[RonHendriks1966]

Well There is stock in some places and non in others. So the production, as was lower for at least a month, is already almost keeping up with demand. I don't believe the stock for a year, you order maybe for a year, but that production is not made yet, but put into production planning at Sony's sensor fab. As is with all other parts.

[kenspo]

You also have to remember, that the production line is much smaller with Pentax then other companies.

[RobA_Oz]

I don't think anyone here has specific insight into how Ricoh runs one of the smallest parts of its business, as much as some may have experience or knowledge of how Japanese manufacturing works in general. Aside from the economics of JIT inventory supplies, there is the matter of vulnerability to production faults to be considered. One of the problems of receiving components in large quantities, as desirable as it may be to ensure supply issues don't interrupt production, is that you are more susceptible to batch faults, such as was experienced with the K-5 sensor in the early production runs. Pentax, as we know, isn't the only camera maker to be struck by that phenomenon in recent years.

[rawr]

I don't think anyone here has specific insight into how Ricoh runs one of the smallest parts of its business

You are too modest. We are all experts here, on absolutely every subject.

[Wild Mark]

Here in Australia, supply has been good, but delayed with backorders. Just got mine yesterday after waiting a few weeks. I asked the salesperson and he said that demand for this camera has been very strong and exceeded expectations. So much pent up expectation from pentaxians, built up over a decade, released all at once. I wonder if the tsunami of success that is the K1 will be the downfall of pentax ...... with every peak there is a trough

[thibs]

You are too modest. We are all experts here, on absolutely every subject.

You mean, some more than others ?

Uluru should meet with Nicolas06, that would be fun to watch and hear

[noelpolar]

I don't think anyone here has specific insight

Clearly not true...... Uluru seems to think he knows it all!

[Pål Jensen]

Asahiman's explanation doesn't hold water because that is not how Japanese manufacturing is done.
Before commencing production, Ricoh had projected a certain figure and ordered enough components for seamless production, accounting for its flagship product up to 6 months of delays from a sensor manufacturer. That means at least one whole year of production has been covered with with components ordered and ready..

This is not how it works. It is based on last minute production; every component is manufactured and delivered as close as possible to the assembly date.

[gmans]

You are too modest. We are all experts here, on absolutely every subject.

So funny,but true.

[RobA_Oz]

You are too modest. We are all experts here, on absolutely every subject.

Hmm. I guess that slipped my mind, which means I'm not an expert on the ubiquity of expertise.

---------- Post added 19th Jul 2016 at 09:27 PM ----------

Here in Australia, supply has been good, but delayed with backorders. Just got mine yesterday after waiting a few weeks. I asked the salesperson and he said that demand for this camera has been very strong and exceeded expectations. So much pent up expectation from pentaxians, built up over a decade, released all at once. I wonder if the tsunami of success that is the K1 will be the downfall of pentax ...... with every peak there is a trough

Given the number of new members here who have joined with their K-1s, some switching from Canon (none that I've noticed coming from Nikon), I'm not so sure about the depth of the trough. While the negativity from a couple of bloggers has been prominently reported here, the reception elsewhere has been overwhelmingly positive.

The DSLR market may well have peaked, but that's more of a problem for the bigger manufacturers. I'm starting to wonder whether the MILC market may be softening, too, as the initial wave of enthusiasm seems to be going off the boil. I think the K-1 has some legs, and the transition of its technology into the next top-end APS-C model won't do the brand any harm, as will the next MF model. I'm not pessimistic about my investment in the brand.

[Wild Mark]

I'm not pessimistic about my investment in the brand.

To the contrary. I am not negative either what I said was tongue in cheek

It would be fair to say that pentax lovers are coming out of the woodwork, just like long lost footy fans for teams that unexpectedly make the finals. I am incredible impressed by this camera. Call be biased, but, it is sooooo nice. Just the feel of it inspires creative thought.

[RonHendriks1966]

Well I can even make an estimation on how it works.

- the factory of Sony was hit at the end of april.
- the sales of K-1 was good til the first week of June (only in the second week of June it dropped in bcn ranking)
- if we calculate a 10 day delay between factory and stores for the Japanese market

Then I guess that there is a month of inventory for production on parts as it comes to sensors.


(Not to accurate or build on figures from Sony or Ricoh, but probably not that far of.)

[Zygonyx]

And if you take into account the fact that there was no K-1 shortage as from now, that it was a bigger success than expected in Japan, and also that late shipment delivery starting second week of mai in US, wouldn't you rather count 3 months ?

I guess we know everything altogether, but definitely not one of us knows the truth on that subject....

[Schraubstock]

Ricoh had projected a certain figure and ordered enough components for seamless production, accounting for its flagship product up to 6 months of delays from a sensor manufacturer. That means at least one whole year of production has been covered with with components ordered and ready.

Ricoh most certainly will have calculated sales targets as any manufacturer would and have liaised with parts suppliers mainly to establish prices, But this is where it ends,

The Japanese have pioneered the JIT manufacturing and stock holding system (I believe Toyota have been the driving force) JIT stands for Just In Time. I visit Japan a lot (in fact I am in Japan this very minute) and know first hand that virtually every manufacturer of any note produces under the JIT system. Ordering and supply is finely tuned.

I know of cases where parts which are required for the next projected quantity run are delivered just a few days before they are needed. This Japanese supply model has been fine tuned to an almost zero failure rate. It has also been copied by almost all manufacturers worldwide. However I believe no company outside Japan, while having copied the JIT system, have been able to match the Japanese success rate.

Cheers

[nzondlo]

I came to this thread looking for actual hard sales numbers on the K-1. Was disappointed.

Is Ricoh a publicly traded company? Surely they'd want to publish their numbers in the quarterly report if they were.