[Kingman]

I'm so upset about that... they were supposed to drop all that stuff at my house

With all of the disruptions Pentax has had in the past dozen or so years, I imagine there is a lot of history that has vanished...

-Eric

With two acquisitions of Pentax over these many years, downsizing, and in a declining market, there is always something lost in legacy people along with the evolution of a new internal culture of the company with each change. This recent wave of corporate "do more with less" continues the troubled waters for the company and for its the loyal customers. With the "new" idea of showrooms (like the once bountiful photography shops) where loyal and prospective customers get to actually touch and feel the product is a fascinating concept (like the Apple Stores). Let's hope something will evolve positively in Japan and into the US marketplace in multiple locations. There are just so few places one gets to see, touch, and feel the Pentax products anymore.

[biz-engineer]

With the "new" idea of showrooms (like the once bountiful photography shops) where loyal and prospective customers get to actually touch and feel the product is a fascinating concept (like the Apple Stores).

I like the concept of show-room and the ability to try products. However, I see it only working if Ricoh have a Pentax club house opened at most large cities world wide (Berlin, Vienna, London, Paris, Milan, Amsterdam, New York, San Francisco, etc etc..).
If I happen to be in Japan for other things, I may visit the Pentax club house, but I'm not going to buy a flight ticket to Tokyo and 15 hours of flight just to see the Pentax club house, too expensive, too time consuming, as I can do the same touch & try with other brands at the camera shops 10 minutes away downtown.

[JPT]

Certain countries lend themselves to having a single showroom in the capital because of the fact that they have one really big city that is an obvious location (preferably with good public transport to get people there). Tokyo, Paris, London, Moscow, Madrid and places like Kuala Lumpur are good examples. If you are going to have one location in the country, it's obvious which city to locate it in.

With America I have no idea where they should open a first store. Of course, there are some fairly big cities in the US, but the distances are so large that wherever they choose will mostly inaccessible for the large majority of users. Is there any particular area of America where Pentax is particularly popular? It's just an impression, but I get the feeling a lot of US Pentaxians are in rural areas, which doesn't make it easy to site a showroom. Perhaps a series of pop-up stores in malls would work better in America, but then it's not a persistent presence like the Club House.

[TwoUptons]

Historically, New York City has been the center of the photography retail presence in the US, so I would expect it to go there, if at all.

A touring thing would be really cool, but that seems rather impractical. I don't think Pentax has had the following to support something like that in decades, if ever.
Unless we would all be OK with something like the KEH roving used equipment buying things, where a guy sits at a folding table at the local camera shop for a few days...
"Pentax Road Tour USA 2023?"

While I have no objection to Ricoh running something like that in cooperation with local shops (and actually think it would be the only way a tour would work), I don't know if there is enough of an in-person dealer network left to pull that off...

-Eric

[reh321]

Historically, New York City has been the center of the photography retail presence in the US, so I would expect it to go there, if at all.

A touring thing would be really cool, but that seems rather impractical. I don't think Pentax has had the following to support something like that in decades, if ever.
Unless we would all be OK with something like the KEH roving used equipment buying things, where a guy sits at a folding table at the local camera shop for a few days...
"Pentax Road Tour USA 2023?"

While I have no objection to Ricoh running something like that in cooperation with local shops (and actually think it would be the only way a tour would work), I don't know if there is enough of an in-person dealer network left to pull that off...

-Eric

In the U.S., Pentax would probably need the co-operation of a company like KEH to pull the tour off.

[Kingman]

I like the idea of a Pentax/KEH road show. This would bring in all the other brand users to "see the light" with the Pentax Way. The KEH folks have come by came by the Dallas area a couple of times many years ago and I sold them a lot of Takumar M42 lenses, some I that I wish I kept. I haven't the KEH road trip folks around in a long time though.

[TwoUptons]

I like the idea of a Pentax/KEH road show. This would bring in all the other brand users to "see the light" with the Pentax Way. The KEH folks have come by came by the Dallas area a couple of times many years ago and I sold them a lot of Takumar M42 lenses, some I that I wish I kept. I haven't the KEH road trip folks around in a long time though.

"Trade in your old stuff for Pentax"

If Ricoh were serious about increasing a brick-and-mortar presence in the US that could be an interesting way to do it.

Maybe they could add some extra incentives to the shops that host the roadshow to become stocking dealers.
If they wanted to do a more boutique approach to sales outside of Japan, that might be a way to do that.

And of course KEH would want a cut

-Eric

[JoelA]

All,

Bumping this one up.

Going to be in Tokyo in the near future.

Has anyone tried to visit the "Lens Bar User Lounge"? The write up says you can try new lenses (in the store I assume!). Is that really true? It'd be worth the metro ride over just to play for a few minutes.

And I speak zero Japanese.

First hand knowledge amongst the Tokyo folks?

Thanks!

Joel

PENTAX?????? | RICOH IMAGING

[JPT]

All,

Bumping this one up.

Going to be in Tokyo in the near future.

