I hope we are right Steve because $3000 USD pricing in the States always translates into the £ equivalent in the UK {£3000)

I have lived in the US in recent years and travel there quite often these days, so I have bought quite a few Pentax items and they do normally retail in the bigger dealers at the "dollar for pounds" ratio.

Interestingly I was looking around the Canon/Nikon Pro Centres here in Hong Kong only yesterday (can't locate a Pentax Pro Centre) and the prices are around 50% - 70% of UK prices in general

Common current examples ( yesterday); Canon 6D at £720 and the Nikon D810 at £1400
Canon / Nikon, Sigma and Tamron Lenses showing same sort of pricing patterns

So whatever happens , BS or not, we will pay "top dollar " or should I say "top pounds sterling" in the UK so lets hope these rumours are utter BS and the FF will be priced sensibly, at least a little below the Nikon D810 which would be a good comparable standard for Pentax to aim for when introducing their first FF to the matket.

Sorry guys, but my first post ( containing no commentary) reflected how speechless I was at considering these pricing rumours for the long awaited FF, I would be astounded if a £3000 FF was the final outcome after all this procrastinating .

Ricoh / Pentax would be living in cuckoo land if this first FF comes in at anything significantly over £ 2000; for numerous reasons ; if it is close to £3000 it will be a major error.

Already there is a rash of top class FFs out there at £2000 (ish) and numerous below £2000.

I would be extremely dissappointed as a lifelong loyal Pentax User if after this "long and winding road" to a first FF we end ip with such a scenario.

I have prepared for this for a long time and have already purchased three FF lenses with another on order, but a £3000 FF body could be the "last chance saloon" for Pentax with many users including myself.

It is not about price but value; Such a camera would be the price of 4 Pentax K3 IIs and be up there pricewise, with the latest well developed and technically evolved pro-grade Canons.

I don't see that flying commercially , consider what we have seen in the recent report published (and posted on PU) a few weeks ago which concluded by precise technical comparison, that the IQ from a K3II (APS) surpassed that of the Nikon D810 FF (FF camera of the year.)

I sincerely hope these rumours do not become fact or the current "Grey Sky " over the brand will become much darker and likely brand loyalty would be stretched beyond breaking point for many of us.

I have never baulked at Pentax value / pricing but the gap between the mavellous K3 variants and a £3000 FF would be too wide for me to take seriously on any level or criteria.

What would be gained for that extra 400% in price; in reality, not a 400% improvement in IQ or low light capability or crop-ability,

I doubt we would see any improvements correlating with such an exponential pricing hike.

So I sincerely hope Pentax does not shoot itself "fatally" in the foot and these statements are indeed just speculative / escalating rumours.

Just great, what else can one say.

Regards

I did the same thing a couple of months ago (bought a K3 II), quite unintentionally; because when the FF launch was delayed; I couldn't wait till next year and had passed on a Canon FF to my daughter some months earlier, which I could'nt extract from her grip.

So with the delay announced and a desire to get an FF, I reached for a Nikon D810 FF, but after an extended trial, simply felt it gave me not much more than a std K3.

Then unintentionally, because of a crazy price offer, I ended up buying a Pentax HD 150-450 ahead of purchasing the now delayed FF

However having tried the big zoom on my K3 I asked the shop if I could try the K3II body on It as a comparison to the K3.

Frankly, comparing images side by side, shot for shot, I was quite taken back with the AF and SR on the K3 II which rendered visibly better results on the big HD zoom than the std K3

The rest is history; I haven't looked back since and feel those improvements ( on thevK3 II) are not fully appreciated or promoted.

The K3 II is now more or less permanently coupled to that big lens apart from odd occasions.

It is a lovely camera and IQ is stunning even with the APS sensor, so the long awaited Pentax FF will have to offer something pretty special for me; the Nikon D810 didn't (3 times the price) and frankly the nice little Canon 6D didn't either (twice the price of the K3 II)

Regarding the problem of the lens casting a shadow when using the built in flash:
Had the same experience with the bulkier lenses casting a shadow, and I have the previous version of the AF201c Pentax which is a nice flash but limited; no tilt or swivel but it solves the problem of the shadow on the 16-50

However a couple of weeks ago I bought a s/h Metz 20 C 2; It is so small (will almost fit in a cigarette box) and it has a very nifty tilt, if it had a swivel I would be even happier.

It really is a great little unit though and is high enough on the mount to avoid the shadow cast by the 16-50 DA* and other big lenses.

Perfect fill-in and also it does a really nice job on (true) macro with the normal 1:1 macro lenses.

It cost me £20 in as new condition with a case, I was very lucky and being so incredibly pocketable it goes with me everywhere.

flashgun[quote:3496ace15f="Jetsam1"]Has anyone seen/had a play with one of these yet? I know it's only a very basic/cheap bit of kit and not very interesting for most but I think a fill flash might be good for me as my 16-50mm is very fat and causes a shadow on the built in flash and the older flash gun I have is manual only (sort of) and HUGE.

Tilt is enough for me although I would like swivel for use in portrait but you can't have everything. Just want a lightish solution to keep ISO down for interior shots but won't be doing anything complex just a general fill to boost ambient light.

I would buy it in a heart beat if I didn't have one; most underrated Pentax lens ever.

Regards

All great but Number 6 would look good on any wall.

Regards

Great capture for sure

Regards

Lovely continuing set of photos Gareth, it's such a great coastline and a creative and competent Photographer like yourself certainly makes the most of it.

Regards

daronl (Swansea)

Hi Cardiffgareth,

I was there too on Saturday (Tenby) but prefer your photos to mine, yours are a lovely set of images as always.

Regards

(Swansea)daronl