[alohadave]

The *ist-D was "discontinued" after about a year. Sold for at least 2 years after that. Have no idea what "discontinued" means to Pentax. Their definition is fluid and loose apparently. I really think it's more of a marketing tool to move the model faster.......

the FA 50 f/1.4 is also discontinued, but continues to sell new. If they have a stockpile of them, they can stop making the item, but still sell them until they run out of stock.

[nixcamic]

the FA 50 f/1.4 is also discontinued, but continues to sell new. If they have a stockpile of them, they can stop making the item, but still sell them until they run out of stock.

AFAIK the FA 50 f/1.4 is still made, but in Vietnam now instead of Japan. Pentax appear to have their own definition of discontinued.

[jeffkrol]

AFAIK the FA 50 f/1.4 is still made, but in Vietnam now instead of Japan. Pentax appear to have their own definition of discontinued.

Yes they definitely do........... *ist-D was "discontinued" slightly over a year after it's release and if I remember correctly sold for at least 1-2 more after that. EXIF implied camera bodies were manuf. long after the discontinuation. Lenses "discontinued" in the global markets were readily available in Japan for years.
Not all of it could be assumed due to inventory stockpiles.....................
Sometimes I think they just use discontinued as some companies use "going out of business " sales yet continue on for years

[Ratmagiclady]

AFAIK the FA 50 f/1.4 is still made, but in Vietnam now instead of Japan. Pentax appear to have their own definition of discontinued.

I was wondering about that when my FA 50 arrived with that 'Assembled in Vietnam' and the thing had a loose element or something. No idea how long that's been going on, but it seems that factory hasn't gotten it right yet. Is a lot of their stuff that we hear of QC problems from there?

[Samsungian]

Bummer on your loose element in Vietnam 50mm 1.4. I have a Geographic Bias, and prefer certain items made it japan. Only a few Limited lenses are MIJ: Made In Japan , like 77mm 1.8 BUT Pentax, err I mean Hoya announced the closure of several Pentax plants in Japan recently. So I'd assume in a year or so all lenses will be made in, or as they like to say, "Assembled In Vietnam under Hoya Supervision". VietNam does real well on 50-135MM SDM however not consistently great on 16-50MM SDM maufacture. I had considered 50mm 1.4 a few times over the years but now that its made elsewhere I'm not planning on adding it either. I think all SDM are only VietNam made, usually the VietNam origin is somewhat hidden next to rear element inside the lens mount.

I was wondering about that when my FA 50 arrived with that 'Assembled in Vietnam' and the thing had a loose element or something. No idea how long that's been going on, but it seems that factory hasn't gotten it right yet. Is a lot of their stuff that we hear of QC problems from there?

[dugrant153]

Sorry to bump this thread, but I was at a local camera store today and they are saying that the Pentax K200D is discontinued. They have no more in stock!!!

Looks like I'll have to aim for the K20D, but just thought I'd let people know. I dunno if maybe it's just the Canadian product chain... hmm....

[Ratmagiclady]

Sorry to bump this thread, but I was at a local camera store today and they are saying that the Pentax K200D is discontinued. They have no more in stock!!!

Looks like I'll have to aim for the K20D, but just thought I'd let people know. I dunno if maybe it's just the Canadian product chain... hmm....

With the prices as they are on a K20D, it'd be silly not to do so anyway, unless you really want something just that size... I'm hoping there'll still be something like the K200 available, though: I'm trying to get my little sister into one. Seems like a really good fit: she wants to do like 80 percent competent family snapping, twenty percent what she learned off me and hand-me-down Canon FTbs.

As for my bum FA 50, Samsungian, the replacement's all good and tight. I try to be a good sport about it. Photo-Gods know that anything that came out of Korea in the 80s was just awful-in-the-using-inferior-stuff-and-not-even-trying way: if an internal set screw didn't go in straight, someone'd just grind it off and leave the bare metal. Yikes.

Now you're named after a Korean company. This stuff takes time, is all. Probably they ought to have someone to catch more mistakes, though. You don't make an optical industry overnight.

And I don't *know,* but possibly an older 1.4 would be made to better tolerances: these *used* to be the top of the line, now they're that fast-lens bargain. Might be less soft-wide-open if made back then, too, even. Who knows. )

[nostatic]

I bought a K200d for my g/f and am sending it back to get her a K20d instead. At $742 for the K20d, there is no reason to spend $475 for the K200d imho. The K20d is just way more camera. We briefly shot the K200d and K20d back to back with the same lenses, and it frankly is no contest, especially in low light. And the K200d is essentially the same size and weight as the K20d. I thought is would be "smaller" but it really isn't.

Were I Pentax, I'd be looking at three tiers - FF, upper level APS (K20d), lower level APS (Km). The upper APS trickles to the lower level each iteration and the FF (or MF) may evolve into two levels there as well. Though it isn't clear that they want to chase the high end...

[Samsungian]

Yeah, everybody has quality control issues. So your 50m FA came with a smaller hood right. Its for aps-c dslr only from what i've read. it vignettes film bodies according to ad i read.

