p.m. sent on the metal hood.

You and me both.

Would I do that !

John best delete our personal tete a tete over the past two pages. This has gone on far far longer than it should have.

I really wasn't going to go on as this thread deserves to die a death however since you've gone off the deep end ..

Initially it was you replying to my post to begin the 'conversation' (and it continued with each of us quoting the other's posts) not vice versa !

quoting my post ...

quoting my post so (s) not (pl).

Well you've clearly convinced yourself even if no-one else.

Regardless as to whether or not you imagine the words are interchangeable, I most certainly didn't use the word disingenuous. And in my book dishonesty was not even remotely a suitable expression of your comments .. or my response.

Well there's an oxymoron if ever there was one. Yes your reply was a response to my post, but since you didn't specifically use the 2nd person pronoun then I shouldn't take it as being directed at me ?

Regardless it was hint I didn't need as I didn't take it as a personal affront, as my comment clearly indicated :

Note I didn't use the 2nd person, or indeed 1st person, pro-noun either.

It may well be that the APS-C lenses are being sold to a captive audience whereas the FF lenses can be used on many other cameras (as MF lenses) and so possibly that could account for a percentage of FA Ltd sales - I'd be interested to know just how many, e.g. Canon users, own a Pentax FA Ltd lens.

G. I am I think one of the lucky ones, I bought pretty much everything I wanted from the current line-up over the past 18 months. The 560mm could possibly be the next one on my list other than legacy/3rd party glass (e.g. just bought a MF Tokina 300/2.8 ) so they don't really affect me .. but I'm very disappointed Pentax have lost one of their prime advantages over CaNikon, great glass at a great price, and that will surely affect both potential new Pentax users and existing users. And of course the more Pentax users are out there the more investment Pentax will be willing to make in new cameras/lenses.

I hope that this is viewed as a global forum - there are lots of overseas members and the forum name is Pentax User not PU UK. However whatever happens to Pentax affects all users not just those in any one region. Therefore I tend to look at things with a global perspective. It's unfortunate that in the UK warranties are short and prices high. The UK consumer really does get the short end.

Telephone support is critical to professionals (at the very least) needing instant assistance. It's a key element of a Premium Supplier. I believe Pentax USA are planning to introduce it but haven't as yet. Or at least there was a statement some time ago on a potential introduction.

I don't think this will do anything at all (it may even harm) to pad Pentax's bottom line - I still believe this is just to reduce sales so that they can switch lines to newer lenses without a major investment in new plant and production lines. At least I hope that's what it is.

Oh if only all bankrupted businesses had listened to George's words of wisdom and raised their prices then they could have been saved !

That's simplistic in the extreme. You know as well as I do there are always far more factors and influences at play during a recession (or any other time) than just retail prices.

In fact the best survivors are those offering premium products or very low cost products. Those in the middle are at most risk. In fact statistics show that those increasing their marketing not reducing it, as most tend to do, have a higher chance of survival. All that said the world may be teetering on the brink of recession but camera sales certainly aren't !

Firstly please note that I said ingenuous NOT disingenuous. The first suggests naivety, the second dishonesty. A rather large difference don't you think.

There is no 'panic' where I am concerned (and research will show you that I was not concerned during any of the episodes you have listed above, all companies have QC issues and the reaction is almost always over-blown) - as consumers there is absolutely nothing we can do as individuals that will have any effect (and that includes withdrawing our custom) or influence on a MNC, so there is no reason to 'panic'.
However there is every reason to be annoyed at the course Pentax are taking here. We are not talking about rises in line with inflation and since Pentax's market share is relatively stable then increased demand (as has been the case for the D800 and it's subsequent price rise) is not responsible either.

Pentax have now raised their prices to, in some cases, even exceed those of the equivalent lenses of their most direct competitors, Nikon and Canon, and have thereby positioned themselves as 'Premium Suppliers' and this is, IMHO, completely unfounded.

Pentax do not offer telephone support, have short warranties, few retail stockists, an inferior lens line-up, slow autofocus, poor and slower flash sync, no upgrade to FF pro cameras and add to that no visible, or stated commitment, to improvement to SDM and QC, and no support service to professional shooters. IMHO until they do it seems very premature to position themselves as 'Premium Suppliers' equivalent to CaNikon (irrespective of how good cameras such as the K5, 645, Kr etc. are) and to price themselves not just at but above the competition. Pentax lost that mantle many years ago and to regain it the investment, not the statement, should come first. Just my honest opinion of course.

As for the requests for people to 'calm down' (not that I see anyone who isn't calm - just frustrated) the answer is simple, if you don't like to read the comments then stay out of the thread ! There's plenty else going on in the forum but for some a discussion on this new marketing strategy is both of interest and the various opinions illuminating.

Mark, you seem to have an almost religious faith that Pentax know what they are doing. Try telling that to the Kodak management who no doubt felt the same way.

Large MNCs make horrendous mistakes too, practically the whole US Auto industry from GM to Ford nearly foundered during the global economic crisis due to compounding errors and arrogance over a number of years. History is full of large MNCs who either failed to move with the times or made suicidal errors of judgement ; Lehman Bros, Enron, Delta Airlines etc. to say nothing of those that used bankruptcy as a means to restructure and get out from under huge debts (GM, Chrysler, Texaco) and those that are heading for possible extinction this year ; Hertz, Sprint, Goodyear, CBS, RIM (Blackberry), American Airlines, TiVo ... and the list goes on.

By the same token I'm sure there were many at that time saying similar comments to yourself now re. Pentax, i.e. they know what they are doing, they have a plan etc. etc. Problem is that sometimes that plan is just plain wrong. There are plenty of camera / lens manufacturers that have gone down that road, so it's a little ingenuous to tell people not to be distraught at the thought of the company they have invested, in many cases, many thousands of dollars/GBP in potentially getting themselves into a very sticky situation.

We can do nothing but sit back and watch the outcome but don't tell people not to voice their concerns and just relax !