Pentax Ricoh changes name and reveals branding strategy

Ricoh clearly stated they will continue to use the PENTAX brand. All the solid arguments made here, they are well aware of them.

Jul 12, 2013permalink

RStyga

I think it's a wise decision. Personally, it seems a stronger brand name "Pentax" for DSLR/DLSMs and "Ricoh" for compacts. Pentax never got to release any decent compacts besides, perhaps, MX-1, while Ricoh has impressed the industry with its line of advanced compacts for quite a few years. Good move.

Jul 8, 2013permalink

donaldxr

I definitely see Ricoh and Pentax as the oddballs of the photography industry. I don't mean it in a negative way, but considering Pentax's rainbow palette of DSLR bodies and their tiny Q cameras along with Richoh's GXR "interchangeable unit" system, they certainly know how to break tradition.

Jul 8, 2013permalink

Madaboutpix

Jeez, I guess I don't see the problem. Much as I would hate to see the Pentax label go on future DSLRs of the company, Ricoh has made clear that this is exactly *not* what they're up to. And from what little I can see - including the "Reviews and specs" interest score reported on this site - Ricoh's GR premium compact has been received fairly well on the market, and seems to hark back to a whole line of innovative compacts. Therefore, the brand allocation - Pentax for DSLRs and "interchangeables", Ricoh for compacts - actually makes sense and would be a step towards a less confusing brand portfolio.

Ever studied the bottom plate of your Pentax DSLR (if you were busy taking great photographs, you're excused, because that's what these tools are for)? Well, on my K-7 it reads, "PENTAX DIGITAL CAMERA ... HOYA CORPORATION". Has this given me a clinical depression? - No. As long as Ricoh continues this line of wonderful DSLRs and lenses, I'm fine ...

Jul 7, 2013permalink

NeilRW

So who ever heard of Ricoh? Bad mistake. Another example of superior Japanese products and complete misunderstanding of how to market in the US. Include Canon & Nikon in the "stupid column". They all seem to infuriate their customers.

Jul 5, 2013permalink

searun

Which name resonates with photographers? Ricoh will always sound like a copy machine company to me. Pentax is/was a photographic equipment company. Never owned any Pentax, but I would have been comfortable doing so. Ricoh?

Jul 4, 2013permalink

hexxthalion

Ricoh GR (I guess I don't need to add more)

Jul 4, 2013permalink

when i hear pentax its the same like old praktikas and voightlaenders, they where innovative when everyone kinda used the same mechanics, and when you could have clever simple ideas to solve problems, like off the plane metering.
but as soon as autofocus or any electronics besides reading a silicium cell with a needlemeeter got modern, they SUCKED

ricohs camera departement ROCKS, they make cameras for photographers, like their gr series, analog and digital. i bet more pros use a gr in their shirtpocket then a pentax in their gearbag

and thats also a pro's decision about what gear to buy, just because he uses it private or in between

Jul 4, 2013*permalink

Jefftan

Pentax WG-3 become Ricoh WG-4?

Jul 3, 2013permalink

40daystogo

i've been into photography for 36 years, and even though, as a Nikon Leica fan, I've never bought any Pentax or Ricoh products, I feel more warm fuzzies towards Pentax than Ricoh.

Jul 3, 2013permalink

drummercam

As a brand, my sense is that a chief Pentax characteristic has been the willingness to try novel things in cameras, with the occasional home run as a result (e.g., off-the-film-plane metering on the LX). Another is the ability to produce really top-notch glass when they want to (part of which was optics in the medical industry, and eyeglass lenses, I think -- I don't know if they still do that. Did Hoya strip that away?), and some world class lenses (e.g., 31mm). Another characteristic has been steadfastness to K-mount. Another has been really good form factors (MZ-S and especially K-7/K-5, which is deservedly a long-lived flagship as a result). My hope has been for one more home-run out of the park camera body. If it happens, they have declared that it will still say Pentax on the front. But the bottom ID plate will now say just Ricoh, apparently. I just hate to see "Pentax" disappear from that location, and it makes me wonder what remains of the Pentax / Asahi Optical "old guard."

