Ricoh may be considering killing off the Pentax brand
Apr 12, 2017
John Aldred
John Aldred is a photographer with over 25 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter – and occasional beta tester – of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.
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UPDATE: Ricoh are denying the report. For the full update see the end of the post
Just when Pentax seemed like it might be starting to pick up, Nikkei Asian Review are reporting that Ricoh may be dropping the brand. There’s no doubt that smartphones are continuing to eat into camera sales, and Pentax has become a “money-losing” business.
Nikkei say that Ricoh plan to “radically review” a production and manufacturing strategy targeting the Pentax and GR brands. One of the options includes withdrawing from the segment completely.
Ricoh started out in 1936 as Riken Kankoshi Co. Ltd making sensitised paper products. Two and a half years later, it rebranded as Riken Optical Co. Ltd and shifted to optical devices and equipment. Fast forward to 2011, and they acquired Hoya’s Pentax SLR camera business for 10 billion yen (around US$125mil).
They had hoped to use the brand to lead a charge of higher sales toward camera enthusiasts, but the sales did not pick up. They’re 6th in global market share of interchangeable lens camera manufacturers, and 8th amongst camera makers overall.
Ricoh does have some popular class leading products, such as the Theta S 360° camera. Although high resolution smartphone cameras have kept its traditional camera business in the red ever since acquisition.
So, they are apparently making the move toward commercial application. One example cited is automotive cameras, which it expects to have ready during the first quarter of 2018. And they estimate sales to be around 50 billion yen in 2020.
In the USA, Ricoh have laid off 1,000 workers as it restructures. In Japan, the company says it plans to offer early retirement.
I suppose a lack of any kind of real third party support has also contributed. And while some companies, such as Cactus, have recently announced future support, it’s just not enough. Most of the third party lens & flash manufacturers only really support Nikon, Canon, and more recently Sony.
It’s a vicious cycle, though. 3rd party companies won’t support a brand until it gains a certain level of user base. But without that third party support, it can be difficult for the brand to gain that momentum in the first place.
So, it’s not very surprising that Pentax have had more of a “cult” status amongst photographers than other brands.
Whether or not they’ll completely kill off the brand remains to be seen. It looks like Pentax shooters might want to start considering other options for the future.
UPDATE : Ricoh have issued a press release in response to the Nikkei article
With regard to the article about RICOH today
Apr. 12, 2017
Ricoh Co.,Ltd.Today there was an article saying that RICOH considers to shrink the camera business and withdraw from consumer products. This article is not based on RICOH’s official announcement.
RICOH is focusing its resource on the high added value products such as PENTAX and GR that are appreciated by the existing users and photo hobbyists. RICOH is also a market leader of input devices in the VR or AR market with its “RICOH THETA” where we can see rapid growth, and will keep on expanding the business even more in this field. In addition, RICOH will develop and expand the imaging business in the solution business field for corporate, by creating new market utilizing its own camera technology.
So, it appears reports of Pentax’s demise may be a little off the mark, according to Ricoh.
[via Nikkei]
John Aldred
John Aldred is a photographer with over 25 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter – and occasional beta tester – of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.
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21 responses to “Ricoh may be considering killing off the Pentax brand”
This is why, as much as I liked the ones I’ve used, I chose not to go with Pentax. I was worried about this. The cameras are awesome, as long as you’re not doing action photography or video. They are rugged. And, all of their lenses (even old manual film lenses) work on their camera bodies. But, they just don’t seem to have the market share needed to survive.
Well someone better buy it out from ricoh because I didn’t spend a ballsack of money on pentax bodies and lenses to have them take it out back and shoot it in the head.
I refuse to go to nikon or canon. Pentax has been in my family for generations.
They should reconsider that. Ricoh is copiers, Pentax is cameras. I know they own the name, but who’s going to buy a Ricoh camera?
Other than canon all the other camera manufactures aren’t making money. Nikon conceded an extraordinary loss last year. Panasonic, fujifilm aren’t doing well too
Sony is making money
Or has been making more than the rest the last couple years everything is slowing down a little
how this can be verified? Sony makes more money than the others? have you got any data to support that?
It’s a good thing it’s not true, because the Lens Flipper just started shipping a Pentax K Mount Lens Flipper!
How about publishing the official statement from Ricoh…. Not this bullshit…
Thanks Nick, for posting the statement from Ricoh! Pentax lives on.
Not by much. Pentax seldom makes money, has been through multiple bankruptcies, and Ricoh has displayed no propensity for translating the intellectual assets into a profit-making business. Their best bet might be to try selling the mess to Canon. Canon *might* give up a little cash to enter the medium format business and own the interchangeable lens patents. I doubt that the SLR portion of the business will live on much longer no matter who ends up with it. Canon would probably sell the compact camera portion to a third party unless there are some unusual patents hiding in there. This business sector is overcrowded, and Pentax is arguably the weakest of the lot, so it makes sense that Pentax might die off soon.
Good to know considering I recently picked up a K-70 and lenses. On the plus side, I’m not out a lot of coin and could switch in future if and when I need to upgrade. Meanwhile, I’m enjoying the features they packed into this cool camera.
I’ve been warning people for years to stay away from the brand. Some people are refusing to change because they own lenses from the 80’s and 90’s, but lenses that old are often inadequate to fully support today’s digital sensors. Most lenses from Canon since 2010, for example, are replacing even their own designs from the 2000’s.
One nice thing about Pentax is that the image stabilization is in the camera, not the lens.
My vintage lenses I inherited from my mother are way way way better than any modern lens I have.
Web articles like this and the recent Nikon ‘extraordinary’ losses ( that actually had to do with Nikon’s Lithography subsidiary ) are nothing more than plants, set forth by the Wall street types looking to short stocks.
A real journalist would never just rehash whatever happens to be ‘trending’ but actually interview the principles involved in their respective corporations for a more truthiness account – spreading this kind of shit only serves to lessen the author and websites reputation….
“https://www.dpreview.com/news/2041805851/ricoh-denies-nikkei-report-that-it-may-leave-camera-business” Seems everyone is in a hurry to spread fake news now that Trump is in power.
Yeah, more fake news or headlines to attract clicks. Please try and have more credibility.
More fake news.
Seven and half plus years later Pentax is still here.