Pentax. Practising the art of being different

It would be a boring world without brands such as Pentax.

Everybody using proprietary batteries? Why not use AA batteries instead?

Weathersealing is a pro-spec feature? Let’s weather seal a mid-range body then. And some lenses.

They’re all churning out massive plastic lenses? What about some good old-school metal? And let’s make a bunch of them slim ‘pancake’ design while we’re at it.

Others put image stabilisation in lenses and charge a premium for it. Let’s build SR into the body so even old lenses can benefit.

Bored with a choice of black, noir or schwarz? Maybe ‘Stormtrooper’ white or, oh heck...here’s a whole bunch of colours...you take your pick and we’ll build it.

I could go on like this, but I guess my point is, Pentax is defiantly a brand that, whether consciously or intuitively, lives by the principles of Disruption. When others zig, they zag.

Apple is one such brand, Absolut another, as are Leica, Nintendo with their Wii and Mazda with their rotary engined models. Disruption generally works best in a cluttered category littered with conventions. But whatever the sales results of Disrupted brands, the very idea of being different can, and will, polarise people. You just can't be neutral about these things.

One might argue that Pentax suffers in the marketplace by being different, but if they were just safe clones of the other big brands, how could they even be noticed in the clutter? It's not like they can outspend the big boys. Different gets noticed. If enough people ‘get it’ to lay down their money for it, then different survives. Otherwise it joins the Edsels of the world on the scrap heap of ‘what ifs?’

I for one am glad that Pentax still exists, against the odds, still marching to the beat of its own drum. Not everyone will appreciate what Pentax offers in a world of stultifying sameness; where every major brand is pretty good at what it does and our brand choices become no-brainers.

Yes, I’m not embarrassed to stand up and be counted as a Pentax Fanboy. I appreciate what the brand is doing and hope they can keep doing things differently and well.

Steve

Pentax Fans Club on the News!

First, see what 1001 Noisy Cameras reports:-

http://www.1001noisycameras.com/2009/09/the-pentax-newshour-645d-returns-more-kx-k7-gets-fryed.html

And, a Pentax Forums member has just posted about it:-

http://www.google.com/search?q=cache:http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-news-rumors/74011-interesting-twist-rh-opens-pentax-fanboys-club-blog.html

However, the post and thread at the Pentax Forums was deleted very quickly by the Authority. But, the Google cache is still there (so anyone can still view and learn about it)!

Btw, it would be very interesting to see who will be the first to post! And what will be written in the first post! Well, you're cordially INVITED! :-) See you~

You're Invited!

If you want to join this Club and write here in order to "make the balance", act now! Dare to drop me an email and apply for an authorship? There is a quota of 100 and I shall offer the authorship on a first-come-first-serve basis!

See you and hope you will start to write and praise the brand and tell the world all the strong points of the Pentax system and gear at here very soon!! ;-D

p.s. You must have a Google Account to join!

First Post - Disclaimer and Club Rules

If you want to be one of the Club Members and Blog Authors who "contribute" and write here, drop me an email to enrol!

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