A brick & mortar store is selling Pentax in Omaha, Nebraska!!! Yeah!!! I'll have to make a trip to NFM and see if they'll deal, as I'm interested in the 18-135. It's $60 cheaper before tax at BH though, so will have to use that as leverage. I'm excited over the idea of getting my hands on the K-30 and K-01 so I can form my own opinions instead of trying to interpret those of others (even though I'm not in the market for a new camera). --There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest HemingwayGreat photography is largely a matter of perspective, both visually and mentally - Daryl Kottwitz (but probably said before)My gallery:http://darylkottwitzphoto.smugmug.com/

B&H has the 18-135 on for $470 -- Mike from Canada"I am not a great photographer! God is a great creator! All I do is capture His creation with the tools He has provided me."'I like to think so far outside the box that it would require a telephoto lens just to see the box!' ~ 'My Quote :)'http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.search?sort_order=views%20DESC&first_this_page=0&page_limit=180&&emailsearch=mighty_mike88%40hotmail.com&thumbnails=

Actually $460. --There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest HemingwayGreat photography is largely a matter of perspective, both visually and mentally - Daryl Kottwitz (but probably said before)My gallery:http://darylkottwitzphoto.smugmug.com/

Glad to see Ricoh appreciates the need for physical contact. Wait - that sounded dirty:)

Can't wait to find out how it goes for you, since I'm only an hour away on I-80. Please post back with the results!

Well, I stopped by today and got to lay my hands on the K-30 (noticeably lighter than K-5, and fits hand nicely), the K-01 (it's solid (like a brick ;))) and the 18-135. Emilio, the sales person at the store, was very good and surprisingly knowledgeable. He shoots Sony and said that if he didn't have an investment in lenses already for that system, he would seriously be considering Pentax. He said that he does a lot of hiking and outdoor activities and that the WR nature of much of Pentax's gear is very appealing to him. He said he was thinking of the K-30 as a backup camera. I had fun showing him my K-5 which he was impressed with...I almost felt like the salesman :).Highlights:I focused most of my attention on the 18-135. I was very impressed with the feel and action of the lens. Initially surprised by the reversal of zoom and focus rings. Has a high quality feel. Took some random shots using my K-5 and that lens (first 4 shots shown below). I like and want to buy, but need to check with the boss first - you know....NFM is committed to beating B&H Photo and Amazon pricing. So he offered me the 18-135 for $449.99 which is $20 less than B&H's price today.He said that the store dropped Oly to make room for Pentax. Said that they were only showing Oly P&S cams, so not that big of a loss from the store's perspective.They've had Pentax's on display for only around a month now.He said that they've sold several Qs. I'll be honest...the concept of buying a Q along with an adapter and connecting up one of the zooms I have (the 50-135 or 55-300) and using for a poor-man's super telephoto set-up is very intriguing.They have not sold any K-01s yet.They have seen an increasing number of Pentaxians stop in to check out lenses, etc (like me). Word is beginning to get out that they carry Pentax.I've also posted a shot of their display as well as shots of the K-30 as displayed. I think this will be a success for both NFM and Pentax. I'm thrilled.Have to run. May post a few more thoughts later. Thanks, Daryl

Thanks so much for the update! I haven't been to NFM in years, but will definitely have to make the trip now.

DarylKwrote:I'm excited over the idea of getting my hands on the K-30 and K-01 so I can form my own opinions instead of trying to interpret those of others (even though I'm not in the market for a new camera).Hmm, I hope they charge you a "handling" charge since you have no intention of buying, just wanting to play with their items for sale. -- http://www.photographybyhoy.com http://www.facebook.com/Photography.by.Hoy http://roberthoy.zenfolio.com/

Robert...you need to reread my post more carefully. If you do, you will see that I will very likely be buying a nice lens from this store soon, especially since they are competing price-wise with B&H. Will be buying other items (mainly more lenses) in the future there as well. I was honest with the salesman, telling him that I was mainly interested in the lens, but also was happy that they had cam's to handle as well. I'm sure he was happy to get my positive feedback and equally happy to indulge me in my interests.Since when has it been necessary to pay retailers handling charges to simply "go shopping"?DarylRobert Hoywrote:DarylKwrote:I'm excited over the idea of getting my hands on the K-30 and K-01 so I can form my own opinions instead of trying to interpret those of others (even though I'm not in the market for a new camera).Hmm, I hope they charge you a "handling" charge since you have no intention of buying, just wanting to play with their items for sale. -- http://www.photographybyhoy.com http://www.facebook.com/Photography.by.Hoy http://roberthoy.zenfolio.com/

