Originally posted by brosen I just bought a K-7 today (August 2010) and the build date (based on information from Photo Me) is November 2009, is that reasonable to have such an old manufacture date ?, that means the camera has been in the shelf for months !!, any previous experience ?, thanks
That's perfectly normal. Cameras and lenses are built in batches and stored in a few global distribution enters for shipment to fill (relatively) small orders. The maker estimates a number of each item to be the production run. Then the assemblers are retrained and the line is moved to the next item.
If they overestimate (especially in camera bodies) there is liquidation pricing before the replacement model is released (sometimes there is overlap - watch K-7 and K-5 this fall).
My K10D was built in August, 2006 - delivered in March, 2007. I had an extensive email exchange with Adorama and the National Accounts Pentax Rep about your very issue and my new camera. I discovered this Forum while searching the web for answers to my concern - and met the Adorama Service rep here, who replied to one of my first posts!
FWIW, it has operated perfectly the entire time.