B&H advertises what sells, and Pentax doesn't have a camera in the top
10. It's hard to build a top 10 camera position when you don't have an
entry level offering, and Pentax hasn't had a true entry level DSLR,
since the *ist-Dl, (that may change with the K-500).
They started their line in the low mid range and by perception the K10D
- K-5 II/s cameras were in the top mid range. None of those are top 10
sellers.
The K-01 was a misstep, on the international camera market, (squarely
aimed at a demographic in Japan that may or may not have been impressed).
Maybe the entry level K-500 with semi pro features and pro results will
begin to get some new momentum for Pentax.
Something else that would help might be a re-branding of the Ricoh line
as Ricoh/Pentax, and though it doesn't look like it will happen, (in
fact I think that unfortunately it will go away), they should build an
A12 module or maybe a new A16 module that accepts K mount lenses for the
GRX. Done properly it would be a less bulky combination than a K-01 and
would make a certain amount of sense, and have tradition behind it as
Ricoh used to make some very nice K mount film cameras.
Then they have to actually show a Full Frame K mount camera, even if
it's just a mock up.
Somewhere in there Pentax needs to update the 645D, with a 60mp sensor,
(or give it more SLR like handling characteristics, higher frame rate
etc., to compete with the Full Frame Canikon DSLRs, which seems just
stupid to me, so I'm guessing that's the way Pentax will go), and
actually announce some new lenses or it will become like the K-01 a dead
end and resource sink.
Jeez, that was a long screed, Finally Pentax/Ricoh, has to somehow get
back into the public's perception that they actually still exist and
make cameras. I've had a number of photographer's be astounded that
Pentax still exists.
They need to fire their advertising agency and hire almost anyone else,
and somehow get into both the remaining local camera stores, which will
be difficult, (they did a presentation lately for Milford Camera to try
to get back on their shelves, but the store passed. The owner/manager
candidly told me that they already have Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Fuji, and
Sony and yes even carries a Vivitar film SLR, it would require extra
training for very little gain to bring Pentax back). Pentax needs to
get K-500 Kits into WalMart, Sears, and Best Buy, next to the Nikon
D3100 and Canon Rebels kits, which will be another difficult sell.
Pentax/Ricoh has to be committed to this, it's a big task, Pentax rested
on their laurels so long that they actually turned to dust
On 6/27/2013 8:39 PM, Rick Womer wrote:
...to quote Eeyore.*
I was just leafing through the latest Shutterbug. B&H has 14 pages of
advertising.
In that 14 pages, there is 1/10 of a page devoted to Pentax, and it consists of
a list of lenses, without prices.
In 1 1/2 pages of mirrorless cameras, no Pentax.
Canon and Nikon each have a full page of SLRs, lenses, and accessories. No
Pentax. (K-5II? K-5-IIs? What are they?)
It =still= doesn't seem to have dawned on Pentax USA that if they are going to
sell cameras, they have to let somebody know that the cameras exist!
Meanwhile, if one goes to www.pentaxian.com, one sees Godders and colleagues
extolling the virtues of the K10D.
Oy.
Rick
(*famously gloomy stuffed donkey in A.A. Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh stories)
http://photo.net/photos/RickW
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