Price drop for Kx Body/Kit/200mm/300mm lens kit :)

[aklryan]

I was in SLR yesterday, curiously check out with them the price of Kx with kit len, the price is only $782, no freebie :thumbsup:. They currently have black, white, red, blue (maybe coming in soon)

 

[creampuff]

I remember reading that the limitation to the Japanese market would only be in the initial phase of release.

At no time did Pentax indicate this to be the case. I think we'd like to know where you read this.

Excuse me! But I actually tried to order from these sites. Did you? These retailers take a very long time to ship most of the other more exotic colors. Some of these sites don't even allow ordering from the entire range of 100 colors! Olive green, pink, peach and yellow were the only ones more easily available. And yes... the additional expense is another thing to contend with.

If you made an attempt to order, you would already know that the colored K-x cameras are custom orders and take about 2 weeks from the buyer placing the order to the customer receiving it in Japan. Add the shipping time for the proxies providing the service to ship it outside Japan. The cameras are made to order so what are you complaining about?

Color range is very pretty and does create a desire in many users to want to acquire some specific colors... but I do not think it to be prudent strategy on Pentax's part to delay rolling out the release of colored bodies worldwide.

Do you need reminding that Pentax has not indicated any plans to offer any other colors except black, white, red and dark blue outside Japan?

Its already close to 3 months since the K-x was released. Considering that the life cycle of entry level DSLRs is much shorter than its more expensive cousins, Pentax should have executed the roll out of the colored bodies sooner than later.

Maybe that's the case for other camera companies. With the exception of the early Pentax DSLRs, Pentax is quite unlike other camera companies who roll out models with small incremental improvements every year.

And I don't see much of a point of charging a high premium on the colored bodies. Defeats the basic purpose. It would have simply been wiser to release about five to ten different color bodies... but rolled them out worldwide at the same time.

Perhaps you're unfamiliar with marketing. Every body color and grip color combination constitutes 1 SKU (stock keeping unit). It would be a huge logistical challenge to distribute and maintain so many SKUs worldwide. As mentioned earlier, the 100 color combination is a customised service limited to the Japanese market, an already huge market with a mature distribution network. Like anything that is a custom order, expect to pay a premium for it.

 

[fengwei]

The 100 color variations is limited to the Japanese market. Pentax specifically stated this in a press release last year. Get that fact right!

I remember reading that the limitation to the Japanese market would only be in the initial phase of release.

Sorry you remembered it wrongly. The 100 color variation is only available in JP, not just in the initial phase. If you wanna buy, you have to buy over there in JP or from online stores.

 

[sircam]

Perhaps you're unfamiliar with marketing. Every body color and grip color combination constitutes 1 SKU (stock keeping unit). It would be a huge logistical challenge to distribute and maintain so many SKUs worldwide.

Why should this be a huge logistical challenge? All Pentax has to do is simply open up a web front. All data is electronically maintained and can be accessed in real time which greatly assists in keeping inventories under strict control.

As mentioned earlier, the 100 color combination is a customised service limited to the Japanese market, an already huge market with a mature distribution network.

So you are suggesting that the U.S. market is not mature or large enough, huh? The huge Indian and entire Euro-group markets aren't mature or large enough either? Your definition of a mature market obviously differs from mine greatly.

Like anything that is a custom order, expect to pay a premium for it.

A slight premium is understandable. Too high a premium is counter-productive. Ease of availability in all the large markets is another issue. Pentax needs to address these two concerns... else it pretty much loses its chance to be noticed and exploit the markets to their maximum potential... once again.

 

[creampuff]

Talk is easy when you're obviously the expert... :thumbsup:

 

[sircam]

LOL! No need to be an expert at all. Its common knowledge the U.S. markets are quite large and mature too. There are no definite rules to gauge the size and maturity of markets either! I do not need to suggest that I am an expert in marketing to understand this simple fact!

 

[oakley]

prices can only fall!

very rare that you see price going up after release for camera bodies. new ones, at least.. i don't recall it ever happening before.

150/950 * 100 = 15% drop!!!

got so much drop within 1 month???

:cry: :cry: :cry:

 

[reyreina]

150/950 * 100 = 15% drop!!!

got so much drop within 1 month???

:cry: :cry: :cry:

Maybe you can think it as the ~800 promotion doesnt come with freebies. Add it into your estimation and it may fall below 10%

Im a little luckier, althou the loss is the same, i can spread the loss to 3 months. lol *self comforting*

 

[darrrrrrrrrr]

At no time did Pentax indicate this to be the case. I think we'd like to know where you read this.



If you made an attempt to order, you would already know that the colored K-x cameras are custom orders and take about 2 weeks from the buyer placing the order to the customer receiving it in Japan. Add the shipping time for the proxies providing the service to ship it outside Japan. The cameras are made to order so what are you complaining about?



Do you need reminding that Pentax has not indicated any plans to offer any other colors except black, white, red and dark blue outside Japan?


Maybe that's the case for other camera companies. With the exception of the early Pentax DSLRs, Pentax is quite unlike other camera companies who roll out models with small incremental improvements every year.



Perhaps you're unfamiliar with marketing. Every body color and grip color combination constitutes 1 SKU (stock keeping unit). It would be a huge logistical challenge to distribute and maintain so many SKUs worldwide. As mentioned earlier, the 100 color combination is a customised service limited to the Japanese market, an already huge market with a mature distribution network. Like anything that is a custom order, expect to pay a premium for it.

