[Kunzite]

The shipments to the Americas are actually quite close to (but smaller than) those for Europe (but then, Americas is not just the USA - and makes about ~13-14% of the world's population).
Unfortunately, CIPA doesn't show the shipments to the USA only, those would be obviously smaller.

[jatrax]

The shipments to the Americas are actually quite close to those for Europe (but then, Americas is not just the USA).

Depending on definition of "Americas". If that includes Canada, USA, Central America and South America that is a big area. I wonder if data from this forum would be available? Would be interesting to see a graph of members by country or region.

One of the things I really like about this forum is the international membership and seeing how people from all over the world can have ideas that are sometimes very similar and sometimes different. It helps to keep things in perspective.

Perhaps the market is roughly proportional to population? USA: about 4.4% of the population of the world. Europe: about 10.1% of the population of the world.

I would think there would have to be a strong correlation. Modified by average income of residents and perhaps by traditional local interest in photography. Something that could be determined if you have access to those numbers. So while I can only guess or speculate, a company the size of Ricoh will have data to show where the market is and where potential growth areas are.

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[monochrome]

I would think there would have to be a strong correlation. Modified by average income of residents and perhaps by traditional local interest in photography. Something that could be determined if you have access to those numbers. So while I can only guess or speculate, a company the size of Ricoh will have data to show where the market is and where potential growth areas are.

Much more important is the proportion of a market in its acquisitive years - ages 34 - 54. The USA, with its ageing Baby Boom and its younger 'Echo Boom' won't qualify as a target market for another decade.*



* Global market tactics, anyone?

[Rondec]

Based on your join date you have been here a while. So maybe you remember 2009, 2010? When the biggest topic here was how long your camera would last after Pentax went under. The speculation was not so much if but when they would close.

Can you honestly say Pentax's future is not much brighter now than it was then?That might be what you were told, will not argue that. But I had three lenses repaired at the old facility, all perfectly done. It took three tries and almost 5 months to fix my 18-135 at Precision. And it took a personal contact with Ricoh to keep Precision from charging me three times for the same repair. I think the move was due to Precision under bidding the other guys. And based on the complaints about Precision here and on other forums I think I know why they can bid lower.
CIPA data indicates otherwise. And Americans should realize it is a big world out there and we are not the center of the universe.Three out of how many? But I don't get your point. There are Pentax shooters in the US, no one questions that. But US is at best a secondary market for Ricoh. They will sell here but marketing efforts are on other markets. And as you note they are indeed trying to see what the market will bear. They've done that with just about every new release. Start high and evaluate sales, drop price as needed to maintain volume. That's just good business as far as I'm concerned. And pricing is in line with offerings from other major companies, third party is cheaper, but Pentax is not third party.

It is a rabbit trail, but Precision Repair has not done well for me. I sent them a lens (DA 40) in the middle of December and they have been waiting on parts for it till last week. Now, I don't know if Precision isn't being given the support they need by Pentax USA or, if they just are not that great, but I didn't have any issues with CRIS. They would have parts within a few weeks max and would finish repairs quickly.

Anyway, not a big deal, but it seems like either Precision isn't on top of things, or Ricoh is just not giving them the support they need to take care of consumers quickly.

[jatrax]

Much more important is the proportion of a market in its acquisitive years - ages 34 - 54. The USA, with its ageing Baby Boom and its younger 'Echo Boom' won't qualify as a target market for another decade.*

Good point. And likely a good number of other factors that can be thrown into the hat. And any company working on a global scale should know those factors and have staff capable of the actuarial calculations to make sense of them. USA is a big market, but no longer the biggest, and if there are other markets that are easier to enter with bigger potential for growth that's where I would be.

I think RIcoh used the same concept on the 645z launch. Everyone screaming for a FF camera but they delivered the 645z. Why? Because the market has lots of FF cameras and any addition by Ricoh will be an uphill challenge to make any impact. But the medium format market was wide open. Always go for the low hanging fruit first, only when that is picked do you get the ladder out.

[jpstanisic]

It is a rabbit trail, but Precision Repair has not done well for me. I sent them a lens (DA 40) in the middle of December and they have been waiting on parts for it till last week. Now, I don't know if Precision isn't being given the support they need by Pentax USA or, if they just are not that great, but I didn't have any issues with CRIS. They would have parts within a few weeks max and would finish repairs quickly.

Anyway, not a big deal, but it seems like either Precision isn't on top of things, or Ricoh is just not giving them the support they need to take care of consumers quickly.

OMG ... I had a nightmare experience with them trying to fix my AF540FGZ II. Took over 2.5 months for parts and then just after a few uses of working great it was having the same problem again - flash not firing ... or firing when it wants. I do not trust them. Also, I never got any responses from them when asking on status. It was a giant rabbit hole that never ended.

[Kunzite]

Depending on definition of "Americas". If that includes Canada, USA, Central America and South America that is a big area. I wonder if data from this forum would be available? Would be interesting to see a graph of members by country or region.

If we're talking about the CIPA data, yes, it's Americas - i.e. both North America and South America.
I don't think Adam has the required data (Pentaxforums members are not required to report when and what they bought ) - and anyway, this forum is not representative for the global distribution.

