Pentax

Not to be confused withPantex.

For the series of cameras, seeAsahi Pentax.

Pentax Corporation

Former headquarters inItabashi, Tokyo
Native name	ペンタックス kabushiki gaisha
Romanizedname	PentakkusuKabushiki gaisha
Formerly	Asahi Kagaku KogyoGōshi gaisha(1919-1938) Asahi Kagaku KogyoKabushiki gaisha(1938-2002)
Company type	PublicTYO:7750(–2007);SubsidiaryofHoya Corporation(2007–2008)
Industry	Imaging
Founded	November 1919(1919-11) Tokyo,Japan
Fate	Merged intoHoya;digital camera business spun off toRicoh
Successor	Pentax Life Care Business Division of Hoya (medical endoscope business) Ricoh Imaging (digital camera business)
Headquarters	Maenochō, Itabashi, Tokyo , Japan
Area served	Worldwide
Products	Camerasand photographic equipment;binoculars,spotting scopesandtelescopes;medicalfiberscopesandendoscopes;medical fineceramicsproducts; information and communications products; components; industrial products; eyeglass lenses
Revenue	JP¥157.3 billion (Business year ending March 31, 2007)
Net income	JP¥3.57 billion
Number of employees	1,661 (as of March 31, 2005; non-consolidated Pentax Corp. only)
Website	Pentax

Pentax Corporation(ペンタックス kabushiki gaisha,PentakkusuKabushiki gaisha)was a Japanese camera and optical equipment manufacturer. Currently, it exists as thePentaxLife Care Business Division ofHoya's medicalendoscopebusiness, as well as the digital camera brand of Ricoh Imaging, a subsidiary ofRicoh.

Pentax, founded in 1919 as a town workshop specializing in polishing eyeglass lenses, developed Japan's first single-lens reflex camera, theAsahiflex,in 1952. By 2006, Pentax's domestic market share in digital cameras had declined to 4%. In 2007, Pentax was acquired byHoyaand subsequently merged with the company the following year. In 2011, Hoya spun off the Pentax brand's digital camera business, which was then acquired byRicoh,leading to the establishment of Pentax Ricoh Imaging (current Ricoh Imaging).

As a response to growing interest in film photography, Pentax launched the Pentax 17 on June 17, 2024. The Pentax 17 is a half-frame film camera.This launch marks the first Pentax film camera in over two decades.

Corporate history

Early history

The original company was founded as Asahi Optical CoAsahi Kogaku Goshi Kaishain November 1919 by Kumao Kajiwara, at a shop in theToshimasuburb ofTokyo,and began producingspectacle lenses(which it still manufactures).

In 1938, it changed its name toAsahi Optical Co., Ltd.(Húc quang học công nghiệp kabushiki gaisha,Asahi Kōgaku Kōgyō Kabushiki-gaisha);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 (laterKonicaandMinoltarespectively).

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 (having had far more disposable income than the Japanese), which were well received.TheKorean Warsaw a huge influx of journalists and photographers to theFar East,where they were impressed by lenses from companies such asNikonandCanonfor theirLeicarangefinder cameras, and also by bodies by these and other companies to supplement and replace the Leica andContaxcameras they were using.

Zeiss IkonPentaxprototype with a Carl Zeiss JenaTessarlens

In 1952, Asahi Optical introduced its first camera, theAsahiflex(the first Japanese SLR using 35mm film). The name "Pentax" was originally a registered trademark of theEast GermanVEBZeissIkon (from "Pentaprism"and"Contax") and acquired by the Asahi Optical company in 1957. Since then the company has been primarily known for its photographic products, distributed 35mm equipment under the name" Asahi Pentax "and medium format 120 6x7cm equipment under the sub brand" Pentax 6x7 "(from 1969 to 1990) and" Pentax 67 "(from 1990 to 1999). Equipment was exported to the United States from the 1950s until the mid-1970s; being imported byHoneywellCorporation and branded as "Heiland Pentax" and later "Honeywell Pentax". The company was renamed Pentax Corporation in 2002. It was one of the world's largest optical companies, producing stillcameras,binoculars,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 withHoya Corporationto 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 publictender offerfor 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 inTokyo,and moved all manufacturing facilities toCebu,PhilippinesandHanoi,Vietnam.

