Originally posted by Rondec I do think this is a tempest in a tea pot. Ricoh/Pentax aren't idiots. They do have a plan. It has to include new camera bodies, lenses and an increasing base of customers.
It would be great if they eventually have a reasonable plan. The issue, at least to me, with their plan is that they chose to raise their prices significantly on various lenses before doing anything else. When you can buy something one day for $1200, and the next day the same exact thing with the same warranty it is $2000, most people would feel like they are being taken advantage of. That's what it comes down to from my position.
So recently I did a photo job for a small business. I gave them an estimate by saying how many hours and the rate, but I also gave a fixed number based on that estimate. The job turned out taking more time than I anticipated, but I didn't try to get more than the number I gave them before starting. Before starting, he expected a specific rate, and that's what I gave him regardless of if I had to take more time than estimated or I wanted to change myself into a premium photographer. Now, the next job like that.... I'll ask for more to start off.