Pentax President Likes Leica

[bmattock]

http://asia.cnet.com/crave/2009/02/02/pentax-s-president-raves-about-the-leica-d-lux-4/

Pentax's president raves about the Leica D-Lux 4

http://nedbunnell.blogspot.com/2009/01/after-42-yrs-new-leica-added-to-my.html

My 42 year old Leica M4 has a new companion to keep it company in my original Domke bag!


I travel often on business and prefer to carry a minimum of gear. The last few months I've obsessed about having a compact camera with SLR-like image quality and sharp optics.


A week ago, I finally decided to buy the Leica D-Lux 4. Thanks to the great service at B&H, I ordered the camera on Wednesday night, had it in my hands Friday and then promptly flew off to Japan last Sunday. I didn't have much time to play with my new camera, but was able to spend an hour and half walking around with the camera Friday morning near the Ikebukuro station, in Tokyo. By coincidence, they were having some type of disaster readiness drill, so it gave me an interesting event to photograph with the D-Lux 4.

 

[swoop]

I don't understand people getting upset about that. They cater to two different markets. If Pentax wants to start producing M mount rangefinders, then by all means.

 

[Frank Petronio]

You must mean "ex" president

 

[capitalK]

Yeah I saw that on LeicaRumors.com last week. I think it's great that their president actually TAKES PHOTOS.

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

Yeah I saw that on LeicaRumors.com last week. I think it's great that their president actually TAKES PHOTOS.

Yeah, instead of exalting the virtues of driving up prices by collecting perfectly-good working cameras, goes out and uses them. Ah, if only companies were headed by actual users of their product area.

So, does this mean that Pentax will resume the production of rangefinder lenses?

 

[FA Limited]

it's not the m4 people are pissed about, it's the D-Lux 4
http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-news-rumors/48736-sleeping-dogs-lie-not-chance-ned.html

i'm understandably pissed too, it's not like the opportunity for pentax to make this type of camera wasn't available

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

Oftentimes, products are not created just because a company doesn't have the capability to make them, but because there are a lot of roadblocks imposed by close-minded CEOs, VPs and product directors. Not to mention the Holy Bean Counters which rule the world.

 

[bmattock]

Oftentimes, products are not created just because a company doesn't have the capability to make them, but because there are a lot of roadblocks imposed by close-minded CEOs, VPs and product directors. Not to mention the Holy Bean Counters which rule the world.

Not to mention that the company in question may not want to make them.

If I am not mistaken, Pentax took the decision (openly) to not pursue the 'advanced amateur' or 'prosumer' market for non-SLR digital cameras. You will note that they have no 'bridge' cameras and nothing even remotely like the Canon G series (or even the A series, really). They are a much smaller company (or were, until Hoya bought them) and decided to concentrate their efforts on the SLR market and pure point-n-shoot consumer cameras.

Was that wise of them? Well, I don't know. I'd love it if Pentax made something like the G10, but they don't, so there you go. I don't know if there are enough people like me who would want a Pentax sort of G10 or LX-3, etc to justify getting into that market.

 

[SolaresLarrave]

I read the thread linked here... and find it amusing.

He's a private citizen, earns his own money, buys his toys with his salary, is an adult and pays taxes. If he chooses to buy a camera from a manufacturer other than the one he represents... and people find out, it's his responsibility and freedom of choice. What's it going to be next? Will he have to buy Pentax cheese even if Pentax makes none? Or Pentax film, milk and laptops?

Some of the people in that Pentax forum really need a life.

As for posting the news in his personal blog... again, his choice, and he's old enough to know what may irk Pentax consumers.

I wonder what they would have done if he had posted a glowing review of the K1000.

 

[johnastovall]

I would say he likes Panasonic's, Faux-Leica rather than Leica. If it was an M8.2, he would like Leica.

 

[rover]

A view of the Pentax Forum

http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-news-rumors/48736-sleeping-dogs-lie-not-chance-ned.html

 

[Keith]

It seems naive on his part to me. Fair enough to purchase a camera of his own choice from a manfacturer that covers an area his own company ignores ... but to blog about it!

I'd be surprised if he keeps his job.

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

That's not the only thing he likes. Are people really that rabid about brand names?

I'm sure the CEO of General Mills eats food that is not made by General Mills. I'm also sure that the CEO of Exxonmobil powers his house with electricity not generated with unleaded gasoline.

And I'm pretty sure the President of Marvel Comics has purchased graphic art not created at Marvel.

 

[Jonas]

I also like to have my lens in the box in the bag instead of on the camera when im out taking snaps 😀

 

[Chris101]

I teach at one college, and have taken classes at another. We give similar, but lower level classes. Should I resign before they fire me?