Originally posted by Samsungian I thought Pentax already had an alliance with Samsung
Maybe Hoya is just going to let the world know of Pentax love for Samsung?
Pentax uses Samsung sensors. Samsung makes autofocusing K Mount Dslrs with their Samsung Logo proudly displayed. Some say Samsung already manufacturered Pentax logo'd dslrs to Pentax spec prior to Hoya buyout of Pentax Corp. Switching to another company like Fuji will stall future progress in the short term. For this profitability to happen in just "one year" I highly doubt Hoya in Japan is publically courting anyone other than Samsung in Korea.
I see the announcement as Hoya embracing Samsung's existing role in pentax products and allowing for even more Pentax employeee layoffs. Maybe Samsung will get a bigger slice of the wedding cake with Hoya's blessings? In the meantime I see some even bigger lens price increases on existing lens inventory as was stated in the last Hoya Ceo report.
While Samsung rebrand Pentax DSLRs, they make their own P&S cameras, perhaps using Pentax lenses, but not sure about that. It is the P&S market where the margins have shrunk to nothing and profits eroded ...I do not see Samsung rebranding Pentax P&S cameras ...perhaps Fuji might but any alliance needs to be more than Pentax using the other companies parts (ie: sensors), the other company needs to be using Pentax lenses or selling rebranded cameras to increase Pentax sales and profits. I do not believe Samsung has achieved the DSLR sales they hoped for and neither has Sony ...despite these companies market presence in the electronic equipment market, they do not seem to be seen as Camera companies.
If Samsung do end up owning Pentax, they may be better served to preserve the Pentax brand than to try and sell DSLRs under the Samsung brand.