[cfraz]

I respect you quite a bit, but honestly if his profile were any lower he'd be employed in Hades. The man is the official mouthpiece for Pentax USA and this performance is just another example ..... Recall his incredibly bad performance at the K-01 launch and how the Pentax UK rep was worlds better within the same context?

I think your last sentence shows his profile hasn't been low enough. P-USA would have been better off giving no interviews at all.

[Docrwm]

I think your last sentence shows his profile hasn't been low enough. P-USA would have been better off giving no interviews at all.

That was back in April wasn't it? But I agree, in both instances Pentax USA would have been way ahead if hadn't been interviewed at all.

[Uluru]

I honestly think that Carlson is the wrong guy to talk to.

No I think he's the best person to talk to. It's not that something is wrong with him, but with premises and obviously preposterous and totally unrealistic expectations people pour into questions.

— Mr Carson, will Pentax Ricoh issue an new FF camera?
— Yeah, of course, we're just finishing it, and not just a camera, but a whole ____________ and it will be based around ___________________ and come in ______ models, so that in one bold step we'll leapfrog the competition because we've learned where they're heading.


Do you really think any sane representative of any company to reply you in a manner you crazily expect them to?

[Docrwm]

No I think he's the best person to talk to. It's not that something is wrong with him, but with premises and obviously preposterous and totally unrealistic expectations people pour into questions.

— Mr Carson, will Pentax Ricoh issue an new FF camera?
— Yeah, of course, we're just finishing it, and not just a camera, but a whole ____________ and it will be based around ___________________ and come in ______ models, so that in one bold step we'll leapfrog the competition because we've learned where they're heading.


Do you really think any sane representative of any company to reply you in a manner you crazily expect them to?

Go back and read his interviews. Read the one from the K-01 release. Then read the official from Pentax UK and his interview at the same time, under the same circumstances, about the same thing - the release of the K-01. There is a pattern, and it has nothing to do with what products Pentax does or does not release.

[Asahiflex]

Look, I wish John Carlson all the best in the world, but he's the worst Senior Marketing Manager possible for Pentax. Why? Because he shows the enthusiasm of a bag of potatoes. He knows nothing, he says nothing and he does nothing to make me feel proud to be a Pentaxian. What's worse: every time I see him I have to resist the urge to jump ship.

I start to understand why Ned left the company

[thibs]

Go back and read his interviews. Read the one from the K-01 release. Then read the official from Pentax UK and his interview at the same time, under the same circumstances, about the same thing - the release of the K-01. There is a pattern, and it has nothing to do with what products Pentax does or does not release.

Very true but a lot of people in this forum expect reps to talk like that and say exactly what will happens in 6 months.
What do they think?

[Asahiflex]

Very true but a lot of people in this forum expect reps to talk like that and say exactly what will happens in 6 months.
What do they think?

I say: be enthusiastic and knowledgeable about your own products, or keep your mouth shut.

[thibs]

I say: be enthusiastic and knowledgeable about your own products, or keep your mouth shut.

Yeah, that I will not challenge.

[Docrwm]

Very true but a lot of people in this forum expect reps to talk like that and say exactly what will happens in 6 months.
What do they think?

That is unrealistic. What I expect is that a Pentax rep will talk positively about the current lineup and be ENTHUSIASTIC. I also expect that they'll have a thick enough skin to be able to interact with loyal Pentaxians on a regular basis.

[thibs]

That is unrealistic. What I expect is that a Pentax rep will talk positively about the current lineup and be ENTHUSIASTIC. I also expect that they'll have a thick enough skin to be able to interact with loyal Pentaxians on a regular basis.

As replied to Asahiflex, I will not challenge that

[GreenMachine]

There's really a simple solution to all this banter. If you have Pentax gear that works, takes great pictures and is paid for . . then use it instead of crying foul play on Pentax in here. If you don't like what you are seeing or hearing . . then boost your social status and buy a new Canon or Nikon and you'll be one of the in crowd.

[Docrwm]

There's really a simple solution to all this banter. If you have Pentax gear that works, takes great pictures and is paid for . . then use it instead of crying foul play on Pentax in here. If you don't like what you are seeing or hearing . . then boost your social status and buy a new Canon or Nikon and you'll be one of the in crowd.

Or we could care about the brand and offer our suggestions on how to build it. I just don't get the attitude that you have to be pollyanna about BS from a company OR not be a user of that company's gear. The logical conclusion from your post is - either be a fanboy or leave. That's a sad way to live IMHO. Pentax has some great gear but nothing is perfect. They also have some great spokesmen, although they are all in other countries. I'd just like to see two things - Pentax USA actually pulling its weight, and a full line of Pentax gear (not even necessarily including FF, but including things like Teleconversters, extension tubes, better flash, electonic remote for flash, etc. like they used to have back in the 80s and other brands have now).

[LaurenOE]

Or we could care about the brand and offer our suggestions on how to build it. I just don't get the attitude that you have to be pollyanna about BS from a company OR not be a user of that company's gear. The logical conclusion from your post is - either be a fanboy or leave. That's a sad way to live IMHO. Pentax has some great gear but nothing is perfect. They also have some great spokesmen, although they are all in other countries. I'd just like to see two things - Pentax USA actually pulling its weight, and a full line of Pentax gear (not even necessarily including FF, but including things like Teleconversters, extension tubes, better flash, electronic remote for flash, etc. like they used to have back in the 80s and other brands have now).

I couldn't agree more - but I wish I could.

There is a reason why I don't have my Pentax equipment in my signature line.

