Is Pentax Dead or Dying? or is there still life? No pun intended.

Indecent Exposure · 10-12-2010, 09:51 PM

What are your thoughts on this?

Even though Pentax brought out the new K-5 which beat's the sh!t out of the competition.

Is Pentax/Hoya a "dollar late and a dollar short" with this move?

What are your honest thought's?

rawr · 10-12-2010, 09:55 PM

ohnonothisthreadagain.jpg

2/10, because you might get a reaction out of some new people.

deadwolfbones · 10-12-2010, 09:58 PM - **3 Likes**

JohnBee · 10-12-2010, 09:58 PM

I doubt they would would be financially strapped considering the other areas of imaging development that Pentax has. However, there is good reason to beleive that Hoya bought into Pentax with one intention and ended-up with a completely different outcome.

The question now is... are they capable of weathering the consequences and pulling through.
Either way, it really won't affect my 2010/11 upgrade path tbh.

kittykat46 · 10-12-2010, 10:44 PM

I've been hearing that Pentax is dead/dying since about 2001. That's 9 years, and a long time dying.

They had their best year last year since going digital, thanks largely to the K-X.
They have now brought out 3 crack new cameras, all with top notch performance within their peer group.

Doesn't look like a dying company.

Now, Hoya may well want to exit the camera business, by selling off the Pentax imaging unit at some point. That's a different issue.
Even the giant IBM eventually sold off its entire PC/Mobile Computing unit and most of its other hardware business.

ohyouloveme · 10-12-2010, 11:09 PM

this is a rather poor reason for a thread to be started.

+1 to the flogging the dead horse picture above.

Boris · 10-12-2010, 11:10 PM

Pentax as an independent company and respective trade mark is formally dead. It is now Hoya Pentax or whatever. However, as a major producer of outstanding photographic gear, Pentax is very much alive and kicking lower behind (oh yes, I am being PC

).

As for your dollar short or dollar late question. It is one that cannot be answered with any degree of sensibility. You're asking us to foresee the future, and more specifically the market. That is exercise in futility. Time will tell. If you feel uncomfortable about your Pentax gear set, you can sell it. Many do as you can see on the marketplace section of this forum. If you feel otherwise, you can keep it. The lenses will still be transparent and cameras will still work. After all, it is all about money - will I be able to buy a good and cheap replacement body? will they introduce new lenses that I could afford? will prices go up? down may be? It is all about money...

StepOne · 10-12-2010, 11:39 PM

Market has changed since this financial mess happened, and this is a fact all producers have to deal with. I'm not "old Pentax user", but as far as i can see they come with better products every year (or two), so i think is mostly down to marketing if they want to improve sales. Anyway, i don't care much because i don't take pictures with future Pentax cameras or lenses nor do i plan to invest the money i don't have in Hoya.

eurostar · 10-12-2010, 11:43 PM

Pentax died some months ago, now it's just the name of a division of Hoya.

Is Hoya going to die?

I'd say not, it's doing fairly well.

kjherstin · 10-13-2010, 12:00 AM

I can't say that Pentax is dead at all. Not in my hands anyway

JohnBee · 10-13-2010, 12:01 AM

Originally posted by eurostar

Pentax died some months ago, now it's just the name of a division of Hoya.

Is Hoya going to die?

I'd say not, it's doing fairly well.

So you think there going to make Hoya camera's next year or in the near future?

Stefan Carey · 10-13-2010, 12:47 AM

Why do you ask? What are your honest thoughts? There must be a reason...

Originally posted by Indecent Exposure

What are your thoughts on this?

Even though Pentax brought out the new K-5 which beat's the sh!t out of the competition.

Is Pentax/Hoya a "dollar late and a dollar short" with this move?

What are your honest thought's?

creampuff · 10-13-2010, 12:50 AM

The only time Pentax was not viable was when it was under the hopelessly conservative previous Pentax management of old led by Fumio Urano. Thankfully Hoya's timely intervention has led to Pentax's revival. So to talk about Pentax's demise now is really to display one's utter ignorance of all the positives that merger with Hoya has brought.

