[Kunzite]

Let me get this straight, you are suggesting it may be cancelled because Pentax's first attempt at digital failed?

The reasons why that is nonsense.

I would also add that Pentax (under Pentax Corporation, Hoya and Ricoh) has now a solid track record at making excellent DSLRs.

[normhead]

Ha. My travel camera packed it up a week ago.
It's been threatening to die for a while, but now it's really dead, and there's no reasonable way to repair it.

But since it's 2020, I've been putting off a replacement until I can go somewhere... (trips this year cancelled... Switzerland, Portugal, Tokyo, Boston, Montreal... it was going to be a big year for travel...)

In the meantime, I've been playing around with the film cameras and lenses I don't normally use... I can wait for the new toy...

-Eric

The Pentax advantage the speculators always refuse to acknowledge. MY FA 35-80, my FAJ 18-35, my F 70-210, my FA 50 macro, my sigma 70 macro, my DA 10-17, my Sigma 8-16, my SMC 50 1.4, my Supertack 35 3.5. I have so many lenses I can take out for a spin to keep things interesting.

The critical pooh pooh such comments, but these are things that keep me amused and active. The only ones who don't understand that would be the "new, new , new" crowd who think it has to be brand new to hold your attention. They are the ones missing out. Not us.

[Doundounba]

They could at least throw us a few scraps, err, I mean specs...

[hoosierdome]

Pentax has to sell enough cameras to pay for their R&D and make a profit. If they are not adding NEW customers they're dying.

[Mistral75]

(...)
Obviously, it ended badly for both companies. Kyocera disappeared shortly thereafter, Pentax lasted a few years longer, but the company failed anyway. They simply didn’t have the resources to compete after that.

Kyocera didn't disappear, they are still up and running and doing fine.

KYOCERA GROUP GLOBAL SITE

Simply, they let go of the Contax licence in 2005. The Contax trademark is still protected by Carl Zeiss AG but they don't use it.

[Serkevan]

The Pentax advantage the speculators always refuse to acknowledge. MY FA 35-80, my FAJ 18-35, my F 70-210, my FA 50 macro, my sigma 70 macro, my DA 10-17, my Sigma 8-16, my SMC 50 1.4, my Supertack 35 3.5. I have so many lenses I can take out for a spin to keep things interesting.

The critical pooh pooh such comments, but these are things that keep me amused and active. The only ones who don't understand that would be the "new, new , new" crowd who think it has to be brand new to hold your attention. They are the ones missing out. Not us.

Eh, to be fair that applies to all the DSLR brands more or less equally. There's so much stuff out there that complaining about release speeds is slightly eyeroll-inducing unless you're a very specialized photographer with very specific needs.

[jatrax]

If they are not adding NEW customers they're dying.

Maybe, maybe not. We have no idea what the required volume is. Ricoh is in a position to estimate how many units of a product will sell and then make that many only. Other companies work the other way, making huge unit volumes because that is the sweet spot in their production line volume. Then they struggle to sell that volume in a declining market. Ricoh has done a remarkable job of selling through inventory before bringing out a new model. If the required volume to return a profit can be generated through existing users then things are good. With their emphasis on DSLRs rather than MILC they will over time attract users for whom that feature is important. Will that offset the users that leave? Maybe. Regardless in a declining market "grow or die" doesn't work the way it does in a growing market.

[Wheatfield]

Kyocera didn't disappear, they are still up and running and doing fine.

KYOCERA GROUP GLOBAL SITE

Simply, they let go of the Contax licence in 2005. The Contax trademark is still protected by Carl Zeiss AG but they don't use it.

They disappeared from the camera market. I should have been more clear.

---------- Post added Oct 18th, 2020 at 12:31 PM ----------

Maybe, maybe not. We have no idea what the required volume is. Ricoh is in a position to estimate how many units of a product will sell and then make that many only. Other companies work the other way, making huge unit volumes because that is the sweet spot in their production line volume. Then they struggle to sell that volume in a declining market. Ricoh has done a remarkable job of selling through inventory before bringing out a new model. If the required volume to return a profit can be generated through existing users then things are good. With their emphasis on DSLRs rather than MILC they will over time attract users for whom that feature is important. Will that offset the users that leave? Maybe. Regardless in a declining market "grow or die" doesn't work the way it does in a growing market.

