Not all of their prices are the best, but the K-S2 kits are definitely the lowest you will find on either side of the border (as of Feb. 4th, 2016):

Camera Canada :: Cameras

Apparently the weak Canadian dollar means these prices are going to go up, but as of today they are $800 ($585 US) for the K-S2 dual lens kit, $630 ($460 US) for the K-S2 w/ 18-50 retract, and $600 ($436 US) for the K-S2 body only. All colors, same prices.

Particularly good price for the 18-50 WR RE kit ($546 US is the lowest I could otherwise find).

[Kayaker-J]

Thanks for the tip, panoguy, particularly with regard to the combo you singled out. I missed out on the Samy's K-S1 deal, unfortunately: I think very highly of that Exmor 20.1mp sensor, which I believe is widely underrated. My Sony 20.1mp A5000 and the Pentax KS DSLRs could be identical triplets regarding output IQ, except for a little difference in color-to-color balances with set-ups by Imaging Resource. The resolution is identical, suggesting that the Sony iteration has a weak AA filter. Comparing A5000; A5100/A6000; KS-1/KS-2; and K3 at IR is a VERY instructive exercise, I think, especially on "House Poster" and the mannequins. I feel that the A5000 outpoints the 24mp A6000 subjectively in a number of respects. Later on, I found out that the DxO techs seem to agree, FWIW, scoring the A5000's 20.1mp sensor with a one "perceptual megapixel" advantage over the 24mp Sony alternative... right across the board, with all the lenses available to 'plug in' -- even two p-mps, in one same-lens comparison. Also, Less vignetting with all lenses... and about 1/2 stop better dynamic range at base ISO, to boot. Extrapolate DxO's findings there to the KS-2, I might suggest. Pentaxians here can use their own eyes to compare the K3's IQ in a similar fashion, if interested.

BTW, panoguy, you tipped us off to the Nest tripod deals awhile back, didn't you? Thanks again for that (owner)!

[a5m]

Good find panoguy looks like a good deal, especially for those who missed out on the black friday deals and the ProMaster rebate.

Thanks for the tip, panoguy, particularly with regard to the combo you singled out. I missed out on the Samy's K-S1 deal, unfortunately: I think very highly of that Exmor 20.1mp sensor, which I believe is widely underrated. My Sony 20.1mp A5000 and the Pentax KS DSLRs could be identical triplets regarding output IQ, except for a little difference in color-to-color balances with set-ups by Imaging Resource. The resolution is identical, suggesting that the Sony iteration has a weak AA filter. Comparing A5000; A5100/A6000; KS-1/KS-2; and K3 at IR is a VERY instructive exercise, I think, especially on "House Poster" and the mannequins. I feel that the A5000 outpoints the 24mp A6000 subjectively in a number of respects. Later on, I found out that the DxO techs seem to agree, FWIW, scoring the A5000's 20.1mp sensor with a one "perceptual megapixel" advantage over the 24mp Sony alternative... right across the board, with all the lenses available to 'plug in' -- even two p-mps, in one same-lens comparison. Also, Less vignetting with all lenses... and about 1/2 stop better dynamic range at base ISO, to boot. Extrapolate DxO's findings there to the KS-2, I might suggest. Pentaxians here can use their own eyes to compare the K3's IQ in a similar fashion, if interested.

BTW, panoguy, you tipped us off to the Nest tripod deals awhile back, didn't you? Thanks again for that (owner)!

Thanks Kayaker-J for posting this after taking the time to go through the data and analyze it. This is good info to know, especially since I decided to get a K-S2 over a K-3 . Makes me feel even better about the purchase.

Since I'm a beginner I have pretty much every feature I would want in a DSLR. After getting to know the K-S2 I'll know which features are a must and which I can go without e.g. size and weight, flip out screen.

[Newfie]

Hi there,
I live in London, Ontario, home of Camera Canada and have spoken with the owner, Anthony on numerous occasions. So obviously I recommend these guys 100%. They don't have a K-3 in stock so I have to look elsewhere ... bummer ... or else I would have bought from them without thinking about it.
Take care,
Newfie

[Kayaker-J]

Good find panoguy looks like a good deal, especially for those who missed out on the black friday deals and the ProMaster rebate.



Thanks Kayaker-J for posting this after taking the time to go through the data and analyze it. This is good info to know, especially since I decided to get a K-S2 over a K-3 . Makes me feel even better about the purchase.

Since I'm a beginner I have pretty much every feature I would want in a DSLR. After getting to know the K-S2 I'll know which features are a must and which I can go without e.g. size and weight, flip out screen.

