[jimr-pdx]

Coming from elsewhere you probably heard the demise of pentax many times- yet not nearly as we on this site! I'm sure it came right after the minolta-is-dead threads on many sites. Honestly, we are not just blind optimists: pentax has a brighter future now than it has in a while.

[starbase218]

There is one thing I know for sure: when people talk about either the demise or the rise of Pentax, it says more about their mindset than about anything else. I'd like to think I've moved beyond getting involved in those discussions.

[JohnBee]

I love my K-5, it does everything I want and then some. Additionally, I have just recently achieved what I would call the perfect lens collection for my needs(knock on wood). And so I'm certainly not going to dump all of my hard work and effort for some other system now given what I've got to work with. Which is probably why I'm looking for a 3'rd K-5 body to add to my kit

That being said, every Pentax camera we've owned(wife and I) has been subject to discontinuation upon replacement. We saw this with the K200D, K20D and Kx. Never bought into the K-7 and so I never took notice, though I'm confident it followed suit also. Anyways, long story short, this is how it works for Pentax come product update season. so no red flags here. Although, its very unlikely that I'll be moving from the K-5 anytime soon tbh. Especially since we sprung nearly full price for them back in the day. Which means, were going to make damned sure we get our money's worth out of these bodies before they get replaced

And so, in closing I'd say, don't worry about it.

[reeftool]

One thing to add. For the past 5 years since I switched to digital (and probably longer), Pentax has never had more than 2 DSLR's in production at any one time. This is most likely due to a limited capacity to manufacture camera bodies. In the past, new cameras have been announced at just about the same time the old camera was discontinued. Sometimes there were 3 cameras available due to unsold inventory. In reality, manufacturing was probably discontinued much before but models were being shipped from warehouse stock while the assembly lines were being re-tooled. This was probably the intention for the K5 but the existing stock of cameras has sold out and is no longer being shipped. I think this would be a good sign. Unsold inventory is not desirable in these times.

The only people who should worry are those who were waiting for the replacement to be released and were planning on buying a highly discounted K5. Looks like you may have missed out.

[screwdriver222]

I am more then happy with the K5 being discontinued/replaced. It has meant the price has come down and I was able to get one.

Jeff

[rfortson]

"Time to keep or sell Pentax gear? "

Yes to both. Always.

[Quicksand]

I don't want to incite panic or anything, but I heard the K-5, K-7, K-r, K-x, K-m/K2000, K20d, K10d, K200d, K100d, K110d, and the *ist D/DL/DS models have ALL been discontinued!

[BirdDude007]

I don't want to incite panic or anything, but I heard the K-5, K-7, K-r, K-x, K-m/K2000, K20d, K10d, K200d, K100d, K110d, and the *ist D/DL/DS models have ALL been discontinued!

