Pentax MF film cameras discontinued?

[MattKing]

From a site called AGXPHOTO.INC, dated today:

"In a press release published in Japanese, Pentax
announced it was discontinuing Pentax 645 NII film
bodies and Pentax 67II film bodies before 2010. After this
April, they plan to manufacture only 450 more 645NIIs
and only 250 more 67IIs."

Here is the link:

Dead Link Removed



Matt

 

[coriana6jp]

Yep its true.

Here is the link in Japanese: http://www.pentax.jp/japan/news/announce/20090324.html

According to the Japanese press release they are having problems with the parts supplier for the electronics. Reading between the lines, my guess is the parts supplier went out of business(based upon the wording). They will not be making any more bodies, but they will continue making the lenses for the forseeable future.

Also there was an article in one of the Japanese business newspapers yesterday, that said Pentax was laying off about half of its personal camera division which includes digital cameras. Pentax has been having trouble for a while, so this does not look like a good sign.

Gary

 

[Oren Grad]

Presumably they're keeping the lens line warm for the 645D.

There's a modest silver lining for film users in the 645D announcement, assuming it ever makes it to market - the new companion 55/2.8 lens is specified as Pentax D FA rather than Pentax DA, which by analogy to the 35mm line means it ought to be usable with the film 645's too. There never was an autofocus 55 FA lens released for the 645N/NII, so if I'm interpreting this correctly the new lens would fill an important gap in the line.

 

[coriana6jp]

There was also talk for a film back option on one Japanese forum for the 645D, though it was just talk. Who knows if it will actually be produced or not.


Gary

 

[paul ewins]

The Pentax layoffs are in the Japanese workforce - most assembly takes place in Vietnam and the Philippines. Pentax also appears to be moving away from OEM compact cameras to just rebranding stuff designed and built in China. Some of those people being retrenched in Japan will have been the people hand assembling the special items which probably included the 645nII and 67II but I guess a lot would have been associated with design of the compact cameras. From memory neither MF camera could be sold in Europe because it contained lead based solder, so maybe local sales have declined to the point where the factory space will be better used on a different product (e.g. 645D).

 

[digiconvert]

Pentax is a sad story altogether- for those who developed an interest in photography in the 60's/70's they were THE name. When I refound my interest about 5 years ago I was shocked at the lack of Pentax cameras there were around, Canon and Nikon having overtaken them in technology and marketing. Their digital line up is pretty sparse so they can't really compete in that market place (do they have a tie up with Samsung or Sony ?) and MF was never a really huge part of the business for any company apart from Bronica and Hasselblad I guess.
Sad to say but I think their days are numbered.
The market for MF is now almost exclusively S/H but there's enough gear (mostly of the built like a tank variety) and the Holga stuff to justify production of 120 film for at least another 5 years I guess, that suits me fine.

Cheers CJB

 

[2F/2F]

The worst part about this news is not that we can no longer buy the cameras new. It is that parts are now limited to remaining stock, and the sources for repair knowledge will begin drying up as time goes on.

I had to search all over the place to find my Pentax Digital Spot Meter in anyone's computer system. I finally found one in stock at my local Calumet, which is, as far as my search could find, the only local pro store that actually carries them. It was not in the system even for a special order at Samy's, Bel-Air Camera (or at B&H in NY). If they push their other products anything like the spot meter, it is no wonder they are far behind nowadays.

 

[archphoto]

Pentax lost out in the digital market, unfortunately and that is where the real money should come from these day's, not from MF.
Pentax' force was in analogue with great camera's that could compete with Nikon and Canon on 35mm and Mamiya and Bronica in MF.
I loved the results from their 6x7 on slide film, took many memorable pic's with it.

If Pentax wants to survive they will have to come up with a camera that is better than Nikon or Canon and that for a lower price and looking at how far they are behind those two right now.......

Peter

 

[Sal Santamaura]

...I had to search all over the place to find my Pentax Digital Spot Meter in anyone's computer system. I finally found one in stock at my local Calumet, which is, as far as my search could find, the only local pro store that actually carries them. It was not in the system even for a special order at Samy's, Bel-Air Camera (or at B&H in NY)...

