[slip]

After looking at some of the new offerings from Sigma and Tamron I couldn't help but notice...the newest versions of the best lenses, like for instance the new Tamron 90mm macro, that more and more Pentax is being stuck with their "legacy" lenses..
Pentax is being left behind....I am wondering if we are going to have just Pentax offerings which will push the price up due to lack of competition.
I just can't afford all Pentax lenses!!
Is it just me or do others feel this way?
Will the other manufacturers come back to the K mount?

Any and all options welcome of course

Thanks
Randy

[lytrytyr]

One problem is that in-lens image stabilization is appearing in the new lenses from the third parties,
while Pentax APS-C doesn't need that kind of deliberate decentering.

[jatrax]

No question Pentax is a smaller market for third party. Ricoh needs to mend some fences in that area and show Sigma/Tamron et al that they are a player. Money talks BS walks. All it will take for Sigma and Tamron to give Pentax first line lenses is good sales numbers from Pentax.

The move to OS in lens is a big disadvantage for Pentax because it eliminates the advantage of one of their best features. You add weight and cost for an OS lens that you do not need for Pentax but the cost of building both OS and non-OS versions means you likely won't build both versions. At least until Pentax proves the k-mount market is big enough.

And we do have the 18-270 which is re-badged Tamron. Which to my way of thinking means Tamron was not willing to bring that to market in k-mount on their own. So they license it to Pentax who now takes all the risk of production and inventory costs.

[tabl10s]

We're being left behind. No Sigma 180 2.8 for us and the older version is non-existent used. I just bought a super cleanTamron 1.4 TC to ease the pain.

[stevebrot]

Which to my way of thinking means Tamron was not willing to bring that to market in k-mount on their own.

Or prohibited from doing so in much the same way that Tokina did not release K-mount versions of the lenses they co-developed with Pentax (DA* 16-50/2.8 and DA* 50-135/2.8).


Steve

[slip]

No question Pentax is a smaller market for third party. Ricoh needs to mend some fences in that area and show Sigma/Tamron et al that they are a player. Money talks BS walks. All it will take for Sigma and Tamron to give Pentax first line lenses is good sales numbers from Pentax.

The move to OS in lens is a big disadvantage for Pentax because it eliminates the advantage of one of their best features. You add weight and cost for an OS lens that you do not need for Pentax but the cost of building both OS and non-OS versions means you likely won't build both versions. At least until Pentax proves the k-mount market is big enough.

And we do have the 18-270 which is re-badged Tamron. Which to my way of thinking means Tamron was not willing to bring that to market in k-mount on their own. So they license it to Pentax who now takes all the risk of production and inventory costs.

As far as OS on the lens goes, I noticed that some non OS lenses are made for Sony

Thanks

Randy

[jatrax]

Or prohibited from doing so in much the same way that Tokina did not release K-mount versions of the lenses they co-developed with Pentax (DA* 16-50/2.8 and DA* 50-135/2.8).

So you are thinking Tamron co-developed that lens with Pentax?

[stevebrot]

So you are thinking Tamron co-developed that lens with Pentax?

If both entities released the lens at the same time, I think that would be a good possibility.


Steve

[lytrytyr]

The move to OS in lens is a big disadvantage for Pentax because it eliminates the advantage of one of their best features.

Not necessarily.

Compare the superior IQ of the unstabilized Tamron 17-50/2.8
with that of the "Vibration Compensation" version.

Photozone tested both versions on the Nikon D 7000
(with a sensor similar to the one on current Pentax APS-C cameras).

[52mm]

It's hardly a surprise, really. OIS necessarily adds extra elements which are degrading IQ a bit (I have yet to find a lens that measured better than its unstabilized counterpart). And for a standard zoom like a 17-50, there is no real advantage over sensor-based IS. OIS has its strengths on the tele side - without a stabilized viewfinder, 200+ mm (on crop) becomes increasingly tedious to work with. And you're hardly going to convince a pro to go EVF or even LiveView. Power draw wise, I have no idea, depends on camera and lens in question I suppose.

[jatrax]

If both entities released the lens at the same time, I think that would be a good possibility.

Interesting, and something i had not considered. I guess I thought the days of Pentax collaborating with other lens manufacturers was long past. But why work with Tamron on a lens that gets released to the competition first? And why Pentax? Why not Canon or Nikon, they both have lens designers.

Do Canon or Nikon ever use third party designs and rebrand them?

I guess I assumed Pentax had licensed the design since Tamron would not bring it to market in K-mount, but if Pentax actually helped design it I can see why it would come out with Pentax logo on it.

[jatrax]

Not necessarily. Compare the superior IQ of the unstabilized Tamron 17-50/2.8 with that of the "Vibration Compensation" version.

I had not seen that, but it doesn't change my mind. If someone is buying lenses and sees that most of the ones they want have built in OS then the fact that Pentax SR is built in becomes less of a sales advantage. I'm talking marketing and sales pitch, not real world facts.

[MPrince]

I just can't afford all Pentax lenses!!

Pentax's current lens line-up includes an inexpensive 18-55, an inexpensive 50-200, an inexpensive 55-300, an inexpensive 35, an inexpensive 40, and an inexpensive 50.

What Pentax lenses do you currently need that are either unavailable or too expensive?

[MPrince]

I had not seen that, but it doesn't change my mind. If someone is buying lenses and sees that most of the ones they want have built in OS then the fact that Pentax SR is built in becomes less of a sales advantage. I'm talking marketing and sales pitch, not real world facts.

Smart consumers who do their research care about real world facts, not sales pitches. Consumers who aren't smart and don't do their research get what they deserve.

[NiftyFifty]

Pentax's current lens line-up includes an inexpensive 18-55, an inexpensive 50-200, an inexpensive 55-300, an inexpensive 35, an inexpensive 40, and an inexpensive 50.

What Pentax lenses do you currently need that are either unavailable or too expensive?

What is inexpensive to you may not be inexpensive to someone else - that's for them to decide.