Whatever happened to Pentax?

"Happy Traveler" wrote in message
. ..
I have a Spotmatic SPII -- still in good working order. It's a classic, but
in spite of the catchy name, it only measures some sort of center-weighted
average. Don't believe that the Spotmatic, or even its early 1980's
successors (like the ME Super that I also have) ever did any more than
that. On the other hand, film is a lot more tolerant of overexposure than
digital, so spot measuring for highlights was not as big a deal as it is
now...


"Dudley Hanks" wrote in message
news:IQGAj.69831$FO1.22055@edtnps82...

Well, sort of. If my memory isn't too fuzzy, I think that they "said"
they were going to make the first SLR with spot metering -- the
Spotmatic. Pentax made a pre-production model according to its claims,
but when it hit production the spot sensoring turned out to be a couple
of sensors that really only read an average of the light in the
viewfinder. I'm not sure if they later modified the spotmatic to
actually use spot metering, or whether one of the other giants got it
into production first.




Yes, that is a classic.

I read something on the net a while back that Pentax wants to revive the
concept / name with a digital version. Have you heard anything about that?

Take Good Care of Your Classic,
Dudley

Doug Jewell wrote:
As for myself, the last few times I've gone to buy a camera, I was
purchasing a compact that both my wife and I would be using. She
likes an optical view-finder while I use the LCD. This
more-or-less ruled out Pentax, since I couldn't find a Pentax with
an optical finder at any of the local camera shops.

If an optical viewfinder is one of your requirements, you will rule
out pretty much everyone. Canon and Sony are the only ones left with
optical viewfinders in their P&S cameras, and even those two are
reducing the number of models with it.

As P&Ss get smaller, and LCD screens get bigger, there's simply not
enough room for a viewfinder on many of the cameras. Add to that the
number of consumers who prefer viewfinders dwindling, and... well, it's
a pretty easy guess where that goes.

"Doug Jewell" wrote:
Dudley Hanks wrote:
Back in the '60s, '70s and even into the '80s Pentax was right up there
with Canon and Nikon. But, today, it seems like the company doesn't even
get honourable mention in the brand wars. What happened?
Not sure about in the rest of the world, but their distribution within
Australia didn't move with the times, and hence their availability was
poorer than other brands.

They have also pretty much abandoned the serious pro market, leaving that
for Canon and Nikon. They are still a fairly strong player in the advanced
amateur category at #3 in DSLR (albeit a long way behind Canon and Nikon).
In the compact camera market they are just another one of the masses.

FWIW, Pentax is _the_ camera of choice for medium format film landscape
photographers in Japan. They split the medium format film market with
Mamiya, whose cameras are seen more as studio cameras. Interestingly, only
one of the Pentax and Mamiya medium format film cameras has been
discontinued. Yet. (My best bet is that most of the Mamiya cameras are, like
the Hasselblad 500 series, not being mfd, but are still being sold as new
from stock. But Mamiya is still advertising (6645AFD, 7II, RB67(!!!), and
RZ67) in the current magazines here.)

What about the rest of you? Any ideas on why Pentax has sort of faded
into the background?
Because Pentax don't have the serious pro 35mm format digitals, that
market has been left to Canon and Nikon. As a result, these 2 hold the
vast majority of the market share.

Actually Nikon have only been a major player again in the last couple of
years - they almost became marginalised too - the D40/D40x were the start
of their clawback, helped by the D200, and now with the D3/D300 they are
well and truly back in the game.

Yep.

David J. Littleboy
Tokyo, Japan

David J. Littleboy wrote:
"Doug Jewell" wrote:
Dudley Hanks wrote:
Back in the '60s, '70s and even into the '80s Pentax was right up there
with Canon and Nikon. But, today, it seems like the company doesn't even
get honourable mention in the brand wars. What happened?
Not sure about in the rest of the world, but their distribution within
Australia didn't move with the times, and hence their availability was
poorer than other brands.

They have also pretty much abandoned the serious pro market, leaving that
for Canon and Nikon. They are still a fairly strong player in the advanced
amateur category at #3 in DSLR (albeit a long way behind Canon and Nikon).
In the compact camera market they are just another one of the masses.

FWIW, Pentax is _the_ camera of choice for medium format film landscape
photographers in Japan. They split the medium format film market with
Mamiya, whose cameras are seen more as studio cameras. Interestingly, only
one of the Pentax and Mamiya medium format film cameras has been
discontinued. Yet. (My best bet is that most of the Mamiya cameras are, like
the Hasselblad 500 series, not being mfd, but are still being sold as new
from stock. But Mamiya is still advertising (6645AFD, 7II, RB67(!!!), and
RZ67) in the current magazines here.)
Yeah, from what I can understand talking to the a few
working pros around here, Pentax pretty much own the MF
category. Unfortunately that category has started to take a
hit with more and more switching to high end 35mm digital
like the Canon 1DIII and Nikon D3. There was a time not so
long ago, when most of the serious wedding photographers
were shooting Pentax or Mamiya 645 equipment - now it is all
30D or 5D. The price has gone down, but so has the quality IMO.
Have you heard any word on the much rumoured 645 Digital?
If/When that comes out, that should really make people stand
up and take notice of Pentax again as a serious pro brand.

