Wish I could find a local camera store...

LightMeter · 11-09-2011, 09:03 PM

...that carries Pentax. Best Buy's only option on the K-r is ship to store. And a store here in Houston used to run TV commercials a few years ago with the slogan "The last real camera store in Houston". I've called them twice and the response both was times was "WE DON'T CARRY PENTAX!!" They don't even have any used Pentax. Another place doesn't have new Pentax, but has used gear. Looks like the Pentax road for me is going to be Mail Order Ave. But that's ok. Is there a store near you that has all of this great forbidden camera gear?

yeatzee · 11-09-2011, 09:07 PM

Nope. Bought both my cameras sight unseen and couldn't be happier in the end.

**blackcloudbrew** · 11-09-2011, 09:56 PM

My local store carries Pentax their latest models are a K-7 and a K-x and they have a dwindling supply of lenses. They claim that they would carry more if the Pentax reps would visit them. They do carry Canon, Nikon, Olympus, and Sony as well. I'm known as 'the Pentax guy' when I come in. I like that, but I still want to touch the stuff and I do support my local store for sure. It's in Santa Rosa, California.

photoleet · 11-09-2011, 09:56 PM

Just trust us here on the forums and you should be making the right decision without needing to see it in person

lammie200 · 11-09-2011, 10:07 PM

Originally posted by LightMeter

...that carries Pentax. Best Buy's only option on the K-r is ship to store. And a store here in Houston used to run TV commercials a few years ago with the slogan "The last real camera store in Houston". I've called them twice and the response both was times was "WE DON'T CARRY PENTAX!!" They don't even have any used Pentax. Another place doesn't have new Pentax, but has used gear. Looks like the Pentax road for me is going to be Mail Order Ave. But that's ok. Is there a store near you that has all of this great forbidden camera gear?

You might want to try Fry's Electronics. Their website shows stores in Houston and South Houston. The store closest to me in Palo Alto, CA carries the K-r.

**Bruce Clark** · 11-09-2011, 10:10 PM

Same deal in Australia. I visited several major camera stores in Melbourne and Perth. I was looking for a Pentax or Tamron 90mm Macro. None carried any stock of these items or anything else in Pentax range. I sort of wanted one straight away and was in no position to wait until one was shipped in from where ever. One store in Perth had a Sigma 105mm Macro with Pentax mount which I bought on the spot. At the same time all of our major retailers are screaming blue murder at people buying stuff online and allegedly doing them out of business.

sterretje · 11-09-2011, 10:35 PM

I'm lucky, I guess. One store within 10km, the other about 20km away. The latter had quite a large selection of lenses on display last year (including DA*), but that no longer seems to be the case

.

They will always carry Pentax as they are owned by the local Pentax distributor

bigdavephoto · 11-10-2011, 07:37 PM

I have one store about 40 miles away that carries Pentax but not a lot. I was able to hold and look at a K7 before I bought.

Would have bought it there, but they wouldn't come down in price to match the stores in NYC.

reeftool · 11-12-2011, 08:25 AM

There aren't any camera stores around here either. A 50+ mile drive to Albany will get you one but no Pentax. There is a local privately owned electronics store in Glens Falls that sells cameras. They have a better selection than Best Buy and they have a decent offering of accessories such as tripods, heads, filters, etc. I know many local photographers who will take an occasional trip to NYC to B&H to shop and also check out first hand things they may order in the future.

**Greeneg** · 11-12-2011, 03:13 PM

We have one real camera store left here in Charlotte ( Biggs Camera) and they do stock some Pentax equipment, but most things have to be ordered. They are highly professional and always helpful, but sadly there is no real competition in this market.

**Lowell Goudge** · 11-12-2011, 03:40 PM

I live in Toronto. Although the independents are dying fast, there is henry's , downtown camera, and Aden camera All carry pentax.

**maxfield_photo** · 11-12-2011, 04:19 PM

In Cincinnati, Cord Camera carries some Pentax. I was astonished when i walked in and saw the Q sitting in the display case (first time I had seen one in the flesh). We used to have Provident Camera downtown, now there was a camera store, but sadly they closed up shop several years ago.

