Are we really THAT rare?

stevebrot · 08-08-2010, 12:52 PM

Originally posted by vagrant10

...But I do see a fair amount of Pentax users around... saw one at Bagby, ...

Cameras at Bagby...now there is a thought

Steve

(Notorious clothing optional hot spring SE of Portland...)

subeeds · 08-08-2010, 04:51 PM

I've never been one to follow the crowd, but when I first started camera shopping, back in my 20's, I read a lot about cameras. One of the things that made me decide on the K-1000 was price and features. Back then, it was the same-people used Nikon and Canon. I made the right choice, because even though the 1000s no longer work, the glass goes great on my new K-X. I always look at other cameras whenever I'm out and have yet to see another Pentax.

uchinakuri · 08-08-2010, 07:15 PM

I live in Tokyo, but I dont agree that it's mostly Pentax here. It's the same as everywhere else, Canon + Nikon everywhere with a few Pentaxes. What might not be the same is that Pentax gear is absolutely no problem getting here. Walk into any camera shop and there will be a dedicated Pentax section with bodies, lenses, etc.

Ed n Georgia · 08-08-2010, 07:40 PM

We are fortunate enough here in Savannah to actually have a Camera Store who sells and stocks Pentax equipment.

Now I know that they have sold some Pentax gear to people other than me. However, I've never seen anyone in Savannah, from Savannah, with a Pentax DSLR.

I did see one fellow here who was a tourist back in 2006 and he was using a *ist DS.

I ran into one Pentax shooter in the Smoky Mountains in 2008.

**mike.hiran** · 08-08-2010, 11:19 PM

Originally posted by stevebrot

Cameras at Bagby...now there is a thought

Steve

(Notorious clothing optional hot spring SE of Portland...)

fortunately we went when there was quite a bit of snow and there weren't many people there so we were able to get one of the rooms w/ a tub. so sorry, but no pics of me by the other pentax user. and the pics I took are hidden so I won't scare anyone

lurchlarson · 08-09-2010, 01:17 AM

Originally posted by stevebrot

Who carries Pentax now in Oregon? Pro Photo used to, but had dropped the brand the last time I looked. Shutterbug also has dropped the brand. Advance Camera in Raleigh Hills will sell you a Pentax, but keeps no stock. Ditto for Knight Camera in Vancouver.

Steve

I was at the Woodburn outlet. Shutterbug (I think it was a shutterbug??) there had one. They had a dusty K7 and a 16-45. I suppose that doesn't really count as the Metro area but it's the closest I've seen. That was about a month ago. They might have been getting ready to send it back though. Can't remember.

There's a place in Corvallis that did when I last checked (two years ago). Chances are they don't anymore.

gary1952 · 08-09-2010, 05:12 AM

I have been in S.E. Asia for the past two years and I can tell you I have never seen a Pentax. Not only that but I shoot birds here. Pentax and Sigma is a fairly good combo. Cheaper than the glass here for nikon and canon, it is thru the roof. But everyone hates Pentax. I have to agree to some extent. Pentax does not make a camera that is anywhere near there prosumer cameras. The K-7 is a joke for my work and the k-x is great but the QC is a joke. Fast glass doesn't work on most of the K-x until you get it calibrated. Too bad. But it is the truth. I am cheap but Pentax in many places is really a joke and the people know it. Also Canon and Nikon have outlets that cater to the locals and have repair centers locally. Where Pentax has nothing. It is strickly which is better and offers the best customer service. Pentax has none and Canon and Nilon have great Customer service. Even tho the prices are tripple what a Pentax costs.

Luckaly i have had no problems, excet calibration problems. With a simple calibration it has to go back to Japan for service and takes forever. You have to deal with customs and paperwork. Really not worth it. Again the locals know it.

Last edited by gary1952; 08-09-2010 at 05:21 AM.

WMBP · 08-09-2010, 06:27 AM

Originally posted by abmj

Are we really that sparse out in the world?

Yep. During my two-week vacation in Yellowstone National Park earlier this summer, I found myself in crowds of photographers more than once. I never saw a single Pentax product, not even a Pentax compact camera.

Will

MRRiley · 08-09-2010, 06:32 AM

One of the main reasons that Pentax seems rare in the U.S. is that Pentax Japan pretty well ignores the market and Pentax U.S.A lets them. Frankly it's a good thing that Pentax has a decent following of hardcore users that will buy the gear regardless of the crumby marketing or the lack of availability to hold a camera before you buy it online. Without us dedicated users, Pentax probably would have gone the way of Minolta 10 or 15 years ago.