Jul 3, 2013permalink

bokane

I had an LX. The off the film plane metering was a fabulous innovation, especially with their Pentax shift lens, which on all other cameras has be be metered manually before shifting.
However, since they never offered a full frame camera, I switched to Canon and haven't regretted it.

Jul 4, 2013permalink

drummercam

I can't argue with your switch to Canon, bokane. Another chief characteristic of Pentax -- adding to my list above -- has been avoidance of full frame. The FA Limited 31mm, 43mm, and 77mm literally begged for a full frame body. Even the DA 40mm Limited works on full frame.

Jul 5, 2013permalink

yabokkie

there may be differences but it reminds me
that Omega is a brand held by Swatch.

Jul 3, 2013permalink

Deleted1929

The worst thing about this is that it shows how incredibly slowly Ricoh reacts to things. Business suicide.

The second worst thing is that when they decided to buy Pentax in the first place they should have already have had a name and structure in mind for the resulting business units. This suggests a management mess at the highest levels in Ricoh, and one that hasn't been sorted out yet.

Lastly it's hard to worry about the name on the product when there isn't a product. If it takes them this long to just decide on a name it's no surprise that there isn't even a hint of anything other than trivial product iteration going on.

Dead or in a coma. What's the difference ?

Jul 3, 2013permalink

Reacts to what "things"? Do you have any clue about what prompted this name change?

Are you sure "Pentax Ricoh" wasn't a temporary name, until they would be able to properly merge Pentax with Ricoh's camera division?

The announcement doesn't concern "the name on the product", but only the company's name. They were very clear about it.

Yawn. Another complainer who couldn't properly read the press release.

Jul 3, 2013permalink

JWest

"Properly merge" it by deciding to refer to one half as Ricoh and the other half as Pentax?

Jul 4, 2013permalink

There's nothing unusual for a single company to use more than one brand. This doesn't indicate any separation into two halves.

Jul 4, 2013permalink

feral01

Bwahahaha... It's the end of the world...how will my photos look?, will my K5 still work in the morning?....
Get a grip I say. So there are 2 well known and respected camera companies coming together... At leastt Ricoh is showing committment to the Pentax brand. More importantly, all the better if they continue to make great cameras. I bought my K5 because it is a very good camera, not because of the name on the box.
Really, I didn't realise there are so many "potential" company directors and marketing gurus here..

Jul 3, 2013*permalink

Zvonimir Tosic

When I first heard "Pentax Ricoh Imaging Company" (P.R.I.C.), a subsidiary name for a newly formed entity under Ricoh, I thought guys at Ricoh went crazy. Did they consult a brand specialist, who could check what the pronunciations means in English? Car manufacturers do that all the time, check new product names against numerous dictionaries.

With more frequent appearances in pubic press releases and in corporate life, they'd be a butt of a joke — not taken seriously at all. But a new decision is a good sign, obviously. I hope we may expect more frequent and more serious announcements from August 1st 2013.

Jul 3, 2013*permalink

anthony mazzeri

So the Ricoh name replaces the Asahi name as the manufacturer of repected Pentax D/SLRs.

How are people reading into this as the death of the Pentax brand?

Jul 3, 2013permalink

Zebooka

"Sky is falling, we are all doomed!" :)
In fact, I do not care anymore about Pentax. It is like first love — sweet memories, great photos left, but it was in the past. Mature love is not of bells and labels, but of process — taking photos. That's where all brands unite.

Jul 3, 2013permalink

austin design

What the h*ll does any of this mean?!

Jul 3, 2013permalink

ezradja

good! my first SLR was RICOH anyway...

Jul 3, 2013permalink

Anastigmat

It is a sensible change. Ricoh is a simpler name to remember than Pentax Ricoh. Most Pentax users don't care if Pentax is part of Ricoh anyway, and will continue to buy Pentax whether it is owned by Ricoh or not. Of course people who buy Ricoh cameras are not going to worry about whether Pentax is part of Ricoh or not.

Jul 3, 2013permalink

markgregorwoods

Why not just be called PR or the camera formerly known as Pentax. I think this is a huge marketing blunder and one that sounds like it came from a failing student in branding 101. If Ricoh is the name then change it all and get it done. Frankly I think Pentax is a more recognizable name and one that holds a much high reputation in the camera world. Either way this branding will not have the strength it needs since it appears the company itself is uncertain of it's own name.

