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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Why do Pentax limit sales of the 1.7x AF TC (1 Viewer)

inags

Well-known member
Pentax seem to be in big trouble. Major high street retailers in the UK (& elsewhere?) don't even stock their DSLR's.

The 1.7x TC is a unique & useful product. It turns a DA* 300 F4 into a much lighter & shaper 500mm F6.7 than a Bigma & in good light also AF's with my DA 55-300mm.

With some complications, it will also AF t-adapter lenses.

Yet it only seems to on sale in Japan.

Does anyone know a sensible or logical reason for this?
 
To be fair, Pentax have nothing like the marketing budget of Canon, Nikon and Sony. Those 3 have their sales people supply the stores with nice shiny displays and branded cabinets to show off the goods. Being more universally recognised brand names by many people perhaps new to photography, it then follows that they are likley to get more sales.
Also take into account the advertising revenue they generate for the photo mags and the multi-page glossy ads they place (which a cynic might think gets them maybe a little slack on product reviews) and it all helps to keep them at the top of the pack.

As for the 1.7TC, a much sought after item and usually snapped up the moment they appear on eBay. A Japanese company was listed recently on Pentaxforums as having them for sale and have been inundated with orders since - I ordered one, and in an email excahnge with them earlier in the week, they expressed surprise at the sudden rush of orders from abroad and have had to place further orders with Pentax.

The reason it is not available in the UK, or anywhere in the EU for that matter, is that it doesn't comply with RoHS restrictions (Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations 2008).
 
Yes, that's what I was told in another forum site. Lead in the lens glass apparently, though it's hard to see that would be hazardous to a consumer - they are not kids toys.

I was also told that Jessops don't sell Pentax or Sigma gear because the manufacturer/distributor won't extend credit to them for sales inventory.
 
At least we still have some good Pentax stockists, like SRS in Watford. a little far for you maybe but WarehouseExpress seem to have good stock too and nice big showroom at their site on the outskirts of Norwich.

As for the TC, I don't intend licking it clean at all so I think I can live with it being hazardous. |:D|
Kinda crazy though, but not unexpected being in the EU, that they'd ban the import of a camera lens, yet push these crappy new green(?) energy saver bulbs on us, chock full of mercury and needing specialist hazardous disposal.

what a crazy world we live in!
 
It's politics, nothing to do with logic.

WHE do have a very large showroom though I've always got my Pentax stuff cheaper elsewhere. The Canon & Nikon displays are much larger of course. I don't think the staff are aware of the quality of Pentax equipment. They are more impressed with whose sales rep comes round most.
 
The reason I went with Pentax when I started out with DSLR's was the sheer quality. My first, the K200D is an absolute cracker, in build quality, image quality, features etc. There was nothing from Canon, Nikon or Sony at the time to touch it for the price. I have since added a K20D which is now my main body but I still have the K200D with me as an every day walkaround with the Tamron 18-250mm as a good all-round lens.

Sure, there are probably slightly better systems out there, but the Pentax suits me and my needs. I've never got into the pixel peeping nonsense and both bodies provide great A4 prints and the ocassional A3, so barring breakdowns I intend to keep them both for a long time yet.
 
My first slr was an ME Super. I always struggled with manual focus at longer range. In the early 90's, Canon seem to have the best auto-focus so I traded everything in for a Canon + AF zoom. Like most people in a lens system, I suspect, I really only followed Canon after that until I got interested in HDR & digiscoping. Bought a K-x on a whim because it had in-camera HDR & stabilisation.
I haven't really used either feature much but was so blown away with the quality & light weight of a K-x + 55-300mm DA that I sold half of my Canon gear on Ebay to fund some more Pentax purchases (well, almost fund them).
 
I had an email from a seller in Japan this morning saying he just a delivery and was I still interested in the Pentax 1.7x converter.

WOOHOO! |:D|

It's being despatched on Monday.

Been looking for one for over a year and even second hand are rarely available, so pleased I'll be getting a new one soon.
 
