[JPT]

Ricoh has an announcement on their website about the remodeling of their Shinjuku (Tokyo) showroom. It will take place between March 14 and March 26.

Google translate made reasonable attempt at it this time.
Google Translate

I’ve been half expecting this after the smart new showroom was opened in Osaka last September. The Shinjuku location is actually a decent size space in an accessible location, but it has been looking a bit unappealing recently. If it gets the same look as Osaka, it will be a big upgrade.

Edit:
Here’s a thread that shows the New Osaka showroom.
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/16-pentax-news-rumors/349281-ricoh-imagi...-expanded.html

And here’s one that shows what the Shinjuku showroom looks like presently.
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/137-photographic-industry-professionals/...-shinjuku.html

My guess is that Shinjuku will look similar to Osaka after the change.

---

Last edited by JPT; 02-01-2018 at 05:06 AM.

[Kunzite]

Is that... investment for the future? I'm shocked!

[Mistral75]

On the same topic, see also Ricoh Imaging Square Shinjuku renewed | Digital Camera Watch (Google translation of the Japanese original text)

[JPT]

The Ricoh Imaging Square reopened today. I haven't been there yet, but it does look nicer than before from the images, and more like the new Osaka Imaging Square. It doesn't look like the basic layout has changed much,





And some kind of event on the opening day.



These images are from the Ricoh Imaging Square Twitter account
????????????? (@RicohImagingSQ) on Twitter

[volley]

Good to see this improvement! I have visited the "old" place a few times and had a chance to buy items at reasonable prices (since they have been used as exhibits).
On my list for the next business trip to Tokyo!

[Jonathan Mac]

I didn't realise there was a showroom - I walked right by it (well, the other side of the street) when I was there last June and took a number of photos of the building. Doh!!

I did stumble across the Fujifilm showroom later on in Tokyo and that was lovely, apart from wishing I had an extra few thousand $/€ in my wallet

[kwb]

Thanks JPT, judging from pictures it looks like a cosmetic upgrade, but a necessary upgrade nevertheless!
Lighting for the product display is much better than when I visited there last year, clutter is (hopefully) gone and no more mismatching furnitures!

[Douglas_of_Sweden]

Looks like it changed "a bit" since I was there in 1994. If it's the same place? Tokyo it was, and Pentax. Lot's of big lenses. Remember looking at people across the square through the window and a 600mm lens. Don't remember if it was the A*600 or FA*600...

[LaurenOE]

I'll swing by there next month! I am filming a motorcycle tour of Japan in May.

[JPT]

I went to the Shinjuku Imaging Square yesterday, and had a look. They have made some relatively small changes, but it looks smarter and the room where they display the Pentax stuff is a lot better. It used to look a bit shabby, and they had too much space devoted to cheap looking merchandise, like T-shirts and coffee mugs. They still have the promotional goods but the displays focus more on the cameras and lens lineup.

When I was there, they had a really nice exhibition by a photographer called Masazumi Takahashi. He's a landscape photographer and is quite discriminating about what's in the frame, using a lot of longer focal lengths. Many of the photos were quite abstract and unique. I caught the end of a talk he was giving there. It's the kind of photography I like.

If you want to see his work, try a Google image search for "高橋真澄 写真家".

[Mikesul]

Were the photos in the exhibit taken with Pentax equipment? Most of the hits I found were to his work with Sony cameras.

[JPT]

Were the photos in the exhibit taken with Pentax equipment? Most of the hits I found were to his work with Sony cameras.

He uses a K-1 and K-3, but he also uses Sony and Panasonic. It wasn't clear what proportion of the pictures were taken with the Pentax cameras. Ultimately, they are hosting the artist's exhibition, and not directly promoting their cameras. A lot of the big name photographers in Japan seem to use more than one brand.

[Mikesul]

Thanks for the explanation. I just checked his Facebook page where he is holding a Pentax DSLR in his picture.

[JPT]

They have fan events coming up in the Osaka and Tokyo Imaging Squares.

Anyone want to buy an engraved K-1 pentaprism in a wooden case?



I think I'd rather have one in a K-1 to be honest, but it's quite a nicely presented souvenir. Not sure what they'll be selling it for.

This image also shows the recently created logo for Ricoh Imaging Square in the top left. It's interesting, because it indicates that Ricoh sees DSLRs, Theta and GR as the three pillars of their business. It would be strange to do this if they didn't intend to continue with all three.

[LaurenOE]

If I can buy that Pentaprism next month, I will!!!

L.

They have fan events coming up in the Osaka and Tokyo Imaging Squares.

Anyone want to buy an engraved K-1 pentaprism in a wooden case?



I think I'd rather have one in a K-1 to be honest, but it's quite a nicely presented souvenir. Not sure what they'll be selling it for.

This image also shows the recently created logo for Ricoh Imaging Square in the top left. It's interesting, because it indicates that Ricoh sees DSLRs, Theta and GR as the three pillars of their business. It would be strange to do this if they didn't intend to continue with all three.