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07-04-2011, 07:10 AM   #31
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QuoteOriginally posted by falconeye Quote
Oh, all of a sudden I feel to see clear about what the Pentax mirrorless really was meant to be ...

Assuming Ricoh and Pentax actually collaborated for the Q, I now see it as follows:
  • Pentax GXR mirrorless with interchangeable sensor.
  • Q-module with embedded SR for compact lenses (~1/2").
  • M-module for Leica M lenses (APS-C crop only).
  • K-module with embedded SR for APS-C lenses.
They could upgrade GXR body and make 16 MP APS-C sensor + mount K module for GXR.
It will be UNUSUAL and VERY SPECIAL version of K-mount mirrorless. It's interesting for me. To say honest, the price will be not low. I think not lower than 700-800 USD.

Anyway, GXR body is USD320 (in USA)...GXRII could be a bit higher...Anyway...It's interesting idea.


P.S. Could we expect that the price for future Pentax camera will be in USD all over the world or in firm equivalent in EURO?
Not like now in Europe and Russia.

Ricoh GXR is ~ 530 USD for body now in Russia.

07-04-2011, 07:15 AM   #32
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QuoteOriginally posted by falconeye Quote
I found it hard to find any real information about the future of the Pentax brand name in the other thread ( https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-news-rumors/150409-ricoh-buy-penta...ness-hoya.html
UPDATE: Class A actually already posted the info as post #375: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-news-rumors/150409-ricoh-buy-penta...ml#post1565196 ).

OTOH, some people started polls about if wanting to be called Ricoh ...

So, I looked it up and this is what appears to be fact:

Ricoh will continue to call Pentax PENTAX !


(at least the dSLR part of it) The trick is to search for what Ricoh is saying, not Hoya. It's won't be Hoya's decision from now on.

[Source: Ricoh to acquire HOYA's PENTAX Imaging Systems Business / News Release | Ricoh Global ]
(which is the Ricoh press release)

So and fortunately, Pentax is going to survive (again)


P.S.

I started this thread for easier reference of what will happen to the Pentax brand name. And to collect facts about this topic.
Hi,

while I believe that this acquisition is much better for us Pentaxians than the Hoya business was in the past (personally I think that Ricoh was an excellent SLR manufacturer in the analog era of photography!), you are probably giving this sentence too much weight:

Legally, this simply means that Ricoh acquires the shares of a spun out company, including the brand name and make "Pentax" for specific products. Of course will they start using this brand name, as they would never immediately "kill" the brand name. However, this does not allow us any view into future decisions of Ricoh.

Without any hints and deeper knowledge, I assume that Ricoh will keep the brand name "Pentax" for its higher class cameras (system cameras, DSLR, FF, Q-/K-mount systems, lenses) while they might merge the consumer/compact cameras under the Ricoh brand name. But who knows?

More important would be to make sure that the engineers of Pentax Imaging Systems move to Ricoh as well - they made good work in the past!

Eriol
07-04-2011, 07:19 AM   #33
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Though in some markets Ricoh has a good name for compacts hey aren't distributed in all markets (Canada for instance sees no Ricoh cameras, however we have a lot of B&M Pentax in addition to the web options
As a camera brand even in compact I think Pentax has more strength (though the compact line has been pretty crappy for the most part)
I think it's likely the Ricoh camera brand will slowly fold in many markets (though there is a strong argument for a dual brand strategy - I know a few companies that have had success that way)
07-04-2011, 07:40 AM - 1 Like   #34
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QuoteOriginally posted by Eriol Quote
However, this does not allow us any view into future decisions of Ricoh.
Eriol, that's true.

But Even Asahi could have killed "Pentax" as a brand name if they wished. Or Hoya.

It is normally at the point of the aquisition that brand names die. Or Hoya could have kept the Pentax brand for their medical business alone.

Therefore, I think the important message is that Ricoh actually wants the Pentax brand name for their higher end camera business.

