Are we really THAT rare?

trevinon · 11-05-2015, 09:44 PM

Originally posted by virusn3t

Last time i see the Sanborns price for the K50 was like 850usd (like 6-8 months ago) idk today prices, but at that cost i dont believe they sell many cameras if you can buy a T3i/4 or a D3300/3400 or similar at +/-400usd at SamsClub or Fotomecanica, or even the grey market at Plaza de la Tecnologia, Pentax need better pricing if they want to enter in the market

Actuaññy, it's not the initial cost of the camera itself. It is the import duties and the outrageous markups these people expect from whatever they sell in Sanborns. Carlos Slim didn't get reach for being charitable. ;-)

Norberto

cxdoo · 11-08-2015, 02:42 AM

Yesterday, while looking for some kitchen appliances, I visited a large(ish) general electric/electronic shop here in Limassol and was more than surprised that they not only carried Pentax, but had 4 models on display: K-50, K-S2, X-G1 and X-5. Considering they had maybe 8 Nikon cameras on display and just a few P&C Canons that was really just.. wow. Cyprus is too small to figure in any RP marketing plans so I assume the cameras are selling good enough on their own to be displayed there.

BTW, this was first time I held K-S2 in my hands and I didn't like it. Looked rather plasticky and felt very different from what my K5II feels like, yet it wasn't smaller enough (like I presume K-S1 is) to be of interest to me. Price tag of ~800EUR didn't help there too.

**Digitalis** · 11-08-2015, 03:31 AM

At fashion week here in Adelaide there were several photographers working with the usual Canons,Nikons and even a Sony camera or two..but there were a surprising number of 645Zs. I was using both my Leica S2 and 645Z.

trevinon · 11-14-2015, 03:25 PM

Yes!
My brother is about to join the ranks of Pentax users. He is about to buy a black K-50 with kit lenses. The brotherhood is growing!

Also, a nice surprise is that now the Liverpool department stores also carry the Pentax line in Mexico. They even carry the K-3 with the 18-135 lens at a verry competitive price during the preblack Friday sale in Mexico under the government sponsored El Buen Fin, happening this long weekend in our country.

Not a bad thing that Ricoh is turning Hoya's disaster around.

Looks like a bright future for Pentax ahead.

Norberto

Last edited by trevinon; 11-14-2015 at 03:31 PM.

virusn3t · 11-14-2015, 03:31 PM

Originally posted by trevinon

Yes!
My brother is about to join the ranks of Pentax users. He is about to buy a black K-50 with kit lenses. The brotherhood is growing!

Also, a nice surprise is that now the Liverpool department stores also carry the Pentax line in Mexico. They even carry the K-3 with the 18-135 lens at a verry competitive price during the preblack Friday sale in Mexico under the government sponsored El Buen Fin, happening this long weekend in our country.

Not a bad thing that Ricoh is turning Hoya's disaster around.

Looks like a bright future for Pentax ahead.

Norberto

---------- Post added 11-14-15 at 04:26 PM ----------

Yes!
My brother is about to join the ranks of Pentax users. He is about to buy a black K-50 with kit lenses. The brotherhood is growing!

Also, a nice surprise is that now the Liverpool department stores also carry the Pentax line in Mexico. They even carry the K-3 with the 18-135 lens at a verry competitive price during the preblack Friday sale in Mexico under the government sponsored El Buen Fin, happening this long weekend in our country.

Not a bad thing that Ricoh is turning Hoya's disaster around.

Looks like a bright future for Pentax ahead.

Norberto

Time to use the Liverpool store credit! They sell accesorys or only body+kit?

trevinon · 11-14-2015, 03:33 PM

Full double lens kits. K-50 at $511.

**grhazelton** · 11-14-2015, 04:14 PM

We went to Gibbs Gardens, a wonderful botanical garden in near Ball Ground, GA, about 45 minutes North of Atlanta. Wonderful place, 340 + acres of plantings, with a huge Japanese garden. Excellent weather! Many people shooting, the usual scrum of cell phones, CaNikons everywhere. I saw one Olympus, one Sony, and NO Pentaxes. BTY, what is the proper spelling of Pentax plural? Pentaxes, Pentaxices .... Any thoughts out there??

