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11-23-2014, 07:05 PM   #31
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QuoteOriginally posted by Uluru Quote
Among many similar models from other manufacturers, why did Pentax MX-1 sell?
Brass and old style styling is exactly the reason. If it were another plastic and aluminium toy in the fashion of Oly and Canon and Fuji, it would not sell next to them. It would have zero personality. And I personally would not touch it.

On the other hand, to style any future compact like the Q, in hundreds of colours, is another suicide. Each camera must be tailored to the very specific market, and be best in it. The MX-1, I think, was fairly successful. Now is time for another version, but more powerful.
I'm not sure where you get the impression that the MX was particularly successful. While it was a very decent entrant, it had its price slashed on more than one occasion and was discontinued rather quickly. It almost felt like a limited edition for how long it was actually on the market.

Keep in mind that it was priced and was going up against some stiff competition with more sophisticated imaging stacks. Fujifilm's X20 (which, unlike the way you characterize it, has superb build for the most part) has a bigger sensor and great aperture range (f/2-2.8 gets surprising bokeh out of the bigger sensor) and the Sony RX100 is still a high water mark for a combination of performance in a small form factor zoom camera. At $500 MSRP, that's a tough pack to be only a few hundred away from. Consider that Ricoh's own GR entered the market shortly afterwards, far surpassing the capabilities of the MX, and it becomes clear that the MX was stuck hanging with a bunch of way better cameras. If it sold in any significant numbers, it's because it got cheap and it got cheap really fast.

I like the concept of the MX and thought it was decent (I shot with one for a bit) but I didn't think it was that good. I think Ricoh would be wise to focus on a niche where it has a huge advantage—in advanced, large-sensored compacts with GR. Whereas the MX didn't offer anything other cameras couldn't do better (or exactly the same, in the case of the Oly ZX-2), Ricoh's history of film and digital GRs clearly paid off big time in the APS-C version. Play to your strengths! Everything else is just a waste of resources.

11-23-2014, 07:10 PM   #32
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QuoteOriginally posted by Uluru Quote
Among many similar models from other manufacturers, why did Pentax MX-1 sell?
Brass and old style styling is exactly the reason. If it were another plastic and aluminium toy in the fashion of Oly and Canon and Fuji, it would not sell next to them. It would have zero personality. And I personally would not touch it.

On the other hand, to style any future compact like the Q, in hundreds of colours, is another suicide. Each camera must be tailored to the very specific market, and be best in it. The MX-1, I think, was fairly successful. Now is time for another version, but more powerful.
I'm not sure how a camera is harmed by being available in lots of color combinations; in actual practice the marketers choose what is actually available, and presumably their orders are based on what they actually sell. Members of the Q family are specialized by adding lenses - it would be more flexible if it offered an optional EVF, and a tilting LCD (which might make it a better street view camera).
11-23-2014, 07:16 PM   #33
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QuoteOriginally posted by reh321 Quote
I'm not sure how a camera is harmed by being available in lots of color combinations; in actual practice the marketers choose what is actually available, and presumably their orders are based on what they actually sell. Members of the Q family are specialized by adding lenses - it would be more flexible if it offered an optional EVF, and a tilting LCD (which might make it a better street view camera).
The fact that Pentax keeps returning to the multiple color choice option for its cameras is a pretty good indicator that they have evidence it sells cameras. People seem to forget that that is why they are in business. Japanese school girls may well be a much more profitable market than aging North American amateur photographers (that includes me by the way). What we want probably makes them some money but maybe not enough.
11-23-2014, 08:32 PM   #34
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QuoteOriginally posted by Mikesul Quote
The fact that Pentax keeps returning to the multiple color choice option for its cameras is a pretty good indicator that they have evidence it sells cameras. People seem to forget that that is why they are in business. Japanese school girls may well be a much more profitable market than aging North American amateur photographers (that includes me by the way). What we want probably makes them some money but maybe not enough.
I have trouble imagining any school girl juggling removable lenses, but maybe they buy it with just one ... or maybe my imagination is just faulty.

