The Pentax K20D and its clone, the Samsung GX-20, are 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. market from February 2008 through autumn 2009.
29-460: The K20D and GX-20 bodies were developed by Pentax , while the CMOS sensor was manufactured by Samsung - a result of a partnership begun in 2005 . Although both cameras share similar hardware, each camera has its own design, firmware, and image processing algorithms. The K20D is the first Pentax DSLR with a CMOS image sensor co-developed by Pentax and Samsung . Samsung's expertise in sensor design
58-456: A 32 GB SDHC card, a GX-20 fully updated with firmware version 1.03 will only address SDHC cards up to 16 GB. Pentax K20D firmware updates cannot be installed on the GX-20. VIDEO: 720p / 1080p / 4K Pentax Pentax Corporation ( ペンタックス株式会社 , Pentakkusu Kabushiki gaisha ) was a Japanese camera and optical equipment manufacturer, and currently, it exists as
87-424: 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,
116-459: A Service (SaaS) document management applications such as DocumentMall, RicohDocs, GlobalScan, Print&Share, MakeLeaps and also offers Projectors. In the late 1990s through early 2000s, the company grew to become the largest copier manufacturer in the world. During this time, Ricoh acquired Savin , Gestetner , Lanier, Rex-Rotary, Monroe , Nashuatec , IKON and most recently IBM Printing Systems Division / Infoprint Solutions Company. Although
145-598: 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 subsidiary Pentax 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,
174-538: A modified CMOS sensor, smaller design, and many new features including HD video recording. The latest firmware release, version 1.04, was made available in April 2010. It solved issues with certain SDHC memory cards. The previous firmware update, version 1.03, was made available in April 2009 and improved Shake Reduction (SR) accuracy as well as autofocus performance in some conditions. Users can download firmware updates from
203-516: A partnership between Pentax and Samsung Techwin , the K20D was also available as the Samsung GX-20. The two cameras are virtually identical with a few small differences. Button text labels on the GX-20 use a slightly smaller font, while the buttons themselves are slightly different in shape and placement. In addition, the hand grip is a slightly different shape, meaning that the battery grip for
232-615: Is a Japanese multinational imaging and electronics company . It was founded by the now-defunct commercial division of the Institute of Physical and Chemical Research (Riken) known as the Riken Concern , on 6 February 1936 as Riken Sensitized Paper ( 理研感光紙 , Riken Kankōshi ) . Ricoh's headquarters are located in Ōta, Tokyo . Ricoh produces electronic products, primarily cameras and office equipment such as printers , photocopiers , fax machines, offers Software as
261-505: Is seen as a major benefit to Pentax, which did not release its first DSLR until 2003, when most other camera manufacturers had already established themselves in the growing digital SLR market. At the time of their release, the K20D and GX-20 had the highest resolution sensor in the APS-C image sensor format at 14.6 megapixels. In 2009, Pentax announced the K-7 , the successor to the K20D, with
290-567: The Pentax Life Care Business Division of Hoya 's medical endoscope business, as well as the digital camera brand of Ricoh Imaging, a subsidiary of Ricoh . Pentax, founded in 1919 as a town workshop specializing in polishing eyeglass lenses, developed Japan's first single-lens reflex camera, the Asahiflex , in 1952. By 2006, Pentax's domestic market share in digital cameras had declined to 4%. In 2007, Pentax
319-555: 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 Samsung Schneider Kreuznach D-Xenon and D-Xenogon lenses for Samsung DSLRs. However, both brands are completely compatible with Pentax and Samsung DSLRs. In 2017, Samsung announced its departure of
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#1732794252165348-640: The "Pentax" series was such that the business eventually renamed itself "Pentax Corporation" after the 35mm product line. Although the corporation ultimately merged into Hoya Corporation , it eventually was purchased by Ricoh , which continues to develop and market digital cameras under the Pentax brand. Currently, Pentax DSLRs are manufactured in Cebu , Philippines , while digital Pentax lenses are manufactured in Hanoi , Vietnam , under Pentax Ricoh Imaging Products. In June 17, 2024, Pentax launched their latest product,
377-602: The Americas, Europe, China, and the Asia-Pacific. Ricoh has 272 subsidiaries (72 national and 200 overseas) which specialize in technology- and customer-research groups around the world. For example, Ricoh Innovations, a research subsidiary of Ricoh Company, operates in Silicon Valley , California , focusing on technology, cloud, mobile solutions, and customer research. A partial list of products marketed to