Grippy · 11-14-2015, 04:49 PM

I meet with a couple of local groups to go out and shoot various locations, I was always the odd one out with my Oly gear and am now outnumbered with my Pentax. I hate following the crowd and there is always a plethora of CaNikons spruiking their brand on their bright colored straps around their necks the odd Sony and me.

**Alex645** · 11-14-2015, 04:59 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by abmj

I've read the "pros dissing Pentax" thread and had a bit of a laugh. I shot high-end Canon for 30 years in my film days but am at a more laidback place now during semi-retirement. For the switch to DSLR, I couldn't justify the expense - particularly for good glass - that Canon entailed and went with Pentax. I am very happy with that choice despite the occasional sneer from my former Canon compatriots.

Now, my topic. During the recent Worldwide Photo Walk, I joined 40+ area photographers for a fun day of shooting followed by a group lunch and wrap-up. In that group, I saw exactly zero Pentax DSLRs - aside from my own. I found myself "justifying" my choice not to go with Canikon during good natured discussions. Not so much distain but more "why in the world would a serious photographer NOT buy Canikon??"

Are we really that sparse out in the world?

Wow, 273 pages and growing...guess this is a big deal. I feel compelled to join the marathon.

When I was starting out as a pro (film days) I had a Minolta system with 4 bodies and 6 lenses. At the studio, clients would commonly question why I was shooting with Minolta (in a doubtful way). When all of my 35mm cameras were stolen, (my Pentax 645 was spared), I decided to join the crowd and bought into the Nikon system. After that, no one harassed me about my equipment. It's all perception, bias, and lots of ignorance.

I would not say Pentax users are rare, but rather uncommon. A few years back I met Magnum photographer, Eli Reed, and he loves and uses Olympus.

My son was set to go on a Study Abroad in Nepal, when the earthquake hit. Instead he ended up going to India and he was the only student with a Pentax (K50). Having seen the FB page from all the other students, his images really stood out (just using his two zoom kit lenses) and his classmates noticed that.

I think it's good when owners are proud of their systems and want to share that pride. But it is ignorant of anyone to put down the choice or system of someone else. All camera makes have their pros and cons, and ultimately it really comes down to the photographer.

tim60 · 11-15-2015, 12:13 AM

Originally posted by grhazelton

We went to Gibbs Gardens, a wonderful botanical garden in near Ball Ground, GA, about 45 minutes North of Atlanta. Wonderful place, 340 + acres of plantings, with a huge Japanese garden. Excellent weather! Many people shooting, the usual scrum of cell phones, CaNikons everywhere. I saw one Olympus, one Sony, and NO Pentaxes. BTY, what is the proper spelling of Pentax plural? Pentaxes, Pentaxices .... Any thoughts out there??

Maybe that is the problem, there is no plural of the noun?

It could also be a collective, like 'sheep' so the plural is "Pentax".

---------- Post added 11-15-15 at 05:50 PM ----------

I wonder how many buy any brand of a fairly complex product, like a camera,and choose a brand because their friends or relatives have the same so they feel confident they can get advice when they need it, talk arcana to their friends and feel in the action and even borrow accessories in a push, or just to try before they decide to buy.

LoneWolf · 11-15-2015, 06:03 AM

The UK Photographic Magazine has a competition "Amateur Photographer of the Year which has I think 8 monthly themes. The overall winner being the photographer whose points total over all themes is the highest. The top 30 photographs each month are published. Canon and Nikon dominate with Sony often coming 3rd. I have seen Olympus and Panasonic regularly feature. Pentax does feature occasionally, although in June 2015 we had 2 K5's and a 645Z; a record. Normally it varies between 0 and 1 with the very occasional 2 appearances. A variety of other models have been named including a K10D and a K3.

I emphasise that these figures are only from the top 30. The spread taking all the entries into account is probably similar with Pentax being pretty far down the list, but I cannot be sure.

