

1) FF. If I wanted a Nikon or Canon, I'd have bought one. Besides, since I shoot a lot of nature stuff with tele lenses, I consider the 1.6x crop factor a plus.
2) Funky colors.
3) What brand they slap on their cameras.

Ricoh has made some very good cameras in the past. I had friends in the 1980s with Ricoh SLRs I would've been proud to own. But just because a company once was a good one, doesn't mean they always will be. Let's hope the folks at Ricoh are smart enough to realize the opportunity they have, and to at the very least, keep a good thing going.

bigjonnee · 07-01-2011, 08:37 AM

Well I for one am excited because we all love Pentax but we see where it is failing in terms of retail marketing and limited resources, so the aquisition can only be positive since Ricoh must see the potential there and Hoya wanted to part with it.

Jan67 · 07-01-2011, 08:53 AM

I just think, how Q launch influenced Ricoh acquisition of Pentax.
Such negotiation probably started before Q-launch. I can imagine that Ricoh could require not to launch it if Q doesn't fit in their strategy and sell entire Q development/product to somebody...

kshapero · 07-01-2011, 08:54 AM

As long as it keeps Pentax in business, then fine with me. BTW Ricoh is IMHO, a very creative camera company; witness the GRX.

jsherman999 · 07-01-2011, 08:54 AM

Originally posted by Raffwal

Having read the news I was at first cautiously optimistic. Perhaps this could mean a new commitment for good new lenses, more MF products, perhaps 35mm FF in some form.

But then somebody here or on the other forum commented the Q turd had to have Ricoh's approval and I realized that was true. Such an announcement in the last days of negotiations and release just before the deal taking effect is 100% certain to have Ricoh's approval. And what does it tell us that they want products such as GXR and Q? Not very promising IMO.

.

I have not seen any evidence or official statements to this effect. 'Q' was in development for 5 years, waiting for a small sensor to appear that passed an arbitrary performance threshold.

I doubt Ricoh had any affect on the 'Q' or 645D resurrection at all, outside of an implicit approval after the fact - illustrated by their purchase of the company.

I have worked at companies that have been bought, and sometimes the bright new idea gets shelved immediately after purchase. (In this case, let's hope the 'Q' is the odd man out in the 5-year Ricoh-Pentax product roadmap.)

.

magkelly · 07-01-2011, 08:54 AM

What got me about that first article was the supposed sales figure for last year and the 10th place bit. I thought Pentax was in like 3rd or 4th place behind Canikon and 13% down with all the success of the K-x/K-7? Those figures being down really surprised me. I thought Pentax was doing better, not worse.

I guess it's okay if Ricoh buys them. At least they have a history of sorts for working together and Ricoh might put more into marketing than Hoya, I hope. I'm glad they're keeping the Pentax name though. I would miss that if it vanished.

neurocyclist · 07-01-2011, 08:55 AM

Originally posted by GibbyTheMole

What I absolutely need from the new Ricoh/Pentax:

1) Solidly built, reliable DSLRs at least equal in all respects to the current lineup.
2) The same backwards-compatible K-mount. This is the main reason I went with Pentax in the first place.

What I would like to see from the new Ricoh/Pentax:

1) A little advertising so people at least know they exist.
2) A few stores in the US where you can actually walk in, pick up and check out, and buy their stuff.
3) More of the non-limited lenses, particularly in the over 300mm selection.

What I don't care about:

1) FF. If I wanted a Nikon or Canon, I'd have bought one. Besides, since I shoot a lot of nature stuff with tele lenses, I consider the 1.6x crop factor a plus.
2) Funky colors.
3) What brand they slap on their cameras.

Ricoh has made some very good cameras in the past. I had friends in the 1980s with Ricoh SLRs I would've been proud to own. But just because a company once was a good one, doesn't mean they always will be. Let's hope the folks at Ricoh are smart enough to realize the opportunity they have, and to at the very least, keep a good thing going.

I fully agree on the stuff you "care" about. More fast teles would be great, a 300/2.8 for example.

Slightly disagree on the stuff you "dont care" about. I do wish for a full frame. I shoot weddings and other events, and there is something about the DOF that a FF produces that just can't be matched with a crop. I'll agree with you that for nature photogs a FF doesn't always make sense, but for a lot of other people they do.

As for the branding, I agree with the many other posters on here that have suggested that Pentax has better name recognition than Ricoh. If that leads to better marketing and sales, which in turn leads to better R&D..... then, I do care about the brand they slap on the camera. However, they have to play their cards right to make that happen. If Pentax/Ricoh continues their tradition of terrible marketing, then, it's all for naught anyway.

