Oh what fun! Comments inline.
graywolf http://www.graywolfphoto.com "Idiot Proof" <==> "Expert Proof" -----------------------------------
Rob Studdert wrote:
On 14 Mar 2005 at 13:38, Graywolf wrote:
Something you and, I guess, many others on this list do not seem to know is that Pentax is probably the largest, yes I said the largest, independent camera manufacturer in the business today. Yes there are bigger camera manufacturer's but they are parts of conglomerates. Pentax has historically and traditionally spent a higher proportion of their budget on research and development than almost anyone else in the industry. In fact R&D is traditionally their primary product.
I don't have the figures but it wouldn't surprise me if Cosina had the edge in both volume and definitely R&D these days. Herb may be able to enlighten us as to their current net worth vs Pentax.
I admit to not knowing much about the set up of Cosina, I believe the started out as a 3rd party supplier.
http://www.pentaximaging.com/world_of_pentax/pentax_corporation/index.jsp Shows that Pentax is into a lot more than just cameras.
I reported a rumor about a year ago that Pentax was looking to aquire their own FAB capability. This is probably for the reasons mentioned above. First they showed the MZ-D prototype, Pentax has seldom publicly shown a prototype before that they did not produce. Second, production of the istD was far more limited than they wanted it to be. Those two things in themselves are enough of a reason to want their own production capability. Medical imaging has gone digital too. Limitations in that area will hurt them financially more than it would in camera production. I now think the rumor was more solid than it seemed when I first reported it.
Again I don't have the figures but I suspect that the cost to set up a suitable sensor fabrication plant would exceed Pentaxs capability.
Sonys latest CCD FAB facility at the Kumamoto Technology Center was established to produce the sensors that are required and it cost 70 billion yen which is roughly US$666M.
Glad to know FABS have come down in price so drasticly. Last time I check they cost $2 to $5 billion US. $0.7 billion is a real bargain. Just how small do your think Pentax is? And what makes you think they have to buy 100% to get they own FAB capability? I happen to know that even big name semiconductor companies often lease partial FAB production.
http://www.sony.net/Products/SC-HP/cx_news/vol28/pdf/sideview.pdf http://www.sony.net/SonyInfo/IR/info/sonyf/kumatec/
Although even I admit they are not the same company the were in the 60's, 70's, and early 80's. Too many management types instead of engineering types running it now.
And I suspect not enough photographic enthusiasts to boot, this is a part of Cosinas success.
BTW, Leica, Hasselblad, Linhof, & Rollei cameras are no longer made by the original manufactures. Leica, Hasselblad, and Linhof are made by companies set up by enthusiasts to continue production, and Rollei is made by Samsung a Korean Government owned industry. So in the real world they are already dead. In the current manufactures go under they will finally be buried as well.
Most Leica items are still made by Leica in Solms Germany, only some components such as their motor drive and some other assemblies are made in their Portugal factory. Don't write them off just yet.
E. Leitz sold off Leica some years back (in the 80's IIRC). You have not actually been buying real Leicas for at least that long. The present company does not have anywhere as deep pockets as E. Leitz did. However, since Jeeps have been produced by Willys, Kaiser, Ford, AMC, Chrysler, and now Daimler I guess it does not really matter how many times the name changes hands. I do admit that I have not been keeping up with who owns what in the past decade.
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