Prices of Pentax Lenses
"I have noticed a sudden increase in pentax prices lately. It can't all be because of the istDs" A few months after the release of the D there began to be a run on Pentax primes. It still continues, and I suspect that DS owners will soon try to join in after they decide which zoom to buy. Note that Pentax autofocus primes have virtually disappeared from KEH. Here's what I think has happened: 1. People who bought the D care about image quality and can afford Pentax primes. They began to buy FA primes. 2. Pentax, meanwhile, had stopped production of all, or at least most, FA lenses (but maybe not FAJ lenses). 3. Existing stocks began to run out. Look at Pentax USA's web site and see how few primes are now listed. 4. Pentax got caught by surprise. It was in the middle of shifting lens production to Vietnam and was planning the new DA and D FA lines. Pentax did not anticipate that suddenly the old FA primes would be in strong demand. Existing stocks have sold out, or nearly so, and they are no longer being produced. 5. Nguyen is ill again this winter. 6. Ebay prices began to shoot up. Joe
Re: Prices of Pentax Lenses
Also, the long wait for a Pentax DSLR resulted in some defections to other brands, which depressed demand for Pentax glass between say 2002 and 2003, while putting quite a lot of used lenses onto the second-hand market. That process has presumably slowed or reversed, and digital buyers have pushed up demand for wide-angles, though not for longer teles. I recently paid quite a lot for a 20mm, and just missed bidding on a K 300mm f4 which went for very little. John On Sat, 05 Feb 2005 11:22:27 -0700, Joseph Tainter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: "I have noticed a sudden increase in pentax prices lately. It can't all be because of the istDs" A few months after the release of the D there began to be a run on Pentax primes. It still continues, and I suspect that DS owners will soon try to join in after they decide which zoom to buy. Note that Pentax autofocus primes have virtually disappeared from KEH. Here's what I think has happened: 1. People who bought the D care about image quality and can afford Pentax primes. They began to buy FA primes. 2. Pentax, meanwhile, had stopped production of all, or at least most, FA lenses (but maybe not FAJ lenses). 3. Existing stocks began to run out. Look at Pentax USA's web site and see how few primes are now listed. 4. Pentax got caught by surprise. It was in the middle of shifting lens production to Vietnam and was planning the new DA and D FA lines. Pentax did not anticipate that suddenly the old FA primes would be in strong demand. Existing stocks have sold out, or nearly so, and they are no longer being produced. 5. Nguyen is ill again this winter. 6. Ebay prices began to shoot up. Joe -- Using Opera's revolutionary e-mail client: http://www.opera.com/m2/
Re: Prices of Pentax Lenses
The M* and A* 300's are still quite pricey. John Forbes wrote: Also, the long wait for a Pentax DSLR resulted in some defections to other brands, which depressed demand for Pentax glass between say 2002 and 2003, while putting quite a lot of used lenses onto the second-hand market. That process has presumably slowed or reversed, and digital buyers have pushed up demand for wide-angles, though not for longer teles. I recently paid quite a lot for a 20mm, and just missed bidding on a K 300mm f4 which went for very little. John On Sat, 05 Feb 2005 11:22:27 -0700, Joseph Tainter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: "I have noticed a sudden increase in pentax prices lately. It can't all be because of the istDs" A few months after the release of the D there began to be a run on Pentax primes. It still continues, and I suspect that DS owners will soon try to join in after they decide which zoom to buy. Note that Pentax autofocus primes have virtually disappeared from KEH. Here's what I think has happened: 1. People who bought the D care about image quality and can afford Pentax primes. They began to buy FA primes. 2. Pentax, meanwhile, had stopped production of all, or at least most, FA lenses (but maybe not FAJ lenses). 3. Existing stocks began to run out. Look at Pentax USA's web site and see how few primes are now listed. 4. Pentax got caught by surprise. It was in the middle of shifting lens production to Vietnam and was planning the new DA and D FA lines. Pentax did not anticipate that suddenly the old FA primes would be in strong demand. Existing stocks have sold out, or nearly so, and they are no longer being produced. 5. Nguyen is ill again this winter. 6. Ebay prices began to shoot up. Joe -- I can understand why mankind hasn't given up war. During a war you get to drive tanks through the sides of buildings and shoot foreigners - two things that are usually frowned on during peacetime. --P.J. O'Rourke