And as has been said, that Hoya sells all assets to Ricoh. Which includes engineers and factories. Somewhere down the anouncements I see that some local organizations (such as Pentax Europe and Pentax Germany) still need to go through some approval process before they can become Ricoh. But I am sure that it will happen too.

07-04-2011, 07:50 AM   #35
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QuoteOriginally posted by falconeye Quote

And as has been said, that Hoya sells all assets to Ricoh. Which includes engineers and factories. Somewhere down the anouncements I see that some local organizations (such as Pentax Europe and Pentax Germany) still need to go through some approval process before they can become Ricoh. But I am sure that it will happen too.
Just to avoid any more speculation, the approval of local organisations is pending because of the local laws. The employee organisation have to be consulted before the sale, but they have no veto.

Anyway, apart from the logistics people, I don't think there are many position s threaten there, Ricoh is pretty much delivering business products (printers, scanners etc...) while Pentax is consumer products, which mean different channels and environments to approach.
07-04-2011, 08:20 AM   #36
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I know zilch about the GXR except what I've seen in the last couple days, so it's safe to ask: Are FF mount/sensor modules possible too? 645 modules? Canon / Nikon modules (depending on patent / license issues)? Foveon and other sensor modules? Holo / 3D modules? Custom video modules? Is the GXR a contender as a universal platform? Could this boost Ricoh into "major player" status?

EDIT: Ignore these questions here, I've asked them over on General Photography.
EDIT2: Name corrected. Duh.

Last edited by RioRico; 07-04-2011 at 10:33 AM.
07-04-2011, 08:29 AM   #37
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I love the optimism - as Pentaxian's, you definitely need it :-)

I really do hope that the new relationship bears much fruit.

Having never seen or touched a Ricoh product, especially 35mm/dslr, in 30 years, my optimism isn't at a very high level right now.

Their compacts have even less prominence in the market place than even Oly.

So what expertise are they actually bringing to Pentax dslr??


Last edited by dylansalt; 07-04-2011 at 08:34 AM.
07-04-2011, 08:31 AM   #38
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The interesting issue here is whether the Pentax Imaging Division will be amalgamating with Ricoh Imaging Division or will the Ricoh Division amalgamating with the Pentax Imaging Division?

If done right, the synergies that could develop by amalgamation could be very positive. I for one am looking forward to an enhanced lens lineup.
07-04-2011, 08:56 AM   #39
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As I've posted in the other Pentax-Ricoh strings, it's important for Ricoh to make a very clear mission statement once the deal closes at the beginning of October. This will go a long way toward boosting the confidence of the photographic community in general and Pentaxians in particular. A serious, realistic lens roadmap by the end of the year wold make for a fantastic Christmas present - although perhaps that's asking for too much. Perhaps not. The gaps in Pentax's lens lineup are fairly obvious and I'll bet the people within Pentax already know what they'd like to produce but Hoya won't let them spend the money.

At any rate, it's pretty obvious to me that the Pentax name will stay on MF and DSLR cameras. In my personal opinion, Pentax should also be the brand for DSLR-class mirrorless cameras. If the Ricoh brand is still going to be used, it should be for the company's compact cameras - where Pentax's offerings have been less than memorable and probably not even made by Pentax. Again, this is my opinion.
07-04-2011, 09:30 AM - 1 Like   #40
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QuoteOriginally posted by dylansalt Quote
I love the optimism - as Pentaxian's, you definitely need it :-)
Is this really the reputation you want to build?? You gave away your K10, you bought your D7000 - and thats fine. At this point, most would wish their peers luck and go off to some Nikon forum. You no longer have any "oar in the water" in things Pentax.

But ever since you've gone around criticizing everything Pentax and proclaiming that the sky is falling again. If D7000 is so great, why aren't you inspired to go out and use it in some constructive manner instead of doing the troll thing.
07-04-2011, 09:39 AM   #41
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QuoteOriginally posted by falconeye Quote
Eriol, that's true.

But Even Asahi could have killed "Pentax" as a brand name if they wished. Or Hoya.

It is normally at the point of the aquisition that brand names die. Or Hoya could have kept the Pentax brand for their medical business alone.

