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Is The Price Right In The UK

Fletcher8
Posted 11/11/2010 - 18:05 Link
Was searching the web for a Pentax DA* 55mm f/1.4 and found a good price although it was B&H in New York. I thought well lets take a look at the shipping costs and import tax. Shock, horror, it works out no cheaper than buying in the UK. Why are Pentax lenses cheaper in the USA? Are we being ripped off in the UK ? If only I knew someone who lived in New York, they could send me a Pentax DA* 55mm f/1.4 as a gift and I could save a fortune. I think the next time I go to the states I will pay a visit to B&H.

Anyone have a DA* 55mm f/1.4 for a reasonable price they no longer use?
Fletcher8.
Mike-P
Posted 11/11/2010 - 18:50 Link
I was selling my DA* 55mm on here a few months ago (had no interest whatsoever)as it was so slow to focus on my k10D but to be honest I doubt I would now having used it on the K-5.

Totally different lens.
robbiec
Posted 11/11/2010 - 18:58 Link
How do you mean Mike? Is the combo of K-5 and DA55 a complete makeover from the K10 + DA55? Whats the big difference?
My Gallery
[url=http://pentaxphotogallery.com/Robbie Corrigan]ppg[/url]
Mike-P
Posted 11/11/2010 - 19:15 Link
Like my other DA* lenses AF just seems much snappier and they are now a pleasure to use rather than a chore. Also on my K10D I had to use Debug mode to get a sharp picture with the *55mm and FA 50mm 1.7 whereas the K-5 does it without any adjustment whatsoever.
bretti_kivi
Posted 11/11/2010 - 20:18 Link
"gift" doesn't mean much if it's not insured and goes walkabout....

Bret
my pics: link
my kit: K3, K5, K-01, DA 18-55, D-FA50 macro, Siggy 30/1.4, 100-300/f4, 70-200/2.8, Samsung 12-24/f4, Tamron 17-50, and lots of other bits.
KZ
Posted 12/11/2010 - 12:59 Link
Mike-P wrote:
I was selling my DA* 55mm on here a few months ago (had no interest whatsoever)as it was so slow to focus on my k10D but to be honest I doubt I would now having used it on the K-5.

Totally different lens.

To my experience 55/1,4 is the slowest SDM lens of Pentax.
Mike-P
Posted 12/11/2010 - 13:02 Link
KZ wrote:


To my experience 55/1,4 is the slowest SDM lens of Pentax.

Yup, 55mm followed by the 50-135mm f2.8.

I may do a comparison test on the AF speed between the 55mm 1.4 and FA 50mm f1.7 this weekend.
Edited by Mike-P: 12/11/2010 - 13:02
KZ
Posted 12/11/2010 - 13:06 Link
Mike-P wrote:
KZ wrote:


To my experience 55/1,4 is the slowest SDM lens of Pentax.

Yup, 55mm followed by the 50-135mm f2.8.

I may do a comparison test on the AF speed between the 55mm 1.4 and FA 50mm f1.7 this weekend.

Agreed. Though 50-135 is optically excellent, not a speed daemon at all. But 55/1,4 is unbeatable.
thoughton
Posted 12/11/2010 - 13:21 Link
Fletcher8 wrote:
Why are Pentax lenses cheaper in the USA? Are we being ripped off in the UK ?

Have you only just moved here?

Almost everything in the UK is a ripoff. When I first moved here I couldn't believe the prices for some things. My water bill went from £30 (thirty) per year to £400 per year. Petrol was twice the price. Tobacco was 4x the price. Last year while visiting my parents I posted a 30kg box back here, it cost about £50. Posting it the other way would have been £200. Rip-off Britain, woohoo
Tim
AF - Pentax K5, Sigma 10-20/4-5.6, Tamron 17-50/2.8, Sigma 30/1.4, Sigma 70-200/2.8, Tamron 70-300/4-5.6
MF - Vivitar CF 28/2.8, Tamron AD2 90/2.5, MTO 1000/11
Stuff - Metz 58 AF1, Cactus v4, Nikon SB24, Raynox 150, Sigma 1.4x TC, Sigma 2x TC, Kenko 2x macro TC, Redsnapper 283 tripod, iMac 27”, Macbook Pro 17”, iPad, iPhone 3G
FlickrFluidrPPGStreetPortfolio site
Feel free to edit any of my posted photos! If I post a photo for critique, I want brutal honesty. If you don't like it, please say so and tell me why!
Gwyn
Posted 12/11/2010 - 13:32 Link
Yawn.
The annual rip-off Britain moan.

