[Na Horuk]

Umm... Half way between the 35/2.4 and 31/1.8?

B&H sells the FA 35mm f2.0 for $399. Over here it costs at least €691 (at 10% discount), which amounts to around $946. That is a huge difference, bigger than with others. US is almost always cheaper, but not by this much I think

[OJGoreng]

It's been £899 for about a year in the UK

At SRS, which seemed the cheapest before, it's now GBP 100 more... But indeed, I haven't looked extensively, so maybe they're the only one.

At any rate, the Slovak link was the golden tip, so thank you, sivagriva... I emailed them and got a prompt reply, so I'll be leaving my money with them .

---------- Post added 02-20-2014 at 06:45 PM ----------

I've noticed the same price increase here in the Netherlands. Weird thing is, it seems only related to Pentax lenses.

I noticed that my regular dealer raised the pre-order price of the Tamron 150-600 by 10% before stocking a single unit. I don't think I've seen a pre-order price hike before... So it may not just be Pentax. I wondered if I had missed somethng about the yen/€ rate, but the € only seems to rise against the yen, so that can't be it.

I wonder if the Pentax price hike is simply market-driven. I *think* I read somewhere that K-3 sales have been higher than expected. Maybe the local Pentax market share is increasing due to the very favourable reviews in the local photo magazines?

[Jaje67]

I noticed a significant price increase in the UK at the time of the Black Friday sales in the States. There were offers here like
£100 off but the price had increased by that amount! SRS have put the price of the 200 & 300 up by £100 but the 60-250 is
back down from £1200 ish to £1070.
If the proposed 70-200 / 100-300 are overly expensive I will need to cash in my chips with Pentax get a 7D and pick up
L glass on the second hand market.

[Giklab]

Well, for the money of a DA* 300 and the 1.4x TC you could almost get a 400 5.6 L and a 60D or 70D.
Hmm...

Edit: I was only joking, but you can actually get a 60D and 400L for 2100€, which is only ~300€ over the DA* and TC.

---

Last edited by Giklab; 02-20-2014 at 01:41 PM.

[Jaje67]

Well, for the money of a DA* 300 and the 1.4x TC you could almost get a 400 5.6 L and a 60D or 70D.
Hmm...

Yep. There are some great deals on second hand Canon gear.

I have only bought one Pentax lens from new and that was the 35 f2.4 everything else is overpriced IMO. Too many Pentax lenses are second best to Sigma or Tamron and still so much more expensive. I bought a Sigma 18-250 HSM to use on my Honeymoon rather than the Pentax equivalent as it was £200 cheaper AND came with a 3 year warranty.

I am scared to spend > £1000 on a 60-250 with the (historical) reports of SDM failure and Pentax only offer 2 year warranty. I can get 3 from Sigma and 5 from Tamron. Their equivalent lenses are a third and 50% cheaper respectively too.

If I didnt love my K5....!

Edit : Pentax Pro centres offer a 2 year guarantee, not 1 as I have previously stated.

[Jonathan Mac]

Maybe they've fixed the SDM problems and think that that justifies a price hike.

[OJGoreng]

I am scared to spend > £1000 on a 60-250 with the (historical) reports of SDM failure and Pentax only offer 1 year warranty. I can get 3 from Sigma and 5 from Tamron. Their equivalent lenses are a third and 50% cheaper respectively too.

If I didnt love my K5....!

I was somewhat apprehensive about dropping that much cash on a lens as well, but since nearly everything I do requires a long-but-not-too-heavy tele, it did seem the most appropriate option in the end. Truth be told, if I hadn't just bought a K-3 just before Tamron announced their affordable 150-600mm (in every relevant mount but Pentax), things might have gone the other way.

