Pentax
Encyclopedia
Pentax is a brand name used by Hoya Corporation
for its medical-related products & services and Pentax Ricoh Imaging Company for cameras, sport optics (e.g. binoculars), etc. Hoya purchased and merged with the Japanese optics company on March 31, 2008. Hoya's Pentax imaging business was sold to Ricoh Company, Ltd.
on October 1, 2011.
suburb of Tokyo
, and began producing spectacle lenses (which it still manufactures). In 1938 it changed its name to , and by this time it was also manufacturing camera/cine lenses. In the lead-up to World War II, Asahi Optical devoted much of its time to fulfilling military contracts for optical instruments. At the end of the war Asahi Optical was disbanded by the occupying powers, being allowed to re-form in 1948. The company resumed its pre-war activities, manufacturing binoculars and consumer camera lenses for Konishiroku and Chiyoda Kōgaku Seikō (later Konica
and Minolta
respectively).
saw a huge influx of journalists and photographers to the Far East
, where they were impressed by lenses from companies such as Nikon
and Canon for their Leica rangefinder cameras, and also by bodies by these and other companies to supplement and replace the Leica and Contax cameras they were using.
In 1952 Asahi Optical introduced its first camera, the Asahiflex
(the first Japanese SLR using 35mm film). The name "Pentax" was originally a registered trademark of the East German VEB Zeiss Ikon (from "Pentaprism
" and "Contax
"), which later sold the name "Pentax" to Asahi Optical in 1957. Since then the company has been primarily known for its photographic products, distributed under the name "Asahi Pentax" (equipment was imported to the United States from the 1950s until the mid-1970s by Honeywell
Corporation and branded "Honeywell Pentax"). The company was renamed Pentax Corporation in 2002. It was one of the world's largest optical companies, producing still camera
s, binoculars
, spectacle lenses, and a variety of other optical instruments. In 2004 Pentax had about 6000 employees.
to form 'Hoya Pentax HD Corporation'. Hoya's primary goal was to strengthen its medical-related business by taking advantage of Pentax's technologies and expertise in the field of endoscopes, intraocular lenses, surgical loupes, biocompatible ceramics, etc. It was speculated that Pentax's camera business could be sold off after the merger. A stock swap was to be completed by October 1, 2007 but the process was called off on April 11, 2007. Pentax president Fumio Urano resigned over the matter, with Takashi Watanuki taking over as president of Pentax. However, despite Watanuki's previously stated opposition to a Hoya merger, on May 16 it was reported that Pentax had accepted "with conditions" a sweetened offer from Hoya, according to a source familiar with the matter. Pentax was under increasing pressure from its major shareholders, Sparx Asset Management in particular, to accept Hoya's bid.
On August 6, 2007, Hoya completed a friendly public tender offer
for Pentax and acquired 90.59% of the company. On August 14, 2007, the company became a consolidated subsidiary of Hoya. On October 29, 2007, Hoya and Pentax announced that Pentax would merge with and into Hoya effective on March 31, 2008. Hoya closed the Pentax-owned factory in Tokyo, and moved most of their operations to Southeast Asia. All professional (DA*) and consumer (DA, D-FA) lenses are produced in Vietnam
, whereas DSLR cameras are produced in Philippines
.
said on July 1, 2011, it would sell its Pentax camera business to copier and printer maker Ricoh
, in a deal the Nikkei business daily said was worth about 10 billion yen ($124.2 million). On July 29, 2011, Hoya transferred its Pentax imaging systems business to a newly established subsidiary called Pentax Imaging Corporation. On October 1, 2011, Ricoh acquired all shares of Pentax Imaging Corp. and renamed the new subsidiary Pentax Ricoh Imaging Company, Ltd. Hoya will continue to use the Pentax brand name for their medical related products such as endoscopes.
, starting with the pivotal "Asahi Pentax
" single-lens reflex camera
of 1957, which followed Asahi's first series of cameras, the Asahiflex
of 1952.