The free advertising should be more then enough to cover the handling chargeRobert Hoywrote:DarylKwrote:I'm excited over the idea of getting my hands on the K-30 and K-01 so I can form my own opinions instead of trying to interpret those of others (even though I'm not in the market for a new camera).Hmm, I hope they charge you a "handling" charge since you have no intention of buying, just wanting to play with their items for sale. -- http://www.photographybyhoy.com http://www.facebook.com/Photography.by.Hoy http://roberthoy.zenfolio.com/

So why not a brick & mortar shop? If camera dealers do not want to sell Pentax (even though they are amongst the best for a good price), the camera has to find new ways to get their equipment to the customers. There maybe more serious ways than brick & mortar shops (e.g. electronic dealers or book shops) - but if my butcher has a good offer for a Pentax camera or lens - I would buy it.

Holger- I very much agree. I would rather support a local business.Mike- Thanks for the comment. --There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest HemingwayGreat photography is largely a matter of perspective, both visually and mentally - Daryl Kottwitz (but probably said before)My gallery:http://darylkottwitzphoto.smugmug.com/

Robert Hoywrote:Hmm, I hope they charge you a "handling" charge since you have no intention of buying, just wanting to play with their items for sale.And why do you care? Do you own the store?And just for the record. Having a physical shop with cameras that you can play around with is one way of competing with those that dont. Its a cost associated with that, just as there is a cost with all kind of advertising. And the cost is that you have to sell handled items cheaper and that you have to have personnel that helps the customer. Thats life.

Robert Hoywrote:DarylKwrote:I'm excited over the idea of getting my hands on the K-30 and K-01 so I can form my own opinions instead of trying to interpret those of others (even though I'm not in the market for a new camera).Hmm, I hope they charge you a "handling" charge since you have no intention of buying, just wanting to play with their items for sale.The store's (or salesman's) mission is to change that. That's what they're there for. Even if it takes 2,3,any number of his visits or he finally doesn't buy at all. His 'original intentions' don't matter at all in that regard, methinks. -- Ask not what your camera can do for you, but what you can do for your camera http://www.fluidr.com/photos/gs-photos

Roland Karlssonwrote:Robert Hoywrote:Hmm, I hope they charge you a "handling" charge since you have no intention of buying, just wanting to play with their items for sale.And why do you care? Do you own the store?And just for the record. Having a physical shop with cameras that you can play around with is one way of competing with those that dont.However, it is quite common for people to use brick & mortar stores to play and handle expensive electronics and then choose to buy the chosen item from a store based in another state to save money off the sale price as well as to evade taxes. -- http://www.photographybyhoy.com http://www.facebook.com/Photography.by.Hoy http://roberthoy.zenfolio.com/

You're making me wish I lived in Omaha, Daryl!It's good to see a B&M store that's also price-competitive. Best Buy sells most of the Pentax cameras and lenses, but offers them all only online, and all at full MSRP. When I checked Pentax's website for where B&M dealers were located to see if there were any in my area, the closest was in Ohio (and I'm in SC)!I have NO IDEA why Pentax isn't in Sam's Club and/or Costco, when every other major manufacturer has cameras in those stores. Many (other than Canon or Nikon) have only P&S, but Pentax has some of those, and its underwater camera is highly rated by some, yet I see some others in those stores, but not Pentax.I just don't get it. As I said in a previous post, many years ago the main (now the only) photography store's owner told me he was dropping Pentax because they wouldn't deal fairly with him. As I could find only about 20 B&M stores carrying Pentax NATIONWIDE from their website (mostly a few small chains), I'm guessing he wasn't the only one who felt that way.And while I'm happy to see Pentax in a big B&M store, I wonder if it's not TELLING that it's in a store called "Furniture Mart?" It seems to me Pentax may have a lot of PR work to do to get back in good graces with retailers. They're certainly NOT doing good PR with their consumers right now, with the extreme price swings (and increases) on lenses in the U.S.Maybe the American market is such a small percentage of Pentax's business these days they just don't care? That wuold be a real shame. Jeff -- A word is worth 1/1000th of a picture... Maybe that's why I use so many words!

