[mlt]

It is a good thing the original poster is not a Nikon user after seeing their latest financials...

[reh321]

It is a good thing the original poster is not a Nikon user after seeing their latest financials...

I haven't seen their latest financials; the only recent news I've seen from them is the fact that their latest lens may not be as great as advertised.
Nikon Z 58mm 0.95 S Noct (low performance) review ... - PentaxForums.com

[mlt]

Not so good, along with admitting they may have overstated demand for the Z system.

[Alex645]

On this I agree, but here we talk about Fowa, the Pentax Italia service center.
If sales no longer pass through retailers, but through the internet, in the end the number of products arriving on the market is the same, so why should an Assistance Center leave?

This might say more about Fowa than about Pentax/Ricoh. The people purchasing Pentax gear and repair services are (for whatever reason) deciding not do so via Fowa.

I agree with @DeadJohn that Fowa had their reasons for leaving, but that doesn't mean Ricoh is leaving Pentax. There are dozens of reasons why any service center closes shop. I, too, was disappointed when Pentax closed their US repair facility in Colorado, but there are alternatives and Pentax made their decision based on economics.

[Kunzite]

Hello everybody,
I would like to know if anyone has any idea what happens in the Pentax house. Here in Italy I hear about the debacle. Retailers have not been selling Pentax products for a long time and it seems that even Fowa, the big care center, is about to leave. Is Pentax on the verge of closure? Is Ricoh giving up on Pentax or is it simply Ricoh that he has problems?

What is happening, you ask? Isn't it obvious? Italy is closing shop! Italy is doomed!

[nunzio]

This might say more about Fowa than about Pentax/Ricoh. The people purchasing Pentax gear and repair services are (for whatever reason) deciding not do so via Fowa.

Indeed this could be one of the reasons, but Fowa manages the assistance of about 35 brands including Hasselblad, Metz, Ricoh Print, Kenko, Samyang, why should it choose to abandon its Pentax?
People behave the same way towards all brands, why should only Pentax be affected by this thing?

[tvdtvdtvd]

Pentax will never die because Pentax is also a brand of endoscopes and Italian pumps.

I'm not sure that sentence adds up. How do you know Pentax endoscopes and pumps, (are the Pumps the same Pentax?), will
be available forever? And how does the continuation of endoscopes and pumps relate to cameras?

I'd bet my money on an eventual end to Pentax endoscopes, pumps, and yes, even Pentax cameras, some day. But happily
that is not likely today, nor tomorrow or even three weeks from Thursday.

[c.a.m]

Is Pentax on the verge of closure?

Sales and support from Ricoh Imaging seems to vary by region or country.

Here in Canada, Pentax equipment is available from some 10 dealers across the country, mostly online but also a limited selection in several shops (and Amazon.ca).

In November 2019, Ricoh Imaging has displays at camera expositions in three cities (Quebec, Montreal, Toronto).

[tvdtvdtvd]

Indeed this could be one of the reasons, but Fowa manages the assistance of about 35 brands including Hasselblad, Metz, Ricoh Print, Kenko, Samyang, why should it choose to abandon its Pentax?
People behave the same way towards all brands, why should only Pentax be affected by this thing?

Perhaps asking Fowa directly would elicit an answer? In all fairness, I suspect there are other brands besides Pentax that
are among the un'about 35' brands covered.

[mlt]

The fora.it web page still shows pentax as listed brand, including it in top of the page panel. If they are dropping Pentax, Their web site sure doesn’t know about it

[PJ1]

In fact, i don't have a single piece of camera gear i bought on a physical shop

Now that I come to think about it, the last time I bought camera gear in a brick and mortar store was before 2000. And I am far from being a millennial. It is convenient because the net makes comparing and choosing (not to mention spending) very easy.

[pschlute]

Pentax is also a brand of endoscopes

I have unfortunately had to have a few of these in recent months. It gave me no additional pleasure to see that Pentax was the label....... i will leave this comment there

[CapitanXeon]

I have unfortunately had to have a few of these in recent months. It gave me no additional pleasure to see that Pentax was the label....... i will leave this comment there

I can't... I'm so sorry, but you did get me this night's laugh! I'm still so sorry

Are you fine tho?

[pschlute]

I can't... I'm so sorry, but you did get me this night's laugh! I'm still so sorry

I have spent my entire existence laughing at what life puts in front of us so no need for apology.

Are you fine tho?

I hope so...time will tell

[clackers]

Hello everybody,
I would like to know if anyone has any idea what happens in the Pentax house. Here in Italy I hear about the debacle. Retailers have not been selling Pentax products for a long time and it seems that even Fowa, the big care center, is about to leave. Is Pentax on the verge of closure? Is Ricoh giving up on Pentax or is it simply Ricoh that he has problems?

I think those retailers are in real trouble. Camera and lens sales have fallen off a cliff in the last five years and will continue to do so for another couple of years until they reach a bottom which is pros and enthusiastic amateurs. There will be almost no 'casual' camera purchases.

That might suit Amazon, BH, KEH or whatever in some way, but 'bricks and mortars' shops are doomed in my opinion, more likely to close before any companies do. There used to be camera stores in any reasonable size town but I think in a decade's time it will be cities only, and not many at that.

Pentax is not losing money like Olympus or watching profits destroyed like the big companies Sony, Canon and Nikon. It continues as a very niche (perhaps less than two percent) brand under Ricoh, and actually increased its sales the other quarter.