The success of the Pentax series was such that the business eventually renamed itself "Pentax Corporation" after the product. Although the corporation ultimately merged into Hoya Corporation
, Hoya continues to develop and market cameras under the Pentax brand.
to share work on camera technologies and recapture market ground from Nikon and Canon. Then Pentax and Samsung started releasing new DSLR siblings from this agreement. The Pentax *istDS2 and *istDL2 also appeared as the Samsung GX-1S and GX-1L, while the jointly developed (90% Pentax and 10% Samsung) Pentax K10D
and K20D
gave birth to the Samsung GX-10 and GX-20 respectively. Some Pentax lenses are also rebranded and sold as the Samsung
Schneider Kreuznach
D-Xenon and D-Xenogon lenses for the Samsung DSLRs. However, both brands are completely compatible with Pentax and Samsung
DSLRs.
Hoya is focusing its main business on the following areas: information technology, eye care, life care, optics, imaging systems. Pentax’s main competitors include Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Panasonic, Sony
(imaging/camera business), Fujifilm
, Sangi, Kyocera
(life care business).
Hoya Corporation
is a Japanese company leading in manufacturing of optical products including photomasks, photomask blanks and glass magnetic-memory disks, contact lenses and eyeglass lenses using the wavefront technology, Photonics...
for its medical-related products & services and Pentax Ricoh Imaging Company for cameras, sport optics (e.g. binoculars), etc. Hoya purchased and merged with the Japanese optics company on March 31, 2008. Hoya's Pentax imaging business was sold to Ricoh Company, Ltd.
Ricoh
or Ricoh, is a Japanese company that was established in 1936 on February 6th, as , a company in the RIKEN zaibatsu. Its headquarters is located in Ricoh Building in Chūō, Tokyo....
on October 1, 2011.
Early history
The company was founded as Asahi Kogaku Goshi Kaisha in November 1919 by Kumao Kajiwara, at a shop in the ToshimaToshima, Tokyo (ward)
is one of the 23 Special wards of Tokyo, Japan. Toshima is one of the eight central wards of the Tokyo Metropolitan area, including Chiyoda, Minato, Shibuya, Chuo, Shinjuku, Taito, and Bunkyo surrounding the Imperial Palace...
suburb of Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, and began producing spectacle lenses (which it still manufactures). In 1938 it changed its name to , and by this time it was also manufacturing camera/cine lenses. In the lead-up to World War II, Asahi Optical devoted much of its time to fulfilling military contracts for optical instruments. At the end of the war Asahi Optical was disbanded by the occupying powers, being allowed to re-form in 1948. The company resumed its pre-war activities, manufacturing binoculars and consumer camera lenses for Konishiroku and Chiyoda Kōgaku Seikō (later Konica
Konica
was a Japanese manufacturer of, among other products, film, film cameras, camera accessories, photographic and photo-processing equipment, photocopiers, fax machines and laser printers.- History :...
and Minolta
Minolta
Minolta Co., Ltd. was a Japanese worldwide manufacturer of cameras, camera accessories, photocopiers, fax machines, and laser printers. Minolta was founded in Osaka, Japan, in 1928 as . It is perhaps best known for making the first integrated autofocus 35mm SLR camera system...
respectively).
Early 1950s to 2007
The period around 1950 marked the return of the Japanese photographic industry to the vigorous level of the late 1930s, and its emergence as a major exporter. The newly reborn industry had sold many of its cameras to the occupation forces (with hugely more disposable income than the Japanese) and they were well received. The Korean WarKorean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
saw a huge influx of journalists and photographers to the Far East
Far East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
, where they were impressed by lenses from companies such as Nikon
Nikon
, also known as just Nikon, is a multinational corporation headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, specializing in optics and imaging. Its products include cameras, binoculars, microscopes, measurement instruments, and the steppers used in the photolithography steps of semiconductor fabrication, of which...
and Canon for their Leica rangefinder cameras, and also by bodies by these and other companies to supplement and replace the Leica and Contax cameras they were using.
