Ricoh to buy Pentax

[pinholecam]

I guess its official :

http://www.hoya.co.jp/english/index.html


Don't know what it means for future brand name (Change to 'Ricoh'?)
Just have to wait and see.
Certainly won't mean an end to Pentax DSLR and K-mount since Ricoh does not make DSLRs.
Might be a good thing since Ricoh is a more serious camera maker than HOYA.

Time will tell....

 

[pinholecam]

Full news here :
http://www.hoya.co.jp/english/news/latest/d0h4dj0000001fv8-att/d0h4dj0000001fwi.pdf




"Now Ricoh aims to establish a consumer business. As a first step to achieve this goal, Ricoh
strengthens its camera businesses. Ricoh takes it as an indispensable initiative to obtain the small and
lightweight interchangeable lens camera technology, lens technology and sales channels held by the
Pentax Imaging Systems Division to pave the way for further advancement and innovations in the
digital camera market.
Through this acquisition, Ricoh plans to 1) enhance its digital camera businesses (especially the
interchangeable lens camera market which is expected to grow), 2) create value-added businesses for
taken photographs (creation and development of value-added services that encourage seeing, storing
and refinishing photographs and utilize photographs as communication tools), and 3) expand to other
fields (study of entry into the image archiving business using medium-format digital cameras and
enhancement of security-related products)"

 

[le petit prince]

Ok, I know we Pentax DSLR users are in a rather exclusive club, but I don't realise how exclusive till this sentence jumps out:

"Pentax is the world's tenth largest digital camera brand by shipments, with just 1.5 percent of the market, according to research firm IDC."

Hope Ricoh will keep the Pentax name.. probably will.

 

[poppyer]

haha, now it is really funny.

how will Ricoh deal with PentaxQ and RicohGXR ?

 

[oceanpriest]

Ricohian sounds ugly :cry:

 

[flowerpot]

the GXR has a lot of potential... already got M mount... maybe they come out with K mount...

 

[hanzohattori]

Ricohian sounds ugly :cry:

If you read carefully, it might be NewConean.. lol :bsmilie:

 

[symmetrix]

Ricohian sounds ugly :cry:

Rican sounds more likely. As in Puerto Rico => Puerto Rican.

lol. :embrass:

 

[detritus]

if the retain the k-mount, improve SDM, expand the lens offering, enhance the flash system and introduce pro-range products (FF, monster lenses, etc), who cares about the brand name? :dunno:

 

[CorneliusK]

Hoya's lack of commitment to Pentax is disappointing.

 

[GSiGuy]

so long as my current lens line-up doesn't go obsolete cos can't be used on a future dslr, seems most of us will be ok...

 

[otc]

I was reading Dpreview and some body suggested some five letters name such as CANON, NIKON which signifies excellent or good omen. Names with seven lettters(minolta) means doom. Pentax is 6 letters and barely making it.

Some pentaxian suggested RELAX or RIPEN as the brand name for the new merger. I suggest NOTAX and I like notax, cos pocket is loaded and I can RELAX.:bsmilie::bsmilie:

Let's relax and K mount is going to be around for a long, long time.

marcus

 

[Fong L]

hope they will retain the Pentax name, or at least something like Ricoh Pentax (think Sony Ericsson).

would not want to see a name like Pentax which represent uniqueness, to go down in history joining KM lol.

 

[pinholecam]

I doubt there will be a change in brand name.
Pentax has been gaining some ground in terms of building a name on the DSLR front while Ricoh has '0'

K-mount is sure to survive since Ricoh has no DSLR system. Good point on the Q though since it may clash with the GXR (well, could be the other way round as well).
How it pans out in the long run is anyone's guess.
I sure won't be pleased if they started pricing Pentax systems like Ricoh GXRs.
Then again, the synergy of 2 camera companies can mean renewed efforts for new systems and such (think Hoya-Pentax).
Things will only be more clear from the next few camera systems and the next 2 yrs as new system/directions roll out. :think:

 

[CorneliusK]

Pentax definitely been gaining more traction, I have been seeing more and more Pentax users whenever I go shoot at events. It would be a huge shame if they kill off the name...

 

[detritus]

I was reading Dpreview and some body suggested some five letters name such as CANON, NIKON which signifies excellent or good omen. Names with seven lettters(minolta) means doom. Pentax is 6 letters and barely making it.

Some pentaxian suggested RELAX or RIPEN as the brand name for the new merger. I suggest NOTAX and I like notax, cos pocket is loaded and I can RELAX.:bsmilie::bsmilie:

Let's relax and K mount is going to be around for a long, long time.

marcus

no-tax? :bsmilie: haven't u heard? death and taxes are the only certainty in life :bsmilie:

 

[flowerpot]

pentax camera business only cost USD124 million... thats like only 150 ferrari..not bad... if im a tycoon i would have bought it... and make a camera according to my specs... :bsmilie:

 

[kof88]

I just hope GRDIV is even better !

Maybe GXR with K-mount, or mirrorless using Ricoh's GRD/GXR sensor with K-mount.

 

[hanzohattori]

pentax camera business only cost USD124 million... thats like only 150 ferrari..not bad... if im a tycoon i would have bought it... and make a camera according to my specs... :bsmilie:

I would buy a Ferrari.. and......... a Leica :bsmilie:
and keep the 123 millions

 

[detritus]

Press release on Ricoh's site:
http://www.ricoh.com/release/2011/0701_1.html

Tokyo - July 1, 2011 - Ricoh Company, Ltd. (TSE: 7752; President & CEO: Shiro Kondo; hereinafter referred to as "Ricoh") and HOYA Corporation (TSE: 7741; President & CEO: Hiroshi Suzuki; hereinafter referred to as "HOYA") announced today that the two companies entered into a definitive agreement and concluded a contract regarding the acquisition of HOYA Corporation's PENTAX Imaging Systems Business (hereinafter referred to as "PENTAX Imaging System Business") by Ricoh (hereinafter referred to as "the Acquisition").

On completion of the Acquisition, Ricoh will begin to use the PENTAX brand name for some of its digital camera products, and HOYA will continue to use the PENTAX brand name for their endoscopes and other products.

Furthermore, with the Acquisition, both companies will cooperate with each other to increase the value of the PENTAX brand.

July 1, 2011

Ricoh Company, Ltd.
HOYA Corporation​