[Blue]

Well there is no reason for Pentax to bring a 135mm/f2.8 in production since that is part of the DA*50-135mm/f2.8 and would eat out on sales of the zoomlens.

A DA*135mm/f2.0 would be a very different lens, more expensive, but find it's way very quickly into my camerabag.

That logic doesn't really make sense to me. Otherwise, the Hoya boys would be thinking the FA 77 ltd is gutting sales of the 50-135mm. Nor would they have brought out the D FA 100mm WR. The fact is, the 50-135mm/2.8 is a big lens. If anything, the SDM stigma is gutting its sales along with a weak warranty. A DA* 135/2 would have to be relatively small to get my attention.

[axl]

Well there is no reason for Pentax to bring a 135mm/f2.8 in production since that is part of the DA*50-135mm/f2.8 and would eat out on sales of the zoomlens.

A DA*135mm/f2.0 would be a very different lens, more expensive, but find it's way very quickly into my camerabag.

SIZE

DA*135/2.8 would be half the size of DA*50-135.
But I agree. 135/2 would be nicer....but a whole lot more expensive too

[wwwmorrell]

Me to, me to.

I would buy a DA* 135mm f/1.8 in a heart beat. Yes f/1.8 , if they are going to make it might as well go for faster than f/2

[RonHendriks1966]

That logic doesn't really make sense to me. Otherwise, the Hoya boys would be thinking the FA 77 ltd is gutting sales of the 50-135mm. Nor would they have brought out the D FA 100mm WR. The fact is, the 50-135mm/2.8 is a big lens. If anything, the SDM stigma is gutting its sales along with a weak warranty. A DA* 135/2 would have to be relatively small to get my attention.

When sales numbers for lenses are small as is with Pentax then each new lens has to serve a new market on its own.

The 100mm is a macro and thus delivering to a different crowd.

I think the 77mm is the reason why we don't have an 85mm/f1.4 lens since they are to close to each other.

Most zooms have for their users to extremes as their main attraction. So for 12-24mm it is 12mm and for 50-135mm it is 135mm. I also think we don't see 80-200mm since then sales for 200mm/f2.8 would be go down to zero.

A 135mm/f2 is big, don't know how much bigger 135mm/f1.8 would be, but I think that f2 coult have a frontlens of 67mm and f1.8 needs a 77mm frontlens so they differ a lot in size and weight. This makes 50-135mm a small lens serving a different group of users.

Just my thoughts. I would buy 135mm/f2 or 135mm/f1.8!

[Kammerer]

http://www.ricoh.com/release/2011/pdf/0701.pdf:

1) Strengthening the digital camera business
- Enhanced interchangeable-lens cameras to meet expected future growth
- Expansion of product lineup and interchangeable lens portfolio

Who knows, we might even see the lens roadmap again.

[Rondec]

That logic doesn't really make sense to me. Otherwise, the Hoya boys would be thinking the FA 77 ltd is gutting sales of the 50-135mm. Nor would they have brought out the D FA 100mm WR. The fact is, the 50-135mm/2.8 is a big lens. If anything, the SDM stigma is gutting its sales along with a weak warranty. A DA* 135/2 would have to be relatively small to get my attention.

The reasons to use primes are: decreased size, improved bokeh and wider apertures. Cost usually isn't that much lower for primes versus zooms, these days, because most companies sell more zooms than primes. If you don't have a faster aperture than the DA *50-135, you wouldn't have nearly as strong a reason to buy this lens.

I understand that you (and many others) are afraid of SDM, but that is a separate issue from how wide an aperture such a lens should have.

I think fast lenses is the place where Pentax is lacking. They currently have only two f1.4 lenses -- the FA 50 and the DA *55. It would be nice to see some faster glass -- 200mm f2, 135 f1.8, etc. Even if they don't sell many copies of these lenses, just having them in their catalog gives bragging rights.

[Blue]

The reasons to use primes are: decreased size, improved bokeh and wider apertures. Cost usually isn't that much lower for primes versus zooms, these days, because most companies sell more zooms than primes. If you don't have a faster aperture than the DA *50-135, you wouldn't have nearly as strong a reason to buy this lens.

I understand that you (and many others) are afraid of SDM, but that is a separate issue from how wide an aperture such a lens should have.

I think fast lenses is the place where Pentax is lacking. They currently have only two f1.4 lenses -- the FA 50 and the DA *55. It would be nice to see some faster glass -- 200mm f2, 135 f1.8, etc. Even if they don't sell many copies of these lenses, just having them in their catalog gives bragging rights.

You are preaching to a guy that has 1 af zoom lens at present You forgot the FA 31/1.8 and FA 77/1.8 for fast lenses and the DA* 200/2.8 is fast enough because it is hand holdable, I can't imaging a 200/2 being hand holdable. I agree they need to get that M 35/1.4 prototype out and modernize it. They also had a M 20/1.4 prototype . . . They could easily enough bring back the optics from the A* 85/1.4 and 135/1.8 not to forget the 50/1.2. This is really the area where Pentax could throw some body blows in the prize fight and crack a few ribs on the heavy weight favorite and set the stage to roll out the K-2d full frame body.

[axl]

You are preaching to a guy that has 1 af zoom lens at present You forgot the FA 31/1.8 and FA 77/1.8 for fast lenses and the DA* 200/2.8 is fast enough because it is hand holdable, I can't imaging a 200/2 being hand holdable. I agree they need to get that M 35/1.4 prototype out and modernize it. They also had a M 20/1.4 prototype . . . They could easily enough bring back the optics from the A* 85/1.4 and 135/1.8 not to forget the 50/1.2. This is really the area where Pentax could throw some body blows in the prize fight and crack a few ribs on the heavy weight favorite and set the stage to roll out the K-2d full frame body.

