[Nacho_tyr]

hi, some very interesting lens has see the light but not for k mount. i worried about
Tamron SP 24-70mm F/2.8 VC USD
Tamron SP 90mm F/2.8 Di VC USD Macro 1:1
Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM

maybe a lot more, but this interest me

[jimr-pdx]

Tamron is often a reluctant player in the Pentax field, though their 18-270 came across with the Pentax DA label on it. Sigma often holds off a while on Sony and Pentax mounts, preferring to play to the crowd with bigger market share and no in-body IS. I feel we'll see many of these in time, and perhaps Tokina will re-emerge soon.

[brofkand]

The 24-70 and 90mm both are available in Pentax mount, although with screwdrive focus and no VC (the 24-70 is actually available in the 28-75 2.8, by most accounts a spectacular lens).

The Sigma 18-35 was just announced, and Sigma has generally provided Pentax versions of their lenses (with several exceptions), but later than the Nikon or Canon versions. I do hope we see the Sigma 18-35 1.8 in Pentax, it's a very interesting lens indeed!

[Ash]

There is the Tamron 28-75 in the Pentax mount as well as their 90 macro. Sigma also have a variety of similar lenses in K-mount, and Pentax have their own too.

[Cynog Ap Brychan]

Wex Photographic (UK) currently list 29 Sigmas and 8 Tamrons (and 5 Samyangs) in K mount.

[Na Horuk]

Sometimes lens manufacturers "test" the lens on other mounts. If it does well with Canikon, it will probably do well with the others as well. I'm sure Pentax will become more popular with off-brand lens manufacturers once it shows that the merger with Ricoh is working.
Keep in mind, back in the day Pentax was very popular and a lot of brands released Kmount lenses. Some even still do, like Peleng, Zenit, Horus Bennu, Vivitar, Zeiss, Schneider-Kreuznach.. Sigma and Tamron are the biggest third party lens manufacturers right now, though, so they give the appearance that they are an important indicator on how well a camera brand is doing.

[Clavius]

I worry about it too, because it's a downward spiral:

1. Pentax market decreases-->
2. 3rd party lens manufacturers become less interested.-->
3. Less potential Pentax customers think of Pentax as a valid option due to less lens options available and uncertain Pentax future. And less Pentax presence in general. Having the name "Pentax" in the available lens mount options next to the lens is of high value.-->
4. As a result, go to 1.

Escaping from such a spiral seems very difficult. Especially taking into consideration that this spiral is also strengthened by the other weak points of the Pentax system and their strong points appearing in the competing brands as well.

[Sol Invictus]

The 24-70 and 90mm both are available in Pentax mount, although with screwdrive focus and no VC (the 24-70 is actually available in the 28-75 2.8, by most accounts a spectacular lens).

The Sigma 18-35 was just announced, and Sigma has generally provided Pentax versions of their lenses (with several exceptions), but later than the Nikon or Canon versions. I do hope we see the Sigma 18-35 1.8 in Pentax, it's a very interesting lens indeed!

The new Tamron 24-70 is an entirely different lens.

[NaClH2O]

I worry about it too, because it's a downward spiral:

1. Pentax market decreases-->
2. 3rd party lens manufacturers become less interested.-->
3. Less potential Pentax customers think of Pentax as a valid option due to less lens options available and uncertain Pentax future. And less Pentax presence in general. Having the name "Pentax" in the available lens mount options next to the lens is of high value.-->
4. As a result, go to 1.

Escaping from such a spiral seems very difficult. Especially taking into consideration that this spiral is also strengthened by the other weak points of the Pentax system and their strong points appearing in the competing brands as well.

I've been hearing this exact same argument since I started shooting Pentax back in 2002. Seems to me that Pentax's market share has increased in the last 11 years.

NaCl(rumors of Pentax's immenient demise are greatly exaggerated)H2O

[Tonto]

Will be better with all those K-01s now in the market and the K30s selling (which really needs to succeed in my opinion). 3rd party lenses probably won't take hold till the 'K3' is released as the beginner market which the lower price of the previous cameras are at don't typically upgrade to higher end lenses=-although surely there must be a few K7-K5-K5ii-K5iis to warrant some PK mount lenses. Does anyone have access to the cueent sales data on APSC cameras? I'm guessing the K-01 isn't includedin the DSLR statistics.

[lytrytyr]

a lot of brands released Kmount lenses. Some even still do, like Peleng, Zenit, Horus Bennu, Vivitar, Zeiss, Schneider-Kreuznach.

Sadly, Zeiss stopped a couple of years ago.
Their K-mount lenses are now hard to obtain,
although a couple of screw-mount versions are still out there.

[pxpaulx]

The new Tamron 24-70 is an entirely different lens.

The ironic thing about 3rd party availability is that the Nikon and Canon owners stare down their noses at sigma and tamron wayyyyyy more than the lower market share brand owners (as a Pentax user and micro 4/3 user I see nothing but positive remarks about 3rd party lens announcements). As someone that is also new to Nikon, well, frankly it amazes me how much their users will put lenses down simply for not having the Nikon name across the front.

Edit: as much as I've always appreciated the K mount backwards compatibility of Pentax, the sheer volume of lenses available that I can use with my d600 is pretty astounding (and the lens compatibility for the current nikon mount goes pretty far back too, more than I had known/thought).

[joe.penn]

As someone that is also new to Nikon, well, frankly it amazes me how much their users will put lenses down simply for not having the Nikon name across the front.

I shoot Nikon also and will gladly take those "Sigma's" they turn their nose up against. There is one Sigma lens they don't look down upon, and that is the current king of fast and versatile tele's, the Sigma 120~300 2.8 - only if it were available in pentax mount I would purchase that and another new K5 just to marry with/to it...

[pxpaulx]

I shoot Nikon also and will gladly take those "Sigma's" they turn their nose up against. There is one Sigma lens they don't look down upon, and that is the current king of fast and versatile tele's, the Sigma 120~300 2.8 - only if it were available in pentax mount I would purchase that and another new K5 just to marry with/to it...

No kidding! Not to mention lenses like the 100-300mm F4 being readily available used for half the cost of the pentax version (just owing to rarity really), and the dozens of 3rd party lenses that just aren't in k mount (both current and older lenses). Since getting the d600 in December along with the nikon kit lens, I've only bought the 50mm 1.8d and 85mm 1.8g nikon lenses. On the 3rd party front I've rangled myself a really nice tokina 16-28mm 2.8, rokinon 35mm 1.4 and a tamron 300mm 2.8 AF version in mint condition (and paid as much as I sold my adaptall/pentax adapter 300mm 2.8 lens for!). Oh and the Nikon mount version of the tamron AF 1.4x teleconverter for a measly $50 as opposed to the $200+ the exact same TC goes for in K mount.

[Nacho_tyr]

The 24-70 and 90mm both are available in Pentax mount, although with screwdrive focus and no VC (the 24-70 is actually available in the 28-75 2.8, by most accounts a spectacular lens).

The Sigma 18-35 was just announced, and Sigma has generally provided Pentax versions of their lenses (with several exceptions), but later than the Nikon or Canon versions. I do hope we see the Sigma 18-35 1.8 in Pentax, it's a very interesting lens indeed!

There is the Tamron 28-75 in the Pentax mount as well as their 90 macro. Sigma also have a variety of similar lenses in K-mount, and Pentax have their own too.

24-70 and 28-70 not the same
DxOMark - Compare lenses
24-70 is better in all
the 90`s are almost the same thing, but the new one have WR like pentax 100mm macro

i dont say i can't live without them, but is frustrating not see the new advanced model in k mount