Pentax lens pricing

Not sure what region you are in.

Prices were starting to come down in the UK just before Ricoh took over Pentax (Hoya had previous put prices up quite a bit before then) but they were coming down to more respectable levels again.

I just think it's how they want to work it sell the K-30 (for example) at a great price (and it is really well priced) and charge more on the lenses.

I can't say I find it a good way to expand the business myself but hey I don't own the company

The Canon 50mm f1.8 is indeed a joke build wise (cheap nasty plastic) but the optics are actually not bad at all (quite good really) AND it's dirt cheap, £75 last I looked so hard to complain for bang per buck on that one.

On the other hand I see a well known Pentax dealer selling the new Pentax 50mm f1.8 for a staggeringly inappropriate price:

http://www.srsmicrosystems.co.uk/7768/Pentax-smc-DA-50mm-f1-8-Lens-.html

Nikon have some nice prices and some good affordable ones, but I can't recommend the D7000 as the ones I had were pretty awful for autofocus accuracy. Your choice really