[nosnoop]

Yes the high rate of his blog/webpage coming up on google is annoying....

The worst part is that he created so many links from this forum that this would certainly increase the ranking on Google search.

I have asked that the practice of redirecting traffic to his blog site from this forum should be banned. After all, if he has something to say, he is free to write it in this forum. Posting links here would only serve the purpose of increasing traffic to his blog sites and improve search engine ranking.

Mods, don't you agree?

[jmdeegan]

i certainly would, though I am not a mod.

RH calling his blog a pentax blog is incomplete. It is a pentax-hating blog, for the most part.

I have met and conversed with tons of pentax users, past and present. Those who dislike it, move on. Those who are happy, stay with it. U don't see an unhappy pentax user with that kind of blog.

[Tom Lusk]

I just did some a searches, using the following 3 phrases: 1) Pentax 2) Pentax cameras and 3) Pentax camera reviews.

I used Google and then Yahoo.

After going through the first five pages on each of the six searches, there was NO sign of RH's blog.

Perhaps your searches show his blog because you have visited his site?

When I do the search RH Pentax, I get a bunch of Pentax lens hoods.

I had to actually key in RiceHigh Pentax to find his blog.

What are the odds a person looking for reviews of Pentax cameras is going to key in RiceHigh?

And who is going to base a buying decision on some poorly phrased, sometimes difficult to understand technical jargon. (No offense RH. You speak English better than any of us speak Japanese).

Would you actually skip over DPreview and the other professionally done reviews and say to yourself : "Hmmmm... sounds like this guy RiceHigh is my kind of guy. I'll take his advice over those other uninformed sources."

Paranoia strikes deep
Into your heart it will creep (Buffalo Springfield mid 60's)

[jeffkrol]

I just did some a searches, using the following 3 phrases: 1) Pentax 2) Pentax cameras and 3) Pentax camera reviews.

I used Google and then Yahoo.

After going through the first five pages on each of the six searches, there was NO sign of RH's blog.

Perhaps your searches show his blog because you have visited his site?

When I do the search RH Pentax, I get a bunch of Pentax lens hoods.

I had to actually key in RiceHigh Pentax to find his blog.

What are the odds a person looking for reviews of Pentax cameras is going to key in RiceHigh?

And who is going to base a buying decision on some poorly phrased, sometimes difficult to understand technical jargon. (No offense RH. You speak English better than any of us speak Japanese).

Would you actually skip over DPreview and the other professionally done reviews and say to yourself : "Hmmmm... sounds like this guy RiceHigh is my kind of guy. I'll take his advice over those other uninformed sources."

Paranoia strikes deep
Into your heart it will creep (Buffalo Springfield mid 60's)

Depends soley on the search:
" Pentax underexposure" brings 2 RH's for the first 20 listings
"Pentax k100" 8th listing
"Pentax review" page 4
"pentax flash problems" page 2
"pentax quality control" p3
ect........
Maybe Google is targeting a bit but I can't verify that and as to making choices, no it's unwise but some people weigh in "personal testers" as well as "supposidly unbiased yet economically vested" sources. Actually that's one of his "party lines" to add credibility to his "research".

[Fototim]

Depends soley on the search:
" Pentax underexposure" brings 2 RH's for the first 20 listings
"Pentax k100" 8th listing
"Pentax review" page 4
"pentax flash problems" page 2
"pentax quality control" p3
ect........
Maybe Google is targeting a bit but I can't verify that and as to making choices, no it's unwise but some people weigh in "personal testers" as well as "supposidly unbiased yet economically vested" sources. Actually that's one of his "party lines" to add credibility to his "research".

"The Knight og the Broken Lens" is annoying, yes. And he is bad publisity for Pentax.

But how many crucaders do you think there are against Canikon?
What do you think would happen if you replaced Pentax K10D with a Canon camera in your searches? My guess is that you would get similar results, from other blogs with similar agendas. Don't you think?

I beleave there are XX blogs in every camp. The large camps probably has more than the Pentax camp.

Tim

[Anastigmat]

RiceHigh's Pentax Blog: Japanese DSLR Sales Figures for One Year

Well, Pentax should really market the K200D and K20D soonest and to strive to improve in the shortest possible time!

Here is an interesting statistic:

Nikon to top digital SLR sales for 2007 (in Japan): News Discussion Forum: Digital Photography Review

According to the post cited above, Pentax is 3rd in DSLR market share in the Japan home market, with a 6.3% share. Not great, but not bad either. Better than Sony, Olympus, and Fuji.

[RiceHigh]

Here is an interesting statistic:

Nikon to top digital SLR sales for 2007 (in Japan): News Discussion Forum: Digital Photography Review

According to the post cited above, Pentax is 3rd in DSLR market share in the Japan home market, with a 6.3% share. Not great, but not bad either. Better than Sony, Olympus, and Fuji.

We both refer to the same source, that is, the same BCN chart as quoted by me. Pentax did have a 10% share in December 06, which put them in the 3rd place (which I also reported in my blog around the time), but their market share have been going downwards since then and now they only have just a little more than half (3-4%) of the sales of both Olympus and Sony which has around 5-6% of the share from what the chart tells, in November 2007 - which is the latest situation.

