RiceHigh's Pentax Blog: Breaking Bad News! Crazy Price Increases of Pentax Lenses with Immediate Effect!

Wednesday, April 04, 2012

Breaking Bad News! Crazy Price Increases of Pentax Lenses with Immediate Effect!

http://www.pentaxforums.com/news/pentax-lens-price-increase-2012.html

The official US prices of almost all of the current digital lenses have been raised and the increase can be up to nearly 90%, with immediate effect! See what the PF has summarised in the above, copied as below (and I've added the percentage increase, if applicable):-

Lens Name	Price Before	Price After	Percentage Increase
DA 14mm	$699.95	$949.95	+35.7%
DA 15mm Limited	$509.95	$649.95	+27.5%
DA 21mm Limited	$509.95	$649.95	+27.5%
FA 31mm Limited	$989.95	$989.95	No Change
DA 35mm	$169.95	$219.95	+29.4%
DA 35mm Limited Macro	$539.95	$699.95	+29.6%
FA 35mm	$475.95	$475.95	No Change
DA 40mm Limited	$339.95	$499.95	+47.1%
DA 40mm XS	$249.95	$249.95	No Change
FA 43mm Limited	$569.95	$569.95	No Change
FA 50mm	$359.95	$359.95	No Change
D-FA 50mm Macro	$459.95	$559.95	+21.7%
*DA 55mm**	$639.95	$799.95	+25%
DA 70mm Limited	$544.95	$699.95	+28.4%
FA 77mm Limited	$784.95	$784.95	No Change
D-FA 100mm Macro	$599.95	$849.95	+41.7%
*DA 200mm**	$959.95	$1199.95	+25%
*DA 300mm**	$1124.95	$1399.95	+24.4%
DA 10-17mm Fisheye	$519.95	$649.95	+25%
DA 12-24mm	$699.95	$699.95	No Change
DA 16-45mm	$339.95	$399.95	+17.6%
*DA 16-50mm**	$799.95	$1499.95	+87.5%
DA 17-70mm	$479.95	$599.95	+25%
DA 18-55mm	$145.95	$195.95	+34.2%
DA 18-135mm	$429.95	$529.95	+23.3%
*DA 50-135mm**	$849.95	$1599.95	+88.2%
DA 50-200mm	$209.95	$249.95	+19%
DA 55-300mm	$349.95	$429.95	+22.8%
*DA 60-250mm**	$1295.95	$1999.95	+54.3%

This is insane after all! Actually, WHAT do THEY want to do??! >:-( Ricoh must have gone nuts and I'm afraid that they have created a new dark age in the history of Pentax, ever! WHO are going to buy their extremely expensive lenses? It is not even mentioned about the yet current weak marketing position of Pentax! Too bad..! @_@

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seriously · 675 weeks ago

cocksuckers

+2 Vote up Vote down

Corros · 675 weeks ago

looks like the prices here in Europe

+1 Vote up Vote down

Denis · 675 weeks ago

They have such prices all around the world with the exception of USA. This made Europe the main market. They are just trying to get more profit from the USA.
Although some lenses are just a piece of junk: 40Ltd, *16-50, etc and really dont't worth their prices.

1 reply · active 675 weeks ago

+2 Vote up Vote down

Tim · 675 weeks ago

The yen-to-dollar conversion has also gotten much worse in the past couple of years. It was 120 yen/dollar in 2006, and it's now down to about 83 yen/dollar.

0 Vote up Vote down

loock · 675 weeks ago

Where is Pentax D-FA 100mm F2.8 SMC Macro WR ?

1 reply · active 675 weeks ago

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dpm · 675 weeks ago

someone fancy cross-referencing price increases vs FF compatibility?

+1 Vote up Vote down

Andrew Munster · 675 weeks ago

The yen conversion rate is a major cause of this plus because of some increase cost in the materials the are use in the manufacture of optical glass the price has to increase. This why some camera manufactures are starting to use more plastic optics (including the big two).

+4 Vote up Vote down

Corros · 675 weeks ago

I compared the prices in The Netherlands and the new Prices as listed on PF: http://corrosphotoblog.blogspot.com/2012/04/new-p...

2 replies · active 673 weeks ago

+1 Vote up Vote down

Simon · 675 weeks ago

They want more of the worthless, printed paper called Dollar.

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barbarosa · 675 weeks ago

same prices and some still lower than europe so stop whining

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Ying · 675 weeks ago

DA* 16-50mm$799.95$1499.95+87.5%
This is just retarded! I'm glad I have a copy of FA*28-70 instead of this DA.

Hey, RH, you know, this means good news for us who have a few spare old lens - we can sell and make a profit hahah.

0 Vote up Vote down

Pentax Revenge · 675 weeks ago

Looks like Rich are a dumb as Hoya was. They seem to forget that there are other makers out there.
Please somebody buy Pentax off these fools.

