What brand of camera do you use?

[Arjuna93]

Pentax has scrapped its announced plans- put on hold a year or so ago- to release a digital 645 body and new lenses. They stopped production on the 645N and 645NII quite some time ago. What medium format camera are they supposedly "making?" Not that the 645's got much traction, the 6x7 was really the only unmatched MF camera they produced- and I've have gotten a Mamiya rangefinder instead if I'd really been thinking clearly when I got mine (you want mirror slap- the P67 was the king of mirror slap!)

So no, Pentax isn't "the only brand which makes mid format cameras"- they're the "brand which used to make medium format cameras prior to their takeover back before the management team got thrown out on its ear" for trying to resist the takeover at the last minute. Hoya seems to have replaced the "we can compete at the high end" team with a "we can compete in the middle" team. If, as it seems the numbers say, they lost share in a growing market last year, then next year will be particularly difficult, because this year isn't looking all rosy.

The new Hoya-owned Pentax is a shadow of what it was, and their announced plan to be third in the DSLR market is frankly looking simply unachievable unless they try to count Samsung's production- and let's face it, Samsung has over 6.3x the market capitalization of Hoya, so Pentax isn't the dominant player in that relationship by any stretch of the imagination (~$103B vs ~$16.3B.) Pentax itself had a market cap of just $695M at last year's takeover. Hoya aren't looking particularly healthy market-wise at the moment either.

First of all, this doesn't explain exclusion of Pentax from brands list. And I believe its market share is more than of Konica-Minolta, Sony or Olimpus.

Secondly, from Pentax official website it isn't clear that medium format cameras are discontinued. While all other film cameras are labeled as "discontinued models", medium format are NOT:
http://www.pentax.jp/english/imaging/filmcamera/medium/index.html

And digital 645 may also appear sooner or later.

 

[Techguy172]

I use a Sony, I want to get that New A-900.

 

[Westside guy]

First of all, this doesn't explain exclusion of Pentax from brands list. And I believe its market share is more than of Konica-Minolta, Sony or Olimpus.

You should read the whole thread before making a statement like that...

2007 DSLR Market:

1. 42.7% Canon 3.81M bodies
2. 40.0% Nikon 2.98M bodies
3. 6.0% Sony (Should be about 447K bodies)
4. 6.0% Olympus (Slightly behind Sony in units sold)
5. >5.3% Pentax

I think Compuwar meant to put a "less than" symbol in there rather than a "greater than" symbol - otherwise the numbers don't add up.

In overall market share (meaning including the huge point-and-shoot market), Pentax ranks 11th. Nikon doesn't seem to have figured out how to make compelling P&S cameras... but they've got to be happy with how they're doing with digital SLRs.

 

[cube]

2007 DSLR Market:

1. 42.7% Canon 3.81M bodies
2. 40.0% Nikon 2.98M bodies
3. 6.0% Sony (Should be about 447K bodies)
4. 6.0% Olympus (Slightly behind Sony in units sold)
5. >5.3% Pentax

The percentages and number of bodies do not match.

 

[TheReef]

Does it really matter what Pentax ranks?
It depends on the sample…

I have seen quite a few Pentax users on these forums so it makes sense to include it as a separate option.

Come on OP

 

[cube]

What sample? That ranking is based on ALL the sales for 2007.

 

[Arjuna93]

645 Digital gonna be made by Pentax.

http://dc.watch.impress.co.jp/cda/other/2008/09/26/9317.html

http://dc.watch.impress.co.jp/cda/parts/image_for_link/86835-9317-15-1.html

 

[compuwar]

First of all, this doesn't explain exclusion of Pentax from brands list. And I believe its market share is more than of Konica-Minolta, Sony or Olimpus.

Believe all you want, the fact is that Sony and Olympus have 6% each (in case you missed it, Sony bought K-M a while back.) Pentax has less than 5%. This is well documented, easy to find and clearly shows that Pentax is behind Sony and Olympus. Hoya's more solvent than Oly, but their stock's been doing the same downward dance over the last year, that can't be from gaining significant market share (and in the "Not Canon or Nikon" category, 2% would be a game-changer.)

Secondly, from Pentax official website it isn't clear that medium format cameras are discontinued. While all other film cameras are labeled as "discontinued models", medium format are NOT:
http://www.pentax.jp/english/imaging/filmcamera/medium/index.html

Show me a major camera site selling a bunch of new Pentax 645s. Here's a hint- when there's no current link to a camera body on B&H, it's for a pretty good reason. Google will happily serve up answers to "Pentax 645N discontinued" including the old B&H pages where the status is set to "Discontinued."

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/145096-USA/Pentax_15722_645N_AF_Camera_Body.html#

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/247254-USA/Pentax_15742_645N_II_AF_Camera.html

Maybe you know less about Pentax than you originally thought?

Just in case you think it's 645 only:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/221193-USA/Pentax__67_II_Medium_Format.html

The European lead in products ban killed Pentax's bodies (lead solder) and lenses (lead in the glass.) It wasn't worth them retooling to produce new ones, so they shut down production. Same with the Hassy X-Pan- but Hassy had their digital line ready to go and Imacon's take-over didn't rock the boat as much as Hoya's.

And digital 645 may also appear sooner or later.

For a camera announced in 2005, late 2008 seems to be a little late to revive this beast- however "may appear" is quite a different animal than "is in production." I repeat- Pentax is not producing a medium format camera at the moment. All indications are that they won't start again.

I think Compuwar meant to put a "less than" symbol in there rather than a "greater than" symbol - otherwise the numbers don't add up.

Yes, I did indeed mean to put a less than- my mistake.

The percentages and number of bodies do not match.