In 1952 Asahi Optical introduced its first camera, the Asahiflex
Asahiflex
The Asahiflex was a 35mm single-lens reflex camera built by the Asahi Optical Corporation . It was the first SLR camera built in Japan....
(the first Japanese SLR using 35mm film). The name "Pentax" was originally a registered trademark of the East German VEB Zeiss Ikon (from "Pentaprism
Pentaprism
A pentaprism is a five-sided reflecting prism used to deviate a beam of light by 90°. The beam reflects inside the prism twice, allowing the transmission of an image through a right angle without inverting it as an ordinary right-angle prism or mirror would.The reflections inside the prism are not...
" and "Contax
Contax
Contax was a camera brand noted for its unique technical innovation and a wide range of Zeiss lenses, noted for their high optical quality. Its final incarnation was a line of 35 mm, medium format and digital cameras engineered and manufactured by Kyocera, and featuring modern Zeiss optics...
"), which later sold the name "Pentax" to Asahi Optical in 1957. Since then the company has been primarily known for its photographic products, distributed under the name "Asahi Pentax" (equipment was imported to the United States from the 1950s until the mid-1970s by Honeywell
Honeywell
Honeywell International, Inc. is a major conglomerate company that produces a variety of consumer products, engineering services, and aerospace systems for a wide variety of customers, from private consumers to major corporations and governments....
Corporation and branded "Honeywell Pentax"). The company was renamed Pentax Corporation in 2002. It was one of the world's largest optical companies, producing still camera
Camera
A camera is a device that records and stores images. These images may be still photographs or moving images such as videos or movies. The term camera comes from the camera obscura , an early mechanism for projecting images...
s, binoculars
Binoculars
Binoculars, field glasses or binocular telescopes are a pair of identical or mirror-symmetrical telescopes mounted side-by-side and aligned to point accurately in the same direction, allowing the viewer to use both eyes when viewing distant objects...
, spectacle lenses, and a variety of other optical instruments. In 2004 Pentax had about 6000 employees.
Merger with Hoya
In December 2006, Pentax started the process of merging with Hoya CorporationHoya Corporation
is a Japanese company leading in manufacturing of optical products including photomasks, photomask blanks and glass magnetic-memory disks, contact lenses and eyeglass lenses using the wavefront technology, Photonics...
to form 'Hoya Pentax HD Corporation'. Hoya's primary goal was to strengthen its medical-related business by taking advantage of Pentax's technologies and expertise in the field of endoscopes, intraocular lenses, surgical loupes, biocompatible ceramics, etc. It was speculated that Pentax's camera business could be sold off after the merger. A stock swap was to be completed by October 1, 2007 but the process was called off on April 11, 2007. Pentax president Fumio Urano resigned over the matter, with Takashi Watanuki taking over as president of Pentax. However, despite Watanuki's previously stated opposition to a Hoya merger, on May 16 it was reported that Pentax had accepted "with conditions" a sweetened offer from Hoya, according to a source familiar with the matter. Pentax was under increasing pressure from its major shareholders, Sparx Asset Management in particular, to accept Hoya's bid.
On August 6, 2007, Hoya completed a friendly public tender offer
Tender offer
Tender offer is a corporate finance term denoting a type of takeover bid. The tender offer is a public, open offer or invitation by a prospective acquirer to all stockholders of a publicly traded corporation to tender their stock for sale at a specified price during a specified time, subject to...
for Pentax and acquired 90.59% of the company. On August 14, 2007, the company became a consolidated subsidiary of Hoya. On October 29, 2007, Hoya and Pentax announced that Pentax would merge with and into Hoya effective on March 31, 2008. Hoya closed the Pentax-owned factory in Tokyo, and moved most of their operations to Southeast Asia. All professional (DA*) and consumer (DA, D-FA) lenses are produced in Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
, whereas DSLR cameras are produced in Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
.
