[Elect] USA Only! Hot! Pentax K-30 w/ lots of bonuses!

[Fllay]

Currently, Costco USA have a special deal on the Pentax K-30. A regular price at B&H/other retailers for the K-30 + kit lens is $899.
For $899 at Costco.com, you get
- K-30 DSLR (a choice of black, blue, or white)
- 18-55 WR kit lens (the kit lens at other retailers is a non-WR DAL version with a plastic lens mount. This is a WR version w/ a metal lens mount.)
- Pentax Optio WG-1 WP camera
- 8GB SD card
- Pentax Sling bag

I know Pentax lens selection is not as good as others' right now, but it's improving. The 560mm f/5.6 should be released sometime this year/next year.
+ proven 16MP Sony sensor
+ 100% pentaprism viewfinder
+ 2 control dials
+ weather resistant

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product...rodid=11769041
http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product...rodid=11768992
http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product...rodid=11768993

[Captain Snazzypants]

Currently, Costco USA have a special deal on the Pentax K-30. A regular price at B&H/other retailers for the K-30 + kit lens is $899.
For $899 at Costco.com, you get
- K-30 DSLR (a choice of black, blue, or white)
- 18-55 WR kit lens (the kit lens at other retailers is a non-WR DAL version with a plastic lens mount. This is a WR version w/ a metal lens mount.)
- Pentax Optio WG-1 WP camera
- 8GB SD card
- Pentax Sling bag

I know Pentax lens selection is not as good as others' right now, but it's improving. The 560mm f/5.6 should be released sometime this year/next year.
+ proven 16MP Sony sensor
+ 100% pentaprism viewfinder
+ 2 control dials
+ weather resistant

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product...rodid=11769041
http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product...rodid=11768992
http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product...rodid=11768993

There are ~25 million legacy Pentax lenses out there, and a lot of that old vintage glass is way better than their modern counterparts at a fraction of the prices. Just ask any senior photographer about "Takumar" lenses and they start to gush. I just picked up a mint (yet 40 year old) 55mm 1.8 SMC Takumar prime lens for $25 yesterday off Kijiji and took some amazing shots already with it.

Mind you, I did so on my Canon 40D with a $20 M42 to EOS adapter which provides focus detection (yes, a manual lens that still tells you when it hits the right focus) but I'd like to move over to Pentax full time. That said, I'd rather get the sturdier K-5 then the K-30...

[andreid]

PENTAX have stabilization in-camera unlike CANON or NIKON which allows them to have smaller and lighter lenses. Actually, it is their current strategy to offer more small primes (even with higher stops, higher ISO taking care of that negative) to fight those two.

There are some really good prices on K-5 bodies. Google!

[rf134a]

The package must include a special version of the WG1 since it says that GPS isn't available... strange.

[AzureD]

Wow this is a HOT deal. Sell the wg1 for ~250, kit for 100-150 and u get brand new k30 for 650$ with extra sling and sdcard. If i dont already have k5 i would be all over this . Hands down best starter dslr, in body sr, dual wheel, amd wr body over its competitor

[Captain Snazzypants]

PENTAX have stabilization in-camera unlike CANON or NIKON which allows them to have smaller and lighter lenses. Actually, it is their current strategy to offer more small primes (even with higher stops, higher ISO taking care of that negative) to fight those two.

There are some really good prices on K-5 bodies. Google!

Good point on the built-in SR (shake reduction) with the better Pentax bodies. Canon and Nikon would prefer to sell you more expensive lenses, one at a time...

As for K-5 prices, the best I've seen so far is CDN $850 with free S&H and 2-year Canadian warranty from a "Pentax Authorized" reseller on eBay (located in Ontario). Have there been better deals? There is still a rumour of something new to be announced at Photokina, but if the K-3 ends up being a full frame camera as many think, I am not sure it would push down the price of a relatively cheap K-5 by much...

[hdom]

The K-30 should be just as tough, let's see some entry grade Canon/Nikon to this. HAHA.

[hdom]

Great post on the Costco deal, only wish they don't incl the P&S and may be up the SD card size or lens or something.

Personally, only thing I don't like about the K-30 is there is no battery grip accessory offered.

[andreid]

Ultra local Vancouver deal:

Here's a good price for the PENTAX SMC DA L 35MM F2.4 AL lens for $169. Unrelated but their standard Q is quite keenly priced at $350.

Edit: the link... http://www.gastownphoto.com/spec_she...1-3612c1a4ae1c

[hdom]

The Blue seems most popular, sold out already.