Are we really THAT rare?

hal55 · 05-12-2015, 02:39 AM

Trouble is Pentax, at least here in Australia, isn't supported in the retail stores. Have been to three trying to find Pentax and they just aren't carried .I'm happy to buy online, but most people like the reassurance of seeing their camera choice supported in retail stores. Is this lack of retail presence typical elsewhere?

Hal55

universalfocus · 05-12-2015, 01:01 PM

Originally posted by hal55

. Is this lack of retail presence typical elsewhere?
Hal55

The chance that you stumble upon the brand by accident isn´t that high here either. Some stores, even some chain stores here in Berlin got Pentax, but you´ve to know them.

It´s sad, given the quality and value of the products. I recently sold my Fuji X-A1. The image quality is better, but the build quality and feel not even close. Will get a K50 as a second camera now, the DA 40mm XS will make it small enough as an every day camera.

Pepe Le Pew · 05-12-2015, 01:19 PM

Originally posted by hal55

Trouble is Pentax, at least here in Australia, isn't supported in the retail stores. Have been to three trying to find Pentax and they just aren't carried .I'm happy to buy online, but most people like the reassurance of seeing their camera choice supported in retail stores. Is this lack of retail presence typical elsewhere?

Hal55

Isn't supported in Canadian retail stores either

**HeavyCorPhotography** · 05-12-2015, 02:28 PM

I Didn't know anyone who owned a Pentax before I got mine. Even some of the guys I know with cameras were like, pentax still makes cameras? ,when I talked about getting mine. Then I got my k-50 and posted up in fb and some friends of mine who I didn't even know were into photography appeared out of nowhere like, hey I have a white k-50 and it's awesome! , or something like that.

Totally surprised me.

Transit · 05-12-2015, 03:13 PM

We will be the 'in' brand soon...
us diehards will be like...not surprised

formercanuck · 05-12-2015, 03:50 PM

Originally posted by Pepe Le Pew

Isn't supported in Canadian retail stores either

There's a lot more stores in Canada that carry Pentax (in store) than in the US from what I've seen. Longs Drugs had a lot in Victoria when I was up there last summer. We'll see what I find when I'm in Ontario/Quebec this summer. Certainly more than the Los Angeles area (1 store for what is ~1/2 of Canada's population)

Transit · 05-12-2015, 09:31 PM

There is still a camera shop in my town, just.
I bought my K100D there back in the day...probably the first and last Pentax DSLR they ever sold..
I could drive 150k and maybe find a K-50 with a kit lens but that would be it.
sadly the New Zealand importer specialised in suicidal over pricing.

**arnold** · 05-12-2015, 10:53 PM

Originally posted by hal55

Trouble is Pentax, at least here in Australia, isn't supported in the retail stores. Have been to three trying to find Pentax and they just aren't carried .I'm happy to buy online, but most people like the reassurance of seeing their camera choice supported in retail stores. Is this lack of retail presence typical elsewhere?

Hal55

Ted's Camera store has Pentax.

TwoTon · 05-12-2015, 11:28 PM

Originally posted by hal55

Trouble is Pentax, at least here in Australia, isn't supported in the retail stores. Have been to three trying to find Pentax and they just aren't carried .I'm happy to buy online, but most people like the reassurance of seeing their camera choice supported in retail stores. Is this lack of retail presence typical elsewhere?

Hal55

Yes. I live in Borneo, the world's third-largest island. I know the other two Pentax users on the island personally, and we all have to send out stuff to Kuala Lumpur in West Malaysia for repairs. New purchases can only be made online, as no retailer carries Pentax.

Before Borneo, I lived in Taiwan for 22 years. Taipei has an entire street full of nothing but camera stores. Two of them carry Pentax.

But you know what? I kind of like that feeling. My dad shot Hasselblad in the 60s and got stared at everywhere he went. Now it's my turn :-))

hal55 · 05-13-2015, 02:34 AM

"Ted's Camera store has Pentax."

Glad to hear it, I've been to Harvey Norman, the camera shop at Helensvale and the big Camera Warehouse at Biggera Waters and none has Pentax - odd since Ricoh's office is just up the road!

