Pentax has just made a news release at their Japanese homepage about the final market launch of their repeatedly delayed and hence long-awaited Star DA zooms, which are told will arrive on August 11 for the DA*16-50 and July 27 for the DA*50-135 (but why not the standard zoom to be come first?):-
http://www.pentax.co.jp/japan/news/2007/200758.html
(In Japanese, use Babelfish to translate if needed)
By looking at the included link in the above news release for the previous product announcement of the lenses, it is interesting to see that the monthly production rate for each of the DA Star zooms will only be 1,000 units per month. Since Pentax have not updated this figure in their latest news release but just include the link for the old press release, we may assume that they keep this figure. However, with such an extremely low production rate, there are some obvious implications, as we can see and predict for the possible outcomes:-
1. The lenses will be in great shortage in supply as the 1,000 units will be shared worldwide, including for the demand for the Japanese home market;
2. It is either that Pentax's initial estimation on the demand of the DA Star lenses is rather pessimistic and conservative, or that their factory production limit has been reached, regardless of the demand in the market and the back orders they received. It is just because for new lens models put into production simply means more production capacity will be required.
However, since Pentax last time told us that their last delay of the Star lenses was caused by the increased "huge demand" of the lenses, I wonder why they don't tell us the increased new production rate this time. Maybe they have forgot to do so (but I prefer that they should follow up on what they told us last time). Or, they just want to keep the 1,000 units per model per month low figure in our mind, or, actually they really still keep this figure as their latest plan and target! Who knows?
Lastly, usually new products will sell more or even much more when they are fresh and new. So, if they really keep this figure at their side, I am really afraid that they will miss the boat again (and again, as in the past - otherwise, I couldn't see there have been so many long-time Pentaxians switched and went away or needed to buy into one more brand, usually brand C or N). Indeed, people won't wait for products that they don't know when these will actually come, even after they are willing to place the back orders or also needed to pay deposits for those orders. As they can always choose other numerous alternative products, which are widely available and far more easy to find, and at comparable prices.
Just as a joke for relaxing, I wish the Hotax merger could have completed earlier as the Hotax had and have a much higher production rate than what Pentax alone can achieve now! ;-)
Hateidiots, While I believe that Rice High is overly obsessive with his issues on Pentax, but he's got every right to say it. So, I'm curious. What would you do if he said "all this crap" eye to eye to you?
ReplyDelete"When I read RiceHigh's blog, I conclude all new Pentax DSLR's and lenses ought to be thrown into the sea never to be seen again. However, I am very interested in a new K10D and less so in a K100D.
ReplyDeleteBecause I have a local good dealer, I am not worried about my money or refunds for a bad product if I get one.
I see many good user results from this forum, so what is the truth? Also, is it likely true the K10D and K100D bodies are just interim products before the new generation arrives? And, finally, will HOYA and its cash be a savior for Pentax?"
Hey Mr. Gloomy Rice High, just read what a NORMAL person thinks about your crap.
Pentax Japan made an "apology" announcement (in Japanese) on July 27, which was the date of product launch of the first DA* lens 50-135/2.8, that they were still unable to meet the demand and that they were yet arranging to gear up the production (capability) for the case.
ReplyDeleteSo, my original observation stated and "prediction" made are yet proven to be correct again. In fact, this outcome was actually highly foreseeable and it is of no surprise at all.
It's very clearly that it's Pentax's strategy to first "lanuch" the products anyway, after repeated postonements, but unfortunately just with limited production output which actually could never meet the actual demand, no matter it is really huge or not (I bet we end-users have no exact information on this anyway). Do note that they simply made such an "apology" just one week after their "product launch" announcement and on the first date of the product launch..
Well, facts are facts, whether particular people consider what I've reported, observed and predicted as negative, crappy or not, the undesirable thing has happened very shortly afterwards (as in the past) and indeed no one on Earth can make any change to all these happened, neither Pentax themselves, frankly speaking.