Anyway, if you count the average figure for the whole year, the 6.3% figure may not be wrong, which put them at the 3rd place, just very slightly ahead of Sony and Oly.

However, the current situation is very worse for Pentax, if Pentax won't market the K200D and K20D soonest, they will virtually have no share on the DSLR market very soon.

It should be noted that the downward slope trend of Pentax DSLRs sales is not a good thing, since in early 2007, the K10D was yet a very new model. There must be some very good reasons for what the K10D could not sell better but just worse over time, for such a newly market model, which this Pentax should think about it so that they can possibly avoid the same happen in the future for their coming new DSLR models.

[TaoMaas]

There must be some very good reasons for what the K10D could not sell better but just worse over time.

Yeah, the sales situation got so bad that Pentax sold out of them. That's every camera manufacturer's worst nightmare, isn't it? To have a camera so popular they sell every single copy they can make? It's MUCH better to have all that old stock sitting around when you're on the verge of introducing a new model. Just ask Canon.

[Anastigmat]

We both refer to the same source, that is, the same BCN chart as quoted by me. Pentax did have a 10% share in December 06, which put them in the 3rd place (which I also reported in my blog around the time), but their market share have been going downwards since then and now they only have just a little more than half (3-4%) of the sales of both Olympus and Sony which has around 5-6% of the share from what the chart tells, in November 2007 - which is the latest situation.

Anyway, if you count the average figure for the whole year, the 6.3% figure may not be wrong, which put them at the 3rd place, just very slightly ahead of Sony and Oly.

However, the current situation is very worse for Pentax, if Pentax won't market the K200D and K20D soonest, they will virtually have no share on the DSLR market very soon.

It should be noted that the downward slope trend of Pentax DSLRs sales is not a good thing, since in early 2007, the K10D was yet a very new model. There must be some very good reasons for what the K10D could not sell better but just worse over time, for such a newly market model, which this Pentax should think about it so that they can possibly avoid the same happen in the future for their coming new DSLR models.

LOL, if sales were going downward lately, and Pentax still sells more cameras in 2007 than Olympus, Sony and Fuji, then Pentax was even stronger compared to those other companies earlier in the year.

All available information suggests that the Pentax K200D announcement is imminent. There are even leaked images of this camera. This model will be available soon. As for the K20D, it should also hit the market soon, since the K10D has been discontinued. Pentax would not do that if production has not already shifted to the new models. Therefore your worries that Pentax will not release the new models very soon seems to be unfounded.

I believe that most people still shop on the basis of two factors: price and pixel count; all other factors seem secondary to these. The latest drop in K10D sales can be directly attributed to the introduction of the Canon 40D, Sony A700, and Nikon D300. These cameras have either better image quality than the K10D or they have more pixels. Add to that the popularity of the low priced 10mp Nikon D40X, and one can see why K10D sales fell. As soon as Pentax releases the K20D, it will have the same pixel count as the A700 and D300, and it will be cheaper than the A700 and D300. The K20D will therefore be very attractive to those looking for more pixels and a low price.

[RiceHigh]

The KEY problem the sales of Pentax DSLRs have been going down slope since when the K10D had hit the street for one month or so. I think you still don't get my point that I believe Pentax *should* have done it much better, but they didn't. So, there must be some reasons, e.g., unfavourable reviewers' reports (particular points like soft jpeg), the inability to meet market demand, unfavourable news of the Hoya "merger", other commonly new user reported problems repeatedly (but users also reported that the problems were persistent and could not be resolved by Pentax etc) and so on.

My hope is that if Pentax can learn from those past experiences, I believe that they should already gain more than 10% of the market by NOW and safely being the 3rd ranked company in the DSLR market, but not as the last one, AT PRESENT.

Do note that in January 07 last year, there were no new models you mentioned which were all announced in around middle of the year.

LOL, if sales were going downward lately, and Pentax still sells more cameras in 2007 than Olympus, Sony and Fuji, then Pentax was even stronger compared to those other companies earlier in the year.

All available information suggests that the Pentax K200D announcement is imminent. There are even leaked images of this camera. This model will be available soon. As for the K20D, it should also hit the market soon, since the K10D has been discontinued. Pentax would not do that if production has not already shifted to the new models. Therefore your worries that Pentax will not release the new models very soon seems to be unfounded.

I believe that most people still shop on the basis of two factors: price and pixel count; all other factors seem secondary to these. The latest drop in K10D sales can be directly attributed to the introduction of the Canon 40D, Sony A700, and Nikon D300. These cameras have either better image quality than the K10D or they have more pixels. Add to that the popularity of the low priced 10mp Nikon D40X, and one can see why K10D sales fell. As soon as Pentax releases the K20D, it will have the same pixel count as the A700 and D300, and it will be cheaper than the A700 and D300. The K20D will therefore be very attractive to those looking for more pixels and a low price.