-4 Vote up Vote down

Marek · 675 weeks ago

I feel bad that I haven't bought 60-250 ... It was expensive for 1300 but for 2000! Crazy! 50-135 for 1600?? That is just insane... I think that Pentax has problems manufacturing and they just don't want to do lenses anymore... and let people buy Sigma.... There is no good deal there! All is just crazy expensive ... I don't think that Pentax lenses as such a high quality to charge this much! For example 16-50 for 1500? That lens was expensive at 700 .. it's not good. Pentax is killing itself slowly and steadily. At least the decision to eventually move to a different company has become little easier.

1 reply · active 675 weeks ago

+1 Vote up Vote down

Chris Stone · 675 weeks ago

Actually, I'm quite happy with the new prices. as some people have pointed out there has been large changes in the Yen/Dollar ratios.

BUT, What is more interesting is what has changed and what has not changed and the relative prices between similar focal length lenses. Just look at the FA Limiteds (31, 43, 77). They look so much more affordable compared to their closest focal length lenses.

Remember that these prices will have been set to ensure profitability of Pentax/Ricoh. They don't want to make lenses at a loss. I'm sure Pentax/Ricoh will have seriously considered this price change before announcing it.

Chris

2 replies · active 675 weeks ago

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Chris Stone · 675 weeks ago

Also look at the lenses around 35mm : FA 31 $990, DA 35 $220, DA 35mm Limited Macro $700, FA 35 $480

This shows that the DA35 is really cheap tp make, the FA 35 with its plastic external constructionis next followed by the DA 35 Limited Macro and FA 31 which have milled metal bodies.

Chris

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Chris Stone · 675 weeks ago

I am surprised by the huge price jump of some of the DA * lenses, but maybe that is because they are being made in smaller quantities now. Is Pentax/Ricoh planning to replace some of these lenses with new (FF) offerings and don't want to do large production runs?

Chris

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full_frame · 675 weeks ago

IMO, PentaxForums branched out with a new forum to hedge their bets. Rice, will you hedge your bets too? With this news, we're on the decline.

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Sunman · 675 weeks ago

Not really a price increase per se, more a matter of leaning on B&H, Adorama and Amazon to charge the same official price as the Pentax webstore. Interesting that it hasn't flowed through to the FA lenses yet, though wouldn't be surprised if that happened soon. Nevertheless, the policy seems sure to nearly dry up Pentax lens sales in N America and beyond for some time to come ... unless they are planning regular rounds of rebates or other special deals. Otherwise, it is difficult to fathom the logic of this move. Pentax certainly doesn't have the market power or the technology edge to pull this off a la Apple. In fact, despite having many fine lenses (and by the way the DA 40 Ltd is superb), most lack SDM and are slow compared to the Canon/Nikon/Sony equivalents. Yes, they are more compact in general, but that won't justify the price premium for most buyer. So what is the plan???

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guest · 675 weeks ago

Take a breath! The americans received EUROPEAN prices. This is not the end of this planet. We have such prices for years. Some lenses are still cheaper in States.

2 replies · active 675 weeks ago

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Richard · 675 weeks ago

I was told at a local camera shop in Australia that the purchase alone price of the Canon 18-55 IS lens is $350.00. As part of a body/lens package the 1100D is $487.00. Now that's a cheap way to buy the lens! or is it the body? Once you've bought the original body/lens combo additional stand-alone lenses are expensive everywhere.
I paid $499.00 for my DA40 F2.8 limited 2 years ago in OZ. The US market has always had cheaper consumer goods, at least compared to local prices.

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Timothy · 675 weeks ago

Well they could have told you not to buy any Hoya/Tokina made part frame lens, but instead they just put the price up and left the FF lens at their old price, are Ricoh trying to tell us something

+2 Vote up Vote down

krasitsky 35p · 675 weeks ago

What's wrong? USA got prices closer to reality =) But they still have one great option - print more dollars =)

+2 Vote up Vote down

OGL · 675 weeks ago

I don't care at all. The prices in USA just became the same as in Europe and Russia now.

+4 Vote up Vote down

Nubi · 675 weeks ago

I like these pricing a lot, as I already have what I need. Ha ha.

+1 Vote up Vote down

Simple Simon · 675 weeks ago

Anyone who thinks this is a good move, is honestly needing some serious medical treatment. People in Europe pay VAT that adds quite a bit to the street price, in the USA we don't so why pay more purely for a profit grab by Pentax?

It won't work anyway as they'll lose what pathetic market share they have as folks abandon them for Canikon in droves.

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Wednesday, April 04, 2012

Breaking Bad News! Crazy Price Increases of Pentax Lenses with Immediate Effect!

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