Anyway... I heard something very disturbing today from a Wolf Camera Employee. He told me that Samsung had bought Pentax, and that they were going to shut down the Pentax Name in less than a year. He said wolf has already stopped receiving Pentax product because of this.

I don't think these Press Releases present a picture of a Company that is going out of business.




PENTAX NEWS release 2007 : PENTAX Establishes New Subsidiary in China

PENTAX | IR Information

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Last edited by Ed in GA; 03-29-2007 at 10:19 AM.

[SCGushue]

Hi I'm new to this particular forum... I'm more of a lurker...

Anyway... I heard something very disturbing today from a Wolf Camera Employee. He told me that Samsung had bought Pentax, and that they were going to shut down the Pentax Name in less than a year. He said wolf has already stopped receiving Pentax product because of this.

Have any of you heard anything like this? I know that Samsung uses some of Pentax technologies, and a couple of their cameras are clones.

I'm a lil scared, since I have a K10d, and am wondering if If that is going to hurt support?

Anyone know anything about this?

OH MY GOD....IT's TRUE?

Yeah, we have all heard it a thousand times. And no, it is not true. As a matter of fact it would appear that nothing is further from the truth. Pentax's share fo the digital market is actually growing faster than any other manufacturer while Canon is actually slipping and Nikon is barely holding steady.

I don't think even the dye in the wool Pentax owners know what the future holds. But before this year is over I think most of them will be astonished with what is actually in the pipeline and will be delivered (much) sooner rather than later.

So, belly up to the table boys and girls...the years of deprivation are nearly over and the feasting is about to start.

Stephen

[FotoPete]

Very nice! But yeah, Pentax is in for the long run. And they will stay too, just because of the pentaprism.

Well to tell you the truth, Pentax is only been using Pentaprisms in their *Ist D, DS and the K10D. All the other dslrs have pentarmirrors. Something I've come to accept of late as I've managed to remove the focusing screem off both my GX-1L and Mz-M and blown the dust off, plus they are still markedly better than the viewfinder offerings from other companies.

But in my local camera store, i walked in and asked to see there Nikon gear, and was berated by the owner, of all people, for using outdated equipment. Granted, he sold Pentax, but he used, and pushed, purely Canon. So those games are all over the market, not just Wolf Camera.

Haha you got a nice collection of old Nikkors? I usually give store owners the (o_O) look when they say they don't have Pentax stuff and turn them away if they ask anything else. If anything I'm actually surprised that Nikon shooters don't fully embrace the fact that they can use old lenses. I had a D200 journalist (campus paper) revel about how sharp the Ol'Vivitar was. Last I checked, the Henry's Outlet Store had a F-mount Vivitar S1 70-210/3.5 in the bargain bins along with countless RMC Tokina 80-200 f4s and f4.5s. I like gasped at the beauty but then realized that it still didn't change the fact that the kmount bins were empty. The store sells off lenses at the bargain table $50 a piece. 3 for $129.99.

I know one employee that actually knows and knows ALOT about Pentax, (himself a Pentaxian-Leican) and berates/ridicules the employees at other branches because of their poor customer service and ripping people off. Haha I actually asked to see some old nikkors the other day and I explained that there was this rumour you could fit some nikon mount lenses to Pentax. He replied "why are you stepping backwards?" haha he was refering to Pentax's contrast being superior to other brands.

[brett]

I second that question... Anyone?

Where do you get those caps?

I second that question... Anyone?

https://pc-wweb.pentax.com/scripts/wgate/zw20_pc/!?~language=en&~Okcode=star...rea=0000000001

[Photo Tramp]

I'm glad to see all is well here. For some of us that started out with Pentax and have stayed with them have seen this happen more times then nikon coming out with a new camera. Pentax has been going out of business for the past 40 years. But some how just doesn't seem to make it. (only because they make a great camera and lenses).

[xfloggingkylex]

its ok, the fine people at wolf were thinking of minolta, not pentax. silly mistake...

[jnorth]

I heard some former Minolta exec's forged a new corp and just signed a deal to acquire Kodak and because their new company did not successfully close a deal on acquiring Nikon they were going to be devolving Kodak lot stock and barrel. But don't tell Wolf's until after the press release Sunday morning.

[FotoPete]

Haha what about GE Brand? I see alot of familiar stuff on their website.

[carpents]

If anything I'm actually surprised that Nikon shooters don't fully embrace the fact that they can use old lenses.

There's a good reason for this. First, the non-AI lenses won't fit on any of the DSLRs (or modern film SLRs, for that matter). Second, on the D40/50/70/80, there is no metering with the old manual focus lenses. You have to shoot - look at histogram - shoot again.
So if you don't have a D2-something camera, the old Nikkors are in the right place - the junk bin!

(PS - Thanks for not doing something this annoying, Pentax.)

[Photo Tramp]

There's a good reason for this. First, the non-AI lenses won't fit on any of the DSLRs (or modern film SLRs, for that matter). Second, on the D40/50/70/80, there is no metering with the old manual focus lenses. You have to shoot - look at histogram - shoot again.
So if you don't have a D2-something camera, the old Nikkors are in the right place - the junk bin!

(PS - Thanks for not doing something this annoying, Pentax.)

I could never understand why any manufacture would do this to their dedicated users and why did the dedicated users stay with a system they had to restart over with. (more money than brains???)
I'm also glad Pentax didn't do this to it's customer base.

[calicojack]

It's not just the camera stores either. While I was shopping for my K10D, I stopped at Circuit City to check stock. They didn't have anything Pentax on display (including no P&S). I was looking at a Nikon SLR, just to check the range on the lens when a salesman approached and asked to help me. I said thanks, but no thanks, you don't have the camera I'm looking for. Of course, he wanted to know what I was looking for. When I told him that I wanted one of the new Pentax DSLR's, he actually had the guts to tell me that "Pentax isn't making cameras anymore"!!!! I told him that he ought to learn a little about what he's trying to sell and walked away. So there you have it. Pentax must be going out of business since they don't make cameras anymore. I went home and ordered my K10D body from Amazon!
Happy Easter or Holidays to all,
Brian

[fletcherkane]

I will put a plug in for my local camera guy. Mark's Photo in Grand Rapids has steered me towards Pentax time and again. I have never been disappointed. I love my local camera shop.

[mountainbread]

There is a very active Pentax group @ Yahoo, and I just wanted to direct you guys who are curious about what's going on.
Yahoo! Groups

To me, sadly, although Pentax is a very serious and wonderful DSLR builder, money matters a lot more in business decision.

MB.

[stewart_photo]

Our trusty brand has been in business for over 50 years...I don't think anything could wipe the Pentax logo away from their cameras

I just read Pentax (originally Asahi Optical) has been in business since 1919, almost a hundred years. Anyway, the misinformation about this company and it's products is simply amazing. In just the last week alone (in a non-photo discussion forum), I've heard - the only 3rd party lenses available for Pentax are Tamrons, there are no used Pentax lenses on the market, there is no market for used Pentax items, Pentax stuff costs two or three times more than Canon or Nikon, and Pentax cameras are harder to use than either the Canon or Nikon. Of course, we all know this is utter nonsense, but it's the kind of stuff floating around out there (spread mainly, like in the forum above, by either Canon or Nikon users).

stewart