[derekmadge]

Not sure where else to place this in a forum. I was apprehensive when Ricoh took over Pentax but was impressed with the products they developed. But I have to wonder why Pentax comes up so seldom in discussions by consumers and pros, why it hardly ever comes up when third party manufacturers offer their products.

What triggered this was that I saw an article about the lack of encryption available form DSLR makers, and the apparent lack of will to add that; it would be handy at a border and for photo journalists sending files out of nasty places. Ricoh/Pentax? The only major maker not contacted for comment in the article. So, I think- maybe I will suggest to Ricoh that Pentax be the first! (I know it would likely be ignored but still...)

So I go to Ricoh imaging, Canada and eventually find a contact form that forces me to enter my product model and all sorts of other information. I fold. Oh well, while I am on the web site I will look at their current cameras. It was hard to find any listing of cameras but I did, finally. It took me to a sub menu: Consumer cameras. Period. No DSLRs although some lenses floated up at the bottom of the page. So... only consumer cameras on the website.. click... ONE model listed. One. The Theta.

So I came here to vent. Comments? Is Ricoh keeping the Pentax name and Ricoh cameras in the dark corner of consumer consciousness?

[JohnX]

Off the back of this comment I Googled 'Pentax Canada' and immediately came up with this>Welcome?RICOH IMAGING CANADA

Landing page FULL of Pentax camera goodness.

Over to you OP. Maybe hiding in full sight?

[derekmadge]

Wow, that is full of goodness! Thank you. I had googled Ricoh imaging, got their global page, selected Canada/English and got taken here: www.ricoh.ca/en . Very boring corporate site.

[Glen]

Since that is not their Global site they have limited information. However they do show the current line up of Pentax Camera's if you dig through the site long enough to find them. Try this link. Products?RICOH IMAGING CANADA

[Adam]

Wow, that is full of goodness! Thank you. I had googled Ricoh imaging, got their global page, selected Canada/English and got taken here: Digital Business Services & Printing Solutions . Very boring corporate site.

Along these lines, I think they're not doing enough to leverage the Pentax name and its heritage. Instead, they've plastered "Ricoh" all over Pentax-related documentation, social media pages, boxes, and select products (such as say the K-3). This inevitably leads to some confusion and makes things harder to find (as you just witnessed).

Let's not get in to the promotional aspects, either. Apart from the Theta it feels like the company's marketing is the way it's always been: minimal. But at least they've been putting out some really good products lately. That's the most important.

[derekmadge]

.......

Let's not get in to the promotional aspects, either. Apart from the Theta it feels like the company's marketing is the way it's always been: minimal. But at least they've been putting out some really good products lately. That's the most important.

It may not surprise you then that I also bought and support Blackberry phones, also saddled with little marketing.

[jbinpg]

In a similar vein, London Drugs which is a chain of stores across western Canada that has historically been very good about keeping Pentax cameras in their stores, has recently dropped the brand. Order-in only now. My local LD here has gone heavily to displaying mirrorless so I guess they are just following market trends. Bummed.

[Glen]

My local camera store in Edmonton is quite large with several locations. In their main store on 107th Ave they always have a full stock of Pentax gear. It's McBain Camera. McBain Camera | Canada's Best Camera Store!

I really don't know why they stand out from the others on Pentax gear as they have said that the equipment moves very slowly. Perhaps Pentax Canada does care after all and wants to have at least one Pentax shop in western Canada. Just a guess.

[mikesbike]

I agree with Adam- the Pentax name does carry a long heritage, and I think that is the reason Ricoh acquired Pentax, in addition to their unique and fine products, so it seems they should capitalize on the name.

[tjstimbo]

My local camera store in Edmonton is quite large with several locations. In their main store on 107th Ave they always have a full stock of Pentax gear. It's McBain Camera. McBain Camera | Canada's Best Camera Store!

I really don't know why they stand out from the others on Pentax gear as they have said that the equipment moves very slowly. Perhaps Pentax Canada does care after all and wants to have at least one Pentax shop in western Canada. Just a guess.

