Ricoh buying Pentax - it is OFFICIAL

[blackcloudbrew]

There have been rumors of this or something like this for years but this is official. Don't know what to think on this.

http://www.1001noisycamer...euters-japan-sources.html


They Hoya English site link on this.
http://www.hoya.co.jp/english/index.html

[JIMBO]

AT LEAST IT A CAMERA COMPANY AND NOT A FILTER OR SOME MONEY MARKET LOOKING TO FLIP THE PARTS. THIS COULD BE GOOD NEWS GIVEN THEY WANT TO SPEND $$$ ON THE HIGHER END MARKETS! JIM

[blackcloudbrew]

I've only seen limited reaction to this news but it appears positive. Time will tell.

[rei_vilo]

This merger makes sense, for both brands with complementary product lines.

I hope the merger isn't going to take much time so we could see exciting new Pentax-branded products soon...

I hope the SDM rear-converter would be finally released.

Good luck to Ricoh and Pentax!

[Ron Kruger]

Hmmmmmm.

[spyglass]

Three Cheers for Ricoh !  

I feel very good about this news. I bought a Ricoh multi-programXR-P SLR camera back in 1985. It had many leading edge features built into it that other manufactures didn't offer. Metering to working with high ISO film (I loved this because I use to "push" a lot of film back in my B&W darkroom days). Multiple exposure where the camera would allow you exposure the same section of film as many times as you wanted (much better than depressing the film spool disengagement button and hoping that the film did not move). It had three shutter release buttons. A 10 second internal timer that featured a flashing LED button for user feedback, an interval timer (2, 15, 60 seconds), program modes, all the priority modes we love and expect today, a body adder grip, power film advance motor units you could buy for the bottom (up to 2.5 frames/second..... which was pretty quick when you realize that this involves the physical movement of film - I have always been extremely unimpressed at the burst rates of modern DSLR camera by comparison). Shutter speeds from 4 sec to 1/2000th sec. +2 to -2 exposure compensation adjustment. The Ricoh lenses were well designed, and there was without a doubt a very high level of quality in what they produced in regards to camera.

And to top it all off...... they used the same mount as Pentax. (this allowed me back in 1985 to sport my new Ricoh XR-P around and my Pentax K1000  .... and come to think of it I still can because I still own both of those cameras today)

This will be good news. (hopefully their first call of duty will be to terminate the "Q" line)   (ok that was just mean.... )

Spyglass

[Ron Kruger]

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

[terrytootall]

Hello.
I am with Ron.
Hmmmm....

I am a bit more optimistic than Spyglass. Competitive camera companies buying another well established company could result in disaster for one or both.

Hmmmm....

[materialsguy]

I went though this in the 1980's with Fuji-Xerox (wow, dating myself, eh?).

Just as an aside, does anyone else here remember seeing Xerox Worldview ?   (THE Apple and Windows Grandfather?) I worked as a tech for Xerox in the 1980's, right at the genisis of the so called "digital age". I saw the "intranet" (not called that at that time) version of Worldview on our internal network.

I hope that I have not bought into a dead end brand.  However, that will not stop me from capturing images now, which is the whole point..... 

[materialsguy]

No Regret

[teogin]

I think that only serious companies have invested in Pentax photography section so far. This is a good sign.
I also think that Ricoh and Pentax will exchange experience, technology, nice ideas and they will have a fresh air to give their customers.
I wish them good luck and I hope to see a FF Pentax body very soon!

So if you see the initials SHR, it means Samsung Hoya Ricoh.  Pentax seems to be a ship which travels in the history visiting different ports.  Full of experience and wisdom!

[KhoKing]

I am happy with the news and purchase by Ricoh.

I do not think Pentax is doing well under the current Hoya management. I am not sure how good is Ricoh going to be, but at least there is a change, which is not going to be worse.

I would have hoped that Samsung to buy into Pentax...then to see huge amount of $$$ to be pumped into the company...