I think the point is that they don't have to bring tens of thousands of new customers in per year. The go big or go home logic doesn't have to apply, though many people seem to think every company has to be pigeon holed that way.

[jatrax]

I think the point is that they don't have to bring tens of thousands of new customers in per year. The go big or go home logic doesn't have to apply, though many people seem to think every company has to be pigeon holed that way.

Exactly. It astonishes me how many 'business experts' there are . There are many business models and the oft quoted grow or die is one but it is not the only one. I think Ricoh has settled on a strategy that will work for them. Build what sells and when its sold build some more. Base R&D on sales volume and increase or decrease pricing to control profitability.

They are not a monopoly, exactly, but some of that aspect pertains. If you get mad enough you CAN go elsewhere, but if you are heavily invested in Pentax glass the 'change brand' barrier is high.

This is also a key reason for Ricoh to stay out of the consumer market. There is very little brand loyalty in people who buy a new camera based on what is on sale that day and never buy any additional lenses. My father was that way, I don't think he ever bought the same brand twice in a row.

[Zygonyx]

I am surprised no-one seems to have set up that this "new delay" was in fact necessary to add the so much desired swivel-screen

[normhead]

I am surprised no-one seems to have set up that this "new delay" was in fact necessary to add the so much desired swivel-screen

I'm surprised this "new delay" is even called a delay. The question that comes up in my mind is "Why did we believe this dude in the first place?"

[Pål Jensen]

Exactly. It astonishes me how many 'business experts' there are . There are many business models and the oft quoted grow or die is one but it is not the only one. I think Ricoh has settled on a strategy that will work for them. Build what sells and when its sold build some more. Base R&D on sales volume and increase or decrease pricing to control profitability.

They are not a monopoly, exactly, but some of that aspect pertains. If you get mad enough you CAN go elsewhere, but if you are heavily invested in Pentax glass the 'change brand' barrier is high.

This is also a key reason for Ricoh to stay out of the consumer market. There is very little brand loyalty in people who buy a new camera based on what is on sale that day and never buy any additional lenses. My father was that way, I don't think he ever bought the same brand twice in a row.

Not uncommon for japanese companies. Somewhat like Accuphase (Accuphase Laboratory, Inc.). They make high end audio gear. They are concerned about the tactile feel and haptics of their products (among other things). They have 80 employees. Hallf of them engineers. They make 20 something components a day. Doesn't matter how much they sell - if something proves popular the customer just have to wait. About half their marked is in Japan.They are not present in all markets globally; quite few in fact. In some market they apparently don't want to sell much; ie it is the only product I know of where it cost 50% more in the US than in Norway in spite of 25% VAT tax in the latter country....

[normhead]

Eh, to be fair that applies to all the DSLR brands more or less equally. There's so much stuff out there that complaining about release speeds is slightly eyeroll-inducing unless you're a very specialized photographer with very specific needs.

I can use my FA 35-80 in AF mode on every Pentax DSLR from a K-70 to a K-1ii as well as every other AF lens. I've heard others are not the same, but I'm not researching it.

[Serkevan]

I can use my FA 35-80 in AF mode on every Pentax DSLR from a K-70 to a K-1ii as well as every other AF lens. I've heard others are not the same, but I'm not researching it.

All the Canon EF* lenses work 100% on every camera they've made from 1987 onwards. Nikon's iffier with AF because their cheaper DSLRs don't have screwdrive shafts so you can't use AF if the lens is older, but otherwise there's 50 years of lenses available. I'm not familiar with their auto-exposure though.

*EF-S (so APS-C) lenses will not mount on FF bodies however, apparently they are built in such a way that they hit the mirror of a full frame camera, but considering that Canon's always neglected APS-C lenses beyond a bunch of consumer zooms it's not as massive a deal. Still ugh.

[Larrymc]

I am surprised no-one seems to have set up that this "new delay" was in fact necessary to add the so much desired swivel-screen

You can't be serious?????