[luftfluss]

excuse me, but if pentax ever produces a top-of-the-line flagship camera the last thing it's users are going to want is a 18-55mm slow as hell consumer lens on it.

I agree, and if you read any of my posts in this thread you can see that I state that IMO the current kit lens is insufficient. I just don't think the K-5 kit lens needs to match an $1100 Canon 17-55 f/2.8 IS.

I think it would be interesting if Pentax emphasized the "K-5 Difference". Maybe something like this:

- K-5 Body Only - $1299 (USD)
- K-5 Prime Edition, bundled w/DA 35mm f/2.4 - $1449
- K-5 All Weather Edition, bundled w/DA 18-135WR - $1599

Each edition could come with a $50 MIR for Pentax lens purchase thru authorized resellers.

[eddie1960]

I agree, and if you read any of my posts in this thread you can see that I state that IMO the current kit lens is insufficient. I just don't think the K-5 kit lens needs to match an $1100 Canon 17-55 f/2.8 IS.

I think it would be interesting if Pentax emphasized the "K-5 Difference". Maybe something like this:

- K-5 Body Only - $1299 (USD)
- K-5 Prime Edition, bundled w/DA 35mm f/2.4 - $1449
- K-5 All Weather Edition, bundled w/DA 18-135WR - $1599

Each edition could come with a $50 MIR for Pentax lens purchase thru authorized resellers.

na, never happen, i makes too much sense

[Digitalis]

I just don't think the K-5 kit lens needs to match an $1100 Canon 17-55 f/2.8 IS.

And that is where our opinions diverge, I think pentax should design their own 16-50mm f/2.8 lens rather than use the tokina lens design and it's annoying flaws, they should also release the lens with an improved SDM motor - which actually delivers the speedy,accurate, and reliable autofocus the original burn out prone SDM motors were supposed to deliver.

[luftfluss]

And that is where our opinions diverge, I think pentax should design their own 16-50mm f/2.8 lens rather than use the tokina lens design and it's annoying flaws, they should also release the lens with an improved SDM motor - which actually delivers the speedy,accurate, and reliable autofocus the original burn out prone SDM motors were supposed to deliver.

Judging by your gallery, you look to be a more serious and advanced photog than me... Wouldn't a person such as yourself be more inclined to purchase a camera as body-only, and then build a lens collection around it as you see fit?

[luftfluss]

na, never happen, i makes too much sense

Darn you!!! /shakes fist

[RonHendriks1966]

I was under the impression that Pentax's 'kit' 18-55 was better than most other brands... (?)

I shoot mosly with a K-x..

Well I started the thread about top of the line camera and not for consumergrade camera. There is a need for a difference in quality.

excuse me, but if pentax ever produces a top-of-the-line flagship camera the last thing it's users are going to want is a 18-55mm slow as hell consumer lens on it.

OR give us 3 separate Limited kits a DA 15, DA 40 and a DA 70.

and market it with something like: LIMITED, only by your imagination.

Well someone mentioned having a coupon deliverd with the camera and for this these lenses are great to offer to a body-only package.

I just don't think the K-5 kit lens needs to match an $1100 Canon 17-55 f/2.8 IS.

I think it would be interesting if Pentax emphasized the "K-5 Difference". Maybe something like this:

- K-5 Body Only - $1299 (USD)
- K-5 Prime Edition, bundled w/DA 35mm f/2.4 - $1449
- K-5 All Weather Edition, bundled w/DA 18-135WR - $1599

Well Look here: Pentax - Pentax Spiegelreflex - CameraNU.nl we also have more options, K-5 body or with 1 or 2 kitlenses or the 18-135mm. Only we have to pay 500 euro for the 18-135mm lens.

And that is where our opinions diverge, I think pentax should design their own 16-50mm f/2.8 lens rather than use the tokina lens design and it's annoying flaws, they should also release the lens with an improved SDM motor - which actually delivers the speedy,accurate, and reliable autofocus the original burn out prone SDM motors were supposed to deliver.

Well for a first lens to purchase a lens just under that class would also be fine. A nice zoom with reasonable speed. DA 20-100mm/f4 WR would be great.

