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Pentax K 30 Black Kit w 18 55mm F3 5 5 6 Al WR Lens 027075224940 | eBay

[rickn]

Price now showing $539.

[Docrwm]

Price now showing $539.

They've sold 50+ of them so I guess stock is running low and they know that they will sell. Good business practice under the circumstances.

[billx2]

So, it means the major sellers have a huge stock of starter packages on their warehouse shelves. My understanding is that the lenses come in a separate box, a 'white' box and the dealer hooks up whatever package they're promoting. To sell as a complete unit.

While that may be true with some packages (or other brands maybe), the K30 18-55WR package that I received from Hunt's was all in one box, clearly labeled as a kit containing the WR lens. In other words, it was not a 'white box' lens.

Years back when I bought my K20D, it was a body only box, with separate box for the lens, but it was a retail box lens, not 'white box'.


BTW, I am not upset that I spent $20 extra on my K30 kit (purchased back when it was backordered via the Hunt's website). I knew these were limited supply and $20 is not enough to worry about. After all, I did manage to get my 35mm F2.4 from Hunt's for only $150. That deal has disappeared as well.

[jrcastillo]

BTW, I am not upset that I spent $20 extra on my K30 kit (purchased back when it was backordered via the Hunt's website). I knew these were limited supply and $20 is not enough to worry about. After all, I did manage to get my 35mm F2.4 from Hunt's for only $150. That deal has disappeared as well.

I bought mine for 499 as well. I hesitated too long for the $150 and they went out of stock. When they had it back in stock they did call me, but I had bought a 50mm 1.7 and couldn't justify the expense to myself.

So, my advise to anyone that is thinking of buying K-30... Whenever you see striking deals like this, just go for it as you might end up loosing the whole deal by just waiting hoping to save an extra $10

[cyclone3d]

Hello brelip,
They may have sold out of body-only deals, but that's probably not why this deal is being offered.
Not only Pentax, but all the major camera makers sell the majority of their entry/starter cameras as a package, typically with the 18-55mm zoom. There's usually an upgrade, adding the 80-200mm zoom, also featured. If you check B + H, Adorama and other big stores, you'll see these packages everywhere.
So, it means the major sellers have a huge stock of starter packages on their warehouse shelves. My understanding is that the lenses come in a separate box, a 'white' box and the dealer hooks up whatever package they're promoting. To sell as a complete unit.
Now, Pentax announces a new model at (around) the same price! The dealer is sitting on a stock of K-30's and white box 18-55's. What to do?
Sell' em at the lowest price they can live with.
Another factor is that buyers who already have $$ invested in a system may need a newer body, but they want an upgrade, not the starter body. So, not as many K-30's are sold body-only as (for example) K-5's, K-5II and IIs.
At least, that's the way it was explained to me!
Ron

The Pentax K-30 18-55WR kits come together in one box that specifically says it is an 18-55WR kit. I guess they could repackage them in a "kit" box, but I kinda doubt it. It would not be worth it for the reseller to repackage a bunch of merchandise into branded kit boxes.

[zbrueningsen]

I bought a red body from amazon for 469 new. As much as people complain about their lens costs, we have to realize that this price is a flat out steal. I looked and saw the 7d still is over 1100. You can get two new k30 with 18-55wr for less than that.

[tomwil]

I bought a red body from amazon for 469 new. As much as people complain about their lens costs, we have to realize that this price is a flat out steal. I looked and saw the 7d still is over 1100. You can get two new k30 with 18-55wr for less than that.

People complain about the lens prices, because Ricoh has decided to be like the razor/shaver and printer companies.

Ricoh/Pentax decreases the price of their cameras, knowing that once you get hooked on their system, you have to buy their expensive lenses knowing that a camera alone is worthless. The razor/shaver and printer companies do the same thing, selling cheap razors and printers, and fleecing their customers with the overpriced consumables such as razor replacement heads and ink/toner cartridges.

Getting a K-30 is not such a great steal, once you factor in the inflated lens prices.

[HSV]

People complain about the lens prices, because Ricoh has decided to be like the razor/shaver and printer companies.

Ricoh/Pentax decreases the price of their cameras, knowing that once you get hooked on their system, you have to buy their expensive lenses knowing that a camera alone is worthless. The razor/shaver and printer companies do the same thing, selling cheap razors and printers, and fleecing their customers with the overpriced consumables such as razor replacement heads and ink/toner cartridges.

Getting a K-30 is not such a great steal, once you factor in the inflated lens prices.

While this is true of Pentax...isn't this the reality of all the cameras with interchangeable lenses?

[normhead]

People complain about the lens prices, because Ricoh has decided to be like the razor/shaver and printer companies.

