[attack11]

I think it does. You have to back away (which effect perspective) or the head wont fit in the frame.

do you have one? have you shot people with it? if not, trust me, it's not different than a 135mm fov because there's no magnification. you just have less cropping options and generally the sweet center spot of the lens. you shouldn't have barrel distortion with a 135mm prime; if you do you have a really poor quality prime at that fl.

as for comparing a zoom to a prime; that's kinda silly. i intend to get the 50-135 to cover that fl but i'll be holding onto my lovely f-135 'cause no zoom will approach it's iq.

[egordon99]

I'm totally drooling over the Canon 135mm f/2.0 L
I keep telling myself that I saved $600 by going with the 70-200mm f/4 IS instead of the f/2.8 IS....

Now I'm no pixel peeper, but my 50-135mm f/2.8 was AMAZING at pretty much any focal length/aperture. I figured it was 85 primes for the price of two

And the Canon 70-200mm f/4 IS is pretty amazing as well (at least for a zoom!)

[cupic]

There's no hole! We all know that Pentax hasn't been the best at marketing, but literally every previous lens series (K, M, A, F, FA) has contained a 135mm prime!

While I think Pentax made the two new DA* zooms to satisfy our needs, it would definitely be nice to see some more primes (or to see the FA*/FA lenses back in production).

Whats a M series Prime 135 worth and do you need a adapter?

Will this on a K10D be a multiply of X1.5 (202.5mm)
cheers

[creampuff]

Pentax is definitely overdue in the short/medium tele lens lineup.
If I had my wish, I'd ask Pentax to re-issue or re-design some of the older M series prime teles: a 85mm f/2, a 100mm f/2, a 120mm f/2.5, a 135mm f/2 and 150mm f/2.8 would be perfect.

The 135mm is a nice focal length to catch your subject unawares (A 135mm f/2.8)

[JJJPhoto]

Pentax is definitely overdue in the short/medium tele lens lineup.
If I had my wish, I'd ask Pentax to re-issue or re-design some of the older M series prime teles: a 85mm f/2, a 100mm f/2, a 120mm f/2.5, a 135mm f/2 and 150mm f/2.8 would be perfect.

The 135mm is a nice focal length to catch your subject unawares (A 135mm f/2.8)

Those are great shots and excellent black and white work.

Although I'd like Pentax to make a DA 85mm f/2 Limited the lack of a DA 120mm or 135mm bothers me more. My DA 70 Limited is fantastic so that makes me less concerned about an 85mm lens (plus I have a great copy of the Jupiter-9 85mm f/2 if I "need" 85mm).

Please, Pentax ... give us a fast DA-series prime in the 120mm to 135mm range!

[creampuff]

JJJPhoto, Thanks for the compliment.

Actually I'd hazard a couple of guesses why we aren't seeing a mid tele being introduced at the moment.

Firstly, the majority of photographers today rely on zooms a lot more than prime lenses, so from a marketing perspective, it may not be clear that a 135mm prime might be as popular today and receive the wide acceptance as was the case back in the days of 35mm film. Secondly a 135mm prime might actually compete and cannibalise sales of a lens like the DA* 50-135mm, the 60-250mm or even the 55-300mm.

If the above reasons are not relevant and Pentax do intend to come out with a 135mm, then I do suspect that the Pentax lens designers are working overtime to redesign the tele primes to incorporate SDM, which I see as the future direction for future Pentax lenses.

[Douglas_of_Sweden]

Well, while we are dreaming, let's dream about the old A* 135/1.8 and 85/1.4 as weather proof SDM lenses. But I suppose this is just a dream. Probably the 85 has better chances to be taken out of the closet since Pentax made an FA version.


The A*135/1.8 on a pentax *ist DS.

I just got the idea that I should test these A* prime lenses against the new DA* 50-135 SDM, but looking at my calender for the rest of the spring term I think it will have to wait until vacation. It makes a good excuse non the less to borrow the 85 from my little brother, then using the A 50/1.7, A* 85/1.4, and A*135/1.8 against the DA* 50-135 SDM at the same focal lengths and at the same apertures. I suppose the primes should beat the 50-135, but can I do it well enough to see the difference in an objective way, and how much do I have to blow up the pictures?

[jsherman999]

I just got the idea that I should test these A* prime lenses against the new DA* 50-135 SDM, but looking at my calender for the rest of the spring term I think it will have to wait until vacation. It makes a good excuse non the less to borrow the 85 from my little brother, then using the A 50/1.7, A* 85/1.4, and A*135/1.8 against the DA* 50-135 SDM at the same focal lengths and at the same apertures.

Send them to me, I'll test them!

It may take me a couple years to get back to you with the results, though.


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[Douglas_of_Sweden]

Send them to me, I'll test them!

It may take me a couple years to get back to you with the results, though.


