RiceHigh's Pentax Blog: Frustrated Pentaxians

Monday, November 10, 2014

Frustrated Pentaxians

Go read yourself for those frustrating stories..

http://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/3743352

http://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/54699218

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Guest · 540 weeks ago

The first one is not really about frustrated Pentaxians, but rather about a (albeit awkward) marketing mistake. Concerning the second one: manufacturing problems do exist, for Pentax but also for other camera manufacturers. Would you post links to stories from happy Pentaxians? I guess not. So it's just your usual self-righteous Pentax bashing.

And come on: would you please get over the red ring? It's getting ridiculous.

1 reply · active 540 weeks ago

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RiceHigh 110p · 540 weeks ago

That copy cat red ring is a marketing suicide and real fault of Ricoh. I know many many of the old Pentaxians who do not like it and stop buying those pseudo new "Pentax" lenses in Ricoh logo boxes, just believe it or not!

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optimus prime · 540 weeks ago

you know crazy people ... big wooop

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Mel · 540 weeks ago

I too hate that red ring. When I see it I think Canon every time. I wont buy one.

About that marketing mistake thread. Who cares? It's embarrassing but these things happen in the fast paced advertising world. I don't read false rumor monger Ogl's posts.

2 replies · active 540 weeks ago

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RiceHigh 110p · 540 weeks ago

Everyone occupied a colour since the early digital era, red for Canon, yellow/gold for Nikon, blue for Olympus, green for Pentax, why the Change? Yes it's Ricoh logo's colour, even also Pentax', but no one in the photographic equipment world ever recognises this. So, the move is stupid!

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Mike Kawasaki · 540 weeks ago

It signifies the new generation of coatings.

Mind you, Pentax lived quite comfortably for many decades by selling patents for the application of superior optical coatings across industries. They were the leaders.

Even today, Pentax coatings are perhaps best in the industry. They have not just one, but a handful of them, which they can use in combination to make stellar optics. You have seen the tests, even the 25-year old FA31 and its coating blows modern day top Sigma glass out of water. It is pity you cannot see how Pentax optics would bust Leica’s, because the M-mount allows Leica to make perfectly corrected, manually focused optics, so they are in less need for superior coating that compensates for the AF ’shake’, micro misalignments because of use of AF, and the requirements of the K-mount to have bigger glass and larger glass surfaces — generally speaking — compared to M-mount.

So that red ring is the most important new product for Pentax. You see it as a nuisance, but that helps Pentax in many ways. It is not about Pentax lenses, or rebranding by Ricoh, mind you. It is about saying to industrial customers they have something new to offer. And you have all seen the tests: HD spanks old SMC in extreme use. It is superior coating. That extra edge sells Pentax coatings everywhere else where end-users do not see.

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zosX · 540 weeks ago

I added a comment you might want to read rice. I'm a die hard pentaxian to the core but it makes me sad to say that they need to really work on QC. There are just too many reports and reviews of bad lens copies. The 20-40 should be a great lens and some people have great copies apparently. Too bad Pentax couldn't be bothered to hand pick review copies at least. Not what I would expect from a $1000 premium branded lens. I'm sending mine in eventually here for an alignment. :(

Btw I really hate adding fuel to the fire but hey maybe some Ricoh employees read here and could contact me. I'm not hard to find on facebook or the web.

5 replies · active 539 weeks ago

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RiceHigh 110p · 540 weeks ago

QC problem is common nowadays but Pentax maybe the worst of the batch amongst Japanese camera companies, frankly.

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zosX · 540 weeks ago

Did you read the comment I posted on dpreview? :)

I agree that other companies have issues as well and your going to have to probably buy Zeiss if you want absolutely flawless lenses because they will hand inspect them for you, but still this is a problem that can be overcome. I don't know if Ricoh cares enough because better QC hurts their margins. All my other pentax gear has been very solid over the years mostly. I was hoping that Hoya's poor QC record would improve with Ricoh but I don't know what the deal really is anymore.

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QC is important · 540 weeks ago

Once a prime lens costs more than $1000, it better be hand inspected and flawless. No excuses.

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QC is important · 540 weeks ago

Prime or zoom. But especially a prime because it is so easy to test. You can easily get an SMC-K or SMC-M lens flawless. Yet, You have to fish for a flawless copy of later lenses... Sad when they are costing $1000+ now.

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zosX · 539 weeks ago

It is very sad. Lens roulette is not a very fun game to play!

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RiceHigh's Pentax Blog

Monday, November 10, 2014

Frustrated Pentaxians

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