Re: Prices of Pentax Lenses
I've noticed that the prices on all Pentax lenses seem to be up by a considerable amount. Yes, it's most evident among the shorter lenses (FA 50/1.4s are going for more than B&H's new price on ebay -- $209-- and B&H is sold out.) If you missed the thread about Pentax digital on the Leica forum, go take a look. The *istD and *istDS have revived the brand. I guess that's a good thing. Paul > The M* and A* 300's are still quite pricey. > > John Forbes wrote: > > > Also, the long wait for a Pentax DSLR resulted in some defections to > > other brands, which depressed demand for Pentax glass between say > > 2002 and 2003, while putting quite a lot of used lenses onto the > > second-hand market. > > > > That process has presumably slowed or reversed, and digital buyers > > have pushed up demand for wide-angles, though not for longer teles. > > I recently paid quite a lot for a 20mm, and just missed bidding on a > > K 300mm f4 which went for very little. > > > > John > > > > > > On Sat, 05 Feb 2005 11:22:27 -0700, Joseph Tainter > > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > >> "I have noticed a sudden increase in pentax prices lately. It can't all > >> be because of the istDs" > >> > >> A few months after the release of the D there began to be a run on > >> Pentax primes. It still continues, and I suspect that DS owners will > >> soon try to join in after they decide which zoom to buy. Note that > >> Pentax autofocus primes have virtually disappeared from KEH. Here's > >> what I think has happened: > >> > >> 1. People who bought the D care about image quality and can afford > >> Pentax primes. They began to buy FA primes. > >> > >> 2. Pentax, meanwhile, had stopped production of all, or at least > >> most, FA lenses (but maybe not FAJ lenses). > >> > >> 3. Existing stocks began to run out. Look at Pentax USA's web site > >> and see how few primes are now listed. > >> > >> 4. Pentax got caught by surprise. It was in the middle of shifting > >> lens production to Vietnam and was planning the new DA and D FA > >> lines. Pentax did not anticipate that suddenly the old FA primes > >> would be in strong demand. Existing stocks have sold out, or nearly > >> so, and they are no longer being produced. > >> > >> 5. Nguyen is ill again this winter. > >> > >> 6. Ebay prices began to shoot up. > >> > >> Joe > >> > >> > >> > >> > > > > > > > > > -- > I can understand why mankind hasn't given up war. > During a war you get to drive tanks through the sides of buildings > and shoot foreigners - two things that are usually frowned on during > peacetime. > --P.J. O'Rourke > >
Re: Prices of Pentax Lenses
What Leica forum are you referring to? Do you have a link to it? TIA PS: I can't believe some of the prices on ebay recently. Almost makes me think about selling all of my gear. --- [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > I've noticed that the prices on all Pentax lenses > seem to be up by a considerable amount. Yes, it's > most evident among the shorter lenses (FA 50/1.4s > are going for more than B&H's new price on ebay -- > $209-- and B&H is sold out.) If you missed the > thread about Pentax digital on the Leica forum, go > take a look. The *istD and *istDS have revived the > brand. I guess that's a good thing. > Paul > > > > The M* and A* 300's are still quite pricey. > > > > John Forbes wrote: > > > > > Also, the long wait for a Pentax DSLR resulted > in some defections to > > > other brands, which depressed demand for Pentax > glass between say > > > 2002 and 2003, while putting quite a lot of > used lenses onto the > > > second-hand market. > > > > > > That process has presumably slowed or reversed, > and digital buyers > > > have pushed up demand for wide-angles, though > not for longer teles. > > > I recently paid quite a lot for a 20mm, and > just missed bidding on a > > > K 300mm f4 which went for very little. > > > > > > John > > > > > > > > > On Sat, 05 Feb 2005 11:22:27 -0700, Joseph > Tainter > > > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > >> "I have noticed a sudden increase in pentax > prices lately. It can't all > > >> be because of the istDs" > > >> > > >> A few months after the release of the D there > began to be a run on > > >> Pentax primes. It still continues, and I > suspect that DS owners will > > >> soon try to join in after they decide which > zoom to buy. Note that > > >> Pentax autofocus primes have virtually > disappeared from KEH. Here's > > >> what I think has happened: > > >> > > >> 1. People who bought the D care about image > quality and can afford > > >> Pentax primes. They began to buy FA primes. > > >> > > >> 2. Pentax, meanwhile, had stopped production of > all, or at least > > >> most, FA lenses (but maybe not FAJ lenses). > > >> > > >> 3. Existing stocks began to run out. Look at > Pentax USA's web site > > >> and see how few primes are now listed. > > >> > > >> 4. Pentax got caught by surprise. It was in the > middle of shifting > > >> lens production to Vietnam and was planning > the new DA and D FA > > >> lines. Pentax did not anticipate that suddenly > the old FA primes > > >> would be in strong demand. Existing stocks > have sold out, or nearly > > >> so, and they are no longer being produced. > > >> > > >> 5. Nguyen is ill again this winter. > > >> > > >> 6. Ebay prices began to shoot up. > > >> > > >> Joe > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > I can understand why mankind hasn't given up war. > > During a war you get to drive tanks through the > sides of buildings > > and shoot foreigners - two things that are usually > frowned on during peacetime. > > --P.J. O'Rourke > > > > > > __ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com
Re: Prices of Pentax Lenses
The Pnoto Net Leica forum is here: http://www.photo.net/bboard/forum?topic_id=1548 The recent Pentax digital thread is here: http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00B20N Paul > What Leica forum are you referring to? Do you have a > link to it? > > TIA > > PS: I can't believe some of the prices on ebay > recently. Almost makes me think about selling all of > my gear. > > > --- [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > > I've noticed that the prices on all Pentax lenses > > seem to be up by a considerable amount. Yes, it's > > most evident among the shorter lenses (FA 50/1.4s > > are going for more than B&H's new price on ebay -- > > $209-- and B&H is sold out.) If you missed the > > thread about Pentax digital on the Leica forum, go > > take a look. The *istD and *istDS have revived the > > brand. I guess that's a good thing. > > Paul > > > > > > > The M* and A* 300's are still quite pricey. > > > > > > John Forbes wrote: > > > > > > > Also, the long wait for a Pentax DSLR resulted > > in some defections to > > > > other brands, which depressed demand for Pentax > > glass between say > > > > 2002 and 2003, while putting quite a lot of > > used lenses onto the > > > > second-hand market. > > > > > > > > That process has presumably slowed or reversed, > > and digital buyers > > > > have pushed up demand for wide-angles, though > > not for longer teles. > > > > I recently paid quite a lot for a 20mm, and > > just missed bidding on a > > > > K 300mm f4 which went for very little. > > > > > > > > John > > > > > > > > > > > > On Sat, 05 Feb 2005 11:22:27 -0700, Joseph > > Tainter > > > > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > > > >> "I have noticed a sudden increase in pentax > > prices lately. It can't all > > > >> be because of the istDs" > > > >> > > > >> A few months after the release of the D there > > began to be a run on > > > >> Pentax primes. It still continues, and I > > suspect that DS owners will > > > >> soon try to join in after they decide which > > zoom to buy. Note that > > > >> Pentax autofocus primes have virtually > > disappeared from KEH. Here's > > > >> what I think has happened: > > > >> > > > >> 1. People who bought the D care about image > > quality and can afford > > > >> Pentax primes. They began to buy FA primes. > > > >> > > > >> 2. Pentax, meanwhile, had stopped production of > > all, or at least > > > >> most, FA lenses (but maybe not FAJ lenses). > > > >> > > > >> 3. Existing stocks began to run out. Look at > > Pentax USA's web site > > > >> and see how few primes are now listed. > > > >> > > > >> 4. Pentax got caught by surprise. It was in the > > middle of shifting > > > >> lens production to Vietnam and was planning > > the new DA and D FA > > > >> lines. Pentax did not anticipate that suddenly > > the old FA primes > > > >> would be in strong demand. Existing stocks > > have sold out, or nearly > > > >> so, and they are no longer being produced. > > > >> > > > >> 5. Nguyen is ill again this winter. > > > >> > > > >> 6. Ebay prices began to shoot up. > > > >> > > > >> Joe > > > >> > > > >> > > > >> > > > >> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > > I can understand why mankind hasn't given up war. > > > During a war you get to drive tanks through the > > sides of buildings > > > and shoot foreigners - two things that are usually > > frowned on during peacetime. > > > --P.J. O'Rourke > > > > > > > > > > > > > __ > Do You Yahoo!? > Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around > http://mail.yahoo.com >