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I'll consider your offer...but if I do it myself I think I can get it done by August. Nice reason to take the lenses and a tripod somewhere in the summer when I have my holiday.

[Buddha Jones]

IMO Pentax is just silly, no flat out stupid not to put the old beauties in the new SDM skins, especially the primes since I think they have the zooms nicely sewn up.

[Miserere]

Well, while we are dreaming, let's dream about the old A* 135/1.8 and 85/1.4 as weather proof SDM lenses. But I suppose this is just a dream. Probably the 85 has better chances to be taken out of the closet since Pentax made an FA version.

I just got the idea that I should test these A* prime lenses against the new DA* 50-135 SDM, but looking at my calender for the rest of the spring term I think it will have to wait until vacation. It makes a good excuse non the less to borrow the 85 from my little brother, then using the A 50/1.7, A* 85/1.4, and A*135/1.8 against the DA* 50-135 SDM at the same focal lengths and at the same apertures. I suppose the primes should beat the 50-135, but can I do it well enough to see the difference in an objective way, and how much do I have to blow up the pictures?

This would be very interesting. I've seen tests of the A* 135mm and it suffered from terrible purple fringing on digital. I'd love to see how the A* match up against the DA* 50-135mm. I'm sure the sharpness round will be won by the primes, but I suspect the CA and PF rounds may be won by the zoom.

[mauricio]

Some people just prefer prime lenses. That's my case. If we have a 40mm, a 43mm, 50mm, will have a 55mm, we have a 70mm, a 77mm...why not something between 100 and 200?? I would love a 120mm or 135mm as well. And I would buy it.

[Miserere]

If we have a 40mm, a 43mm, 50mm, will have a 55mm, we have a 70mm, a 77mm...why not something between 100 and 200?? I would love a 120mm or 135mm as well. And I would buy it.

For me it would depend on the price. Sure, we have a fast(ish) 77mm prime, but at $700 it's out of my reach (and I'm not alone). None of the 3rd party brands have fast primes at these focal lengths (please correct me if I'm wrong) so I'm stuck with a Jupiter 85/2.

So yes, a 120mm f/2.8 prime would be nice, but if it's a DA* f/1.8 and costs $900, then I don't care what they do with it; I cannot buy it.

[Buddha Jones]

For me it would depend on the price. Sure, we have a fast(ish) 77mm prime, but at $700 it's out of my reach (and I'm not alone). None of the 3rd party brands have fast primes at these focal lengths (please correct me if I'm wrong) so I'm stuck with a Jupiter 85/2.

So yes, a 120mm f/2.8 prime would be nice, but if it's a DA* f/1.8 and costs $900, then I don't care what they do with it; I cannot buy it.

That brings up another great point. Something that had corssed my mind a few days ago. Why are all of the prime lense LTD's or DA*'s? This wasn't always the case in Pentax history. Where are the lenses in the lineup for the regular photographer? You make all of this low cost bodies and strap people with $500+ prime lenses? I understand the lore of Pentax glass... but not everyone knows of this lore. And even in regular lenses, a rebadged superzoom, the new kit lenses, and maybe the 17-70mm SDM fits in that catagory of 'economy' lenses but I think that Pentax is doing themselves and Johnny Q. Photog a great dis-service with this lens roadmap.

I know that the loudest cries for new glass was coming from the peoples who wanted the top quality stuff, but at the same time you cannot forget about the rest of the world. Mercedes could not survive on the sales of their S-Class and E-Class alone, they have a C-Class for everyone else to enjoy.

[jsherman999]

That brings up another great point. Something that had corssed my mind a few days ago. Why are all of the prime lense LTD's or DA*'s? This wasn't always the case in Pentax history. Where are the lenses in the lineup for the regular photographer? You make all of this low cost bodies and strap people with $500+ prime lenses? I understand the lore of Pentax glass... but not everyone knows of this lore. And even in regular lenses, a rebadged superzoom, the new kit lenses, and maybe the 17-70mm SDM fits in that catagory of 'economy' lenses but I think that Pentax is doing themselves and Johnny Q. Photog a great dis-service with this lens roadmap.

I know that the loudest cries for new glass was coming from the peoples who wanted the top quality stuff, but at the same time you cannot forget about the rest of the world. Mercedes could not survive on the sales of their S-Class and E-Class alone, they have a C-Class for everyone else to enjoy.

Excellent points, I agree completely. My M's are probably on my camera as much as my DA*'s, and I'm really glad Pentax put out such quality 'standard' lenses back in the day - I can enjoy them now. I'd love it if they'd reanimate the 24, 28, 35, 85, 100, 135 and 200 M's as DA's, keeping the M quality, but foregoing the * or 'limited' to keep them affordable. And if they could make the manual focus action silky smooth... I'd start collecting them.


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