[derekkite]

Demand may or may not be reflected in new lens price reductions but the prices of used k mount lenses seem to have been plummeting for the last several months. Desirable lenses at very low prices seem to go unsold for long periods in the forum marketplace. Perhaps I am remembering the past situation incorrectly but there really does seem to be a significant decrease in interest in buying used Pentax lenses. I hope I am wrong so please convince me.

They have gone up in price in Canada. Must be lots of demand.

[Mikesul]

You are not wrong, but not all lenses are the same.

I have been looking at FA and DA limiteds and DA*s. All of which seem to stay up in the marketplace at very low prices. With FF promises and rumors everywhere I would have thought that these lenses would have retained their value or even increased in the case of the FAs. Most of the DA*s work fine on FF as well as some DAs.

[monochrome]

Demand may or may not be reflected in new lens price reductions but the prices of used k mount lenses seem to have been plummeting for the last several months. Desirable lenses at very low prices seem to go unsold for long periods in the forum marketplace. Perhaps I am remembering the past situation incorrectly but there really does seem to be a significant decrease in interest in buying used Pentax lenses. I hope I am wrong so please convince me.

One thing I forgot in my responses above was pointed out on another thread. For US retailers - the US Dollar is strong versus the Yen, so running sales in USD terms doesn't really cost Ricoh anything at the dock door and helps Pentax N.A. and the retailers at the channel level - so why not move some extra merchandise?

RE: legacy lenses, I sense the same thing. I suspect the buyers who want legacy lenses have their lenses - I know I have almost all the lenses I put on a list ten years ago - coupled with the expectation that new lenses for the FF will be FF lenses, so there's less need to buy legacy lenses. I doubt I'll ever own Hollywood and the long FA and FA* lenses which are exceptions that prove the rule.

I'm just amazed you can't sell a NIB FA50/1.4 here for 50% below B&H. It just sits and sits and sits.

[Mikesul]

I'm just amazed you can't sell a NIB FA50/1.4 here for 50% below B&H. It just sits and sits and sits.

Exactly! It wrecks havoc with plans for financing the FF

[jatrax]

Perhaps I am remembering the past situation incorrectly but there really does seem to be a significant decrease in interest in buying used Pentax lenses. I hope I am wrong so please convince me.

I don't think you are wrong. I've had an A-400 f/5.6 for sale for months with no interest at all. I expected it to sell immediately based on the difficulty I had finding it in the first place years ago.

Whether the slow down is caused by:

1. Canon/Sony/Other users no longer buying up cheap Pentax glass
2. Canon/Sony/Other users dumping the Pentax glass they bought back on the market as native lenses become available
3. An overabundance of old glass coming out of closets and being put on the market by hoarders tired of waiting to cash in
4. Reduction in interest in Pentax generally
5. Slowing of DSLR purchases also slows lens purchases
6. Economy still slowing and drying up even funds for used lenses
7. Announcement of new glass (DFA 70-200 and DFA 150-450) and hinting of more zooms this year and 5-6 primes next year has people saving for that
8. Announcement of new glass means that old Pentax shooters do not need to stock up on old glass as there will be new glass coming instead of the brand dying
9. People saving their money for $3,000 body and $1,000 DFA 24-70 (you can buy a LOT of vintage glass for $4,000)
10. People re-aligning their lens collections in anticipation of full frame
11. ???

I'm not sure, but it has definitely slowed to almost no sales and prices have pulled back a lot. An amazing number of FA Limiteds on the market at all kinds of prices.

[Mikesul]

I don't think you are wrong. I've had an A-400 f/5.6 for sale for months with no interest at all. I expected it to sell immediately based on the difficulty I had finding it in the first place years ago.

Whether the slow down is caused by:

1. Canon/Sony/Other users no longer buying up cheap Pentax glass
2. Canon/Sony/Other users dumping the Pentax glass they bought back on the market as native lenses become available
3. An overabundance of old glass coming out of closets and being put on the market by hoarders tired of waiting to cash in
4. Reduction in interest in Pentax generally
5. Slowing of DSLR purchases also slows lens purchases
6. Economy still slowing and drying up even funds for used lenses
7. Announcement of new glass (DFA 70-200 and DFA 150-450) and hinting of more zooms this year and 5-6 primes next year has people saving for that
8. Announcement of new glass means that old Pentax shooters do not need to stock up on old glass as there will be new glass coming instead of the brand dying
9. People saving their money for $3,000 body and $1,000 DFA 24-70 (you can buy a LOT of vintage glass for $4,000)
10. People re-aligning their lens collections in anticipation of full frame
11. ???