Re: Prices of Pentax Lenses
On Sat, 05 Feb 2005 11:22:27 -0700, Joseph Tainter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote A few months after the release of the D there began to be a run on Pentax primes. It still continues, and I suspect that DS owners will soon try to join in after they decide which zoom to buy. Note that Pentax autofocus primes have virtually disappeared from KEH. Yes, I've noticed it too. I'm thinking about getting the 31mm ltd but, oh no, Adorama aren't listing it at the moment (nor the 77mm, and the 43mm is on back order). :( Rob, can I ask you for that contact in Japan again? Maybe they still have the black 31mm. D -- [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://homepages.ihug.com.au/~derbyc
Re: Prices of Pentax Lenses
Derby Chang <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >On Sat, 05 Feb 2005 11:22:27 -0700, Joseph Tainter ><[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote > >>A few months after the release of the D there began to be a run on >>Pentax primes. It still continues, and I suspect that DS owners will >>soon try to join in after they decide which zoom to buy. Note that >>Pentax autofocus primes have virtually disappeared from KEH. > >Yes, I've noticed it too. I'm thinking about getting the 31mm ltd but, >oh no, Adorama aren't listing it at the moment (nor the 77mm, and the >43mm is on back order). :( I had to wait a month to get the Tamron 17-35 in Pentax mount. My rep said they were selling out as quickly as they came in. I also had to wait to get the Sigma P-TTL flash because everyone kept selling out. I expect that distributors, being naturally cautions and not wanting to get stuck with stock that wouldn't sell, were ordering Pentax-compatible product based on past sales numbers and were unprepared for the revival of interest spurred by the ist-D and DS. -- Mark Roberts Photography and writing www.robertstech.com
AW: Prices of Pentax Lenses
> > > >Also, the US dollar is down considerably lately, so international >bidders will tend to push the prices up when things are priced in USD. That's a good arguement. 100$ was 160 Francs for me, two years ago. Now it's 115! Michael
Re: Prices of Pentax Lenses
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I've noticed that the prices on all Pentax lenses seem to be up by a considerable amount. Yes, it's most evident among the shorter lenses (FA 50/1.4s are going for more than B&H's new price on ebay -- $209-- and B&H is sold out.) If you missed the thread about Pentax digital on the Leica forum, go take a look. The *istD and *istDS have revived the brand. I guess that's a good thing. Paul The M* and A* 300's are still quite pricey. John Forbes wrote: Also, the long wait for a Pentax DSLR resulted in some defections to other brands, which depressed demand for Pentax glass between say 2002 and 2003, while putting quite a lot of used lenses onto the second-hand market. That process has presumably slowed or reversed, and digital buyers have pushed up demand for wide-angles, though not for longer teles. I recently paid quite a lot for a 20mm, and just missed bidding on a K 300mm f4 which went for very little. John On Sat, 05 Feb 2005 11:22:27 -0700, Joseph Tainter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: "I have noticed a sudden increase in pentax prices lately. It can't all be because of the istDs" A few months after the release of the D there began to be a run on Pentax primes. It still continues, and I suspect that DS owners will soon try to join in after they decide which zoom to buy. Note that Pentax autofocus primes have virtually disappeared from KEH. Here's what I think has happened: 1. People who bought the D care about image quality and can afford Pentax primes. They began to buy FA primes. 2. Pentax, meanwhile, had stopped production of all, or at least most, FA lenses (but maybe not FAJ lenses). 3. Existing stocks began to run out. Look at Pentax USA's web site and see how few primes are now listed. 4. Pentax got caught by surprise. It was in the middle of shifting lens production to Vietnam and was planning the new DA and D FA lines. Pentax did not anticipate that suddenly the old FA primes would be in strong demand. Existing stocks have sold out, or nearly so, and they are no longer being produced. 5. Nguyen is ill again this winter. 6. Ebay prices began to shoot up. Joe -- I can understand why mankind hasn't given up war. During a war you get to drive tanks through the sides of buildings and shoot foreigners - two things that are usually frowned on during peacetime. --P.J. O'Rourke Also, the US dollar is down considerably lately, so international bidders will tend to push the prices up when things are priced in USD.
