[Franky2step]

If those are true, then why have your Exec VP say that there is little interest, etc. Again, I'm not a FF fanatic and started this thread because there are doom and gloom predictions, we're loosing established members at an alarming rate, and we continue to get no meaningful answers.

Losing long time Pentaxians does not sound like a good business practice. A leaked note on the next upgrade, advancement on auto focus and/or flash technology would keep the interest up.

[Kunzite]

+1

My interpretation of the lack of new products is that some serious tech changes needed to be made (AF, flash etc.) and/or they need to have a more full line of products ready at the same time for launch (new design concept, FF, MILC etc.).

There are many possible reasons for such delay:
- analyzing Pentax, formulating new strategies, integrating the two different companies
- technological changes (as in the rumor about K-3's sensor)
- marketing scope changes (deciding on which features must be, and which mustn't).
- adding more resources to the projects (either hiring or moving people around - e.g. from Ricoh to Pentax).

Even with such delays, don't expect every single issue to be solved by the new products. IMO doing their best from a technological point of view won't help them as much (if at all) than having better placed products, and it would cost a fortune.

[cali92rs]

If those are true, then why have your Exec VP say that there is little interest, etc. Again, I'm not a FF fanatic and started this thread because there are doom and gloom predictions, we're loosing established members at an alarming rate, and we continue to get no meaningful answers.

If you remember the CP+ interview with those two executives, they said that they want to be the industry leader in autofocus. Even the staunchest Pentex supporter has to admit that they are way behind the likes of the D7100/D4 when it comes to autofocus. I imagine if they were serious about that statement, the development time could be a lot longer than normal.

[monochrome]

+1

My interpretation of the lack of new products is that some serious tech changes needed to be made (AF, flash etc.) and/or they need to have a more full line of products ready at the same time for launch (new design concept, FF, MILC etc.).

If you remember the CP+ interview with those two executives, they said that they want to be the industry leader in autofocus. Even the staunchest Pentex supporter has to admit that they are way behind the likes of the D7100/D4 when it comes to autofocus. I imagine if they were serious about that statement, the development time could be a lot longer than normal.

In the DPI interview Jim Malcolm said it took more time to integrate the two engineering teams than was initially imagined (IOW, it took him longer to do his first job, which was to guide the integration of the two companies). Such is quite common in these mergers.

Watching the competition move forward when nothing appears to be happening at "your" company is brutal, though.

[Kunzite]

Coming from the software development world, underestimations don't surprise me

[Supernaut]

There are many possible reasons for such delay:
- analyzing Pentax, formulating new strategies, integrating the two different companies
- technological changes (as in the rumor about K-3's sensor)
- marketing scope changes (deciding on which features must be, and which mustn't).
- adding more resources to the projects (either hiring or moving people around - e.g. from Ricoh to Pentax).

I agree but also thinks:
1. Should have been done do some extent before buying Pentax but the full picture can take time to get I suppose.
2. sounds like ordinary development work
3. A combination of 1 & 2 imo
4. This point can never be underestimated!

[boriscleto]

In the DPI interview Jim Malcolm said it took more time to integrate the two engineering teams than was initially imagined (IOW, it took him longer to do his first job, which was to guide the integration of the two companies). Such is quite common in these mergers.

Watching the competition move forward when nothing appears to be happening at "your" company is brutal, though.

Just take a look at Apple. When Apple bought NeXT in December 1996 it was on the promise that NeXTSTEP could be ported to become the new Mac OS in just a few months. The OS was codenamed Rhapsody and had one little problem. Adobe and Microsoft refused to port their software to it. Rhapsody did eventually ship as Mac OS X Server 1.0, but that wasn't until 2 years later...In the meantime Apple had axed Gil Amelio and replaced him with Steve Jobs. Jobs did what had to be done, he scrapped the original plan and started development of what became Mac OS X 10.0. That took 4 years...and it wasn't really usable until 2002.

