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07-06-2011, 11:32 PM - 1 Like   #601
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I don't think Pentax should be too quick following Sony down the translucent (pellicle) mirror path for it's DSLR range. They technically aren't even DSLRs anymore, just a variation on the EVIL them, and I've yet to see an electronic viewfinder I'm totally happy with. Sony are contemplating a translucent mirror for the A900's replacement, but I think it will have a hard time convincing buyers that an electronic viewfinder is good enough for a 30MP+ FF camera. Such a viewfinder is technically possible, but affordable? Sony probably needs to make two FF models. One SLT model with all the wizz bang video trickery and also a real prism model for purists.

07-07-2011, 02:40 AM   #602
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QuoteOriginally posted by markac Quote
I don't think Pentax should be too quick following Sony down the translucent (pellicle) mirror path for it's DSLR range. They technically aren't even DSLRs anymore, just a variation on the EVIL them, and I've yet to see an electronic viewfinder I'm totally happy with. Sony are contemplating a translucent mirror for the A900's replacement, but I think it will have a hard time convincing buyers that an electronic viewfinder is good enough for a 30MP+ FF camera. Such a viewfinder is technically possible, but affordable? Sony probably needs to make two FF models. One SLT model with all the wizz bang video trickery and also a real prism model for purists.
The EVF powered camera would be the best choice of one who uses manual focus optics (with peaking enabled). Not so good for low light situations though. And I think it should be EVIL, not SLR.
07-07-2011, 03:20 AM   #603
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QuoteOriginally posted by piledon Quote
True enough. Minolta abandoned the MD mount, didn't survive and is now Sony - which has far more brand value than Minolta in general, though I'm not sure if it does in the rarefied air of the SLR world. I had Minolta gear; they abandoned me, I wasn't happy about it. I'd replace them with Sony in your list for today (though is Olympus a factor? I looked at these five when deciding which DSLR to choose and of course chose Pentax and Olympus was quickly factored out).

Furthermore, to some of the other discussion, there's no reason to can the K-mount; it's clearly evolved along with technology to an adequate degree that the MD mount couldn't. Ricoh could conceivably resurrect their K-mount lenses, if necessary, too. Some were pretty damned good.
Canning the K mount would defeat the purpose of buying Pentax. Ricoh did not make any lenses. It rebadged them. Some of the Ricoh lenses were clearly identical to Vivitar Series 1 lenses and were made by Kino Precision. Others may be made by somebody else. Ricoh therefore has nothing to resurrect. Minolta did not survive because Konica bought it. Konica used to be an SLR camera maker (one of Japan's big 6) but stopped selling them in the 1980's. Konica bought Minolta primarily because of the copier business. WHen Minolta priced its first DSLR too high and sales tanked, Konica decided to just get rid of Minolta.
07-07-2011, 03:26 PM   #604
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QuoteOriginally posted by Anastigmat Quote
Canning the K mount would defeat the purpose of buying Pentax.
I agree. IMHO, the Pentax K-5 was Ricoh's main reason to buy Pentax. The technology behind, I mean, incl. glass and future developments. And the brand name and user base as well, of course. But still I believe the K-5 was what made Ricoh buy.

The Q is probably influenced by Ricoh. But I don't see it as a reason to buy Pentax. More as a consequence. So, the reason must be Pentax ability to build and successfully sell $1000+ cameras and lenses.

Therefore, I agree. Ricoh will keep the K-mount and possibly try to expand its business.

07-07-2011, 10:36 PM   #605
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Do we know yet at which plant the Pentax Q will be manufactured? It was said that it will be manufactured in Thailand, but Pentax does not have manufacturing plants there. Ricoh does though.
07-07-2011, 10:48 PM   #606
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QuoteOriginally posted by Asahiflex Quote
Do we know yet at which plant the Pentax Q will be manufactured? It was said that it will be manufactured in Thailand, but Pentax does not have manufacturing plants there. Ricoh does though.
It is still Philippines. Lenses some in Thailand and Vietnam.
07-08-2011, 12:04 PM   #607
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Anyone else think it'll take two generations/releases of DSLRs until consumers are less gun shy about buying into Pentax again?
With Hoya, people finally seemed to get excited about the K-5 because of the great reviews, then this Ricoh buyout thing has some people freaked out again... :-P

07-08-2011, 12:10 PM   #608
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Meh, it will turn around very quickly if Ricoh puts out some interesting gear.
07-08-2011, 12:15 PM   #609
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QuoteOriginally posted by audiobomber Quote
Meh, it will turn around very quickly if Ricoh puts out some interesting gear.
It will do fine if releases keep coming and if Add dollars flow even better (BTW Henrys Camera the biggest chain in canada dropped a multi brand add today, the K5 was there on the same page as the 7 D and the D7000 and had the lowest AD price by virtue of being a body only ad, versus the canikons with kit lenses
Good to see as I haven't seen any print ad for pentax in a fair while
07-08-2011, 12:16 PM   #610
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People freak out for any reason they can find. While we can expect changes, they should be for the better because Ricoh is serious about getting into the interchangeable lens market.
07-08-2011, 01:00 PM   #611
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QuoteOriginally posted by eddie1960 Quote
Good to see as I haven't seen any print ad for pentax in a fair while
Just this month in a magazine in an add from one off the biggest internetshops (they also have two megastores) an add with the K-5 prominent in it. This was a new think to me too to see. So there is some movement.

There was for Saturn a two page spread about all the Pentax gear in a brochure also last week.
07-08-2011, 02:03 PM   #612
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QuoteOriginally posted by sjwaldron Quote
People freak out for any reason they can find.
+5. it's the Chicken Little Complex aka Teabaggery-- any change is bad, any uncertainty is terror, things are only getting worse, yada yada.