Let's get it straight, Pentax's steady decline from the heydays of 35mm film has lost it significant market and mindshare. For the longest time, Pentax rolled out uninspiring products that were late to market and consequently retail flops.

Presently, it is very difficult for Pentax to hope to match Canon or Nikon in terms of the range of cameras and lenses, and the totality of system lineup or market share. Hoping for Pentax to do so is wishful thinking at the moment, that's why I think FF is not imminent. That's why under Hoya, Pentax as a brand is in the right hands. The only course when one is not the market leader is to be nimble and pick and exploit the gaps in the market to come out with retail winners like the latest crop of cameras. I see Pentax doing better now than ever before. I do hope my purchase of the K-5 goes in no small way to improve the company's fortunes.

gazonk · 10-13-2010, 01:02 AM

Originally posted by Indecent Exposure

What are your thoughts on this?

Even though Pentax brought out the new K-5 which beat's the sh!t out of the competition.

Is Pentax/Hoya a "dollar late and a dollar short" with this move?

What are your honest thought's?

I think threads like this are DOA and should be returned to the great bit bucket in the sky.

brecklundin · 10-13-2010, 01:02 AM

hey HoyaTax is fine...they are going after the Paris Hilton "Purse Dog" kind of customer....

10-12-2010, 09:51 PM	#1
Indecent Exposure Inactive Account Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Michigan Photos: Albums Posts: 78	Is Pentax Dead or Dying? or is there still life? No pun intended. What are your thoughts on this? Even though Pentax brought out the new K-5 which beat's the sh!t out of the competition. Is Pentax/Hoya a "dollar late and a dollar short" with this move? What are your honest thought's?

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Misc First stab at Hi-speed (no pun intended)	Workingdog	Post Your Photos!	7	04-14-2010 05:53 PM
My prints often are darker than intended...	philbaum	Digital Processing, Software, and Printing	3	02-26-2010 12:08 PM
k10d wet and dead, then... some life	GregV	Pentax DSLR Discussion	19	12-07-2009 11:11 PM
K20D Intended to be T.O.P. #2 Recommended Camera	libbyh	Pentax News and Rumors	0	10-23-2009 01:56 PM
Just dying to get my Pentax...	miss.sara	Welcomes and Introductions	6	06-27-2009 11:58 AM

10-12-2010, 09:55 PM	#2
rawr Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 11,913	ohnonothisthreadagain.jpg 2/10, because you might get a reaction out of some new people.

10-12-2010, 09:58 PM - 3 Likes	#3
deadwolfbones Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: La Crescenta, CA Posts: 7,450

10-12-2010, 09:58 PM	#4
JohnBee Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Newrfoundland Photos: Albums Posts: 4,667	I doubt they would would be financially strapped considering the other areas of imaging development that Pentax has. However, there is good reason to beleive that Hoya bought into Pentax with one intention and ended-up with a completely different outcome. The question now is... are they capable of weathering the consequences and pulling through. Either way, it really won't affect my 2010/11 upgrade path tbh.

10-12-2010, 10:44 PM	#5
kittykat46 Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 923	I've been hearing that Pentax is dead/dying since about 2001. That's 9 years, and a long time dying. They had their best year last year since going digital, thanks largely to the K-X. They have now brought out 3 crack new cameras, all with top notch performance within their peer group. Doesn't look like a dying company. Now, Hoya may well want to exit the camera business, by selling off the Pentax imaging unit at some point. That's a different issue. Even the giant IBM eventually sold off its entire PC/Mobile Computing unit and most of its other hardware business.

10-12-2010, 11:09 PM	#6
ohyouloveme Inactive Account Join Date: Apr 2010 Photos: Gallery Posts: 79	this is a rather poor reason for a thread to be started. +1 to the flogging the dead horse picture above.