Mark Castleman · 11-13-2011, 08:21 PM

Since Ultimate Electronics closed there are no stores in Colorado (home of Pentax USA) that sell any Pentax. I know a few Pentax shooters but their numbers are dwindling over time since they won't buy something as expensive as a new camera without getting to touch it prior to purchase. I know when the time comes for me to replace my gear I will be in that group as well.

dmfw · 11-13-2011, 09:08 PM

The lack of local support is my only real issue with Pentax. I have to local camera stores which rents specialist lenses, ex. fisheyes, lowlight, etc. Unfortunately, the lenses are only available for Canon and Nikon cameras. The the lack of "support" for Pentax, makes me wonder if many serious professional or semiprofessional photographers seriously consider Pentax.

bigdavephoto · 11-13-2011, 09:45 PM

Originally posted by dmfw

The lack of local support is my only real issue with Pentax. I have to local camera stores which rents specialist lenses, ex. fisheyes, lowlight, etc. Unfortunately, the lenses are only available for Canon and Nikon cameras. The the lack of "support" for Pentax, makes me wonder if many serious professional or semiprofessional photographers seriously consider Pentax.

That was the problem when I was diciding on a new body. Since I have all Pentax mount lenses and not having $5000 to drop on buying both a body plus new lenses the only thing I could do was to buy Pentax.

I'm hoping that Ricoh will realize that the Pentax brand has a lot of people that support it and will still support it, especally if they get the cameras and lenses back into the local camera stores.

11-09-2011, 09:03 PM	#1
LightMeter Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Houston, Republic of Texas Posts: 158	Wish I could find a local camera store... ...that carries Pentax. Best Buy's only option on the K-r is ship to store. And a store here in Houston used to run TV commercials a few years ago with the slogan "The last real camera store in Houston". I've called them twice and the response both was times was "WE DON'T CARRY PENTAX!!" They don't even have any used Pentax. Another place doesn't have new Pentax, but has used gear. Looks like the Pentax road for me is going to be Mail Order Ave. But that's ok. Is there a store near you that has all of this great forbidden camera gear?

11-09-2011, 10:07 PM	#5
lammie200 Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: San Francisco Photos: Albums Posts: 1,033	Try Fry's Originally posted by LightMeter ...that carries Pentax. Best Buy's only option on the K-r is ship to store. And a store here in Houston used to run TV commercials a few years ago with the slogan "The last real camera store in Houston". I've called them twice and the response both was times was "WE DON'T CARRY PENTAX!!" They don't even have any used Pentax. Another place doesn't have new Pentax, but has used gear. Looks like the Pentax road for me is going to be Mail Order Ave. But that's ok. Is there a store near you that has all of this great forbidden camera gear? You might want to try Fry's Electronics. Their website shows stores in Houston and South Houston. The store closest to me in Palo Alto, CA carries the K-r.

11-13-2011, 08:21 PM	#13
Mark Castleman Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Westminster, Colorado Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 298	Since Ultimate Electronics closed there are no stores in Colorado (home of Pentax USA) that sell any Pentax. I know a few Pentax shooters but their numbers are dwindling over time since they won't buy something as expensive as a new camera without getting to touch it prior to purchase. I know when the time comes for me to replace my gear I will be in that group as well. Last edited by Mark Castleman; 11-14-2011 at 08:33 AM. Reason: fixed spelling

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11-09-2011, 09:07 PM	#2
yeatzee Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Temecula Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,675	Nope. Bought both my cameras sight unseen and couldn't be happier in the end.

11-09-2011, 09:56 PM	#3
blackcloudbrew Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Cotati, California USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,460	My local store carries Pentax their latest models are a K-7 and a K-x and they have a dwindling supply of lenses. They claim that they would carry more if the Pentax reps would visit them. They do carry Canon, Nikon, Olympus, and Sony as well. I'm known as 'the Pentax guy' when I come in. I like that, but I still want to touch the stuff and I do support my local store for sure. It's in Santa Rosa, California.

