[Peter Zack]

Lets add a little salt to this wound. Now they are offering a $50 rebate on the K2000/KM PentaxWebstore K2000 w/18-55 Lens and AF200FG Flash Kit

I'll bet we'll see the same on the K200D and K20D when the new cameras are released this summer.

Gumble grumble.

[ManuH]

Prodigital finally has a lens up! It's a 31 ltd for $769.99 US OBO (approx $958.18 CDN). So, still cheaper than B&H, way cheaper than anywhere in Canada right now.

I can't figure out Prodigital. Do they get US prices when they do US auctions and CDN prices when they do CDN auctions?

I've never figured out how they could have much better prices than anywhere else. At some point the FA31 was around 700$ (cdn!) from them. And they still had legit warranties, it was not grey market at all.

It seems the European prices are getting slightly higher too. At least the DA* 16-50mm lens I've been looking for seems to have risen tens of euros over the last week. A pity as I've been hoping to find a bargain.

Well, as the earlier price was a bit steep IMO, the new price is a deal breaker for me. On the other hand, it's all money saved as I'll have to do with my modest kit and MF lenses.

[daacon]

On a whim I went to the Pentax Canada site and filled the Email question form to ask what the deal is with the increase in prices. I did not really expect a response back - Imagine my suprise ! Here is it ... I have bolded the 'empty promise' clause - just like gas prices



Thank you for your email regarding our recent price changes.

For the last several months, we, like other companies, have been affected by the fluctuating exchange rate of the Canadian Dollar vs. the US Dollar and the Japanese Yen. Some of our competitors raised their prices earlier in the year to reflect these fluctuations but we strived to hold our prices for as long as possible. Unfortunately, because of the currency fluctuations as well as price increases that we have incurred from our factory, we had no choice but to increase the price on some of our products on April 1st. Pricing of some items were affected more than others. The price changes reflect not only changes due to currency fluctuations but also reflect the true cost of production for each individual item. The price changes were in no way meant to penalize PENTAX users but reflect PENTAX Canada Inc.'s true cost of the product in the current market conditions. Should the Canadian Dollar strengthen through 2009, we will endeavor to pass these savings on to our customers.

Even with the recent price increases, we feel that many of our products still offer a price advantage compared to competitor products with similar features.

We thank you for your continued support of our products.


Sincerely,
Pentax Customer Service Team

So hang on once the Loonie is worth $1.80 USD prices will come down................sheeeeeeesh

---

Last edited by daacon; 04-03-2009 at 08:42 AM.

[ajuett]

Looks like a cut and paste canned answer from Pentax Support. I received and posted the same respose letter in a separate post!

[k100d]

what it should say is: when we find that the consumers realize the prices are too high and no one is buying our lenses, then we will reduce the prices.

[panoguy]

If this price increase is just an exchange rate thing...

Then why are the bodies the same price, but selected lenses have jumped +60% in some cases?

I am really feeling bitter about this.

What is pi**ing me off is that the "other-mount" Tokina versions of some of the non-Limited lenses (specifically the 50-135) are now nearly half the price! As if SMC, SDM and a 'red star' are worth that much more to the "captive" market.

But I guess that's what we are: captive.

A cynic would say this makes it a good time to "jump ship" to another brand in Canada, since your modern Pentax glass just appreciated in value and you can sell before the demand dries up (which, cynically, it will)... good thing I'm not a cynic.

We'll see what happens (if anything) to US and Japanese prices, but I doubt they'll budge any time in the next year.

[cyg]

At least you got an answer from Pentax Canada.

I wrote a few weeks ago to ask them about availability of the white K-m in Canada and never got an answer...

[cyg]

If this price increase is just an exchange rate thing...

Then why are the bodies the same price, but selected lenses have jumped +60% in some cases?

I am really feeling bitter about this.

To be fair, the K-m price in Canada seems to have jumped 50$ (from 600 to 650) -- That's official price of course, but the street price has gone up a bit at most vendors.