I'm not sure, but it has definitely slowed to almost no sales and prices have pulled back a lot. An amazing number of FA Limiteds on the market at all kinds of prices.

Jatrax! You were supposed to prove me wrong, not confirm my fears. But it is somewhat comforting to know I am not the only one seeing this. Oh well, the old lenses do work very well and I really hated the thought of parting with most of them.

[D1N0]

People are hoarding cash and selling lenses to be able to buy the FF with one or two new lenses. Once it arrives things will open up again I think.

[BrianR]

How would this work? With the mirror down how would the sensor be able to generate a histogram?

How about an approximation using the built-in multi-segmented meter?

[jatrax]

How about an approximation using the built-in multi-segmented meter?

I don't know. Is that possible? The meter on k-3 reads 86,000 pixels so there should be plenty of data available.

[monochrome]

I don't care about the value of what I own. I got my K35/3.5 15 years ago and I'd never sell it. I think they're less than half what I paid now.

Maybe the right thing is to buy old lenses now and wait on the FF. I was amazed to see a Hollywood last week at all, even if it did go for $800 in 15 minutes. I missed it buy 10 minutes.

[rawr]

The meter on k-3 reads 86,000 pixels so there should be plenty of data available.

The RGB metering chip sits above the pentaprism, behind the mirror, just above the viewfinder eyepiece, I think. As long as there is a flow of visible light into the pentaprism, the RGB sensor should be able to do useful stuff.

[jatrax]

Oh well, the old lenses do work very well and I really hated the thought of parting with most of them.

People are hoarding cash and selling lenses to be able to buy the FF with one or two new lenses. Once it arrives things will open up again I think.

I think this is the most correct answer. I know myself I am not buying anything right now until I see what the FF will be. Both cost and image. I might stay with APS-C which means I should get a DA*50-135 and maybe the DA 10-17. But if I decide to go with FF then I need the 24-70 for sure and maybe a set of FA Limited or their replacements. And will my DA*60-250 work OK or will I need to replace that as well? Too many unknowns!!!

Indecision stops sales! This is basic retail selling. Offer too many choices and the buyer cannot decide. Offer confusion or uncertainty and the buyer cannot decide. Better to wait until things become clear. Maybe this is also the reason the FA Limiteds are on sale. I suspect RIcoh knows their inventory and rate of sale and the date they want all old stock gone so they can introduce new versions. If sales drop below the curve they reduce the price to keep them moving. There is an expiration date on FA Limiteds. When the DFA Limiteds are introduced the value of old stock will drop. Best to have the channel cleared out by then to allow retailers to stock the new versions.

---------- Post added 08-16-15 at 07:51 AM ----------

The RGB metering chip sits above the pentaprism, behind the mirror, just above the viewfinder eyepiece, I think. As long as there is a flow of visible light into the pentaprism, the RGB sensor should be able to do useful stuff.

I thought going from 77 to 86,000 was a bit over much. But maybe the new metering chip is capable of more than has been shown yet. Just speculation of course but it is sitting there reading 86,000 pixels independent of the main sensor. Hmm.....

---------- Post added 08-16-15 at 07:51 AM ----------

Hollywood last week at all, even if it did go for $800

Hollywood?

[BrianR]

I don't know. Is that possible? The meter on k-3 reads 86,000 pixels so there should be plenty of data available.

I don't see why not. The biggest problem I see would be fitting this histogram into the viewfinder, but as you say the data is there. It wouldn't hurt to make this full metering data available on the top or back lcd.

[jatrax]

The biggest problem I see would be fitting this histogram into the viewfinder,

yes, in an EVF no problem. But in an OVF or hybrid system where does it go? And is it useful enough to take up VF real estate? But I think the OP wanted it on the rear LCD as another option which might be doable.

[Scintilla]

Hollywood?

Common nickname for the K 28/2, floating element and Zeiss design (basically the same lens as the Zeiss Distagon 28/2 for Contax/Yashica and ZF/ZE/ZK).