[Green&White]

My experience does not coincide with the comments of your Pentax guy. When comparing various cameras (and just wasting the day in general), I visited over a half dozen photo stores in the Heidelberg and Mannheim area (Central Germany). Only one store had a Pentax camera, and none had the latest models (K100D, K10D, etc). Pentax certainly has a long way to go if they intend to ever catch up with Canon or Nikon. I do hope they will eventually accomplish that, and will definately be cheering for them along the way. But, at the moment, I see no evidence to support a notion that Pentax is, or is becoming, huge in Europe.

Yes it's true what you wrote. But in my little town my local dealer and the two big elecronical stores (both, the red and the blue one, stewart_photo you know what I mean) stored the K100D/K10D bodies. But they don't have any lenses, just the kit lens comming with the bodies. I think the situation will be better if we can get the new lenses which are announced.

[mikeatnite]

Can't speak for what's happening in Europe, but it's clear that Pentax's presence is growing rapidly in Taiwan, where I'm visiting at the moment. There's a street in Taipei that Roentarre mentioned in a past thread that is lined with many camera shops. When I was here in January, I didn't see much in the way of Pentax bodies or lenses. Their retail footprint is pretty huge now though. Brightly lit Pentax signs glowing above the stores. Just about any lens in the current lineup can be found here, including all the DA & FA Ltds. The only one I didn't see was the 31mm f/1.8. Broke out in a cold sweat when I saw a small stack of 77mm Ltd's in one of the shops

Lots of Optios on display too.

[stewart_photo]

Pentax sales are up exponentially throughout Europe.

Now that I don't doubt for a second. The K10D alone has attracted a lot of attention, driving a new surge of interest in the company overall.

My own renewed interest, after roughly twenty years since my last Pentax (Super Program), is perhaps an example of that. There has been a long string of cameras since that last Pentax, from medium format (Mamaya 645) back to 35mm (most recently Maxxum 7). But since I started with a Pentax almost 30 years ago (SP-500), I've always had an affinity for the company. That caused me to notice a review of the K10D, which (combined with other research) drove me recently place an order for one. It's pending arrival is bringing back a lot of memories, and prompting a surprising sense of nostalgia.

stewart

[stewart_photo]

Yes it's true what you wrote. But in my little town my local dealer and the two big elecronical stores (both, the red and the blue one, stewart_photo you know what I mean) stored the K100D/K10D bodies. But they don't have any lenses, just the kit lens comming with the bodies. I think the situation will be better if we can get the new lenses which are announced.

The red one and the blue one. LOL. Okay, we''ll go with that. I didn't check the blue one, but my wife did check the red one for the K10D while on an errand to pick up some DVD boxes for me. They didn't have it (at least when she looked), which isn't overly surprising since they don't stock that many upscale cameras in the first place (mostly pocket models). The same could be said for a couple of the camera stores visited, but I did expect to find it in at least one of the other stores since they routinely stock similar models. One did say it was on order, but didn't seem to have a clue when it might arrive. Of course, the situation changes from day to day, so all of them may actually have it now. Indeed, since the K10D has garnished a lot of attention, not having it would be downright foolish (IMHO).

stewart

[Lance B]

Hello..

Just thought I would share this little tidbit of info with you. I spoke with my "Guy" at Pentax and we starting doing some small talk. You know that standard stuff. I asked "So, how's business?" I got, we are selling extremely well everywhere in Europe and especially in Germany, France, England and Holland. In fact what is happening is beyond anything they ever expected to sell...

Perhaps one of the reasons for the shortages.

Ben

Thanks for the info, Ben.

I think one of the things that Pentax needs to be concerned with is that they have the cash flow to finance the "massive" expansion. I say "massive" as it is massive to them, but not massive compared to C & N. Cash flow will become critical when they need to fund more manufacturing ability for cameras and lenses etc.

Let's hope they can do this without the need for a 3rd party to step in and start dictating how they run their business. If a 3rd party steps in, then the things we like about Pentax maybe lost and they may, therefore, become just another Canon or Nikon. If I want Pentax to become another clone of these two companies, then I would have purchased their cameras in the firat place, not a Pentax. Pentax needs to stick to it's roots and supply the type of cameras and lenses like they are doing now. I like the image quality of the Pentax lenses and cameras and therefore I do not want them to go the path of the other's.

If Pentax think they need to compete on the same level as C & N then they will fail miserably. Pentax need to offer something different to the others so in order to attract purchase. There is no point in offering the same as C & N but with a lower price as all it does is cheapen the brand. Pentax needs to become a niche player with a high quality product like wht they are doing now.

