Olympus is on Verge of Bankruptcy!?

See what EOS HD has reported today, I'm afraid that Olympus is really in deep trouble water!

Some key quotes:-

"Shares in Olympus fell 70% on the news a few hours ago and could be de-listed from the Tokyo stock exchange. “Under Japanese exchange rules, companies found to have falsified earnings reports could be removed from trading.”"


(Credit: Yahoo Japan)

"The precedent set by Japanese firms that have done the same thing – dubbed ‘tobashi’ in Japan – is not good. Namely, criminal conviction and bankruptcy followed suit."

"With Olympus having lost 70% of its value and facing a massive ethical backlash, as well as huge damage to its once respected brand there are dark times ahead for the company especially the camera division which is already loss making even by Olympus’s accounting practices! It is speculated the camera company could be spun off but in my view there are a lack of possible candidates."

Too bad.. I bet before October, nobody knew that the development of this "gate" case would be running into now this seemly to be a dead end! (Sigh! My first DC was an Olympus!)

Kokak Announced New CCD FF and APS-H Sensors, Seeking Patents

See what the Image Sensors World reports lately:-

http://image-sensors-world.blogspot.com/2011/11/kodak-announces-new-ccds-seeks-patents.html

So, there is new choice for a 135 FF sensor. As usual, although almost completely desperate, I hope with one more choice, a new Pentax FF DSLR is still imagined! >:-(

Besides, but quite possibly, these large size CCD imagers usually do not support contemporary video recording modes. But anyway, if it delivers the format and (or even better?) image quality of a FF sensor, why not? I shall surely be willing to sacrifice the video mode for solely still photos, especially if the FF dream in Pentaxland could really come some days later, no matter how late it would be! :-o By that time, if it really happens, all the superb and excellent old Pentax 135 K-mount lenses will be liberated and Pentax will revive!!


Last Related:-

Kodak has Sold its Image Sensor Business

K-r to be Discontinued Very Soon?

See this Japanese user's report:-

http://bbs.kakaku.com/bbs/K0000150297/SortID=13734206/

(in Japanese, English here (machine-translated))

It is reported that the user/OP called the local Pentax Japan customer service hotline, it was informed that all the standard colour K-r and kits (black, white and pink colours) have been discontinued but only custom colour orders are accepted for both the body and lens(es). He was further annoyed with the vague reply and statement that those custom orders could "still be accepted" in the meantime, which in his opinion is rather unclear and confusing!

It seems that there are something in chaos within Pentax/Ricoh (internally) for the time being, as it is very clear that K-r replacement is by no means come near nor there is any rumour/news for that (but only for the K-5, sort of). So, without any new K-r replacement, how could and should Pentax Japan told their customers that the K-r and kits are no long available? And, the strangest thing is even that unavailability only applies to standard (coloured) items, but not non-standard ones!? >:-o

Kodak has Sold its Image Sensor Business

http://www.kodak.com/ek/US/en/Kodak_Sells_Image_Sensor_Business_to_Platinum_Equity.htm

But the new acquirer, I am afraid, might be just transitional. It is because it is just a financial firm, but not a technical firm in the field and industry:-

"Platinum Equity focuses on acquiring businesses that can benefit from the firm’s extensive in-house capability and expertise in transition, integration and operations."

So, eventually, which owner would the PE company eventually sells the Kodak ISS to? Time will tell.. In the meantime, it seems that Pentax would still be able to get the 645D sensor from the PE, after its takeover.

This Kodak ISS sales makes me feel very fortunately that Pentax has been finally sold to Ricoh, whom is at least a technical firm and that they are quite keen in making cameras. I think a pure financial firm won't run a technical firm well in long run, non they would have the real interest in doing so.


Last Related:-

Kodak on Verge of Bankruptcy?