I'm fortunate that I have, I believe, the only serious camera shop in the mid-Atlantic which still carries Pentax less than 5 miles from my home. The owner is a fan of Pentax otherwise he wouldn't be carrying it (his words). He is even prepared to buy a 645D for his collection of 645 lenses, but figures the U.S. will be the last place the 645 is released.

So blame our rarity on Pentax "lack of" Marketing...

Mike

p.s. And it has nothing to do with size... LOL

WMBP · 08-09-2010, 06:46 AM

Thinking about Mike's good comments on why we are such a minority, at least here in the USA. I'm sure he's right about Pentax Japan ignoring us, and Pentax USA allowing that to continue. But I have a slightly different take, not on the causes, but on the nature of the problem.

As I see it, the problem isn't that Pentax is a minority. Apple is a TINY minority of the computer market. But Apple DOMINATES the computer "mindshare".

What Pentax needs is mindshare. I think, in this particular dimension of the marketing problem, Pentax is way behind nearly all of its competitors. Olympus and Panasonic get more attention than Pentax, in stores, in magazines. Heck, SAMSUNG has more mindshare right now than Pentax. And Pentax's attempts at mindshare are pathetic, indeed, I find them downright offensive. Releasing the K-x in different colors? Give me a break.

I'm sticking with Pentax for now mainly because it would cost me a lot of money to switch, because I'm not sure what I would switch TO—and because the people responsible for making the cameras and the lenses continue to do a great job. But the people running marketing for Pentax should all be shot, and then fired. And we should all pray that some of their zombie corpses get hired by Canon.

Will

blackbirdoor · 08-09-2010, 06:49 AM

Originally posted by MRRiley

I'm fortunate that I have, I believe, the only serious camera shop in the mid-Atlantic which still carries Pentax less than 5 miles from my home.

what is the shop's name? I live in maryland, a drive away and would like to see some Pentax lenses, bodies, gears etc. being put in a glass container properly labeled and prices marked with the stores name and next to it a sign that says " We carry Pentax stuff too"! Around here in Md, pentax is pretty much nonexistent.

junyo · 08-09-2010, 07:15 AM

In between NYC and Philadelphia, at lots of meetups, workshops and group shoots, I've come across two other Pentax SLR shooters, and one of them has since switched to Canon for the better after market support. I see more Oly shooters, but I live not that far from their headquarters, and they sponsor my local camera club, so I assume they're overrepresented within my area.

Ira · 08-09-2010, 07:34 AM

Originally posted by germar

Really, the average American consumer would be happy to shoot with cameras like the KX and K7 and put the extra money they would otherwise spend on Canikons in their pocket. That type of person is not rare. What is rare is a place to put your hands on the gear, touch it, peer through it and "kick the tires" so to speak. I would bet that a very large percentage of us on this forum have bought our gear sight unseen ( I ordered my K100D, K10D, K20D and K7 without ever touching a real copy) and that just isn't the way people spend 500 dollars or more on cameras.

I argue that if Americans could see Pentax gear along side the Canikons at places like Best Buy, we'd find shooters like us to be more common.

germar

You nailed it:

Their retail distribution is pitiful.

I live near Ft. Lauderdale, and there is not a store within 75 miles of me that carries the stuff. Maybe more than a hundred!

dgaies · 08-09-2010, 07:47 AM

Originally posted by blackbirdoor

what is the shop's name? I live in maryland, a drive away and would like to see some Pentax lenses, bodies, gears etc. being put in a glass container properly labeled and prices marked with the stores name and next to it a sign that says " We carry Pentax stuff too"! Around here in Md, pentax is pretty much nonexistent.

I assume he was talking about Ace Photo in Virginia. It's a little less than an hour from me (I'm in Maryland too), probably a little over an hour from where you are. I haven't personally been there, but I've heard good things about them from several people on this and other forums.

MRRiley · 08-09-2010, 07:55 AM

Originally posted by blackbirdoor

what is the shop's name? I live in maryland, a drive away and would like to see some Pentax lenses, bodies, gears etc. being put in a glass container properly labeled and prices marked with the stores name and next to it a sign that says " We carry Pentax stuff too"! Around here in Md, pentax is pretty much nonexistent.

It's Ace Photo in Ashburn, VA (just north of Dulles Airport...

Don't expect a whole display case or anything. They still have lots more Canon and Nikon gear than anything else, but they usually have at least a couple of Pentax bodies as well as a decent selection of Pentax and other K-mount lenses. And several of the salesmen shoot Pentax at least part-time (being camera store guys they tend to shoot multiple systems) so no one will look at you weird when you ask to look at something.

Mike

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08-08-2010, 12:52 PM	#76
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	Originally posted by vagrant10 ...But I do see a fair amount of Pentax users around... saw one at Bagby, ... Cameras at Bagby...now there is a thought Steve (Notorious clothing optional hot spring SE of Portland...)