During the time it took to develop OS X Microsoft had released Win 98, Win 98 SE, and Windows 2000 all of which seemed like bigger advances than the patches on top of hacks that Apple was releasing (Mac OS 8, 8.5, 9). Apple had some good hardware at the time, they just didn't have the OS to take advantage of it. By the time OS X came out the hardware started to stagnate...along came Intel at just the right time to save Apple from the PPC G5 hell.

[jsherman999]

Heie, very thorough and interesting suggestion you made to Mr Malcolm's secretary there, but the following made me chuckle a bit:

....I would be willing to personally oversee and command and control the "Pentax Forums Task Force,"

I don't things will get that 'military' around here

.

[jsherman999]

...

In all honesty, we all deserve a big break! Lets us shut up for the next 6 months, and actually observe what happens by then. And then, sometime in late October, summarise what happened, see our perspective shift from today, until then. Because if we spend overanalysing every day in between, we won't see even the most obvious things people outside the PF will see. And they will see it more clearly because they are impartial, and don't get lost in irrelevant details.

Not a bad idea, but there's a flip side to consider: If Pentax has started listening, now is not the time to be quiet - unless we want more of the same.

.

[Kunzite]

Started listening to what? This forum is full of contradictory "advices" and impossible demands...

[monochrome]

I'll have an official answer for you guys shortly. Rumors like these are very frustrating for manufacturers so I'm sure we'll get a prompt response

The direct language in this reply is the principal error in this thread. The lack of a followup is the second error in this thread. In all my years here I have never criticized Adam, but this shouldn't have happened.

[mecrox]

Hmmn. A year or more ago, after the merger, the word was that the Ricoh brand was now for compact cameras only and Pentax would do the higher-end stuff.

About six months ago the word was that the Ricoh brand was for the chop. Used GXRs started to appear on Ebay ...

Now Ricoh come out with what sounds like a truly excellent new camera in their GR line. But ... is this a new beginning, a continuation, or Ricoh's last hurrah before the axe comes down?

It doesn't really matter whether the word is rumour and speculation, insider leaks or utterly ambiguous quotes from a brand's marketing people. The word leads to questions which are confidence-killers and poisonous to a brand's health. They all come down to "am I buying into a dud brand that is not long for this world?"

So far as i can see, the rot will continue for as long as Pentax Ricoh continue to hide away and treat the few things they do do as one-offs before fading out into silence again. If everything is a one-off and opportunistic, then the ideas of "loyal users" and selling a system not just a camera become meaningless.

It's up to Pentax, then. They can come out fighting and try to convince customers that they are a solid company, a good bet to buy into because their products are cutting edge, they make up a system and as a brand they really are in it for the long haul. Or they can pay the price of selling cameras off aggregator websites like Amazon as if they were toasters or kettles and saying nothing at all meanwhile to encourage folks to stick around.

Where I live a highly regarded and profitable department store chain (John Lewis) used to carry Pentax until 2-3 years ago but now doesn't carry a single Pentax camera. It carries Fuji's X series instead (as well as their more upmarket and stylish compacts). Look at how these two companies have conducted themselves over the past 2-3 years and then ask if you are surprised. If Pentax want to get back into the good books of chains like that, imho then it needs to produce a new camera of the calibre of the GR every 3-4 months for a long while to come. Do I think this is likely to happen given Pentax's recent performance? The truth is not really, I'm afraid.

[monochrome]

If Pentax want to get back into the good books of chains like that, imho then it needs to produce a new camera of the calibre of the GR every 3-4 months for a long while to come. Do I think this is likely to happen given Pentax's recent performance? The truth is not really, I'm afraid.

Im just a few months my opinion has changed from "Be of good cheer, Pentaxians. Ricoh has a plan, and you will be happy." to something close to what you have written. Much has changed in the world and at Ricoh, the parent company, in these 18 months. I have come to seriously doubt Ricoh will make the necessary investment in PRI to become the "third camera brand" initially envisioned.

[Kunzite]

Becoming the "third camera brand" can't be done in a mere one year and a half; wouldn't you wait at least until this year's DSLRs will be announced?

[monochrome]

Becoming the "third camera brand" can't be done in a mere one year and a half; wouldn't you wait at least until this year's DSLRs will be announced?

Nothing can happen until you start.