Ricoh Imaging Company

On July 1, 2011, Hoya stated that it would sell its Pentax camera business to copier and printer makerRicoh,in a deal the Nikkei business daily reported 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 subsidiaryPentax Ricoh Imaging Company, Ltd.Hoya will continue to use the Pentax brand name for their medical related products such as endoscopes. On August 1, 2013, the company name was changed toRicoh Imaging Company Ltd.

Products

Main articles:Pentax camerasandPentax (lens)

Asahi Optical Co Ltd is best known for AsahiPentax 6x7medium format film cameras and the later Pentax Corporation is best known forPentax 67medium format film cameras.

In 1990, the Asahi Optical Co. Ltd renamed the sub-brand from "Pentax 6x7" toPentax 67.The company produced Pentax 67 cameras until 1999 and ceased trading in 2002.

The success of the "Pentax" series was such that the business eventually renamed itself "Pentax Corporation" after the 35mm product line. Although the corporation ultimately merged intoHoya Corporation,it eventually was purchased byRicoh,which continues to develop and market digital cameras under the Pentax brand. Currently, Pentax DSLRs are manufactured inCebu,Philippines,while digital Pentax lenses are manufactured inHanoi,Vietnam,under Pentax Ricoh Imaging Products.

In June 17, 2024, Pentax launched their latest product, the Pentax 17. The Pentax 17 is a half-frame camera with a fixed zone focusing lens, a magnesium alloy body, and a price tag of $500. The Pentax 17 is the company's first film camera in over two decades.

Corporate cooperation and competition

In 2005, Pentax Corporation partnered withSamsungto share work on camera technology and recapture market ground from Nikon and Canon.Pentax and Samsung subsequently released new DSLR siblings from this agreement. ThePentax *ist DSand*istDL2also appeared as theSamsung GX-1SandGX-1L,while the jointly developed (90% Pentax and 10% Samsung) PentaxK10DandK20Dgave birth to theSamsung GX-10andGX-20respectively. Some Pentax lenses are also rebranded and sold asSamsungSchneider KreuznachD-Xenon and D-Xenogon lenses for Samsung DSLRs. However, both brands are completely compatible with Pentax andSamsungDSLRs. In 2017,Samsungannounced its departure of the camera market.

Hoya is focusing its main business on the following areas: information technology, eye care, life care, optics, imaging systems. Pentax’s maincompetitorsincludeCanon,Nikon,Olympus,Panasonic,Sony(imaging/camera business),Fujifilm,Sangi,Kyocera(life care business).

Europe and Asia

Asahi Pentax (all 35mm equipment) Pentax 6x7 (medium format 120 6x7cm equipment from 1969 to 1990) Pentax 67 (medium format 120 6x7cm equipment from 1990 to 1999)

North America

Honeywell Pentax (medium format 120 6x7cm equipment from 1969 to 1990)

Subsidiaries

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)
• Pentax Teknologies.

See also

• Asahi Pentax
• Asahiflex
• List of digital camera brands
• List of Pentax products
• List of photographic equipment makers
• Pentax cameras
• Pentax lenses

References

• The Japanese Historical Camera.Nhật Bản の lịch sử カメラ (Nihon no rekishiteki kamera). 2nd ed. Tokyo: JCII Camera Museum, 2004.
• Cecchi, Danilo (1991).Asahi Pentax and Pentax SLR 35mm Cameras 1952–1989.Sussex: Hove Photo Books.ISBN978-0-906447-62-8.

External links

• Pentax Ricoh Imaging Company (digital cameras, binoculars, etc. – Ricoh)at theWayback Machine(archived 2012-09-28)
• Pentax Canada(Ricoh Imaging)
• Pentax Optical(Hoya Vision Care)
• Pentax Surveying Instruments(TI Asahi)
• Pentax Medical Company(endoscopic imaging devices – Hoya)