And that 16-50 should be better then current version in my opinion.

[Digitalis]

Wouldn't a person such as yourself be more inclined to purchase a camera as body-only, and then build a lens collection around it as you see fit?

It's funny you mentioned that because I did buy all my Pentax cameras body-only, but that is because I have access to a substantial amount of Pentax glass already. But for someone who is already quite advanced but does not own any lenses already in Pentax K mount a fast zoom lens with a reasonable range would be quite appealing.

[Aristophanes]

- K-5 Prime Edition, bundled w/DA 35mm f/2.4 - $1449

Makes no sense.

I can get a DA 35/2.4 for less than $200.

[RobA_Oz]

I agree

personally, I think a K5 (or any future flagship) + DA 40 kit, would attract a lot of people to the brand

isn't this sexy?

No, in one word. It's a combination that I'm sure helps you take great photos, but "sexy" it isn't - actually, on reflection, some people find pictures of surgical modification arousing (excuse me, not meaning to pick on anyone's personal tastes) and that lens looks distinctly stumpy on the K-5, so I'll modify my response to "non-mainstream appeal"!

[Blue]

I agree

personally, I think a K5 (or any future flagship) + DA 40 kit, would attract a lot of people to the brand

isn't this sexy?

No. But this on the other hand . . .

[luftfluss]

Makes no sense.

I can get a DA 35/2.4 for less than $200.

Why not? In my example, the K-5 body only is $1299, so the edition with the DA 35/2.4 is $150 more ($1449). Plus there's a $50 MIR voucher for another lens.

I mean, this is all fun conjecture on my part, I'm just trying to come up with something a little realistic.

[luftfluss]

I was under the impression that Pentax's 'kit' 18-55 was better than most other brands... (?)

This was true a few years ago. The original DA 18-55 was significantly better optically than it's Canon equivalent and maybe edged the Nikon. The Pentax lens had a metal barrel, which made it feel upscale compared with the other two. The Olympus kit lens was reportedly the best of the bunch.

Now, Nikon & Canon have reformulated kit lenses that are as good or better than Pentax. When the D90 was introduced Nikon started using a very nice 18-105 VR lens as a kit. The "mk II" Pentax 18-55 lenses (DA L 18-55, DA 18-55, DA 18-55 WR) are only slightly better than the original, so really Pentax has lost the edge in the kit lens war.

[luftfluss]

Well Look here: Pentax - Pentax Spiegelreflex - CameraNU.nl we also have more options, K-5 body or with 1 or 2 kitlenses or the 18-135mm. Only we have to pay 500 euro for the 18-135mm lens.

Funny, I remember when the K-5 first came to market here in the USA, you could get it bundled with the 18-135 and at a fair savings, too. That seems to have disappeared here.

[luftfluss]

It's funny you mentioned that because I did buy all my Pentax cameras body-only, but that is because I have access to a substantial amount of Pentax glass already. But for someone who is already quite advanced but does not own any lenses already in Pentax K mount a fast zoom lens with a reasonable range would be quite appealing.

I just wonder if it would be worth Pentax's while to bundle and distribute a $1000 lens as a kit. I see on this forum and elsewhere there are certainly K-5 owners who are not advanced photogs, and I also have seen users of other brands (particularly Canon) comment that they are mighty tempted by K-5 with a selection of Limited primes.

[RonHendriks1966]

Well a kitlens is for the person who is new to the brand and not all off them are well known with dslr's in real life. Just coming from a P&S having some sparecash and buying into a system. For those people a good kitlens should be provided when they slap down $1000 on a camera body to have a good start.

• DA 20-100mm/f3.2-5.0 WR
• DA 25-100mm/f4.0 WR
• DA 17-70mm/f4 WR
• Combo DA 16-45mm/f4 WR and DA 45-125mm/f4 WR
• New reviseted DA 18-55mm/f2.8-4.0 WR
• Just a voucher for lenspurchase with body-only.
• Leave current kitlenses, they are fine.

Or anything else?

My personal startkit with Pentax and dslr was K20D with grip and DA*16-50mm and DA*50-135mm. So I do see that people will start with a highend lens, only that is no longer a real kitlens.