Ricoh Interview – Sales of SLR’s are on a Downward Trend

I wanted to come up with a snarky title and some came to mind, but in a way, I just feel a little bad for Ricoh. I wish they decided to join in on the fun with mirrorless. They make some great innovative cameras, and the mirrorless world would be better with them.

Phototrends.fr interviewed Ricoh at Salon 2024 in France and Asobinet summarized the interview as follows;

How is Ricoh involved in Salon 2024?

• I am especially excited to be taking part again this year, having not participated since 2018.
• This is also an opportunity to announce a major new product, the PENTAX 17, which is one of the highlights of the year.

What’s going on this year?

• 2024 is looking very good. It’s true that we are well behind other manufacturers in terms of overall volumes, but we are achieving great results in terms of profit margins.
• The company has been in the black for four consecutive years.
• This is because they have outstanding niche products in that field. The GR III is doing very well, and the PENTAX WG Tough camera is also almost the only one in this field.
• Needless to say, the latest PENTAX 17.

Are you surprised by the success of the PENTAX 17?

• It took me two years of research to launch this project, and I had noticed a growing interest in film photography even before then.
• Although it wasn’t as formal as a poll, we conducted enough research to understand the profile of people who buy used cameras.
• We decided to enter the market with a new product that was brand new and came with a warranty, something that used cameras don’t offer.
• However, targeting this specific market is no easy feat, and although the main objective was clear, it was not limited to this particular target.
• After a very positive start, momentum slowed over the summer holidays and back-to-school period, then fell off at the end of the summer.
• We’re currently waiting to see if demand picks up again, but it’s too early to tell if this product will be a long-term success or if there will be a successor product.

About SLR

• To be honest, it’s hard to attract new customers to SLRs. The market is constantly shrinking. Sales are still good, but the downward trend is clearly visible.
• It also appears that customers looking for SLR cameras are mainly elderly people.

How will SLR cameras sell in 2024?

• 2024 is looking even more difficult.
• In the early days of mirrorless cameras, optical viewfinders were still a big selling point, but electronic viewfinders have come a long way, and other parts have improved as well.
• Frankly, sales in this area have fallen so it’s no longer part of our current strategy.
• Of course, we continue to offer these types of products, but standards such as weight and size have become essential for consumers.
• It’s hard to sell the merits of these cameras to anyone other than purists who still appreciate the appeal of optical viewfinders and prisms, which offer a different experience but are no longer what new generations are looking for.
• Younger people have grown up with imaging panels, be they smartphones or mirrorless, and their approach to photography is different, and strategic choices need to take this reality into account.

When will we see a new full-frame SLR, possibly the K-1 Mark III?

• Unfortunately, there is no information about any new SLR models coming out in the near future.

About the mirrorless market

• I have no data on this topic.

When will the successor to the GR III be released?

• Sales of the Ricoh GR III (and its variants) have been phenomenal.
• We have had to increase our production capacities this year and will have to do so again by the end of 2024. The premium compact market is quite small, but we hold a special place in it.
• Despite its huge success, there’s been no word on a possible successor.
• Personally, I think prime lenses should be kept. If I were to dream, I would imagine a new selection of focal lengths and maybe a monochrome version, but that’s just an unfounded guess.

Source: Phototrends.fr via Asobinet

Go to discussion…