You are going to love the 15 Simon. Its a very special lens liberally dusted with Pixie Dust.

Thanks mate .... I've seen it, he has some stellar other glass too so won't miss it, but he won't ship outside the USA, even if I had the dosh ATM - which I don't. Have to sell some lenses or close some big deals first ! Also let the wife adjust to the idea that sooner or later I'll be laying down a big wad for a lens (she loves her £200 P&S and can't fathom out why we need more and more lenses - though I'm still trying to figure that one out myself)

You misunderstood me Mark ... I meant loss of sales across the board (affecting B&M too) due to the exorbitant new prices and loss of shooters to CaNikon since Pentax have given up one of their prime advantages without offering anything in exchange.

I can only think it is to reduce demand enabling them to retool certain lines to cope with new lenses (e.g. the 560mm and possibly everything else on the new road-map). I hope that's not wishful thinking

You are killing me with your skill and that lens !

I showed her your shots and broke the news to her that that lens is top of my wish-list. Then she asked me the price ... and verbally slapped me I tried to calm her by giving her the prices of the Canon/Nikon and new Sony 500s !!

However neither of two of Pentax's major retailers in the USA (B&H and Adorama) were known for selling their glass at the lowest prices, that is the realm of EBay. Usually in fact they were more middle of the road but their customer service is legendary (similar to SRS in the UK) and it's that that generates their sales. I'm sure they are more than happy the lowest price they can sell these lenses at has gone through the roof - though I imagine that extra profit will be off-set by loss of sales.

If you think that then you need to start checking online prices again. They are indeed offering higher profits because they are stating the minimum price their products can be sold at, as per their adaptation of a Unilateral Pricing Policy (see other major brands). B&H or Adorama are a good place to start to see the changes - their Pentax lens prices have rocketed, yet of course their wholesale prices haven't changed so it's not Pentax who are making more ... it's the retailers profits that have soared. This will no doubt have a much smaller effect on the UK prices as they have always been much higher than some other markets, notably the USA and Far East.

Which is effectively the same as a price rise and higher profits for the US retailers.

Your quote and mine are effectively the same. What we will see is large discounts being offered by Pentax via all sellers a la Nikon / Canon now. Whereby for a set period a large discount will be offered on certain lenses and this will rotate according to which lenses Pentax want to push or reduce stock of, which is what I meant by "carte blanche to offer huge discounts or special deals".

Those 24-70's you have quoted are NOT the equivalent lenses !

Take a look here for a blow by blow comparison of every Pentax lens vs. Canon's : link That is from 2009 but now Pentax have raised their prices it's even more relevant.

You can't compare the 16-50 (now US$1,500) to Canon/Nikon's legendary glass, it's nowhere near that class. The 16-50's new price is now far in excess of the Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 (ca. US$1,000) and Nikon's 17-55/2.8 (ca. US$1,000) and priced well past even the superb Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8 (L glass for US$1,300). Pentax have over-priced their lenses, there is a reason most Canon and their Nikon equivalents are similarly priced.

Good to hear !

It's hardly in a vacuum Mark. CaNikon have a virtual stranglehold over the DSLR market at good old street B&M retail outlets, Pentax are not going to be able to break into that with the range of cameras/lenses they currently offer and pricing their lenses higher just to offer those outlets a higher profit margin is not going to help ramp up sales at all (something that their ex-current prices and profit margins could possibly do with better professional marketing).
Not that B&M is the future of camera/lens sales anyway. If Pentax are heading in that direction it seems rather strange, to say the least, when the world is embracing (if it hasn't already embraced) the internet as the way forward. I'm not saying B&M will go out of existence anytime soon but it certainly isn't the long term future you hinted at. Maybe Pentax would have been better off looking at, and implementing, more advanced methods of marketing and sales for on-line sales.

Many of Pentax's lenses, despite the assertions made by many that they were priced lower than the CaNikon equivalents, were already in fact similarly priced. The dramatic increase in price of what are some of not only their, but to the majority of shooters, most popular lenses (high quality zooms) makes them far less competitive in this arena. One can only assume that retailers will be given carte blanche to offer huge discounts or special deals to make it seem buyers are getting a great deal. Fact is though that CaNikon already have lenses that are at least equal, and in some cases better, in IQ at lower prices.

You offered two choices, one logical and one extreme, I'd go with the former but I really do think this will harm them by losing them, not only potential new Pentaxians but also, some of their existing client base. If the competition can offer FF, better AF, better flash systems and not only a more extensive lens range but now cheaper high quality lenses ..... Pentax had better have something in the bag to rectify the major advantages CaNikon now seem to offer to almost every category of DSLR shooter.