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09-20-2010, 07:52 AM   #1
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K-5 and pricing the market

Just to put the K-5 announcement in context, here are the MSRPs of the freshly announced competition in the same market segment (all body-only prices):

USA:

Canon 60D: $1100
Nikon D7000: $1200
Olympus E-5: $1700
Pentax K-5: $1600

In US dollars the K-5 is only slightly less out-of-step with the competition than the E-5. The D7000 is very close in competition to the K-5 but costs $400 less, while the 60D while slightly lower-specced is an additional $100 lower than that. Nonetheless, market forces should take care of it in the long-term, and I'm not planning on buying one for a while. I just feel there's some concern that it could hurt initial sales. Most new buyers would probably pick the Nikon, between the two, with price being a major factor. As Pentax has less brand-recognition than Nikon, it needs to price as competitively as possible.

But here's the really wierd part: Prices in british pounds.

UK:

Canon 60D: £ 1100
Nikon D7000: £1100
Olympus E-5: £1500
Pentax K-5: £1200 (with 18-55 WR; no body-only price listed)

The K-5 is nearly identical in price to the 60D and D7000 in the british market (the E-5 is still highly unreasonable). Why the huge discrepancy in the US market and the near-identical pricing in the UK market? It just doesn't make sense to me.

Don't get me wrong, I'm quite excited by the K-5, and it will almost certainly eventually be my next DSLR purchase. I just really hope Pentax will bring the US pricing into line with the market. Otherwise, they're probably going to lose more sales than they might have otherwise, particularly to the D7000.

09-20-2010, 08:04 AM   #2
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Well I don't know about you, but I was never on the pre-order bandwagon
As with all things, I'm going to wait until the camera gets reviewed, and prices settle before purchasing one. Which usually translates to aprox. 6-8 months following the date of announcement.

But that won't stop me from preparing for it though
Grip, new head, laptop(for tethering), couple of lenses(to celebrate).

TBH. I can't wait to hook this new system up to some of my older telephoto's /TC combination. They were to dark to AF on my K20D and the higher sensitivities needed to keep things in check came at a cost. Now... with the K-5's exceptional ISO performance and enhanced AF, these lenses will be given a new life!

It's going to be awesome!
09-20-2010, 08:07 AM   #3
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QuoteOriginally posted by er1kksen Quote
Just to put the K-5 announcement in context, here are the MSRPs of the freshly announced competition in the same market segment (all body-only prices):

USA:

Canon 60D: $1100
Nikon D7000: $1200
Olympus E-5: $1700
Pentax K-5: $1600

In US dollars the K-5 is only slightly less out-of-step with the competition than the E-5. The D7000 is very close in competition to the K-5 but costs $400 less, while the 60D while slightly lower-specced is an additional $100 lower than that. Nonetheless, market forces should take care of it in the long-term, and I'm not planning on buying one for a while. I just feel there's some concern that it could hurt initial sales. Most new buyers would probably pick the Nikon, between the two, with price being a major factor. As Pentax has less brand-recognition than Nikon, it needs to price as competitively as possible.

But here's the really wierd part: Prices in british pounds.

UK:

Canon 60D: £ 1100
Nikon D7000: £1100
Olympus E-5: £1500
Pentax K-5: £1200 (with 18-55 WR; no body-only price listed)

The K-5 is nearly identical in price to the 60D and D7000 in the british market (the E-5 is still highly unreasonable). Why the huge discrepancy in the US market and the near-identical pricing in the UK market? It just doesn't make sense to me.

Don't get me wrong, I'm quite excited by the K-5, and it will almost certainly eventually be my next DSLR purchase. I just really hope Pentax will bring the US pricing into line with the market. Otherwise, they're probably going to lose more sales than they might have otherwise, particularly to the D7000.

Take a look at 60D specification - it is stripped down 50D. Canon removed meny features in 60D in comparison with 50D. For example: plastic body shell (no more magnesium), no AF micro-adjust, lower burst rate, no joystick, no multi-flash support, simplified top plate & info panel, only one Custom mode, reduced customization options, redesigned control layout with slightly fewer buttons, etc.. Canon 60D is no way close to K-5 or D7000. And even D7000 have no full magnesium body and is seald only partly.
09-20-2010, 08:13 AM   #4
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QuoteOriginally posted by JohnBee Quote
Well I don't know about you, but I was never on the pre-order bandwagon
Neither am I, I've bought almost every camera I've ever had used. My commentary is more on the fact that the pricing doesn't match the market in the US (by a significant margin) but mysteriously falls right in line with the competition in the UK? I am mystified by this strange pricing decision by Pentax.

I can't wait to get ahold of one myself... next winter right before I leave for the Himalayas. I'm sure the prices will be quite reasonable by then. In the meantime I'm getting a Bronica and taking a break from digital. So I really have no immediate personal stake in this topic. Just seems odd to me.

09-20-2010, 08:18 AM   #5
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QuoteOriginally posted by Roberts Quote
Take a look at 60D specification - it is stripped down 50D. Canon removed meny features in 60D in comparison with 50D. For example: plastic body shell (no more magnesium), no AF micro-adjust, lower burst rate, no joystick, no multi-flash support, simplified top plate & info panel, only one Custom mode, reduced customization options, redesigned control layout with slightly fewer buttons, etc.. Canon 60D is no way close to K-5 or D7000. And even D7000 have no full magnesium body and is seald only partly.
They're all close enough to the brand-agnostic consumer. I did mention that the 60D is lower-specced than the others, but it does cost less as well (at least in the US).

