Q: Why aren't you writing about the layoffs at Pentax?
A: Because these are just the contractions that Hoya already announced it would make after its Q3 losses? Because I don't want to pile on or add to rumors? Because I'm not yet convinced the sky is falling? Because I'm not into Hoya Inc. short?
Everybody's adjusting.
Mike
So the sky's not falling then???
What a hugely good news Mike!
After reading some posts yesterday, I got pretty much convinced that my K10D would disintegrate forever in the evening and I would never again make pictures with it.
Yet I went out for a walk in Brussels and you know what? It worked perfect, made loads of pictures and I enjoyed using it just the same as during the last two years, in which I truly found a pleasure to use such a "bad" camera from a brand which is always "falling down".
In fact, I felt exactly like I felt back in 97, when my Macs worked great in spite of the many daily announcements that Apple was going to die any of those days... :P
Posted by: Cateto/Jose | Thursday, 19 March 2009 at 10:59 AM
The news on the DPR home page (1/2 Japan workforce) makes you think about the alliances between them and other camera manufacturers ;-(
As you said, this is old news and yet "some" make it sound like it's the end of Pentax!
Was the "Nikon Lays off 2600 people" on the front page of DPR?
The bottom line is that Pentax lost by far less money than either Nikon or Canon last year. AND, they will lose much, much less in the upcoming year! Both, Nikon and Canon are far more vulnerable to the credit crunch, and they have extended credit to many camera shops which are in trouble (i.e. Ritz)
Posted by: ShadZee | Thursday, 19 March 2009 at 11:17 AM
Classic.
But you might have entitled it "This is not a comment on Pentax faltering in a Toxic Economy"
(Ceci n'est pas...)
;)
Posted by: Mike | Thursday, 19 March 2009 at 11:52 AM
I hope Pentax survives, if only for its lenses (and its employees!). Pentax's Limited primes are terrific--as good or better than anything from Canikony. And they're quirky, which is a good thing. This is a company that dares to be weird. It deserves a long and happy life. And please make those Limited lenses available in Nikon mount. (Hey, it works for Zeiss and Voigtlander.) My *istDL has bitten the dust, and I can't justify buying a replacement.
Posted by: John Edwin Mason | Thursday, 19 March 2009 at 12:00 PM
The fact is, this is the digital revolution, and its impact is as great, or greater, than the industrial revolution.
Henny Penny, the sky is falling. Everyone, keep your shirt on. Go out and take some pictures.
Posted by: misha | Thursday, 19 March 2009 at 05:36 PM
Sigh.
I shoot Pentax, and I love the brand. Long live. But have we considered that perhaps Hoya might make more of the Pentax lens line available on other mounts ONLY IF they don't have a camera-body operation to support? After all, who would ever a Pentax body if they could buy a Pentax lens to mount on their perfectly good Canikon body which they already have?
Posted by: James Liu | Thursday, 19 March 2009 at 06:47 PM
Maybe Pentax should have a paypal donate button on their website. I would give a buck or two.
Posted by: J Stevens | Thursday, 19 March 2009 at 08:26 PM
"A: Because these are just the contractions that Hoya already announced it would make after its Q3 losses? Because I don't want to pile on or add to rumors? Because I'm not yet convinced the sky is falling? Because I'm not into Hoya Inc. short?
Everybody's adjusting."
These being the basis of your position on the situation would seem to indicate a less inflammatory title might have been more appropriate?
Posted by: joe2pointoh | Friday, 20 March 2009 at 11:18 AM