406-400: The GX-20 on those Pentax created for the K20D, introducing versions 1.01 and 1.03 shortly after Pentax released the corresponding updates for the K20D. Samsung ceased update support for the GX-20 before Pentax released firmware version 1.04 for the K20D, and thus did not develop or release a corresponding version 1.04 for the GX-20. While a K20D with firmware 1.04 installed will read and write to
435-470: The K20D is incompatible with the GX-20. A separate GX-20 battery grip was available. The firmware of the Samsung GX-20 is also different, using different menus and symbols. It also lacks support for the Pentax PEF raw image format , reportedly opting for Adobe's raw format instead. The JPEG image processing of the GX-20 is reportedly different from that of the K20D. Samsung based its firmware updates for
464-646: 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 ") 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
493-737: The Monroe brand was discontinued, products continue to be marketed worldwide under the remaining brand names. In 2006, Ricoh acquired the European operations of Danka for $ 210 million. These operations continue as a stand-alone business unit, under the Infotec brand. The Ricoh Group has sales and support, production, and research and development operations in nearly 180 countries. It has its world headquarters in Tokyo, Japan and regional headquarters in Japan,
522-479: 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. In 2005, Pentax Corporation partnered with Samsung to share work on camera technology and recapture market ground from Nikon and Canon. Pentax and Samsung subsequently released new DSLR siblings from this agreement. The Pentax *ist DS and *istDL2 also appeared as
551-511: The Pentax website. The K20D is the successor to the well-reviewed Pentax K10D prosumer DSLR. The K20D was released alongside the Pentax K200D , a substantial upgrade of the entry-level Pentax K100D . Relative to its predecessor, the K20D offers: As of August 2009, the MSRP of the K20D body in the U.S market was $ 629. The price with a DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 II lens kit was $ 699. Under
580-663: The camera market. 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). 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) Honeywell Pentax (medium format 120 6x7cm equipment from 1969 to 1990) Ricoh The Ricoh Company, Ltd. ( / ˈ r iː k oʊ / ) ( 株式会社リコー , Kabushiki-gaisha Rikō )
609-540: 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 all manufacturing facilities to Cebu , Philippines and Hanoi , Vietnam . On July 1, 2011, Hoya stated that it would sell its Pentax camera business to copier and printer maker Ricoh , in
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#1732794252165638-494: The company name was changed to Ricoh Imaging Company Ltd. Asahi Optical Co Ltd is best known for Asahi Pentax 6x7 medium format film cameras and the later Pentax Corporation is best known for Pentax 67 medium format film cameras. In 1990 the Asahi Optical Co. Ltd renamed the sub-brand from "Pentax 6x7" to Pentax 67 . The company produced Pentax 67 cameras until 1999 and ceased trading in 2002. The success of
667-451: 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
696-533: The first Pentax film camera in over two decades. The original company was founded as Asahi Optical Co Asahi Kogaku Goshi Kaisha in November 1919 by Kumao Kajiwara, at a shop in the Toshima suburb of Tokyo , and began producing spectacle lenses (which it still manufactures). In 1938 it changed its name to Asahi Optical Co., Ltd. ( 旭光学工業株式会社 , Asahi Kōgaku Kōgyō Kabushiki-gaisha ) , and by this time it
725-464: 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 by Honeywell Corporation and branded as "Heiland Pentax" and later "Honeywell Pentax". The company was renamed Pentax Corporation in 2002. It was one of
754-740: 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. The Korean War 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
783-433: The world's largest optical companies, producing still cameras , binoculars , spectacle lenses, and a variety of other optical instruments. In 2004, Pentax had about 6000 employees. In December 2006, Pentax started the process of merging with Hoya Corporation 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
812-415: Was acquired by Hoya and subsequently merged with the company the following year. In 2011, Hoya spun off the Pentax brand's digital camera business, which was then acquired by Ricoh , leading to the establishment of Pentax Ricoh Imaging (current Ricoh Imaging). In June 17, 2024, as a response to growing interest in film photography, Pentax launched the Pentax 17, a half-frame film camera. This launch marks
841-495: 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). The period around 1950 marked
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