If the K200d and K20d are discontinued (or close to be) as some rumors indicate, then most of those bodies may have been built and sold some time ago in more favourable conditions.

I guess bodies tend to have much shorter lifecycles than lenses, so Pentax may be willing to cut their profit at the end of the cycle.

But I would not be surprised if this new summer camera everybody is waiting for was priced much higher than expected (at least in Canada).

[ManuH]

what it should say is: when we find that the consumers realize the prices are too high and no one is buying our lenses, then we will reduce the prices.

For a while nobody will buy lenses at these crazy prices. Unless you really need a lens, how can you wrap your mind around paying twice the price of the last month/year? I sure cannot. Some lenses like the DA*55 or DA15 may escape from that thinking because we don't have a previous price but I cannot buy a FA43 at 900$. They look like used FA* prices.

[ve2vfd]

At least you got an answer from Pentax Canada.

I wrote a few weeks ago to ask them about availability of the white K-m in Canada and never got an answer...

I know, amazing that he got an answer...

I sent 2 emails to pentax Canada, both times with basic technical questions (once inquiring about parts for a broken camera, once to find out what movie codec the w60 used) and never got an answer or so much as an acknowledgement... talk about awefull service.

Pat

[ajuett]

I replied to Pentax Canada's response, we'll see if I get lucky with a second reply. I basically made it known that consumers are far more informed these days. Also that the 50 to 100% increase was not justified. Also cut apart their excuse that other manufacturers raised their prices. Honestly, I have been monitoring Nikon, Canon, Panasonic and Pentax prices on a weekly basis for months (about Aug of last year). Nikon and Canon have not increased more than 10% on anything over of their $1500+ products. Anything under $1000 has not changed one bit, other than some products like the D40 and 60 getting cheaper.

I'm really not sure what Pentax Canada is up to.

[Jimbo]

Could be the new owners want to make a better profit? One of the reason I went to the K10 was affordable lenses. So much for a recession. I asked, when our dollar at at 1.10 to the US , why the prices did not fall. Was told because they lock the dollar in for the year.. The 50-135 for 1700 + taxes... is not just slightly over priced!!! Oh well, time to go shoot my Sigma., Thank god I got my 12-24 last year. JIM

[enoxatnep]

We need to support those Canadian retailers that haven't done dumb-a** price increases like going from $929 to $1,500 for the 50-135 f2.8 overnight. I used to buy exclusively Canadian for warranty purposes, but now screw it -- if I can find a cheaper American price including exchange and shipping, I'm buying American! Pentax Canada can take a flying leap as far as I'm concerned. Nice move during a recession, BTW; have fun increasing your already weak market share in Canada with this one.

[Peter Zack]

I've bought from these guys a few times and usually they have a full selection of Pentax glass. Now there's one lens, the DA*300mm at the 'old' price. Lots of Sigma PKA glass listed though. Home | TheCameraStore.com
So they are either changing prices on the website or not going to carry Pentax glass. They have 6-7 camera and lens combos listed at fair prices.

So I'm going to suggest this. To everyone who is reading this thread, members and lurkers, lets get writing. 2 letters each to the following. It would be a good idea for members all around the world to write to Tokina. We should have access to those lenses. Daydreaming of owning the 11-16mm f2.8.....

1) Tokina, who makes all the same new lenses Pentax does with different lens coatings.
USA Email: sales@tokina-use.com
European Email: info@tokina.eu
If someone can find the Japanese email address, send it to me and I'll add it to the thread.

2) Sigma USA: info@sigmaphoto.com There are a large number of offices for these guys so we should direct everything to one place. Sigma Japan has no email I can find.

I would send each one an email and tell them that you would (especially Tokina) happy to support their products if they make PKA mounts (Tokina) or more PKA mounts (Sigma).

They both offer good/great glass and if Pentax Canada is going to continue with these stupid prices, we should support whomever else we can. I spoke to my regions Pentax rep and he gave me the same BS. When I pointed out that the USD>CAD was less than 20% and that couldn't account for prices 30% to 100% higher, he stopped talking.