My Pentaxian habit is north of $55k. I had to get a separate insurance rider to cover my stuff. I had a hard time convincing State Farm that I wasn't a pro or retailer. I always say to folks "I'm only a pro when I get paid", and that was good enough for State Farm.

Outside of Pentax and maybe some other collectors, I have some of the most unique cameras Pentax has ever made (sorry, not much from the Honeywell/Spotmatic era).

The reason I bring it up? My loyalty?

I'm no fan-girl. There are few Pentaxians like me left on the planet. I want Pentax to do better, and I'm in it for the long run.

The lack of commitment (of some employees of Pentax) to the brand and vision for the brand is alarming.

Since I can't make the money for my Pentax "hobby" taking pictures, I work for a company that has for it's CEO the guy who dislikes Bill Gates, and like Pentax, prefers the color red in our logo.

I work in development, and I make products that the world will see in a few years. I directly contribute to millions of dollars of revenue.

When I make my products, I make 100% sure that I work with product managers, and customer support personnel to make sure that I am heading in the right direction. So many people want my gig that I have to be at the top of my game. I always have to do better when it comes to my output.

I never feel comfortable. I never feel safe. I am always pushing to put a better product out the door.

In all honesty, from zero to a product out-the-door, it takes me somewhere around a year and a half, and then I do updates/tweaks based on feedback before a final product is released, so I understand the "pipeline" for product all too well.

If I can't get a product out the door in under 2 years - I'm going to get fired, and I don't kid myself on that. If I can't make something in under 2 years, something a customer is asking for, I'm in BIG trouble. Plain. Simple.

My frustration is based on how Pentax is not playing a world class game based on their strengths or talents. I have no idea how intense the folks are at Pentax USA.

When I sent Pentax my resume for that position that was open a few months ago, no one ever called. It was a job application that was weird coming from someone with my credentials - I understand that - and that was the point.

No one said "Why would she want a job with us, that would pay thousands less?".
No one cared or was interested in talking to me about the application or what was "in it" for me to even apply. It would be unlikely for me to leave my company, but contacting me would have opened a dialogue with someone that was obviously hardcore.

To me, that says that people at Pentax do not think out of the box appropriately. They are not examining opinions. They are entrenched in their own change management battles. They might have known my username from here or facebook and deemed my resume too "hot". They may view me as a "Crazy fan-girl".

Who knows, really.

I'm hoping that Pentax will wake up if enough people speak up. Fire some people. Get back on track. Get in the game.

[Docrwm]

I couldn't agree more - but I wish I could.

There is a reason why I don't have my Pentax equipment in my signature line.

My Pentaxian habit is north of $55k. I had to get a separate insurance rider to cover my stuff. I had a hard time convincing State Farm that I wasn't a pro or retailer. I always say to folks "I'm only a pro when I get paid", and that was good enough for State Farm.

Outside of Pentax and maybe some other collectors, I have some of the most unique cameras Pentax has ever made (sorry, not much from the Honeywell/Spotmatic era).

The reason I bring it up? My loyalty?

I'm no fan-girl. There are few Pentaxians like me left on the planet. I want Pentax to do better, and I'm in it for the long run.

The lack of commitment (of some employees of Pentax) to the brand and vision for the brand is alarming.

Since I can't make the money for my Pentax "hobby" taking pictures, I work for a company that has for it's CEO the guy who dislikes Bill Gates, and like Pentax, prefers the color red in our logo.

I work in development, and I make products that the world will see in a few years. I directly contribute to millions of dollars of revenue.

When I make my products, I make 100% sure that I work with product managers, and customer support personnel to make sure that I am heading in the right direction. So many people want my gig that I have to be at the top of my game. I always have to do better when it comes to my output.

I never feel comfortable. I never feel safe. I am always pushing to put a better product out the door.

In all honesty, from zero to a product out-the-door, it takes me somewhere around a year and a half, and then I do updates/tweaks based on feedback before a final product is released, so I understand the "pipeline" for product all too well.

If I can't get a product out the door in under 2 years - I'm going to get fired, and I don't kid myself on that. If I can't make something in under 2 years, something a customer is asking for, I'm in BIG trouble. Plain. Simple.

My frustration is based on how Pentax is not playing a world class game based on their strengths or talents. I have no idea how intense the folks are at Pentax USA.

When I sent Pentax my resume for that position that was open a few months ago, no one ever called. It was a job application that was weird coming from someone with my credentials - I understand that - and that was the point.

No one said "Why would she want a job with us, that would pay thousands less?".
No one cared or was interested in talking to me about the application or what was "in it" for me to even apply. It would be unlikely for me to leave my company, but contacting me would have opened a dialogue with someone that was obviously hardcore.

To me, that says that people at Pentax do not think out of the box appropriately. They are not examining opinions. They are entrenched in their own change management battles. They might have known my username from here or facebook and deemed my resume too "hot". They may view me as a "Crazy fan-girl".

Who knows, really.

I'm hoping that Pentax will wake up if enough people speak up. Fire some people. Get back on track. Get in the game.

See this post by me, I don't want to clog the forum with multiple posts that are the same.
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/general-photography-industry/199595-real-...ml#post2107141

[LaurenOE]

See this post by me, I don't want to clog the forum with multiple posts that are the same.
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/general-photography-industry/199595-real-...ml#post2107141

Yep. Agree 100% - again.

Oh, and as for the "back door"?

I did it again. I couldn't resist another 16-50 for that price - especially since we now know the SDM issues were "engineered" out.

Now the husband has one for his K30.

I think I am personally keeping Pentax afloat sometimes!

Yepper.