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Info 04: LX discontinued


Report from Tokyo, Japan

Asahi Optical Co., Ltd. (AoCo) announced in late April 2001 they had decided to discontinue their flagship SLR PENTAX LX. The rumor of discontinuation was spread among Japanese PENTAX fans early April, several weeks ahead of the official announcement. Even though, the news shocked Japanese PENTAX fans.

AoCo officially announced they build only 500 more LXs in May 2001 and cease the LX production line.

The 1st version of PENTAX LX was released in June 1980 in Japan, three months after Nikon F3 was released. Both LX and F3 were produced for 20 years with minimum modification but the good competitor Nikon F3 had already been discontinued in the last year. LX lived just several months longer than the competitor F3.

Kubo Chan (MX, MZ-3 & LX user)

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Thanks for the info. Yes, sad rumors about that arrived me from Japan. The reason for such discontinuation is that AOCo is short of necessary electronics, designed in the Seventies and no longer made.

My guess is that was also the reason (or, at least, one of the reasons) because some years ago AOCo decided to announce the LX was no longer available worldwide, hence the few electronic circuits still available would last longer for the Japanese home market only.

Dario Bonazza

Please email your data to: AOHC

 

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Page updated 14th May 2001