2009 promising bumper launches

It has not revealed much detail but Pentax is promising not one but three new types of camera to launch next year.

In a statement released by parent company Hoya, detailing its financial performance for the year, we are promised three new types of SLR camera ‘including minor design change versions.’

It then gives a hint at what we can expect stating: ‘With a desire to offer cameras which will demonstrate our advantages, as announced in the Photokina [tradeshow] held in Germany, we will relaunch ourselves next year as a manufacturer of all-weather cameras, which are strong outdoors, highly water-resistant, splash-proof, and dustproof, small and light, easily portable and tough.’

The statement also admits that this financial year has been a ‘very hard-fought struggle’ for Pentax as compared with last year, pointing to declines in demand with in-store sales ‘losing momentum’ in the summer. It adds that unit prices dropped significantly, especially digital compacts, which had a ‘grave impact’. Hoya adds: ‘This unit price decline was damaging to us, in terms of both sales and profits.’

Hoya has taken dramatic action ‘scraping and building’ on a roadmap it says ‘lacked strategy’.

To download the statement, hit this link.