[seventysixersfan]

Is it just me, or are there a lot more sellers of some excellent lenses in our Marketplace than there appear to be willing buyers? Most of the lenses are being offered for very reasonable prices, and many lenses are quite desirable like DA limiteds and DA*. What's causing not only the glut in supply but also the lower lens prices? Is it the anticipation of full frame? Is it because people already have all of these lenses in their camera bag? Is it because Ricoh/Pentax has apparently relaxed the MAP requirements (at least in the US market) such that people can buy a lens brand-new with warranty for not much more than the asking price of the used ones?

I'm just wondering. I've noticed the fairly steep decline in the asking price for some lenses over the past year or two and I'm not sure exactly what is causing the drop. For example, DA 21mm and DA 40mm can be had for a song these days, as can D FA 100 WR, which is perhaps my sharpest lens. and DA 15mm and DA 70 are also pretty cheap to acquire. Some lenses, like FA 31, never go down much in price though...

[nonstopnick]

Pre full frame grear purge perhaps?

[MJSfoto1956]

I think we are seeing dropping prices across the entire photography spectrum as the market is likely saturated.
Just look at the new price of the K-3 II as a prime example.

Michael

[jatrax]

Several reasons:
1) Canon and Sony users drove up the price when they discovered cheap Pentax glass, especially for video. That has subsided and many of those lenses are now coming back on the market
2) The photography market is quite soft for all brands, and very price sensitive
3) The world economy is still staggering along, despite a brief resurgence this summer reality is sinking in as Fall approaches.
4) The Pentax FF announcement has created turmoil in the k-mount market. Many are realigning their lens collection to get ready for it and selling off lightly used gear
5) The Pentax FF announcement has 'frozen' many buyers because they do not know what will be released so they halt all purchases until they are sure
6) Many Pentax users who are eager to go FF are saving their pennies for the anticipated high cost of the body

[jimr-pdx]

Even FF-compatible prices are lower than a year or so ago, at least the few that I've purchased (M100/2.8, DFA50). Perhaps those preparing for 36×24 are willing to spend more on modern lenses/coatings?

[pathdoc]

Several reasons:

7) The Pentax FF announcement has led many to hold their fire until other brave souls have discovered exactly how DA and film-era lenses perform on the Pentax full-frame sensor.
8) People in nations whose currencies are weak against the $US aren't buying from there because the exchange rate hurts and/or the shipping does nasty things to the price and/or because their own customs people take a bite en route.
9) LBA is not yet an internet-transmissible disease with obligatory effect upon exposure to other sufferers. This takes time, although I'm prepared to state categorically that this forum is a reeking, swarming reservoir of LBA.

[jatrax]

7 & 8 are good. I'm not sure about 9 though. Some threads on this forum DO seem to cause the spread of LBA. But there seems to be a worldwide LBA remission at the moment.

I've almost bought 5 different lenses over the last 3 weeks or so. And each time I say to myself: "Self, if you buy this really good deal now you will not have the cash for the FF and 24-70 later". So far I have resisted, but some of the prices on really nice gear is starting to get too tempting.

[noelpolar]

The lowish exchange rate against the $US might also have a bit of an effect. Most non US based sellers are asking $US dollar prices still (makes everthing 30% more expensive) in non US real terms.

[pepperberry farm]

7) The Pentax FF announcement has led many to hold their fire until other brave souls have discovered exactly how DA and film-era lenses perform on the Pentax full-frame sensor.
8) People in nations whose currencies are weak against the $US aren't buying from there because the exchange rate hurts and/or the shipping does nasty things to the price and/or because their own customs people take a bite en route.
9) LBA is not yet an internet-transmissible disease with obligatory effect upon exposure to other sufferers. This takes time, although I'm prepared to state categorically that this forum is a reeking, swarming reservoir of LBA.

so, it's not really my fault, right?

[Nass]

Maybe there's a glut here specifically because people here are selling off their unused lenses to get the money together to buy the FF

[pathdoc]

But there seems to be a worldwide LBA remission at the moment.

Remember that everybody out there does not have galloping, rampant LBA at once. The typical pattern for the enthusiastic photographer is to acquire a lens or lenses, then LBA ebbs for a while as they put their new equipment through its paces and their lust for glass is temporarily sated. However, if they also have CBA (camera buying addiction), this can worsen LBA as the "need" for new lenses of various types appears; e.g. the newest DSLRs cause the worst LBA because they are compatible with everything whereas film SLRs with their restrictive requirements for forward compatibility induce a lesser form, and Spotmatics (the earliest widely available variant) an even more restricted form still.

OTOH the DSLR user who wants nothing but DA or DFA glass on their digital body can still be spurred to other subsets of LBA with the acquisition of the appropriate types of film body (i.e. if you have Spotmatic bodies, you MUST buy M42 lenses if you do not already have them). And acquisition of older lenses can spur the desire to own film bodies, out of nostalgia or the desire to avoid the "crippled K mount" or both.

[robtcorl]

I've been reducing, not buying.
My K-5 or K-01 will soon go to my daughter, along with some 3rd party glass.
My kit is now the K-S2, DA 18-135, DA 55-300, DA 50 1.8, and 40 limited.
Oh, and I have to keep the F 35-70 too.
No FF in my future, and LBA is being held in check, in fact I sold the 18-50 kit lens without even trying it out.

[pathdoc]

I see people trying to sell used lenses for more than it would cost to get a new version. Who in their right mind would buy a used lens for more than new?

I've seen this on Amazon - the Amazon version of the 18-135 going for under $500 CDN and people trying to flog theirs for $700 or more. No, sorry; those days are over, at least for now. What really gets me is the ebay sellers who are trying to get rid of their MF lenses dirt cheap but the shipping is ruinous and the customs fees rise to match the winning bid, so you can't exactly budget for how much this or that lens is going to cost. The marketplace tends to set the ceiling for me, and if I can't get a half-decent lens off e-bay for significantly less than it's selling here, why bother? On that basis the otherwise good advice to bid high, bid late doesn't apply - almost better to hold out for a stupidly low BIN price or set your high bid and walk away, hoping you win and try again if not.

[geoffw]

Depends on the country you are in may be. Don't think prices are dropping to fast in the UK. Get the occasional deal here. For example, seen £200 taken off the DA*60-250 recently. Back up to normal again though.

[aoeu]

I only buy FF lenses and the one I most want does not appear to be dropping in price.