New, in stock and ready for the shopping cart of anyone who wants one:

http://www.badgergraphic.com/store/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=871

 

[Jeff Kubach]

I'm sorry to hear that. Pentax was a great leader in analog photography.

Jeff

 

[TerryM]

... From memory neither MF camera could be sold in Europe because it contained lead based solder, so maybe local sales have declined to the point where the factory space will be better used on a different product ...

Don't tell me that the European Union is this f****d up? How the hell do they expect a Printed Circuit Board to be assembled?!!! UNBELIEVABLE! The EU also bans "Mercury Bulb" Furnace Thermostats. For those of you in Europe who don't know what that is, it is a Thermostat which will basically work for about a million years!

One problem for Film Camera manufacturers is that Stores don't carry these Cameras. Thus, people can't buy them! However, the Internet is a way around this problem. Here is a Thread I started with a complete list of Links for new Film Cameras. Save the Link on your Computer for future use.

Links for NEW Film Camera sales including 120 Format
(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

 

[2F/2F]

New, in stock and ready for the shopping cart of anyone who wants one:

http://www.badgergraphic.com/store/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=871

Thanks. That is a nice store for sure, and the spot meter is $50 less than what I paid at Calumet. I notice, however, that the page says "This item is out of stock", so it is certainly not "new, in stock, and ready for the shopping cart of anyone who wants one".

I am in L.A., and I did use the word "local". I like to patronize my local economy whenever possible. I especially like to buy analog materials locally. I live in one of the biggest cities in the country (and the world), so I have this luxury. I would think that a large store like Samy's or Bel-Air would at least have the item in the system for special order, if not in stock.

 

[Sal Santamaura]

...I notice, however, that the page says "This item is out of stock", so it is certainly not "new, in stock, and ready for the shopping cart of anyone who wants one"...

When I posted Thursday morning that page didn't say "out of stock." Perhaps APUGers read it and made a Pentax Digital Spotmeter run on Badger, depleting available stock. Jeff will probably have more soon.

 

[Sal Santamaura]

...Jeff will probably have more soon.

Indeed, the "out of stock" legend is gone again at this moment.

 

[Aurum]

Don't tell me that the European Union is this f****d up? How the hell do they expect a Printed Circuit Board to be assembled?!!! UNBELIEVABLE! The EU also bans "Mercury Bulb" Furnace Thermostats. For those of you in Europe who don't know what that is, it is a Thermostat which will basically work for about a million years!

One problem for Film Camera manufacturers is that Stores don't carry these Cameras. Thus, people can't buy them! However, the Internet is a way around this problem. Here is a Thread I started with a complete list of Links for new Film Cameras. Save the Link on your Computer for future use.

Links for NEW Film Camera sales including 120 Format
(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

To be fair, lead free solder in electronic goods has been used for quite a while now, certainly for several years. Far Eastern electronic manufacturers don't bat an eyelid about using it now.
If the cameras have been "banned" for containing leaded solder, that says that the circuit boards were made well before the ban, which also suggests they were being held in stock, and being drawn as required. What with logistics and MOQ's and all that, it sounds like Petax were making bugger all MF product.

 

[acroell]

Don't tell me that the European Union is this f****d up? How the hell do they expect a Printed Circuit Board to be assembled?!!! UNBELIEVABLE! The EU also bans "Mercury Bulb" Furnace Thermostats. For those of you in Europe who don't know what that is, it is a Thermostat which will basically work for about a million years!

One problem for Film Camera manufacturers is that Stores don't carry these Cameras. Thus, people can't buy them! However, the Internet is a way around this problem. Here is a Thread I started with a complete list of Links for new Film Cameras. Save the Link on your Computer for future use.

Links for NEW Film Camera sales including 120 Format
(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

It is called RoHS = Restriction of Hazardous Substances and has been in effect for some time: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Restriction_of_Hazardous_Substances_Directive
For the same reason, the optics manufacturers removed lead and arsenic from most optical glasses,like in Schneider's Apo-Symmar L.

 

[Kevin Kehler]

Their digital line up is pretty sparse so they can't really compete in that market place (do they have a tie up with Samsung or Sony ?)

Casio according to my local rep. It is a shame since they really do have some excellent products in their lineup. However, you see them announce the same product for 5-6 years without it ever going into production or have availability issues and eventually people turn elsewhere.