Skip to main content

Ricoh buys Pentax from Hoya?

Pentax will be part of Ricoh by October… Huh? While not unexpected, it is a little abrupt.

Ritax? Pencoh? Nope…

Here is Ricoh’s full press release in PDF format.

“On completion of the Acquisition, Ricoh will begin to use the PENTAX brand name for some of its digital camera products, and HOYA will continue to use the PENTAX brand name for their endoscopes and other products. Furthermore, with the Acquisition, both companies will cooperate with each other to increase the value of the PENTAX brand.”

So it looks like they will use the Pentax name at least. I’ll assume that means the 35mm, 645D, and Q-mount will stay Pentax.

The Ricoh release is pretty positive from my point of view (unlike the useless Hoya one). It sounds like they respect Pentax’s history and want to really improve and grow the interchangeable systems. Maybe that will mean full-frame Pentax in the future and some interesting glass? It’s also interesting how much they mention the 645D system, so I suspect that was a big part of their interest in Pentax as well.

Aspects Pentax and Ricoh have in common:
– DNG RAW format (very glad about this one!)
– Their history goes back a long time. Ricoh film SLRs used the Pentax K-mount.
– Compact yet fully featured cameras will exceptional build quality.

Check out that release PDF for more information on Ricoh’s strategic objectives moving forward. It sounds pretty promising that more quality tools should come out from the Pentax name. Hopefully even better than what is currently offered.

– They will continue to use the Pentax name.
– They bought Pentax to further Pentax’s interchangeable systems lineup. Specifically saying they want to enhance and expand the lineup.
– They want to become a big player in the camera market (consumer meaning not big business).
– Use Pentax technologies to enter other markets. 645D image archiving business will need full featured tethering…

I’m pretty happy so far from what I’ve read. The CEO of Ricoh sounds smart and has an engineering background, which should be good for overall camera/lens quality.

Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

Nikon Z5ii Announced and My Thoughts vs the Original Z5

The Nikon Z5ii was announced recently. I haven't actually used this new camera myself, so keep that in mind. This is going to be mostly me looking at the specs and comparing it to the original Nikon Z5, which I've been using for a few years now. Check out the full video on YouTube:   Check out the Nikon Z5ii through my links:  B&H: https://bhpho.to/4j36Ilk   Amazon: https://amzn.to/3E97WvW   Adorama: https://adorama.rfvk.net/Vx2B7M Best Buy: https://bestbuycreators.7tiv.net/zxnrYW As an affiliate of these shops, I earn from qualifying purchases!  The original Nikon Z5 camera. Overall, the original Z5 isn't a bad camera. I've gotten it to a point where it works how I want it to and it's reliable for what I do.  My main use case is often anime and comic conventions, going there and taking photos of people in cosplay. I usually use the 40mm f/2 lens on the Z5, and it works well for that.  First-person view using the Nikon Z5 at an anime convention. Ni...
Read more

7Artisans 50mm f/1.8 for Nikon Z-mount Overview

In this overview, I'm taking a look at the 7Artisans 50mm f/1.8 lens for the Nikon Z system. Is it worth considering over the official Nikon Z 50mm f/1.8s lens? I also compare it with the Nikon Z 24-50mm f/4-6.3 kit lens at 50mm.  Check out the full video on YouTube :  7Artisans sent me this lens to try out based on my  collaboration terms . They had no say in the content produced and were not allowed to preview it.  Check out the lens out through the 7Artisans official store . I am not affiliated with their website.  Or see the 7artisans 50mm f/1.8 AF Lens through my links:  Amazon.com B&H Photo Video ebay.com As an affiliate of these shops, I earn from qualifying purchases!  I have two additional videos. One shows autofocus performance in video situations . The other is a mix of GoPro footage and example photos from the photowalk of the Japanese styled garden .  Build Quality & Handling 7Artisans and Nikon lens side-by-side. The 7Artisan...
Read more

EF-M Sigma 56mm vs. Viltrox 56mm

I was curious how the two native Canon EF-M 56mm f/1.4 lenses compared. Is one better in image quality or features than the other? At least right now there is a significant price difference between the two. Check out the embedded video to see how it goes!  Sigma and Viltrox 56mm lenses Check out the YouTube video here : Sigma 56mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens for Canon EF-M: B&H: https://bhpho.to/3bNQUjk Amazon: https://amzn.to/3cC8pUb ebay: http://ebay.us/5Q3NxW Used on KEH: https://shrsl.com/2b947 Viltrox 56mm f/1.4 AF lens for Canon EF-M: Amazon: https://amzn.to/39sl5Pa B&H: https://bhpho.to/3nXMoF0 ebay: http://ebay.us/b4IRWE As an affiliate of these shops, I earn from qualifying purchases!  Here are the notes I wrote up while compiling data and deciding what I should mention in the video. Physical properties of the lens: The Sigma lens is shorter but thicker than the Viltrox.   Weight is 280g for the Sigma and 290g for the Viltrox. Sigma: 66.5mm x 59.5m...
Read more