I admired Pentax's decision to go crazy with the color schemes on the DSLR, I thought many younger users will be blown away by the choice of colors and jump on the K-x instead of the usual entry-level choices. It was disappointing to hear that the 100 color schemes would only be available in the JP market, and I was hoping that they might later release say 10 color schemes (no grip customization), as an extension of the 4 colors that are currently available in the rest of the world. A bit of a wasted opportunity to impact the entire DSLR market with a great idea, because the execution just couldn't cut it (for whatever logistical, economical, practical, etc reasons)

 

[aaron80]

Bro, dun be sad lah, since u got your KX liao just enjoy lor. Think of it positively, at least you get to shoot more pictures between then and now. I also got my KX around same price as u, only slightly cheaper. Dropping prices are common for all tech gadgets. The idea is once u buy a gadget, dun keep checking the price liao, it will only cause you heartache.

A good example is computer graphics cards, the price can drop 40-50% within a period of 2 months.

150/950 * 100 = 15% drop!!!

got so much drop within 1 month???

:cry: :cry: :cry:

 

[ohok1973]

am i right to say that the viewfinder do not have the usual, how should i put it, frame points u will be able see in nikon d5000 or canon 500d?

Am thinking of getting kx too due to the attractive price and its capabilities.

 

[poppyer]

am i right to say that the viewfinder do not have the usual, how should i put it, frame points u will be able see in nikon d5000 or canon 500d?

Am thinking of getting kx too due to the attractive price and its capabilities.

how about putting in this way: no, it doesn't have the annoying random flashing red points that do not exists in other user-friendly DCs as well, but canikon DSLRs. :bsmilie:

just joking, forgive me :embrass:

 

[ohok1973]

acutally wht good does those stuff do?

is it critical for dsrl standards?

forgive me, i am first in these stuff, do appreciate kind advice and opinion, thanks

 

[poseur]

how about putting in this way: no, it doesn't have the annoying random flashing red points that do not exists in other user-friendly DCs as well, but canikon DSLRs. :bsmilie:

just joking, forgive me :embrass:

I love my Kx like its the lawful wife...but i also secretly admire those flashing red points in canikons like i can make them my mistress........oh no..........;p

 

[sircam]

This thread keeps on popping up. The price drop has been already discussed several times in here and the topic has veered off course. This thread has served its intended purpose. I request the TS to close this thread if he wishes to.

 

[woefulwabbit]

acutally wht good does those stuff do?

is it critical for dsrl standards?

forgive me, i am first in these stuff, do appreciate kind advice and opinion, thanks

I have used the K10D with the AF indicator and switched to the K-x without the indicator. I was worried it would be a problem but turns out I don't really miss it. The indicator is a nice-to-have, not really a need to have. It also depends on what kind of AF mode you use. Basically there are 3 kinds:

1. Auto AF point select - Nice to have, so you can see in the viewfinder what are the points automatically selected by the camera as the AF points... IMO if you choose this mode it usually means you don't care for the AF point anyway and just want the DSLR to do the work for you (in which case why get a DSLR?)

2. Center AF point - Focus on the center point. In which case you don't need the indicator at all since you know where it's going to focus! If you are a DSLR user, IMO 90% of the time you should be using this mode, and learn the proper focus technique (point center point at subject, half press to focus, recompose, full press) that everyone should know.

3. Manual select AF point - Here it may be useful to have the indicator to make sure you have the correct point selected, but you will be able to see the selected point on the LCD screen anyway. At best it warns me if I inadvertently shift the AF point and won't have noticed it without the indicator in the VF. In any case this mode is seldom used. There are two situations where I may use this mode - with a tripod (i.e. cannot use the focus-and-recompose method), or continuous AF tracking mode when I want to compose the subject to somewhere other than the center.

 

[wongcho]

I think it does not make sense to keep on discussing Pentax/Amjay marketing/pricing strategy (since we are not talking to Emjay/Pentax).
Pentax/Emjay can change the pricing as and when they think appropraite.
We provide our views/comments here - it is up to them whether they want to listen.
As a customer if I like I buy, if I don't like I don't buy lo.
So I agree let's close this thread.

 

[fengwei]

I think it does not make sense to keep on discussing Pentax/Amjay marketing/pricing strategy (since we are not talking to Emjay/Pentax).
Pentax/Emjay can change the pricing as and when they think appropraite.
We provide our views/comments here - it is up to them whether they want to listen.
As a customer if I like I buy, if I don't like I don't buy lo.
So I agree let's close this thread.

They are watching and listening to all of us here at the forum, otherwise why the price drop?

 

[fengwei]

This thread keeps on popping up. The price drop has been already discussed several times in here and the topic has veered off course. This thread has served its intended purpose. I request the TS to close this thread if he wishes to.

I'd like to keep this thread running so more people would know about the price drop. Hope you guys understand

If you don't wanna discuss about this further, just stop replying.

 

[otc]

Seems that the current distributor is active on this products, evident from the flexibility on price and its competitiveness. Should be able to capture some market share with this KX and augurs well for Pentax as a whole.

Keep up the good work emjay.

otc