QuoteQuote:
While we can expect changes, they should be for the better because Ricoh is serious about getting into the interchangeable lens market.
Cut-throat competition in the P&S market, further pressured by phone sales, make more lucrative larger-format systems really attractive to makers. I just read that for Canon (I think), dSLRs account for 21% of camera sales (gross) but 65% of profits (net). Why build dSLRs? It's like robbing banks -- that's where the money is.
07-08-2011, 03:00 PM   #613
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QuoteOriginally posted by RioRico Quote
+5. it's the Chicken Little Complex aka Teabaggery-- any change is bad, any uncertainty is terror, things are only getting worse, yada yada.


. . .

Change just to be changing isn't always good either, aka teacuppery. I don't think I'll try square tires anytime soon. In reality, this situation isn't so much about change but the concern about the risk of an orphan mount however small. It isn't about terror, its just a camera so if it does endup orphaned, I'll stick to K-mount and 6x7 for film like have done for the most part, and for digital I wold eventually move back to Nikon, Oly or maybe even Sony. In the event which I thinks is unlikely but possible that Ricoh moves to another mounts etc., I want reward them by buying up lenses to replace my DA 21, 35, and 40 Ltd and DA* 300 in whatever mount they were to contrive to replace it. My F 28, FA 50/1.4, FA 77 ltd and D FA 100mm will work on af film bodies. That said, I think it would be a dumb thing for them to do, because if people are hesitant to by K-mount, the sure as the devil won't be so quick to put their trust in some unproven cup.

Last edited by Blue; 07-08-2011 at 03:11 PM.
07-08-2011, 03:21 PM   #614
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I got into a bit of trouble earlier in this thread with my quip that I was surprised Ricoh could get together enough money for a cup of coffee much less buy Pentax.

This is a story that broke in late may:

Ricoh to cut 9 percent of global workforce - seattlepi.com

QuoteQuote:
TOKYO (AP) — Ricoh Co. will reduce its global workforce by 9 percent as the Japanese copier maker seeks to overhaul its struggling business.
The Tokyo-based company said Thursday it plans to cut 10,000 of its 109,000 workers over the next three years. It will also streamline redundant operations, withdraw from unprofitable businesses and shift toward new growth areas.
Ricoh expects the changes outlined in its midterm management strategy to bolster operating profit by 140 billion yen ($1.7 billion) by the fiscal year ending March 2014. It targets net sales of at least 2.4 trillion yen ($29.2 billion), which would represent a 24 percent increase from revenue in the just-ended fiscal year.
The company has been battling a strong yen, the lingering effects of the global financial crisis and rapidly changing market demands.
Japan's recent disaster further exacerbated woes. The March 11 earthquake and tsunami damaged equipment and factories. In its earnings report last month, Ricoh expressed uncertainty about the outlook this fiscal year amid potential power shortages and ongoing supply chain issues.
Investors cheered Ricoh's latest announcement and sent its shares higher on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. The issue jumped more than 4 percent to 885 yen, outpacing a 1.5 percent rise of the benchmark Nikkei 225 stock average.

Ricoh also announced it would be cutting 10,000 jobs worldwide over a 3 year period.

BBC News - Japan's Ricoh to cut 10,000 jobs

QuoteQuote:
BBC UK 26 May 2011 Last updated at 01:30 ET

Japan's Ricoh to cut 10,000 jobs

Japan office equipment maker Ricoh has said it plans to cut its global workforce by about 10,000 people, in order to reduce costs. The company currently has about 110,000 employees around the world.
Shares in Ricoh surged more than 7% on the news.
The company, which makes copiers and cameras, was hit by the global financial crisis and is struggling to recover.
"We have become a big company and need to re-engineer our corporate structure throughout to become more muscular," said Shiro Kondo, president and chief executive.
"We have done very little pruning of unprofitable businesses, and we need to pull out of some."
Tougher competition Ricoh, which is based in Tokyo, expects the job cuts will cost around 60bn yen ($733m; £449m) over two years.
But the measures are eventually expected to boost operating profit by 140bn yen in three years.
The company has been hurt by a stronger yen.
The earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan on 11 March damaged some of Ricoh's facilities.
Japanese companies are finding it hard to compete against lower-priced rivals from South Korea and China.
In April, Panasonic, Japan's top consumer electronics maker, announced it was cutting 17,000 jobs around the world, also in an effort to reduce costs.
Panasonic expects to have a workforce of 350,000 people after wide-ranging reforms ending in March 2013.
It said operations at factories hit by the recent Japanese earthquake were recovering steadily, but disruptions in its supply chain were still affecting output.
And a little over a month later, they are buying Pentax. Is this where the money for the Latte came from?



sarcasm

Last edited by Blue; 07-08-2011 at 03:33 PM.
07-08-2011, 03:52 PM   #615
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QuoteOriginally posted by Blue Quote
And a little over a month later, they are buying Pentax. Is this where the money for the Latte came from?
See my previous post in this thread (#422), in which I wondered this exact same thing. In fact, Blue, I was thinking about your cup of java quip when I typed that one. Seriously, in the world of high tech and big business losing money is hardly ever a reason not to spend it when a deal such as this comes along. $140 million for a whole, prestigious camera company? Come on, that's a bargain in this economy or any other. But even saying that I can't believe Ricoh would spend this amount and sit on their corporate haunches. I expect great things coming after October 1. We can take them to task later if they let Pentax rot. But I suggest giving it a little time for Ricoh to spin up the momentum.
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