[luftfluss]

You realise it is the dealer not Pentax that will benefit here.

I don't know if Pentax has changed their internal pricing, maybe I missed the news? (entirely possible)

Warranty is part of the cost of the product. One of the reasons Nikon costs more for lenses is the warranty. As for the local camera shop refer back to giving the local shop a reason to carry the line. protecting them on price gives them incentive. If a $500 msrp lens that costs $300 is frequently being sold at an online dealers for $340 why would you carry a line like that. if that same lens has a price floor of $420 then you are much more open to the idea. Opening up local B&M means a multi tier approach. unfortunately as it sits they need this in place to make the next step succeed. so for the short term (ie the next few months) this probably will hurt sales but the long term view needs to be taken on their end. Hoya was not in the long term view business they were in the make it attractive for a quick sale business

EDIT I will add on the warranty in Canada the Warranty is 2 years. I agree lenses should have a longer warranty as well since up here Nikon and Tamron are 5 years and Sigma is 10

Quick look at B&H shows the Pentax 55-300 is $30 more than the Nikon 55-300 VR, of course there's the el cheapo Nikon 50/1.8 for 1/3 the price of the Pentax 50/1.4, which is admittedly a bit faster and benefits from the Pentax SR... Nikon 35/1.8 is cheaper than Pentax 35/2.4...... it's hard to find identical matches, but I'm sure depending on one's needs you can get a Pentax K-5 based kit for less than Nikon, and maybe vice-versa.

As an aside, I'm seeing on B&H that the 18-55 MkII & 100/2.8 Macro (non-WR) are discontinued???

[Adam]

As an aside, I'm seeing on B&H that the 18-55 MkII & 100/2.8 Macro (non-WR) are discontinued???

They have been for years now

B&H how has the K-5 at 1099, which is MAP: Pentax K-5 Digital SLR Camera (Body Only) (Black) 14748 B&H

[luftfluss]

They have been for years now

B&H how has the K-5 at 1099, which is MAP: Pentax K-5 Digital SLR Camera (Body Only) (Black) 14748 B&H

dang, I guess I missed the memo!

[eddie1960]

I don't know if Pentax has changed their internal pricing, maybe I missed the news? (entirely possible)



Quick look at B&H shows the Pentax 55-300 is $30 more than the Nikon 55-300 VR, of course there's the el cheapo Nikon 50/1.8 for 1/3 the price of the Pentax 50/1.4, which is admittedly a bit faster and benefits from the Pentax SR... Nikon 35/1.8 is cheaper than Pentax 35/2.4...... it's hard to find identical matches, but I'm sure depending on one's needs you can get a Pentax K-5 based kit for less than Nikon, and maybe vice-versa.

As an aside, I'm seeing on B&H that the 18-55 MkII & 100/2.8 Macro (non-WR) are discontinued???

the fair comparison on the 50 is the 50 mm 1.4 G which is 459.99 $100 more than the Pentax today but also benefits from having had an update for digital. when the new DA 50 1.8 comes out it will have to compete with the 1.8 (though if build is better it may demand a little higher price)

you're right of course it is tough to make a direct comparison. Nikon also has the benefit of selling about 8-10 times the volume. I think it will settle to competitive but not silly variances but it's only been in place for a day. If volume drops due to prices being too high they will re-evaluate street price, but i think they will give it time.
On the 50-300 it may well be that the price isn't where it is supposed to be yet. The Nikon is a plastic mount versus the metal mount on the Pentax is it not?
I would imagine the 50-300will end up at 379-399

[monochrome]

I don't know if Pentax has changed their internal pricing, maybe I missed the news? (entirely possible)

B&H how has the K-5 at 1099, which is MAP: Pentax K-5 Digital SLR Camera (Body Only) (Black) 14748 B&H

MAP is the key. K-5 is in transition from flagship to either 3nd or 2nd Full-Featured body (dependent on K5n release and K-3 timing) through year-end, so we can look at the price behavior as indicative of Ricoh's strategy.

Pricing signals aren't instaneous. Inventories at the large marketers and of Pentax's held stock need to be adjusted, revenue maps (week-by-week revenue sources at large retailers) need to be adjusted, co-op plans need to be adjusted for the 2nd quarter (some of which may be affected by upcoming product release schedules that we don't know), etc.

Though it feels like forever, Ricoh now begins only their sixth month of ownership. In my business new owners start to implement changes right about now. It will take several quarters of work and negotiations to establish the pricing structure and alowances with the big guys. It will take a couple years just to call on the larger independent chains in the various cities and longer to really build credibility. Ricoh has nothing to sell unless they can show there is margin and volume in their line. We just have to put up with this.

Unfortunately we said the same thing after Hoya raised lens prices in August - was it 2009? So we are, as I have said, influenced by our recent memory. I'm optimistic, but reserving judgement until the holiday-season pricing is revealed, production for which should have started by now. By then we should know what we need to know.

[eddie1960]

Of course the prices are no different then what hoya raised them to, the difference is in the sell price the dealers have now. the current beneficiary is not Pentax It's the dealer

[Nass]

The whole point of the Colgate pricing system is to avoid grey market pricing by main street retailers. Electronics companies are using them to avoid price shopping online, that is by far the primary reason.

Will it raise prices? No. That is a fallacy. The price will be determined by the demand. Instead of retailers gauging "local" demand (a dead concept in the online market) and setting prices in response, Pentax will manage supply globally and hopefully control pricing.

But it rarely works out that a centralized price structure can control inventory, so despite unilaterals, big box stores will over order, and then request permission to have a sale. They still need their loss leaders and they foster weekly brand competition (like Wal Mart). And they get it because they still dominate channels and have superior regional forecasting than some Pentax guy in Tokyo or Ned wherever he is.

As for smaller retailers unilaterals are no better or worse from the evidence I have seen. It has not stopped the disappearance of Main St. brick and mortar stores. What it is intended to do is halt Amazon's inexorable market presence. Why have Amazon set your global price presence?

The real disruption occurs when current and future stock collide, but that passes soon enough. If prices do rise, don't buy. It has always been thus and it will even out in the longer term.

Agree with you, this is why there's a lot of this pricing in my industry too. Grey market online vendors undercutting legit partners.

[thibs]

Is it me or is this all issue at strictly US problem ?
No, it doesn't mean I don't care. I just wanna be sure I understand the circumstances.

[pearsaab]

if you are looking for the pentax 60-250 f4, there are 2 new ones at amazon for original price 1249 instead of 1999...will go fast

[eddie1960]

Is it me or is this all issue at strictly US problem ?
No, it doesn't mean I don't care. I just wanna be sure I understand the circumstances.

Pretty much a US problem. Europe already operates this way I think (at least a variant of it)

[Edvinas]

amazon.com seems that doesn't care about unilateral pricing: they have Pentax lenses at old prices. I've just ordered DA 15mm there.

[eddie1960]

amazon.com seems that doesn't care about unilateral pricing: they have Pentax lenses at old prices. I've just ordered DA 15mm there.

Not sure how long that will last because Pentax can withhold stocks. As they sell through i bet they start rising in price

[Adam]

Not sure how long that will last because Pentax can withhold stocks. As they sell through i bet they start rising in price

Yeah, I'm sure they will end up updating their prices very soon

[eddie1960]

Yeah, I'm sure they will end up updating their prices very soon

probably when existing supplies run down

[pearsaab]

the pricing is going up as they run out of the stock so expect they will conform too