[DeadJohn]

Subaru advertises. Subaru has dealers. Pentax USA doesn't have enough of either - people need to know a product exists in order to purchase it. Pentax does have great cameras, but a newbie isn't going to understand sensor-based image stabilization and other Pentax benefits without help.

[Clavius]

Subaru advertises. Subaru has dealers. Pentax USA doesn't have enough of either - people need to know a product exists in order to purchase it. Pentax does have great cameras, but a newbie isn't going to understand sensor-based image stabilization and other Pentax benefits without help.

That newbie is going to walk into a brick-and-mortar store, and is going to learn and understand all about Sony's sensor based stabilization. Pentax needs new benefits over the others, competition is catching up.

[Mistral75]

Which makes me wonder why?
(...)
Pentax has been at the forefront of optical innovations for over 100 years, yet seems to always play second fiddle for some folks.

Pentax didn't even exist 100 years ago!

[Docrwm]

Pentax didn't even exist 100 years ago!

No. But it did have a nice ring to it!

[johnmflores]

Subaru advertises. Subaru has dealers. Pentax USA doesn't have enough of either - people need to know a product exists in order to purchase it. Pentax does have great cameras, but a newbie isn't going to understand sensor-based image stabilization and other Pentax benefits without help.

True, but Subie fans are likely to point out that they have fewer dealers and less marketing and advertising and fewer cool options/models compared to Toyota, BMW, Ford, etc... Same dynamics at play, but at a different scale.

[jsherman999]

True, but Subie fans are likely to point out that they have fewer dealers and less marketing and advertising and fewer cool options/models compared to Toyota, BMW, Ford, etc... Same dynamics at play, but at a different scale.

Subaru is almost exactly Pentax when you think about it.

[Aristophanes]

Subaru has long been known for having an outsize marketing presence compared to its volume. The premium one pays for a Subaru (overall good brand; some questions about value) is reflected in that marketing cost.

I truly with Pentax would push the WR aspect of its brand as a differentiator. The whole colour candy/eye bling approach is too Japanese schoolgirl appeal driven, and that meme jumped the shark some time ago....

[konraDarnok]

About Subaru, some of their design team came from Isuzu, which designed the impulse., which if you're American you might remember as the Geo Storm

Geo's were pretty popular cars and were eating into the sales of GM's other brands like Pontiac. Being a major owner in Isuzu, GM shut down their passenger car division and some of the designers ended up at Subaru, vehicles with similar styling and drive train to the Impulse -- which also came turbocharged unlike the storm. Fantastic cars.

[Racer X 69]

Pentax didn't even exist 100 years ago!

Timeline

1919

Asahi Optical Joint Stock Co.

Asahi Optical Joint Stock Co. is founded at a shop in the Toshima suburb of Tokyo, Japan. It quickly becomes one of the leading lens suppliers to Japanese camera and optical instrument manufacturers, thanks to its superb lens- polishing skills.

[Mistral75]

Timeline

And November 1919 is "over 100 years" before April 2013?

[boriscleto]

And November 1919 is "over 100 years" before April 2013?

And they didn't make their first projection lens until 1923. They didn't start making camera lenses until the 1930s, about the same time Ricoh started making cameras...

[philbaum]

Why are Pentax cameras where they are today with regards to market share?

There are many factors at work: the impact of modern chip technology on the camera, internet marketing, big box stores in the US which tend to favor fewer choices, etc. but its what Pentax does with its options that interests me the most. Pentax reminds me of the Swiss analog watch makers - who invented the digital watch and then disregarded it as never being commercially viable.

I think Pentax has been too slow to change and adapt, preferring to take pride in the old ways.

Consider two cameras:
a. the Pentax K01 which was criticized heavily from its introduction

and

b. the Ricoh GR which seems to be getting a very friendly reception

K01 says to me: no market research, WHILE the GR says: market research aplenty.

Whatever Ricoh-Pentax did to produce the GR - they need to do the same kinds of things for the DSLRs.

PS: K30, K5, K5ii, K5iis are excellent cameras. I love my K5 and use it heavily. Eventually they need to produce a FF camera - hope its earlier rather than later.

[johnmflores]

And November 1919 is "over 100 years" before April 2013?

And they didn't make their first projection lens until 1923. They didn't start making camera lenses until the 1930s, about the same time Ricoh started making cameras...

Jeez. Close enough!

[ak_kiwi]

I truly with Pentax would push the WR aspect of its brand as a differentiator. The whole colour candy/eye bling approach is too Japanese schoolgirl appeal driven, and that meme jumped the shark some time ago....

The colour thing I must admit does not spin my wheels but I think it must work for the Japanese market.
You have a very good point about the WR factor being a differentiator. Picture a scene with a tough as nails looking guy in a unfriendly desert rolling in sand shooting with a Pentax.... Hell - give him a Subaru too and get him to drive like Ken Block

[mrNewt]

Every Subaru should come with a WR Pentax kit mounted on it ...