10-12-2010, 11:10 PM	#7
Boris Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Israel Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 932	Pentax as an independent company and respective trade mark is formally dead. It is now Hoya Pentax or whatever. However, as a major producer of outstanding photographic gear, Pentax is very much alive and kicking lower behind (oh yes, I am being PC ). As for your dollar short or dollar late question. It is one that cannot be answered with any degree of sensibility. You're asking us to foresee the future, and more specifically the market. That is exercise in futility. Time will tell. If you feel uncomfortable about your Pentax gear set, you can sell it. Many do as you can see on the marketplace section of this forum. If you feel otherwise, you can keep it. The lenses will still be transparent and cameras will still work. After all, it is all about money - will I be able to buy a good and cheap replacement body? will they introduce new lenses that I could afford? will prices go up? down may be? It is all about money...

10-12-2010, 11:39 PM	#8
StepOne Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Botosani Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 285	Market has changed since this financial mess happened, and this is a fact all producers have to deal with. I'm not "old Pentax user", but as far as i can see they come with better products every year (or two), so i think is mostly down to marketing if they want to improve sales. Anyway, i don't care much because i don't take pictures with future Pentax cameras or lenses nor do i plan to invest the money i don't have in Hoya.

10-12-2010, 11:43 PM	#9
eurostar Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Albareto, Italy Photos: Gallery Posts: 819	Pentax died some months ago, now it's just the name of a division of Hoya. Is Hoya going to die? I'd say not, it's doing fairly well.

10-13-2010, 12:00 AM	#10
kjherstin New Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Netherlands Posts: 2	I can't say that Pentax is dead at all. Not in my hands anyway

10-13-2010, 12:01 AM	#11
JohnBee Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Newrfoundland Photos: Albums Posts: 4,667	Originally posted by eurostar Pentax died some months ago, now it's just the name of a division of Hoya. Is Hoya going to die? I'd say not, it's doing fairly well. So you think there going to make Hoya camera's next year or in the near future?

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

10-13-2010, 12:47 AM	#12
Stefan Carey Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Melbourne Photos: Gallery Posts: 190	Why do you ask? What are your honest thoughts? There must be a reason... Originally posted by Indecent Exposure What are your thoughts on this? Even though Pentax brought out the new K-5 which beat's the sh!t out of the competition. Is Pentax/Hoya a "dollar late and a dollar short" with this move? What are your honest thought's?

10-13-2010, 12:50 AM	#13
creampuff Veteran Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Singapore Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,953	The only time Pentax was not viable was when it was under the hopelessly conservative previous Pentax management of old led by Fumio Urano. Thankfully Hoya's timely intervention has led to Pentax's revival. So to talk about Pentax's demise now is really to display one's utter ignorance of all the positives that merger with Hoya has brought. Let's get it straight, Pentax's steady decline from the heydays of 35mm film has lost it significant market and mindshare. For the longest time, Pentax rolled out uninspiring products that were late to market and consequently retail flops. Presently, it is very difficult for Pentax to hope to match Canon or Nikon in terms of the range of cameras and lenses, and the totality of system lineup or market share. Hoping for Pentax to do so is wishful thinking at the moment, that's why I think FF is not imminent. That's why under Hoya, Pentax as a brand is in the right hands. The only course when one is not the market leader is to be nimble and pick and exploit the gaps in the market to come out with retail winners like the latest crop of cameras. I see Pentax doing better now than ever before. I do hope my purchase of the K-5 goes in no small way to improve the company's fortunes.

10-13-2010, 01:02 AM	#14
gazonk Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Oslo area, Norway Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,746	Originally posted by Indecent Exposure What are your thoughts on this? Even though Pentax brought out the new K-5 which beat's the sh!t out of the competition. Is Pentax/Hoya a "dollar late and a dollar short" with this move? What are your honest thought's? I think threads like this are DOA and should be returned to the great bit bucket in the sky.

10-13-2010, 01:02 AM	#15
brecklundin Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Photos: Albums Posts: 1,674	hey HoyaTax is fine...they are going after the Paris Hilton "Purse Dog" kind of customer....