[leadbelly]

Hopefully it'd just be a restructuring move... according to the source, Canada is the second largest market Pentax has, next to the U.S., and he doesn't get it if Pentax Canada were to shut down. (BTW, the source is not rank and file, but rather one of the higher ups...) To add, even his Japanese boss was retrenched and sent back to Japan!

[mattdm]

Sounds like the Canadian version of this:

The Online Photographer: Pentax: Sky Officially Not Falling

[JCSullivan]

I'm going to comment purely out of ignorance so take it for what its worth.

Henry's is not interested in Pentax except to make money. You can see this thru their 4-page flyers. All Canons and Nikons and almost Sweet_F_All for Pentax.

Closing-down Pentax Canda makes good business sense. Compared to the US market the Canadjian market is miniscule. We, as Canuck users WILL definately suffer thru our pride being hurt but, in reality, Pentax advertising and marketing sucks north of the 49th.

I've been a P slr user since the 70s and I intend on making my dslr (istD x 2) last just as long. By the time cop-out on me I will be too old to look thru the view-finder and shaking like a leaf in October.

[leadbelly]

Looks like Henry's is not interested in Pentax period. I heard the bins of Pentax primes bought by the pound haven't been displayed yet "for lack of interest by customers..." So they say..

[BrendanPK]

well pentax as a brand can not be sold due to jp trade regs to samsung a korean co (from my understanding) however there is nothing to say that they (hoya) cant lease (suto perminatly) naming rights as well as entire design plans for lenses, bodies, optical forumlas etc.

Hey let me get in on some of that cheep stuff

[leadbelly]

Don't worry, if my Uncle gets first dibs on the remaining Pentax lenses (he's going to Toronto next week), I'll be sure to post it all in the marketplace! He's a nikonak, so he's doing this just for me... awwww

[mattdm]

Henry's is not interested in Pentax except to make money. You can see this thru their 4-page flyers. All Canons and Nikons and almost Sweet_F_All for Pentax.

I'd be shocked in Henry's is interested in anyone else except to make money either.

[Pentaxtic]

We could be looking at a Samsung SLR camera with a "designed by Pentax" sign or logo on it.

[d.bradley]

Sounds like Minolta / Konica-Minolta / Sony all over again.

My guess? Samsung DSLR's all the way...FF and all, following in Sony's footsteps.

[Confused]

Hi all

At which point, read this little gem.....

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/233302-post1.html

That's interesting and then more interesting still......do I sense a pattern emerging here ?

Best regards
Richard

[Cambo]

I hope that this problem is not endemic. If so, that might shed some light on other interesting factors that I now can understand. The severe cutting of advertising budgets over last year etc.

Ben

in Vancouver, I've seen more Pentax advertising this year than I ever have since I first bought into Pentax in about 1995. Maybe it was Pentax Canada tring to save its ***.

Very sad indeed,
Cameron

[thePiRaTE!!]

The pieces of the puzzle are falling into place it seems. We've all read the nightmare stories of terrible service coming from Pentax Canada on here. I've experienced a no reply on an email personally as well. Hoya was said right from the start to be aiming to make Pentax more profitable. Nothing seems too out of place, but it is very interesting to hear this first hand account Leadbelly, thanks for sharing.

It would seem doing it in such a harsh fashion might create a lot of bad blood though. Did he receive a severance package at least? Would have been a lot 'nicer' of Hoya to distribute some of that excess gear into the hands of these former employees rather than to dump it by the pound to a retailer. It instills no confidence in the retailer either getting product from a company they are supposed to be selling people on in this way.

[filmamigo]

I wonder if Henry's will put out a bin of those lenses at their show this weekend?

Or, more likely, use eBay and their stores to sell new-old-stock as full price premium product.

[Groundloop]

Firstly, I wouldn't expect any pennies on the dollar deals on the gear that was sold 'by the pound'. Businesses exist to make money. Full stop. Some treat their customers better than others, but the bottom line is the bottom line.

Secondly, mothballing or at least scaling back Pentax Canada would seem to make economic sense for Hoya, especially if they had NOS *ist Ds in stock. I used to work at the big camera store in Toronto that isn't Henry's (ie: Vistek - owned by Ron Silverstein), and while I worked in 'Pro sales', mostly dealing with lighting and large format cameras, we got regular visits (a couple times a month) from the Nikon and Canon reps. Olympus and Konica/Minolta would come by 4 to 6 times a year. Pentax? Maybe 3 visits in the 7 years I was there. The only pro gear company rep I don't ever remember making a visit was Fuji. Maybe it was my day off.

Anyway, given the spotty customer service record of Pentax Canada, as an end user I'm not terribly concerned about them being shut down. As long as I can get the gear I need/want, I don't care if it gets to me from a warehouse in the 905 area code, or from one in Colorado.

[Peacekeeper]

I think it is way too early for doom and gloom postings guys.

Hoya didn't become the big company it is by doing things the the wrong way. Pentax unfortunately needs to get bigger/more profitable and Hoya is simply re-organising the company structure now that they have control, as of 1st of April.

As Ned says:
"What we have initiated on April 1 is shifting from a regional territory sales model (that we’d used since the the film days) to creating a new sales organization structure of 'account' teams focused on specific channels, including photo specialty, on-line, mass merchant and national distributors."

We all know brick and morter stores are being out performed by Web/online stores. Times have changed and Hoya is simply dragging Pentax up to modern web/internet/2008 business practices and structure.

And lets not forget Samsung is in deep into the K mount and potential FF camera, so your Lenses will still be worth money.

PK