Ricoh/Pentax decreases the price of their cameras, knowing that once you get hooked on their system, you have to buy their expensive lenses knowing that a camera alone is worthless. The razor/shaver and printer companies do the same thing, selling cheap razors and printers, and fleecing their customers with the overpriced consumables such as razor replacement heads and ink/toner cartridges.

Getting a K-30 is not such a great steal, once you factor in the inflated lens prices.

This anology doesn't hold up. A printer is useless without ink, a razor is worthless without blades. A K-30 with a WR 18-55 can be used for years without changing anything. Some of the best lenses for Pentax are made by other manufacturers. Tamron 90maco and 17-50, Sigma 70-200 2.8. You can have an awesome lens lineup without spending a penny on Pentax lenses. So many of us have legacy glass, that we could buy a K-30 just for SAFOX and not need another thing. Lots of people buy basic Pentax kit without ever buying another thing. ANd even on the forum.. the first lens often recommended after that is the 35 2.4, hardly a huge profit maker.

Saying prices are exorbitant ignores the 55-300 $479, the 35 2.4 $199, DA L-50-200 - $99, 40 XS 249$ , DA 50 1.8 $249. I'm not sure how any of these lenses qualify as "price gougers", I'd say more likely a response to cut rate pricing from other companies.

So I guess you could say Pentax is going to sell you any combination of those 5 and then "price gouge" you on the rest. In there they have a couple telephoto options, a couple of wide aperture options, 2 zooms, 3 primes and quite a bit of choice in selecting your starter kit.

You could argue, none of these are actually "quality lenses" you can argue whatever you want. Everyone's entitled to an opinion, but if 95% of the people who read your opinion just say pffft and read the next post....

My first digital kit... the 18-55 with a Sigma 70-300 macro kept me happy for years. My canon printer sits unused because it costs me $230 every time I want to start with a fresh set of inks. The two experiences are the exact opposite.

[6BQ5]

People complain about the lens prices, because Ricoh has decided to be like the razor/shaver and printer companies.

Ricoh/Pentax decreases the price of their cameras, knowing that once you get hooked on their system, you have to buy their expensive lenses knowing that a camera alone is worthless. The razor/shaver and printer companies do the same thing, selling cheap razors and printers, and fleecing their customers with the overpriced consumables such as razor replacement heads and ink/toner cartridges.

Getting a K-30 is not such a great steal, once you factor in the inflated lens prices.

Depending on what you are aiming for I would say a Pentax in general is great deal because there is such a huge used lens market. I'm including manual K-mount lenses, autofocus K-mount lenses, and the ridiculous quantity of excellent M42 threaded lenses that are very easy to adapt to.

Don't get me wrong. I'm all for someone buying new lenses. That's how people like me get used lenses.

[zbrueningsen]

So an inflated limited 43 with a k30 for the price of a body for the price of the 2009 7d is still a rip off? I don't want to start a fight, but you aren't required to by Pentax lenses for their under priced camera bodies. For example, a K30 and a Tamron 70-200 cost the same as the 7D. The K5iis with the 18-135 combo is cheaper than the same combo as the 7d. Sorry Tom, the 7d isn't in the same category as the k5iis and the k5iis is less money. While your complaint about the prices of Pentax zooms are valid, your overall argument doesn't take into account two important factors: quality and price, which is why my K30 is a steal.

[zbrueningsen]

And tell me the canon L series is any cheaper than the da* line. My brother bought a 70-200 f/4 L refurbed for 1500 three years ago and said it was a steal. I bought my k 5 new and a tamron 70-200 2.8 for 1500. He used my k5 and tamron and told me Pentax is a way better deal. And don't tell me that Canon primes are as good as their Pentax counterpart. Sure the 50 1.8 is super cheap for canon and the 1.4 is cheaper, but he doesn't shoot canon primes, because they aren't as good as sigma's. Sigma's are available for Pentax too. Do the math, quality and price, I will take my k30 wr 18-55 and da*55 for the price of a 7d with their kit 18-55.

[seventysixersfan]

The $499 deal from Hunt's is back in stock on their official store webstore:
K-30 plus 18-55 WR lens bundle

http://www.huntsphotoandvideo.com/detail_page.cfm?ProductID=15601

[jrcastillo]

The $499 deal from Hunt's is back in stock on their official store webstore:
K-30 plus 18-55 WR lens bundle

Pentax K-30 Discontinued: A Tribute - Pentax News - PentaxForums.com
So i guess is confirmed, they are just selling out stock. I feel they have been liquidating old stock from other stores.

[Dlanor Sekao]

WOW ! Thanks ! I just ordered mine for $499 shipped......Thank you sooooo much ! I read the above post and came to this conclusion...."Its NOT going to get any better than it is right now " !