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So I've been checking internet every morning for discounts for DA15mm limited but prices have been going up but today I found some on valleyseek:
ValleySeek.com: PENTAX Imaging Company 21800 Pentax smc DA 15mm f/4 ED AL Limited Ultra Wide Angle Lens for $525
and ebay for $570:
PENTAX 21800 DA 15mm F4 ED AL Limited 0027075147362 | eBay
PENTAX 21800 DA 15mm F4 ED AL Limited 0027075147362 | eBay

Considering they are going over $500 used in for sale section here and I've seen them hit $600 used on ebay, I think these are great prices. I ordered form valleyseek and got fedex tracking number few hours later.

Edit: $500 used on amazon like new
http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B001UHOR4W/ref=dp_olp_all_mbc?ie=UTF8...&condition=all

[ElJamoquio]

That would be a very serious miscalculation.

[Tom S.]

FYI if any retailer sells the lens below the minimum price, Pentax will not honor the warranty because it wasn't an authorized sale. Just something to keep in mind. I think the ebay links are ok, though.

Pentax will play hell trying to enforce that venue. My lawyer would have fun with this one. If Pentax supplied it to the retailer to sell either directly or indirectly, they have to honor the warranty, even if the retailer sold it for a dollar. The only legal recourse Pentax has is to cut off the retailer's supply.


BTW: if anyone happens to see a retailer selling them for a dollar, please let know!

[ElJamoquio]

Pentax will play hell trying to enforce that venue. My lawyer would have fun with this one.

I was thinking small claims, myself. In 50 states, some, if not most, would laugh at Pentax.

I guess if you went to 'real' court there could be a chance of punitive damages, but I don't think I'd want to waste money on a lawyer.

[Tom S.]

I was thinking small claims, myself. In 50 states, some, if not most, would laugh at Pentax.

I guess if you went to 'real' court there could be a chance of punitive damages, but I don't think I'd want to waste money on a lawyer.

If you're like some (me included) and have legal insurance coverage, you should be all set.

[Blue]

I was thinking small claims, myself. In 50 states, some, if not most, would laugh at Pentax.

I guess if you went to 'real' court there could be a chance of punitive damages, but I don't think I'd want to waste money on a lawyer.

We have a $5000 limit in Florida which is plenty. It goes first to an arbitrator then to either a bench or jury of 6. If the product was intended for sale in the U.S., Pentax would get owned and have to pay costs and time off work. If gray market was an issue or retailers selling outside the U.S., they should have addressed that directly. Who would pay $500 for a DA 40 Ltd when the FA 43 Ltd is ~ 570?

[loveisageless]

I don't know the law on this, but doesn't it strike folks as being the equivalent of price fixing? I also wonder about the ethics of retailers selling gray market equipment, when it will soon be virtually impossible to find an independent repair facility (at least here in the US) that would have the parts (thank you Nikon) to repair it. Seems like a scheme to push those extra warranties by third party insurers. Wonder how long it will take the latter to figure out that they will be screwed by having to replace equipment that they cannot get repaired because it is gray market. Hmmm....should get interesting. Its beginning to sound like a class action lawsuit to me.

[Unsinkable II]

Thank goodness for page 2... I thought the world was going mad on page 1.

Pentax don't have a leg to stand on. If they don't provide satisfactory turnover to their large retailers (Target etc) via promotions, rebates etc, these retailers will move stock.

I'd like to be a fly in the wall for that meeting...

Pentax USA: You can't drop prices or we'll cut you off!
Target: Haha! Really? OK.
Pentax USA: And we won't honour any warranty claims from unwary innocent end-users, so there!
Target: Really? See you in court, little company. Sure you don't want to reconsider?
Pentax USA: Errr... could you pretty please with a cherry on top commit some numbers for the next two quarters? Kinda important for us...

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Last edited by Unsinkable II; 05-31-2012 at 06:01 AM.

[ElJamoquio]

I don't know the law on this, but doesn't it strike folks as being the equivalent of price fixing? I also wonder about the ethics of retailers selling gray market equipment, when it will soon be virtually impossible to find an independent repair facility (at least here in the US) that would have the parts (thank you Nikon) to repair it. Seems like a scheme to push those extra warranties by third party insurers. Wonder how long it will take the latter to figure out that they will be screwed by having to replace equipment that they cannot get repaired because it is gray market. Hmmm....should get interesting. Its beginning to sound like a class action lawsuit to me.

Price fixing was declared legal in about 2006 by the Supreme Court... as long as you meet certain conditions (you have to impose your price fixing without documented input from retailers, and you have to cut off retailers without warning, etc)

[Colbyt]

FYI if any retailer sells the lens below the minimum price, Pentax will not honor the warranty because it wasn't an authorized sale. Just something to keep in mind. I think the ebay links are ok, though.

Speaking only as a consumer, I think it is fine for for a company to have a 'no lower than advertised price'. When we start invalidating warranties because of a lower price it is time for Government intervention because that practice reeks of price fixing.

I personally won't be buying any new gear until that policy is changed. And if I remember, or care enough I may write my hoods in DC.

[ElJamoquio]

Just for reference - no one has verified that it is even Pentax's policy. To my knowledge, thus far it has been all speculation.

[panoguy]

FYI if any retailer sells the lens below the minimum price, Pentax will not honor the warranty because it wasn't an authorized sale. Just something to keep in mind. I think the ebay links are ok, though.

Be careful what you state as fact, Adam. Many people around here take your word as the word of Pentax, which in this case does neither a favor.

Valleyseek does not appear to be an "authorized Pentax USA dealer" so may not have gotten their goods from Pentax Imaging USA, which would negate any US warranty claim right there. This has nothing to do with the price the lens is advertised or sold for. Any US buyer is in the same warranty situation if they buy lenses from ProDigital2000 on eBay, which is an authorized Pentax Canada dealer, but not Pentax USA (hence the warranty could be honored by Pentax Canada... except they have rules about gray-market goods).

Pentax USA may "de-authorize" an authorized US dealer for undercutting their pricing policy, but that does not affect the warranty of goods sold prior to that.

The standard disclaimer applies to even what I just wrote above: Everyone please remember, what you read on this forum does not represent Pentax or any legal or business authority. Always check with the parties involved with the sale and read the relevant warranty information if you have questions!

I personally won't be buying any new gear until that policy is changed. And if I remember, or care enough I may write my hoods in DC.

It is very likely not the policy. See the paragraph above your quote.

[Adam]

does not affect the warranty of goods sold prior to that.

Exactly- that's why you've got to do your homework before securing a bargain