11-24-2014, 09:38 AM   #35
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QuoteOriginally posted by reh321 Quote
I have trouble imagining any school girl juggling removable lenses, but maybe they buy it with just one ... or maybe my imagination is just faulty.
If it is fancy over there, school girls will certainly; no matter how stupid we may think it is.
11-24-2014, 01:40 PM   #36
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QuoteOriginally posted by reh321 Quote
I'm not sure how a camera is harmed by being available in lots of color combinations; in actual practice the marketers choose what is actually available, and presumably their orders are based on what they actually sell. Members of the Q family are specialized by adding lenses - it would be more flexible if it offered an optional EVF, and a tilting LCD (which might make it a better street view camera).
Well, that is my point: they have a line of DSLR and a line o Q with hundreds of colours. It doesn't make any sense for them to go and make every single camera in hundreds of colours. As for extra features for the Q, rather leave them out. Q is perfect as it is. It will become bulky, and then people would ask, What's the difference between the bulky Q and the m4/3?
Then extra features that make camera more 'capable', will only kill sales. Same people may ask, Why cheetah doesn't have extra 40 pounds, longer teeth, stronger legs and a small mane?
11-24-2014, 03:14 PM   #37
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QuoteOriginally posted by Uluru Quote
Well, that is my point: they have a line of DSLR and a line o Q with hundreds of colours. It doesn't make any sense for them to go and make every single camera in hundreds of colours. As for extra features for the Q, rather leave them out. Q is perfect as it is. It will become bulky, and then people would ask, What's the difference between the bulky Q and the m4/3?
Then extra features that make camera more 'capable', will only kill sales. Same people may ask, Why cheetah doesn't have extra 40 pounds, longer teeth, stronger legs and a small mane?
Yeah, a tilting mechanism might not work because of size, but I remain convinced that it would be a much stronger competitor in US/Europe if it had an EVF - even if it were "just" an optional clip-on thing.

12-03-2014, 05:56 PM   #38
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I am willing to bet there will be a MX-2, it obviously draws a crowd to the discussion of it. I can only say wonderful things about the camera. It is a pure joy to shoot. If Pentax is listening (which I am sure they are) they will probably include the following.

1. View Finder (electronic or otherwise)
2. Additional Manual Control (maybe a second adjustment wheel)
3. BIG MAYBE here, but it could be a manually retracted/zoomed lens (kinda like the X20)
12-05-2014, 07:27 AM   #39
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The MX-1 has suddenly been pulled from the market in Japan, because some customers had accidentally been shipped a products that did not have a Japanese interface. It was at #10 on the chukka.com compact camera sales ranking at that point. There's a notice about the recall on the Ricoh website.

As I mentioned a few pages earlier in this thread, the MX-1 seems to have been quite a big seller in Japan. I wonder whether Ricoh has been redirecting products intended for other markets to meet demand in Japan and just screwed up, or whether retailers are selling grey imports from overseas.
12-05-2014, 11:49 AM   #40
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One of the better products. Really good design, good lens, good optical results...
12-05-2014, 01:32 PM   #41
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I am interested in what the replacement model is going to incorporate into it. The MX1 is a very good product with a few issues, but overall a performer.
12-08-2014, 08:53 PM   #42
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Lovely product indeed. It actually betters Q in almost everything.
12-14-2014, 07:00 AM   #43
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Sad really...It had so much potential. Looking at the images produced by it all over this forum, I could even live with the sensor size but the lack of an EV was just a deal breaker. I simply have to look through a viewfinder or I feel like I'm just shooting a phone. Honestly though, I've never tried a tilting screen so maybe that would be enough...I don't know. I did flirt with the oly in the local camera store though and really liked the EV. I hate my Optio E80 (now regulated to a desk drawer) not only for it's limitations as a 10mp 3xzoom, but for it's crap IQ and never liking the lcd only. It seemed to me at least, that Ricoh just thought the GR would seamlessly replace the MX-1.
12-14-2014, 11:37 AM   #44
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QuoteOriginally posted by bobell69 Quote
I am interested in what the replacement model is going to incorporate into it. The MX1 is a very good product with a few issues, but overall a performer.
Yes me too. I guess the 1" sensor would be a candidate.
12-14-2014, 04:31 PM   #45
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QuoteOriginally posted by IHS Quote
Sad really...It had so much potential. Looking at the images produced by it all over this forum.. It seemed to me at least, that Ricoh just thought the GR would seamlessly replace the MX-1.
GR is a specialist niche product geeks can appreciate.
MX-1 is not. MX-1 by default offers more appeal to more people.

BUT, "problem" is Ricoh, and the Q in particular. Best small sensored offer by Ricoh is definitely the MX-1, but that type of cameras is least developed by them.

Q is very much same since 2011. Q tech is stuck in place — one can do nothing else to it because all additions will change the shape and size of it and the Q defeats its purpose. It must be kept within same size, and it must use current lenses. And that's it.

On the other hand, a standalone product like the MX-1 offers more playground for innovation. But we see nothing happening there because company is not spending any time on such products. They license OEM "solutions" with customised outer shell. And that is, frankly, boring. They would never do such a thing with their own GR.

However, GR can never be much different is size and shape either, because it would spell a curse which would alienate their current customer base.

In essence we have two philosophies colliding, one of conservative and slow development, and one of interrupting innovations. Ricoh with its flagship products, the GR and the Pentax ILCs, can only rely on continuous and conservative path of development. Everything else revolutionary they indeed are capable of, may in fact seriously disturb their small footprint; kill some of GR sales, Q sales, K-mount sales, etc.

Last edited by Uluru; 12-14-2014 at 04:40 PM.
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