Web Analytics RiceHigh's Pentax Blog: Cheaper Pentax Body Next Year, Mirrorless or Not

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Cheaper Pentax Body Next Year, Mirrorless or Not

See what the Japanese Nikkei Financial News has reported, via Digicame Info via Mirrorless Rumors.

So, for what's important that we could learn are (direct copied from Google translate!):-

1. "The company has continued deficit in the digital camera business followed by a low-price competition";

2. "The company has to strengthen product competitiveness in the acquisition machine, to return to profitability as soon as possible.";

3. "Ricoh is "Pentax" brand of digital camera was acquired from HOYA to last fall, to introduce next year a new camera with interchangeable lenses of popular price.";

4. "low price spread of a broad customer base of 50,000 yen can be expected" for the new body;

5. "Thickening the selection in the market selling, find a new market such as Asia. Service was also considered in conjunction with the Internet and consumer electronics, such as customer acquisition also aim at a younger audience."

So, it now explains why there is an urgent need to increase the prices of the Pentax lenses as Ricoh has suffered big loss from the Pentax camera business. But then are their policies contradicting? Cheap bodies and expensive lenses? Or, everyone is doing the same right now? E.g., just see the latest ridiculous high prices of the model Canon lenses such as the 24-70/2.8L, 24 and 28/2.8 IS! >:-(

Nonetheless, last time it was reported, Hoya's IT division as a whole, including the previous not-yet-sold Pentax camera division, had growth in *profit*! Now after the takeover by Ricoh, the Pentax camera business runs again into a death pond of RED water again! Really too bad.. And, a low priced body only in the next year of 2013? Is it the long awaited K-r *DSLR* replacement? Or, it is just a plastic version finderless K-01L (where L stands for Low Cost, say)? Well..


Related:-


Hoya's IT Division Attains Increased Profit

The Future of Pentax

Comments (31)

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Just hope this new "cheaper camera" isn't on the Pentax-Q line...
Many Japanese Companies, Sony, Panasonic, (tvs) Olympus (cameras) for example, are experiencing losses. I hope that Pentax remains viable as a producer of cameras. I prefer the colour balance to others brands.
1 reply · active 674 weeks ago
I am laughing my ass off. Overpriced lenses on cheap crap bodies. One way to drive a camera ground into the dirt.
1 reply · active 674 weeks ago
Better sell those lenses at the high price now before others all do the same as they defect.
Pentax would be better served by becoming a lens manufacturer. Pentax should make its lenses available in Nikon, Canon and Sony mounts. I don't see a future for Pentax as a camera manufacturer, they've fallen too far behind in too many areas.

Without being tied down to camera development and production Pentax can focus on lens sales across many different platforms. IMHO this is the wisest and most profitable avenue to take. Make the Limiteds available in other mounts and watch the sales roll it. Hoya sold Ricoh a red herring.
16 replies · active 674 weeks ago
I wouldn't consider Pentax as low quality in terms of dslr bodies. If people want to think that, fine, theyr'e entitled to. But seriously, check out the opposition in terms of build quality. Entry level: much the same all round. Prosumer bodies are best: Nikon D300, (the best build), Canon 7D, Nikon D7000 and Pentax K5, for example. The Pentax K5 poor? Come on.
1 - drop the camera "designer" to get some money back

2 - tighten QC to reduce the number of DSLR that come back because failure (so, spare some money)

3 - increasing price of lenses won't make them popular ;-)

4 - Same price as Canon 1100D would be nice to catch some new customers, good idea. (but don't forget the upper part of customer)

Wait and see ....
1 reply · active 674 weeks ago
Seriously? Is this a surprise?
As one of the *ist-D buyers (I bought two) and a new DSLR body every generation, in addition to the Optio WG cameras, and Pentax lenses, I am partially responsible for keeping Pentax in business.
I never asked for the Q.
I never asked for the K-01
I can't afford the 645D

As $3000 sits in a bank account, all Pentax has to do to claim it, is make me a FF DSLR.

Is that so hard to do?
1 reply · active 674 weeks ago
VladimirYo's avatar

VladimirYo · 674 weeks ago

Rice you are at your best form! But you still can do more panic in your news!
I'm waiting forvard new posts from you and your interpretation. Really fun to read =)
The K5 is the quality standard among APS-C camera bodies. Build quality AND picture quality are unsurpassed. And that is still true >1year after its introduction.

The K5 together with the Limited lens lineup is superior to any of the Sony, Nikon, or Canon offerings. Much more compact (because of the body instead of lens SR), magnesium instead of plastic, weather sealing, and excellent picture quality. Especially the colors and auto white balance make for excellent pictures even without any post processing. In short, everything the outdoor hobbyist wants. (only in studio and pro setups, and for movie shooting, I see an advantage for the bulky Canikony systems)

I would hate it if Pentax went out of business, or if Pentax stopped building DSLR camera bodies. I'm in for whatever follows the K5, and I'm sure I won't be disappointed, as the K10D, the K7 and the K5 all set a standard at their time.

Nope, a price increase in times of currency crises and inflation was to be expected. Besides, a DSLR and also an optical lens are precision engineering, fine mechanics, not mass-produced products like chips. Labour cost is a key factor here.

I just hope that Ricoh is going to reinvest the higher margins into lens and DSLR R&D. I trust they are smart enough to do that.

C
I should add, I am an amateur photographer looking at pictures, not pixels.
C

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