Will the K5 II and original 55-300 now be discontinued?

As the title says, now that these two models are no longer top-of-the-heap, will they be discontinued?

My opinion is that there is room in the line-up for them to continue (though the K5 IIs might be short-lived if it were up to me). Keepinjg them around would broaden the camera line-up to four (!!!) and leave a long telephoto for those who don't need (or want to pay for) WR.

What are your thoughts?

Its seems very sensible to me to continue with the K5II and s variant but to discontinue the K5. The K5II will surely hold it's own for a good year or two more.

Apparently, according to various sources, Pentax is now a 7 model range (excluding Q and 645D)which means the following:-

K-3
K-5IIs
K-5II
K-50
K-500
K-30
K-r

Now I have not seen a K-r listed in the UK for a long time, yet the UK website still shows it as a current model. I also thought that the K-50 was the replacement for the K-30.
I would probably say that Pentax is now a 5 model range, with the K-5 still a current model, higher than the K-50/500 and below the K-3. That would make more sense. CaNikon seem to manage quite happily with many variants of APS-C bodies. So may this is what Ricoh want? Display a larger range than just 2 or 3 bodies, and the punter off the street can be impressed when they go into Jessops and the like.
What will be even more impressive will be when the A-1/LX-1/SV-1/Z-1D/P-1 or whatever the FF body will be called next year

As has been frequently observed, K-30 and K-50 are VERY close to being the same camera in slightly different bodies, so keeping them both in the range makes no sense at all, and certainly the K-30 doesn't fall below the K-500. As for the K-r..... as you have observed, it is functionally discontinued even if not officially.

Yep, surely the 500 marks the entry level point, followed by the K-50.

Actual product family wise, I can't see the need for the K-r, K-30 (even though that's what I've got), or possibly even the K-5II range any more as current products. The only exception being if you feel the need to offer an intermediary point option between the K-50 and the K3?

I agree that the K-r and K-30 don't have a useful place in the range. (And I'm pretty sure the K-r officially doesn't). They don't add anything significantly different.

I think there is a case for the K-5II(s) because of the large difference between the K-50 and K-3, as you say. (After all, the K-5II(s) and K-50 coexisted in the range before). But only if it doesn't interfere with sales of the K-3. I think Ricoh/Pentax will want to sell as many K-3s as possible.

The K-5II/IIs should be discontinued so that I can pick up one cheap before it reaches a 'cult' status as the last Pentax DSLR that worked ...