[Rondec]

My guess is that Ricoh has decided the best way to increase demand for their gear is to drop prices below similarly specified Nikon and Canon options. I don't know how well it has worked. They definitely seem to be doing the razor/printer thing -- give away the razor handles and printers at cost (or under cost) and then sell the glass for a premium.

If they want to release upper end K mount bodies, they certainly need a better base to do so. This may be the first step to moving in that direction, however I haven't seen any numbers that indicate that Pentax's share of the market has increased at all, even with the aggressive pricing.

[drypenn]

They definitely seem to be doing the razor/printer thing -- give away the razor handles and printers at cost (or under cost) and then sell the glass for a premium.

Which was the traditional way of doing the camera business, until Canon flipped everything upside down, inside out, and everybody else followed suit. (Everybody but Pentax among the big camera makers.)

[alamo5000]

I haven't seen any numbers that indicate that Pentax's share of the market has increased at all, even with the aggressive pricing.

All they can measure now is sales volume...as for really measuring market share and all that... it's gonna take a while for numbers to show up and to show any real patterns to things.

[RonHendriks1966]

Overhere the lowest price after cashback is 829 euro. A good price, but not like in the USA. The cheapest the original K-5 went was 629 euro (but today the K-5II is 589 euro). My guess is that leaving out R&D costs the K-3 is about the same price in production as the Original K-5 was. So today's 829 euro is a good price as long as the lower pricetags still provided for a small profit and keeping the factory running at 100 % capacity.

[aleonx3]

My guess is that Ricoh has decided the best way to increase demand for their gear is to drop prices below similarly specified Nikon and Canon options. I don't know how well it has worked. They definitely seem to be doing the razor/printer thing -- give away the razor handles and printers at cost (or under cost) and then sell the glass for a premium.

If they want to release upper end K mount bodies, they certainly need a better base to do so. This may be the first step to moving in that direction, however I haven't seen any numbers that indicate that Pentax's share of the market has increased at all, even with the aggressive pricing.

I think you are right, it is a strategy that may work well. Say, instead of paying big money for advertising, they put it as cost savings for the consumers/users; which has been the situation in North America for a long while where most of Pentax gear purchases are mostly through words of mouth. At the same time, Ricoh/Pentax probably know that similar price cut strategy by Canikon to counter-act this would be unlikely as they have too many lines of products to protect (as they still have plenty of older model inventories to clear) .

As you said, probably a strategy to grow the user base before the imminent release of upper-end K mount models (should I use the magic word including FF?). Not a bad idea IMHO..

[monochrome]

There's a fairly credible rumor that a significant Firmware update for 645 and K bodies will be released come April.

In my mind that argues for continuation of the K-3 as either the flagship APSc camera or a new, even more capable flagship, downgrade of the K-3 to mid-range (in their line) and FW update to add features to the K-3 also found on the new camera.

Perhaps the new flagship camera will have a different sized sensor and price point but the APSc camera will have similar internal (FW) capabilities.

Is that the secret plan?.

[Dlanor Sekao]

Looks like it is still there and the item is located in Ontario .... so, 2 year-warranty with that.
$599.00 USD .... $696.26 in Cdn funds .

Am I dreaming...FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF...Full Frame ???????

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Last edited by Dlanor Sekao; 01-01-2015 at 06:10 PM.

[kjg48359]

it is however, more intriguing to understand if the lack of (many) models in the Pentax DSLR line actually works in their favour

In my mind, Conikon's are the "GM's" of the camera world. They sell anything to anyone at any price point regardless of quality or value, and the dealerships are everywhere. I think a more limited but focused line makes the uniqueness of Pentax more of an enthusiast's choice (kind of like the BMW of the camera world, if BMW would only sell "M" vehicles [which at the rate they're going lately they're starting to look more like GM]).

[semaca]

Price drop...nice. In Europe I buy just the body, while in the USA you get the body, lens and grip.

[JimmyDranox]

Price drop...nice. In Europe I buy just the body, while in the USA you get the body, lens and grip.

That's because we are very rich. Especially around Carpati.