11-09-2011, 09:56 PM	#4
photoleet Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: DMV Photos: Albums Posts: 431	Just trust us here on the forums and you should be making the right decision without needing to see it in person

11-09-2011, 10:10 PM	#6
Bruce Clark Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Ocean Grove, Victoria Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,458	Same deal in Australia. I visited several major camera stores in Melbourne and Perth. I was looking for a Pentax or Tamron 90mm Macro. None carried any stock of these items or anything else in Pentax range. I sort of wanted one straight away and was in no position to wait until one was shipped in from where ever. One store in Perth had a Sigma 105mm Macro with Pentax mount which I bought on the spot. At the same time all of our major retailers are screaming blue murder at people buying stuff online and allegedly doing them out of business.

11-09-2011, 10:35 PM	#7
sterretje Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Roodepoort, South Africa Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,561	I'm lucky, I guess. One store within 10km, the other about 20km away. The latter had quite a large selection of lenses on display last year (including DA*), but that no longer seems to be the case . They will always carry Pentax as they are owned by the local Pentax distributor

11-10-2011, 07:37 PM	#8
bigdavephoto Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: East central Indiana Photos: Gallery Posts: 893	I have one store about 40 miles away that carries Pentax but not a lot. I was able to hold and look at a K7 before I bought. Would have bought it there, but they wouldn't come down in price to match the stores in NYC.

11-12-2011, 08:25 AM	#9
reeftool Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Upstate New York Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,553	There aren't any camera stores around here either. A 50+ mile drive to Albany will get you one but no Pentax. There is a local privately owned electronics store in Glens Falls that sells cameras. They have a better selection than Best Buy and they have a decent offering of accessories such as tripods, heads, filters, etc. I know many local photographers who will take an occasional trip to NYC to B&H to shop and also check out first hand things they may order in the future.

11-12-2011, 03:13 PM	#10
Greeneg Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Charlotte, NC United States Photos: Gallery Posts: 146	We have one real camera store left here in Charlotte ( Biggs Camera) and they do stock some Pentax equipment, but most things have to be ordered. They are highly professional and always helpful, but sadly there is no real competition in this market.

11-12-2011, 03:40 PM	#11
Lowell Goudge Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,886	I live in Toronto. Although the independents are dying fast, there is henry's , downtown camera, and Aden camera All carry pentax.

11-12-2011, 04:19 PM	#12
maxfield_photo Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 1,216	In Cincinnati, Cord Camera carries some Pentax. I was astonished when i walked in and saw the Q sitting in the display case (first time I had seen one in the flesh). We used to have Provident Camera downtown, now there was a camera store, but sadly they closed up shop several years ago.

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11-13-2011, 09:08 PM	#14
dmfw Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Dallas, Tx Photos: Albums Posts: 159	The lack of local support is my only real issue with Pentax. I have to local camera stores which rents specialist lenses, ex. fisheyes, lowlight, etc. Unfortunately, the lenses are only available for Canon and Nikon cameras. The the lack of "support" for Pentax, makes me wonder if many serious professional or semiprofessional photographers seriously consider Pentax.

11-13-2011, 09:45 PM	#15
bigdavephoto Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: East central Indiana Photos: Gallery Posts: 893	Originally posted by dmfw The lack of local support is my only real issue with Pentax. I have to local camera stores which rents specialist lenses, ex. fisheyes, lowlight, etc. Unfortunately, the lenses are only available for Canon and Nikon cameras. The the lack of "support" for Pentax, makes me wonder if many serious professional or semiprofessional photographers seriously consider Pentax. That was the problem when I was diciding on a new body. Since I have all Pentax mount lenses and not having $5000 to drop on buying both a body plus new lenses the only thing I could do was to buy Pentax. I'm hoping that Ricoh will realize that the Pentax brand has a lot of people that support it and will still support it, especally if they get the cameras and lenses back into the local camera stores.