Originally posted by pinholecam I think they want to hunker down for the storm. Low inventory, don't over extend. (Canon and Nikon are over extended with huge overheads and inventory, unsold 100D piling over last years 500D; 550D; 600D; 650D, etc) Concentrate only on the Japan market, where they still have presence, history and respect. (don't need to be a global player to be profitable)
I think it's true that Ricoh does not want to become over-extended, like most of the other players (many of whom have lost money or have seen profits rapidly diminish). The simple fact of the matter is that, on many fronts, Pentax is not capable of out-competing its rivals. It can't compete with Fuji on the fast lens front, simply because if Pentax made fast primes comparable to what we find in Fuji's lineup, the Pentax versions would be more expensive. Fuji sells their 23mm f1.4 for around $900. Pentax sells the DA 21 f3.2 for $700. What are the odds that we would ever see a DA* 24 f1.4 for $900? I suspect Pentax could not make a profit selling fast wide angle lenses at Fuji prices, which is why we'll never see such lenses.
Just about the only genre where Pentax can compete is landscape/nature photographer. That's why, on the
Ricoh Imaging website, the Pentax K-3 is called "the ultimate field camera." It's not "the ultimate fast lens camera," or "the ultimate candid portrait camera," or "the ultimate sports camera," or "the ultimate gearhead camera." Ricoh would lose money trying to compete in those markets, so Pentax is not allowed to compete in them. Pentax must play to its strengths to survive in a brutal market.
It's no coincidence that most of the complaints about Pentax come from the fast lens and/or FF sensor camp. Pentax has not been catering to their needs and they're unhappy. But that has more to do with how Pentax evolved over the years than any sort of intentional plan and/or negligence. Pentax has long struggled to compete in the AF technology realm, so they've re-orientated their business toward genres where AF tech is not so important. Hence Pentax has done a better job of catering to and satisfying the needs of landscape/nature photographers than candid portrait or hand-hold-in-poor-light photographers. Fast wide angle glass and FF sensors have also been a challenge for Pentax due to the high cost of these items.
Originally posted by pinholecam Either come clean, and give up FF (declaring so ) and announce a good roadmap of lenses for apsc (fast lenses; primes in the 24-28mm range; 10-12mm prime; etc) Or go FF which will still be better than a D610 or 6D (SR; good size; no AA filter; smalish Pentax lenses)
Pentax can never renounce FF altogether, because they have to keep their options open going forward. Since Ricoh took over Pentax has been working toward FF, but it hasn't been a priority. "Completing" the APS-C line-up (with a strong orientation towards "field" camera needs) and developing the 645 digital system has so far taken priority. But the FF system is coming. It's just going to take time.