digit-up Loc: Flushing, Michigan

So.....just out of curiosity, Why do you suppose we hear//read very little about the PENTAX/Ricoh brands of cameras and photo gear? I personally don't know the where-abouts of ANY bricks and boards shops selling Pentax lenses &cameras & such. And conversely anyone can get canons & nikons at walmart, sears and even K-mart. It seems that Even when Pentax comes out with a new Product, about the only place you can get it is B&H or Adorama. What's up with that. The pentax lenses and cameras have been better than average for years. It astounds me.

cpeter234 Loc: WA state Lost in South Boston, VA

I've wondered the same thing.

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

Their marketing is lackluster, their lenses are expensive, with few if any third party options.

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

Digit, it doesn't surprise me at all.
For example...., In Montana they ONLY sell Nikons!!!
There, Canon's are like Pentax's everywhere else.
Or at least that's what the GOD's used to tell us!!!
SS

digit-up Loc: Flushing, Michigan

I went to Viet Nam in 1968-1969, Free Vacation offerred at the time, by our illustrious GUVMENT. As a navy Hospital Corpsman, working in the I.C.U. Of the U.S.S. Repose, I had very little free time, but when I did,have some rest period, I very much liked My little Pentax SPOTMATIC.. Myself as well as many others, thought of it (the spotmatic) as THE best SLR available over there. I had that camera, a 50mm F 1.4 & a 200mm prime right up until my younger brother left me his CANON stuff. The pentax was probably 35 years old when I gave to a sailing buddy I used to race with. I did not stay with Canon stuff more than approximately 5 years, when I gave it all to my son. I'm now Basically, An avid PENTAXIAN, and find their lenses & cameras, more to my liking. My most recent pentax purchase being my Full-Frame K-1.. obviously, Most people we all know have canons or nikons, but to each his own. I guess my attachment has more than just a slight relationship with/of my VietNam days and nights. Our government had lost integrity, as far as I was concerned. And I hope some day to see it restored. And Ba Lah Ba lah Ba lah, sorry for the rant.. Pentax sustains me.. RJM

rjaywallace Loc: Wisconsin

Respectfully, I disagree, imagemeister. Pentax lenses are competitively priced vs. "Canikon" lenses with similar focal ranges and features. I agree there are fewer third-party options, but that's more the fault of third-party vendors' blind allegiance to the Nikon, Canon and Sony triumvirate. Ricoh build quality is generally first class as one would expect from a company with a professional 'image engineering' technical culture. /Ralph

Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.

There's a little mom and pop outfit based in Seattle that sells them. The owner is a bit of a space cadet, but they seem to offer a good selection and good customer service. I think it's named after a rain forest in Brazil or somewhere like that. Amazon, or something similar!

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

. I have not noticed that, I find them readily available almost anywhere, OK, Nikons and Canons may be easier to get, but about any camera store does carry Pentax, at least all the ones I know of!

LoneRangeFinder Loc: Left field

The local brick and mortar also does rentals: the stock Canons & Nikons in the DSLR section, Hasseys in the medium format section and Sonys, Olys 4/3, and Fuji in the mirrorless section. There simply isn't a market for Pentaxes....

This doesn't mean they are junk.... I would guess that there isn't a high number of users on UHH. People talk about what they use.... nothing more than that....

Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.

The Pentaxi are a numerous and loyal tribe. There are more of them about than you may think! Maybe not enough for a local brick and mortar store, they're a rare breed, but they are among us!

LoneRangeFinder Loc: Left field

No doubt. My first two cameras were Pentaxes. I was just speculating. Occasionally a Pentaxian will ask why there's not more talk on UHH. My take is: start a thread...

Generally I don't post on threads about gear I don't own-- unless I'm getting to ready to purchase it. For example: I don't currently own a mirrorless but I'll probably switch over to Fuji in the next year, so I try to stay current on the topics about Fujis...

blackest Loc: Ireland

Most of the time it doesn't matter which camera was used to take a particular photo, Well ok maybe having a weather sealed body helped in adverse conditions or that great night sky used the ability of the sensor to track the sky or the m42 lens was a little sharper due to the in-body stabalisation and was in focus because the focus system on the body was willing to work without knowing what lens was on the body. If I start saying things like that Peter says i'm being childish and immature.

Would my photo's be any better with brand X, to be fair the answers no and using brand Y isn't holding me back either.

BebuLamar

Around here there are 2 Wolf camera stores. There is also a camera store called "Camera Stop". They all have decent stock of cameras but none carries Pentax.

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

Marketing Budgets! BTW, Asahi is long gone. Hoya did little with the Pentax name. Pentax is now part of Ricoh and they are coming out with several innovative features and cameras. Used, vintage Pentax equipment is widely and readily available. I've been a Pentax fan before I even bought one, going back to Junior College photo classes in 1977. I currently as noted in my tag line own 3 Pentax SLRs, 3 Pentax DSLRs, and some 26 Pentax branded lenses. Some vintage Pentax Takumar screw mount M42 lenses can be had for under $50 on ebay. A huge variety of K-mount lenses as well for under $200.

Take a look at the Pentax K-3II (CF), Pentax K-P (CP) bodies, or Penax K-1 (FF $$) body.

gmw12 Loc: Indianapolis & Windsor/UK & Montreux/Switzerl

Pentax was acquired by Ricoh a couple of years back and is in recovery mode. They can't serve all photo segments yet, especially not the low-end, low-margin plasticy stuff sold at Walmart or Target or even Costco. They also need to catch up on lens development. It's not a Marketing issue but the limited capital expenditures. The recently announced KP SLR is a nice addition with a unique combination of Features, as does the full-frame Body.