[Kunzite]

The K-1 was surely available through Q1-Q3, so try again...

[Pål Jensen]

Some are waiting, some are leaving, some have left....
Had the K3 been an unbeatable timeless camera, the long wait for a successor would not have had much of a negative impact, but the truth is, based on my own experience, that the K3 has a buggy processor (lock-ups, mirror flopping, suffers a performance hit at AF level (let alone AF-C) with other than a fully charged battery), and has not so good high iso performance. And ultimately, the AF module is not precise enough for more advanced uses.
So with the D500 around the K3 has a bit of a hard task keeping Pentax APS-C shooters around.
I will buy a K3 successor on the spot, if it comes out before summer, but after that I'm not sure. There's the D500 you know... The K3 successor may be good enough for my purposes, but it will have to materialize, and if that is not working out...

Chris

I have none of these problems with my K-3. What does the D500 cost?
The K-3 is till on of the most capable APS cameras available.

[Chris Mak]

First, anecdotal evidence is really hard to analyze in a meaningful way. I've had two k-3's. Both at the same time for a while, then I sold one off. Both never had any buggy problems like you mention. High iso has been fine, but that's very subjective.

I realize that I will have been unlucky with the K3, but still, there were many reports on mirror flop, and it was never solved, only a firmware update to stop the mirror action when detecting the mirror flop. To me, it is one of these things that make the difference between a camera designed with overhead, and a camera designed at the limits of what is required. I always have the feeling when out shooting with the K3 and the DA560, that I have to watch it, and not stress the processor, or it will start acting up. I have had so many instances of inexplicable failure to initiate immediate and accurate auto focus, that I dislike shooting this combo. Of course, pampering and avoiding stress on the processor will get you a long way, but then there is the moment a rare bird flies over and sits still for about five seconds, and I aim the K3-DA560 and try to focus, and it is as if the K3 needs waking up or needs some working out to get to good AF. Of course, the moment then is gone.
It may still be my particular K3, but having read much on the K3 and its issues, I think I may ask too much of a camera with limited processor power. Perhaps a dedicated AF processor would be needed to solve it... And talking about AF, how many times have I failed to focus on the eye of a distant bird because the precision of the AF points is not high enough with the K3? Many, many times, it will simply focus on the body. Some may say I was not close enough to the bird, but that's kind of inherent with rare and shy wintering or migrating birds, and the DA560 is after all designed for distant objects... I can assume sports would also need higher precision. As it is, my K3 needs something relatively sizeable to focus on, it simply fails to accurately single out something small.

Second, as an apsc shooter, what lenses would I use on my Nikon D500 that compare to the lineup of apsc specific lenses offered by Pentax? What replaces my 50-135? My DA 15? The d500 is also very pricey... As much or more than the K-1.

Sure the D500 is pricey, but if it takes away the need to upgrade, eventually it may save you money. My DA560 was 5000,- The new Sigma 500mm f4S is 6500,- I always wonder why people scare at these prices, but simultaneously buy a multitude of cheaper lenses and waste a lot on eternal camera body upgrades, or even multiple systems, like APS-C ánd FF, and don't seem to find the total sum bothering.
With a lens like the DA560 or the Sigma 500mmf4S, you have to mentally spread out the cost over many, many years, and after 3 years of use, I already start to find the DA560 worth its money. It is superbly built, and never any issues with functionality or IQ, except for the K3 failing it. A lens like that gves you unique shots and lasts a very, very long time. The same would probably apply to a 300/2.8 lens or a 400/4 lens. Whether you need reliability of the higher end sort, or whether you are fine with the level at which the K3 gets it done, that's very personal of course.

Chris

[Ian Stuart Forsyth]

Sure the D500 is pricey, but if it takes away the need to upgrade, eventually it may save you money. My DA560 was 5000,- The new Sigma 500mm f4S is 6500,- I always wonder why people scare at these prices, but simultaneously buy a multitude of cheaper lenses and waste a lot on eternal camera body upgrades, or even multiple systems, like APS-C ánd FF, and don't seem to find the total sum bothering.

You have really hit the nail on the head with this.

5 years ago I was at the point where I was tired of incremental upgrades and the dwindling selection of lenses. I finally gave in and purchased a camera and lens that was better fit to what I was looking for. It cost me at the onset but after 5 1/2 years of shooting I don’t have to worry about the next incremental upgrades and the only time I have to worry about buying another body is when this one finally kicks the bucket.

[mecrox]

Smart Vision must include industrial cameras not included into Industrial Products. I already suggested the G800 series...

OK, then which Ricoh Imaging products could be responsible for a 40% decrease in sales?

The K1 provided a massive boost in 2016 which tailed off naturally after initial demand was met; and after that, collectively, Pentax products matched the general 10-15 per cent decline in the DSLR market. It only looks like a 40 per cent decline because the sales boost of the K1 means that the quarterly figures start from an uncharacteristically high level if you take as the starting point one of the quarters when the K1 was returning big sales. There may be other reasons such as industrial cameras in the mix, but imho there is no actual need for them to explain the figures. The K1 effect is a pretty sufficient cause.