I heard they discontinued my ME Super! OH NO! SAY IT ISN'T SO!!!!!
If that was the case I should have left Pentax a LONG time ago.
I bought my K-5 in April and basically to upgrade from my K-x, I just wanted all the bells and whistles that the K-x didn't have, however I and my wife use the K-x just as much as the K-5, it still has it's place among my equipment and will most likely not ever gotten rid of. I bought my K-5 fully knowing that there was some replacement models just around the corner, that didn't phase me at all because I am the type of person that avoids buying a first run model of ANYTHING.
Same thing with cars, I wanted so bad to buy the first run model of my car, but I held out and got the third year of that model, and it turns out that it came with all the improvements that the first two years were lacking. With the K-5 I got a good copy that basically has all the bugs fixed in it, and I havent any issues with it yet.
I STILL would have bought a K-5 today knowing that the K-30 is out, AND knowing that there is most likely a replacement coming out for the K-5, and yes , if it is a full frame body I will most likely be getting a body, but only after it has been out for at least a year and even close to its production run, and then I should pick one up on the cheap because there are a lot of folks out there that have to have the next best thing and will be dumping their fully capable equipment for the newest thing that comes along. Its people like that that are not focused on what they have all the equipment for in the first place, and that is photography, they are more consumed in outdoing the Jonses and thus are blinded to the root of what this is all about in the first place.
Ya like I said before, I got the K-5 for all the extra bells and whistles that it has over the K-x, but it is from all these extra features that really make my photography workflow a lot easier and fluid, Ya I still use the K-x many a time, but when I do I feel like my hands are tied using it, however I keep Photography in mind and don't let it slow me down or hinder me from making good shots, I just keep the shortcomings of the camera in mind and know it's limits, and then I just work around them, I even hate the thought of getting rid of this K-x because it is such a sweet little camera. Many a time I just grab it instead of the K-5 because it is so light and simple with it's kit lenses(however I will slap the 18-135 lens on it from time to time) and these kit lenses can churn out some good shots when I work at it.
One thing the OP needs to keep in mind is that everything is obsolete the day you buy it, especially when it comes to anything electronic, and that goes for cameras too. Like any company, Pentax is just most likely making room and retooling for the next model run, and even then he needs to just take the Pentax gear he currently has and just go out there and take pictures instead of sitting in here talking "Gloom and Doom" for Pentax.
Pentax makes great durable equipment and they will be around for a long time to come, to me they are a brand for the serious photographer that wants to get out there and photograph no matter what the conditions are.

[bossa]

I'm sure that someone is still using my discontinued LX and MX cameras somewhere although, unfortunately, it's not me. I sold 2 K-5's recently and thought uh oh... I actuallly need one and bought another one. This, coming from a guy with a D800E and a swag of lenses.

[audiobomber]

Wait until Photokina to decide. It's only a few weeks off. If Pentax is not headed in your direction, and your confidence is not renewed, then bail. I have high expectations that Pentax and Ricoh will look amazing next month.

PS Discontinuing a body before the replacement is announced is standard practice for Pentax. I expect the production lines are working on a new body, to build up stock for when it's announced. No cause for paranoia, the brand is not going away any time soon.

[Qwntm]

I'm VERY excited that the K-5 has been discontinued! Because that may be getting me one step closer to getting my 31/43/77 on a FF body MADE BY PENTAX!!!!!!!!

But if that doesn't happen, I've got three K-5's right now to do all my pro work with. And if another crop camera comes out and it's compelling I'll just get one of those as well.

I just wish I could buy a 12-24!

[RonHendriks1966]

I know what you're saying, but others don't just discontinue with their products without a replacement, look at Canon and Nikon: 5DII -> 5DIII, D700 -> D800 just to name a few...

Well Pentax has a different approach and stops production on a model, let the stock being sold out and then release a new camera. They do that with K-5, but they did before with K-r, K-x and K-7. Leftover stock from older models when a new model is released has the tendency to stay on the shelf. So Pentax is smart in that way.

[felixkh]

I came from Canon about 2.5 years ago and really impressed with Pentax color/contrast and ergonomics - especially the K-5. Now with Ricoh discontinuing the K-5 leaving Pentax DSLR future hanging in the balance, is it time to leave the system all together? I've accumulated a few decent PK-mount lenses (see my signature) and hate to part with them, but concerned if Pentax gear will be devalued soon with its uncertain outlook. Any opinion on this? Thanks.

Stay with Pentax. When they discontinue a product, it is always replaced by another.

[sb in ak]

The K-5 is discontinued, but the K30 is quite similar, so no surprise there (it was more odd to me to be selling two cameras with nearly the same specs for roughly the same price). And we're a month away from the big Photokina conference, so it seems like they are poised to drop a new camera. So, not a good time to sell. If they drop a stinker next month, maybe, but the replacement will probably be a fine camera.

[Verglace]

Agree with everyone else its just a cycle, Pentax isn't big enough to discontinue a product and announce a new one right away, their sales level just cant support that, they have to discontinue production and wait a while for the stocks to go out. In fact, Pentax can stop producing for a while before their stock runs out. I think Pentax's future is secure in the APS-C world, wether or not you are content to remain in that world or not is up to you.