I just found the response I got from the Japan headquarters when I asked them directly last autumn. I think they are really doing their best. If we are interested in the limited lenses (and buy more), the variety will increase (in numbers of different limited lenses available, as well as in colour variations).
I guess the black batch was a market test in Japan. I'm not even sure if Pentax is still producing black lenses. Most likely they are just selling off the batch they produced in the past. That explains why they do not offer black limiteds to the world market. Lenses -like books- are produced in batches. A*lenses for example apparently are no longer produced for some years now, nevertheless last stocks are (still) available (A 15/3.5, A 16 fish-eye, A 50/1.2). To keep the black limited lenses on the shelves in Japan for a reasonable long time [to prevent consumers from getting disgrunted] they have to stretch their stock. The quantity of black lenses produced are probably enough to last in Japan for a few years, but would probably have gone within a few weeks if offered world wide. They have to be sure that it is worth setting up a new production batch of black limited lenses. >Subject: RE: 43mm & 77mm in Black > >Thank you for your contacting us again. However, we have to send you the >same answer. We do not have plan to launch the black colour model for >overseas market. We appreciate your suggestion. But we can not afford to >do so. To launch a product, there is quantity requirement to run production >at factory. In case of 43mm & 77mm, it is very difficult to satisfy the >condition. Small production would cost us a lot and eventually it will >affect retail price, which consumer will not accept. Unfortunately the >total production volume for these lenses (Silver and Black) is not so big. >Therefore we decided to concentrate to Silver model. - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