Let's hope for the best!

JinDesu · 07-01-2011, 08:56 AM

A mildly humorous bit of this transfer of ownership to me is that there's a Ricoh store about 2 blocks from my work.If they really start ending up putting Pentax products on their floor, I may have a new place to visit during my lunch!

Raffwal · 07-01-2011, 09:06 AM

Originally posted by jsherman999

I doubt Ricoh had any affect on the 'Q' or 645D resurrection at all, outside of an implicit approval after the fact - illustrated by their purchase of the company.

Sorry, but I don't buy that. If you're buying a house and have negotiated the deal for some time, the seller hardly makes significant changes to the house two days before signing the contract without your approval.

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07-01-2011, 08:14 AM	#196
KLSMpls Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 77	Originally posted by Nass ^^ Lastly, whilst we're all dissing Hoya, I think it's worth remembering that in their very short ownership they've come out with some models that do seem to have worked rather well. Would Pentax actually have survived had Hoya not bought it? This is a matter of is the glass half full or half empty? They may have kept the brand alive and produced some good recent cameras, but so much was left on the table. Their lens line-up was neglected as just one example and marketing was close to non-existent. Who knows what could have been? Hopefully Ricoh will see the potential and think longer term when making decisions.

07-01-2011, 08:14 AM	#197
vespats Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 128	Ricoh does make digital cameras already. The only two reasons buying pentax is the name and their k-mount(customers). They basically have a k-mount history to build on, so for me it sounds great and makes sense

07-01-2011, 08:18 AM	#198
froeschle Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Germany Photos: Gallery Posts: 552	Originally posted by KLSMpls I'll have to wait for my Japanese Rosetta Stone to arrive I guess. Google translate at least gives an impression : Japanese Rosetta Stone alternative

07-01-2011, 08:23 AM	#199
steve1307 Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Sydney Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,130	Originally posted by audiobomber You probably didn't watch the video I posted earlier. It would be no great challenge for Ricoh to develop a weather-resistant K-mount module. That a good idea, might buy it in a Kmount? This was at PMA Sydney last weekend.... I saw it.... but nobody noticed because Ricoh had a small stand right up the back corner. Pentax had a small glass case at CRKennedy. Nikon had a car standing on its end. Panasonic had a "forest" in the middle of their stand. Canon stand was unnecessarily huge (just like their cameras). I hope Ricoh and Pentax dont just combine their marketting departments. we wont se any difference.

07-01-2011, 08:26 AM	#200
KLSMpls Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 77	Originally posted by froeschle Google translate at least gives an impression : Japanese Rosetta Stone alternative Thanks. Doesn't work real well, but learned something new!

07-01-2011, 08:30 AM - 1 Like	#201
johnmflores Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Somerville, NJ Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,361	Let's welcome our new overlords with a collection of Ricoh photos! https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/mini-challenges-games-photo-stories/15044...ml#post1564135

07-01-2011, 08:35 AM - 2 Likes	#202
GibbyTheMole Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Iowa Photos: Albums Posts: 2,275	What I absolutely need from the new Ricoh/Pentax: 1) Solidly built, reliable DSLRs at least equal in all respects to the current lineup. 2) The same backwards-compatible K-mount. This is the main reason I went with Pentax in the first place. What I would like to see from the new Ricoh/Pentax: 1) A little advertising so people at least know they exist. 2) A few stores in the US where you can actually walk in, pick up and check out, and buy their stuff. 3) More of the non-limited lenses, particularly in the over 300mm selection. What I don't care about: 1) FF. If I wanted a Nikon or Canon, I'd have bought one. Besides, since I shoot a lot of nature stuff with tele lenses, I consider the 1.6x crop factor a plus. 2) Funky colors. 3) What brand they slap on their cameras. Ricoh has made some very good cameras in the past. I had friends in the 1980s with Ricoh SLRs I would've been proud to own. But just because a company once was a good one, doesn't mean they always will be. Let's hope the folks at Ricoh are smart enough to realize the opportunity they have, and to at the very least, keep a good thing going.

07-01-2011, 08:37 AM	#203
bigjonnee Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: NC Photos: Gallery Posts: 42	Well I for one am excited because we all love Pentax but we see where it is failing in terms of retail marketing and limited resources, so the aquisition can only be positive since Ricoh must see the potential there and Hoya wanted to part with it.

07-01-2011, 08:53 AM	#204
Jan67 Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Prague Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 84	I just think, how Q launch influenced Ricoh acquisition of Pentax. Such negotiation probably started before Q-launch. I can imagine that Ricoh could require not to launch it if Q doesn't fit in their strategy and sell entire Q development/product to somebody...

