[bossa]

The German press release is a bit more specific:
Änderung des Firmennamens - Nachrichten - PENTAX RICOH IMAGING DEUTSCHLAND GmbH





The brand name PENTAX still will be used for cameras (system cameras, i.e. mirrorless and DSLRs), lenses and binoculars.
The brand name RICOH in future will be used for compact cameras and innovative products with new technologies.

So does this relegate Pentax to the redundant tech area and thus oblivion?

[pakinjapan]

Nothing negative about the company name changing, but it’s just sad for me to see the name PENTAX is not as influence, not as important to be considered as a part of a corporation name anymore.
PENTAX used to be a very successful product brand. It success enough for Asahi Pentax to rename itself to "Pentax Corporation", but today it is reduced back to just a product brand again. It’s sad (for me and I am sure for many too) to see this.

[bossa]

It begs the question, "Is this still Pentax?" What's the point of it if it's just Ricoh by another name? I've had Pentax cameras since the 70's. This is a sad day.

[falconeye]

A Quantum Computer the size of a pinhead can theoretically process way better than our current technology even if all matter in The Universe were converted to the purpose.

Until we have a unified theory of gravity and quantum mechanics, the jury is still open on this. My personal take is that larger scale (mass, not distance) quantum computing turns out theoretically infeasible once we understand the limits of quantum entanglement.

Wrt ditching Pentax name ...

They can name their company whatever they want. However, I am frustrated that they are occupied with such kindergarden games at the management level rather than doing some rock-solid R&D and trying to impress with products. It just doesn't feel right to rename the company while no single jointly developped system camera emerged from the cooperation. In German, we call it Übersprungshandlung (my dictionary says: displacement activity).

---

Last edited by falconeye; 07-02-2013 at 02:46 AM.

[Ishpuini]

They can name their company whatever they want. However, I am frustrated that they are occupied with such kindergarden games at the management level rather than doing some rock-solid R&D and trying to impress with products.

Fortunately it's not management that does the R&D, and while they are playing the name changing game, management keeps themselves occupied and may not be bothering R&D too much...

*If* the name Pentax were to vanish, I will certainly regret it. But if any new cameras named Ricoh something are worthy successors to the existing Pentax line, I will happily continue to support the brand regardless of the name on the camera.

Wim

[falconeye]

Fortunately it's not management that does the R&D, and while they are playing the name changing game, management keeps themselves occupied and may not be bothering R&D too much...

As much as I liked to agree from an engineer's point of view, I am sorry to disagree. Having worked for truely innovative companies, I tell you that innovation only occurs if management sets a stage of vision and committment to achieve the formerly impossible. And is able to attract the brilliant people it takes to make dreams come true.

[froeschle]

The change of name should mainly affect the Pentax branded WG, Optio and Efina series.
Probably also the MX-1 and X-5.
There already was and is an overlap with the Ricoh CX, PX, G and GR series.
So, the lower end and innovative cameras (which supposedly means the GXR system) will be combined under the Ricoh name.
Cameras with interchangeable lenses (and binoculars) will be sold under the Pentax brand name.
Apart from the technology and the mount, Ricoh bought the right to the name Pentax.
It (currently) would be stupid to just drop this virtue.

Ricoh - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

During this time, Ricoh acquired Savin, Gestetner, Lanier, Rex-Rotary, Monroe, Nashuatec, and most recently IKON. Although the Monroe brand was discontinued, products continue to be marketed worldwide under the remaining brand names.

So, in a positive way of thinking, Pentax now is fully integrated into the Ricoh system (compare to Hoya).

[H. Sapiens]

It begs the question, "Is this still Pentax?" What's the point of it if it's just Ricoh by another name? I've had Pentax cameras since the 70's. This is a sad day.

It will be the same Japanese businessmen from the same business college in the same black suits running the company. Why so emotional about it?

[Raffwal]

So... this is the first announcement developed purely under Ricoh management? Glad it's not wasted time after all.

[bossa]

It will be the same Japanese businessmen from the same business college in the same black suits running the company. Why so emotional about it?

In the distant past Pentax represented a unique approach to cameras (MX, LX, Spotmatic...) and, even though the people who created that tech are probably long gone, there should still be a cultural legacy from those achievements guiding the current employees. Constantly replacing the people in charge can never be a good thing for stability, and the culture of the company, let alone the development progress of new product.

