[CRD-NUT]

I have been reading these forums and doing some research on the web but have not been
able to find an answer to this. I have observed the following:

Pentax 10-17/3.5-4.5 ED IF Tokina 10-17/3.5-4.5 ATX

Pentax 12-24/4 ED AL IF Tokina 12-24/4 PRO

Pentax 16-50/2.8 ED AL IF Tokina 16-50/2.8 PRO

Pentax 50-135/2.8 ED IF Tokina 50-135/2.8

I know from info on this board that the Pentax 18-250 is in essence a rebadged Tamron.
I am just wondering if Pentax may have the same relationship with Tokina since the Pentax
mount is suspiciously (to me) absent from their line-up.

My reasons for asking this question are these:

1. If the answer is yes, why the price differential?
2. Why are some of what would appear to be ideal lenses not offered in Pentax mount?
3. One of the deciding factors in my going with Pentax over the other guys was the ability
to use some of the "affordable" M42 and K-mount lenses out there. Now in looking at
optics on Ebay it appears to me that people have lost their everlovin' minds on what
they are paying for these lenses, so there goes the ability for me to experiment with
some old optics. Then I look to Pentax and their lens lineup is not the most robust shall
we say, and third party lens that would be very nice (Sigma 70-200/2.8 & Tokina 80-400/
4.5-5.6 ATX) is not offered in Pentax mount.

Don't get me wrong. I love my K10D and am happy with the camera. I just do not understand
the dynamic of the used lens market (which may get some sanity back in it in time) but the
availability of new optics does have me a bit concerned.

Any thoughts or info would be most appreciated.

Thanks,

Grant

[TheWengler]

Yes, I'm pretty sure Pentax has a relationship with Tokina. Some of them seem to share the same CA problems too. As for the price difference, if you buy from Pentax then you're buying a first party lens which are always more expensive than 3rd party lenses. The new DA* lenses are weather sealed and have the silent focusing motor. The Tokina variants don't. Plus they aren't really competing with Tokina since Tokina doesn't make them in a Pentax mount, so they can sell them for whatever they want.

[Lowell Goudge]

the first 2 on th elist have definitely been reported as co developed by pentax and tokina. optically they are the same, mechanically each is packaged differently.

can't say on the last 2

[fwbigd]

I have been reading these forums and doing some research on the web but have not been
able to find an answer to this. I have observed the following:

Pentax 10-17/3.5-4.5 ED IF Tokina 10-17/3.5-4.5 ATX

Pentax 12-24/4 ED AL IF Tokina 12-24/4 PRO

Pentax 16-50/2.8 ED AL IF Tokina 16-50/2.8 PRO

Pentax 50-135/2.8 ED IF Tokina 50-135/2.8

I know from info on this board that the Pentax 18-250 is in essence a rebadged Tamron.
I am just wondering if Pentax may have the same relationship with Tokina since the Pentax
mount is suspiciously (to me) absent from their line-up.

My reasons for asking this question are these:

1. If the answer is yes, why the price differential?
2. Why are some of what would appear to be ideal lenses not offered in Pentax mount?
3. One of the deciding factors in my going with Pentax over the other guys was the ability
to use some of the "affordable" M42 and K-mount lenses out there. Now in looking at
optics on Ebay it appears to me that people have lost their everlovin' minds on what
they are paying for these lenses, so there goes the ability for me to experiment with
some old optics. Then I look to Pentax and their lens lineup is not the most robust shall
we say, and third party lens that would be very nice (Sigma 70-200/2.8 & Tokina 80-400/
4.5-5.6 ATX) is not offered in Pentax mount.

Don't get me wrong. I love my K10D and am happy with the camera. I just do not understand
the dynamic of the used lens market (which may get some sanity back in it in time) but the
availability of new optics does have me a bit concerned.

Any thoughts or info would be most appreciated.

Thanks,

Grant

The optical formula for the Tokina and Pentax were developed jointly by both companies. That is where the similarity between the lenses begins and end. The Pentax lenses are manufactured by Pentax in Vietnam, and the Tokina lenses are manufactured by Tokina in Japan I believe.

The cosmetics of the lens are different. For Example, Pentax does not have a tripod collar on the DA* 50-135 where the Tokina does. The Pentax DA* lenses (16-50 and 50-135) have ultrasonic focusing motors in the lenses and are weather sealed. The Tokina do not.

Pentax make the lens only for Pentax cameras and Tokina makes them for Canon and Nikon only. That part of the marketing agreement between the two companies.

All of these differences are contributory factors as to why the lens have different prices in the market place. The major factor to the difference to the cost factor is that Tokina will have a larger market to sell to than Pentax, so Tokina can sell more units at a lower cost.

[Gooshin]

the price difference is there to create a sense of competition among manufacturers and capture as wide a segment as possible.

tokina is not directly in competition with pentax, by pooling resources and design efforts, Tokina gets to grab the price sensitivie market, while Pentax gets to grab the brand loyalists and or price insensitive market.

both companies benefit because they a) created a product they could not have done otherwise (or atleast for the same cost b) fill a market demand in its entirety without letting some people slip into other brands.

[romancos]

I have been reading these forums and doing some research on the

I know from info on this board that the Pentax 18-250 is in essence a rebadged Tamron.
I am just wondering if Pentax may have the same relationship with Tokina since the Pentax
mount is suspiciously (to me) absent from their line-up.

Grant

Tokina is the trdemark of HOYA Inc. company that currently owns PENTAX as well. Some speculate that acquisition was because of Pentaxes medical know-how. I don't know about that but Pentax and Tokina are both owned by HOYA. Far more interesting is Pentax relationship with Samsung. I find similar lenses on their D-Xenogon line.

Samsung Digital Camera Accessory

Some lenses like 35mm makes me real drool and wish I have one. Then there's few new Sigma K-mounts lenses with HSM compatible with SDM (in other words working on your K10D with SDM. Please see Sigmaphoto website for 70-200mm f2.8 HSM for K-mount.

And feel free to share your findings here.

Thank you.

[CRD-NUT]

Please see Sigmaphoto website for 70-200mm f2.8 HSM for K-mount.

Thanks much for the heads up Romancos. I guess I overlooked this one.

[flyer]

One difference between the Tokina and Pentax lenses is the coating of the lenses themselves. The Pentax SMC is apparently superior to Tokina's own coating.