Is Pentax to disappear?

Aha - Hoya Fiscal Q3 2009 results have just been released.
See: http://www.hoya.co.jp/english/investor/investor_09_21.html

Difficult to know what that means when Japanese motor manufacturers (the most successful in the world) are losing huge sums of money.

Isn't there enough doom and gloom in the world without trying to talk our favourite camera manufacturer out of business?

As our elders and betters --- probably neither in fact but lets ignore that --- seem to think running up yet more debt is the way out of recession, we should all go and buy a nice set of Ltd lenses

Go and take photographs, that is what these toys are for, after all.

Kris.

I don't think Pentax are going under anytime soon. They make a lot of quality gear and the cameras are only a small part of what they do. My other hobby is astronomy and Pentax is held in the highest regard for their eyepieces, telescopes and accessories. Like the camera side of things, Pentax don't run a huge advertising campaign to sell their wares because they know they don't need too. Only the cheap high volume manufacturers play that game. Pentax, Televue and Takahashi all know their goods will sell on reputation alone.
I'm friends with a local astro retailer and he gives me the inside gen on the companies he deals with and normally gets some vibes when things are going badly with a brand he is stocking. Pentax isn't one of the brands he says is in trouble.
Besides i only bought my Pentax 4 days ago, so they can't go bust. As someone else said though, does it really matter. The camera won't suddendly stop working. Besides, like Minolta, one of the big boys will step in and take over. I'm surprised Samsung haven't tried to buy out Pentax. Someone will probably tell me they are already the same company?

Regards
Russ

Well i hope they dont go under as i am considering purchasing an f4, 300mm pentax lens. I cant afford another grand if i have to change brands

Buy it, use it, enjoy it.

Even if Pentax went bust (unlikely) and the K-mount disappeared (even more unlikely) your lens won't suddenly vaporise in front of your eyes.

Pentax in Oz is going strong with all the retail outlet stocking all parts. Don't believe a word of it. Loving my K20D by the way.

Sigh...

Pentax has definately "dropped" but then I remember when Pentax was definately a brand to stare misty-eyed at when you could just about scrape enough together for a Praktika

Now it kind of seems that Pentax is today's Praktika..certainly some "Nikon snobs" seem to proclaim that...

Someone mentioned "going the same way as minolta" though, and, as well as my Pentax, at work I regularly use a Sony DSLR and to be honest, whilst I prefer my K10D, using the Sony, the way minolta has gone hasn't been so bad....

Thanks, Comforting words hefty

Well chaps, my local camera shop, Carmarthen Camera Centre (Plug)has just been authorized to become a Pentax Pro Centre Dealer and is having a grand launch in March 2009, so come on down!! No signs here then of Pentax having problems.
However, I do feel that Pentax do not push themselves enough with advertising etc and the budgets that Canon, Nikon and Sony have by comparison, its no wonder Pentax is apparently falling by the wayside

The Focus on Image exhibition later this month has no Pentax stand. Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Sigma, Tamron, Sony are all there. One of the major shows in the UK and Pentax can't be bothered to be represented. With sales apathy like that they deserve to loose their market share.

Chris

A couple of years ago Canon didn't attend, although they are back now.

We will have other things on our minds at the NEC, things we haven't seen, so we'll still be going!

It would be nice to see a Pentax stand flying the flag though.

My old company used to exhibit at engineering exhibitions at the NEC and its not cheap. Someone has to make a judgement that they are going to get a return on the investment, difficult in these times. I have not attended The Focus on Image exhibition so I do not know if its Sales orientated or more of a show case for the technology?

Last year it was very much about Photo Books and that is one thing we want to look at again.

It is a good chance to look at camera bags, get free ones with magazine subscriptions (again...) and generally check out the things we don'y normally get to see in one venue.

is this any consolation

https://www.pentaxuser.com/forum/topic/Focus-on-Imaging-09-Pentax-10277/p-0#comm95169