A (Pentax) Camera Catalogue Collector

Who? It's Me! :-D



Indeed, the above is only a very partial set of items in my collected camera catalogue archives. In the old days, printed catalogue was the most effective official means to provide product information and to promote products. But anyway, those were the days. With the rise of the Internet, nowadays, catalogues are almost "useless" than they were. Even if they exist, we mostly read them in pdf form or etc.

P.S. A "group" photo of my Ricoh catalogues may come.


Related:-

What Will be My 10th/Next DSLR/ILDC Body?

Hotax Has NOW Been Rictax! ;-D

Pentax Super Program/A (w/ Product Catalogues and Service Diagrams)

A Chinese Pentaxian has acquired a "new" Pentax Super Program (aka Super A in Asia) and he has written a lengthy "appreciation" article of his:-

http://forum.xitek.com/showthread.php?threadid=327773
(in Chinese, Google-translated English Page Here)

I am quite impressed with the very new condition of his this legacy camera set, i.e., the body and the A50/1.7 standard lens. The user also posts the original Pentax Super A and lenses product catalogues as well as some key diagrams from the service manual of the camera body, e.g.:-



A very quality article compiled by a die-hard Pentax fan with heart after all, highly recommended. Read and dig further by yourself if interested. .


Read Also:-

MZ-S Silver Limited

Rangefinder MF Simulation Game

http://www.schmidtshop.com.tw/EVENT2011/game.php

In addition for different scenes, you can also select different Leica M lenses to "play" with, from 28 to 135mm.

MF is actually not too difficult with proper aids like this and this was actually the only focusing method that I had with my first camera. Try the game if you have not ever used any rangefinder camera, you may find that AF would be boring and is indeed "lack of control" (sort of)! ;-D

New Q Firmwares for Body and Lenses (V1.01)

For the Q Body: http://www.pentax.jp/english/support/digital/q_s.html

For the "01" Prime and "02" Standard Zoom: http://www.pentax.jp/english/support/digital/q_lens_s.html

Btw, "Improved stability for general performance" = Debug(ged) in One Word!

And, it is for the first time the firmware of a Pentax lens can be upgraded by the user oneself, just like that what can be done for the lenses of all other ILDC systems.

Update (11-3): New SilkyPix Software is also available for the Pentax Q, version 3.0.0.3:-

http://www.pentax.jp/english/support/download_digital.html#soft

P-Q Japanese BCN Sales Plots August to October (plus Q + "03" Fisheye Review/Samples)

By the "Unofficial Pentax Q Fans Site":-

https://sites.google.com/a/clockahead.com/q-fan/original/ranking



The sales trends from August 29th to October 31st are plotted. The Y-axis is the BCN ranking (i.e., the lower the better) whilst the X-axis is the date. As for the legends, from left to right are: White coloured body Single-lens kit, Black Single-lens kit, White Dual-lens kit and Black Dual-lens kit.

Speaking of the Q, here is yet another latest Japanese review with various sample pictures made with the 03 Fisheye lens, full samples are provided for the last review link in the series:-

http://photo.sankei.jp.msn.com/review/data/2011/pentax/pentaxQ_01/

http://photo.sankei.jp.msn.com/review/data/2011/pentax/pentaxQ_02/

http://photo.sankei.jp.msn.com/review/data/2011/pentax/pentaxQ_03/
(with Full samples)

If you hoped for IQ with the Q, take a look yourself and see if you could accept the IQ, no matter for the body and/or for the lens.

P and R will Co-exist and Q being the Bridge

(Shinji Miura, Ricoh's Executive Vice President)

See this latest interview with the top management of Ricoh:-

http://www.itmedia.co.jp/news/articles/1110/28/news085.html

(in Japanese, Google-translated English Page Here)

So, it is re-iterated again that the two camera brands will be kept and to be co-existent. And, it is heard for the first time that the Pentax Q is named as it is placed between the Alphabets P (for Pentax) and R (for Ricoh), which has the meaning to serve as a bridge between the two.