[feronovak]

You have some nice glass in your collection. No real reason to not 'upgrade' to the K10D. The AF-360FGZ will work just fine on your DS, and the K10D too. If I were you, I wouldn't base a decision today on what might or what might not happen in the future. If the K10D will do the job for you . . . get one. Like you, I have a DS. In fact, I have two of them. But honestly, I haven't snapped the shutter even once since purchasing my K10D. I am extremely satisfied with my K10D and am glad I purchased it. Base your decision on today, not tomorrow.

I have sold Pentax DS so I dont have any DSLR now. Shooting just with mz6 and sf1. I will go for k10d because price is quite good and I do have friend in US who can bring it to me. But it doesnt mean I am happy with Pentax unclear situation. I just hope Pentax can go thru this ASAP and stabilize it's DSLR business.

[nosnoop]

A caamera company that not affording to keep the HQ, do they have money for all the R&D needed to make cameras and lenses?

This has nothing to do with operation or R&D money. What they want is cash, to fend off imminent hostile takeover bid. And the fastest way to generate cash is to liquidate some of their fixed asset, i.e. properties that they own.

[Jonas B]

This has nothing to do with operation or R&D money. What they want is cash, to fend off imminent hostile takeover bid. And the fastest way to generate cash is to liquidate some of their fixed asset, i.e. properties that they own.

I'm sure you are right. (I know nothing about economics. My post probably just expresses the mix of feeling and thoughts I have.)
Every time I have had run out of money and sell something to get bread I have sold something for less value than the estimated value. It hasn't been any good deals. Maybe this is of little importance compared to the real deal in this merger circus.

[Wethphotography]

As I was searching google for information on this, I came across this article about Pentax from 2001. http://www.imaging-resource.com/NEWS/1003950821.html
I will quote part of it:
"Pentax cancels 6mpix SLR plans! (UPDATED)
By Michael R. Tomkins, The Imaging Resource
(Wednesday, October 24, 2001 - 15:13 EDT)
The unnamed MZ-S-based 6 megapixel SLR which we showed you last PMA is no more...
Asahi Optical Co. Ltd, which sells its digital cameras under the Pentax brandname, has today officially announced that it has cancelled plans for its unnamed 6 megapixel SLR which we first told you about on September 14th 2000. We later showed you the camera in detail after a hands-on session at PMA last spring. Closely based on the MZ-S film camera, the digital model was to have featured a full 35mm-frame sized 6 megapixel CCD image sensor from Philips, which would have offered great wide-angle possibilities and reduced noise courtesy of a larger cell size."
From the perspective of 6 years, things have turned out alright. Hindsight affords that luxury. I will admit to being concerned, but found this piece of history helped settle my nerves a little . I, we, can only hope for the best.

[Lazar]

The source is: Nikkei Net Interactive - Japan Business News Online

Pretty reliable I guess...
Btw you need an account to read the news: Nikkei Net Interactive - Pentax To Sell Tokyo HQ, Quit Low-Profit Ops To Lift Corp Value

[codiac2600]

I believe people need to stop reading news and caring about taking pictures, but here are my 2 cents that should help out calm everyone down till the end of May.

Ok Pentax and Hoya were in talks to merge but it failed and under some Japanese business law they agreed upon said that Pentax cannot look onto other bidders till the very end of May. Basically Pentax wants to play the field by stalling as long as they can because they want to make the most out of this deal and also push the DSLR section they have started to build upon. What is most likely happening is they are selling off the old 645 analog stuff to make some cash to boost some profits and have a strong front to keep Hoya at bay till June when they can have a bidding war and make tons or stay a single entity. If you believe something else it's your opinion but my crystal ball points towards Pentax making the most intelligent decision which means cutting the crap off and boosting themselves as they enter a bidding war for a growing DSLR power house.

-Chris

[jeffkrol]

The source is: Nikkei Net Interactive - Japan Business News Online

Pretty reliable I guess...
Btw you need an account to read the news: Nikkei Net Interactive - Pentax To Sell Tokyo HQ, Quit Low-Profit Ops To Lift Corp Value

You could sign up and get it free till the end of May, or something like that. JUST remember to cancel before the deadline or the'll bill you.

[Sailor]

As I said in another thread, I generally don't pay a lot of attention to this sort of stuff because photography for me is a hobby with only one purpose: to give me satisfaction, enjoyment and relaxation. I get paid to worry about business stuff at work - a hobby is to get away from all that &*(^%$.

However, the realistic industrial guy in me has to say that if the financial performance of Pentax in recent years (shown on dPreview last year) is accurate, then it's pretty clear that while the company may still be good at offering differentiated SLR's (now digital) for "beginners and intermediate users," it has - under it current leadership - become lousy at running a camera business.

The only way the K-mount system will survive and grow is when the system gets in the hands of someone who can run a camera business with sustainably good financial results. That may be someone other than Pentax and that may not be a bad thing.

