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04-01-2012, 09:13 AM   #16
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These aren't the real prices. These are the embedded MSRP's. PentaxUSA is partying this Sunday morning, so the dealers don't have the Unilateral Prices yet. Wait a day or two for the National Rep to call on the major online dealres and tell them what the price is. Making these new prices stick will be the first test of PentaxUSA's implementation skills.

My 2c? Amazon tells them to take a hike and prices things wherever it wants. Do you really think PRI will stop ship[ping to Amazon?

If I were B&H, Adorama and Abe's I'd be concerned.

04-01-2012, 10:30 AM   #17
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QuoteOriginally posted by monochrome Quote
These aren't the real prices. These are the embedded MSRP's. PentaxUSA is partying this Sunday morning, so the dealers don't have the Unilateral Prices yet. Wait a day or two for the National Rep to call on the major online dealres and tell them what the price is. Making these new prices stick will be the first test of PentaxUSA's implementation skills.

My 2c? Amazon tells them to take a hike and prices things wherever it wants. Do you really think PRI will stop ship[ping to Amazon?

If I were B&H, Adorama and Abe's I'd be concerned.
I think you're likely to be right about Amazon. They thrive by selling at the thinnest margin possible not by selling at MSRP.

Last edited by Docrwm; 04-02-2012 at 05:12 AM.
04-01-2012, 08:20 PM   #18
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QuoteOriginally posted by cbope Quote
Price here in Finland has not changed at all since I bought my K-5 kit (w/ 18-55) last November, 999€. Current exchange rate to the USD is hovering around 1.3 so that puts it at 1300 USD. Funny to see it's much more expensive in the US with the new pricing, especially when our 999€ price includes the 23% VAT!

Typically, cameras as a whole tend to be a bit cheaper in the US compared to here... but not in this case. Unfortunately lenses here are about double what they cost in the US
Might be cheaper to ship from NL maybe?
I don't now how it works with US customs and taxes.
04-03-2012, 07:31 PM   #19
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When you are struggling to survive as a Brand...it is always a good idea to raise prices outrageously and kill off your base customers by driving them into the arms of the competition. It's like politics...if it makes sense, don't do it...and if it doesn't, it's got to be a winner......right?
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04-03-2012, 08:23 PM - 1 Like   #20
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I didn't buy into the Pentax system because I thought it was cheap.

On the contrary, My K-5 was by FAR the most expensive camera body I have ever owned.
I bought it from a semi-local dealer and paid more than the Amazon/B&H/Adorama, etc. price many are complaining about.

I'm also not a longtime Pentax diehard. The only other Pentax camera I had ever owned (been a photographer since 1979) is my 645n which I bought used about two years ago.

Anyway, $1499 is not the real price they are selling for, so some of you need to pay better attention.
04-04-2012, 04:19 AM   #21
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Things will stabilize. Pentax has to make on line dealers charge at least a little more in order to get enough profit margins for local dealers to be able to sell. At the same time, clearly there is profit to be made selling the K5 for 950, you have to figure that at most it will jump up to 1050 to 1100. I really do hope that Pentax figures out how to get its cameras into local dealer's shops. It seems like most people who try one really like them, but its awfully hard to try something that doesn't exist.
04-06-2012, 10:36 PM   #22
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QuoteOriginally posted by Rondec Quote
... I really do hope that Pentax figures out how to get its cameras into local dealer's shops. It seems like most people who try one really like them, but its awfully hard to try something that doesn't exist.
It was 1983 in a local camera shop where the Pentax factory rep. happened to be in the store showing the new Super Program. Once he handed me the SP, I got to experience its potential value which was at an attractive price over other makes & bought the SP with the kit 50 mm 1.7 on the spot. The store personnel only handled the $$$ transaction but I faced the ROPE (return on priceless experiences) inquisition / justification / pleading on the purchase upon returning home. The experiences the SP & Pentax lenses captured can only be valued in memories & smiles which I hope to achieve with my K-5. I intended to buy the DA 15mm or the 12-24 until the increase hit with little justification...

04-06-2012, 11:12 PM   #23
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50-135 went up by $650
40/2.8 went up by $150
21/3.2 went up by $50
Even the 35/2.4 went up by $50

All just before I was going to buy them. I bought pentax for these lenses, but looks like my budget won't be able to handle it anymore. If I'd known that I'd have to pay an extra $850 for this stuff, I would have bought Nikon. Very unfortunate as I was hoping to receive the 50-135 and maybe a flash in time for an event, now it looks like I'll have to borrow a D800+85/1.4G off a friend
04-07-2012, 01:19 AM   #24
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QuoteOriginally posted by NotaxPen Quote
I didn't buy into the Pentax system because I thought it was cheap.

On the contrary, My K-5 was by FAR the most expensive camera body I have ever owned.
I bought it from a semi-local dealer and paid more than the Amazon/B&H/Adorama, etc. price many are complaining about.

I'm also not a longtime Pentax diehard. The only other Pentax camera I had ever owned (been a photographer since 1979) is my 645n which I bought used about two years ago.

Anyway, $1499 is not the real price they are selling for, so some of you need to pay better attention.
Well put! I can't help but note that some people complaining about the price increases are relatively new posters here. Let's not be paranoid and cry "troll" too hastily, but simply note, as NotaxPen and others have (and I'm reiterating) that the MSRPs aren't necessarily going to translate into actual selling prices.

When it comes lens values, I also see people complaining that several aren't worth the new MSRPs. Now that's a value judgment for the individual to make, because, while some might rely on pixel-peeping, others make their assessments on the whole lens IQ. I can't help thinking back to the hi-fi scene in the 1970s and 1980s, when the cheaper Japanese producers marketed on test numbers that looked good on paper (turntable "wow" and "flutter", for example) but overall couldn't match the audio quality of their European rivals when it came to listening.

