2009/8/27 Graydon <[email protected]>: > On Thu, Aug 27, 2009 at 10:24:18AM +0200, Eckehard Wegner scripsit: >> My worry is I am not sure where Hoya is taking Pentax. I don't mind >> paying more for more but my impression is they are asking more for >> less right now. The combination of low wage country assembly, end user >> quality control,
> Anyone on the list got actual stats? > While there have been some issues, the combination of broad innovation > -- something new to the camera industry -- and new assembly staff, who > don't have the depth of experience, will necessarily hammer quality > control. No evidence that Pentax has been having excessively *bad* > quality control issues under the circumstances, or that the trend isn't > in the right direction. Point taken. With these things it is never more than a gut feeling based on personal experience combined with what you read and then run throught the famous tellmewhatiwannahear filter - us humans tend to give more weight to information that confirms our assumptions than the other way round. So: no stats here. On the other hand, the rate of lens misalignments etc. reported even in tests and people everywhere - including this list - playing good copy / bad copy, both for lenses and bodies, indicates that QC is not happening to the point of actually weeding out the lesser specimens but only the grossly botched. Again, unsubstantiated gut feeling, not statement of fact. Probably not helping Pentax either here. >> outsourced service, R&D and marketing budget cuts, > Are you sure there have been R&D cuts? IIRC there was a statement by a Hoya official indicating short term cuts on both budgets reported in several places on the web. Truth percentage issue... >> increasing times to market and last minute component changes is making >> me nervous. It all looks to me like footprint reduction for the sake >> of short term profitability to make the unit attractive for potential >> partners. Nonetheless, there is no alternative for me; affordable >> weather sealing is a killer feature in my book. > Or it's "let's not go broke". > Digital means that there will be about as many camera makers left > standing for niche cameras -- which is any camera that isn't in a phone > -- as there were manufacturers of film in the film days. Which, in > turn, means that Pentax *must* get a partner or partner to continue. > It's not a "we would like to"; it's a "we absolutely must". > -- Graydon Sure, let's not go broke is Prime Directive. The former Repair Service Manager at Pentax Hamburg told me they were not willing to sell anything at a loss any more and that they had no intention to compete for market shares any longer by selling below cost. And then, why would they have lower cost out of lower numbers than Canikon? So prices have to go up and I say let them have what they deserve. I guess I am just looking for an excuse to justify staying. Cheers Ecke -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