Hal55

Lucky-Luc · 05-13-2015, 03:46 AM

Originally posted by formercanuck

There's a lot more stores in Canada that carry Pentax (in store) than in the US from what I've seen. Longs Drugs had a lot in Victoria when I was up there last summer. We'll see what I find when I'm in Ontario/Quebec this summer. Certainly more than the Los Angeles area (1 store for what is ~1/2 of Canada's population)

You will not find much in Quebec,I ordered my gear from B&H.

sterretje · 05-13-2015, 04:37 AM

Four stores in a radius of about 20km from work; all from the same owner who (which) happens to be the agent.

I haven't been there for ages but the first time I popped in in one of theme (a few years ago) they had the K-x and K-7 on display as well as the full DA* line.

Pepe Le Pew · 05-13-2015, 02:13 PM

Originally posted by Lucky-Luc

You will not find much in Quebec,I ordered my gear from B&H.

Nor in Ontario

bigdavephoto · 05-13-2015, 03:31 PM

Originally posted by hal55

Trouble is Pentax, at least here in Australia, isn't supported in the retail stores. Have been to three trying to find Pentax and they just aren't carried .I'm happy to buy online, but most people like the reassurance of seeing their camera choice supported in retail stores. Is this lack of retail presence typical elsewhere?

Hal55

Not much in the middle of the US either. We did have Cord Camera but they closed a couple of years ago. AFAIK, if you want to buy Pentax at a brick and mortar store, New York city and maybe LA or San Francisco.

Might also be some in Seattle too but I sure Chicago is out.

formercanuck · 05-13-2015, 05:03 PM

Not LA. Only 1 store even claims to have Pentax gear, and does not stock anything/much. You can't even get a DA 18-135mm WR. I was at Samys 'big' store in downtown LA, and it had a K5II and a K-50 and 4 lenses. DA 18-55mm WR, DA 18-200mm, DA* 16-50mm f/2.8 and DA* 60-250mm f/4. That's it... and this is a 4 story building that contains any/everything camera.
Even the 'Sigma' and 'Tamron' area didn't carry ANYTHING in K mount. Only thing I could find was a Tamron T to K mount adapter.

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05-12-2015, 02:39 AM	#3736
hal55 Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Posts: 66	Trouble is Pentax, at least here in Australia, isn't supported in the retail stores. Have been to three trying to find Pentax and they just aren't carried .I'm happy to buy online, but most people like the reassurance of seeing their camera choice supported in retail stores. Is this lack of retail presence typical elsewhere? Hal55

05-12-2015, 01:01 PM	#3737
universalfocus Forum Member Join Date: May 2014 Photos: Albums Posts: 76	Originally posted by hal55 . Is this lack of retail presence typical elsewhere? Hal55 The chance that you stumble upon the brand by accident isn´t that high here either. Some stores, even some chain stores here in Berlin got Pentax, but you´ve to know them. It´s sad, given the quality and value of the products. I recently sold my Fuji X-A1. The image quality is better, but the build quality and feel not even close. Will get a K50 as a second camera now, the DA 40mm XS will make it small enough as an every day camera.

05-12-2015, 01:19 PM	#3738
Pepe Le Pew Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Photos: Albums Posts: 591	Originally posted by hal55 Trouble is Pentax, at least here in Australia, isn't supported in the retail stores. Have been to three trying to find Pentax and they just aren't carried .I'm happy to buy online, but most people like the reassurance of seeing their camera choice supported in retail stores. Is this lack of retail presence typical elsewhere? Hal55 Isn't supported in Canadian retail stores either

05-12-2015, 02:28 PM	#3739
HeavyCorPhotography Site Supporter Join Date: May 2015 Photos: Albums Posts: 82	I Didn't know anyone who owned a Pentax before I got mine. Even some of the guys I know with cameras were like, pentax still makes cameras? ,when I talked about getting mine. Then I got my k-50 and posted up in fb and some friends of mine who I didn't even know were into photography appeared out of nowhere like, hey I have a white k-50 and it's awesome! , or something like that. Totally surprised me.

05-12-2015, 03:13 PM	#3740
Transit Pentaxian Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Whanganui NZ Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,624	We will be the 'in' brand soon... us diehards will be like...not surprised

05-12-2015, 03:50 PM	#3741
formercanuck Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: SoCal Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 518	Originally posted by Pepe Le Pew Isn't supported in Canadian retail stores either There's a lot more stores in Canada that carry Pentax (in store) than in the US from what I've seen. Longs Drugs had a lot in Victoria when I was up there last summer. We'll see what I find when I'm in Ontario/Quebec this summer. Certainly more than the Los Angeles area (1 store for what is ~1/2 of Canada's population)

05-12-2015, 09:31 PM	#3742
Transit Pentaxian Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Whanganui NZ Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,624	There is still a camera shop in my town, just. I bought my K100D there back in the day...probably the first and last Pentax DSLR they ever sold.. I could drive 150k and maybe find a K-50 with a kit lens but that would be it. sadly the New Zealand importer specialised in suicidal over pricing.