Pentax Ricoh Imaging Company
Japanese optical glass-maker Hoya CorporationHoya Corporation
is a Japanese company leading in manufacturing of optical products including photomasks, photomask blanks and glass magnetic-memory disks, contact lenses and eyeglass lenses using the wavefront technology, Photonics...
said on July 1, 2011, it would sell its Pentax camera business to copier and printer maker Ricoh
Ricoh
or Ricoh, is a Japanese company that was established in 1936 on February 6th, as , a company in the RIKEN zaibatsu. Its headquarters is located in Ricoh Building in Chūō, Tokyo....
, in a deal the Nikkei business daily said was worth about 10 billion yen ($124.2 million). On July 29, 2011, Hoya transferred its Pentax imaging systems business to a newly established subsidiary called Pentax Imaging Corporation. On October 1, 2011, Ricoh acquired all shares of Pentax Imaging Corp. and renamed the new subsidiary Pentax Ricoh Imaging Company, Ltd. Hoya will continue to use the Pentax brand name for their medical related products such as endoscopes.
Products
The corporation is best known for its "Pentax" brand camerasPentax cameras
This article discusses the cameras – mainly 35 mm SLRs – manufactured by Hoya Corporation's and its predecessors, and .It covers from the first "Asahiflex" models in 1952 and their successor, the pivotal "Asahi Pentax" single-lens reflex camera, to the present time.- Background :The...
, starting with the pivotal "Asahi Pentax
Asahi Pentax
The Asahi Pentax series, by the , was a pivotal development in modern photography. It was the first model of Pentax camera.- Background :In 1957, the Asahi Optical Company introduced the Pentax, a 35 mm Single-lens reflex camera camera which was so well received that it influenced the design...
" single-lens reflex camera
Single-lens reflex camera
A single-lens reflex camera is a camera that typically uses a semi-automatic moving mirror system that permits the photographer to see exactly what will be captured by the film or digital imaging system, as opposed to pre-SLR cameras where the view through the viewfinder could be significantly...
of 1957, which followed Asahi's first series of cameras, the Asahiflex
Asahiflex
The Asahiflex was a 35mm single-lens reflex camera built by the Asahi Optical Corporation . It was the first SLR camera built in Japan....
of 1952.
The success of the Pentax series was such that the business eventually renamed itself "Pentax Corporation" after the product. Although the corporation ultimately merged into Hoya Corporation
Hoya Corporation
is a Japanese company leading in manufacturing of optical products including photomasks, photomask blanks and glass magnetic-memory disks, contact lenses and eyeglass lenses using the wavefront technology, Photonics...
, Hoya continues to develop and market cameras under the Pentax brand.
Corporate cooperation and competition
In 2005, Pentax Corporation partnered with Samsung TechwinSamsung Techwin
Samsung Techwin is a surveillance, aeronautics, optoelectronics, automations and defense company. It is a subsidiary of Samsung Group. The company employs 4720 employees and is headquartered in South Korea. Its totals sales in 2010 was 3,198 billion won....
to share work on camera technologies and recapture market ground from Nikon and Canon. Then Pentax and Samsung started releasing new DSLR siblings from this agreement. The Pentax *istDS2 and *istDL2 also appeared as the Samsung GX-1S and GX-1L, while the jointly developed (90% Pentax and 10% Samsung) Pentax K10D
Pentax K10D
The Pentax K10D and similar Samsung GX-10 are 10.2 megapixel digital single-lens reflex cameras launched in late 2006. They were developed in a collaboration between Pentax of Japan and Samsung of Korea....
and K20D
Pentax K20D
The Pentax K20D and its clone, the Samsung GX-20, were 14.6 megapixel digital single-lens reflex cameras manufactured by Pentax that were announced on January 23, 2008. The K20D was available in the U.S...
gave birth to the Samsung GX-10 and GX-20 respectively. Some Pentax lenses are also rebranded and sold as the Samsung
Samsung
The Samsung Group is a South Korean multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea...
