Looks like Amazon is doing an inventory price drop/clearance of some sort. The Rokinon TSL24M-P 24/3.5 tilt shift is currently $567.06 - only 13 left in stock:

amazon.com : Rokinon TSL24M-P 24mm f/3.5 Tilt Shift Lens for Pentax KAF Cameras : Camera Lenses : Camera & Photo?tag=pentaxforums-20&

[AyeYo]

Was this actually a "deal/sale" or was this another one of Amazon's weird pricing algorithms randomly offering a huge reduction? I remember when I was toying with the idea of KP and watched the prices on the silver model go all over the place minute to minute.

[MJL]

Was this actually a "deal/sale" or was this another one of Amazon's weird pricing algorithms randomly offering a huge reduction? I remember when I was toying with the idea of KP and watched the prices on the silver model go all over the place minute to minute.

It definitely is a combination of Amazon deal and the slow selling nature of specialized lens. I bought it in November at a huge discount at Amazon.ca and the price ran back up the following day.

My experience with this lens so far is best with full frame for the T&S effect and @ f/8. The all plastic construction pretty much confine it to be occasional use only. I feel the T&S knobs and mechanism will worn out fairly quickly with regular use.

[clickclick]

That's a really good question, and I have to think if it was one of their pricing algorithms. Would love to know how they determine this, but the price kept going down a few bucks over several days, and then it looks to have gone back to full price. While the price was down, I checked other mounts, and the pricing varied, but I think in all cases was over $700, so that makes me think it was tied to inventory levels in the K mount specifically. Hope it comes back around for you. Just keep watching. Maybe with a few days of no sale, it will go back down. B&H had it for $120 off "normal" through December, but I see it's now at $699 there, which puts it $100 off.

[clickclick]

It definitely is a combination of Amazon deal and the slow selling nature of specialized lens. I bought it in November at a huge discount at Amazon.ca and the price ran back up the following day.

My experience with this lens so far is best with full frame for the T&S effect and @ f/8. The all plastic construction pretty much confine it to be occasional use only. I feel the T&S knobs and mechanism will worn out fairly quickly with regular use.

Hopefully, reliability won't be an issue. Lens Rentals did a tear down on it, and overall it looks pretty good. The couple things they are worried about just scream as another reason to get a 3D printer - new 60-250 baffle for K1, new knobs/levers if needed, just more GAS, I guess....

Lens Rentals | Blog

They did an optical review here, and it matches your experience - stopped down a bit, it is nice - even comparable to one of the Canon lenses:

Lens Rentals | Blog

[geomez]

Your logic convinced me, but I just went to buy it and the deal is over

They probably pulled the deal because it was a screw up. I received my lens yesterday. It was the wrong lens. Someone put the wrong UPC sticker on the bottom of the box, so their inventory numbers were likely wrong. They probably thought they had way too many Pentax tilt shift lenses, when they actually were counting the Rokinon Sony E mount Cine lenses as Pentax tilt shift lenses. I went through the refund process yesterday and told them what had happened. See attached pictures.

[clickclick]

Just got the wrong one too. Filled out the form for an exchange for wrong item sent. Fingers crossed they'll get it right. They should stand behind what they advertised and sold.

[AyeYo]

Wow that sucks guys. Sorry to hear. Amazon customer service is HORRIBLE to deal with, but being such a big company maybe they'll just make it go away by honoring the original deal. It's not like that many of them sold.

[clickclick]

Yeah, not too happy right now. I went through the online return process, which is pretty straight forward. Return for a replacement -> reason -> wrong item sent. Hopefully, this will get straightened out.

[geomez]

WIthin hours of requesting a replacement, I got an email with an apology stating a replacement had been processed and shipped via 2-day shipping. They did so before I shipped back the wrong one they'd sent me. I'm not happy with the mishap and having to wait now until Monday for the lens, but if it was the stock room mishap that lead to the price being what it was, I'll take the inconvenience.

[geomez]

I received my replacement lens today and they sent me the wrong one again!
I shipped them back the Sony lens they'd sent me and they sent me the same Sony lens back!
I sent them a detailed email so I'm hoping someone actually reads it and actually sends me the right lens.

[AyeYo]

Sounds like par for the course with Amazon.

[pentaxfall]

They probably pulled the deal because it was a screw up. I received my lens yesterday. It was the wrong lens. Someone put the wrong UPC sticker on the bottom of the box, so their inventory numbers were likely wrong.

Friend of mine used to manage the sales on Amazon in his previous job. He is not at all surprised when price mistakes happen on Amazon. According to him the problem is Amazon still uses XL document for communicating price. Vendor has to fill the XL sheet and upload to AMZ and then a personal from AMZ changes prices on website. If the vendors wants to change the price few times in a day then things get complicated. He said it was a head ache job :-)

[clickclick]

I received my replacement lens today and they sent me the wrong one again!

My replacement status still shows as processing. Wonder if at some point after shipping your replacement they figured it out? I could see their inventory control tracking the number of returns because of wrong item sent and flagging it for a human to go check. I see that their inventory count is no longer shown, and they've dropped, "more on the way." Hopefully, this means that they have new stock, and the replacements will come out of it.

[geomez]

My replacement status still shows as processing. Wonder if at some point after shipping your replacement they figured it out? I could see their inventory control tracking the number of returns because of wrong item sent and flagging it for a human to go check. I see that their inventory count is no longer shown, and they've dropped, "more on the way." Hopefully, this means that they have new stock, and the replacements will come out of it.

I just got an email from Amazon stating...

"Thank you for contacting Amazon Customer Service.


I'm sorry for the trouble with your order. We'll investigate further and make sure this doesn't happen to anyone else.



In the meantime, the item may temporarily be unavailable to purchase from amazon.com, though it may be available from other sellers on the Amazon.com website.



I have created a return label for the wrong item sent to you."

Problem is I don't want my money back, I want the damn lens!

[c57d]

I just got an email from Amazon stating...

"Thank you for contacting Amazon Customer Service.


I'm sorry for the trouble with your order. We'll investigate further and make sure this doesn't happen to anyone else.



In the meantime, the item may temporarily be unavailable to purchase from amazon.com, though it may be available from other sellers on the Amazon.com website.



I have created a return label for the wrong item sent to you.?tag=pentaxforums-20&"

Problem is I don't want my money back, I want the damn lens!

I picked one up at $558 and it just came.
Guess the fixed something because I got the correct lens.
Hope your exchanges go well.

Chris