Glen - so you are the other Pentax user in Edmonton :-)

[Glen]

Glen - so you are the other Pentax user in Edmonton :-)

Yep that's me. Actually until recently I used to see Pentax all the time when I went out shooting.

[bigdavephoto]

But at least they've been putting out some really good products lately. That's the most important.

Ricoh/Pentax can make the best cameras and lenses that make Canon and Nikon look like toys, but if nobody knows about them, what good is it?

[Adam]

Ricoh/Pentax can make the best cameras and lenses that make Canon and Nikon look like toys, but if nobody knows about them, what good is it?

We benefit, the company never grows

[clickclick]

I'd love to see detailed demographics on the current active purchasers of Pentax cameras and lenses. Just from the forums here, it seems a large number of users have long term connections to the brand that brought them back/kept them around. What does our new user base look like? I started getting a real interest in photography in grade school, and high school jobs and the debut of the K1000 lined up perfectly to be my first new SLR purchase (and good chance from B&H). A huge part of the decision was based on my Dad having an SV and being able to use his lenses, and there seemed to be a magic to Pentax lenses everyone knew about. So after a long hiatus from a reflex mirror, in 2016, I decided I was long overdue for a DSLR, and for a nanosecond, thought about looking at Canon and Nikon (kinda always wanted a Nikon for reasons that made no sense when I looked at the associated price tag), but went back to my roots and happily discovered this thing called a K3II. (and fell in love all over again) So, with no marketing effort at all, Pentax had a long standing returning customer appear and dig in, and deep - my new Pentax purchases now include a K1 and a whole slew of lenses including the 15-30, 24-70, and 150-450, and all without a cent spent on marketing or brand promotion. But it worries me, because how many of "us" are left to return and be at a point in life we can finally buy that super telephoto we gazed at whimsically as a kid? I'd love to see the brand promoted better. I know the DSLR market is in flux, but it strikes me with some promotion, there ought to be some pieces of Canon and even Nikon that could be peeled off. I sense some of the issue is lack of professional programs to provide backup equipment on a moment's notice while items are in repair. These things aside, I wonder if a bit more commitment and promotion might reap a worthwhile ROI.

[derekmadge]

I'd love to see detailed demographics on the current active purchasers of Pentax cameras and lenses. Just from the forums here, it seems a large number of users have long term connections to the brand that brought them back/kept them around. What does our new user base look like? I started getting a real interest in photography in grade school, and high school jobs and the debut of the K1000 lined up perfectly to be my first new SLR purchase (and good chance from B&H). A huge part of the decision was based on my Dad having an SV and being able to use his lenses, and there seemed to be a magic to Pentax lenses everyone knew about. So after a long hiatus from a reflex mirror, in 2016, I decided I was long overdue for a DSLR, and for a nanosecond, thought about looking at Canon and Nikon (kinda always wanted a Nikon for reasons that made no sense when I looked at the associated price tag), but went back to my roots and happily discovered this thing called a K3II. (and fell in love all over again) So, with no marketing effort at all, Pentax had a long standing returning customer appear and dig in, and deep - my new Pentax purchases now include a K1 and a whole slew of lenses including the 15-30, 24-70, and 150-450, and all without a cent spent on marketing or brand promotion. But it worries me, because how many of "us" are left to return and be at a point in life we can finally buy that super telephoto we gazed at whimsically as a kid? I'd love to see the brand promoted better. I know the DSLR market is in flux, but it strikes me with some promotion, there ought to be some pieces of Canon and even Nikon that could be peeled off. I sense some of the issue is lack of professional programs to provide backup equipment on a moment's notice while items are in repair. These things aside, I wonder if a bit more commitment and promotion might reap a worthwhile ROI.

Excellent summary, Click ( if I may call you by your first name). It brought to mind helping my son buy a quality compact for a trip to Ireland. I knew the Pentax models somewhat; he decided against a DSLR as too heavy for the trip. I would have lent him a k5 and zoom lens. Time was short. Local Pentax stock was simply not there. He ended up with a fine Olympus.