Good price on K20??

I have been talking with the guy in my local camera shop and expressed interest in a K20 and a Sigma APO 180mm EX DG macro lens. But i have always baulked at his prices.
Well he must be keen for a sale because he rang me today with an offer i find very appealing.

K20 (body only) AU$1350 (640quid)
Sigma 180mm macro AU$1050 (500quid)
Quite a reduction on his previous best offers of $1550 for the camera and $1410 for the lens. (just shows the sort of markups these guys are putting on thier gear)

I said i would think it over and let him know tomorrow. Sounds tempting what do you think. :

Well that's a good price on the K20D, they're around £730 here, but the lens, when you can find it, is a touch under £500, so that's nothing special price-wise.

There's not a huge mark-up to be made on photo gear, at least for a small retailer not buying in bulk. Typically for lenses it's around 25% of the net RRP, but how often are the lenses sold at the RRP?

Dan

I really like the price on the K20 but i wasn't planning on getting one until later in the year.
AU$1200 was the best i have ever seen that lens in Aust. and that was some time ago. so i thought it was a very good price. And comparable to e-bay prices its about the same.
His offer only stands if i purchased both items.

I agree "RRP" should be removed from the english vocabulary

Also this guy is not a small retailer they are quite a large chain.

Hmmm, tricky then. If you're not desperate for either, it might be worth hanging on... The price of the K20D is sure to fall over the next 6 months anyway, and if you're happy with your K10D. But, then that's 6 months without the K20D.

I was sure I wasn't going to upgrade from the *istD to the K10D this time last year, then a bargain price appeared, and I couldn't resist.

Dan

I can live without the K20 for the time being but i would love to get the lens
I have a headache just thinking about it.

It's such a lovely lens too

While you are here chirpy and rubbing salt into my wounds.

Have you used your 180 macro with one of the Sigma APO TCs (1.4 & 2.0)
I am thinking about getting one for my Bigma and also using it on the 180 Macro when i ever get one

I've only got a poor copy of a 1.4x Sigma TC. I have used it with my 1.5x Kenko TC but, TBH, because the 180mm is so sharp I just crop and zoom the photo if I need to get closer.

As an example, this:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chirpy_uk/1157418717/sizes/o/in/set-721576007132783...

is a 100% crop of the original, which resizes to this:




That's a red spider mite at less that 1mm in size, btw, no TC

Unfortunately i am at work tonight and my company server has a lock on the flickr and photobucket sites so i can't view any pics associated with either of them.
I will check it out in the morning when i get home. thanks

Well i took the plunge and purchased both items today. I even managed to knock him down an extra 20quid on the lens
Will pick up both items on Tuesday.

While i am here, A member of my local photographic club has decided to sell some of his DSLR gear. He is in a bit of a financial bind.

He won't sell any of his film gear just the digital stuff as he believes it will be easier to replace.

Well he has the 2 star lenses he wants to get rid of first (DA*16-50 and DA*50-135). I asked him to let me offer them here first before putting them on flea-bay.
So i will keep you posted on what he wants for them and have a look at them cosmetically. I will even put them on my new K20 and see how they go.

Congratulations Clarky - I look forward to seeing what bug photos you can produce with this pair.

I'm quivering in anticipation

Congratulations Clarky I knew you couldn't refuse that offer.

I still haven't taken the plunge Trying to decide what, if any, lens I can afford to get with it. And with the K10D is still widely available here I'm still trying to justify the extra dosh for the K20D
Looks like I'll be taking just the Ds to Arizona next month.

Don't dispair Gwyn, as they say patience is a virtue and there is a bargain with your name on it just around the corner.