I actually brought this same issue up on the DPR site.

[maleek]

In Sweden, Pentax has had a much shaded precence. That is changing though, for the better that is. Can't say that they are becoming huge. But the K10D has recived very nice press coverage from the top-dogs of the photo-mags. And when I say nice, I mean nice. It compensates for the lack of marketing, which they too are becoming slightly better at. And during 2006 we could see a difference in more and more bigger dealers carrying the K-cameras.

All in all. When it comes to the philosophy I think they are clearly on the right track. There amount of lenses availiable though is still lacking. I too think that it would be dangerous to mimic the main players, they are a smaller actor, and that is not going to change anytime soon. But they could be even more succesful at attracting people who do want something different. Who strive for quality and think outside the box.

[Dana G]

Given how fast they sell out at places like Adorama and B&H, and the obscene prices of used lenses on the second-hand market, I'd say Pentax is doing very well in the USA and Canada.

[vinzer]

Given how fast they sell out at places like Adorama and B&H, and the obscene prices of used lenses on the second-hand market, I'd say Pentax is doing very well in the USA and Canada.

It's doing very well, I'd think. I've seen Pentax ads at the Oakland A's park when I was watching the A's-Yankees series a few days back. Note: the ads are prominently placed behind the batter's box, so it got a lot of screen time. I was happy and proud to see that.

[Lance B]

This is great news, Ben.

This is further testament to the fact that Pentax should be independant and not have their direction and philosophy dictated to be a parent company.

The fact is, Pentax needs to stick to its roots and philosophy about lens and camera design. These are the reason why many people come to Pentax and like it so much. What will not be good for Pentax is to be bought out and made to sell cameras and lenses just like Canon and Nikon and try to compete on that level. If we wanted them to be like Canon and Nikon then I think we would have purchased those camera systems.

[FotoPete]

HAha, its still pretty slow here in Toronto. I've been seeing more Nikonians of late.

[benjikan]

HAha, its still pretty slow here in Toronto. I've been seeing more Nikonians of late.

You will see a lot more C&N users for a long time to come. However Pentax sales are rising faster than the competition.

[robsphoto]

what you mean cheaper than C&N ? they have the more glass and cheaper

for most parts it's a catchup, due pentax first 10mp camera, some upgrade,
some catchup,... aka good enough,... some switch, from subaru to audi,...
this year it's pentax, 2008 it's sony,... and canon is still #1 (take a look at the PJ's)

for now, the stumbling block is, lens availability, from pentax/sigma/tamron for K-mount,... and current and future CCD availability form sony,....
after that , distribution,...available stock,....

now still waiting for the 645D to materialize,....
2008 should be the year for digital medium format, to establish a boom,
think, pentax could have another sell out there, since lots of 645,67, users went dslr full frame instead,...

2007 pentax K10D DSLR
2008 pentax 645D medium format

just my 2 cents, Rob

Thanks for the info, Ben.

I think one of the things that Pentax needs to be concerned with is that they have the cash flow to finance the "massive" expansion. I say "massive" as it is massive to them, but not massive compared to C & N. Cash flow will become critical when they need to fund more manufacturing ability for cameras and lenses etc.

Let's hope they can do this without the need for a 3rd party to step in and start dictating how they run their business. If a 3rd party steps in, then the things we like about Pentax maybe lost and they may, therefore, become just another Canon or Nikon. If I want Pentax to become another clone of these two companies, then I would have purchased their cameras in the firat place, not a Pentax. Pentax needs to stick to it's roots and supply the type of cameras and lenses like they are doing now. I like the image quality of the Pentax lenses and cameras and therefore I do not want them to go the path of the other's.

If Pentax think they need to compete on the same level as C & N then they will fail miserably. Pentax need to offer something different to the others so in order to attract purchase. There is no point in offering the same as C & N but with a lower price as all it does is cheapen the brand. Pentax needs to become a niche player with a high quality product like wht they are doing now.

I actually brought this same issue up on the DPR site.

[robsphoto]

one more Pentax add campain,.... t-shirts,....

how about europe vs. italy,....
Europe


thought, maybe somebody can make a pentax vs. others clip,....
should;nt be to hard, should be pritty funny,....
maybe post some ideas,...
cheers, Robert

[Clavius]

Good old times! I remember Digital Pentax being in stores, cameras, lenses, high-end and low-end both shining behind the glass next to Canon and Nikon.