Chris T Loc: from England across the pond to New England

Chime in - all who have had experience with their cameras ....

mrpentaxk5ii

Chris, back at it again... Question..Where will Chris T be in 5 years....Answer....who cares.

rook2c4 Loc: Philadelphia, PA USA

Within the camera industry, so much can change over a five year period. Even new companies could emerge and dominate the market. I wouldn't be surprised if one of the China-based camera companies (such as Aigo) will saturate the global market with their cameras within the next few years. What will happen to Ricoh in five years' time is anyone's guess.

mrpentaxk5ii

I have a K10D, a KR and a K5ii, if they come out with a camera like Nikons D500, I will pick that up. I have a Pentax 12-24 F4, Sigma 17-50 F2.8, Sigma 17-7- F 2.8-4.5. A Pentax 50mm F2.8 macro, Apentax 55-300 F 4.5-5.8 that will be replaced with the 60-250mm F4 and a Sigma 120-400mm F4.5-5.6. I may picke up the Pentax 77mm F1.8, small lens but works, rented one for an out-door wedding, works great. so over the next year or two my camera equipment will outlast myself.

Chris T Loc: from England across the pond to New England

MrPentaxK5II ... my, oh, my ... aren't YOU the hypocrite?

Chris T Loc: from England across the pond to New England

MrPentaxK5II ... I will pass this on to Ricoh ... they might award you a medal ....

Chris T Loc: from England across the pond to New England

Rook2c4 ... I suspect they will still be around ... they've come up with some pretty innovative new products, now.

BebuLamar

Where will you be in 5 years? How I hate the question.

Chris T Loc: from England across the pond to New England

Bebu ... it came out of a comment someone made to me earlier, about the eventual demise of Pentax ....

Since I am most impressed with some of their latest offerings ... I was quite surprised ...

Oh, yes ... I will most likely be right here - where I've been for the past 45 years ....

BebuLamar

I don't know but 5 more years may be Ricoh gets rid of Pentax. Their cameras are good but there aren't too many buyers. I have no interest in Pentax product ever since the start of AF cameras. I like manual focus cameras but like none of the AF ones film or digital. The reason?? They don't look good. Yeah look is important to me.

Chris T Loc: from England across the pond to New England

Bebu ....

The comment you made seems to imply you don't realize Pentax makes AF cameras ....

Or, is this an illusion to your belief since most of the older lenses available used are MF lenses, then the bodies must be, also?

Well, Pentax no longer makes Manual-Focus-only bodies. The K-1, K-3II, K-3, KP and K-70 are all AF.

They also have quite an array of lenses. The only limited option seems to be in the UWA-Z area.

Still, their AP-Zs and longer zooms are all exemplary ...

dave_roe Loc: Rome Italy

I have heard the same question about Pentax for years. I was told the first time I went to a local camera club to dump my Pentax gear and go with Canon or Nikon the only real cameras on the market and that Pentax was about to fold. (That was over 20 years ago). Instead of dumping Pentax I dumped being part of that local club.

I cut my teeth with Pentax. moved over into digital with Pentax and have heard the doom and gloom. Well all I can say is I have had the K100d, the K20, K10, K7, K5 and the K3. Sold the K10 and K7 to fund a new lens or two. Use the K100d as a tool when folks want to see if photography is their new thing and make it a loaner.

The K20, 5 are great backup rigs. The K3 is still going strong. Now if Pentax disappears it means taking the best of my Pentax lenses and finding an adapter that will fit on a new line.

Do I see that as happening. Nope. In 5 years the landscape will be what it is. I figure all three cameras will last long enough that I don't have to worry about it. If all of a sudden it appears they will disappear I will pick up a K1 and be happy.

They make some great lenses and to be honest I have found that in most cases based on what one shoots it is not the camera but the person behind the camera. Hell you can get great shots with one time use cameras if you know how to shoot. Oh wait they are slowly disappearing.... drat......

Being retired and now using my Pentax gear as a way to cash in on the hobby they perform well and help keep the bank account in the black.

dhowland

The Pentax-is-dying story is perennial. Not that they won't ever, but so far they continue to survive. They don't have the low-end crap cameras that Nikon (at least) sells a lot of to unsuspecting folk who don't understand that they're not getting value even at those lower price points. In that sense Pentax's brand is not as powerful. But I've been able to buy superb cameras at a great value as a result. I'm hoping this continues to be a strong enough niche for Pentax, but who knows ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

sandersonjack15

I'm thinking my Pentax gear will be in my hand.likes it has always been. The LX will still take photos for many years

BebuLamar

They did but in my opinion all of their AF cameras are not nice. I don't even feel I want any of their AF cameras. After the LX all down hill from there. The K1 as I said in another thread it offers a lot for the money but one look at it turned me down.