At any rate, I just took the plunge and placed the order with the Slovak firm. Interestingly enough, a new German re-badging firm has appeared (Siolex/Siocore) offering a teleconverter with the familiar Kenko/Tokina/Soligor/Vivitar/Promaster etc. look, with both Pz/SDM contacts and a gate array chip conveying adjusted lens info to the body (if I understand their terminology correctly), which is affordable enough to just give it a go... ( 2x MC7). I'm guessing it is probably this one with a different logo...

---------- Post added 02-21-2014 at 01:34 AM ----------

Maybe they've fixed the SDM problems and think that that justifies a price hike.

Don't know. The Dutch dealers seem to have simply re-priced their current stock. One dealer went from € 920 to €969 to €1299 within a matter of five days, while showing the item as "in stock" continuously.

[Shanti]

the DA*300 is €1200 inc 25% tVAT, here in Denmark,has been for 2 yrs now,but the new HD TC 1.4 teleconverter is $425!! ex tax so strange how prices are regulated here!!?? but we have 2 yr. garanti so that helps a bit

[JimD]

At SRS, which seemed the cheapest before, it's now GBP 100 more... But indeed, I haven't looked extensively, so maybe they're the only one.

Take a look here

Compare Pentax SLR Lenses Price Comparison, Compare Prices And Save Now!

[Jaje67]

Take a look here

Compare Pentax SLR Lenses Price Comparison, Compare Prices And Save Now!

That is LBA Nirvana, thank you!

---------- Post added 02-21-14 at 10:27 AM ----------

I was somewhat apprehensive about dropping that much cash on a lens as well, but since nearly everything I do requires a long-but-not-too-heavy tele, it did seem the most appropriate option in the end. Truth be told, if I hadn't just bought a K-3 just before Tamron announced their affordable 150-600mm (in every relevant mount but Pentax), things might have gone the other way.

At any rate, I just took the plunge and placed the order with the Slovak firm. Interestingly enough, a new German re-badging firm has appeared (Siolex/Siocore) offering a teleconverter with the familiar Kenko/Tokina/Soligor/Vivitar/Promaster etc. look, with both Pz/SDM contacts and a gate array chip conveying adjusted lens info to the body (if I understand their terminology correctly), which is affordable enough to just give it a go... ( 2x MC7). I'm guessing it is probably this one with a different logo...

---------- Post added 02-21-2014 at 01:34 AM ----------



Don't know. The Dutch dealers seem to have simply re-priced their current stock. One dealer went from € 920 to €969 to €1299 within a matter of five days, while showing the item as "in stock" continuously.

The ommision of Pentax from a lot of Sigma & Tamrons leneses is very frustating.

Who is the Slovakian company you have mentioned?

[lytrytyr]

Who is the Slovakian company you have mentioned?

It was Exapro, link from @sivagriva's post:
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/10-pentax-slr-lens-discussion/252210-lens...ml#post2705632

[OJGoreng]

FWIW, yesterday my new DA* 300mm arrived from Slovakia. I cannot say enough nice things about Exapro; that's prime service right there. Sivagriva, you have my undying gratitude fr that golden tip!

Also, after an afternoon of test shooting in the field (both with and without the 1.7x AF adapter) I've reached the conclusion I might as well bin my Sigma 170-500 (or save it for urban birding in high-crime areas). What a superb piece of kit!

[eonb]

Not convinced how accurate the prices are on the UK comparison site - 560 is about £4k from Mifsuds (or they've got a "new used" one for less - £3700. They've also got a DA* 300 for £799 as well).

Prices went up in the UK a while ago but seem to have come back down to similar levels to previous. It might be something to do with the 28 day rule and advertising as well (prices need to be at the higher level for 28 days min in the past 6 months before you can show "savings".

[Lokusart]

I noticed that about a month ago, first with the DA*16-50, then with the 18-135 and primes. You may still find some european dealers with the old prices, but the tendency is a price rise in all EU. Really bad

[Ztrejfer]

Lowest price for a new one I've seen on web in EU is here

Almost the same price as in USA! Great, then I don't have to make some strange arrangements. Thank you!