08-08-2010, 04:51 PM	#77
subeeds Veteran Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Camden County, Ga. Photos: Gallery Posts: 333	I've never been one to follow the crowd, but when I first started camera shopping, back in my 20's, I read a lot about cameras. One of the things that made me decide on the K-1000 was price and features. Back then, it was the same-people used Nikon and Canon. I made the right choice, because even though the 1000s no longer work, the glass goes great on my new K-X. I always look at other cameras whenever I'm out and have yet to see another Pentax.

08-08-2010, 07:15 PM	#78
uchinakuri Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 57	I live in Tokyo, but I dont agree that it's mostly Pentax here. It's the same as everywhere else, Canon + Nikon everywhere with a few Pentaxes. What might not be the same is that Pentax gear is absolutely no problem getting here. Walk into any camera shop and there will be a dedicated Pentax section with bodies, lenses, etc.

08-08-2010, 07:40 PM	#79
Ed n Georgia Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Georgia Posts: 940	We are fortunate enough here in Savannah to actually have a Camera Store who sells and stocks Pentax equipment. Now I know that they have sold some Pentax gear to people other than me. However, I've never seen anyone in Savannah, from Savannah, with a Pentax DSLR. I did see one fellow here who was a tourist back in 2006 and he was using a *ist DS. I ran into one Pentax shooter in the Smoky Mountains in 2008.

08-08-2010, 11:19 PM	#80
mike.hiran Site Supporter Join Date: May 2007 Location: portland Photos: Albums Posts: 1,491	Originally posted by stevebrot Cameras at Bagby...now there is a thought Steve (Notorious clothing optional hot spring SE of Portland...) fortunately we went when there was quite a bit of snow and there weren't many people there so we were able to get one of the rooms w/ a tub. so sorry, but no pics of me by the other pentax user. and the pics I took are hidden so I won't scare anyone

08-09-2010, 01:17 AM	#81
lurchlarson Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Oregon, USA Photos: Albums Posts: 681	Originally posted by stevebrot Who carries Pentax now in Oregon? Pro Photo used to, but had dropped the brand the last time I looked. Shutterbug also has dropped the brand. Advance Camera in Raleigh Hills will sell you a Pentax, but keeps no stock. Ditto for Knight Camera in Vancouver. Steve I was at the Woodburn outlet. Shutterbug (I think it was a shutterbug??) there had one. They had a dusty K7 and a 16-45. I suppose that doesn't really count as the Metro area but it's the closest I've seen. That was about a month ago. They might have been getting ready to send it back though. Can't remember. There's a place in Corvallis that did when I last checked (two years ago). Chances are they don't anymore.

08-09-2010, 05:12 AM	#82
gary1952 Inactive Account Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: thailand Posts: 45	I have been in S.E. Asia for the past two years and I can tell you I have never seen a Pentax. Not only that but I shoot birds here. Pentax and Sigma is a fairly good combo. Cheaper than the glass here for nikon and canon, it is thru the roof. But everyone hates Pentax. I have to agree to some extent. Pentax does not make a camera that is anywhere near there prosumer cameras. The K-7 is a joke for my work and the k-x is great but the QC is a joke. Fast glass doesn't work on most of the K-x until you get it calibrated. Too bad. But it is the truth. I am cheap but Pentax in many places is really a joke and the people know it. Also Canon and Nikon have outlets that cater to the locals and have repair centers locally. Where Pentax has nothing. It is strickly which is better and offers the best customer service. Pentax has none and Canon and Nilon have great Customer service. Even tho the prices are tripple what a Pentax costs. Luckaly i have had no problems, excet calibration problems. With a simple calibration it has to go back to Japan for service and takes forever. You have to deal with customs and paperwork. Really not worth it. Again the locals know it. Last edited by gary1952; 08-09-2010 at 05:21 AM.

08-09-2010, 06:27 AM	#83
WMBP Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Dallas, Texas Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,482	Originally posted by abmj Are we really that sparse out in the world? Yep. During my two-week vacation in Yellowstone National Park earlier this summer, I found myself in crowds of photographers more than once. I never saw a single Pentax product, not even a Pentax compact camera. Will

08-09-2010, 06:32 AM	#84
MRRiley Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Sterling, VA, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,275	One of the main reasons that Pentax seems rare in the U.S. is that Pentax Japan pretty well ignores the market and Pentax U.S.A lets them. Frankly it's a good thing that Pentax has a decent following of hardcore users that will buy the gear regardless of the crumby marketing or the lack of availability to hold a camera before you buy it online. Without us dedicated users, Pentax probably would have gone the way of Minolta 10 or 15 years ago. I'm fortunate that I have, I believe, the only serious camera shop in the mid-Atlantic which still carries Pentax less than 5 miles from my home. The owner is a fan of Pentax otherwise he wouldn't be carrying it (his words). He is even prepared to buy a 645D for his collection of 645 lenses, but figures the U.S. will be the last place the 645 is released. So blame our rarity on Pentax "lack of" Marketing... Mike p.s. And it has nothing to do with size... LOL