I am happy to have been of some assistance, though my diligence had more to do with my own self interests! Nonetheless, I did want to tip off owners and prospective owners of Pentax's 20.1mp cameras to this information, which is definitely flying underneath the radar. IQ-centric folks, as I am, should take careful note; though, in both the case of the A5000 and Pentax K-S1, you'd be sacrificing something in ergonomics and control to gain the plusses I'm suggesting. No worries with the K-S2! In Sony's case, they introduced more full featured alpha models (the A5100 & the popular A6000) only about 6 months after releasing the basic, but all-you-need A5000: these were widely viewed as "replacements", though that is not really so. But I think that this marketing strategy had to have the effect of implying that the slightly higher rez sensor was an upgrade, and thus, "better"... and that the 20.1mp had become somewhat 'passé'. I choose the one available 20.1mp + BionZ-X implementation over the 24mp/BionZ-X, since my principal reason for owning it is to complement an A7 and, of course, my K3. Though disability has prevented me from making my own tests of this, my suspicion is that, all else being equal, your K-S2 may be able to produce more natural looking portraiture, for example, than my K3. Heresy, I know! But for those who can grok what's going on there, those IR comparisons do support the suggestion I'm making.

BTW. please don't miss reading John Riley's acutely aware reviews of your K-S2 (5 stars out of 5!) and also the similar K-S1 at ePHOTOzine.com. You'll feel even better about your choice! Riley is the one and only reviewer out there, apart from this site's staff, whom I have found to consistently "get" what the Pentax way is about. He is a Pentax owner, too. Both ePHOTOzine and the T.I.P.A. Awards people (the only awards that matter: check 'em out) rate your camera #1 in its category, unequivocally. Sorry, Nikon and Canon.

[Senko]

Thanks for the tip, panoguy, particularly with regard to the combo you singled out. I missed out on the Samy's K-S1 deal, unfortunately: I think very highly of that Exmor 20.1mp sensor, which I believe is widely underrated. My Sony 20.1mp A5000 and the Pentax KS DSLRs could be identical triplets regarding output IQ, except for a little difference in color-to-color balances with set-ups by Imaging Resource. The resolution is identical, suggesting that the Sony iteration has a weak AA filter. Comparing A5000; A5100/A6000; KS-1/KS-2; and K3 at IR is a VERY instructive exercise, I think, especially on "House Poster" and the mannequins. I feel that the A5000 outpoints the 24mp A6000 subjectively in a number of respects. Later on, I found out that the DxO techs seem to agree, FWIW, scoring the A5000's 20.1mp sensor with a one "perceptual megapixel" advantage over the 24mp Sony alternative... right across the board, with all the lenses available to 'plug in' -- even two p-mps, in one same-lens comparison. Also, Less vignetting with all lenses... and about 1/2 stop better dynamic range at base ISO, to boot. Extrapolate DxO's findings there to the KS-2, I might suggest. Pentaxians here can use their own eyes to compare the K3's IQ in a similar fashion, if interested.

BTW, panoguy, you tipped us off to the Nest tripod deals awhile back, didn't you? Thanks again for that (owner)!

Nice post!

I also bought a K2s a couple of weeks ago - got a decent deal. Bought from the only brick and mortar camera shop in my city, he's an actual Pentax dealer and had a K2s in stock. I believe in supporting local business wherever I can...it wasn't much more then online and I got personalized service. I did a ton of research before purchasing, together with getting some advice here, and I fully agree that the K2s sensor is a bit of sleeper/underrated. The 16MP Sony sensor in the K30/50/5 has a cult following, and rightfully so, due to the DR and overall superb image quality and low noise. From what I've gathered here most people who upgraded seemed to have jumped right up to the 24MP K3 - the 20MP sensor in K2s seems to be the red-headed step child in Pentax line.

That said, I'm absolutely thrilled with the image quality on the K2s - after tweeking in camera settings the jpgs are phenomenal, RAW's are even better. I was blown away by IQ using old 50mm f2 and f1.7 glass stopped down...fantastic detail and sharpness. Comparing images online the IQ is on par with the 16MP sensor but with slightly more detail IMO. Noise is really a non-issue as I shoot low ISO, the few high ISO images I took with noise cleaned up nicely.

If Pentax had released a something like a 'K4' pro body with the 20MP sensor, tilt screen, wifi, focus peaking and 14bit raw it would have been a home run, a lot of K7/5 users probably skipped the K2s because it wasn't a 'pro' body and went right into the K3. All-in-all I think it's a great little camera package, although being new to Pentaxland I will probably buy a used 16MP backup body one of these days to see for myself what all the hype is about.