Try living in the Netherlands for a while, paying full Dutch taxes .

The United States has always been cheaper than Europe for most things. It's what the market will bear.

I still wouldn't want to live there.
Mike-P
Posted 12/11/2010 - 13:35 Link
thoughton wrote:

Almost everything in the UK is a ripoff. When I first moved here I couldn't believe the prices for some things. My water bill went from £30 (thirty) per year to £400 per year. Petrol was twice the price. Tobacco was 4x the price. Last year while visiting my parents I posted a 30kg box back here, it cost about £50. Posting it the other way would have been £200. Rip-off Britain, woohoo

But look on the bright side .. at least we have the weather.
thoughton
Posted 12/11/2010 - 13:39 Link
When I was younger coming to the UK was great for the cheap drinking in pubs, but now even that isn't true anymore
Tim
AF - Pentax K5, Sigma 10-20/4-5.6, Tamron 17-50/2.8, Sigma 30/1.4, Sigma 70-200/2.8, Tamron 70-300/4-5.6
MF - Vivitar CF 28/2.8, Tamron AD2 90/2.5, MTO 1000/11
Stuff - Metz 58 AF1, Cactus v4, Nikon SB24, Raynox 150, Sigma 1.4x TC, Sigma 2x TC, Kenko 2x macro TC, Redsnapper 283 tripod, iMac 27”, Macbook Pro 17”, iPad, iPhone 3G
FlickrFluidrPPGStreetPortfolio site
Feel free to edit any of my posted photos! If I post a photo for critique, I want brutal honesty. If you don't like it, please say so and tell me why!
Mike-P
Posted 12/11/2010 - 13:41 Link
thoughton wrote:
When I was younger coming to the UK was great for the cheap drinking in pubs, but now even that isn't true anymore

Probably a good thing looking at the youth of today.


God .. just realised I have turned into my grandad.
thoughton
Posted 12/11/2010 - 13:57 Link
LOL, soon you'll be telling us how you used to walk 10 miles barefoot through the snow to get to school
Tim
AF - Pentax K5, Sigma 10-20/4-5.6, Tamron 17-50/2.8, Sigma 30/1.4, Sigma 70-200/2.8, Tamron 70-300/4-5.6
MF - Vivitar CF 28/2.8, Tamron AD2 90/2.5, MTO 1000/11
Stuff - Metz 58 AF1, Cactus v4, Nikon SB24, Raynox 150, Sigma 1.4x TC, Sigma 2x TC, Kenko 2x macro TC, Redsnapper 283 tripod, iMac 27”, Macbook Pro 17”, iPad, iPhone 3G
FlickrFluidrPPGStreetPortfolio site
Feel free to edit any of my posted photos! If I post a photo for critique, I want brutal honesty. If you don't like it, please say so and tell me why!
K10D
Posted 12/11/2010 - 14:10 Link
thoughton wrote:
LOL, soon you'll be telling us how you used to walk 10 miles barefoot through the snow to get to school

Nah but,

Last stop on round would be old ma Peggotty’s place — ’twas like taking bread to the top of the world! ’Twas a grand ride back though …. and afterward, I knew baker would ’ave kettle on and doorsteps of hot Hovis ready.

“There’s wholemeal in Hovis,” he’d say — “get it inside yer lad, does yer
good that — and one day you’ll go up that hill as fast as yer come down!”

Hovis — it’s as good today as it’s always been.

Nostalgia......link..enjoy.

Best regards
Inspiration is rarer than a plate glass camera.....

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