Ricoh camera division to fall under Pentax?

new rumours circulating..
link

Is that to be known as Centralised Ricoh And Pentax

"Personal Multimedia Product Company (hereinafter PMMC)"

"PENTAX RICOH IMAGING COMPANY (hereinafter PRI)"
Is Someone too embarrassed to use the 4th letter

The corporate world is deadly serious Algi....these guys clearly mean business.

No doubt the targets will arrive in due course.

Also posted here on DPReview:

http://www.dpreview.com/news/2012/02/09/Ricohs_Pentax_division_absorbs_Ricoh_cam...

John

How well I remember Ratners!

So will the Press.... and Ricoh are putting this stuff
on press releases

Never mind....... Your never alone with a Strand!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZkuQMJcxAjc

Where are they now?
-

Better than Ricoh cameras fall under Pentax than vice versa. At least we can be pretty sure the Pentax name will survive this way.

Though tbh I don't care much what it says on the packet as long as they keep the K mount going and keep developing new products.

It clearly shows how committed Ricoh are to keep the Pentax brand alive.

There seems to be a lot of apprehension among Ricoh users that their brand is lost, yet I can't see why either brand should disappear. In the watch market companies like Seiko maintain second and third "strings", eg Pulsar and Lorus, to fulfil different market segments.

I think Ricoh paid for the name more than anything else. They know how to make cameras, now they have a known brand.

I think in a couple of years:

Sony will still be where they are.
Olympus will be sold (perhaps to Samsung or Sony).
Pentax will be seen as a serious contender (by the media) with Canon and Nikon

Which relies on:
Full frame, more lenses and more bodies in production at once.

The future is bright...?

The future is Yellow.

Personally I hope the more subtle colours remain available, but Orange is certainly a possibility, it's been used for the Kr IIRC.

I wonder if there will be a degree of integration between the brands if they are now in the same division of the parent compay.

The Ricoh GXR modular camera has a module which accepts Leica M fit lenses - only manual of course - and others with simple adapters including Pentax. There have been rumours of a module that would accept fully featured Pentax K lenses. It would be complicated to make if it had both screw drive and SDM but as Ricoh own Pentax they will have access to the necessary technology and patents. The latest module to be announced seems to incude the same sensor as the Pentax K-5.

I am reasoably optimistic as Ricoh do have a reputation of well made cameras that are slightly quirky but are aimed at the enthusiast photographer rather than the mass market - a bit like Pentax.

If anything at all, this is GOOD news. Looking forward to the two new cameras to replace the K-r and K5 tandem. May be a bit of delay with Ricoh coming on board, but to me that means:

"Now we're on board, can you please add Feature X, Y, Z. Here's the cash to cover it." - Mr. Ricoh

... on top of an already existing "prototype" Pentax camera.

All my opinion of course.

Ricoh has How many DSLR cameras have they made?

Ricoh has been out of the serious camera business for many years. They are buying technology (including many patents), a product line, a customer base, and the name.

G

Once again George, you come on and start an argument. Get a life.

George only stated an opinion. It's not an argument, it's a discussion. No need to escalate it into an argument.