[SSGGeezer]

Gemini, with two viewfinders, One an OVF and the other an EVF for people who like to pay too much for the newest thing! For the Schizoid Pentaxian!

[Not a Number]

The agreement between Hoya and the users of the Pentax camera brand name (IOW Ricoh) to jointly use and promote “Pentax” expires in November. I note no new camera has been released under the Pentax brand in quite some time, but we expect some new cameras from Ricoh Imaging in 2020.

Just sayin’

Who "owns" the trademarks on the AOCo name and logo? AOCo changed their name to Pentax Corporation in 2002. I would have imagined the kept ownership of the trademarks. When Hoya acquired Pentax Corporation in 2006 I would imagine trademark ownership would have been transferred. International Trademarks renew every 10 years.

What about Asahi Lite Optical Co. LTD, maker of prescription eyeglass lenses? Are they even related to AOCo or Hoya?
Company Outline?Asahi Lite Optical Co.,Ltd.

Note: AOCO was the trademark of the (defunct) American Optical Company in the US. They made the microscopes I used in high school and some of my college classes.

The USPTO database lists Hoya as the last registered owner of trademarks involving "Pentax".

Asahi Pentax was registered last to:
(REGISTRANT) ASAHI OPTICAL CO., LTD. CORPORATION JAPAN YASHIZAWA BLDG. 3 GINZA 8-CHOME CHUO-KU, TOKYO JAPAN
(LAST LISTED OWNER) ASAHI KOGAKU KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA CORPORATION BY ASSIGNMENT, BY CHANGE OF NAME, BY ASSIGNMENT, BY ASSIGNMENT JAPAN NO. 36-9, MAENO-CHO, 2-CHOME, ITABASHI-KU TOKYO JAPAN
with 2nd renewal dated 20000119, status dead, cancellation date 1 April 2016

"Asahi Optical" yields no results.

Note: Asahi "Rising Sun" is a very popular company/brand name in Japan. Most people with associate the name with beverages from the Asahi Brewing Company.

"AOC" comes up with 68 records, none of them with "Asahi" in them.

Too lazy to find an international database that does not required a login.

[monochrome]

Pentax Optical is owned by Hoya. They also own Seiko Optical and Performance Optics. Hoya corporate History - look at 2006-2018 for ‘Pentax’ brand name mentions.

Note Pentax Optical reference the company heritage beginning with cameras in 1919. My Optometrist still has Pentax Lenses signage in his storefront.

Yes I know about Asahi Brewing.

I know Ricoh has been sticking AOCo logos on cameras and collateral merchandise already as part of the 100th celebration. If they aren’t successful renewing (or choose not renew) the joint use agreement what brand name will they use? Note I don’t know and don’t suggest I know anything (but I think I know who does know).

Who "owns" the trademarks on the AOCo name and logo? AOCo changed their name to Pentax Corporation in 2002. I would have imagined the kept ownership of the trademarks. When Hoya acquired Pentax Corporation in 2006 I would imagine trademark ownership would have been transferred. International Trademarks renew every 10 years.

What about Asahi Lite Optical Co. LTD, maker of prescription eyeglass lenses? Are they even related to AOCo or Hoya?
Company Outline?Asahi Lite Optical Co.,Ltd.

Note: AOCO was the trademark of the (defunct) American Optical Company in the US. They made the microscopes I used in high school and some of my college classes.

The USPTO database lists Hoya as the last registered owner of trademarks involving "Pentax".

Asahi Pentax was registered last to:
(REGISTRANT) ASAHI OPTICAL CO., LTD. CORPORATION JAPAN YASHIZAWA BLDG. 3 GINZA 8-CHOME CHUO-KU, TOKYO JAPAN
(LAST LISTED OWNER) ASAHI KOGAKU KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA CORPORATION BY ASSIGNMENT, BY CHANGE OF NAME, BY ASSIGNMENT, BY ASSIGNMENT JAPAN NO. 36-9, MAENO-CHO, 2-CHOME, ITABASHI-KU TOKYO JAPAN
with 2nd renewal dated 20000119, status dead, cancellation date 1 April 2016

"Asahi Optical" yields no results.

Note: Asahi "Rising Sun" is a very popular company/brand name in Japan. Most people with associate the name with beverages from the Asahi Brewing Company.

"AOC" comes up with 68 records, none of them with "Asahi" in them.

Too lazy to find an international database that does not required a login.

[Alex645]

They used to have even numbers for camera models. K-10, K-20, K-500 etc.

From 1952-2017, Pentax came out with 104 different SLR cameras. Approx. 42 had even numbers. Approx. 32 had odd numbers. The rest were letters.

One thing I appreciate about Pentax is that since 2003 and the *ist, all models sold worldwide had the same name (no more MZ-6=ZX-L=MZ-L).

[pres589]

Yeah, I can't believe Canon is still doing that thing where it's US vs. ROW for model naming. I'm glad Pentax quit that some time ago.
I'm really not that hung up on the model naming as long as they're still Pentax's. I bet I'm not alone on that one.

[monochrome]

I don’t care what they’re called long as they have K-mounts.

[MrB1]

A full-frame Pentax with a hybrid viewfinder (electronic and reflex) could be called the K1 ll ER. Written slightly differently it would be the Killer - to kill off the notion of Pentax mirrorless.

Philip

[bobmaxja]

KF-100 for full frame
KA-100 for APSC
KM-100 for medium format

[monochrome]

KF-100 for full frame
KA-100 for APSC
KM-100 for medium format

KM-C - would quickly become The Kimchi in Korea
KA-C - Knights Armament Co. (And lots of others) might object
KF-C - Uh, No.

[From1980]

Beginning in 2020 I think the words Asahi and Optical will be somewhere on new gear.

I too, always thought it would be great to reuse the iconic AOCo logo if some form. Alas, since the last U.S. congressional elections AOC has been hijacked by someone else.
Now maybe some departure from the usual K series is in order similar to forty years ago with the LX model. That was commemorating the company's 60th year in Roman numerals. Now the new model line designation could start with "C", meaning one hundred.

[monochrome]

I too, always thought it would be great to reuse the iconic AOCo logo if some form. Alas, since the last U.S. congressional elections AOC has been hijacked by someone else.
Now maybe some departure from the usual K series is in order similar to forty years ago with the LX model. That was commemorating the company's 60th year in Roman numerals. Now the new model line designation could start with "C", meaning one hundred.

Dunno - maybe an AOC camera would open an entire new affinity group

[Ontarian50]

Yeah, I can't believe Canon is still doing that thing where it's US vs. ROW for model naming. I'm glad Pentax quit that some time ago.
I'm really not that hung up on the model naming as long as they're still Pentax's. I bet I'm not alone on that one.

Consistent naming is always nice, but I understand what Canon thinks they have to do in the US, where there's still a pervasive grey market. It's much easier to tell a customer they don't qualify for a US warranty, when the camera badge doesn't match US market models.

And when a customer is told by a discount store that the EOS 250D on the shelf is equivalent to the Rebel SL3 they are looking for, they may get an inkling that there's no Canon USA support behind it.

The fact that discount retailers aren't tripping over themselves to get in on a hot Pentax grey market isn't all good news for Pentax.

[RonHendriks1966]

Takumar 26K for the first aps-c model with 26mp.

[FozzFoster]

Takumar

Takumar was the names of the older screw mount lenses... why would we name a camera Takumar? :P

[RonHendriks1966]

Takumar was the names of the older screw mount lenses... why would we name a camera Takumar? :P

That AOc didn't ring any bells at my door. So if a name change is coming then Takumar would be fine too.