Pentax is Sold

[usayit]

Looks like their line of bad decisions are catching up. As a fan of Pentax, I have that "Oh well" response but I do wish them the best. Hey, at least it went to another photographic company...

http://www.hoya.co.jp/english/news/latest/d0h4dj0000001fv8-att/d0h4dj0000001fwi.pdf


I suspect that Hoya never really considered the division seriously as its not part of their core competency... so it just might be a good thing. Just maybe..

 

[dxqcanada2 1]

Ricoh is not that bad of a camera company. They do have a long history, though not as old as Pentax (1936 vs. 1919).

I remember the old days when I was selling Ricoh SLR's ... they were pretty good and quiet innovative in some of their designs.

 

[Derrel]

Hoya needed to absorb multiple,multiple quarters worth of Pentax losses in order to save face in Japan; Pentax still has a following in the home market, and the executives at Hoya could not simply move in, buy up Pentax, and then dump it without losing face. It's kind of sad how a once semi-thriving, bit player of a company can go from being that to being a struggling, very weak bit player. I wish they'd simply sell all their lens designs to Nikon, and be done with it all.

 

[chaosrealm93]

aww... wonder whats gonna happen to the 645 medium formats...

 

[Dao]

"According to Japanese publication Nikkei Business Daily, Ricoh will pay Hoya 10 billion yen ($124 million) to acquire its Pentax operation."

From Wikipedia
"Hoya acquired the camera company Pentax in 2007, for the price of US$1 billion, about 10% more than Pentax was valued at the time."

Hum ... that's quite a bit of loss.

 

[usayit]

"According to Japanese publication Nikkei Business Daily, Ricoh will pay Hoya 10 billion yen ($124 million) to acquire its Pentax operation."

From Wikipedia
"Hoya acquired the camera company Pentax in 2007, for the price of US$1 billion, about 10% more than Pentax was valued at the time."

Hum ... that's quite a bit of loss.

Yes I am sure its a loss BUT it might not be as bad as you think. Hoya purchased Pentax whole but only sold portions to Ricoh.





As for the 645, I hope it continues... I'd like to buy one used in a few years after it hits rock bottom in depreciation. I have a whole 645 system I'd like to try out in digital.