7.49M overall units, other than the typo attributing more than 5% to Pentax, my spreadsheet says the numbers are on-point.

645 Digital gonna be made by Pentax.

http://dc.watch.impress.co.jp/cda/other/2008/09/26/9317.html

http://dc.watch.impress.co.jp/cda/parts/image_for_link/86835-9317-15-1.html

Here's the timeline up to '07:

http://www.digitalcamerainfo.com/content/What-Ever-Happened-to-the-Pentax-Digital-645-15431.htm

Here's where it was "officially" temporarily suspended:

http://www.smartphotography.in/news...-Temporary-Suspension-OF-Pentax-645-Digital-/

Honestly though, this was a product of the old Pentax management, not the new Hoya one. The chances that Pentax will start chunking out MF cameras and lenses again after such a long hiatus is slim to none, especially on a model that's been out of resources in development for so long in a segment that really doesn't seem to be growing. Given that Hassy's had to ditch up to 40%, the margins here aren't going to be good for anyone who's not currently established and involved IMO.

 

[cube]

7.49M overall units, other than the typo attributing more than 5% to Pentax, my spreadsheet says the numbers are on-point.

The number of Canon bodies is wrong.

 

[alphaod]

I'm a less than Amateur photographer. I've been using a Canon 20D since late 2004. I don't plan to upgrade until maybe in at least another year when I have time to be more serious and have gotten better.

 

[compuwar]

The number of Canon bodies is wrong.

Ugh, a typo in transferring the numbers, it's 3.18M.

 

[pdxflint]

I think we're getting lost in the issues of market share/statistics etc. The poll is what it is, but for this photographer Pentax is one of the old venerable names in modern photography, especially 35mm and medium format, and to exclude it, while including stereo manufacturer Sony (who bought their way into the business around 10 years ago) just looks odd... I'm sure the poll could add a few names, but, honestly does it matter. It's more for the original poster's curiosity about what we forum users are shooting with, so with that in mind, rather than actually voting in the poll, I'll just tell him here.

Digital SLR - Nikon D50

Digital P/S - Canon Powershot A95, Motorola cellphone, iSight webcam

Film 35mm SLR - Pentax Spotmatic II, Olympus OM-1, Canon EOS A2 (I still use them all...)

Film medium format - Yashica TLR (old, cheap, educational)

Film 35mm P/S - Konica Big Mini (extremely sharp fixed 35mm f/2.8 lens, good exposure compensation, very small, quiet, less than $100 new.)

 

[TheReef]

What sample? That ranking is based on ALL the sales for 2007.

The sample of the Macrumors forum (the one the OP is trying to measure).

 

[Arjuna93]

I think we're getting lost in the issues of market share/statistics etc. The poll is what it is, but for this photographer Pentax is one of the old venerable names in modern photography, especially 35mm and medium format

Moreover, Pentax K10d got several awards in 2007–2008:

"The PENTAX K10D goes on to win several international awards in 2007 including TIPA, American Photo Magazine Editor's Choice, Camera Grand Prix, Consumer Electronics Association Innovations, MacLife Editors' Choice and EISA Best Product (camera)."
http://www.pentaximaging.com/world_of_pentax/history_of_innovations/2000-present/

http://www.letsgodigital.org/en/15884/eisa-award-pentax-k10d/
http://www.photoxels.com/pr-pentax-k10d-tipa-award-2007.html

P. S. Regarding 645 Digital, i read the info that it gonna be introduced next summer. So let's just wait and see.

 

[yoppie]

I'm not a photographer so no fancy camera for me. I have a point and shoot Canon SD1000.

 

[filmamigo]

It's funny to read so much fuss about Pentax. Clearly lots of Pentax shooters here in Mac-land. (Not surprising that people who use a minority computer will also embrace a minority camera.)

For DSLR, I shoot with a Pentax *ist DL (6 megapixel body roughly equivalent to a Nikon D50.)

For film, I shoot lots of different cameras, but my favourites include the Pentax Program Plus, a Spotmatic F (both in classic black), and a modern MZ-7.

As to the future of Pentax and the 645D, apparently a VP gave an interview at Photokina a few days back. Pentax is committed to APS-C for small bodies, and to the 645D for "advanced amateur" and pro use. They intend to skip 35mm-sized "full-frame", and shoot above and below that slot that Nikon and Canon are fighting for.

 

[Mr X]

Nikon D90

 

[Westside guy]

It's funny to read so much fuss about Pentax. Clearly lots of Pentax shooters here in Mac-land. (Not surprising that people who use a minority computer will also embrace a minority camera.)

It also explains the double-doses of paranoia and bruised feelings.

 

[SLC Flyfishing]

Asking that a brand be included in a poll when there's clearly a very significant amount of people who use that brand is not paranoia or bruised feelings.

SLC

 

[Digital Skunk]

Asking that a brand be included in a poll when there's clearly a very significant amount of people who use that brand is not paranoia or bruised feelings.

SLC

that's actually a very good point, given that Konica Minolta (two former seperate companies) are now underneath Sony and should have been one brand in the polls.

 

[brn2ski00]

Canon SD1000 ELPH -- just a 7+ MP camera used for taking nothing special.

 

[ghall]

I use a Pentax. It looked like a good camera, and it is really good. Takes great pictures (though you have to set it up manually to get anything really great)

 

[ziwi]

Rebel XT for the SLR and Canon for the P&S

XT getting a little long in the tooth...hmmm

 

[BoingoBongo]

I've always used Canon, so that's what I have now. However, I am seriously considering a Nikon whenever I upgrade, just to try something new. I don't have a ton of money invested in Canon lenses, so it wouldn't be too hard.

I think both companies make some really good stuff.

 

[tonie]

5D but I would love to try out Nikon D3 or equivalent.