Topic: The end of Pentax?

[Kai-san]

I just spotted this:

http://www.diyphotography.net/ricoh-may-considering-killing-off-pentax-brand/

[Bryan]

The camera market is really going thru some tough times right now.  There may only be a few companies that survive but I can't believe it will go away completely, there will always be a market for professional equipment.  I wouldn't be surprised if someone buys the Pentax brand or the rights to use the name, it wouldn't be the first time.  It looks like Toshiba may not be around much longer either. 

[Francois]

The electronics market is really having a hard time, especially when it comes to minor players. One of the problems nowadays is that camera manufacturers have been pushed in the electronics industry without realizing it.

Samsung has pulled the plug on their camera division (yes, they had one; but I've yet to see one of their cameras on the streets). Hitashi survives mostly because of their hard disk division (I haven't seen an Hitashi VCR, TV, DVD or other appliance in a very long time). And all the camera manufacturers are struggling in a way. Canon's camera division is subsidized by their office equipment division. Probably the only one who makes money from the cameras is Sony... but that is a real juggernaut who can leverage funds from one part of the company to another...

[jojonas~]

Wow the first comment is almost like contemporary art or something "More fake news."

[johnha]

Ricoh have since refuted the original report: http://www.ricoh.com/info/2017/0412_1.html

[Francois]

I guess they finally figured out that people are more attached to the Pentax brand than to Ricoh...

[John Robison]

In 35mm there are only two companies left that I know of that still make and sell new cameras, Nikon and Leica.

The rest of the old line film camera companies are already dead.

This does not count the plastic toy cameras for 35mm sold by Lomography. They might be interesting but I would not like those to be my only choice.

[Faintandfuzzy]

In 35mm there are only two companies left that I know of that still make and sell new cameras, Nikon and Leica.

The rest of the old line film camera companies are already dead.

This does not count the plastic toy cameras for 35mm sold by Lomography. They might be interesting but I would not like those to be my only choice.

And Nikon is a "barely".....they make the F6....but as I understand, the FM10 is made by Cosina.

[chris667]

'Twas ever thus!

Cosina made so much camera equipment, there were always far more names than manufacturers.

As for the future, I worry about Nikon. They barely make film cameras, but the sensors in their digital models are all made by Sony, the owners of what was Konica Minolta. Sony is a massive company, yet it has a lot of unprofitable sectors. A decision at the top could ruin Nikon.

It's a precarious business. None of those big names have a right to be around in five years.

I think I might retrain as a camera repairman.

[AJShepherd]

And Nikon is a "barely".....they make the F6....but as I understand, the FM10 is made by Cosina.

Also according to their website the FM10 is discontinued. Looks like the F6 is too, at least Amazon are marking it as "Discontinued by manufacturer", so they're not even a 'barely'!

Kind of a pity there's no affordable and 'decent' options for new film cameras. If only someone at Ricoh discovered all the fixings for the manufacture of K1000s crated up somewhere and dragged a few oji-san out of retirement to show how it was done.

[jojonas~]

And Nikon is a "barely".....they make the F6....but as I understand, the FM10 is made by Cosina.

Also according to their website the FM10 is discontinued. Looks like the F6 is too, at least Amazon are marking it as "Discontinued by manufacturer", so they're not even a 'barely'!

Kind of a pity there's no affordable and 'decent' options for new film cameras. If only someone at Ricoh discovered all the fixings for the manufacture of K1000s crated up somewhere and dragged a few oji-san out of retirement to show how it was done.

ah, well considering cosina halted the production on its rangefinders I've been wondering about the FM10 et al, thinking what's out there is just old stock selling 'till its all gone