Ricoh Very High End Ricoh Cameras Coming

[Tom Caldwell]

Do we have that assurance? Specifically the Ricoh GXR and other like-minded cameras which show Ricoh's touch?

I've seen press releases announcing consumer cameras (like GRD and GXR) being folded in under the Pentax Ricoh Imaging Company (PRI, AKA Pentax). I've seen press releases announcing Pentax sales and marketing in the Americas (where I live) would take over sales and marketing activities for Ricoh cameras like the GRD and GXR. I've not seen any fruits of that switch in responsibility, as the sales and marketing efforts surrounding Ricoh GRD and GXR cameras in the Americas appears to be about what it was before - none to nil.

I emphasized sales and marketing activities in the paragraph before with the intention of pointing out that I've not seen any commitment from Ricoh or PRI AKA Pentax to continue development and manufacturing of GRD and GXR cameras.

Sales and marketing are unimportant to me if development and manufacturing doesn't take place.

Last comment: I don't spend any time thinking about the demise or life of Ricoh GRD and GXR cameras other than what is required for me to type a response. Life goes on, I continue to use my GXR.

But... I'm not planning on buying any more GXR components at all until the situation is clear, and I do represent one small part of the potential market for GXR components and perhaps a larger part of that market who are similarly sitting on their hands, unsure if Ricoh GXR and other nice related products will continue to evolve, be made, and therefore have a decent support lifespan.

Instead, I think I'll buy a Sony RX1.

Mike,

I hear what you say and your words are reasoned and sensible. There is no useful news from Ricoh. However the words from the original Amateur Photographer report in May seem to be more gossip from "a source" than anything else. The only words that get attributed are:

"The source added that Ricoh is set to eventually disappear as a camera brand.

However, Ricoh has stoutly refuted the claim.

Kazunobu Saiki, general manager for Ricoh's European camera business, told AP: ‘This is not true at all. We will provide the digital cameras to meet customer satisfaction - Ricoh-branded and Pentax-branded.'
"
Not helping much really but certainly not supporting the demise of the Ricoh branding, this time the source is attributed to a reliable spokesman.

The article seems to be tittle tattle from Pentax people who have no real knowledge of what Ricoh is up to either. It would seem that the corporate culture has not been integrated.

Meanwhile the RX1 looks good, but I am not about to rush into it, let us know how it pans out. It seems my sort of camera as well. Meanwhile I wait and watch a while, I have no problem with my present gear.

Tom