[frascati]

I've been absent from photography for a while now. Have only used digital compact automatics since 2002. Before that I was using film SLRs and was more into the fundamentals. I've been lazy, but would like to get back into it again. But.....

Is it possible to find the K-X with a prime lens at 'kit' price?

The prices on the AF prime lenses kind of shock me. Would I actually be paying much more to get a 50mm f1.8 or f1.4 attached (if I could find such a package) than purchasing the camera with the telephoto kit lens?

Based on past preference I'm sure I'd order the prime lens very soon and the zoom would gather dust or be sold.

[GoremanX]

I'm not aware of any such kit available on the market at this time. It would be counter-intuitive as far as market demand goes, especially with the K-x. I'd be less surprised (but still somewhat surprised) to see such a kit for the K-7.

[Jewelltrail]

I think your request is a reasonable one, but I am yet to see a Pentax DSLR kit offered with a prime lens. I have to believe many other people would like to see your request answered by Pentax.

[Marc Sabatella]

The prices on the AF prime lenses kind of shock me. Would I actually be paying much more to get a 50mm f1.8 or f1.4 attached (if I could find such a package) than purchasing the camera with the telephoto kit lens?

A 50 *is* a telephoto on an APS-C camera like the K-x. If you want a general purpose prime, you'd be better off with a "normal" focal length for APS-C - something closer to 30-35mm. And no, there aren't any kits offered with primes, nor are there any really cheap AF primes available (a fact which many have complained about!). If you want cheap, look at the MF options. If you want AF, and don't want telephoto, your best options are probably to find a used FA35/2 or FA28/2.8, or else maybe the DA40/2.8, any of which will probably run $350-ish. True, none of these are f/1.8, but assuming your expectations of what speeds you need are set by previous experience with film, you'll probably want to reset those just as you're going to have to with respect to focal lengths. f/1.8 was needed more often when you were limited to ISO 400 film in practice than it will be with the K-x where ISO 1600 and above is fair game, plus you have SR to help further. Not that larger apertures aren't still useful - they just aren't as necessary as they were in the past.

[Jasvox]

Pentax does not offer any prime lens with a body as part of a "kit" per se...I don't think any camera manufacturer does at present. Even if the FA50/1.4 was offered, it would certainly be $200+ more than that of the standard kit zoom.

Jason

[frascati]

What is driving the price of the prime lenses relative to the zoom? Smaller, fewer elements, less mechanical, higher priced? Is it simply a matter of mass production savings? Do they sell far far more of the zooms? Are the primes really filling a 'boutique' niche among photographers?

[Marc Sabatella]

All of the above, but mostly, it's just a matter of the primes being *better* than the less expensive zooms. That translates into higher R&D costs and higher production costs to achieve that level of quality. The zooms that are as good as the primes are also more expensive.

[frascati]

I think your request is a reasonable one, but I am yet to see a Pentax DSLR kit offered with a prime lens. I have to believe many other people would like to see your request answered by Pentax.

Realizing that "which is the best prime for me" has been covered almost ad nauseum elsewhere.... regarding the K-X specifically, if Pentax were to offer a kit with prime lens in response to user surveys, which lens would most likely be chosen?

What is most interesting to me, admitting that I tend toward curmudgeonry when it comes to marketing gimmicks, is that Pentax would go to the trouble of offering 100 customizable color schemes (also admitting that in another thread here I professed my love for the chocolate with black grip) to Japan, and four color options to the U.S., and then what? ... that distributing kits with a few prime lens options would be logistically unsound for them? But this might say more about consumer's priorities than about Pentax's wisdom. Oh well.

So offer a few option kits in black body only. I suspect that the demographic who puts a higher priority on meeting specific perfomance needs is less worried about sporting a lime green metallic camera body anyway. Everyone's happy.

