Re: Franks Bean Splitter

[michaelk@xxxxxxxxxxx (Michael Kersenbrock)]

Peter,

> > I talked to a Pentax rep about it at Camera World of Oregon at one of their
> > recent sales, and she said that it's still in their catalog but it's
> > a OEM'ed product now -- which accounts for it's obscene price (she didn't
> > use the word "obscene", but the price she spoke was just that).
> 
> It's still available?  Are the new ones as good as the old?  What is

I'd assume it to be identical, but I haven't checked.  She said that 
Camera world of Oregon (where I was at the time) had sold their 49mm
filter-sized ones, but may still have some of the 52mm versions in
stock (didn't have her look).  

> the "obscene" price?  Where can I get one?  

Uh... the obscene price was "something around $350"!  I assume that to 
be the current "list" price.  

You might want to try looking around.  Prices in Shutterbug vary widely for what 
is described as the "viewer" half, presumably due to age of the stock, but I
haven't seen the splitter half listed (unless the "viewer" includes it, and they
were just naming it oddly -- the splitter does come with a viewer).

It's obscenely expensive because the volume is so low, and the volume is
so low because it's obscenely expensive.

> Can you tell I'm interested?

Yes, but probably "not any more".  :-)

P.S. - One thing I forgot to mention on my previous posting is that one
       should used a beamsplitter *only* on lenses which have stationary
       front elements.  Meaning that the front doesn't rotate when the
       lens is focused.  Some lenses rotate and only a glutton for punishment
       would put a beamsplitter on that kind of lens!  :-)




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