Originally posted by Rite ===============================
K5 K-5 Digital SLR Camera Body (Black) - $1,599 K-5 Digital SLR Camera W/18-55mm Zoom Lens (Black) - $1,749
Rite - I'm fairly certain that the current pricing on B&H and Adorama isn't going to be the actual street price once the camera starts shipping. It's just a placeholder for now, and anyone who preorders at the placeholder prices is likely throwing away $100-200.
Simply put - right now, there is zero indication as to what actual street price is going to be, and B&H/Ado pricing these cameras at MSRP says one of two things:
1) Pentax is going to do strict MSRP enforcement that will kill them in the market at the current MSRP. We haven't seen evidence of this, only of doing strict MSRP enforcement on advertised prices. (which is why nearly all of Pentax's products right now have that "put in cart for the real price" blurbs at B&H, Adorama, and Amazon)
2) We're so early in the game that B&H and Ado don't even know what their costs (and hence profit margin at or below MSRP) are going to be.