I’d guess Ricoh may be hoping for a repeat of this with a Mark II K1. The effect won’t be nearly as large, because most Pentax folk who want a K1 now have it. What it shows, however, is that the quarterly figures can improve quite quickly if there is a decisive shift to much higher-value products, as happened for a few months with the K1. The trick is to keep them there.

[Fogel70]

I’d guess Ricoh may be hoping for a repeat of this with a Mark II K1. The effect won’t be nearly as large, because most Pentax folk who want a K1 now have it. What it shows, however, is that the quarterly figures can improve quite quickly if there is a decisive shift to much higher-value products, as happened for a few months with the K1. The trick is to keep them there.

To repeat the success of K1 and other top selling Pentax products every year is near impossible for Ricoh. They need to release a lot more products in more segments than before to achieve that.

Otherwise it will be like in the past, where one product will be extra successful every 5 years or so, as it depends how strong the competition is at the time of release. But it would also require that many of Pentax users make a major investment each year.

[mecrox]

To repeat the success of K1 and other top selling Pentax products every year is near impossible for Ricoh. They need to release a lot more products in more segments than before to achieve that.

Otherwise it will be like in the past, where one product will be extra successful every 5 years or so, as it depends how strong the competition is at the time of release. But it would also require that many of Pentax users make a major investment each year.

I agree. But Ricoh must be hoping for at least a mini version of this bounce in 2018. There are likely two or three bodies and two or three lenses in the mix this year (according to rumours or undertakings) and all are high-value items, especially if one includes anything on the 645 front. And the most of that will depend on existing Pentax customers laying out a tidy sum. So far anyway, Ricoh haven’t looked far outside the userbase for their sales. To do that might require more marketing, addressing long-standing issues like AF or video performance, and a venture into other form factors (MILC, eg).

[OoKU]

http://www.ricoh.com/IR/financial_data/financial_result/data/30/q4_report.pdf
FY2018/03
Flash Report

---------- Post added 04-27-18 at 05:11 PM ----------

Sales in the Other segment increased by 12.5% to ¥204.7 billion as compared to the previous corresponding period. Income and profit mainlyin optical equipment business increased. Moreover, impairment losses were recognized in the previous corresponding period.As a result, operating profit in the Other segment was ¥10.0 billion (Operating profit (loss) of the previous corresponding period was ¥2.9billion (loss).).

[OoKU]

http://www.ricoh.com/IR/data/pre/pdf/h30q4_1.pdf

[RonHendriks1966]

The sales for the camera part went down 15 % last quarter compared to the same period one year ago.
Over the whole year the sale for the camera part went down 23,3 % compared to last years figures.

So all in all Ricoh-Imaging has decreased sales all 4 quarters during this year.


Maybe this year will look better, but to be honest I don't expect that.

Not much new items on the market that move in some volume.

- K-1ii is a good camera, but not an upgrade for many.
- Dfa*50 is still not out and maybe just in the next quarter. Other lenses?
- compact camera sales are very low and so I don't see many GRII moving nor do I see a new model coming soon.
- Q is alive (according to the interview), but so is Elvis (I just don't take that serious about Q)
- 645 needs something new to move again in more numbers.
- Theta is still a gadget that tracks those interested in gadgets, except that it feels like "last years gadget".
- Japan dslr sales are still in decline, much more then any other region.

[biz-engineer]

Not much new items on the market that move in some volume.

The trouble is , when no new product is released, we don't hear much about Pentax, as they don't do events and content marketing like Fuji for example.
For Pentax, there are a number of old products kept in inventory and on sale but I guess they are sold to people actively looking for them, that's only a few.

[BigMackCam]

The sales for the camera part went down 15 % last quarter compared to the same period one year ago.
Over the whole year the sale for the camera part went down 23,3 % compared to last years figures.

So all in all Ricoh-Imaging has decreased sales all 4 quarters during this year.


Maybe this year will look better, but to be honest I don't expect that.

It's nice to see you still have some interest in Pentax, Ron...

[Kunzite]

Is that sarcasm?

As before, I'm curious what is this "reduction of lineup" which generated the decline in sales in Smart Vision.

[Mistral75]

The complete picture, quarter after quarter.



¥1bn ≈ $9m ≈ €7.7m.

[RonHendriks1966]

Is that sarcasm?

As before, I'm curious what is this "reduction of lineup" which generated the decline in sales in Smart Vision.

The K-3ii disappeared. So is K-S2 gone (there was stock a year ago). I don't see WG-M2 anymore. There are some lenses I don't see inventory on some lenses overhere for some time (among them 200mm and 300mm) so maybe they get a refresh, or this is part of having lower inventory by planning production runs.