[raider]

Just checking the web to find a good price for the DA35 Ltd.

BHP is selling this for $540 which is equiv to A$636 (assuming a 0.85 conversion rate).

DigiDirect.com.au is selling this lens for A$627.

How much did you guys pay for this lens? Did the price go up recently? Just wondering if this is a good price.

[Sailor]

A little over a year ago, I paid $479 (US) at B&H.

Jer

[farfisa]

I paid $350 Cdn for my first one when they first came out. Damn that was cheap. Now they run $590 Cdn up here.

Adorama has a used one for $489 right now (EX+).
21730 Pentax Smcp-da 35 F2.8 Macro Ltd #21730

I've bought used from Adorama before and everything was in really nice shape.

I haven't seen many in the marketplace lately, but they do come up.

Good luck with the search!

[raider]

Damn! prices have gone up drastically. How i wish i have bought the lens when it was released a year ago

[JeffJS]

Do you want to Really feel bad? From Prodigital and with the help of MS (BING) Cashback, $288 out of pocket (Nov 2008). I only wish I had bought my DA*55 when it first came out instead of waiting for the price increase.

Prices do seem to be going mad lately though. I see sellers listing the AF540 flash for over $600 on ebay. They aren't selling for that but I see them listed at that.

[raider]

After thinking abit and rationalize the whole thing more, i think prices at least to us in Oz are comparable a year ago and now.

The DA35 cost USD479 a year ago. That is when the GFC started...and that is when Oz plunge...if i recall the xchange rate is 0.65 to 0.7 or so. That lens will cost me A$684 then.

That same lens is A$627 today. I would say the price difference is negligible.

[Rondec]

I bought it from some place called Hot Digital for 380 US dollars. I don't think that store is even in business any more. I think they sort of specialized in gray market items.

[Aristophanes]

Prices for pretty much anything (houses, cars, cameras, lenses) from mid-2008 to early 2009 were way off wonky almost worldwide. There was near instantaneous deflation, exacerbated by a lack of credit. Companies like Pentax had no borrowing capacity, so they had to dump all existing inventory for cashflow to pay the electric bill and staff.

The credit crunch was that bad.

So prices of $288 etc. for the DA 35 Macro (50% of the original MSRP) are aberrations that do not reflect a balanced market. They probably lost Pentax huge chunks of money at those prices, but ti was either that or go bankrupt.

Are we in a balanced market now? No. What's happening is a fear of further deflation, so companies are cutting back production (see Nikon posts about severe shortages of many lenses, flashes, etc.) to keep supply tight in line with demand at high profit margins. That way if demand slows or credit crunches, they start fro a higher point before price knockdowns. Inflate now so if forced to deflate, there's more air in the balloon to begin with. Companies that try and compete on price will be bankrupt next time around.

Another factor is the volatility of the $US. This should be a very cautious time to be a consumer. Buy quality for the duration to minimize buyer's remorse.

The old benchmark was (very roughly) take MSRP and deduct 20% for "street value".

[steve1307]

I got in February for 540 US (still current) and this converted to about 600 AUD on the card as the aussie$ was over 0.9 at the time.

digidirect had it listed at 1097 AUD back then !!!!!

I bought the DA15 at 499 US in January (also still current price now)

Can you believe that DCW still lists this at 1330 AUD !!!!!


I had to buy them separately from the USA because if you exceed 1000 AUD value you will get hit up for duty and GST charges.

Check if digidirect has it in stock.
I bought a DA70 from them for 543 AUD (good local price) and then waited 7weeks for it. In the meantime they have jacked it up to 653 AUD.

[raider]

Thanks for the pricing info. I think i will check with digidirect if they have stock of the DA35. Really not keen to wait for 7 weeks for 1 lens.

[ducdao]

Paid mine $210 but used though. Almost mint condition.

[Adam]

You might want to check the averages here: Pentax Lens Review Database - SMC Pentax-DA 35mm F2.8 Limited Macro Lens Reviews

And also have a look at recent sales of the 35mm macro in the marketplace.

I got mine from Adorama or BH, I forget which, for just over $500. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/542127-USA/Pentax_21730_SMCP_DA_35mm_f...981/