**Sigh** Pentax/Ricoh not at PDN Photo Plus in NYC

[raybrizzi]

<p>One more nail in the coffin. It boggles my mind that a company that is putting so much effort into designing new cameras and branding does everything in their power to make sure NOBODY knows they even exist.<br>

Tokina already makes no Pentax lenses, Tamron isn't listing it on any of their newer lenses according to their own brochures that I looked at yesterday. Sigma still has some faith it seems, but for how long.<br>

I am still on the count of 7 for the number of other Pentax DSLRs I've seen on the street since 2008. <br>

Would someone explain please? Anybody from Ricoh out there?</p>

[don_myers1]

<p>I think a lot of us have the same question... so I asked them.<br>

I sent an email to customer service today regarding their lack of advertisement and absence at photo exhibits. I doubt they will answer, but if they do I will post it here. I did see a number of press releases, but unless you go online to their website you will never see them. Even $500k in advertisement could be offset by the increase in sales, especially if placed in the right locations.</p>

[peter_mellis]

<p>In most large corporations s--t rolls downhill; if you want to send a message, send it to the top of the food chain. My experience was that a surprising number of things came down from the top, requiring both an internal and external response. They don't seem to get the fact that being invisible in the marketplace not only affects the potential of new business, but also contributes to shrinking the existing base.Traditional media advertising such as print and broadcast gets pretty costly, but I would think that they could do a lot via the internet, at least aimed at us, at a lower cost. In many industries not being at the top trade shows (if you had a previous presence) is taken as a bad sign and generally used as a negative by the competition. I've been using Pentax equipment since the 1960's and have always been satisfied with my purchases. That said, I'm not buying any additional gear until I have a stronger sense of where the K mount is going.</p>

[hjoseph7]

<p>Maybe they feel they are so good they don't have to advertise ?</p>

[john_shriver]

<p>Trade shows can be a big rip-off for the exhibitor. The unions extract incredible amounts of money from you. If you so much as plug a laptop charger in an outlet, they may setup a picket line around your booth. Plus, in places like New York's convention center, theft of items from the booth during the night, even with a paid guard, is a very real risk. (Happened to my employer in 1984 or 1985, two IBM PC/AT computers stolen one night, they came back and stole the keyboards the next night.)<br>

Trade shows are fading away. (Unlike conventions.)</p>

[Robin Smith]

<blockquote>

<p>Trade shows are fading away. (Unlike conventions</p>

</blockquote>

<p>PhotoExpo I think considers itself both as it probably should. Personally I think it was a mistake for Ricoh to stay away too. If Fuji and Olympus can go and have excellent, well manned booths and thereby convert professionals and keen amateurs, and generate buzz, then Pentax should go too.</p>

[revolver]

<p>"Maybe they feel they are so good they don't have to advertise ?"<br /><br />I play a Rickenbacker Bass Guitar. <br /><br />Rickenbacker does not advertise like Fender and Gibson.<br /><br />It usually takes a while to get a new Ric bass.<br /><br />I am considering a K50. I didnt read about it in any magazines or see any ads on TV like Canon and Nikon.<br />I havent pulled the trigger because I am wondering if SLR is the way to continue going over mirrorless camera's<br /><br /><br /></p>

[jeff_b2]

<p>Pentax puzzles me with their total lack of marketing and retail presence. I live in Denver where the US Ricoh Pentax sales office is located and you cannot buy a single piece of Pentax gear in this state (at least no where I looked). I have called many camera retailers in the area looking for Pentax equipment and none have ever had any. So all my money goes out of state to buy gear. Even big box stores like Best Buy list Pentax gear but it is not available in the stores in Colorado.</p>

[jeff_drew4]

<p>I have to agree with those who don't put much stock in trade shows anymore. The shows are very expensive for all. If Pentax/Ricoh announced a new, full-frame DSLR with soa firmware, and it was done via social media with a good video presentation, I think the lines to purchase would begin forming the next morning . . . or would electronic order centers be swamped? Somebody mentioned "Rickenbacker guitars." Oh my yes! I have wanted a Rickenbacker for decades! 2 major hurdles = musically illiterate and photography ate my wallet! :-)</p>