[uccemebug]

Wet dream. Ricoh compacts + Pentax SLRs FTW. I would love such a collaboration.

They'd certainly have a shared taste in innovation, and Ricoh makes interesting stuff (I think my next camera might be the Ricoh GRDIII). But can Ricoh offer Pentax help with distribution or manufacturing or brand?

[nosnoop]

Sony buy Minolta and pours enough money into it to become now a major player in the dSLR business. Which is probably driving the cost of everything down actually. With that being said over the next 5 to 10 years, Sony will likely become the defacto standard of photography replacing Ca-nikon.

Really? IMHO, VERY unlikely judging by their current performance.

Sony did quite well last year purely based on the success of A200/300/350. But their successors, A230/330/380 seemed to have completely missed the boat. Sony's DSLR market share has nose dived in Japan to the point that their only model in the top 20 was their discontinued and heavily discounted A200. They are in the danger of losing the overall No. 3 place to Olympus for the year. I am sure they have their finger crossed for their upcoming models, but even a successful launch of a A700 replacement won't be enough to compensate the failure of their entry models (and the dismal sales of A900).

Looks like they have to pour a lot more money into it. And if they don't achieve double digit market share consistently (looks like they won't this year), Sony would not hesitate to pull out of the market completely. In my mind, their best hope would not be a cheap FF as rumors has suggested, they should go after the hybrid market before Canon/Nikon has a foothold (one of the users here has given a vague hint of such a product).

[jeffkrol]

Smoke and mirrors... Pentax "camera" is probably a small part of the loss since it is a small part of "Pentax" .....
Found this interesting:
Pentax cameras suffered greatly during the last year. The plant in Tochigi Prefecture was closed,
and the plant in Fukushima Prefecture, where lens units were manufactured, was streamlined.
Production technologies and sales functions were rearranged all around the world. This had an
impact and earnings improved considerably, despite a decline in sales from the previous year.
• The K-7 single-lens reflex camera, which was manufactured by the new management after the
merger with HOYA, has a very good reputation and has a backlog. We have heard a rumor that
the K-7 may receive the Camera of the Year award. This product has contributed to the recovery
of the Company’s confidence.
• With regard to compact cameras, the new product that was introduced in July is a camera
produced by the new Pentax management. We will continue to introduce interesting cameras in
the future.
• We have streamlined the business structure. We will focus on marketing and use advanced
http://www.hoya.co.jp/english/investor/fs20090731_3e.pdf

[MikePerham]

My 50c guess, is that Pentax is preparing the long term by using his limited ressources to design full frames lenses (they need at least : 20-30 ultrawide, 24-70/2.8 & 70-200/2.8 zooms for that) This doesn't means that a full frame body is for next year, but at least that they are thinking about the future.

Frankly, I don't see that happening. They appear commited to the 645D so why a FF 35mm style camera. Also in that market, the 16X24 size sensor dominates and FF are a very small share ...not enough to be profitable and Hoya likes profitable.

The fact that we have not seen anything new on the Lens Roadmap is just a different strategy ...Pentax/Hoya are now playing their cards closer to their chest.

[Jazzyboy]

... a crystal ball... this is what we need.

[lithos]

Preferably an SMC coated one.

[Jazzyboy]

[Supernaut]

Also in that market, the 16X24 size sensor dominates and FF are a very small share ...not enough to be profitable and Hoya likes profitable.

Yes, if you look at the market today. But the competition is moving towards FF, not only for the highest end cameras but also for the mid segment. It's too late to act when the FF market share is big enough to be worth concidering. Development takes years.

Personally, I do belive that the crop format is good enough for most, but I have heard on many forums that "don't buy Pentax, they will never go FF and you may want that upgrade path". It will be hard for Pentax to communicate why people should choose them in, I'd say 2-3 years time. It's just not enough to make excellent cameras, potential buyers must be aware of the excellence too...

[GaryM]

Really? IMHO, VERY unlikely judging by their current performance.

Sony did quite well last year purely based on the success of A200/300/350. But their successors, A230/330/380 seemed to have completely missed the boat. Sony's DSLR market share has nose dived in Japan to the point that their only model in the top 20 was their discontinued and heavily discounted A200. They are in the danger of losing the overall No. 3 place to Olympus for the year. I am sure they have their finger crossed for their upcoming models, but even a successful launch of a A700 replacement won't be enough to compensate the failure of their entry models (and the dismal sales of A900).

