Originally posted by illdefined Kunzite, I now get what you originally meant by 'cost-cutting', Ricoh is making Pentax bigger, not smaller like Hoya did. You're right, this is all theoretically very good and definitely moving in the right direction....
...however, while very encouraging, its still way too early to call anything a success yet, even (or especially) in light of Photokina 2012.
My apologies, I thought that meaning is obvious and well documented. So, I'm talking about layoffs, closing offices, selling or closing business units, reducing expenses - at company level.
OTOH, while the effects of cost cutting can usually be seen in the final products, simply reusing/sharing components can't be called cost cutting; indeed, it makes sense to reuse as much (as long as it makes sense to do so). I'm a programmer, by the way, and you know what's one of the best quality of a well written code? Reusability.
I hope my point is clear now.
Again, I didn't call anything a success; one doesn't start celebrating at the beginning of the road (I'm no exception). But you have to agree they are trying
By the way, since only 11 months passed since Ricoh bought Pentax, what we saw until now are Pentax-Hoya projects (IIRC this was admitted by Pentax officials, in one of the interviews - PF's?). Yet the lens roadmaps and their execution are proof they're serious, and when they'll also have the new cameras ready...
P.S. It's
we who have to wait; Pentax is working hard in the mean time (but with a R&D which was reduced by Hoya, it takes time)
Or even better, we could enjoy what we have, until the new toys are ready.