Originally posted by adpo The 135mm is something I'd really like to get if and only if it has fast and capable AF, which means SDM definitely needs revision if this lens were to be released. The way I see the 135mm focal length is that it is a very "active" lens, in that a lot of indoor sporting and staged events would probably be the most likely use for this lens.
Well that would be my purpose too for this lens, so a fast focussing motor would be great. Mentioned sports for it when starting this.
Originally posted by pz1fan I voted earlier, but never commented. I'd prefer a DFA*85 and DFA*135 over a DA*85 and DA*135.
This may sound odd, but bring back power zoom. Or improved "Power Zoom II". Put it in a DFA*250-600f5.6.
Well from a startpoint of saving money on development it probably will be from old design, so FF compatable.
You are the first to request powerzoom! That is an interesting concept, but also one of the things that break down on older lenses. The sysytem does work very well.
Did you gave my idea DA*135-270mm/f2.8 a thought? This is combined with a 2x converter your replacement for the big 250-600.
Originally posted by baker5 I am amazed at the number of people wanting a 1.4X converter... indicates that we all want better 'Pentax made' long lenses.. zoom or prime.
I think that is the message too.
Originally posted by rvannatta The more I look at the lens line up, it seems to me that in the medium focal lengths there is chaos. We have FA's, DAs Ltd's, We have all kinds of zooms and maybe that is what the market wants. Maybe it's because its a lens lineup that has only been partially optimized for digital.
Despite the chaotic assortment --- wide and fast don't seem to have much attention. Popular focal lengths between 15 and 50 could see an array of primes of F2 or better. The value of a prime that underperforms a zoom that covers the range is hard to appreciate at least for me.
Finally, there needs to be coverage for the > 300 mm range. Exotic glass is expensive and I don't see spending a lot of R & D on it, but the 250-600 and the 600 prime would allow Pentax to claim a full range of glass. and since the ones last produced were pretty good they don't need a lot of reinventing.
For the choices to make in this survey I also looked into the different lenslines and offered choices to all these different lenslines to somewhat compleet them (for FA Ltd. a wide-angle and a short-telelens and for DA Ltd. a longer lens and one in between where the gap is the biggest). I do think they have some nice futures to offer on their own and thus make the Pentax brand more attractive.
Putting more primes in the range under 50mm could be done, but the lensline does need more other important gaps to fill. I think that in time, when demand is bigger these things can be done. Which ones would you like to see first?
I do see the need for a long telelens, but I don't see a market at the time for those two big lenses. I do hope that there will be a 400mm next year ot maybe a good 500mm in near future. One also has to build on this lensline while taking back marketshare.
Originally posted by Clavius I almost bought a cheap teleconverter once. I figured those few times I needed a longer range, I don't need a expensive lense. Turned out that a old second hand 2x auto teleconverter, that would get my 300mm to 600mm, was more expensive then getting a 800mm MF mirror lens. There is a slight size difference though.
On the other hand you don't have to carry two big lenses along when on a trip. I think there is a market for a good (and expensive) TC of hi quality when there are good lenses in the lensline to combine them with.
DA*300mm/f4 with a 1,4 TC is a good lens (wildlife or outdoor sports). D-FA*500mm/f5.6 with a 1,4x TC is good for birding. DA*135-270mm/f2.8 (or DA*300mm/f2.8) with a 1,4x TC is good for sports (some even indoors).