SRS new prices

Don't seem like it and I don't hear any news about price raises on the Dutch forum.
here is an selection of shops link
And these priceses haven't changed since 3 months ago when I bought my DA*50-135 from SRS

I think most of it is currency related. Last year £1 got you 245Yen now it's about 145Yen. That's a big hit. I think the Yen is artificially high at the moment as most other currencies are slowly creeping back towards where they were a year ago. I think the Yen will have to come down with a bump soon. Not that it helps us, and ,historically, when prices go up they usually stay up! Especially if stock has been bought at the higher prices.

Yikes! That's a huge difference
Matt

Yup, clearly currency movements are a factor but in no way does this explain the total magnitude of the price hikes.

In my view there are two possible additional explanations that I have alluded to in past posts.

1) Pentax marketing whizz-kids have adjudged the K7 to be so attractive that hoards of semi-pro photographers will be beating a path from other brand allegiances to buy it with associated lens goodies no matter what the price

2) Pentax have been told by Hoya in no uncertain terms that they better get the buisness profitable sharpish or else it's curtains, and having failed to attract the requisite customer base with a cheapo pricing strategy have no choice other than jack 'em up and pray that sales volumes don't decline too precipitously.

Personally I think the reason is #2, with future highly negative attendant implications for second hand prices if Pentax folds, as I now believe is highly likely.

There are new Nikon product announcements expected within the next few month that I am now awaiting with great interest. . .

Where did this information come from ?

Stefan K'berg also have it for a similar price, €719. They have the 60-250 for €1089. CameraNu is slightly cheaper on that one.

Shaky, good to see the "Pentax will fold soon" school of thought is still alive and well .

One thing is certain, Gwyn: It is not sustainable for Hoya to run Pentax as a charity.

Here we go again, "doom and gloom".
That is why Pentax will be bringing out a medium format digital body in the near future, who said Pentax were finnished.

But who says they are? Do you have figures to support this theory?. Don't bother answering - we will go too far off topic.

So it's rumour, not fact?

What frankly concerns me more than a little is I am fairly certain I have seen you in the past discussing Hoya's financial statements.

That being the case you would know Hoya do not break out separate *figures* for the Pentax camera operations. However, during the time I have paid attention they have invariably described this qualitatively as loss making, even on a quarterly basis.

You are not trying to set me up with a dishonest straw-man argument here are you?

So it's rumour, not fact?[/quote]It is my analysis/speculation, nothing more, nothing less; I thought that was perfectly clear in the first place

People should try to decide for themselves whether it is informed or not, cognitive dissonance notwithstanding.

£450 is frankly a stupid price for a 50mm f1.4, especially when you haven't got a f1.7 or 1.8 to sell instead. It's normally the cheapest lens in the range and usually the first one any new user goes for.

I will try and decide whether it is informed or not once I have decyphered your text.