08-09-2010, 06:46 AM	#85
WMBP Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Dallas, Texas Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,482	Thinking about Mike's good comments on why we are such a minority, at least here in the USA. I'm sure he's right about Pentax Japan ignoring us, and Pentax USA allowing that to continue. But I have a slightly different take, not on the causes, but on the nature of the problem. As I see it, the problem isn't that Pentax is a minority. Apple is a TINY minority of the computer market. But Apple DOMINATES the computer "mindshare". What Pentax needs is mindshare. I think, in this particular dimension of the marketing problem, Pentax is way behind nearly all of its competitors. Olympus and Panasonic get more attention than Pentax, in stores, in magazines. Heck, SAMSUNG has more mindshare right now than Pentax. And Pentax's attempts at mindshare are pathetic, indeed, I find them downright offensive. Releasing the K-x in different colors? Give me a break. I'm sticking with Pentax for now mainly because it would cost me a lot of money to switch, because I'm not sure what I would switch TO—and because the people responsible for making the cameras and the lenses continue to do a great job. But the people running marketing for Pentax should all be shot, and then fired. And we should all pray that some of their zombie corpses get hired by Canon. Will

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08-09-2010, 06:49 AM	#86
blackbirdoor Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Severna Park, MD Posts: 120	Originally posted by MRRiley I'm fortunate that I have, I believe, the only serious camera shop in the mid-Atlantic which still carries Pentax less than 5 miles from my home. what is the shop's name? I live in maryland, a drive away and would like to see some Pentax lenses, bodies, gears etc. being put in a glass container properly labeled and prices marked with the stores name and next to it a sign that says " We carry Pentax stuff too"! Around here in Md, pentax is pretty much nonexistent.

08-09-2010, 07:15 AM	#87
junyo Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Photos: Gallery Posts: 418	In between NYC and Philadelphia, at lots of meetups, workshops and group shoots, I've come across two other Pentax SLR shooters, and one of them has since switched to Canon for the better after market support. I see more Oly shooters, but I live not that far from their headquarters, and they sponsor my local camera club, so I assume they're overrepresented within my area.

08-09-2010, 07:34 AM	#88
Ira Inactive Account Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Coral Springs, FL Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,216	Originally posted by germar Really, the average American consumer would be happy to shoot with cameras like the KX and K7 and put the extra money they would otherwise spend on Canikons in their pocket. That type of person is not rare. What is rare is a place to put your hands on the gear, touch it, peer through it and "kick the tires" so to speak. I would bet that a very large percentage of us on this forum have bought our gear sight unseen ( I ordered my K100D, K10D, K20D and K7 without ever touching a real copy) and that just isn't the way people spend 500 dollars or more on cameras. I argue that if Americans could see Pentax gear along side the Canikons at places like Best Buy, we'd find shooters like us to be more common. germar You nailed it: Their retail distribution is pitiful. I live near Ft. Lauderdale, and there is not a store within 75 miles of me that carries the stuff. Maybe more than a hundred!

08-09-2010, 07:47 AM	#89
dgaies Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Maryland / Washington DC Posts: 3,917	Originally posted by blackbirdoor what is the shop's name? I live in maryland, a drive away and would like to see some Pentax lenses, bodies, gears etc. being put in a glass container properly labeled and prices marked with the stores name and next to it a sign that says " We carry Pentax stuff too"! Around here in Md, pentax is pretty much nonexistent. I assume he was talking about Ace Photo in Virginia. It's a little less than an hour from me (I'm in Maryland too), probably a little over an hour from where you are. I haven't personally been there, but I've heard good things about them from several people on this and other forums.

08-09-2010, 07:55 AM	#90
MRRiley Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Sterling, VA, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,275	Originally posted by blackbirdoor what is the shop's name? I live in maryland, a drive away and would like to see some Pentax lenses, bodies, gears etc. being put in a glass container properly labeled and prices marked with the stores name and next to it a sign that says " We carry Pentax stuff too"! Around here in Md, pentax is pretty much nonexistent. It's Ace Photo in Ashburn, VA (just north of Dulles Airport... Don't expect a whole display case or anything. They still have lots more Canon and Nikon gear than anything else, but they usually have at least a couple of Pentax bodies as well as a decent selection of Pentax and other K-mount lenses. And several of the salesmen shoot Pentax at least part-time (being camera store guys they tend to shoot multiple systems) so no one will look at you weird when you ask to look at something. Mike