07-01-2011, 08:54 AM	#205
kshapero Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: South Florida, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 437	As long as it keeps Pentax in business, then fine with me. BTW Ricoh is IMHO, a very creative camera company; witness the GRX.

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07-01-2011, 08:54 AM	#206
jsherman999 Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Photos: Gallery Posts: 8,237	Originally posted by Raffwal Having read the news I was at first cautiously optimistic. Perhaps this could mean a new commitment for good new lenses, more MF products, perhaps 35mm FF in some form. But then somebody here or on the other forum commented the Q turd had to have Ricoh's approval and I realized that was true. Such an announcement in the last days of negotiations and release just before the deal taking effect is 100% certain to have Ricoh's approval. And what does it tell us that they want products such as GXR and Q? Not very promising IMO. . I have not seen any evidence or official statements to this effect. 'Q' was in development for 5 years, waiting for a small sensor to appear that passed an arbitrary performance threshold. I doubt Ricoh had any affect on the 'Q' or 645D resurrection at all, outside of an implicit approval after the fact - illustrated by their purchase of the company. I have worked at companies that have been bought, and sometimes the bright new idea gets shelved immediately after purchase. (In this case, let's hope the 'Q' is the odd man out in the 5-year Ricoh-Pentax product roadmap.) .

07-01-2011, 08:54 AM	#207
magkelly Veteran Member Join Date: May 2010 Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,901	What got me about that first article was the supposed sales figure for last year and the 10th place bit. I thought Pentax was in like 3rd or 4th place behind Canikon and 13% down with all the success of the K-x/K-7? Those figures being down really surprised me. I thought Pentax was doing better, not worse. I guess it's okay if Ricoh buys them. At least they have a history of sorts for working together and Ricoh might put more into marketing than Hoya, I hope. I'm glad they're keeping the Pentax name though. I would miss that if it vanished.

07-01-2011, 08:55 AM	#208
neurocyclist Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: New York Photos: Albums Posts: 72	Originally posted by GibbyTheMole What I absolutely need from the new Ricoh/Pentax: 1) Solidly built, reliable DSLRs at least equal in all respects to the current lineup. 2) The same backwards-compatible K-mount. This is the main reason I went with Pentax in the first place. What I would like to see from the new Ricoh/Pentax: 1) A little advertising so people at least know they exist. 2) A few stores in the US where you can actually walk in, pick up and check out, and buy their stuff. 3) More of the non-limited lenses, particularly in the over 300mm selection. What I don't care about: 1) FF. If I wanted a Nikon or Canon, I'd have bought one. Besides, since I shoot a lot of nature stuff with tele lenses, I consider the 1.6x crop factor a plus. 2) Funky colors. 3) What brand they slap on their cameras. Ricoh has made some very good cameras in the past. I had friends in the 1980s with Ricoh SLRs I would've been proud to own. But just because a company once was a good one, doesn't mean they always will be. Let's hope the folks at Ricoh are smart enough to realize the opportunity they have, and to at the very least, keep a good thing going. I fully agree on the stuff you "care" about. More fast teles would be great, a 300/2.8 for example. Slightly disagree on the stuff you "dont care" about. I do wish for a full frame. I shoot weddings and other events, and there is something about the DOF that a FF produces that just can't be matched with a crop. I'll agree with you that for nature photogs a FF doesn't always make sense, but for a lot of other people they do. As for the branding, I agree with the many other posters on here that have suggested that Pentax has better name recognition than Ricoh. If that leads to better marketing and sales, which in turn leads to better R&D..... then, I do care about the brand they slap on the camera. However, they have to play their cards right to make that happen. If Pentax/Ricoh continues their tradition of terrible marketing, then, it's all for naught anyway. Let's hope for the best!

07-01-2011, 08:56 AM	#209
JinDesu Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: New York City Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,638	A mildly humorous bit of this transfer of ownership to me is that there's a Ricoh store about 2 blocks from my work.If they really start ending up putting Pentax products on their floor, I may have a new place to visit during my lunch!

07-01-2011, 09:06 AM	#210
Raffwal Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: The North Posts: 879	Originally posted by jsherman999 I doubt Ricoh had any affect on the 'Q' or 645D resurrection at all, outside of an implicit approval after the fact - illustrated by their purchase of the company. Sorry, but I don't buy that. If you're buying a house and have negotiated the deal for some time, the seller hardly makes significant changes to the house two days before signing the contract without your approval.