[stevedh]

Ok I don't expect anyone has an answer, but we Had Promised our Daughter we would get her one and wont be in a position to do so until Next Month, just in time for a school trip.
I'm in the uk, and its already getting very hard to find one available for sale, especially as she had her Heart set on a white one, also prices have started to rocket.
were Pentax selling this for a loss, seems strange that they canned it especially as my computer mag has it listed as the Dslr to get...

[boriscleto]

Pentax is expected to announce a mirror less camera in a few weeks to replace it. A Pentax UK representative said the K-r, the black one at least, will be available until at least March.

As far as why it was discontinued, it was past time to do so. Pentax has been on an approximately 1 year cycle for low end cameras. The merger with Ricoh disrupted that schedule.

[dlacouture]

Maybe you can have a look in neighboring countries? I see a violet Kr being available for 439€ at Muller Photo Service, in France (I live near this shop and bought some lenses from it).

But white seems to be quite hard to find...

[Zav]

A friend, close to Pentax France told that one of the reason was the flood in Thailand. It created a shortage of Sony sensor.

[koukon]

I think that Amazon.co.uk has some stock available!!!!

[Graham V]

Also London Camera Exchange still has them in stock £399

[mdodrill]

Why?...good question. I like my K-r, which is my first digital after owning more film cameras than I want to admit. Now that I see a smaller mirrorless pentax will be available that takes all former pentax lenses, I see the rational.

[Adam]

It's discontinued because it's been out about a year and a half now and is about to be replaced by an improved intro-level model that has yet to be announced (strangely).

[RioRico]

As suggested, if Pentax had sufficient production capacity, they could keep a cash-cow like the Kx or Kr onstream for a long long time. CaNikon are rumored to follow this practice, and some motor vehicle makers. Apparently such capacity is lacking. Pentax-Ricoh won't pay for extra assembly lines at this time. In the future, who knows? Could Pentax devise a basic universal camera, a latter-day K1000 that stays in production for 20 years? Is the Kr a good candidate?

[Philoslothical]

Is the Kr a good candidate?

Nah. The K-5 might be. Whether you consider it a big or a small issue, the AF problems the K-r has become known for make it a poor long term candidate. Now that most of the bugs seem to be worked out of the K-5, if they eased it into the position in their lineup where the K-r is now when they release new models... I could see it having good longevity.

[magkelly]

The days of 20 year camera models alas are long gone and I doubt that Ricoh will want to go back to that. Cameras are like cars these days. It's all about seasonal models with limited availability to prime the buyer to buy. A long term camera like the K1000? You won't see that anymore. If there's not a new # available every year. It's not a new model fresh off the factory floor people are less likely to buy it. That's why so many people have a drawer of cell phones they never use anymore. Personally I'd have liked to see the K-x in production for at least 5 years. It's a terrific little camera and it was more popular than it's limited run deserved. IMHO it was the new K1000. It was perfect for the home and student market in every way, price, features. It was small, ergo friendly, and just plain fun. The K-r is cool too but even though it's a tech upgrade I think in some ways the K-x is just nicer...

[OutOfFocus]

I have a drawer full of old cell phones that I don't use anymore because they all stopped working. And I hate buying new ones because it's impossible to see how well they actually work as a phone, before you buy, and the reviews just gush about all the latest useless "features", but not how well it works as a phone, and you have no data about how reliable and robust they are. My last several phones all had great reviews, but I would describe them all as lemons.

But before you this information gets out, that model is discontinued and "the new model has fixed all the problems with the old model". Bah, humbug. The phone makers are laughing all the way to the bank.

[stevedh]

Thanks for all the comments. problem is I'm not going to be able to get it until next month, also when I looked a few weeks ago I could pick up one for £360.
I have a review of entry level dslr's less then a couple of months old which the K-r wins, also there may still be people who would want the K-r over the mirror-less replacement as there are those who like a proper optical viewfinder, especially if the replacement is going to cost more.

However RioRico's comment on production capacities seems to answer my question, so I spose that means the factories are now being re-tooled to do the K-01..or whatever it will be called.

So how long realistically will we need to wait for the replacement to be in the shops?
ta
Steve

[boriscleto]

So how long realistically will we need to wait for the replacement to be in the shops?
ta
Steve

We won't really know until CP+, February 9-11.

[Mr Spocko]

Save your money and get a newer model by that time Pentax should have sorted out the K-r's AF problems.
Just wait for a bit or buy a compact to tick her over