Jeff,"Nebraska Furniture Mart" has evolved over the years. They used to sell only furniture, carpeting and home furnishings for the most part. Around 10-15 years ago, they greatly expanded what they sell to include all kinds of consumer electronics and appliances - basically everything Best Buy sells plus more (such as front screen theater systems and wider selections of other items sold by Best Buy). NFM has one store in Omaha dedicated to nothing but these items (and dwarfs your typical Best Buy) and the old store building that is furniture, carpet etc. I guess the point I'm trying to make is that their name misrepresents what they truly are. They also have a large store in the Kansas City area. They probably should change their name, but the brand is so well known and respected in the region and they'd probably hurt themselves by doing so.I think that what I'm seeing is the culmination of what the new lens pricing policy will eventually do around the US, that being more stores (maybe even camera stores again) being willing to pick up and display Pentax. If the stores can afford to match the best price of B&H, and the best price B&H can offer is within reason (i.e. B&H, Amazon, etc., can't artificially set super low prices to cut out brick & mortar store competition), we'll start to see lenses and cameras locally. What I was amazed at was seeing it in Omaha this soon and not at Best Buy, Target or Costco.I'll be buying the 18-135 tomorrow for $449.99 plus 7% state/local sales tax. Reasonable price, no fuss, no waiting for shipment, helping the local economy. All good things.Thanks, DarylJeffAHayeswrote:You're making me wish I lived in Omaha, Daryl!It's good to see a B&M store that's also price-competitive. Best Buy sells most of the Pentax cameras and lenses, but offers them all only online, and all at full MSRP. When I checked Pentax's website for where B&M dealers were located to see if there were any in my area, the closest was in Ohio (and I'm in SC)!I have NO IDEA why Pentax isn't in Sam's Club and/or Costco, when every other major manufacturer has cameras in those stores. Many (other than Canon or Nikon) have only P&S, but Pentax has some of those, and its underwater camera is highly rated by some, yet I see some others in those stores, but not Pentax.I just don't get it. As I said in a previous post, many years ago the main (now the only) photography store's owner told me he was dropping Pentax because they wouldn't deal fairly with him. As I could find only about 20 B&M stores carrying Pentax NATIONWIDE from their website (mostly a few small chains), I'm guessing he wasn't the only one who felt that way.And while I'm happy to see Pentax in a big B&M store, I wonder if it's not TELLING that it's in a store called "Furniture Mart?" It seems to me Pentax may have a lot of PR work to do to get back in good graces with retailers. They're certainly NOT doing good PR with their consumers right now, with the extreme price swings (and increases) on lenses in the U.S.Maybe the American market is such a small percentage of Pentax's business these days they just don't care? That wuold be a real shame. Jeff -- A word is worth 1/1000th of a picture... Maybe that's why I use so many words!

I bought the 18-135 lens today. I should clarify how things went for anybody in the area and interested in shopping at NFM. The quote I was given last Saturday, which was $20 below B&H, was a mistake. They will match the price, not better it. So, purchase price was $469.99, equal to B&H Photo's price last Saturday (since then it's gone up). With sales tax, around $505 in total. Today's salesman tried to tell me that they would only match today's B&H price, but I insisted that that wasn't right because I was told by the salesman last Saturday that the price would be good for several business days. I also had Emelio's business card with the price (albeit $20 too low) written on it. He talked to the manager who authorized sale at $469.99. In the end, all was good. I will shop for Pentax gear there again when I have the need/desire.Also, something I forgot to mention in my earlier postings is that NFM will only match Amazon's "direct from Amazon" price for pentax gear, but not the prices from one of Amazon's resellers.Thanks, Daryl --There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest HemingwayGreat photography is largely a matter of perspective, both visually and mentally - Daryl Kottwitz (but probably said before)My gallery:http://darylkottwitzphoto.smugmug.com/