[Naruto]

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My observation is:
1- at the photo exhibitions where I saw Pentax/Ricoh (exemple salon de la photo): All DA D-FA lenses, Ltd or not, were all shown. But there was no FA limited. Pentax does not want to push them as main products for their cameras. they were made for film era.
2- soon or later, the FA limited will be updated as it is done for all other lenses, of any major compagny.
3- It will be strange to see an aperture ring on an updated FA ltd. Aperture is electronically controled on all new cameras and on all new lenses of Pentax (idem for Canon, Nikon and Sony).

So I think that either, FA ltd will disappear, or they will be updated with no aperture ring.

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Last edited by Naruto; 12-29-2014 at 04:38 PM.

[Na Horuk]

Is this true or is it a bunch of junk? I can see the current line up being updated with "HD" coatings for a FF or higher resolution APS DSLR body.

We get these rumours at least once per year. For like.. 6 years now
Poor track record.

[cbope]

Not sure they care. The cameras are the throw-away part of the equation with prices falling pretty rapidly while lenses are the keeper component with prices being steady or steadily increasing. Anything that broadens their sales market of lenses is probably a huge plus for them (and us indirectly).

I believe the point is that you generally only buy a lens once. That same lens may live in front of multiple bodies over a decade or two, or more. Selling you two or three or more bodies over the course of a decade is good business. Removing the aperture ring isn't going to significantly impact Ricoh's business in any way whatsoever. Because those with old film bodies will continue to use them, they aren't buying new digital bodies every few years. I still have my film bodies for sentimental and collector reasons, but when was the last time I bought a new lens for one of them? That certainly isn't keeping Ricoh in business... I say it's all about what you put behind the lenses (the business model, not the point).

[Na Horuk]

Aperture ring is also useful for certain extension tubes, lens reversals, bellows, tilt/shift adapters. I hope Pentax doesn't remove aperture ring on all lenses in their lineup. I miss it on the DFA 100mm

[beachgardener]

Don't you like silver Pentax FA SMC 77mm F1 8 Limited Lens Silver 000270750506 | eBay ?

No, I prefer the black on my black K-5

and was cheaper with their last sale price.

[Naruto]

On shelves silver lenses are more beautiful but not on cameras.
No doubt that an aperture ring is useful for those who are not faithful to the brand. But most major compagnies (Canikon, ...) understood some time ago that it is better for them to get rid of it.

[Nicolas06]

A HD Pentax D-FA 1:1.7 / 77mm Limited WR SDM lens (by definition, without an aperture ring) would be something other than a SMC Pentax FA 77/1.8 Limited - more than an update but less than a replacement of a discontinued lens. The FA Limiteds are special lenses and should be, for the most part, left alone. Since SMC seems to have lost patent protection I could live with HD coatings, but little else.

OTOH, I have my three Princesses so why should I care?

While I thing HD coating, new apperture blades and WR could be interresting I tend to think that in lens focussing motor will just make the lenses bigger. If I have to choose between the old non updated model and a bigger one (if it even come), I'll go for the non updated model for sure.

Size and weight is a big part of theses FA ltd signature.

[beachgardener]

On shelves silver lenses are more beautiful but not on cameras.

Yes I agree, but the silver lenses look good on the silver limited cameras.