[jatrax]

Just looked and right now everything says "in stock" except black body only which says "discontinued".

Maybe just something wonky with the web site or somebody made a mistake....... or the new FF Pentax is almost here!

[creampuff]

There has been production disruptions due to the earthquake and tsunami in Japan but the Kr is definitely NOT discontinued at the present time.

[Sperdynamite]

Wow there is so much new cool stuff coming from camera makers! Nikon D800, Fuji LX, new Pentax body... I think the Fuji and the new pentax will have a place in my camera bag.

[aurele]

here is what i see




maybe pentax is going to announce something new for christmas xD

[brady38]

Aurele:

Thanks for posting the screen prints of B&H K-r website. I personally am dismayed in the fact that this model is being discontinued so quickly after its launch. I certainly hope it is caused by a new model being released soon, not the alternative. I want to stay with Pentax, but they make it rather difficult when they stop selling thier latest products.

[crf529]

Eh don't see how it's big a deal really. If you have a K-r, you will still have a K-r. If you want a K-r, you can still get a K-r...

Anyway, if you have a K-r what's the concern? I know I'm just counting down till I can justify/deserve a K-5

[brady38]

This is in response to my concern posted in the "other" forum.

Its in Hoyas investor papers. Even though Hoya does not own Pentax now... the Japan Quake delayed the launch of the Q by two months. The flooding is also hurting Pentax as well as Hoya in other ways, big time. The date of this statement/paper is October 31, 2011. So for Ricoh things might be much worse; at the least no better.


Overview of performance provided by Mr. Hamada, COO
<Digital Cameras and Optical Lenses>
• For the camera business of PENTAX, the 2nd quarter was the final quarter. As the launch of
mirrorless cameras was two months behind schedule due to the effects of the earthquake,
the results were lackluster. I believe that demand for cameras overall is pretty much
accounted for by smartphones. In particular, cameras with a zoom of less than five times will
probably decline by around 15% in volume terms going forward, I think. I thought that if the
new mirrorless segment had been established instead, the quantity of mirrorless cameras
may increase by around 15%, combined with single-lens reflex cameras. However, as the
camera business will miss the Christmas season because of the floods, the outlook is very
uncertain. Given that there are only three countries, namely Japan, Hong Kong, and the
United Kingdom, in the world where mirrorless cameras account for more than 20% of our
product mix and that mirrorless cameras have not yet been recognized in other countries, we
had put our hopes on their performance this autumn. As such, the camera business had an
regrettable outcome.
• The lens business of HOYA grew around 10% year on year in the 2nd quarter, thanks to
customers who tried to accelerate the recovery from the earthquake. Although the flooding in
Thailand will have an impact going forward, I think that the overall trend will be positive for
HOYA, as I expect that the performance of both mirrorless and single-lens reflex cameras will
improve, while that of compact cameras will decline.

http://www.hoya.co.jp/english/investor/d0h4dj0000001g77-att/111031_gaiyou-E.pdf

[joe.penn]

This is in response to my concern posted in the "other" forum.

I really don't see that as a concern at all - that is nothing but a document to support reasoning why the "Q" is showing lackluster sales, nothing more and nothing less. In short, that is more of a validation document than anything hence the reason it is also showing positive facts.














---

[mickey]

Pentax.jp

Order colour (custom colours) K-r to cease production on 9th December.

[crf529]

This is in response to my concern posted in the "other" forum.

Still not sure what the 'concern' is about.....Pentax didn't take over the world this quarter?

[Adam]

The K-r kit is probably going to end up being cheaper than the body used to be, so they're discontinuing it. Didn't the same thing happen with the K-x?

Btw, Joe, what's with the extra 20 line breaks at the end of every post? Don't make me bust out the regular expressions

[magkelly]

The K-r body only has dropped to less than $450-500 on Amazon if you are seriously looking. Note, on the Pentax site there is a hot pink K-r. I must have missed seeing the pink one, either that or my never ending cold has zapped my brain completely dead, because I honestly don't remember any color but black white and red listed ever being listed as one of the basics for the K-r, but there it was. I thought the hot pink was a special order pay more kind of thing...

[bossa]

It seems obvious from the supplied document that companies are seeing mirror-less as the new entry level cameras (apart from smart-phones) and that the entry level DSLR is an endangered species. I suspect that the DSLR business is going to upgrade itself to a pro/semi-pro level and get serious or fall by the wayside.

[LFLee]

I almost 'upgrade' my k200d to K-r, but no top lcd, no wr, like my k200d, i decided to get K-5 instead. Still miss the dual batteries type that K-r using.
K200d is probably the best entry level (with most features) pentax ever produce at the time they come out.

wish the replacement will bring back some of k200d features (WR, top LCD, battery pack)...

Lee

In reply to all of the above. I have, only two days ago, bought a K-r. It is my first DSLR, so I am now a little concerned. In a, possibly, forlorn hope that Pentax will be honest, I have this very day sent an email asking for clarification over the K-r. If and when I receive a reply I shall post same in these forums.