What is the kit lens of K200D?

[farukyazici]

I had thought that the kit lens of the K200D is "AL II" but when I ordered at amazon.com I realized that they send me old model. As far as I know, AL II much better than AL. Is there any seller who sells the AL II as the kit lens?
Thanks

[ckanthon]

Originally Posted by farukyazici

I had thought that the kit lens of the K200D is "AL II" but when I ordered at amazon.com I realized that they send me old model. As far as I know, AL II much better than AL. Is there any seller who sells the AL II as the kit lens?
Thanks

You should have got DA 18-55 F3.5-5.6 AL II lense (Mk2). The Kit's carton of mine even printed "AL II".

[farukyazici]

Originally Posted by ckanthon

You should have got DA 18-55 F3.5-5.6 AL II lense (Mk2). The Kit's carton of mine even printed "AL II".

yes, that is exactly what I want. I already canceled the order but I still want to have a K200
How can I get K200D + "AL II" with reasonable price?

[rburgoss]

As I understand (from the local Pentax Dealer), The FA 18-55 (non II lens) was discontinued a couple of months ago and replaced by the MkII version. In case of the kits available, they were also replaced the the new lens version (MkII).

In fact, last week I purchased a new FA 18-55 MkII lens and the guy at the dealership told me it was OK, even though they had instructions from Pentax Japan to "sell all the old version lenses first before showing the new version ones". At that moment, they still had a couple of old ones in inventory.

Same thing applies to kits. Dealers (camera shops) will sell all the kits with the old version lens first, before they can start selling the newer kits with the new lens version.

Of course, not every store sells at the same rate, so ones will come up with the newer lens version kits first.

BTW, the new lens is listed at 35% higher price than the old version lens. I dunno if this is reflected in the kit prices too.

RB

[kkoether]

I just got my K200D kit last week from Amazon.com. It came with the DA 18-55mm ALII lens kit. I'm having all kinds of fun relearning everything I'd forgotten from my ME Super.

Keith

[OniFactor]

Originally Posted by rburgoss

As I understand (from the local Pentax Dealer), The FA 18-55 (non II lens) was discontinued a couple of months ago and replaced by the MkII version. In case of the kits available, they were also replaced the the new lens version (MkII).

In fact, last week I purchased a new FA 18-55 MkII lens and the guy at the dealership told me it was OK, even though they had instructions from Pentax Japan to "sell all the old version lenses first before showing the new version ones". At that moment, they still had a couple of old ones in inventory.

Same thing applies to kits. Dealers (camera shops) will sell all the kits with the old version lens first, before they can start selling the newer kits with the new lens version.

Of course, not every store sells at the same rate, so ones will come up with the newer lens version kits first.

BTW, the new lens is listed at 35% higher price than the old version lens. I dunno if this is reflected in the kit prices too.

RB

wow, they're making an FA version of the 18-55?

[ckanthon]

Originally Posted by farukyazici

yes, that is exactly what I want. I already canceled the order but I still want to have a K200
How can I get K200D + "AL II" with reasonable price?

I don't know exactly how to get those things from the DHL-dealers etc. But I can share the situations in HK we now have (just for fun reading).

The Mk2 was always shipped "only" with the kit package at around a package price of HK$5600 (USD568). The price in recent weeks has dropped further to USD505 whereas USD536 for dual kits lenses!!! Wow...Besides, the mk2 sold alone at USD120 now.

Someone said the mk2 is better (but I never made detail camparison). My opinion, at 18-19mm wide angle end the CA and distortion is "just usable" in urgent cases. People wanted to go for the new DA17-70 F4 (which is to be released next week in HK) but the price is really.... . Besides, the DA17-70 F4 at wide angle end also has CA+distortion. Peolpe said it would be better than the kit mk2 but I think only "a little" and you will get 56-70mm longer is real. Howver, it would not be so much better than the DA16-45 etc. The DA*16-50 than would be one of the candidate (comparative the price to DA 17-70 F4)

[nakey]

how much of a difference is there between the variants?

[ChipB]

I purchased my K200D kit about a month ago from Amazon and received the AL II lens. I thought that was all they were shipping?????

[Light_Horseman]

I got the ALII kit lens with my order from amazon. The ALII tests better than the version 1 and is considered one of the better kit lenses available from any manufacturer.

Having said that, do yourself a favor, spend a little more and just get the body and a sigma 17-70mm lens.

[x_goal]

Amazon.com does not specifically state which 18-55 lens they ship in kit (see page here: Amazon.com: Pentax K200D 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera with Shake Reduction 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 Lens: Electronics). Therefore, I guess, they just feel free to ship whatever lens they decide - old 18-55 or new 18-55 Mk II. When I read carefully the description of the kit, I decided not to order camera from Amazon just for this reason. Instead, I went with Abes Of Maine ($40 more at the time) because they specified that lens was Mk II.
However, guess what... When I received camera there was old version of 18-55 lens in the box! They exchanged it for a new version without any questions. But the point is - there is no guaranty you will receive what you want. Unfortunately...
I called Pentax and they told me that in fact "official" lens for K200d kit is Pentax DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL II. However, they also told me that the kit (lens and camera) do not come in one box. So, in the end it's up to vendor which lens to bundle with the camera. Unfortunately again...

[ChipB]

Originally Posted by x_goal

Amazon.com does not specifically state which 18-55 lens they ship in kit (see page here: Amazon.com: Pentax K200D 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera with Shake Reduction 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 Lens: Electronics). Therefore, I guess, they just feel free to ship whatever lens they decide - old 18-55 or new 18-55 Mk II. When I read carefully the description of the kit, I decided not to order camera from Amazon just for this reason. Instead, I went with Abes Of Maine ($40 more at the time) because they specified that lens was Mk II.
However, guess what... When I received camera there was old version of 18-55 lens in the box! They exchanged it for a new version without any questions. But the point is - there is no guaranty you will receive what you want. Unfortunately...
I called Pentax and they told me that in fact "official" lens for K200d kit is Pentax DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL II. However, they also told me that the kit (lens and camera) do not come in one box. So, in the end it's up to vendor which lens to bundle with the camera. Unfortunately again...

I don't know about this - my K200D with the AL II lens came in ONE box (camera and lens were in seperate boxes inside) and the box is clearly marked "...AL II". So, it would seem that Pentax is shipping the K200D KIT with the AL II lens.

[x_goal]

Originally Posted by ChipB

I don't know about this - my K200D with the AL II lens came in ONE box (camera and lens were in seperate boxes inside) and the box is clearly marked "...AL II". So, it would seem that Pentax is shipping the K200D KIT with the AL II lens.

I just found it - there is an official box - see this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3Y7nMUxjN4
However, that's not what I was told by Pentax support line... Note also that camera came from Amazon!

[Ahab]

Originally Posted by nakey

how much of a difference is there between the variants?

This past week I had a chance to compare my daughters new version II with my old version and wasn't able to see any difference. This was not done in a very scientific manner but it helped to not make me rush out and buy the new model.

[sewebster]

My "kit" came in two separate boxes. I did get the "II" lens though.