[yusuf]

Pentax O-GPS1 $199

What kind of margin these photographic manufacturers talking about, BOM for this shouldn't have exceeded $20.

[Stone G.]

What margin? Contribution Margin 1 - Contribution Margin 2 - Net Profit?

BOM alone doesn't make it. Consider the engineering hours spent on this product before it was released for sales:

Interview with the O-GPS1 Developers:

Google Translate

That engineering cost can only be recouperated via sales to a limited fraction of Pentax DSLR owners. (And great, innovative ideas have their prices too).

[pxpaulx]

The nikon gps unit for my d600 costs $300 - and does nothing but gps functionality. So, a gps unit with the astro tracking functionality for $199 is comparatively a spectacular deal.

[yusuf]

Have you seen GPS units for less than $30, so what other engineering does this have? Interfacing third party GPS which just costs less around $10.

I personally feel $100 would have been a reasonable price, $199 is just too much. It's not about Pentax vs Nikon, I am just talking about in general how these photography companies exploits.

[panoguy]

It's not about Pentax vs Nikon, I am just talking about in general how these photography companies exploits.

That's called "making a profit" based on "marketplace economics." Standard practice for all consumer goods, particularly if the manufacturer wants to stay in business.

That's not to say some companies don't get by with a lower markup from BOM (see this tablet comparison), but as stated by other posters, the BOM is only a part of the total cost-to-market.

[Saxplayer1004]

I agree with most of what is said above, but here's my take.
I'm an avid scuba diver and do lots of crazy stuff like 300+ft wreck diving and cave diving. Dive computers are quite expensive pieces of equipment and recently a few of the high end manufacturers have come up with a great system.
ONE computer! Multiple software options.
The hardware in this GPS unit doesn't cost them very much, BOM is probably $20 or there abouts. What the computer companies are doing, is integrating all "normal" features for "normal" divers out there, and then selling software upgrades to unlock more advanced features. This allows more units on the market, less engineering time overall because there are less types of units out there. Same concept as trim levels on cars. A VW passat stripped out is still the same basic car as an Audi A4.

With this GPS unit, they should have given it basic GPS functions for geotagging, sold for $100 which would have helped spread the bulk of the engineering costs out with more units, then for another $50 or $100 sold a firmware update to unlock the geotagging feature for those that want it and are willing to pay for it. I bet if they took that concept they would have sold 10x the units that they have to date, and while only a portion of those would have been geotag option, they would have had a much larger market presence.

Nikons absurd pricing is because they are Nikon and like raping people with costs because they can and people pay for it. It's not a great business model, but when you're one of the big players it works. Same as the Audi vs VW above. A loaded VW is almost identical to the A4, but you pay $15k more for the rings.

[VisualDarkness]

Locking features like that is one huge annoyance in my eyes. To lock features that's already in there is pretty much locking out the consumer from the product he/she just bought. It reminds me of how the gaming industry, especially Japanese publishers, locks away things that is on the CD/Blu-ray/DVD just to release it as new content some months later for a sum of money. That makes me really feel screwed.

[bdery]

they should have given it basic GPS functions for geotagging

Or just make a cheaper hardware version. I'd love my pictures to be geo-tagged, it would make sorting them amazingly simple. Pentax offers it in their rugged compacts, but not in their DSLR. I feel it's a shame.

[Sagitta]

I may be in the minority here, but I paid retail for it and find the cost worth it. GPS tagging plus the star tracking is well worth that cost. Go out and buy a tracking astronomical mount and compare the costs.

[pete-tarmigan]

Pentax O-GPS1 $199

I wish I could get it that cheap in Canada. It's $279+ here. From B+H it's $236+ once shipping and customs/duties brokerage fees are included.

[bdery]

I may be in the minority here, but I paid retail for it and find the cost worth it. GPS tagging plus the star tracking is well worth that cost. Go out and buy a tracking astronomical mount and compare the costs.

Sure, when you need/use star tracking it's a marvel. When you just wish for geotagging as a bonus, it's not really worth it.

[Stone G.]

Sure, when you need/use star tracking it's a marvel. When you just wish for geotagging as a bonus, it's not really worth it.

Maybe - but then thare are simple and less costly solutions.

Do not forget that with the O-GPS1 you not only get Astrotracer as an "added bonus" but also electronic compass (true geographical north), camera headings in your EXIF data and simple navigation. Whether one finds that worth the money will always be an individual assessment depending upon needs and interests. Like Sagitta I paid the full retail price. I knew what I was buying and I do not regret.

[bdery]

Maybe - but then thare are simple and less costly solutions.

Like what?

If there is a simple solution to geotag my K20D's pictures, I'd like to read about it!

[thoughton]

Like what?

If there is a simple solution to geotag my K20D's pictures, I'd like to read about it!

I have occasionally simply used my iphone to take one pic at each location I'm shooting at, then copied the GPS data over to my K5 photos. Works reasonably well if you aren't changing locations every 5 minutes.

[Stone G.]

Precisely. See for example here:

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-camera-field-accessories/203961-gp...endations.html