[monochrome]

You know, the "PentaxUSA ...can't tell us." is a copout - they never tell us anything, hell they don't even update their website in a timely and meaningful way.

I agree and I have o=posted here about that. It looks to me as if in 2009 they outsourced virtually every business function possible - marketing, website, sales (to BigBox National accounts model), service, customer relations, tecnhical support, media relations - everything. I really don't know what the 50 USA employees do.

But they cannot tell us openly the meaning of these price changes. Under Colgate they can guide a minimum acceptable price, but they can't set the final price. That's an anti-trust violation.

[ElJamoquio]

I checked the day after and the 77 and 31 were the same price. I heard the 15 went up but I already have one of those.

[ElJamoquio]

I agree and I have o=posted here about that. It looks to me as if in 2009 they outsourced virtually every business function possible - marketing, website, sales (to BigBox National accounts model), service, customer relations, tecnhical support, media relations - everything. I really don't know what the 50 USA employees do.

But they cannot tell us openly the meaning of these price changes. Under Colgate they can guide a minimum acceptable price, but they can't set the final price. That's an anti-trust violation.

I thought they could say a minimum price at which they will no longer send a retailer inventory.

[einstrigger]

I have a feeling that sellers will jump in the bandwagon and "adjust" their prices accordingly.

Yup, prices in the used market will adjust accordingly. So long as prices remain at MSRP, we can forget about prices that a lens "used to be" in the marketplace. That was the old market, which has since changed with the price increases. We are now in a completely different market.

I consider it to be the same as how the FA 50mm f/1.4 increased from $199.95 to the $350 it now hovers at. The lens commonly sells on the marketplace for around $245 or so. At that price, those who purchased prior to the increase will recoup all their costs and then some, while those purchasing the lens from them are happy they are paying less than the $350 MSRP. The market adjusted and now the other lenses will follow in a similar fashion. It would be foolish for those of us who are looking to sell our existing lenses not to consider the retail pricing.

[Spag]

I think Pentax executives upped the prices so they could buy their Canon 5D III faster.

[usrbrv8]

This whole price change policy just makes no sense to me from a market share perspective. They announce a new price policy to protect B&M stores but no new B&M stores and seemingly no new sales presence to cultivate or grow the B&M market.

So at the moment they have done nothing to improve the value proposition they are offering customers.

Basically they are saying give us more money now and maybe in a year or two you might see cameras/lenses in your local market, get better support, a real sales presence in local markets, and have a reasonable 2-5 year warranty on lenses. But they didn't even go that far because they have not even promised any of that yet. I really hope Ricoh cleans house at Pentax Imaging because this has been handled really poorly.

If they don't get some positive news ( K-R / K-5 replacement, FF, extended warranties, New B&M contracts, etc..) out soon there is going to be nothing but bitching in the forums people jumping ship. Which is only to drive away new customers.

[fuent104]

But they cannot tell us openly the meaning of these price changes.

I disagree. If they have an overall strategy, which they surely do, they must be allowed to discuss this strategy. Even if it's something as simple as a statement on behalf of the company explaining that they are trying to move back into B&M stores. Companies such as Apple and RED thrive on their perceived open communication with customers. It is a huge part of their brand identities. Whether or not such communications are substantive is a different question altogether.

This whole price change policy just makes no sense to me from a market share perspective. They announce a new price policy to protect B&M stores but no new B&M stores and seemingly no new sales presence to cultivate or grow the B&M market. So at the moment they have done nothing to improve the value proposition they are offering customers.

This I agree with. If someone is looking into buying a camera, and has no brand preference whatsoever, what argument would Pentax be able to make today that they are the best brand, as opposed to before the price increase? I don't see any improvement in the brand.

Brand is an interesting topic. I don't buy into any argument about Pentax not being able to compete. One thing that enables a company to compete is products that excite people. Fuji has created 2 products in the last year (the X100 and the XPro-1) that have generated so much more excitement than Pentax's offerings it is ridiculous. Yet, people probably would have told them that they couldn't compete a few years ago.

[parsons]

Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 EX DG APO OS HSM for Pentax 589109 B&H
I think sigma are trying to take full advantage of the recent proce increases from canon and Pentax. They are giving rebates- look here $100 back-
But hang on... Optimised for what...?
"Optimized for Pentax Full-Frame DSLRs"
Oh really?

[WillWeaverRVA]

Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 EX DG APO OS HSM for Pentax 589109 B&H
I think sigma are trying to take full advantage of the recent proce increases from canon and Pentax. They are giving rebates- look here $100 back-
But hang on... Optimised for what...?
"Optimized for Pentax Full-Frame DSLRs"
Oh really?

Every Sigma DG lens listed says the same thing. It's nothing new.

[parsons]

I thought that was the case- I was just being silly and FF obsessed.

[AlphaGAK20D]

Very pi$$ed about this "strategic" move by Pentax. I was literally 2-3 days from pulling the trigger on DA* 50-135mm - I love this lens. Now that it has almost doubled in price, I will definitely not be buying anytime soon. WTF is Pentax thinking?!!?!?!? And FWIW, though I do purchase some items via Amazon, the bulk of my purchases have been through B&H. Why does Pentax want to bite the hands that feed them AND potentially see a viable distribution channel shrink even more. Canon/Nikon/Fuji/Sony must be licking their collective chops.

[parsons]

I doubt it. I would think that they would be more worried what the next move will be. I would be if there was a lunatic on the loose!

On a serious note though I think it will end well. Ricoh won't have bought a company on its knees if they didn't think they could turn it around.
Sometimes the tunnel has to get darker before it starts to get light again.

[Class A]

Some offer great Pentax service and good choice (e.g., Saturn in Berlin -- the store department manager is actually even a participating member here), some aren't even allowed to sell Pentax anymore.

I believe said department manager has left the forum in June 2011 on a sour note. I was disappointed with that.

[monochrome]

I thought they could say a minimum price at which they will no longer send a retailer inventory.

Nope. Can't be explicit. But they can choose who are their dealers and who aren't their dealers. Dealers who resell to non-dealer discounters, to manage their inventory, (which is what this is about - breaking the gray market business in the US) might also have problems in the future. In return the manufacturer supports periodic "Co-Op Ads, Rebates andSales" to clear excess inventory. But the manufacturer decides when and how much "allowance" to offer.

[monochrome]

Very pi$$ed about this "strategic" move by Pentax. I was literally 2-3 days from pulling the trigger on DA* 50-135mm - I love this lens. Now that it has almost doubled in price, I will definitely not be buying anytime soon. WTF is Pentax thinking?!!?!?!? And FWIW, though I do purchase some items via Amazon, the bulk of my purchases have been through B&H. Why does Pentax want to bite the hands that feed them AND potentially see a viable distribution channel shrink even more. Canon/Nikon/Fuji/Sony must be licking their collective chops.

Pentax didn't raise the prices. B&H, Adorama, Amazon, Abe's and the other dealers raised the prices.

LaurenOE figured it out - they're completely revamping for coming new product introductions (cameras, lenses, accessories, services, structure - everything) and they HAVE to raise prices to slow the depletion of existing inventory. Oterwise they'll be OOS and that's worse.

[EDIT:] And Tamron, Sigma, Voigtlander and other secondary lens makers might re-start marketing in K-mount since Pentax isn't competing on price any more.

The resolution of this will be dramatic, that's for sure.