The D7000 is closer in construction than you might think. The D7000 has a mag body with an open front panel, while the K-5 has a bag body with an open back panel. The K-5 has more seals but the D7000 seems sufficiently sealed to handle most things a K-5 could handle (number of seals isn't everything...).

I do see the K-5 as higher-specced than the D7000, based on framerate, construction, hopefully IQ, and handling, but it can't be denied that the D7000 is its closest competition and pretty tough competition at that. Considering Nikon's greater name recognition, a $400 pricing difference isn't helping the Pentax.

Of course, that still doesn't touch on the mystifying fact that they're essentially the exact same price in the UK. I don't get it.
09-20-2010, 08:20 AM   #6
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QuoteQuote:
Take a look at 60D specification - it is stripped down 50D. Canon removed meny features in 60D in comparison with 50D. For example: plastic body shell (no more magnesium), no AF micro-adjust, lower burst rate, no joystick, no multi-flash support, simplified top plate & info panel, only one Custom mode, reduced customization options, redesigned control layout with slightly fewer buttons, etc.. Canon 60D is no way close to K-5 or D7000. And even D7000 have no full magnesium body and is seald only partly.
The K-5 doesn't have a full mag body either. It has a plastic rear panel just like the K-7.

Besides the OP isn't talking about specs, he's asking why in the US market the K-5 is significantly more costly than the competition while in the UK it is not. My only guess is that Pentax has a greater market share in the US than the UK which I find surprising.
09-20-2010, 08:23 AM   #7
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I believe France and Japan are Pentax's two strongest markets, last I knew. Still, the US is a larger market so may have potential for more total sales even with less market share.

09-20-2010, 08:37 AM   #8
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I do certainly see a lot of Pentaxes hereabouts in La Belle France. I wonder what price the K5 will be, bearing in mind that a 7D is 'only' €1300 (less than £1100) here?

I'm keeping my purchase decision powder dry for now, but that Nikon looks very tempting, especially as I am getting the impression that there is less and less support for the Pentax mount from third party manufacturers these days. The new Tamron 70-300 for example - Canon, Nikon and Sony only.
09-20-2010, 08:48 AM   #9
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Once you realize that the difference in price between just ONE Canikon IS/VR lens and a non IS/VR lens is going to pretty much eat up all of that savings by running to Canikon, the price difference doesn't seem to be that big of a deal anymore.

Unless you want to shoot with Non IS/VR lenses, in the long run, it's going to cost you a whole bunch more than the 500 you will save by buying Canikon.

You can either pay for Shake Reduction once, or pay for it every time you buy a new lens.

Price is a one time thing, cost is a life time thing.

The choice is yours, but if you think about it, this is a silly debate when you consider all the factors involved.


A guy with a simple kit of 16-45, 100 macro, and 55-300 would spend over $2500 to just replace those lens's with the equivalent Canon IS lens.

If you're still upset that the Pentax is 500 more than the canikons, I would stay away from used car lots and guys who want to sell you bridges.

Just saying.........
09-20-2010, 08:53 AM   #10
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The british prices include 17.5% VAT, I assume? The K5 has essentially the same price in the US and UK, then.
09-20-2010, 08:59 AM   #11
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QuoteOriginally posted by AGWoodard Quote
Once you realize that the difference in price between just ONE Canikon IS/VR lens and a non IS/VR lens is going to pretty much eat up all of that savings by running to Canikon, the price difference doesn't seem to be that big of a deal anymore.

Unless you want to shoot with Non IS/VR lenses, in the long run, it's going to cost you a whole bunch more than the 500 you will save by buying Canikon.

You can either pay for Shake Reduction once, or pay for it every time you buy a new lens.

Price is a one time thing, cost is a life time thing.

The choice is yours, but if you think about it, this is a silly debate when you consider all the factors involved.


A guy with a simple kit of 16-45, 100 macro, and 55-300 would spend over $2500 to just replace those lens's with the equivalent Canon IS lens.

If you're still upset that the Pentax is 500 more than the canikons, I would stay away from used car lots and guys who want to sell you bridges.

Just saying.........
I don't think you're getting what I'm saying. I have no personal stake in this (not buying one anytime soon) and I am not at all upset. I'm just questioning the wisdom of their pricing strategy and wondering why the heck there's a huge price discrepancy in the US and near-identical prices in the UK.

QuoteQuote:
The british prices include 17.5% VAT, I assume? The K5 has essentially the same price in the US and UK, then.
That may be, but the question remains why the huge gap from the competition in the US market and the lack thereof in the UK market?
09-20-2010, 08:59 AM   #12
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QuoteOriginally posted by gazonk Quote
The british prices include 17.5% VAT, I assume? The K5 has essentially the same price in the US and UK, then.
for the first time i can remember the uk has not been bashed on price...we normally pay far more than anyone else so from my point of view thanks pentax
09-20-2010, 09:03 AM   #13
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QuoteOriginally posted by gazonk Quote
The british prices include 17.5% VAT, I assume? The K5 has essentially the same price in the US and UK, then.
Yeah, dont you love it. Welcome to european prices america.
(actually i think its cheaper here in sweden, going from paying a 35% premium here compared to usa before to having cheaper...)
09-20-2010, 09:07 AM   #14
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QuoteOriginally posted by davebris33 Quote
for the first time i can remember the uk has not been bashed on price...we normally pay far more than anyone else so from my point of view thanks pentax
Now you seem to pay too much for Canon, Nikon and Oly....
09-20-2010, 09:47 AM   #15
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maybe pentax has thought about the price of the US dollar in two months time!
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