We are rare but not I think an endangered species.

micromacro · 11-16-2015, 08:41 PM

Last weekend I attended the local fest with a crowd of photographers probably bigger than number of total participants. Canons, Nikons, Sonys... No Pentax.
The one guy asked me what camera do I have, I showed him Pentax sign, and he gave me strange long look...

I felt myself like Cinderella there not fitting into that kind of sophisticated fansy-shmancy "pro" crowd.

And I have to admit I liked that.

jawsy · 11-23-2015, 12:14 AM

Spent all day at Temora Warbirds Downunder on Saturday. 20,000 people attended, spotted 2 x Pentax DLSR's. Not bad at an event where it looked like 1 in 10 had some type of camera with them.

Plenty of older guys walking around with the DLSR's swinging hands-free around their necks with ~500mm lenses attached banging around their hips. Can't imagine swinging the 2-3kg lens by the camera straps does the coupling much good...

K-3ii + Sigma 70-200 HSM II worked a treat though. Huge improvement over the K20D and 300mm kit lens I took five years ago.

jab2980 · 11-23-2015, 10:38 AM

While I've never met another Pentaxian in the wild, people at craft shows are usually interested to hear more about Pentax when they ask what body I shoot with.

jeallen01 · 11-23-2015, 10:52 AM

Originally posted by jawsy

Can't imagine swinging the 2-3kg lens by the camera straps does the coupling much good... .

Nor their necks & backs! - Will there soon be a new muscosketal injury known as DSLR-shooter's back?
(the K-3 with the 100-300 F4 Sigma gets to my back after a bit, so maybe I'm already partway there?

)

11-14-2015, 04:14 PM	#4087
grhazelton Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Jonesboro, GA Photos: Albums Posts: 1,972	So few Pentax.... We went to Gibbs Gardens, a wonderful botanical garden in near Ball Ground, GA, about 45 minutes North of Atlanta. Wonderful place, 340 + acres of plantings, with a huge Japanese garden. Excellent weather! Many people shooting, the usual scrum of cell phones, CaNikons everywhere. I saw one Olympus, one Sony, and NO Pentaxes. BTY, what is the proper spelling of Pentax plural? Pentaxes, Pentaxices .... Any thoughts out there??

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11-05-2015, 09:44 PM	#4081
trevinon Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Monterrey Posts: 100	Originally posted by virusn3t Last time i see the Sanborns price for the K50 was like 850usd (like 6-8 months ago) idk today prices, but at that cost i dont believe they sell many cameras if you can buy a T3i/4 or a D3300/3400 or similar at +/-400usd at SamsClub or Fotomecanica, or even the grey market at Plaza de la Tecnologia, Pentax need better pricing if they want to enter in the market Actuaññy, it's not the initial cost of the camera itself. It is the import duties and the outrageous markups these people expect from whatever they sell in Sanborns. Carlos Slim didn't get reach for being charitable. ;-) Norberto

11-08-2015, 02:42 AM	#4082
cxdoo Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Limassol, Cyprus Posts: 1,150	Yesterday, while looking for some kitchen appliances, I visited a large(ish) general electric/electronic shop here in Limassol and was more than surprised that they not only carried Pentax, but had 4 models on display: K-50, K-S2, X-G1 and X-5. Considering they had maybe 8 Nikon cameras on display and just a few P&C Canons that was really just.. wow. Cyprus is too small to figure in any RP marketing plans so I assume the cameras are selling good enough on their own to be displayed there. BTW, this was first time I held K-S2 in my hands and I didn't like it. Looked rather plasticky and felt very different from what my K5II feels like, yet it wasn't smaller enough (like I presume K-S1 is) to be of interest to me. Price tag of ~800EUR didn't help there too.

11-08-2015, 03:31 AM	#4083
Digitalis Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Melbourne, Victoria Photos: Gallery Posts: 11,694	At fashion week here in Adelaide there were several photographers working with the usual Canons,Nikons and even a Sony camera or two..but there were a surprising number of 645Zs. I was using both my Leica S2 and 645Z.

