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09-28-2012, 08:34 AM   #16
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QuoteOriginally posted by MrPetkus Quote
The biggest problem I see with the K-mount is its dwindling support among 3rd party lens makers. That, along with the aged flash line-up and technology, would be my primary reason for switching systems when my K-5 has EOL'd. FF is less of a concern.

Case in point - I have the Tamron 70-200/2.8. An optically superb lens I purchased to replace my DA* 50-135 which didn't have enough reach for dance and theatre photography. But it's noisy. A new, silent Tamron 70-200/2.8 was unveiled at Photokina but it won't be available for K-mount. I would love to spend my money on this lens. Many of the new Sigmas won't be available for the K either.

Another mentioned issue is price. With more FF models on the market, I believe APS-C shooters from CaNikon and Sony will protect their investments purchasing FF glass. That will drive the cost of APS-C glass down. I can't see how Pentax will be able to maintain their current high prices.

So your concerns are quite valid.
Why is this not a problem for Nikon and their F mount? Of course that mount is only 53 years old.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikon_F-mount

There are a lot of similarities to the K-mount and F-mount down to the dimensions and registration distance.

09-28-2012, 08:46 AM   #17
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Maybe you didn't read my post. I never said anything about the mount's age or characteristics. I complained that there are dwindling 3rd party K-mount solutions.

QuoteOriginally posted by Blue Quote
Why is this not a problem for Nikon and their F mount? Of course that mount is only 53 years old.

Nikon F-mount - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

There are a lot of similarities to the K-mount and F-mount down to the dimensions and registration distance.

Last edited by Blue; 09-28-2012 at 08:56 AM.
09-28-2012, 08:46 AM   #18
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The dwindling "support" for the K mount with third party lens makers is not specifically a K mount issue. I see no real difference in technology between nikon, sony and pentax bayonets. all roughly same size etc. What I suspect the issue is, is one of the introduction of optical stabilization by third party makers, which may or not be attractive to pentax and also sony users, who have in body stabilization.
09-28-2012, 08:57 AM   #19
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QuoteOriginally posted by MrPetkus Quote
Maybe you didn't read my post. I never said anything about the mount's age or characteristics. I complained that there are dwindling 3rd party K-mount solutions.

I read your post. There is no need to use rudeness (friendly advice from a moderator). However, I was pointing out that Nikon has a similar mount, and if you go look, you will see than Nikon has 3rd party support. If Pentax were to go from a K-mount to Super Q tomorrow, do you think that would magically change available lenses from 3rd party? The 3rd party support has to do with other factors. I am sure dumping the K-mount would make the 3rd party makers even less confident about making lenses for Pentax.

09-28-2012, 09:18 AM   #20
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Right, the lack of support has nothing to do with K-mount itself. I never meant to imply that. I have no problems with the K-mount. God bless the K-mount...

Voightlander, Zeiss, Tamron, and Sigma have either abandoned or limited their K-mount offerings. This may be a problem for current Pentax users. This is a problem for the K-mount.

I used to believe that in-body SR was the issue, too, but it's not. Non-stabilized versions are still made for Sony. Sigma, for example, keeps optical stabilization on their K-mount 70-200/2.8 HSM, leaving the user to decide which to disable.


QuoteOriginally posted by Lowell Goudge Quote
The dwindling "support" for the K mount with third party lens makers is not specifically a K mount issue. I see no real difference in technology between nikon, sony and pentax bayonets. all roughly same size etc. What I suspect the issue is, is one of the introduction of optical stabilization by third party makers, which may or not be attractive to pentax and also sony users, who have in body stabilization.
09-28-2012, 09:24 AM   #21
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I still feel like looking over my shoulder to see if you're responding to the person behind me...

I, for one, don't want Pentax to change their mount and I don't disagree with anything you've written.


QuoteOriginally posted by Blue Quote
I read your post. There is no need to use rudeness (friendly advice from a moderator). However, I was pointing out that Nikon has a similar mount, and if you go look, you will see than Nikon has 3rd party support. If Pentax were to go from a K-mount to Super Q tomorrow, do you think that would magically change available lenses from 3rd party? The 3rd party support has to do with other factors. I am sure dumping the K-mount would make the 3rd party makers even less confident about making lenses for Pentax.
09-28-2012, 10:40 AM   #22
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QuoteOriginally posted by MrPetkus Quote
I still feel like looking over my shoulder to see if you're responding to the person behind me...

I, for one, don't want Pentax to change their mount and I don't disagree with anything you've written.
You are probably right about us being in agreement. I wasn't trying to disagree with you in that original post and that question was supposed to be more rhetorical. There are some folks that think that the k-mount is old and that is why it lacks support in the 3rd party. That was intended more for them. I think that support dwindled under Hoya in part due to connections some of the Hoya people had with Tokina. That was when Tokina quit the k-mount. Sigma and Tammy scaled back as well. Perhaps under Ricoh they will pick back up. For example, I find the new Sigma 150/2.8 macro and interesting lens.