Jul 3, 2013permalink

Gesture

Don't say that to my Ricoh 500 35mm RF or Ricoh Diacord TLR! Really, of all these entities, it is amazing how many still remain as camera or imaging companies: Yashica/Kyocera, Mamiya, Pentax, Ricoh, Olympus, Casio, Nikon, Canon, Minolta, Konica, Fuji and so on.

Jul 3, 2013permalink

Jack Simpson

Different name .... Same Great Products :) EDIT: I really can't believe some of the comments below ????

Jul 3, 2013*permalink

austin design

Are you telling us you can't believe some of the comments below, or asking us if you can't believe some of the comments below? (Question marks can be a dangerous thing!)

Jul 3, 2013permalink

viktoriskra

Embrace the Pentax GXR!

Hope they won't employ another big ego designer to cock it up.

Jul 2, 2013permalink

DotCom Editor

Seems they got it bass ackwards. "Pentax" has brand equity in cameras, "Ricoh" in office equipment.

Jul 2, 2013*permalink

austin design

Ah, but most of the brass in charge are Ricoh men, not Pentax (remember that big Ricoh bought fledgling Pentax). Let's hope their pride doesn't goeth before the fall.

Jul 3, 2013permalink

AbrasiveReducer

This really makes no difference and if it gets some free publicity, so much the better. I'd have wiped the slate clean and called the company Miranda-Topcon. Digital photography/instant gratification has brought so many new people, I doubt most of them even know what a Spotmatic was (or why, despite having excellent lenses, Nikon & Canon passed them by). For their price points, there has never been anything wrong with Pentax or Ricoh (or Minolta, for that matter) but people only know what they are shown, which is Nikon and Apple.

Jul 2, 2013permalink

Gesture

What is needed is a strong compact camera LINE name. Nikon has Coolpix. Canon has Powershot. Minolta had Dimage; Olympus Camedia and Pentax Optio. (BTW: Pentax Optio 450/550/555 is an outstanding camera for its era and type.) Casio has Exilim and I forgot what Sony's was.

I would go back to Optio or find a new name for the compact cameras: then it's doesn't matter if it's Pentax OPTIO or Ricoh OPTIO.

Jul 2, 2013*permalink

Impulses

Sony -> Cybershot, tho their P&S lineup is shrinking, and honestly, whose isn't? Maybe Canikon's? I don't see what value the P&S model line brands have at this point... The only one that ever truly had mass market name recognition was Powershot anyway, thanks to Canon's relentless marketing. Sharapova was still featured in Powershot spots all over the place not too long ago...

Jul 3, 2013permalink

zakaria

keep the k mount and take the brand name to the planet!

Jul 2, 2013permalink

Joseph S Wisniewski

About time.

I can't believe that it actually took them two years to realize that "Pentax Ricoh Imaging Company" had about the worst initials of any corporate entity in the entire world.

Jul 2, 2013permalink

DotCom Editor

Sort of like QNAP, the Taiwanese company that makes terrific network-attached storage systems. QNAP actually stands for Quality Network Appliance Provider. Catchy, huh?

Jul 3, 2013permalink

forpetessake

It doesn't matter who owned whom and whether it's brand name or company name. What's important is that Pentax has a name recognition in camera/lens business and certain value attached, while Ricoh doesn't have any significant name recognition in that area and only known as the name of some second-rate copiers. Ricoh may own Pentax, but they better never mention it.

Jul 2, 2013permalink

hahaha, come on

Jul 4, 2013permalink

Anepo

Compared to how Ricoh camera's look I think this is the end of both Pentax AND Ricoh, after Ricoh purchased Pentax, I have ONLY seen UGLY DSLR camera's & I used to be a proud owner of the Pentax K10D & K20D.
After the purchase Ricoh keeps pushing me MORE and MORE away from the Pentax brand & Ricoh brand & I am NEVER returning.

Jul 2, 2013permalink

zapatista

It's interesting, on the US HQ building, Pentax is easily seen but Ricoh is not on the outside of the building.

Jul 2, 2013permalink

dccdp

They made the wrong choice. Pentax means something in photography. Ricoh, no so much.