11-14-2015, 03:25 PM	#4084
trevinon Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Monterrey Posts: 100	Yes! My brother is about to join the ranks of Pentax users. He is about to buy a black K-50 with kit lenses. The brotherhood is growing! Also, a nice surprise is that now the Liverpool department stores also carry the Pentax line in Mexico. They even carry the K-3 with the 18-135 lens at a verry competitive price during the preblack Friday sale in Mexico under the government sponsored El Buen Fin, happening this long weekend in our country. Not a bad thing that Ricoh is turning Hoya's disaster around. Looks like a bright future for Pentax ahead. Norberto Last edited by trevinon; 11-14-2015 at 03:31 PM.

11-14-2015, 03:31 PM	#4085
virusn3t Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Posts: 676	Originally posted by trevinon Yes! My brother is about to join the ranks of Pentax users. He is about to buy a black K-50 with kit lenses. The brotherhood is growing! Also, a nice surprise is that now the Liverpool department stores also carry the Pentax line in Mexico. They even carry the K-3 with the 18-135 lens at a verry competitive price during the preblack Friday sale in Mexico under the government sponsored El Buen Fin, happening this long weekend in our country. Not a bad thing that Ricoh is turning Hoya's disaster around. Looks like a bright future for Pentax ahead. Norberto ---------- Post added 11-14-15 at 04:26 PM ---------- Yes! My brother is about to join the ranks of Pentax users. He is about to buy a black K-50 with kit lenses. The brotherhood is growing! Also, a nice surprise is that now the Liverpool department stores also carry the Pentax line in Mexico. They even carry the K-3 with the 18-135 lens at a verry competitive price during the preblack Friday sale in Mexico under the government sponsored El Buen Fin, happening this long weekend in our country. Not a bad thing that Ricoh is turning Hoya's disaster around. Looks like a bright future for Pentax ahead. Norberto Time to use the Liverpool store credit! They sell accesorys or only body+kit?

11-14-2015, 03:33 PM	#4086
trevinon Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Monterrey Posts: 100	Full double lens kits. K-50 at $511.

11-14-2015, 04:49 PM	#4088
Grippy Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Adelaide Posts: 816	I meet with a couple of local groups to go out and shoot various locations, I was always the odd one out with my Oly gear and am now outnumbered with my Pentax. I hate following the crowd and there is always a plethora of CaNikons spruiking their brand on their bright colored straps around their necks the odd Sony and me.

11-14-2015, 04:59 PM - 1 Like	#4089
Alex645 Site Supporter Join Date: May 2015 Location: Kaneohe, HI Photos: Albums Posts: 3,526	Originally posted by abmj I've read the "pros dissing Pentax" thread and had a bit of a laugh. I shot high-end Canon for 30 years in my film days but am at a more laidback place now during semi-retirement. For the switch to DSLR, I couldn't justify the expense - particularly for good glass - that Canon entailed and went with Pentax. I am very happy with that choice despite the occasional sneer from my former Canon compatriots. Now, my topic. During the recent Worldwide Photo Walk, I joined 40+ area photographers for a fun day of shooting followed by a group lunch and wrap-up. In that group, I saw exactly zero Pentax DSLRs - aside from my own. I found myself "justifying" my choice not to go with Canikon during good natured discussions. Not so much distain but more "why in the world would a serious photographer NOT buy Canikon??" Are we really that sparse out in the world? Wow, 273 pages and growing...guess this is a big deal. I feel compelled to join the marathon. When I was starting out as a pro (film days) I had a Minolta system with 4 bodies and 6 lenses. At the studio, clients would commonly question why I was shooting with Minolta (in a doubtful way). When all of my 35mm cameras were stolen, (my Pentax 645 was spared), I decided to join the crowd and bought into the Nikon system. After that, no one harassed me about my equipment. It's all perception, bias, and lots of ignorance. I would not say Pentax users are rare, but rather uncommon. A few years back I met Magnum photographer, Eli Reed, and he loves and uses Olympus. My son was set to go on a Study Abroad in Nepal, when the earthquake hit. Instead he ended up going to India and he was the only student with a Pentax (K50). Having seen the FB page from all the other students, his images really stood out (just using his two zoom kit lenses) and his classmates noticed that. I think it's good when owners are proud of their systems and want to share that pride. But it is ignorant of anyone to put down the choice or system of someone else. All camera makes have their pros and cons, and ultimately it really comes down to the photographer.

