Lens Prices November 2012

I've just been having a browse through the lenses on the SRS website and it struck me that prices are currently quite a bit reduced.

This downward trend makes this a very good time to be looking at buying.

Some prices look alright, the 31 for instance. Some prices have been reduced back to where they were before the recent price hikes, which is of course a familiar marketing trick (by Pentax). Some prices remain enormously increased. Mixed bag for me. I'll wait until Pentax have decided the price hike strategy hasn't worked.

The 31mm price is exceptionally low, not "pre-pice hike" at all. It depends what we are looking for, so worth a look to see what the current price is for anything that we want.

Individuals can dissect the detail for themselves, but I like the look of the 40mm XS and the 50mm f/1.4 has come down quite a bit as well. It's interesting how that lens lingers on when it was reputed to be discontinued many years ago.

I'm not quite sure how they ever thought it would... Their best bet (at least in my mind) would be to sell more units (of everything; both cameras and lenses...

Personally I think there should be more 'kit' options with cameras than the 18-55/135, 50-200 options... Get some of Pentax's prime lenses in there at a discounted price when you buy a top-end body... Sold as 'birding and wildlife' or 'picture-perfect-portrait' kits (portrait kits could come with a 35mm 2.4, 50mm 1.8 and flashgun; Wildlife kits with 55-300mm & DFA100macro)

That's one of the prices that looks alright, there's a 12% or so saving off the longer term price which I don't think was raised like most of the other lenses. I wouldn't say that is exceptionally low but I agree it is a pretty good deal if you've been waiting to buy one. I've always felt the 31 is a bit too expensive.

The 40mm XS is unboxed (presumably from the K01) so isn't really indicative of general price trends. The FA50 1.4 has been that same price for a long time. Must try mine at some point.

Other lenses are what I would expect to pay such as the DFA100WR, which went up loads and now has come back down to it's pre-hike price. Others are still in the clouds, like the 12-24.

I'm not one that likes the DFS double discount type nonsense and I don't like to see Pentax adopting strategies of that ilk. Some people like to feel they are getting a bargain. I just like to see steady, fair prices. If I want yoy-yo prices I'll buy a yo-yo.

We staray from the point really. This was just meant to point out that there are some lower prices. We don't all constantly check so if anyone is looking to buy a lens this could be a moment to check if that lens (whatever it is) is looking good.

There's no point wanting top quality gear but complaining that it costs too much. Good products cost money and that's life. Cheap products are available from other companies if required.

I think the yo-yo pricing is more due to the unpredictable state of the global economy than any pricing strategy by pentax. I think the only pricing strategy by pentax was to prevent online retailers from discounting prices massively.

OTOH the 18-135 WR is priced higher now than it has been in a long time. Perhaps its stand-alone price has been increased to make the saving of buying it as a 'kit' option along with a K-30 or K-5ii look more appealing. :

There are a few that have come down in price. I notice the 645D is only 5500 for the body only. Not that I can afford it but it's fallen a huge amount.

Hmm, looks like the FA35/2 has made a reappearance again! I wonder if it's back in production, or if they found a corner of a warehouse full of them.

The Pentax smc DA* 200mm F2.8 ED [IF] SDM seems to have
gone up £829

My local dealer looks like they have also lowered a lot of their prices recently, most of which match SRS , but also good to see some lenses £50 or so lower in price (some more expensive too )

Hmmm 40mm F2.8XS £149 unboxed, temptation... temptation...

Uggh! I haven't looked at prices for a long time. These prices mostly seem pretty high to me - except the 100mm and the general use zooms (which have no interest for me). Lenses I have considered are mostly dearer now - say the 200mm.

I notice my 77mm has doubled in value since I bought it new, which is of course lovely - a wonderful lens and a succesful investment And the 35mm macro cost the same as when I bought it.

If 899 is "exceptionally low" ... I remember considering that lens at about half the price, but to be fair that was before the first price hike.

Just some observations... I am happy, I am mostly settled. Ok, I would love the 43mm again - to be honest it made me more happy than the 35 macro does - but it is still too expensive for what it is IMO.

I have never seen the 31mm Limited at less than £1000 in living memory, so if you were looking at more like £450 I can only wonder how long ago that was?