How to rescue Pentax

[PStu]

As a Canon DSLR user, there are two reasons I'd sell my gear and move to Pentax: budget-conscious weather-resistant lenses and super-small primes. But neither has the bodies to take full advantage of them, i.e., an entry-level body with weather-sealing or a low-profile DSLR body.

If Pentax had a K-r body with weather-sealing, they could market it to every photographer who wants to hike and take pictures in inclement weather but doesn't want to pay pro-level costs (Canon L lenses or K-5 body) and wants to travel light.

And if Pentax had a DSLR that looked more like the old K-1000 or were even more radical and had a rangefinder body like the Fuji X100, they could attract a ton of photographers who want the low-profile, street-shooter package. A tiny prime on a K-5 body just looks weird, but if you could lose the grip and streamline the rest, you might have something interesting.

 

[Raphael Mabo]

If Pentax had a K-r body with weather-sealing, they could market it to every > photographer who wants to hike and take pictures in inclement weather but doesn't > want to pay pro-level costs (Canon L lenses or K-5 body) and wants to travel light.

Pentax tried that with the K200D, a weather-sealed entry level body.

But it wasn't a success on the market, many customers found it to be too expensive compared to the non weather sealed competition.

A tiny prime on a K-5 body just looks weird, but if you could lose the grip and > streamline the rest, you might have something interesting.

I disagree, because the K-5 is the most compact pro-level DSLR on the market today.
It is really compact.

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Take care
Raphael
http://www.flickr.com/photos/raphaelmabo/

 

[Ishpuini]

Actually if you compare the size of the K-5 with equivalently specified cameras from other brands, you'll realize that the K-5 is actually a very nice fit for Pentax's small primes. But I guess it takes practical use to realize that?

Wim

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Belgium, GMT+1

 

[GPGeneralPhoto]

If Pentax had a K-r body with weather-sealing, they could market it to every > photographer who wants to hike and take pictures in inclement weather but doesn't > want to pay pro-level costs (Canon L lenses or K-5 body) and wants to travel light.

Pentax tried that with the K200D, a weather-sealed entry level body.

But it wasn't a success on the market, many customers found it to be too expensive compared to the non weather sealed competition.

A tiny prime on a K-5 body just looks weird, but if you could lose the grip and > streamline the rest, you might have something interesting.

I disagree, because the K-5 is the most compact pro-level DSLR on the market today.
It is really compact.

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Take care
Raphael
http://www.flickr.com/photos/raphaelmabo/

Was the K200D a market failure? I have one and I think it is a great camera. If it had better high ISO performance I would not have got a K-R. If only Pentax would stuff the sensor from the K-X/K-R into a K200D, I'd buy one right now.
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I'm thankful to still be able to...

 

[dragra]

As a Canon DSLR user, there are two reasons I'd sell my gear and move to Pentax: budget-conscious weather-resistant lenses and super-small primes. But neither has the bodies to take full advantage of them, i.e., an entry-level body with weather-sealing or a low-profile DSLR body.

As (part time) Canon user, there are two reasons why I have moved to Pentax: ultra compact high quality primes and low profile and/or weather sealed camera...

Changing from Canon to Pentax has influenced a part of my work to the positive side: with K-r and DA70 I can be part of the environment and people would not pay much attention to my gear while being photographed. With a Canon and a bulky lens there was no way to work like this.

If Pentax had a K-r body with weather-sealing, they could market it to every photographer who wants to hike and take pictures in inclement weather but doesn't want to pay pro-level costs (Canon L lenses or K-5 body) and wants to travel light.

What you are asking for is already there: if you want a weather sealed camera go for the K-5!

And if Pentax had a DSLR that looked more like the old K-1000 or were even more radical and had a rangefinder body like the Fuji X100, they could attract a ton of photographers who want the low-profile, street-shooter package. A tiny prime on a K-5 body just looks weird, but if you could lose the grip and streamline the rest, you might have something interesting.

In fact Pentax Japan had a limited edition of K-20/K-5 bodies with stainless steel chassis, but they were really very limited, because I never seen one in real life.

There are rumors about mirorless camera that will attract to wider audience than the dSLR. Wait and see.

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tell me what your 3 favorite lenses are - and I'll tell you what kind of a photographer you are...

 

[dragra]

Refering to your headline: I think Pentax is doing fairly well for what they are: a small optics & camera manufacturer. Their current lineup is better than ever, they have a excellent product in all important classes: K-r, K-5 and 645D.

What Pentax needs are more serious users and less measurbators and pixel peepers. I wish they would all go to Canikon and leave Pentax to the people who are actually taking good pictures.

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tell me what your 3 favorite lenses are - and I'll tell you what kind of a photographer you are...

 

[Russell Evans]

I do think a light weight WR camera is missing from the line up, however.

The K200D' problem was that there wasn't any real money between it and the K20D, there weren't any inexpensive light weight WR lenses for it, and the sensor was really too old to be put in a new body.

Now that the Pentax bodies are holding their value, a $700-800 body to sit between the $500 and $1200 bodies is a workable market. Pentax also now has the 18-55mm, 55-200mm and 18-135mm WR lenses for that market. The WR 100mm macro also works into this market to make it pretty much there, and only missing the body and maybe WR flash. The sensors in the new entry level cameras have been a great as well and Pentax doesn't seem likely to make that mistake again. It is mostly all there now, why Pentax hasn't done it, is typical Pentax.

Thank you
Russell

 

[loco77]

Some good suggestions, but as was mentioned, Pentax has some really good cameras. The problem is no one seems to know about them.

What they need is better marketing. And a quick way to accomplish getting the word out would be a prominent product placement in a big hit movie. People like using things they see cool stars/characters in movies use. It's odd but true.