05-12-2015, 10:53 PM	#3743
arnold Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Queensland Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,294	Originally posted by hal55 Trouble is Pentax, at least here in Australia, isn't supported in the retail stores. Have been to three trying to find Pentax and they just aren't carried .I'm happy to buy online, but most people like the reassurance of seeing their camera choice supported in retail stores. Is this lack of retail presence typical elsewhere? Hal55 Ted's Camera store has Pentax.

05-12-2015, 11:28 PM	#3744
TwoTon New Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Kuching, Sarawak, Borneo Posts: 16	Originally posted by hal55 Trouble is Pentax, at least here in Australia, isn't supported in the retail stores. Have been to three trying to find Pentax and they just aren't carried .I'm happy to buy online, but most people like the reassurance of seeing their camera choice supported in retail stores. Is this lack of retail presence typical elsewhere? Hal55 Yes. I live in Borneo, the world's third-largest island. I know the other two Pentax users on the island personally, and we all have to send out stuff to Kuala Lumpur in West Malaysia for repairs. New purchases can only be made online, as no retailer carries Pentax. Before Borneo, I lived in Taiwan for 22 years. Taipei has an entire street full of nothing but camera stores. Two of them carry Pentax. But you know what? I kind of like that feeling. My dad shot Hasselblad in the 60s and got stared at everywhere he went. Now it's my turn :-))

05-13-2015, 02:34 AM	#3745
hal55 Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Posts: 66	"Ted's Camera store has Pentax." Glad to hear it, I've been to Harvey Norman, the camera shop at Helensvale and the big Camera Warehouse at Biggera Waters and none has Pentax - odd since Ricoh's office is just up the road! Hal55

05-13-2015, 03:46 AM	#3746
Lucky-Luc Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Montreal, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 330	Originally posted by formercanuck There's a lot more stores in Canada that carry Pentax (in store) than in the US from what I've seen. Longs Drugs had a lot in Victoria when I was up there last summer. We'll see what I find when I'm in Ontario/Quebec this summer. Certainly more than the Los Angeles area (1 store for what is ~1/2 of Canada's population) You will not find much in Quebec,I ordered my gear from B&H.

05-13-2015, 04:37 AM	#3747
sterretje Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Roodepoort, South Africa Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,561	Four stores in a radius of about 20km from work; all from the same owner who (which) happens to be the agent. I haven't been there for ages but the first time I popped in in one of theme (a few years ago) they had the K-x and K-7 on display as well as the full DA* line.

05-13-2015, 02:13 PM	#3748
Pepe Le Pew Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Photos: Albums Posts: 591	Originally posted by Lucky-Luc You will not find much in Quebec,I ordered my gear from B&H. Nor in Ontario

05-13-2015, 03:31 PM	#3749
bigdavephoto Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: East central Indiana Photos: Gallery Posts: 893	Originally posted by hal55 Trouble is Pentax, at least here in Australia, isn't supported in the retail stores. Have been to three trying to find Pentax and they just aren't carried .I'm happy to buy online, but most people like the reassurance of seeing their camera choice supported in retail stores. Is this lack of retail presence typical elsewhere? Hal55 Not much in the middle of the US either. We did have Cord Camera but they closed a couple of years ago. AFAIK, if you want to buy Pentax at a brick and mortar store, New York city and maybe LA or San Francisco. Might also be some in Seattle too but I sure Chicago is out.

05-13-2015, 05:03 PM	#3750
formercanuck Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: SoCal Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 518	Not LA. Only 1 store even claims to have Pentax gear, and does not stock anything/much. You can't even get a DA 18-135mm WR. I was at Samys 'big' store in downtown LA, and it had a K5II and a K-50 and 4 lenses. DA 18-55mm WR, DA 18-200mm, DA* 16-50mm f/2.8 and DA* 60-250mm f/4. That's it... and this is a 4 story building that contains any/everything camera. Even the 'Sigma' and 'Tamron' area didn't carry ANYTHING in K mount. Only thing I could find was a Tamron T to K mount adapter.