And you forgot 43/1.9
It seems that some folks are forgetting that Pentax is APSC comitted. I.e the lenses they are releasing are pretty much replacing focal lenghts from 135 format, not equaling them. As such 85 is just hair short... DA*90/2 would be exact replacement for 135/2.8 in terms of DOF/FOV. Knowing Pentax, they'd make it DA90/2.5ltd to replace M135/3.5....
135/2 (or 1.8) would be desired as good 200mm FOV replkacement... One thing still missing is fast sub 30mm lens. Someting between 24 and 28 around f2. 31ltd will do but it's still not 35/1.4 as Canon L, Sony Zeiss or Nikon FX. I have to admit that at the present I'm bit disappointed that if Pentax shooter wants really fast glass (f2 or faster in sub 28, f1.4 in 30-100, with exception of 50 and 55) one needs to look for 3rd party glass or legacy glass. I do have to say that in this respect grass is much greener on the other side and the only thing holding me back at the moment is that I'd loose a ton of cash on switching to Nikon (whether FX or DX, frankly D3 or D2 with 35/1.4 and 85/1.4 would do, with 20/2.8 added later) or Sony (which I'm not too keen on-line up as with Nikon). The ltd line up is great, they are stellar lenses that combine IQ with really small size but they are not for everyone, and the complete lack of options for "speed freaks" is getting "touch" annoying. To get what I wanted I had to look at discontinued lens with hugely diferent reviews and hope I'll be lucky to get good copy, and on new lens with less the admired AF drive..and I still have accept that my DOF will not be as shallow as 35/2 (or 1.4) and 85/1.4 would have on FF format...and if I wanted 20/2.8?!? I simply can't. Even the 14 translates to f4 in terms of DOF compared to 135 system...

Oh well, maybe ony sunny day...

[RioRico]

http://www.ricoh.com/release/2011/pdf/0701.pdf:

Need to change this thread's name to WHERE ARE NEW LENSES, RICOH?

Oh yeah, will it be Pencoh or Rictax?

[Blue]

Need to change this thread's name to WHERE ARE NEW LENSES, RICOH?

Oh yeah, will it be Pencoh or Rictax?

Lets hope they don't run it down the toilet like they did their own slr line. Coming soon, the KR-5.

[Rondec]

You are preaching to a guy that has 1 af zoom lens at present You forgot the FA 31/1.8 and FA 77/1.8 for fast lenses and the DA* 200/2.8 is fast enough because it is hand holdable, I can't imaging a 200/2 being hand holdable. I agree they need to get that M 35/1.4 prototype out and modernize it. They also had a M 20/1.4 prototype . . . They could easily enough bring back the optics from the A* 85/1.4 and 135/1.8 not to forget the 50/1.2. This is really the area where Pentax could throw some body blows in the prize fight and crack a few ribs on the heavy weight favorite and set the stage to roll out the K-2d full frame body.

I just think that as a camera company you should have a couple of special lenses that you won't sell many copies of them are special in some way or other. Bring back the FA *200 macro, or the FA *85, or the A *135 f1.8 (with auto focus).

When people outside of Pentax look at lenses (even the FA limiteds), they see a brand whose fastest lenses are equivalent to the second tier lenses from Nikon (85 f1.8 versus the FA 77; FA 31 versus the Nikon 35 f1.8). The fact that Pentax lenses are sharper from the get go and have better bokeh, compact size doesn't necessarily make a big impression.

[Blue]

I just think that as a camera company you should have a couple of special lenses that you won't sell many copies of them are special in some way or other. Bring back the FA *200 macro, or the FA *85, or the A *135 f1.8 (with auto focus).

When people outside of Pentax look at lenses (even the FA limiteds), they see a brand whose fastest lenses are equivalent to the second tier lenses from Nikon (85 f1.8 versus the FA 77; FA 31 versus the Nikon 35 f1.8). The fact that Pentax lenses are sharper from the get go and have better bokeh, compact size doesn't necessarily make a big impression.

Nikon's second tier stuff doesn't interest me that much nor do the opinions of Canon folks running Rebel series stuff. I have been saying in numerous threads they need to bring back those 3 lenses as well as consider a legacy series with the best of the best. They have obviously been in a holding pattern under Hoya.

[RioRico]

I mentioned in another thread that Ricoh didn't buy Pentax in order to shut them down, but to make money by exploiting Rentax's reputation. The statement on Ricoh's site specifically identified this goal: expand the lens line. IMHO the easiest way to make money there is with reincarnated / legacy lenses, requiring production setup but no R&D. Then Ricoh just has to market them, eh? With adequate marketing, I think we'll see the blossoming of Pentax.

[Blue]

I mentioned in another thread that Ricoh didn't buy Pentax in order to shut them down, but to make money by exploiting Rentax's reputation. The statement on Ricoh's site specifically identified this goal: expand the lens line. IMHO the easiest way to make money there is with reincarnated / legacy lenses, requiring production setup but no R&D. Then Ricoh just has to market them, eh? With adequate marketing, I think we'll see the blossoming of Pentax.

That is the outcome I am hoping for.

[mbukal]

I mentioned in another thread that Ricoh didn't buy Pentax in order to shut them down, but to make money by exploiting Rentax's reputation. The statement on Ricoh's site specifically identified this goal: expand the lens line. IMHO the easiest way to make money there is with reincarnated / legacy lenses, requiring production setup but no R&D. Then Ricoh just has to market them, eh? With adequate marketing, I think we'll see the blossoming of Pentax.

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