[timcatn]

CaNikon marketing dept's. in disguise?

[LFLee]

Hm..... so Ricoh took over PENTAX's history? great they keep the PENTAX history... hopefully for a long long time.

<About Ricoh Imaging Americas Corporation

Ricoh Imaging Americas Corporation is a subsidiary of Ricoh Company Ltd., a global technology company specializing in office imaging equipment, production print solutions, document management systems and IT services. Headquartered in Tokyo, Ricoh Group operates in about 200 countries and regions.

The company now known as Ricoh Imaging Americas Corporation was originally founded in 1919, under the name Asahi Optical Joint Stock Co., and launched its first SLR camera in the 1950s under the PENTAX name. Today, Ricoh Imaging Americas Corporation continues to produce the heritage-rich, award-winning line of PENTAX DSLR cameras, lenses and sport optics equipment as well as Ricoh’s offering of stylish and compact digital cameras, known for their wide-ranging, rich set of features.

© 2013 Ricoh Imaging Americas Corporation. All rights reserved. All referenced product names are the trademarks of their respective companies.

Contact:

Amber Renard
Ricoh Imaging Americas Corporation
(303) 728-0255
amber(dot)renard(at)us(dot)ricoh-imaging(dot)com>

[ScooterMaxi Jim]

This marketing campaign is aimed at several levels - the key to success in almost any market. Most importantly, it more closely links the 645 system with higher end dSLRs. As such, it can re-establish a professional image for the brand that appeals to far more than the professional market. Birnbach has shot Pentax 645 for decades. He's clearly comfortable working with the brand and representing it. Given his quality client list, he was only likely to accept the assignment if he was comfortable with the assignment. All this shows through confidently in the video.

I can't remember the last time Pentax USA was evenly remotely capable of making a favorable impression. Kudos.

[tabl10s]

This may be of interest to some: Esteemed Colorado Fine Art Photographer and Colorado Ballet Soloist Selected by Ricoh Imaging for National Launch of Revolutionary New Camera - Press Release - Digital Journal

If I read it correctly, the camera/grip system can hold three Li-ON's or be mixed with AA's. Regardless if the next offering is FF or Crop, Ricoh's forward thinking will be a welcome change.

[RobA_Oz]

Thanks Ron. I'm mystified by the unrelenting desire to denigrate Pentax and Ricoh.

There's probably a PhD or two in there, somewhere, especially when you mix in the continual pushing for a couple of other brands. "Unrelenting" is the key word here – an occasional criticism or reference is indicative of an enquiring mind and helpful character, but the constant stream of negativity and boosterism from some quarters is almost pathological.

[monochrome]

I can't remember the last time Pentax USA was evenly remotely capable of making a favorable impression. Kudos.

I've been watching closely what is happening in Denver. Jim Malcolm is taking disciplined, systematic steps to rebuild the brand image and simultaneously calling on dealers, arranging market activities (whcih we will soon see) and contacting print and digital press to rebuild relationships, spend some money and re-establish credibility.

Over the intermediate term Pentax in the USA (RIAC) will be a much stronger, more competitive and respected brand.

While I am delighted to see this I am not surprised - it was foretold, and is part of the global Ricoh Plan.

[monochrome]

There's probably a PhD or two in there, somewhere, especially when you mix in the continual pushing for a couple of other brands. "Unrelenting" is the key word here – an occasional criticism or reference is indicative of an enquiring mind and helpful character, but the constant stream of negativity and boosterism from some quarters is almost pathological.

Yeppers. Read on another thread that Birnbach has used Pentax 645 for years and years, so his comfort with Pentax is earned and his willingness to shoot the commercial is real.

With that client list he's certainly doing something right!

[kadajawi]

Only one guy saying Pentax is doomed here. We're on the right track!

Anyone still thinking Ricoh isn't interested in Pentax? Clearly they are investing, unlike Hoya.

Also, a guy like that won't be doing an ad for a camera manufacturer unless he wants to.

I think it'd be good if they can get the K-3 to do commercial jobs for high profile clients. Make making-ofs of those shoots that serve as a Pentax ad, etc. Sort of like product placement in movies and TV shows. The latest Rihanna video... shot on a K-3. That sort of thing.

Btw., did you notice? It was shot by Jasper Gray / Director (and in the stills it seems to me like they used a K-3... which I also seem to have read elsewhere?). That company also has quite a high profile list of clients. Jasper Gray also seems to have a history with Pentax, having shot a video to promote DSLR filmmaking with the K-7. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/find/eventDetails.jsp/id/735 And the Pentaxian videos too.

Another thing I just noticed... he shot a burst and then immediately pulled out the SD card. Ouch?

[Frater]

Sorry if my previous comment about the advert came over a bit harsh.

So to put things right: I do like the K-3, I like and admire Allen Birnbach, and the video is well done in terms of idea, storyboard and director choice, so that it successfully addresses the emotional side of what a brand wants to transport, rather than being just another youtube-style rapid lecture about features.

