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08-03-2014, 04:44 PM   #1
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Pentax needs a 105mm Limited lens

Instead of a Pentax Full Frame model what Pentax really needs in their lens line-up is a 105mm or 135mm limited lens. Like all limited lenses the build should be exceptional and compact. Please no Huge HSM lenses like the 16-50mm. This would round out the range of the classics the 21mm, 43mm & 77mm nicely.

08-03-2014, 04:55 PM   #2
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Here it is:
SMC Pentax-D FA 100mm F2.8 Macro WR Reviews - D FA Prime Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database

This lens should have had "Limited" it its name, since it satisfies all the Limited criteria (build quality, size, optics).

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08-03-2014, 05:15 PM - 1 Like   #3
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Yep, no idea why they did not add Limited to the name. Build quality and IQ is definitely up to Limited standards.
08-03-2014, 05:35 PM   #4
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QuoteOriginally posted by Adam Quote
Here it is:
SMC Pentax-D FA 100mm F2.8 Macro WR Reviews - D FA Prime Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database

This lens should have had "Limited" it its name, since it satisfies all the Limited criteria (build quality, size, optics).
Agreed.

08-03-2014, 05:45 PM   #5
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Nice lens no doubt, but being a Macro it hunts a lot, or so I heard. How does it perform for general use, some say it might be too sharp for that.
08-03-2014, 05:49 PM   #6
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QuoteOriginally posted by hjoseph7 Quote
what Pentax really needs in their lens line-up is a 105mm or 135mm limited lens.
If you are referring to non-macro, more traditionally portrait-oriented lenses, then it seems to me that the DA Ltd. 70mm or the FA 77mm already fulfill those requirements on a cropped-sensor body according to Pentax design values in the digital era. The 105/135mm requirement befits a 24x36mm body. The DA* 50-135mm also meets those needs quite nicely.

M
08-03-2014, 05:55 PM - 2 Likes   #7
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QuoteOriginally posted by hjoseph7 Quote
some say it might be too sharp
Feel free to smudge some Vaseline on the front element if sharpness ever becomes an issue...

08-03-2014, 05:57 PM   #8
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QuoteOriginally posted by Adam Quote
Here it is:
SMC Pentax-D FA 100mm F2.8 Macro WR Reviews - D FA Prime Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database

This lens should have had "Limited" it its name, since it satisfies all the Limited criteria (build quality, size, optics).
I'm willing to bet that meeting went as follows:

Exec 1: "We present to you, the 100mm WR Limited Macro!"

Exec 2: "Get out. We don't do WR limiteds, and already have a macro LTD."

In short: Probably didn't get it due to the time it was released...no other reason.
08-03-2014, 06:30 PM   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by hjoseph7 Quote
but being a Macro it hunts a lot, or so I heard. How does it perform for general use, some say it might be too sharp for that.
It is a misconception that macro lenses "hunt" more than other lenses. It is simply untrue though I admit I've mentioned that very thing in posts. But it is incorrect. They 'hunt' no more than any other lens, less than most in fact. But if they miss focus it takes a VERY long time to get back into focus because of the long focus throw. The lens will rack all the way out and then all the way back.

How can a lens be "too sharp"? If you mean for portraits well, that is what PP is for and I imagine most real portraits will be processed rather heavily anyway. But to answer your question, performance is excellent for general use, except that in many situations if you miss focus then you are going to wait until the lens racks back. Some of the older macros with focus limiters would be better in that situation.

QuoteOriginally posted by Eulogy Quote
I'm willing to bet that meeting went as follows:
Exec 1: "We present to you, the 100mm WR Limited Macro!"
Exec 2: "Get out. We don't do WR limiteds, and already have a macro LTD."
Probably the marketing department got confused by having two Limited macros so just deleted the Limited from the name. The lens certainly has everything the other DA Limiteds have except some sort of funky hood or cap Must be a different team now we even have a limited zoom
08-03-2014, 06:36 PM   #10
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Since the FA77mm f/1.8 is based in the A series 85mm f/1.4 I was hoping they would do a similar thing with the A 135mm f/1.8 and release it as a lens in the 135~90mm focal range with an aperture of f/1.8 ....something like that.
08-03-2014, 06:45 PM   #11
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I must admit that there is indeed a hole (maybe two) to fill in the current line up of prime lenses. there are the 14, 15, 21, 31, 35, 40, 43, 50, 55, 70, 77, 100 and then 200... A 85mm would be nice but definitely there is a gap between 100mm and 200mm that needs to be filed.
08-03-2014, 07:21 PM   #12
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QuoteOriginally posted by hjoseph7 Quote
Nice lens no doubt, but being a Macro it hunts a lot, or so I heard. How does it perform for general use, some say it might be too sharp for that.
If you are using CDAF, then yes, it hunts. the DA35ltd is another macro which hunts when used with CDAF.
But if you are using PDAF, then the rate of hunt is very low I mean less than 1% of times. I have both of them and used them a lot. I liked result of the DFA100macroWR as a telephoto and portrait lens. But my only other portrait lens is the DA50/1.8, and I have no experience with FA77 which I guess is the de facto of portrait lenses.
08-03-2014, 07:34 PM   #13
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I agree with the above comments about the D-FA 100 WR being of "limited" quality.

It would be nice to see a 135mm limited. It would have to be about f/3.5 to keep to a 49mm filter size, but if it was nicely sharp from the get-go I reckon it would be popular.
08-03-2014, 09:37 PM   #14
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QuoteOriginally posted by hjoseph7 Quote
Instead of a Pentax Full Frame model what Pentax really needs in their lens line-up is a 105mm or 135mm limited lens. Like all limited lenses the build should be exceptional and compact. Please no Huge HSM lenses like the 16-50mm. This would round out the range of the classics the 21mm, 43mm & 77mm nicely.
Since what you're talking about is what Pentax needs - that is, what will be positive and successful for the company's growth - the last thing Pentax needs is another Limited lens. A good Pentax FF would be of interest not only to current Pentax users but also to prospective ones.

On the lens front, Pentax would be better off focusing on WR lenses (both zoom & primes) and perhaps fast primes, since that is what many folks want. But IIRC I read somewhere on this site that a Pentax employee stated that really fast lenses were not in the cards, for now.
08-03-2014, 09:44 PM - 1 Like   #15
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....and what we *don't* need is another Full Frame thread
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