[ElJamoquio]

Personally I'm glad there's not a K-500 and K-50 and K-5II and K-5IIs and K-3. I think that's a failure.

I think three APS-C DSLR's is plenty, even for Canon or Nikon.

[philbaum]

I get the sense that Pentax USA has a stupid small marketing department which limits what they can do marketing wise. Speaking as someone who works for a stupid small marketing department, I think I know what they are going through. I also think that Pentax has burned a lot of bridges in the sales channel over the years. Their lenses were probably selling with a ridicules low margin in the first place and it seems they were trying to hold dealers to a MAP pricing but the internetz (looking at you Amazon and eBay) have a tendency to make MAP enforcement difficult when your sales and marketing department is already strapped for resources.

Long short, I feel bad for the Marketing department. However, sympathetic doesn't make up for reality and that is flagging sales. Someone there needs to grab marketing by the balls and make things happen. Then again they may be hamstrung by the top floor. Who knows?

You're probably have the expert knowledge on that, so i don't disagree. Two points:

A. As large and as active as Sony is, they don't get much exposure at Best Buy either, in my area Best Buy, the cameras are mostly Nikon and Canon with 1 or 2 Sony's hidden somewhere. I've also read Sony owners complain about the lack of access for their brand's cameras. Maybe you'd care to comment about Sony's marketing as well, just as a comparison to Pentax - a serious request.

B. I think zooms are important to a brand, and suspect that the number and quality of zooms in Canikonville are one of the reasons they are doing so well. There are a "ton" of good primes that folks can buy for their Pentax cameras, but the zooms need to be spruced up and rethought. The 16-50 needs surgery and a faster different sdm drive motor. So does the 50-135, but i love it because of the flat focus field. These 2 models almost solely had the sdm problem. Most other models had none or one or two problems. The 17-70, which i have, seems to suffer in comparison with Sigma's version, although the optics are pretty comparable in the SLRgear comparison. Its probably the fast normal tele 28-75 f2.8 Tamron, that Pentax most lacks. I have the Tamron, but don't use it much more because the Pentax 17-70 took its place because of the wider end, but still.

Not everyone is a prime lens guy, and for the theater work that i do, primes just have a hard time keeping up during rehearsals - so its zoomsville. I"ve seen this comment from Pentax newscomers so often, its become comic: (after introductions "so which zooms should i buy?")

[monochrome]

I get the sense that Pentax USA has a stupid small marketing department which limits what they can do marketing wise. Speaking as someone who works for a stupid small marketing department, I think I know what they are going through. I also think that Pentax has burned a lot of bridges in the sales channel over the years. Their lenses were probably selling with a ridicules low margin in the first place and it seems they were trying to hold dealers to a MAP pricing but the internetz (looking at you Amazon and eBay) have a tendency to make MAP enforcement difficult when your sales and marketing department is already strapped for resources.

Long short, I feel bad for the Marketing department. However, sympathetic doesn't make up for reality and that is flagging sales. Someone there needs to grab marketing by the balls and make things happen. Then again they may be hamstrung by the top floor. Who knows?

I am actually rendered speechless.

[Scintilla]

I am actually rendered speechless.

I read that quote as not "stupid and small marketing department", but rather "stupidly small marketing department" -- unclear but common enough, in my experience.

[ElJamoquio]

stupid marketing.

[monochrome]

I read that quote as not "stupid and small marketing department", but rather "stupidly small marketing department" -- unclear but common enough, in my experience.

In that case, Pentax is a stupid small camera company :sarc:

[MarkJerling]

This is a temporary situation.

Of course, but right now there's quite a few cameras in the $600 - $800 price range, so that would be a good place to have a Pentax option!

[aleonx3]

Not much stock of the K5ii in some markets now, unfortunately. But, you're correct - the K3 holds it's own.

Just a quick check in Japan camera store...I don't see new K-5II but there are new k-5IIs available. I think perhaps k-5II is already "discontinued" while production of k-5IIs is still going and will fit nicely between k-50 and k-3 pricewise... just IMHO of course.

[Corinne]

Regarding marketing: I get the feeling thath Ricoh Imaging USA is working on a marketing campaign. Check out their FB posts from May 13, 14 and 16 regarding the shooting with photographer Kate Turning. The page is public so you can see it if you don't have FB: https://www.facebook.com/RicohImaging

[derekkite]

I wouldn't take the US Pentax sales and distribution as an indication of anything but the total fecklessness of the US Pentax sales and distribution. In Canada Pentax gear is available in most places that sell cameras, and they actually have sales reps and a working service department. All the latest releases were available in Canada before the US. Can you buy a 1.4 tc in the US yet? I've had mine for months.

[monochrome]

I wouldn't take the US Pentax sales and distribution as an indication of anything but the total fecklessness of the US Pentax sales and distribution. In Canada Pentax gear is available in most places that sell cameras, and they actually have sales reps and a working service department. All the latest releases were available in Canada before the US. Can you buy a 1.4 tc in the US yet? I've had mine for months.

Sins of the father . . .

[Aristophanes]

I wouldn't take the US Pentax sales and distribution as an indication of anything but the total fecklessness of the US Pentax sales and distribution. In Canada Pentax gear is available in most places that sell cameras, and they actually have sales reps and a working service department. All the latest releases were available in Canada before the US. Can you buy a 1.4 tc in the US yet? I've had mine for months.

We have one dominant chain nationwide called Henrys that regularly stocks Pentax and Ricoh. That helps a lot.

[jogiba]

I would never have a bought a Pentax unless I could try it out first and I think most customers are like me.

I have never needed to try a camera before purchase and never purchase a camera were I have to pay 7% NJ sales tax. My first SLR purchase was the Canon Pellix QL with 58mm F1.2 lens in the summer of 1966 from a Canon dealer in Hong Kong by mail order when I was stationed at Fort Richardson (US Army Alaska). In 1974 I purchased the Pentax 6x7 system with ten lenses from a Pentax dealer in Hong Kong by mail order and since then I order from camera dealers outside of NJ like B&H to avoid the 7% NJ sales tax. To me cameras are like pizza, I don't need to try it before I purchase it.

[PiDicus Rex]

You can say anything you like with statistics. All depends who is paying for them.

Stealing that.

[ElJamoquio]

To me cameras are like pizza...

...never put dead fish on top of them.