[fishy]

The KEY problem the sales of Pentax DSLRs have been going down slope since when the K10D had hit the street for one month or so. I think you still don't get my point that I believe Pentax *should* have done it much better, but they didn't. So, there must be some reasons, e.g., unfavourable reviewers' reports (particular points like soft jpeg), the inability to meet market demand, unfavourable news of the Hoya "merger", other commonly new user reported problems repeatedly (but users also reported that the problems were persistent and could not be resolved by Pentax etc) and so on.

Well, for all I know Pentax SOLD OUT the 1st quarter or so. I don't see how one can sell more than is available. All the news has been that Pentax sold far more than expected, yet they should have done better??

As for the negative news, well, I refuse to join the lynching-mob, but I think only people that either have
*very* specific demands of a camera (and they'd know what they need and where to get it)
or
*very* limited FOV on possibilities that persist in these so-called shortcomings.

As mentioned many times over, the K10D (and the K100D) are very capable cameras, that outperform the competition in their price range. Only people that expect a $7.000 product for $700 would feel the need to nag.

Lastly, I too want Pentax to become / remain a stable player in the market, but from my perspective, I think it's better they remain 3rd in the field: small (and eager) enough to keep on innovating!

just my 2 ¢

[lol101]

The KEY problem the sales of Pentax DSLRs have been going down slope since when the K10D had hit the street for one month or so. I think you still don't get my point that I believe Pentax *should* have done it much better, but they didn't. So, there must be some reasons, e.g., unfavourable reviewers' reports (particular points like soft jpeg), the inability to meet market demand, unfavourable news of the Hoya "merger", other commonly new user reported problems repeatedly (but users also reported that the problems were persistent and could not be resolved by Pentax etc) and so on.

My hope is that if Pentax can learn from those past experiences, I believe that they should already gain more than 10% of the market by NOW and safely being the 3rd ranked company in the DSLR market, but not as the last one, AT PRESENT.

Do note that in January 07 last year, there were no new models you mentioned which were all announced in around middle of the year.

OK, point taken so next time, Pentax please:

1/ Don't forget to bribe the reviewers so that your soft natural jpegs become "professionnal" (D200 anyone?) and the guy actually takes the time to read the manual;

2/ Don't be so succesfull so that you will be able to meet the demand easily;

3/ Please refrain from merging with anyone, it's disgusting to do this kind of things in public (even if you are much stronger after the merging, or if 99% of your customers don't know that a merger just happened...);

4/And last but not least, please release only perfect cameras that suits everyone so that no one can write posts on the internet and fuel RH's site.

Thank you for your attention.

[Tom Lusk]

If Pentax could not keep up with all the demand for the K100 and K10, why did the price of these two cameras drop so drastically over the past year?

Also, if they basically have NO K10's and K100's to sell (based on other posts in this forum) and if they are not able to put their new offerings on the market until March or even June (Chris was a little vague) - what will happen to Pentax's market share in the first calendar Q of 2008? They could drop right off the ol' charts, n'est pas?

Put this scenerio over into the automobile industry and see just how strange Pentax is behaving. When Honda and Toyota sales caught fire in North America, they couldn't keep up with demand. The result was - you paid full MSRP for the car OR someone else would. The dealers couldn't be bothered to haggle and who could blame them.

They didn't reduce the price and sell out all their inventory, then delay the next model year. Surely automobiles are just as difficult to manufacture as cameras?

Something doesn't make sense here. Is it me?

[TaoMaas]

If Pentax could not keep up with all the demand for the K100 and K10, why did the price of these two cameras drop so drastically over the past year?....Something doesn't make sense here. Is it me?

I think the price drop, coupled with good word-of-mouth reviews, is what caused the buying increase. But you're right about something not making sense. I could be wrong, but I'm thinking Pentax is hoping to have the new cameras on the shelves much earlier than March. Say mid-February or so. Announce them towards the end of January, then have cameras being delivered 2-3 weeks later. Who knows?

[jsherman999]

I enjoy reading these rumor threads, and I'm impressed by the level of insight and general knowledge of the DSLR marketplace shown here, but...

In regards to the subject of Pentax sales figures, one truth seems to get lost in all the analysis:

It's the marketing, stupid.

It really, really is. If you add up all the factors that can affect camera sales - technical specifications of the product, POS displays, reviews, word of mouth, whatever micro-factor you can think of to throw in the pot and mix, it all pales in comparison to the overall affect of marketing on the industry.

I'm not just talking about ads in magazines and TV - I'm talking about Marketing, soup to nuts - the expensive, expansive activity that a company has to undertake to 1) get the product in the face of the consumer, 2) create buzz, 3) affect retailer interest, 4) gain leverage with retailers, 5) get the product reviewed more and more favorably, 6) get the product seriously considered for (multiple) industry rewards.

Marketing fuels all of the above. And it costs very much.

When your competitors can out-market you, they have something analogous to shake reduction - a two-stop advantage (sales) at the same aperture (technical specs/model level.)

The good news is this - if you can innovate, you can stay in the game. And if you get a big money backer, you may be able to keep innovating and maybe even throw some money into the maw of the marketing monster.