Schneider Kreuznach
Schneider Kreuznach
Schneider Kreuznach is the abbreviated name of the company Jos. Schneider Optische Werke GmbH, which is sometimes also simply referred to as Schneider. They are a manufacturer of industrial and photographic optics....
D-Xenon and D-Xenogon lenses for the Samsung DSLRs. However, both brands are completely compatible with Pentax and Samsung
Samsung
The Samsung Group is a South Korean multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea...
DSLRs.
Hoya is focusing its main business on the following areas: information technology, eye care, life care, optics, imaging systems. Pentax’s main competitors include Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Panasonic, Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
(imaging/camera business), Fujifilm
Fujifilm
is a multinational photography and imaging company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.Fujifilm's principal activities are the development, production, sale and servicing of color photographic film, digital cameras, photofinishing equipment, color paper, photofinishing chemicals, medical imaging...
, Sangi, Kyocera
Kyocera
is a multinational manufacturer based in Kyoto, Japan. It was founded as in 1959 by Kazuo Inamori and renamed in 1982. The company has diversified its founding technology in ceramic materials through internal development as well as strategic mergers and acquisitions...
(life care business).
Asia
- Pentax Industrial Instruments Co., Ltd.
- Pentax Optotech Co., Ltd.
- Pentax Service, Co., Ltd.
- Pentax Fukushima Co., Ltd.
- Pentax Tohoku Co., Ltd.
- Pentax Trading (Shanghai) Co.,Ltd.
- Pentax (Shanghai) Corporation
- Pentax Hong Kong Ltd.
- Pentax Cebu Philippines Corporation
- Pentax VN Co., Ltd.
Europe
- Pentax Europe GmbH
- Pentax U.K. Ltd.
- Pentax France S.A.
- Pentax Schweiz AG
- Pentax Scandinavia AB
- Pentax Nederland B.V.
- Pentax Europe n.v.
North America
- Pentax of America Inc. (Pentax Medical Company)
- Pentax of America Inc. (Pentax Imaging Company)
- Pentax of America Inc.
- Pentax Medical Company
- Pentax Imaging Company
- Microline Pentax Inc.
- Pentax Canada Inc.
- KayPentax (Pentax Medical Company)
See also
- Asahi PentaxAsahi PentaxThe Asahi Pentax series, by the , was a pivotal development in modern photography. It was the first model of Pentax camera.- Background :In 1957, the Asahi Optical Company introduced the Pentax, a 35 mm Single-lens reflex camera camera which was so well received that it influenced the design...
- AsahiflexAsahiflexThe Asahiflex was a 35mm single-lens reflex camera built by the Asahi Optical Corporation . It was the first SLR camera built in Japan....
- List of digital camera brands
- List of Pentax products
- List of photographic equipment makers
- Pentax camerasPentax camerasThis article discusses the cameras – mainly 35 mm SLRs – manufactured by Hoya Corporation's and its predecessors, and .It covers from the first "Asahiflex" models in 1952 and their successor, the pivotal "Asahi Pentax" single-lens reflex camera, to the present time.- Background :The...
- Pentax lensesPentax LensesPentax DA and DA* lenses are the current lens line for Pentax digital SLR cameras. They use the Pentax KAF Mount. All of these lenses have an autofocus feature, either operated from the camera body or from an internal SDM motor...
- RPA (Rubin Postaer and Associates)RPA (Rubin Postaer and Associates)RPA is an American advertising and marketing agency headquartered in Santa Monica, California. It was founded in 1986 by Gerry Rubin and Larry Postaer and currently employs approximately 500 associates...
External links
- Pentax Ricoh Imaging Company (digital cameras, binoculars, etc. - Ricoh)
- Pentax Medical Company (endoscopic imaging devices - Hoya)
- Pentax New Ceramics (hydroxyapatite - Hoya)
- Pentax Surveying Instruments (TI Asahi)