Therefore, I think the important message is that Ricoh actually wants the Pentax brand name for their higher end camera business.

And as has been said, that Hoya sells all assets to Ricoh. Which includes engineers and factories. Somewhere down the anouncements I see that some local organizations (such as Pentax Europe and Pentax Germany) still need to go through some approval process before they can become Ricoh. But I am sure that it will happen too.
Yeah, but Asahi was Asahi which is a completely different argument. That would be like Henry Ford killing Ford, it wasn't going to happen.
07-04-2011, 09:42 AM   #42
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Well, Ricoh bought other brands before. What does history tell us?
Ricoh - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
QuoteQuote:
In the late 1990s through early 2000s, the company grew to become the largest copier manufacturer in the world. During this time, Ricoh acquired Savin, Gestetner, Lanier, Rex-Rotary, Monroe, and Nashuatec. Although the Monroe brand was discontinued, products continue to be marketed worldwide under the remaining brand names.
So, the company is not eager to put the Ricoh brand name on all products.



Several people already were speculating about a K-mount-module (APS-C and/or FF) for the GXR, when the latter was announced. Now Ricoh bought not only the AF functionality with the PKAF2-mount ... but also the SR-technique. So even an M-module with SR could be a possibility. And given the history of the 43/1.9 special, Pentax is also able to produce lenses for all mounts Ricoh wants to offer.



Does anybody know, whether the TTL from Ricoh is compatible with Pentax TTL? At least from searching on the Metz webpage, this seems not to be the case.



Regarding the hoya document, I found it very interesting that
QuoteQuote:
The Corporate Split satisfies criteria of a simplified corporate split (kan-i kyushu bunkatsu) under Article 784, Section 3 of the Japanese Companies Act. Therefore, it can be effectuated by a decision of the President without obtaining resolution for the approval from a HOYA shareholders meeting.
So, in principle, there was no need for the President to inform anybody about the deal with Ricoh. Given the current asking price, I still wonder why Fujifilm was no option - or was it?
07-04-2011, 09:47 AM   #43
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QuoteOriginally posted by falconeye Quote
I found it hard to find any real information about the future of the Pentax brand name in the other thread ( https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-news-rumors/150409-ricoh-buy-penta...ness-hoya.html
UPDATE: Class A actually already posted the info as post #375: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-news-rumors/150409-ricoh-buy-penta...ml#post1565196 ).

OTOH, some people started polls about if wanting to be called Ricoh ...

So, I looked it up and this is what appears to be fact:

Ricoh will continue to call Pentax PENTAX !



(at least the dSLR part of it) The trick is to search for what Ricoh is saying, not Hoya. It's won't be Hoya's decision from now on.

[Source: Ricoh to acquire HOYA's PENTAX Imaging Systems Business / News Release | Ricoh Global ]
(which is the Ricoh press release)

So and fortunately, Pentax is going to survive (again)


P.S.

I started this thread for easier reference of what will happen to the Pentax brand name. And to collect facts about this topic.
And there still isn't crap in there about the status of the k-mount system into the future and that is the main concern of the many of the people you just to a swipe at. Most of us not only want Pentax to survive, we don't really want to end up with an orphaned system. We know that a lot of good things can be developed for this system down the line.

ALSO, YOU DON'T HAVE TO SHOUT






Last edited by Blue; 07-04-2011 at 09:55 AM.
07-04-2011, 09:58 AM   #44
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QuoteOriginally posted by froeschle Quote
. . .

So, in principle, there was no need for the President to inform anybody about the deal with Ricoh. Given the current asking price, I still wonder why Fujifilm was no option - or was it?
Fuji report a net loss of over $400 Million in 2010.
07-04-2011, 11:10 AM   #45
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Well Like i said in the other thread, they can change it to COHNTAX!

@Falk
I was thinking also for the GXR module with Q-Mount (Previous Thread). I guess we just wait till October after acquisition for a roadmap for Pentax Under Ricoh.

Also, we have Photokina 2012 to look forward to.
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