I just disliked an element of dishonesty, because the storyboard apparently wanted to suggest, that this is a normal professional day in the normal life of a stellar photographer shooting Pentax K normally. Which is all untrue. Well, we all know that probably already, and if so, my previous posting was superfluous then

But its a very good sign indeed, that Ricoh shows how it is marketing Pentax now, I have to agree with that!

Oh, and there are other good signs as well! Over here in Europe, they apparently have used some of their marketing budget to get their complete (!) DSLR program into the shelves of a major technical department store chain. Something I haven't seen anywhere during the Hoya "dark ages".

[ScooterMaxi Jim]

I just disliked an element of dishonesty, because the storyboard apparently wanted to suggest, that this is a normal professional day in the normal life of a stellar photographer shooting Pentax K normally. Which is all untrue. Well, we all know that probably already, and if so, my previous posting was superfluous then

It is probably true that Birnbach would not pick up the 645 to shoot the rapid sequencing required for that particular studio situation. At the same time, it is also clear that he does shoot the 645D in much of his professional work. Having shot full frame Canon and Pentax, I'm not sure that I would choose a Canon FF over the K3 in that situation. You can't be sure that Birnbach would go all Canon in the future, either. His appreciation of the camera seemed genuine. My sense of the story line is that he was trying out the new camera, confirmed that the features handled the challenging situation well, and he came away with the sense that he could use the camera for those situations on an ongoing basis. The context implies that previous Pentax cameras would be more challenged (true), and the story leaves open the extent to which he works with Pentax. As it turns out, it is more than what I would have assumed given his credentials.

The imaging difference between Canon FF and the K3 would be relatively minor, as compared to the comfort and ease of handling I find with Pentax. If they have truly fixed the flash issues in the K3, the comfort level would win out for me; I likely would create a greater share of usable images due to that comfort level.

[Kunzite]

I just disliked an element of dishonesty, because the storyboard apparently wanted to suggest, that this is a normal professional day in the normal life of a stellar photographer shooting Pentax K normally.

Allen Birnbach clearly stated, several times, that he was shooting with the Pentax K-3 "today"; what more did you expect?
It's a Pentax commercial, he wouldn't say "yeah, but normally I shoot Canon because Pentax is not really up there, I might rent a Hasselblad..."
But it was implied that's a trial - repeatedly.

[Col]

Of course David Bailey only used an Olympus Trip in the 70's

[monochrome]

Allen Birnbach clearly stated, several times, that he was shooting with the Pentax K-3 "today"; what more did you expect?
It's a Pentax commercial, he wouldn't say "yeah, but normally I shoot Canon because Pentax is not really up there, I might rent a Hasselblad..."
But it was implied that's a trial - repeatedly.

Dude just needs to double down. There's nothing whatsoever objectionable nor false in the commercial.

[kadajawi]

I think it is honest enough. And what was important was to show that a pro can shoot with it and benefit from what the camera has to offer. He pointed out genuine advantages.

[Frater]

honestly, any conclusions from this video performance are speculative. All we know is that a pro can follow a storyboard, and his video director's advices, so he shows the same admireable professionalism that he expects from his own models. Everything beyond that is like always, when something is purely speculative: one sees what one wants to see.

A pentax fan, or many forum members, will likely view it like you, kadajawi.

Someone on a "true Pentax mindset", i.e. someone who likes to think different, self-determined, and not always to follow the crowd, may have a more balanced view. I'm probably an example for that rare type (sometimes).

And then there is the category of DSLR market joiners and those already having another brand. I can imagine that they might think "Well, this vid shows that Pentax starts purchasing pros in their desperate or even rediculous attempt to suggest an APSC cam for a FF segment, burdened with their traditional hobbyist-only travel lens offerings, where everyone else knows that pros go for brands with fast primes or zooms." So they might smile as well after they saw the vid, but for a different reason than we do.

But never mind, the K-3 is only a snapshot in time. Pentax time may come with a different pro market impact, as soon as they launch a FF, !AND! if they re-do their lens offerings setup substantially, to accompany a FF body launch. Then they can do pro videos with a reach far beyond the Pentax fan community (provided that the Pentax FF and esp. the lenses will be good, optically and having their AF motors on a pro level reliability and durability, rather than on a toy level).

Then give the pro market another 5 to 10 years of gaining confidence in that, and the pros' future will be brighter . Over the following 50 years, the current CaNi-mix (disregarding medium format for a moment) could then be replaced gradually with a CaNiPe mix, where Pentax may hold a pro share of well above a one-digit percentage figure at the end of this period.

Or, plan B, do it like Sony, i.e. the more commercial but apparently successful thinking: Do the "mission possible", know the market where you are good in, and try to stick to that, especially carefully if makets are rather shrinking than growing.