There has been an enormous amount of attention paid to its consumers by the personal computer industry lately. Dell learned the lesson in a very mutually rewarding way. Lenovo as well. They either host their own forums, which are suprisingly, refreshingly, candid sometimes, or company representatives participate in user forums such as this one. Is there anyone from Pentax on this forum? Has the camera industry responded in any degree to consumers on the web?

[Marc Sabatella]

John Carlson from Pentax has posted here on occasion, and Ned Bunnell over on dpreview. they definitely keep tabs on what people are saying, but their jobs don't really allow them to comment very much.

[hcc]

I've been absent from photography for a while now. Have only used digital compact automatics since 2002. Before that I was using film SLRs and was more into the fundamentals. I've been lazy, but would like to get back into it again. But.....

Is it possible to find the K-X with a prime lens at 'kit' price?

The prices on the AF prime lenses kind of shock me. Would I actually be paying much more to get a 50mm f1.8 or f1.4 attached (if I could find such a package) than purchasing the camera with the telephoto kit lens?

Based on past preference I'm sure I'd order the prime lens very soon and the zoom would gather dust or be sold.

For info ...
In Australia, some photo shops do propose the Pentax (K-x, K-20, K-7) with other lenses than the usual 18-55 kit. See for example {http://www.digitalcamerawarehouse.com.au/category149_1.htm?utm_source=frontpage} ; note that I have no vested interest in that particular on-line shop and prefer myself to buy directly to a 'real' shop like Photo Continental in Brisbane (again I have no direct or indirect interest).

However all offers are with some form of better zoom lenses than the original kit. Photozone {http://www.Photozone.de} does give some interesting comparison between these various lenses; ultimately, you decision will be a trade-off between quality and price...

Welcome back to Pentax ....

[Jewelltrail]

frascati:So offer a few option kits in black body only. I suspect that the demographic who puts a higher priority on meeting specific perfomance needs is less worried about sporting a lime green metallic camera body anyway. Everyone's happy.

There has been an enormous amount of attention paid to its consumers by the personal computer industry lately. Dell learned the lesson in a very mutually rewarding way. Lenovo as well. They either host their own forums, which are suprisingly, refreshingly, candid sometimes, or company representatives participate in user forums such as this one. Is there anyone from Pentax on this forum? Has the camera industry responded in any degree to consumers on the web?

Frascati, firstly, thank you for an interesting thread. It is so refreshing to address new things on the forum. You have made many excellent points in this young thread already. Just to highlight one of them, I thought I would throw this out there. Since a prime kit does not exist, you need to make your own. Currently, at B & H Photo, here are the 2 possibilities for us to ponder:

A) The Pentax Kx (Black) w 18-55mm & 55 to 300mm DAL lenses for Total= $649.95

B) The Pentax Kx (Black) w Da 55mm f 1.4 Pentax da 55mm 1.4 =639.95 body only = $599.95 1239.90 Total=$1239.90

So to cover the 55mm focal length w Kx it'll cost you $1239.90, and to cover the entire range of 18 to 300mm w Kx it'll cost you $649.00. Even considering the prime's excellence, and the fact most people in DSLR-land pay more for excellence, there does seem to be something amiss here. Surely, in a kit package, a more attractive price for a prime could be put together. BTW, B & H is sold out of the Fa 50mm f 1.4. I think this sold-out lens is the best candidate for the answer to this question of yours:

frascati: Realizing that "which is the best prime for me" has been covered almost ad nauseum elsewhere.... regarding the K-X specifically, if Pentax were to offer a kit with prime lens in response to user surveys, which lens would most likely be chosen?

Also, if Pentax is missing out on the chance to have their fingers on the heartbeat of Pentax, by not monitoring this forum in some form or another, then shame on them. I have to believe they use this forum in a big way, because it is obvious it is a window to the soul of its people.

[HGMonaro]

recently I was surprised to see an advert for a Canon (either 450D or 500D) with 50/1.8 lens attatched. Wrong focal length for general purpose use but interesting to see anyway.