Jul 2, 2013permalink

peevee1

So, just reviewed Pentax MX-1 was the last Pentax enthusiast compact, WG-3 would be the last Pentax underwater camera? Ricoh did not even make those.

Without one type of products solidifying brand recognition of other types, both will suffer. Sounds like poorly thought out purely political decision.

Jul 2, 2013*permalink

leebee

Stupid marketing move for their imaging division. Ricoh is mainly known for second rate copiers and the name taints the Pentax brand name which has historically been well received.
The question now is when Nikon buys Sony's camera division will the Sony name survive on cameras.

Jul 2, 2013permalink

kanzlr

Because you don't know Ricohs history does not mean nobody does.

Ricoh made excellent cameras before the Pentax brand was established. I have an excellent Ricoh Diacord twin reflex camera, they made superb SLRs during manual focus film camera days and not only the wonderful GR series film compacts but also premium Leica M39 lenses.

Jul 2, 2013permalink

mmitch

Really? I don't know one single professional photographer or amateur for that matter that owns or shoots with Ricoh cameras. Didn't they sell those at Kmart??

Jul 3, 2013permalink

no pro used a film GR ? thats an interesting opinion hehe

Jul 4, 2013permalink

Prognathous

Good move.

Jul 2, 2013permalink

Bamboojled

It is simply Pentax being slowly absorbed into Ricoh until it no longer exists.

Jul 2, 2013permalink

vapentaxuser

Hard to tell what to make of this news. At first glance it seems like they are taking the first steps into dissolving the Pentax brand into Ricoh, and just continuing to keep the Pentax brand for now so people won't be further discouraged into buying Pentax DSLRs/lenses. But I have to wonder if in a couple of years we will be seeing Ricoh K-Mount DSLRs (reminscent of what Sony did with using the Minolta mount on their cameras).

Regardless of what the company finally is in the end...my hope is that they continue to work on their marketing efforts in the US to make sure that people can handle/buy a Pentax or Ricoh DSLR down at their local big-box retailer or camera shop. I have already seen some Pentax at Target, so maybe they can use their footprint there to offer more in the way of product.

Jul 2, 2013permalink

peevee1

Ricoh mirrorless (without OVF, maybe even K-mount) is possible in the future, although they say they retain Pentax for all ILCs for now.

Jul 2, 2013permalink

Camediadude

Bad move.

Jul 2, 2013permalink

Davidfstop

Pencoh, PenRic, RIpen even Ritax..

Anything but Ricoh

It just doesn't mean anything, who wants a photocopier for an SLR!
(And before you lot start, I am half joking)

Jul 2, 2013permalink

Canon users, obviously ;-)

Alex

Jul 3, 2013permalink

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1b26BD5KjH0

yeah canon users, sony users, samsung users, panasonic users, all those companies are no option fot photographic equippment because of the reasons you named.

but ricoh is the one exception because of their film and digital gr series. its about the approach that this company has to photographic equippment, the built quality the menues the gui the lenses, also they are creative and take risks like with the gxr

Jul 4, 2013permalink

Davidfstop

LOL!

Jul 8, 2013permalink

Bill3R

BUMMER!

Jul 2, 2013permalink

JEROME NOLAS

Sony will change to SON, Nikon to NICK and Pentax will be eventually rename to PENTHOUSE! New names-the same old strategy, dinosaurus sitting on cash eggs....

Jul 2, 2013permalink

King Penguin

The long slow drawn-out death of the Pentax name has officially started........now they're just a brand, next just a brand in some countries, the rest of the cameras branded Ricoh in core countries, then eventually re-launched as the nostalgic version of the Ricoh camera of the time to pep up it's sales for a few extra years before the new Ricoh model is launched....

They lost the digital race.......which company is next?

Jul 2, 2013permalink

exp1orer

how long have you been in a cave? pentax was just a brand name when it started several decades ago....and the brand name still exist today.

as what Zvonimir Tosic said:

"Pentax was always a *product brand name*, almost never a company name.Owned by Asahi Optical company up to late 1990s/early 2000s, it existed just a few years as Pentax company, then it became product brand name again, for Hoya, now for Ricoh, who bought it from Hoya.
My Pentax cameras, ME Super, K-7, Q, were never Pentax made cameras. One was made by Asahi Optical, other two by Hoya.
It seems just a few people around here bother to understand what is Pentax actually."