A full-frame 35mm DSLR wouldn't go astray in their range
either, but since it appears most of the film format lenses
have been discontinued (including the 50/1.4, what are they
thinking?), I can't see that happening any time soon

What about the rest of you? Any ideas on why Pentax has sort of faded
into the background?
Because Pentax don't have the serious pro 35mm format digitals, that
market has been left to Canon and Nikon. As a result, these 2 hold the
vast majority of the market share.

Actually Nikon have only been a major player again in the last couple of
years - they almost became marginalised too - the D40/D40x were the start
of their clawback, helped by the D200, and now with the D3/D300 they are
well and truly back in the game.

Yep.

David J. Littleboy
Tokyo, Japan

"Dudley Hanks" wrote in message
news:xsJAj.75018$w57.21273@edtnps90...

"Happy Traveler" wrote in message
. ..
I have a Spotmatic SPII -- still in good working order. It's a classic,
but in spite of the catchy name, it only measures some sort of
center-weighted average. Don't believe that the Spotmatic, or even its
early 1980's successors (like the ME Super that I also have) ever did any
more than that. On the other hand, film is a lot more tolerant of
overexposure than digital, so spot measuring for highlights was not as big
a deal as it is now...


"Dudley Hanks" wrote in message
news:IQGAj.69831$FO1.22055@edtnps82...

Well, sort of. If my memory isn't too fuzzy, I think that they "said"
they were going to make the first SLR with spot metering -- the
Spotmatic. Pentax made a pre-production model according to its claims,
but when it hit production the spot sensoring turned out to be a couple
of sensors that really only read an average of the light in the
viewfinder. I'm not sure if they later modified the spotmatic to
actually use spot metering, or whether one of the other giants got it
into production first.




Yes, that is a classic.

I read something on the net a while back that Pentax wants to revive the
concept / name with a digital version. Have you heard anything about
that?

Take Good Care of Your Classic,
Dudley

Indeed, I have a box full that I still use. :-)

Doug Jewell wrote:
nospam wrote:
pentax sdm lenses won't work on earlier
cameras, such as the k100d.

They work, they won't autofocus. Which is the same situation you will
have with Nikon if you mount a non-AFS lens on a D40/D40x.

Not only do they work... they will autofocus too!
The pentax DA* lenses have a double AF system.
On cameras that support it they will use SDM and on older cameras
they'll revert to the old screwdrive AF.

SR.

Doug Jewell wrote:
Have you heard any word on the much rumoured 645 Digital?

According to these pictures, they really seem to have had one in
development, at least:

http://www.digitalcamera.jp/html/Hot...8-03/07/p645d/

sally wrote:


Canon and Nikon are just better at developing and marketing new products.
Pentax and Yashica are trying to come back, but that will be difficult.

Yashica?

Surely that's a name that's not been used in years. Who owns it?

Pete

--
http://www.petezilla.co.uk

"Dudley Hanks" wrote in message
news:IQGAj.69831$FO1.22055@edtnps82...

"George Kerby" wrote in message
...



On 3/8/08 2:46 PM, in article nWCAj.74916$w57.63673@edtnps90, "Dudley
Hanks"
wrote:

Back in the '60s, '70s and even into the '80s Pentax was right up there
with
Canon and Nikon. But, today, it seems like the company doesn't even get
honourable mention in the brand wars. What happened?

The first SLR with spot metering as I recall in the late 60's.


Well, sort of. If my memory isn't too fuzzy, I think that they "said"
they were going to make the first SLR with spot metering -- the Spotmatic.
Pentax made a pre-production model according to its claims, but when it
hit production the spot sensoring turned out to be a couple of sensors
that really only read an average of the light in the viewfinder. I'm not
sure if they later modified the spotmatic to actually use spot metering,
or whether one of the other giants got it into production first.

Trying to Remember,
Dudley



Pentax introduced the prototype Spotmatic at Photokina in 1960, describing
it as having a TTL spot meter. The camera wasn't actually released till 4
years later, and it featured an averaging meter, but Pentax kept the
"Spotmatic" name. The camera was neither "Spot metering" nor "automatic."

That notwithstanding, I still have my original Spotmatic IIa from 1973, and
it looks in mint condition and performs flawlessly. I've accumulated 22 SMC
Takumar lenses over the past 35 years, along with another 11 camera bodies,
bellows and other accessories. I use them all, and have no plans to "go
digital." I scan my films and am quite happy with that arrangement.

The lenses are superb, and it would cost a fortune to replicate the system
in digital if, in fact, such prime lenses were even available.

Not bad for equipment that has been in service for a third of a century!

Dudley Hanks wrote:
Back in the '60s, '70s and even into the '80s Pentax was right up there with
Canon and Nikon. But, today, it seems like the company doesn't even get
honourable mention in the brand wars. What happened?

As for myself, the last few times I've gone to buy a camera, I was
purchasing a compact that both my wife and I would be using. She likes an
optical view-finder while I use the LCD. This more-or-less ruled out
Pentax, since I couldn't find a Pentax with an optical finder at any of the
local camera shops.

I still have an old Pentax P3 film SLR that shoots great shots, and I pull
it out every now and then. I can't think of any reason why the quality of
Pentax film cameras should not have carried over into the digital world.

What about the rest of you? Any ideas on why Pentax has sort of faded into
the background?

Pondering,
Dudley



What is in a brand name? I prefer to buy on quality, price and a product
that does what I want - rather than follow the 'trendy/in' names.

The K10D does that and is one of the best cameras Pentax has ever made.

--
Clive

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take.....
but by the moments that take our breath away.