Has anyone tried to visit the "Lens Bar User Lounge"? The write up says you can try new lenses (in the store I assume!). Is that really true? It'd be worth the metro ride over just to play for a few minutes.

And I speak zero Japanese.

First hand knowledge amongst the Tokyo folks?

Thanks!

Joel

PENTAX?????? | RICOH IMAGING

Yes. This is exactly what you can do at the Clubhouse. They have all the current lenses for you to try out.

I've never tried speaking to the staff in English, but there are normally three people there, so I guess one person will be able to communicate to some extent. Please be patient with them.

A few things to note about the Clubhouse.
- The images make it look a lot bigger than it is. In reality, it is very compact, but packed with items to look at. They have lots of cameras from their history behind glass. If there is a product they have announced or pre-announced, but is not on sale yet, they will probably have that in there too. They have various bits of Pentax-branded merchandise that are not sold in other countries. If you find something you like, this is your chance to get it. As well as the new items, they also sell some second hand cameras and lenses. Although there is not much space for exhibitions, they have one wall where they show photos. At the moment, it is showing a small collection of design sketches of Pentax cameras over the years.
- Don't go on a Sunday or Wednesday. They are shut. Their opening hours are a bit short - 11:00-18:00.
- They way to get there is explained here PENTAX?????? | RICOH IMAGING Basically, when you get out of Yotsuya station there is one tall office building in Yotsuya. From the station, you walk past that and turn immediately left into a smaller street. The Pentax Clubhouse is at street level opposite that large building.

[TwoUptons]

I went to the old place in 2016 as a non-Japanese-speaking American.
The Tokyo subway system was much easier than I expected to work through, though I was fortunate to be staying not that far from the location.

It was really cool. The staff were friendly, and we did pretty well with hand gestures... and reading the numbers off the register display...
They had lenses I'd never seen in person before. That was petty neat, and I could have played with them if I wanted.
The Pentax-branded merchandise was extra cool, as none of it is available in the US.
I got a Limited cup: Pentax DA 250ml f2 ceramic teacup reviews - Pentax Camera Accessory Review Database

There was a small gallery there at the time, and a man presenting his new photo book (shot with a 645D if I recall correctly). I came home with the book as well...

I will definitely try to go to the new place if I get back to Tokyo, though it is #2 in line behind the Ghibli museum...

-Eric

[JoelA]

Thank you both so much! Very kind to provide the detailed responses.

I'll definitely go over and report back.

I'm sure they will quite amused when this old guy walks in with two M series prime lenses and two A series zoom lenses and K1 - II. That's going to be my kit for a winter photo trip.

It'll be fun to try the new stuff after a few weeks of shooting only vintage glass.

Again, many thanks!!!

Joel


P.S. The Ghibli museum is not selling tickets to overseas buyers and they are also not selling tickets at the venue. Purchase for the time being is only on their Japanese website in Japan. So... you can sleep easy knowing you can make the trip after they fully open back up!

[angerdan]

• Don't go on a Sunday or Wednesday. They are shut. Their opening hours are a bit short - 11:00-18:00.
• They way to get there is explained here PENTAX?????? | RICOH IMAGING Basically, when you get out of Yotsuya station there is one tall office building in Yotsuya. From the station, you walk past that and turn immediately left into a smaller street. The Pentax Clubhouse is at street level opposite that large building.

Opening times are also published on google Maps.
https://goo.gl/maps/fyB8m1CRartZKPaQ9
https://www-ricoh--imaging-co-jp.translate.goog/japan/community/clubhouse/access/?_x_tr_sl=ja&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=sc

This is the adress:
4-8 Honshiocho, Shinjuku City, Tokyo 160-0003, Japan
〒160-0003 東京都新宿区四谷本塩町４−8

[JPT]

The K-70 Club House edition is now available as for purchase for visitors to the Club House exclusively, in a kit with the DA 18-135. It went on sale yesterday.



It comes in two colour variations, with "Ivy" or "Indigo" rubber on the camera and kit lens. Only 10 units of each model will be sold.

You also get the items you see in the little inset images*
- A custom lens mount with old Pentax logos engraved on it (this is also available to your camera if you bring it in)
- Metal AOCO mark on top of the prism
- Pentax Club House laser-etched on the back of the LCD
- A special strap
- "Asahi Pentax Eye" logo hotshot cover
- A special Pentax Club House body cap

They've had the prototype of these in the Club House for a while. It looks very nice in reality. This image makes it look a bit darker than it does in normal light.

148,000 yen is a lot more than a stock K-70, but it actually looks quite reasonable compares to what the KF is selling for with an inferior kit lens. If I was in the market for a K-70/KF, I'd probably go for this.

Interesting that they used a K-70 for this. I think it is just that they have been planning this for a while, so it was done in limited numbers based on the older model.

I have a feeling it's going to sell out quickly and be a real collector's item. If anyone's in Tokyo and interested, I suggest you jump on it quickly.

[luftfluss]

Well, dang, these are good-looking cameras!

[reh321]

Well, dang, these are good-looking cameras!

but they are collectors items.
I can’t see myself taking one to some of the ‘grungy’ places I take my primary camera to.