I think some here are jumping up and down too early - let's see how things pan out before panicking too much.
04-07-2012, 07:29 AM   #25
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Buyer Beware

I suggest just buying from Amazon anyway after my recent experience with B&H customer service.

I bought a DA* 50-135 from B&H based on their good customer service reviews and their support for this site. I ordered it on March 31 to avoid the possibility of a price increase on 4/1. But it was delivered on 4/4 with part of the flange that retains the hood to the lens broken off. I also wonder about the condition of the lens. The hood was reverse mounted on the lens for shipment and if it was impacted hard enough to break the hood, is the lens OK?

I made an RMA request within an hour of delivery. But they took almost 24 hours to respond and they did not give me an RMA, just a request for pictures to prove that my lens was damaged. When I got home from work I grabbed some images and sent them to B&H but it was 7:05 and not only were they closed for the Passover holiday, the response email said that my email with the pictures was not received and that I will have to send it again on 4/10 when they reopen.

We will see what they come up with then, but if I had bought the lens from Amazon it would already be getting exchanged with no questions asked. From B&H all I have so far are delays and hassles. Pretty sure this is my last purchase from B&H - inferior service and prices that are no better than Amazon or now perhaps even worse.
04-07-2012, 08:48 AM   #26
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Concerns are raised because of the immediate & large gain in actual selling prices, not that a price increase occurred, which has changed the perception of value the brand is known for...definitely created a ripple in the force that Ricoh will have the additional burden to address / overcome in their business model.
04-07-2012, 11:05 AM   #27
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QuoteOriginally posted by JimDickinson Quote
I suggest just buying from Amazon anyway after my recent experience with B&H customer service.

I bought a DA* 50-135 from B&H based on their good customer service reviews and their support for this site. I ordered it on March 31 to avoid the possibility of a price increase on 4/1. But it was delivered on 4/4 with part of the flange that retains the hood to the lens broken off. I also wonder about the condition of the lens. The hood was reverse mounted on the lens for shipment and if it was impacted hard enough to break the hood, is the lens OK?

I made an RMA request within an hour of delivery. But they took almost 24 hours to respond and they did not give me an RMA, just a request for pictures to prove that my lens was damaged. When I got home from work I grabbed some images and sent them to B&H but it was 7:05 and not only were they closed for the Passover holiday, the response email said that my email with the pictures was not received and that I will have to send it again on 4/10 when they reopen.

We will see what they come up with then, but if I had bought the lens from Amazon it would already be getting exchanged with no questions asked. From B&H all I have so far are delays and hassles. Pretty sure this is my last purchase from B&H - inferior service and prices that are no better than Amazon or now perhaps even worse.
I think I'm going to have to agree here.
After buying a lens via the PF links from B&H, I asked them to confirm PF got credit for the sale, and they told me they had no way to tell this.
Months later - I see i'm still not listed as a PF supporter. Why have an affiliate program set up with them if PF doesn't get credit, and the B&H rep says 'there's no way for them to tell' on a sale.. ???

It's also not like B&H is a 'small' operation; they could certainly hire a few people for staffing returns and basic operations through the holiday.
04-07-2012, 11:16 AM   #28
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QuoteOriginally posted by rtpguy Quote
I think I'm going to have to agree here.
After buying a lens via the PF links from B&H, I asked them to confirm PF got credit for the sale, and they told me they had no way to tell this.
Months later - I see i'm still not listed as a PF supporter. Why have an affiliate program set up with them if PF doesn't get credit, and the B&H rep says 'there's no way for them to tell' on a sale.. ???

It's also not like B&H is a 'small' operation; they could certainly hire a few people for staffing returns and basic operations through the holiday.
As for their tracking sales, no objection here.

As for the hiring a few people - it's not that they can't but that its a religious issue. They are owned and operated by Orthodox Jews who observe the Sabbath and all religious holidays. Their religion prohibits them from hiring proxies (employees) to conduct business that they themselves are prohibited from conducting. I have more respect for them because they put their money where their mouth/faith is and they are VERY up front about when they are closed, even to the point of not allowing you to peruse their site unless you acknowledge that you have received that warning.
04-07-2012, 12:23 PM   #29
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QuoteOriginally posted by Docrwm Quote
As for their tracking sales, no objection here.

As for the hiring a few people - it's not that they can't but that its a religious issue. They are owned and operated by Orthodox Jews who observe the Sabbath and all religious holidays. Their religion prohibits them from hiring proxies (employees) to conduct business that they themselves are prohibited from conducting. I have more respect for them because they put their money where their mouth/faith is and they are VERY up front about when they are closed, even to the point of not allowing you to peruse their site unless you acknowledge that you have received that warning.
You're right; I have seen ample enough warning on their site about when they will be closed, and I can certainly love with/accept that one, as it's not frequent.
I'm more annoyed with the lack of responsiveness/crediting PF with the sale made from PF links, than over an occasional shutdown, although the latter is an inconvenience.
04-07-2012, 12:50 PM   #30
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QuoteOriginally posted by rtpguy Quote
You're right; I have seen ample enough warning on their site about when they will be closed, and I can certainly love with/accept that one, as it's not frequent.
I'm more annoyed with the lack of responsiveness/crediting PF with the sale made from PF links, than over an occasional shutdown, although the latter is an inconvenience.
I certainly understand your concern and it raises some for me as well as I have made more than a few purchases from them in the past year using Adam's link and wonder if that money was ever credited to PF in my name? I am already a contributor as I give directly to PF so I can't tell by my status.
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