Jul 2, 2013*permalink

TheEye

Asahi Optical has always made excellent beer goggles. ;-)

Jul 2, 2013permalink

Bamboojled

Actually King Penguin you are correct.
As for people saying that Pentax was always just a brand, that is like saying Nippon Kogaku AKA Nikon is also just a brand.
the fact is that ASAHI Optical is/was Pentax.
When Hoya bought them, ASAHI Optical continued to build and develop the cameras as a division of Hoya.
Now Ricoh has them and it seems that Ricoh want's to completely absorb the company (ASAHI OPTICAL) and the brand (PENTAX).
So what we are seeing is the slow death rattle of a company.
Think of it like what happened to Minolta...

Jul 2, 2013permalink

James O'Neill

Actually Asahi renamed itself to Pentax round about 2000.
Then that company became part of Hoya, then Part of Ricoh.
That the subsidiary is called is academic. Ricoh have said the Pentax brand stays. We'll have to see if they put in the investment to turn out decent cameras or not.

Jul 2, 2013permalink

timo

I don't think this announcement is of any significance whatsoever. Although it is quite surprising how long it has taken them to reach this insignificant decision.

Jul 2, 2013permalink

NiallM

agreed - not of the 'Marathon' to 'Snickers' proportions..that was fairly life changing it was..

Jul 2, 2013permalink

JackM

meh.

Jul 2, 2013*permalink

LWW

Time to turn off, this one'll smoke up my monitor. Let the font of knowledge overflow!

Jul 2, 2013permalink

Joe Ogiba

Jul 2, 2013permalink

Zvonimir Tosic

Pentax was always a *product brand name*, almost never a company name.Owned by Asahi Optical company up to late 1990s/early 2000s, it existed just a few years as Pentax company, then it became product brand name again, for Hoya, now for Ricoh, who bought it from Hoya.
My Pentax cameras, ME Super, K-7, Q, were never Pentax made cameras. One was made by Asahi Optical, other two by Hoya.
It seems just a few people around here bother to understand what is Pentax actually.

Jul 2, 2013permalink

ManuH

That's very true, for decades it was just a product name from Asahi Optical, just like Panasonic was for Matsushita. Then the companies changed their names to these product because of brand recognition.

I just hope they will keep the Pentax name for the WG-3 type of camera because this was fitting quite well with their weathersealed DSLR. Otherwise I don't think many people will regret the other Pentax compacts, IMHO Ricoh was better anyway in creating quality compacts.

Jul 2, 2013permalink

Ishpuini

Good point!!

Jul 2, 2013permalink

iudex

Exactly. When I look at the bottom of my K-30, I read: "Pentax digital camera, Pentax Ricoh Imaging Co., Ltd.". My previous K-r had "Pentax Hoya" as the producer. So no matter the company name, important is the brand name (trademark) and the name Pentax will carry on.
P.S. I really don´t care whether P&S soapboxes carry the name Ricoh instead of Pentax, inportant are DSLRs and CSCs.

Jul 2, 2013permalink

showmeyourpics

Rationally, as long as they keep making cameras and lenses of the traditional Pentax quality and pricing it should not make any difference. As an older photographer though, I believe that there is a tremendous legacy attached to the name that would be a pity to lose. The same thing went for Konica and, especially, Minolta who had so many fundamental photography patents. BTW "mmitch", if you have other K5 bodies to dump, please let me know.

Jul 2, 2013permalink

Gesture

What's in a name. A lot. Carl Zeiss means more to me than Zeiss. There really was someone behind a great legacy.

If only Konica Minolta had changed to just Konica soon enough ...

Jul 2, 2013permalink

mmitch

Start of the downward spiral... I'm glad I dumped my K5. This company is clueless about there consumer.

Jul 2, 2013permalink

D1N0

Most consumers don't care what the company name is. Ricoh will sport the Pentax brand. When Pentax was owned by Hoya it wasn't called the Pentax-Hoya Company. You dumped the K-5? That was a stupid thing to do.

