Some nice shots...but as Mike says...deserted. Is it always that quiet or just because it was a sunday?

regards

karlo

From a purely marketing viewpoint this post is spot on. Very succinctly put.

The gulf in price as he says is too big between APS-C and 645Z. A typical Pentax APS-C investment assuming a K-3 , two or three decent quality lenses, some filters is likely to be approx £2000-£2500.

An equivalent scale of investment in Pentax MFT is likely to be a 645Z, two or three lenses, plus filters and maybe one or two extra accessories..say £10,000! Sure there are a small number of very wealthy enthusiasts who can afford to lose £1500+ in depreciation alone every year on this system but really the only market is the pro market...and how many paid photo jobs nowadays are there able to fund this level of investment?

If APS-C represents the base of the pyramid in number of users and the 645Z is the pinnacle then FF slices the pyramid horizontally but much closer to the base than the pinnacle and in marketing terms it will attract well heeled enthusiasts, semi pro and full time pro.

Whether people actually really need FF ...that's another argument altogether.

Very nice shot. Looking at it another way...those clouds remind me of the top of a huge wave about to bear down on the pier and surrounding area in a scene reminiscent of an 'end of days' cataclysm. Doesn't help that I once had a very realistic dream featuring something similar!

regards

karlo

I haven't used one but am looking at a lens for this type of work. My favourite at the moment would be the Sigma 50mm f2.8 macro available for £199 new at SRS. Seems to have good reviews and the price is very good at the moment. If it wasn't for the 'large cages' thing i'd would have also suggested the Sigma 70mm
f2.8 at £250.

karlo

Ref mcpieman's lead, I've just checked on ebay and he's right they are still apparently for sale there, however the delivery date is now 6.5 weeks away..towards the end of Feb...so I don't think i'll bother. By that time if I haven't still got anything I should imagine i'd be able to Hoover one up at a really low price from one of the mainstream dealers desperate to get shut.

Lol..yeah right! I wonder if the red will suffer the same ignomy?

The possibility that someone at Argos boobed has passed my mind until you study their ad again and it clearly states the old price and says that this offer price is less than half price..so they must have intended it.

One good thing to emerge from this is that the replacement K60/70 just announced must be an absolute stonker if Pentax are so keen to offload the K50 at almost any price! I haven't seen any model so comprehensively 'dumped' for a very long time.

Oh aye, but even with the Winter cashback from a Pentax dealer you are still looking at a price £200 more than the Argos deal...which has to be below cost.

I've just chatted online with them as well...out of stock for my postcode area (Northwich). I was advised to contact their marketing people to express my interest as they are trying to get extra stock in although it may not be at the same price! I did this anyway so i'll see what happens.

I'd actually be more interested in the K5II with 18-135 for about £500!! Will be interesting to see if any of the regular dealers complain about not getting any of these stocks.

Some nice shots Nigel. I've got the lens and paid £129 for it new just over two years ago...fabulous value then. When you consider that you can buy it new now for £89 with a 5 yr warranty or pick them up in vgc for about £40-£50...its unbelievable really.

Like Darkmunk says its a very good portrait lens as well..i've had some cracking ones from it at 70mm although I never post portrait on a public site...just have to take my word for it!