It's obvious from this development that major changes to the product line are about to take place, some we expected to see two years ago and probably some we never saw coming, but which have probably been delayed due to the product cycle needing to pan out. The name change is a marker point that will be interesting to measure against.

[bossa]

Until we have a unified theory of gravity and quantum mechanics, the jury is still open on this. My personal take is that larger scale (mass, not distance) quantum computing turns out theoretically infeasible once we understand the limits of quantum entanglement.

Wrt ditching Pentax name ...

They can name their company whatever they want. However, I am frustrated that they are occupied with such kindergarden games at the management level rather than doing some rock-solid R&D and trying to impress with products. It just doesn't feel right to rename the company while no single jointly developped system camera emerged from the cooperation. In German, we call it Übersprungshandlung (my dictionary says: displacement activity).

When you consider that [there may really be no space in The Universe] but only NOW and that your perception of 'space' is still only an event occurring NOW then anything becomes possible. Quantum Entanglement has been theorized to occur at up to 10,000x the SOL so, in that case, something else is at work that goes beyond our concept of space. I would not be surprised if the Holographic Theory turns out to be true and that The Universe is merely a 'surface' that exists in only one time and space at any moment and that it is only our interaction in that plane, or surface, and memory that converts this into what we perceive as space.

[MPrince]

I don't understand the logic of those who say they will stop buying K-mount cameras & lenses if they are branded Ricoh instead of Pentax. Whatever name is used, the gear is still K-mount.

As for those who claim Pentax is a better known name in cameras than Ricoh, if that is true, why does Pentax have such a tiny market share?

It seems to me that no matter how good Pentax camera equipment may be, there just isn't that much value attached to the Pentax name in the 21st century. So the question then becomes, which is more cost-effective for Ricoh: trying to re-establish the value of the Pentax brand name, or continuing the product line and re-branding it Ricoh. Either way, it's still the same product line.

Whatever brand name Ricoh ultimately chooses, engineering and manufacturing is the key to quality products and marketing is the key to strong sales and market share. Market the products effectively, and I doubt if today's consumers will much care what the product name is. Ricoh doesn't need more sales from existing customers, it needs to expand its customer base, and that expanded customer base need not necessarily know or care about the Pentax name.

[tclausen]

As much as I liked to agree from an engineer's point of view, I am sorry to disagree. Having worked for truely innovative companies, I tell you that innovation only occurs if management sets a stage of vision and committment to achieve the formerly impossible. And is able to attract the brilliant people it takes to make dreams come true.

Indeed, but...management playing name-changing games is not incompatible with them concurrently encouraging, leading and mitivating the R&D folks, engineers, opticians, sales consultants, distributors etc to dig in.

In fact, good management may use such "games" (as you call them) as part of their overall strategy for also bringing coherence to the technical efforts, strengthening the teams etc.

We just do not know enough about what's going on in the ranks and corps at Ricoh to tell either way - and other than perhaps sentimental issues, this really is a non-news item.

[JPT]

I agree with Gray. They can't have people referring to their company as PRIC, which is happening on forums like this, so they're just correcting their mistake. It probably seemed innocent enough to them at the time, but they really should be more careful about naming. So, basically it's a non-issue. They just have to change some letterheads.

The press release specifically says they are going to continue to use the Pentax and Ricoh brands on cameras and that has been a consistent message since the takeover. So, why would anyone think otherwise?

Ask yourself what exactly Ricoh was buying when they bought Pentax. As far as I can see, the main value was the brand heritage, K-mount itself and the user base. If Ricoh just wanted to hire some more engineers, that's a very expensive way of doing it. So I don't see what motive they would have to stop using Pentax on their cameras.

Then look at the record. In 2012 and 2013 they have released 18 Pentax-branded cameras (6 with K-mount) and only one Ricoh model. That represents considerable extension of Pentax's line and considerable contraction of Ricoh's.

But never mind. People are going to read incompetence and desperation in everything Ricoh does if that's what they want to see. In the meantime, the company has been busy launching a string of well received cameras.

[krebsy75]

Anything is possible: http://wirthconsulting.org/2012/04/02/ricoh-retires-ikon-brand-name-new-imag...rand-identity/

I don't think any of us will be shocked to see a similar release jettisoning the Pentax brand. In the short term, at least, we should be safe.