Jul 2, 2013permalink

M Jesper

*their consumer.

Jul 2, 2013permalink

sdribetahi

More or less clueless than you are at spelling?

Jul 2, 2013permalink

I'm sure the consumers cares a lot about what's written on that small label on the camera's bottom plate, instead of the product itself.

By the way, there's a chance your K-5 was made by Hoya Corporation (instead of Pentax Ricoh Imaging).

Jul 2, 2013permalink

Silvarum

Well, perhaps Sony users should dump their "Zeiss" lenses too then.

Jul 2, 2013permalink

mmitch

@ M Jesper, I don't have time to correct every single word I post!
you must be bored.

Jul 3, 2013permalink

M Jesper

yes, probably.

Jul 10, 2013permalink

nuance

That´s a senseless move to my mind. Both companies will have a half line-up. Some/Many users may not be aware of the relation between these companies.

Sad day for Pentax btw.
So, I quess, the lovely little MX1 will be the last Pentax-looking Compact. Personally I love the retro-styling especially compared to the boring looking GR.

Jul 2, 2013permalink

I don't. Less is more for me and the GR's are some of the best compacts cameras ever. Plus Ricoh compacts have always been better than Pentax ones.

Jul 2, 2013permalink

nuance

"Plus Ricoh compacts have always been better than Pentax ones."
now, since they are one company, which one do you think is better?
and please do not consider sensor size...

Jul 2, 2013permalink

onlooker

nuance wrote: "Both companies"

What both companies? There is no "both companies". It is one company. "Pentax" is now just a name for a line of products, that's it.

Jul 2, 2013permalink

nuance

Lol

Jul 2, 2013permalink

kindofblue7

I'm just happy that the Pentax name and product line will live on. Otherwise, the name change is just official recognition of what has been the case since Ricoh acquired Pentax.

Jul 2, 2013permalink

audiobomber

Exactly, the name of the front of interchangeable lens cameras will be Pentax, and they are continuing to make great bodies that mount my K lenses. Nothing to be concerned about at all.

Jul 2, 2013permalink

Right. At least Pentax users got to keep Pentax on the front, Minolta users lost the Minolta name and got Sony stuck on front.

Jul 2, 2013permalink

abortabort

Ah no, that's not quite right cgerrard -

Pentax is a branding thing for sure, but not a company name.
As others pointed out as well, Pentax is a brand like Lumix is to Panasonic or EOS is to Canon.
So when Minolta was bought out by Sony the company name changed to 'Sony' obviously but the branding remained 'Alpha'. Biggest problem with that is that Alpha wasn't actually a global brand, a bit like how Rebel means nothing to me in Australia when talking about Canon's. But Sony did manage to globalize the brand of 'Alpha' as part of its takeover of Minolta.

Jul 2, 2013permalink

abortabort

Also the other reason being that Sony only actually took over the camera division and Minolta still lives on a a completely separate company today - so would probably get a little confusing.

Jul 2, 2013permalink

dickgrafixstop

Who cares? Since Ricoh owns them they could brand them
"chopped liver" if it wanted to. Point is with the Ricoh brand on
them maybe it will be incented to build and sell better products more agressively. Certainly few people in the US associate Ricoh with quality cameras - but then Fuji was in the same position just
two years ago. Let's wait and see the product.

Jul 2, 2013permalink

Abortabort, nothing I said is not factual. I'm fully aware (more than most) of what happened to Minolta and with Sony.

My point was very simple, Pentax users are keeping Pentax name on the camera, Minolta users have Sony on the front. Period, end of my point, just as I made it the first time.

Jul 2, 2013permalink

Blackraven

Good to hear that the brand will remain and I hope Ricoh brings the brand back to the forefront of photography where it once stood toe to toe with the big boys. It was a true great in the past with the K-mount at one time the most popular lens mount. From the classic medium-format 645 and 67, the beautiful LX, the auto 110,the iconic K1000 to the current medium format DSLR, K series DLRs and the tiny Q shows that the brand did and still has real depth to it. It didnt always work as with the K1 but Pentax does bring a breath of fresh air to the market from time to time. I hope Pentax continues to exisit and thrive!

Jul 3, 2013permalink