11-15-2015, 12:13 AM	#4090
tim60 Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2011 Photos: Albums Posts: 8,738	Originally posted by grhazelton We went to Gibbs Gardens, a wonderful botanical garden in near Ball Ground, GA, about 45 minutes North of Atlanta. Wonderful place, 340 + acres of plantings, with a huge Japanese garden. Excellent weather! Many people shooting, the usual scrum of cell phones, CaNikons everywhere. I saw one Olympus, one Sony, and NO Pentaxes. BTY, what is the proper spelling of Pentax plural? Pentaxes, Pentaxices .... Any thoughts out there?? Maybe that is the problem, there is no plural of the noun? It could also be a collective, like 'sheep' so the plural is "Pentax". ---------- Post added 11-15-15 at 05:50 PM ---------- I wonder how many buy any brand of a fairly complex product, like a camera,and choose a brand because their friends or relatives have the same so they feel confident they can get advice when they need it, talk arcana to their friends and feel in the action and even borrow accessories in a push, or just to try before they decide to buy.

11-15-2015, 06:03 AM	#4091
LoneWolf Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2014 Posts: 141	The UK Photographic Magazine has a competition "Amateur Photographer of the Year which has I think 8 monthly themes. The overall winner being the photographer whose points total over all themes is the highest. The top 30 photographs each month are published. Canon and Nikon dominate with Sony often coming 3rd. I have seen Olympus and Panasonic regularly feature. Pentax does feature occasionally, although in June 2015 we had 2 K5's and a 645Z; a record. Normally it varies between 0 and 1 with the very occasional 2 appearances. A variety of other models have been named including a K10D and a K3. I emphasise that these figures are only from the top 30. The spread taking all the entries into account is probably similar with Pentax being pretty far down the list, but I cannot be sure. We are rare but not I think an endangered species.

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11-16-2015, 08:41 PM	#4092
micromacro Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Florida Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,722	Last weekend I attended the local fest with a crowd of photographers probably bigger than number of total participants. Canons, Nikons, Sonys... No Pentax. The one guy asked me what camera do I have, I showed him Pentax sign, and he gave me strange long look... I felt myself like Cinderella there not fitting into that kind of sophisticated fansy-shmancy "pro" crowd. And I have to admit I liked that.

11-23-2015, 12:14 AM	#4093
jawsy Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 422	Spent all day at Temora Warbirds Downunder on Saturday. 20,000 people attended, spotted 2 x Pentax DLSR's. Not bad at an event where it looked like 1 in 10 had some type of camera with them. Plenty of older guys walking around with the DLSR's swinging hands-free around their necks with ~500mm lenses attached banging around their hips. Can't imagine swinging the 2-3kg lens by the camera straps does the coupling much good... K-3ii + Sigma 70-200 HSM II worked a treat though. Huge improvement over the K20D and 300mm kit lens I took five years ago.

11-23-2015, 10:38 AM	#4094
jab2980 Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Photos: Albums Posts: 578	While I've never met another Pentaxian in the wild, people at craft shows are usually interested to hear more about Pentax when they ask what body I shoot with.

11-23-2015, 10:52 AM	#4095
jeallen01 Pentaxian Join Date: May 2008 Location: London, UK Posts: 1,697	Originally posted by jawsy Can't imagine swinging the 2-3kg lens by the camera straps does the coupling much good... . Nor their necks & backs! - Will there soon be a new muscosketal injury known as DSLR-shooter's back? (the K-3 with the 100-300 F4 Sigma gets to my back after a bit, so maybe I'm already partway there? )