Why Pentax kind of refuses to promote their cameras, at least in the U.S, is kind of baffling to me. I never see an ad or anything. When I was researching my first dSLR purchase, I was all set to get a Nikon until I saw the K-x offered on Woot. I hadn't even thought of Pentax. Woot did a better job of marketing Pentax than Pentax. I ended up with a K-r a week or so later, but that offering on Woot was what opened my eyes to Pentax.

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Some of my photos can be viewed at http://locosphotos.photogalaxy.net/galleries/

 

[chiane]

A tiny prime on a K-5 body just looks weird,

Only if you are so used to using a brick of camera with a giant 16 oz. beer can of a lens. I think that looks ridiculous. Are cameras the only consumer electronics that don't get smaller? It's like carrying around a cell phone from 1990.

 

[PStu]

I haven't seen any Pentax DSLRs in the DC area. I'd have to go to NYC (B&H or Adorama) to actually hold one.

 

[PStu]

At $700, I'd consider the jump, but not to a $1200 K5.

 

[Wallace Ross]

They will only need to be rescued if they started to do everything the way everyone else is. You can predict what Canon's next cameras are going to look like and do . Maybe that's a good thing but Pentax they could do anything Seriously can you imagine a rumour where Canon was going to use a square sensor. No but it almost seems possible from Pentax. I find the direction of Pentax to be the most interesting of a the DSLR makers and it may just pay off in the long run if they keep producing great photo gear.

Anyone else come out with a GPS unit that helps the camera track stars lately?
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http://wkoopmans.ca/notebook/

 

[smertz]

I haven't seen any Pentax DSLRs in the DC area. I'd have to go to NYC (B&H or Adorama) to actually hold one.

Which reinforces loco77's astute post. For 95% of all non-professional shooters (and many professional photographers too), the current Pentax offerings are more than enough. The real problem that needs "rescuing" is their woeful marketing. That's really nothing new with the brand, but the game has been ramped up during the past 10 years. It seems like Hoya has them on a very slim advertising and marketing budget. That may be necessary to squeeze out a profit, but it is frustrating to read posts like yours which demonstrate the consequences.

To me Hoya has generally done a fine job preserving the brand, and keeping a flow of fun new cameras and lenses--though, excepting the K5 and the 645D, most products have been aimed at consumers.

I just don't know if Hoya has it in them to sustain a retail product over the long term. Most of their core businesses are manufacturing value-added components (lens glass, eyeglass lenses) to other brands. The medical diagnostics that they targeted with the Pentax asset purchase, is sold via professional channels to medical facilities and practitioners. Those require very different marketing strategies (and budgets) than dealing cameras and lenses.

SmertZ

 

[smertz]

Wallace Ross wrote:
--snip--

Anyone else come out with a GPS unit that helps the camera track stars lately?
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Pentax is late to this party. Nikon has had one out since 2008. Canon has had some limited GPS capabilities with a wireless transmitter and in-camera data output since the 40D.

SmertZ

 

[Adqam]

Anyone else come out with a GPS unit that helps the camera track stars lately?
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Pentax is late to this party. Nikon has had one out since 2008. Canon has had some limited GPS capabilities with a wireless transmitter and in-camera data output since the 40D.

Smertz, I'm pretty sure that Canon and Nikon do not offer a GPS receiver that the camera uses to move the sensor so as to avoid getting star trails in long exposures, which is what Wallace Ross was referring to.

 

[waynes]

Bestbuy and Ritz used to have K100, K10 and K20, and many lenses too.

Kx was a good camera and would actually sell well, but by then no stores had them--bad timing too.

I haven't seen any Pentax DSLRs in the DC area. I'd have to go to NYC (B&H or Adorama) to actually hold one.

 

[klavrack]

I would agree with the marketing comments. In a Michigan photo store recently, the owner was showing off a D7000. I mentioned a K-5. He said he loves it, but Pentax's business practices regarding pricing are prohibitive for shops like his to carry. People want to handle the equipment, and that's simply not happening. Combine that with the relative lack of advertising and you have a tough sell, even in the product is great. If I hadn't previously owned Pentax equipment, I'd never have considered them seriously.

 

[smertz]

Thanks, I stand corrected. That's an impressive feature. Too bad they cannot market the heck out of it.

SmertZ
Adqam wrote:
--snip--

Smertz, I'm pretty sure that Canon and Nikon do not offer a GPS receiver that the camera uses to move the sensor so as to avoid getting star trails in long exposures, which is what Wallace Ross was referring to.

 

[Russell Evans]

I haven't seen any Pentax DSLRs in the DC area. I'd have to go to NYC (B&H or Adorama) to actually hold one.

Actually you can drive out to Ashburn and see a bit of Pentax gear at Ace Photo. It is about 30 miles, so maybe 45 minutes of driving on a good traffic day.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Ace+Photo,+Ashburn,+VA&aq=0&sll=38.948635,-77.245365&sspn=0.375409,0.7481&gl=us&ie=UTF8&hq=Ace+Photo,&hnear=Ashburn,+Loudoun,+Virginia&ll=38.937781,-77.303238&spn=0.375467,0.7481&z=12

Thank you
Russell

 

[Russell Evans]

At $700, I'd consider the jump, but not to a $1200 K5.

You need better timing. You could have picked up a new K-7 a few months ago around that price. Seems most of the K-7 stock is gone now, only a few refurbished K-7 are on the market it seems.

If you wait, the K-5 might drop with a new model announcement. I'm betting it will be under $1000 by Christmas, so would expect with a new model, the rock bottom price for the K-5 will be around $850. I have however been wrong before, and probably am wrong again.

Thank you
Russell