[ismaelg]

Hi,

Not sure where to post this but I want to share my "field experience". I just got back from a wonderful family vacation visiting relatives in Florida and Massachussetts. In FL we took the opportunity and hit all 4 Disney parks, Universal, Island of Adventure and Sea World, as well as downtown, old town and other locations. In Mass we took a walk in downtown Boston, Harvard Square etc. and finished visiting friends in New Hampshire.
I also visited some camera stores along the way.
During those magical 12 days (that included the 4th of July), everywhere we went was jam packed with people. Thousands of people everywhere from all corners of the globe and hundreds of cameras hanging in necks. I took a look at everybody else's camera hoping to see another Pentax. I packed my K100DS and my film Zoom90 WR.
In all 4 Disney parks: Zero! Zip! Nada! Not a single Pentax, P&S or DSLR
Same everywhere else!
Sea World the last day, I finally saw a K10!
Mass, NH: Zero! Zip! Nada!
Camera shops had nothing Pentax except for 1 Sigma lens in a Pentax mount.
I was not expecting a flood but only 1 other than mine out of thousands? I'm a bit surprised. I thought the market share was healthier than that.
I think it would be a good marketing opportunity to have equipment rental or something in the parks. At least to have the word out.

Thanks,

[hangu]

To date, I've seen one white Pentax K-x at a Botanical Garden that was filled with other photographers, I think he had either a 50-135 or a 60-250 on him, some sort of a huge DA lens. I've bumped into a guy on the subway who had a Pentax slingshot and made him show me his K-7 with a DA40 pancake attached to it. I pretty much accosted him. That's about it for me in NYC. I mean I've met a few people on the forum for marketplace transactions but that doesn't really count....

Mostly, I just see Canon Rebels and kit lenses.

This really brings home just how little a market share Pentax has. Pentax is doing better these days but they're just a drop in the sea compared to the two big players.

I won't be expecting anything more than nice WR APS-C cameras out of Pentax for the foreseeable future. Too bad.

[reeftool]

This isn't surprising. Pentax, at least in the USA, doesn't seem to think brick and mortar stores are an important sales outlet for them. You saw Canon Rebel's everywhere because every Walmart, Target, and wholesale club in the country sells them. Pentax seems content not to use retail outlets. Maybe they don't have the manufacturing capability.

[Ratmagiclady]

*snif.* *pawing at screen.*

You went to the Square? Is Ferrante's still there? They always used to have at least some fun old stuff to look at in the window.

They were a little pricey about some things, but weren't afraid to be the classic old camera shop.

I used to live near there. And also, at another time, a used camera shop a single bus ride away.

[northcoastgreg]

Mostly, I just see Canon Rebels and kit lenses.

That's mostly been my experience when visiting various national parks: lots of Canon rebels, and some Nikons with kit glass. Occasionally, I'll run across some higher end Canons with L glass, or a higher end Nikon with glass to match. In all my travels, only run into two Pentaxes: one at Zion, one at Redwood National Park. One Pentax had a Tamron lens, the other a Pentax kit lens. Never seen in person a Pentax limited, and the only DA* lens I've ever seen is my own DA* 300.

Haven't seen many non-Canikon DSLRs. Seen maybe three or four Sony's; never seen an Olympus or Panasonic DSLR.

Canon and Nikon make some fine products, but it's not ideal for conusmers that they dominate the market to the extent they do. More competition, more diversity would lead to better products and more choices at better prices for everyone.

[MPrince]

I've been shooting Pentax for about 4 years now. In that time, I've seen one person using a K10D. I wouldn't know a Pentax p&s if you hit me over the head with it, so I don't know if I've ever seen one in use.

[GeneV]

Off the topic of the OP, but with all the photography forums on this board, and all the commotion about the off-topic portions of the board, it amuses me how many of the threads in "General Talk" are photography threads that would be welcome elsewhere. I guess this is a photography board after all.