Thread Rating:
  • 0 Vote(s) - 0 Average
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Things are not that rosy at Pentax
#21
There are several problems slowing growth of the industry IMO. When I first looked to buy a dSLR it was because the Sony A100 was the first Image Stabilized, Semi-Pro (feature rich) digital dSLR to go below the magic $1000(USA) price. That was the price experts said the average non-pro would be willing to pay. And the experts were right. Then the Pentax K10D, Oly E510 were even lower with Shake Reduction. The market EXPLODED with sales.

 

At that time Canon and Nikon could not touch those three. Their kits did not have image stabilized lens yet. The were forced into putting that in lens as a standard feature because the competition had it in their bodies. Nikon did not even give an AF motor on lower models. This allowed the other three to grow. Olympus went a different route some years latter because of company corruption. Anyone remember the rock of a camera called the E3.

 

Mirrorless compact systems are a big factor in the loss of sales for certain companies. Now the consumer has another choice over the old dSLR type body. Although I prefer and will continue to shoot with dSLR, newbies coming from Smartphones have no problem buying mirrorless systems. They buy both really. This takes away sales. The Smartphone helps IMO generates sales. I got the photography bug from my Kodak Z612. When you get that bug no smartphone, even my Samsung Galaxy S6 with 16mp can touch my K-5. I think many here will know what I am talking about. It becomes a hobby. At the very least I feel people overestimate the Smartphone as a camera killer.

 

Everyone knows there are too many choices. This does hurt everyone. But the established companies allowed it to happen. dSLR sales were raising because prices were going down. Now no one wants to lower their price. It's like a stalemate with no winners. Price generates sales, or can. The demand is there. The game now should be who can make the lowest cost Full Frame dSLR. Get that price below $1200. But APS size sensors are the sweet spot. Perfect size for body, lens and price. I will continue to preach that.
#22
Quote:But APS size sensors are the sweet spot. Perfect size for body, lens and price. I will continue to preach that.
 

The problem is, so far only Fuji (and maybe Pentax?) came out with dedicated APS-C lenses. Sony E-Mount has a few of them too but they, like Canon and Nikon, tell you to go 35mm if you want to have good quality lenses, especially primes.
#23
Pentax shooters have been shooting FF lens for years. Since Pentax first digital sensor camera. Pentax designed their dSLRs to shoot FF lens. Old M lens and others. That's why you can manually set the Shake Reduction Focal Length. Pentax shooters love to look at eBay and score great lens for a low cost. All of us know that.

 

Now with a FF camera you still use all your DA lens in their full glory. You lose nothing from those lens, but a slightly bigger, more expensive camera. So you can keep your DA lens and or sell them to fund FA lens, and keep your old M, A, FA film lens and shoot them with the full sensor or set the K1 FF body to APS size lens. But note the "more expensive camera above".

 

The FF K1 price impedes people with a decent size selection of DA lens to upgrade to FF if the price of the FF body is closer to $2000 versus closer to $1000. That should be the goal, again I say get Full Frame down to the magic $1200 price or even just less than $1000 ($990 USA). And sales will go ... . Simple fact. Many more can afford $1000 for a hobby versus $2000 for nothing but a hobby.

#24
Quote:The problem is, so far only Fuji (and maybe Pentax?) came out with dedicated APS-C lenses. Sony E-Mount has a few of them too but they, like Canon and Nikon, tell you to go 35mm if you want to have good quality lenses, especially primes.
 

Big lenses such as the Sony GMs feel silly on an A7 if you ask me ...
#25
Quote:Big lenses such as the Sony GMs feel silly on an A7 if you ask me ...
 

That's a whole different issue and I absolutely agree. The first gen FE ZA lenses are great (55/35/16-35 etc) and Batis are magnificent but the GM series, 90 Macro and 35mm Distagon are pushing it beyond my boundaries.

 

Still, there are some nice primes with reasonable size and performance, although not with a reasonable price tag most often. Batis 135mm, I'm looking at you.
#26
From what I am seeing the Chinese do have the money, they have a huge market, all they need is prestigious brand names, Hasselblad was a magnificent name to get, I am sure they will be more than happy with a name with history like Pentax, I expect Pentax to follow Hasselblad
#27
Well, despite Nikkei's article there are also some positive hints - the information about Ricoh working on a K-3 II successor (not quite ready yet) and a new GR, a Japanese This is most likely spam content about the KP asking how we'd like said K-3 II successor...

I bet Pentax will continue to survive, and won't be sold this time.

#28
 Things are not looking any better for Pentax with multi billion yen losses announced by Ricoh, the CEO Yoshinori Yamashita has set a series of targets to reduce costs by 100 billion yen ($912 million) through to March 2020.

 

 The drop in business is due to a global drop in demand for multifunction printers and not so much Ricoh's Pentax camera division.

 

According to a  report by Nikkei Ricoh is facing it's biggest crisis ever and will have to cut costs to survive!

 

  Just as the camera market is in decline things are made considerably more bleak from parent companies facing financial woes in other market areas.

 

  Is the world coming to an end?

#29
Dave, there's nothing new in that unnecessarily alarmist article, and you might want to read the information available at Ricoh's Investor Relations site.

http://www.ricoh.com/IR/pdf/presentation_text_2017.pdf

 

Few points:

- Pentax is never mentioned by Ricoh.

- Ricoh did not announce "multi billion yen losses", but a profit. They are trying to avoid a likely loss by FY2019 (ending March 2020). That's in the future.

- again, Pentax is not mentioned by Ricoh.

- Ricoh facing its biggest crisis ever is a tabloid-like, worthless statement.

- cost cutting is one part of it - read Ricoh's documents. They're planning for the future.

 

Right now, the correct question is: will it even affect Ricoh Imaging? I guess we'll find out by CP+.

#30
By the way, Ricoh is continuing to invest into Ricoh Imaging: 3,200 million yen to "Increase production of digital cameras and other new business relating investment, etc." allocated for the current FY ending March 2018:

http://www.ricoh.com/IR/financial_data/s..._117th.pdf (pag 40).

 

Theta is specifically cited in "achieve growth by creating new business generators". Pentax products are mentioned.

There's no negative talk about the camera business (except for the one-time impairment loss).

  


Forum Jump:


Users browsing this thread:
1 Guest(s)