K200D was discontinued a long time ago. We kicked it around and suddenly the next day it reappeared on usa language site. It remained discontinued in Japan. Kinda like a K100D Super, here for just a brief time.

having bought a K20d recently i have zero interst in any other pentax body. i think pentax would like us all to collect one of every body they make. K20D is my first pentax logo'd dslr and its exceptional. Well worth the $689 I got mine for 6 weeks ago & 3 year warranty made it a must have. Pentax will piss off alot of K20D buyers as you must apply for extended warranty by 12-31-08 to register it. And you must have the added documentation inhand to register the add on service plan.

With the prices as they are on a K20D, it'd be silly not to do so anyway, unless you really want something just that size... I'm hoping there'll still be something like the K200 available, though: I'm trying to get my little sister into one. Seems like a really good fit: she wants to do like 80 percent competent family snapping, twenty percent what she learned off me and hand-me-down Canon FTbs.

As for my bum FA 50, Samsungian, the replacement's all good and tight. I try to be a good sport about it. Photo-Gods know that anything that came out of Korea in the 80s was just awful-in-the-using-inferior-stuff-and-not-even-trying way: if an internal set screw didn't go in straight, someone'd just grind it off and leave the bare metal. Yikes.

Now you're named after a Korean company. This stuff takes time, is all. Probably they ought to have someone to catch more mistakes, though. You don't make an optical industry overnight.

And I don't *know,* but possibly an older 1.4 would be made to better tolerances: these *used* to be the top of the line, now they're that fast-lens bargain. Might be less soft-wide-open if made back then, too, even. Who knows. )

[Blue]

i think pentax would like us all to collect one of every body they make. . . .

Samsungian,

I don't think Pentax(hoya) really thinks that. I think they benefit from collectors etc. keeping the Pentax name and the history of Pentax alive. After all, Pentax should everyone what a 35mm slr was supposed to look like, how it was supposed to perform and feel. Some on here have multiple Pentax bodies because they have had them for decades while others have added some vintage bodies and lenses to there collections. At the end of the day, this doesn't directly effect the Pentax balance sheet.

[Ratmagiclady]

Yeah, everybody has quality control issues. So your 50m FA came with a smaller hood right. Its for aps-c dslr only from what i've read. it vignettes film bodies according to ad i read.

having bought a K20d recently i have zero interst in any other pentax body. i think pentax would like us all to collect one of every body they make. K20D is my first pentax logo'd dslr and its exceptional. Well worth the $689 I got mine for 6 weeks ago & 3 year warranty made it a must have. Pentax will piss off alot of K20D buyers as you must apply for extended warranty by 12-31-08 to register it. And you must have the added documentation inhand to register the add on service plan.

Have to remember to deal with that warranty! Thanks for the reminder!

(Though, come to think of it, I thought you just had to purchase by the 31st? )

Actually, the FA 50s seem to come with no hoods at all. I put a big ol' thing on there with a step ring, but the diameter's such it doesn't vignette with full frame, so I'm covered. (I'm picky about hoods, so I have accumulated a few extras in the sizes I use a lot. )

[K200D]

I bought a K200d for my g/f and am sending it back to get her a K20d instead. At $742 for the K20d, there is no reason to spend $475 for the K200d imho. The K20d is just way more camera. We briefly shot the K200d and K20d back to back with the same lenses, and it frankly is no contest, especially in low light. And the K200d is essentially the same size and weight as the K20d. I thought is would be "smaller" but it really isn't.

Were I Pentax, I'd be looking at three tiers - FF, upper level APS (K20d), lower level APS (Km). The upper APS trickles to the lower level each iteration and the FF (or MF) may evolve into two levels there as well. Though it isn't clear that they want to chase the high end...

Really? I actually never understood why people would choose the K20D over the K200D. What exactly are you getting for the few hundred dollars more?

Digital Cameras Side-by-Side, 2 cameras: Digital Photography Review

[Jasvox]

Really? I actually never understood why people would choose the K20D over the K200D. What exactly are you getting for the few hundred dollars more?

Digital Cameras Side-by-Side, 2 cameras: Digital Photography Review

33% more pixels
better pixel density
CMOS sensor (better)
Higher ISO
better viewfinder (pentaprism versus pentamirror)
Live view (debatable)
rechargeable battery instead of AA's (a personal choice thing, but my preference at least)

Besides, you can get the K20D for what, 600 something nowadays?

Jason

[mattdm]

33% more pixels
better pixel density
CMOS sensor (better)
Higher ISO
better viewfinder (pentaprism versus pentamirror)
Live view (debatable)
rechargeable battery instead of AA's (a personal choice thing, but my preference at least)

And, worth at least a couple of hundred bucks to me in practical use: controls I use all of the time accessible directly without digging into a menu.

[ogl]

To say honest - K200D has better end picture than K20D. Weaker AA filter.
Better colours. Very good resolution in RAW.
It's the main important thing which tip the scale to the favor of K200D.

K200D has the best image quality between all Pentax's cameras.
It's only camera without new firmware.