This poped up on Ebay, PENTAX A* 300mm f/2.8 ED IF and two converters 2x and 1.7 AF, not sure if it's a good deal but he is open to offers!
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330477409725&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Seen this at the bottom of the page. Emphasis mine. May or may not be important but I would like insurance added if I was to order it.

"You are bidding on PENTAX A* 300mm f/2.8 ED IF in very good condition (old stock) with 2x rear converter in good condition ,except the rubber grip is loosing (see picture) and also pentax 1.7 af converter in good condition. Buyer pays $100.00 for shipping without insurance. I accept Paypal only."
 
Yum Yum! |:D|

A superb lens from what I have read about it and this one seems to be in very good condition too, at least cosmetically. It's probably not a bad price either considering it comes with both the 2x rear converter and SMC 1.7x AF adaptor. It's also definitely a tripod only lens at around 3.2Kg. |8.|

However, it's manual focus only and for about the same money I'd rather get a new Sigma 300 F2.8 and have auto focus available... and a warranty!

Dreaming aside, I do get fine results with the DA*300mm and eagerly await the delivery of the 1.7x converter currently winging it's way to me. |:d|
 
Yum Yum! |:D|
I do get fine results with the DA*300mm and eagerly await the delivery of the 1.7x converter currently winging it's way to me. |:d|

Agree the DA*300mm is a really excellent lens also the DA*60-250mm. Let me know how you get on with the 1.7X AF converter, always fancied one but ended up with Kenko Pz-AF 1.5x SHQ.
 
It the 1.7x TC arrives before the weekend (slim chance but fingers crossed), I'll get out for a few test shots with it and post a couple.

I also have the non-SHQ Kenko 1.5x TC, which I have used on the DA*300mm. Manual focus only of course, but it has performed well with very little in the way of drop in IQ.
 
It the 1.7x TC arrives before the weekend (slim chance but fingers crossed), I'll get out for a few test shots with it and post a couple.
Cheers Eenymac, look forward to seeing the results.
The SHQ version the IQ is fine but SDM is bit slower on the DA*300mm.
 
Good news - the Pentax AF adaptor arrived from Japan on Wednesday, delivered to my office.

Bad news - I have been off sick since Wednesday with a bad cold and chesty cough, bordering on full-on man-flu, but not as life threatening! So, won't have the adaptor to play with until next week, unless I feel better and drive the 50 miles to the office to pick it up over the weekend....and it stops raining long enough for me to use it. |:(|
 
Pentax revival?!

Wise fellow! For my money, Pentax cannot be beaten on build quality and value.

I bought my first Pentax gear in the early 1970's (Pentax lenses fitted my own gear), and now I'm back. I've used Pentax gear for about a year - first bought a K-x (my first DSLR), as I had gotten tired of cameras that you have to send off to clean inside (this is a great problem with many compacts, even today), nor have decent low light capacity. The K-x sure had sensor shaker and good high ISO performance!

The K-x had its flaws (wee bit noisy - easy enough to scare the birds away - so not ideal), very plastic, and mine have dust inside the viewfinder, on the matte (tried a brush which made it worse)! But an excellent first DSLR.

Then bought the K-7, which then was top of the pops at the beginning of 2009. The K-x was an excellent complement, but the K-7 is one of the quietest cameras out there, and has lots of options and settings a K-x guy can just dream about. And it definitely isn't plastic, more like a tank - I believe you could use it as a hammer!

But high ISO was more like my old compacts, or my wife's LUMIX FZ38, or her E-PL1.

So, now I've got the K-5, which combines the nice JPEG rendering of the E-PL1, with the speed of the K-x (surpasses it by a mile, actually), with a bigger sensor than the K-7, which has 14+Mp CMOS sensor.

My wife hasn't mumbled much about me & my four Pentaxes (bought a Pentax film FF SLR from the UK a few months ago - some 25 years old), but guess who bought a K-5 a few weeks back?

Yep, she sure did! And she sure loves it!
 
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