Looks like they have to pour a lot more money into it. And if they don't achieve double digit market share consistently (looks like they won't this year), Sony would not hesitate to pull out of the market completely. In my mind, their best hope would not be a cheap FF as rumors has suggested, they should go after the hybrid market before Canon/Nikon has a foothold (one of the users here has given a vague hint of such a product).

Sony's DSLRs have a poor showing on Amazon too. I can't believe that Sony is happy with the performance of their big DSLR investment.

[lithos]

Tired of fuzzy, handmade crystal balls? Sick of future events appearing cloudy and indistinct? Can't make out next week's lottery numbers with your current, mass-produced orb? Unable to tell if it's going to be Cousin Michael or Cousin Michel crushed under the wheels of that bus next month?

Sick of having to make up crap on the spot?

Upgrade to a Pentax crystal ball today! Made from the same low-dispersion optical glass as the world's finest camera lenses, a genuine SMC-PENTAX crystal ball is ground from a solid block of optical glass to a tolerance of 1/1000 of a millimetre, resulting in almost perfect rifts in the space-time continuum, with no more than a one-week deviation in prediction accuracy.

The Pentax-exclusive SMC coating ensures only a 0.2% loss of clairvoyance. Your scrying will be more accurate than ever, ensuring happier clients - which means more money and less time wasted places curses on unbelievers who refuse to pay!

Each Pentax crystal ball is hand checked by genuine Eastern European stereotypes, and then packaged in the finest velvet!

Aspherical balls also available!

[Jazzyboy]

Hey Hoya, no fullframe for me. I want the smc crystal ball. Definitly I've made my choice.
I wanna be able to show to my clients (traders, desperate bankers, anguished lovers, etc...) a clear picture of the future.

Anyway the market of pictures as souvenirs of the past is saturated with canikon photographers. Pentax shoud concentrate on the niche market of pictures of the future. Seriously.

[MikePerham]

Yes, if you look at the market today. But the competition is moving towards FF, not only for the highest end cameras but also for the mid segment. It's too late to act when the FF market share is big enough to be worth concidering. Development takes years.

I do not believe the market is moving toward FF ...Canon, Nikon and Sony offer a FF option as their way of targeting the market for maximum image quality. Pentax will be introducing their 645D soon that will compete with the FF offerings from others, perhaps a slightly higher price, but also a larger sensor and better IQ. They are not trying to compete for the PJ market with 8 FPS and long lenses needed in that market segment, but rather the portrait, wedding and outdoor/nature photographers. So I just do not see them also offering a FF camera, nor do I think it is needed as I believe the K-7 and 645D, and their ilk, will provide the market credibility that was perhaps missing with the ill advised *ist moniker of the past. Not only did the name hurt, but Pentax did not have a range of cameras and lenses when they first entered the DSLR market. All that is changing now, and I can perceive an improved attitude toward the Pentax brand by reviewers and others.

[johnmflores]

Tired of fuzzy, handmade crystal balls? Sick of future events appearing cloudy and indistinct? Can't make out next week's lottery numbers with your current, mass-produced orb? Unable to tell if it's going to be Cousin Michael or Cousin Michel crushed under the wheels of that bus next month?

Sick of having to make up crap on the spot?

Upgrade to a Pentax crystal ball today! Made from the same low-dispersion optical glass as the world's finest camera lenses, a genuine SMC-PENTAX crystal ball is ground from a solid block of optical glass to a tolerance of 1/1000 of a millimetre, resulting in almost perfect rifts in the space-time continuum, with no more than a one-week deviation in prediction accuracy.

The Pentax-exclusive SMC coating ensures only a 0.2% loss of clairvoyance. Your scrying will be more accurate than ever, ensuring happier clients - which means more money and less time wasted places curses on unbelievers who refuse to pay!

Each Pentax crystal ball is hand checked by genuine Eastern European stereotypes, and then packaged in the finest velvet!

Aspherical balls also available!

Awesome! Will the Limited model (or should that Unlimited?) include a felt-lined case?

[barondla]

"We are your friends"! Thanks
barondla
Check out POINT & SHOOT CONTEST #21 WINNERS in compact camera forum. Enter #22. Any brand camera. Enter now!

[X Man]

FF is not necessary because Pentax doesn't offer one is what I'm reading between the lines. I say rubbish.

I want low cost, high quality wide-angle lenses back, dammit!

I may not go FF with my next purchase, but I'd be damned if I got anywhere near $2,000 without a FF sensor and a wide lens.

Regards,
Mike