On a separate but related note, Pentax has 3 active mounts, K, Q, 645 and had 4 others in the past (m37, m42, 67, 110). Nikon has at least 2 active and at least one other in the past. Multiple mounts are viable solutions for different formats. For dSLR in the aps-c and ff formats, the K and F are more than viable.

09-28-2012, 11:01 AM   #23
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QuoteOriginally posted by MrPetkus Quote
Right, the lack of support has nothing to do with K-mount itself. I never meant to imply that. I have no problems with the K-mount. God bless the K-mount...

Voightlander, Zeiss, Tamron, and Sigma have either abandoned or limited their K-mount offerings. This may be a problem for current Pentax users. This is a problem for the K-mount.

I used to believe that in-body SR was the issue, too, but it's not. Non-stabilized versions are still made for Sony. Sigma, for example, keeps optical stabilization on their K-mount 70-200/2.8 HSM, leaving the user to decide which to disable.
it may also have to do with licencing of the mount. Sigma for example does not licence the mount to my knowledge they reverse engineer to it. Dont know what tamron do. Tokina has not supported K mount for years.

It may be a commercial issue other than demand because certainly there are many lenses that pentax users would want. We don't obviously know the whole story.
09-30-2012, 06:49 PM   #24
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QuoteOriginally posted by mysticcowboy Quote
I'm also bumping against the walls of the APS-C sensor limits in resolution and low light ability.
+ 1 on the JohnX input above. How insightful.

Cowboy, no matter what a person chooses, they will always be bumping up against some limit for something. There will be pro's and con's with that choice, and some reason for technological, manufacturing, and market uncertainty going forward. At the end of the day, every photographic equipment buying decision is a personal decision balancing amongst these: IQ, convenience, and cost. For long enough into the foreseeable future, Pentax, K-mount, and APS-C will be around. Just do what JohnX says.
09-30-2012, 07:41 PM   #25
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QuoteOriginally posted by MrPetkus Quote
Right, the lack of support has nothing to do with K-mount itself.
I think market share is a better reason... and Pentax has lost a lot of it since the 70's.
09-30-2012, 08:21 PM   #26
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I don't mind the K mount, but I genuinely prefer the M42 mount. I like my digital lenses but I always feel rather like I'm waiting for them to break too. Internal motors, AF, they have their advantages but all that makes them rather more vulnerable to wear and tear too I think. This is why in the end I have both AF and MF lenses even though at this point AF lenses are probably the more sensible option for my bad eyes. I just don't trust the K mount AF digital lenses as much as I trust my M42's. The more advanced the K mount lens gets the less I like relying upon it. I suppose that is a bit perverse of me but it's nonetheless how I feel.
09-30-2012, 08:31 PM   #27
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QuoteOriginally posted by magkelly Quote
I don't mind the K mount, but I genuinely prefer the M42 mount. I like my digital lenses but I always feel rather like I'm waiting for them to break too. Internal motors, AF, they have their advantages but all that makes them rather more vulnerable to wear and tear too I think. This is why in the end I have both AF and MF lenses even though at this point AF lenses are probably the more sensible option for my bad eyes. I just don't trust the K mount AF digital lenses as much as I trust my M42's. The more advanced the K mount lens gets the less I like relying upon it. I suppose that is a bit perverse of me but it's nonetheless how I feel.
an m42 AF lens would cause some peoples heads to explode. laugh That alone would be worth the R&D. Maybe that is why a Pentax FF is taking so long. Hysterical
10-01-2012, 04:22 PM   #28
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QuoteOriginally posted by JohnX Quote
Buy the 50-135 and enjoy it.

FF seems to be to-days flavour of the month, but APS-C performance to-day matches yesterdays FF IMO.

If you want FF to-day, go and buy a system. It's only money and we're a long time dead. Otherwise, suck it up and enjoy your K-5.

Too much analysis and soul searching just results in inertia and you missing out on things.

Who knows what will happen to-morrow?
You confuse analysis with indecision. You confuse soul searching with complaint. I assure you that my questioning of my photography goals and how one particular system meets them has not kept me from actually taking photographs. Analysis and soul searching can lead to clarity Without taking the time to consider personal style, equipment choices and how to allocate limited funds, one could spend a lot of money and time propping up a system that's personally inappropriate.

I shoot with what I have. I have a shoot scheduled this evening, and another tomorrow. I have used my cameras every day since I started writing down my thoughts in order to clarify them. I look forward toward what would make my personal goals easier to accomplish. For me, that's FF for some things and a CSC for others. I don't see Pentax excelling in either of those directions in the next few years.

Last edited by mysticcowboy; 10-01-2012 at 05:10 PM.
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