In the meantime, this broo ha ha gives me the impetus to spit into the eye of fate and order a grip for my K10D.

Jer

[Wethphotography]

In the meantime, this broo ha ha gives me the impetus to spit into the eye of fate and order a grip for my K10D.

Jer

Hear, Hear!

[philmorley]

not that I know much about the business world or camera markets but some thoughts FWIW ('cause really is the long future of pentax or hoya / pentax takeover held in the balance of what I post in this forum???...hmmm maybe

I heard a while back after one of the local banks announced more branch closures, that every time a bank closes a branch their share prices go up.

This seems to me be something similar to raise share prices before the next hoya bid stuff and seems to me just to what many businesses often do to raise share prices.

raise cash, cut costs and strip out the less profitable stuff, (all manufacturers have been complaining about p&s profits - I saw a year or so ago that nokia is the largest camera manufacturer in the world now without making a single camera - dont know if true but would likely be close)

announce that you are concentrating hard on high profit stuff with your lean, mean newly focused company and management team and then announce a swag of new products along those high profit product lines.

Whether any changes ever actually happen, or make a difference is another story, but the share price goes up.

Phil

estimated time of managing to purchase everything in my wish list (without new releases) - 3 years 6 months

[Ivan Glisin]

It seems to be the same direction Louis Gerstner took with IBM after becoming CEO in 1993. My summary: (1) focus on things IBM does well and reduce number of research projects, products and services for marginal markets or generating marginal revenue; (2) change corporate culture, public image, marketing and consolidate business practices across all divisions; and (3) sell all unnecessary assets, including expensive to own/maintain corporate buildings and acquire assets necessary to complete the new and consolidated IBM.

All predictions were that the strategy won't work and IBM is going to die. Wall Street Journal was sending IBM to the graveyard while competitors were rubbing their hands, all despite Gerster's efforts.

But it did work. IBM had to come to a realization that making fancy high-tech toys for a limited market (or no market at all!) can't help them survive, no matter how much engineers may have loved their creations. I believe Pentax is getting exactly there as well and I don't see any negative side with this news: they'll have better focus and more money necessary to offer new and better K-mount DSLRs and DA lenses -- something that SELLS for real money on the real market.

(645D development and fine corporate buildings are nice to have, but they are currently only expenses, nothing more.)

[nosnoop]

The source is: Nikkei Net Interactive - Japan Business News Online
Pretty reliable I guess...

But I can't find any other sources to confirm the 645D part. For example, in another news source by Reuters:

¥Ë¥å¡¼¥¹ - ¥í¥¤¥¿¡¼ - ¥Ú¥ó¥¿¥Ã¥¯¥¹¤¬ËܼÒÇäµÑ¡¢µòÅÀÅýÇѹç¤Ê¤É¤Ç09ǯÅٱĶȱ×100²¯±ß¤á¤¶¤¹

They mentioned about the proposed sales of headquarters and reorganization to boost profit. But there is absolutely no mention of 645D or medium format cameras.

It is now afternoon in Japan, any major news should have filtered down by now. So I am a bit puzzled as to why no where else have mentioned the 645D part.

[SRT-202]

Remember that Samsung has just brought out an identical camera - the GX-10.
I don't think they plan to stop selling it.

[BrendanPK]

As I was searching google for information on this, I came across this article about Pentax from 2001. NEWS! - Pentax cancels 6mpix SLR plans!
I will quote part of it:
"Pentax cancels 6mpix SLR plans! (UPDATED)
By Michael R. Tomkins, The Imaging Resource
(Wednesday, October 24, 2001 - 15:13 EDT)
The unnamed MZ-S-based 6 megapixel SLR which we showed you last PMA is no more...
Asahi Optical Co. Ltd, which sells its digital cameras under the Pentax brandname, has today officially announced that it has cancelled plans for its unnamed 6 megapixel SLR which we first told you about on September 14th 2000. We later showed you the camera in detail after a hands-on session at PMA last spring. Closely based on the MZ-S film camera, the digital model was to have featured a full 35mm-frame sized 6 megapixel CCD image sensor from Philips, which would have offered great wide-angle possibilities and reduced noise courtesy of a larger cell size."
From the perspective of 6 years, things have turned out alright. Hindsight affords that luxury. I will admit to being concerned, but found this piece of history helped settle my nerves a little . I, we, can only hope for the best.

Oh how I miss you. I may have never touched or come closer then 100 mi from you but I loved you from first sight. I still want to hold you and own you.
Oh Why Why WHY


Please pentax never make this mistake again. And please come back out with a MZ-S like camera but with a App wheel too
So un fair and cruel I want my MZ-S Digital
till than I will take a Pentax mount MKIII lol yah like that will happen

thanks

However in all seriousness I do ot see they mention the digital 645 and as stated before, it is working at about 90% from reports. I also wonder if this a a ploy to position for/with hoya

[wll]

Where does it say 645D ? it talks about medium format, it does not say anything as I can see about the new 645D ?

wll