[jatrax]

I don't think Adam has the required data (Pentaxforums members are not required to report when and what they bought )

No, I was just thinking it would be interesting to see a graph of location of members. Not what they bought. Just Pentax Forum members / country or region. Would not really be representative just for fun.

[OJGoreng]

Weather was a bit better today; I'm starting to REALLY love this lens. I cannot really be bothered to put any shoots on Flickr for review purposes, but here's one, cropped to about a quarter of the frame (i.e., the image is 6.6 MP from the K-3's 24.3 MP).


These ducks fly at a speed of about 90 km/h.

For birding purposes, this thing is boss. I finally managed to ID a peregrine because I could read the code on her leg ring after blowing up the frame, that kind of thing. Most of today's harvest is here; mind you most of these images have first been cropped to about 5-10% of the original frame, then downsized to 800 * 600. Not the thing you do if you want to take pretty pictures, but the distance simply requires it. I actually tried it with the 1.7x AFA as well; the results aren't exactly pretty, but it works.

[Stavri]

Weather was a bit better today; I'm starting to REALLY love this lens. I cannot really be bothered to put any shoots on Flickr for review purposes, but here's one, cropped to about a quarter of the frame (i.e., the image is 6.6 MP from the K-3's 24.3 MP).


These ducks fly at a speed of about 90 km/h.

For birding purposes, this thing is boss. I finally managed to ID a peregrine because I could read the code on her leg ring after blowing up the frame, that kind of thing. Most of today's harvest is here; mind you most of these images have first been cropped to about 5-10% of the original frame, then downsized to 800 * 600. Not the thing you do if you want to take pretty pictures, but the distance simply requires it. I actually tried it with the 1.7x AFA as well; the results aren't exactly pretty, but it works.

An unbiased photog (with no brand affiliation who judges his gear only from a performance standpoint ) with a newly released lens who shoots thousands of pics daily....i think we (as a community) have hit the jackpot. I'd like to thank you for your work sir (although you might not consider it as such)...much obliged

[OJGoreng]

Nobody is ever unbiased. Even though I technically have the opportunity to return it, I'm aware that I also want to like this lens, because a) it's not the type of money I easily cough up, and b) the alternative would be switching systems. Funny thing about that site where I post most of my stuff is that it really allows you to get a grip on the relative irrelevance of gear. The people who take the most stunning shots are typically 5D mkII users with lenses I cannot even afford after selling all vital organs. But I also know how they work... get in a hide, spend days in row to take the perfect shot, throw away every else. A lot of people shooting tripe use exactly the same gear, but simply because they work differently they get different results. Getting expensive gear isn't going to turn you into Frans Lanting, just like getting a late '60s stratocaster isn't going to turn you into Hendrix.
I know a guy who uses a K-3, DA* 300 and HD converter and has the same working style as the 5D shooters who get the loveliest images. His work is quite stunning; check out these, for instance: IJsvogel - Alcedo atthis 2014-07-18 | Waarneming.nl (OK, I have to admit I secretly don't ever want to see a single kingfisher picture in my life ever again, but still). It's all more a matter of choosing to invest time and effort rather than anything else...

[rawr]

These ducks fly at a speed of about 90 km/h.

What a nice shot of an attractive bird.

And such good visible detail right across the body of the bird, even after a significant crop.

[Stavri]

OK, I have to admit I secretly don't ever want to see a single kingfisher picture in my life ever again, but still). It's all more a matter of choosing to invest time and effort rather than anything else...

I've seen his work before, Kingfisher heavy but they're photogenic birds full of character. I appreciate your pictures more than anything else, it helps me understand the camera-lens combo better...keep 'em coming.

[OJGoreng]

it is, cameratools has just one in stock. So i think all major dealers just got one as first orders.

just cameranu, it had one on stock as well

Ah, OK. I just went to one of those "compare prices" sites, and they weren't listed. What strikes me as odd is that the site of Foto Booms (my preferred dealer) still doesn't even mention this lens exists, while they're already advertising the K-3 II.

---------- Post added 05-05-2015 at 01:58 AM ----------

Here's one for fun. I "stole" the next pic from someone else's Flickr site, after googling the name of the building.



This is two Kestrels mating at the top of that tower around 7:45 this morning. Unhealthily extreme crop, obviously.

[Shanti]

Weather was a bit better today; I'm starting to REALLY love this lens. I cannot really be bothered to put any shoots on Flickr for review purposes, but here's one, cropped to about a quarter of the frame (i.e., the image is 6.6 MP from the K-3's 24.3 MP).


These ducks fly at a speed of about 90 km/h.

For birding purposes, this thing is boss. I finally managed to ID a peregrine because I could read the code on her leg ring after blowing up the frame, that kind of thing. Most of today's harvest is here; mind you most of these images have first been cropped to about 5-10% of the original frame, then downsized to 800 * 600. Not the thing you do if you want to take pretty pictures, but the distance simply requires it. I actually tried it with the 1.7x AFA as well; the results aren't exactly pretty, but it works.

What AF settings are you using? also do you use the 4 AF buttons on the lens?