[séamuis]

That doesn't make it wrong.

actually it does in a lot of ways. what I was pointing out (maybe to subtly) is that the ‘lack of quality control’ is blown way out of proportion in context of the actual production numbers. and if the big guys ie: canon and nikon have seemingly the same problems, the same complaints and the same ‘doom and gloom’ naysayers despite being on top and making plenty of money, it shows that this attitude of “they will die, go bankrupt, disappear, if they don’t shape up” is unfounded and rather ridiculous. of course, like yours this is all opinion and neither of us, despite how much we might think we know and how well informed and studied we are on the matter have no clue what the future holds in any respect. much less for the possible affects of current levels of quality control that is almost ‘standard’ within the industry.

[tarsus]

Oh, to be so young to wonder what will be 50 years hence.

[tarsus]

I take it back! I'll only be 102! A mint Kx will be a classic worth millions. I can't wait.

[noblepa]

There's no telling what the market will look like in 50 years. There's no telling what the products will look like in 50 years.

However, history can illustrate some of the possibilities.

In the 1960's (approx. 50 years ago), Pentax outsold Canon and Nikon COMBINED.

In the early 1980's, believe it or not, Radio Shack absolutely OWNED the personal computer market. Today, they don't even sell computers. Granted, the pc market was tiny, compared to what it is today, but RS had about 80 percent of that market.

In the late 1980's to early 1990's Epson owned the PC printer market. Then HP introduced the Laserjet and then the inkjet printers. Now Epson is way back in the pack.

There are signs that Microsoft's hegemony may be coming to an end. For example, you can now buy brand-name computers with Linux pre-installed, rather than Windows.

My point is, that in 50 years, the first may be last and the last may be first. Hoya is, I believe, a bigger corporation than Nikon, even though Pentax is a much smaller camera maker. If Hoya doesn't decide to abandon Pentax, there could be a situation, in which Nikon has to sell out to an even bigger corporation or be absorbed by a competitor, the way Konica and Minolta did. Right now, Canon is a huge corporation, with many non-photographic interests, so they presumably could weather a financial storm. On the other hand, if anyone had suggested 50 years ago, that General Motors would have gone bankrupt, they would have been laughed at.

[Lowell Goudge]

If performance over the last 50 years is a measure then pentax is one of the very few who can claim that every lens ever made is useable on the latest DSLR (or most importantly on Every DSLR they have made

Certainly not canon who have abandoned their lens line up twice

[dadipentak]

I was wondering the same sort of thing when I bought my first computer (a Commodore 128). I'd have been better off buying a Pentax SLR.

[jamarley]

It's not healthy to worry over things over which one has no control.

But, on topic, if you're looking for stability then baby Pentax is where it's at. There are so many old Pentax SLR's still chugging along and all of those old lenses doing the same. It installs confidence in what Pentax has done and continues to do.

Live long and prosper Pentax!

[Vote4Pedro]

Hoya is, I believe, a bigger corporation than Nikon

Really? I must not know enough about Hoya.

[wlachan]

I thought the Judgment Day was in Y2K, and then postponed to 2012 for some unknown reason? I honestly wouldn't worry about the future of Pentax until 2013.

[Tommot1965]

The reason I am asking is because I'd like to know whether it is worth it to invest in more Pentax lenses in the long run. If they keep making bodies then fine I will be able to use my lenses but if they go bankrupt... Then I will be stuck with wonderful lenses that I can no longer use.

Mate..you are thinking too much about doom and gloom...fifty years is a ways off...tech will have moved on considerably by then ..the good news is I wont have to worry about it.. cause Ill be dead

[Jasvox]

My theory about living your life based on what you are predicting for 50 years in the future is setting yourself up for disappointment, re-evaluation on a yearly basis and at the end of it all, if you live that long, you will think how silly it is to make any plans about 50 years in the future.

Jason

[Tony3d]

People have been saying Apple would be gone for years. Look at them today.

[yyyzzz]

My childhood China was like North Korea today. It was only 30 some odd years ago. Maybe North Korea will be South Korea in 50 years? Sounds like a pipe dream, doesn't it?

[yyyzzz]

My assessment is that Pentax has been a very conservative company, perhaps dominated by Engineers. Think about how they named Takumar for a low budget line of K mount lenses. Think about the PowerZoom function. Meanwhile, being conservative seems to have saved the company over the long run. They still maintain the long term compatibility of the lens mount.

There is a silver lining. Think about turtles. They have outlived many species.

In my personal opinion, Pentax has made a number of good moves lately. Stabilizing sensors is one. Making powerful and functional machines is another. Not too many models. However, Pentax does not grow market shares at the moment. Fortunately, the market as a whole is growing rapidly.

[Digitalis]

who cares what happens if 50 years? I would rather enjoy my camera equipment now than obsess over when pentax might "dissapear"....IF pentax ever did disappear someone would eventually pick up the lens mount and use it for another camera.

Pentax will disappear eventually, so will Zeiss, Canon,Leica,Nikon,Sony,Olympus,Fuji,Panasonic,Kodak,Red,Voigtlander,Alpa,Sinar,Ebony,Mamiya,Hasselblad,Cambo ( um, did I miss any?)....one day those names will be forgotten,and all that will remain of them will be dusty cameras and lenses in some museum.