[jatrax]

I'm surprised that the market for the 'FF ready' lenses has not really taken off more. It's as if people don't actually believe Ricoh will do it ! Or are most contenders for the new body really going to be buying all the new glass As well ....?

I think many already have a good selection of FF primes. The zooms available, with a few exceptions, are mostly F and FA consumer zooms which might not produce so good on FF. They might, but it is unknown. So if you are dropping a lot of money on a new FF I would think you want good glass to go with it. Which is the FA Limited's, the F and FA primes and the F* and FA* lenses. And the new glass, at least for zooms.

Personally, I am good on primes. Zooms, the only Pro level FF ones available are the FA*28-70 f/2.8 and the FA*80-200 f/2.8 and those are very dated IMHO. For the price difference I will wait to see what the new glass looks like. And before I get flamed, I said dated not poor. They are excellent lenses but screwdrive and older coatings and powerzoom. I would rather look at the new glass.

You also have a few really nice consumer zooms like the F 35-70 but those are easy to find and not expensive. I suspect most people interested in FF already have a good collection of glass.

[dms]

One of the best bargains in the 28-70mm, assuming AF, is the FA 28-70mm f/4 lens.
Some apparently suffer from lens separation so best to get thru KEH, B&H, and others that offer trial period with refund if NG.
The lens is mechanically not great--cheap plastic barrel/aperture ring/etc., and MF has no resistance and has a short throw--but it is good enough, and the optics are very fine. Stopped down to f/5.6 it is fine, and at f/8 it is very sharp.
It is usually the intermediate zoom lens I pick for theater photography at f/5.6 The resulting 8"x11" prints are as fine as from my "better" lenses.
I haven't looked at prices recently but I would think a good condition one would be about $60.
I should add I have no experience using it in AF.

[nanhi]

My Tamron 28 - 75 is brutally sharp. After buying a brand new lens from B&H I carried out extensive focus tests at f2.8, f8 and f16 + 28, 35, 50 & 75 mm and found it behaving perfectly as per the laws of Physics.
Any lens is bound to be slightly softer especially at the edges at f2.8.
It is a Full Frame lens, tiny, compact and light compared to the Canikons or Pentaxes own lens of this caliber.
I have attached a photo with an older K20D at f2.8 and 75mm. See how sharp it is.Exif data is attached. Note it is heavily resized with a huge loss in sharpness,

[AndrewG NY]

Not 28-70 nor f/2.8 but I like the FA 24-90/3.5-4.5. I like it better than the 24-60/2.8 EX Sigma but the Sigma's not bad either. The Sigma is arguably better-built but I like the size & handling of the 24-90 better, plus I like the extra reach. At 70mm I found the 24-90 to be better than pretty much everything else I had at that length except for (predictably) the DA70/2.4 Limited. Something a little lighter and less expensive -- the FA 28-105/3.2-4.5, this lens is f/4 up to 70mm, and for me it tested better (at 70mm, anyway) than the FA28-70/4 or F28-80/3.5-4.5. (but not quite as good as the 24-90 or DA17-70/4).

If we're thinking ahead to full-frame digital, it's highly likely that Pentax will have something new, better, and much more expensive available. A lens like the FA24-90 benefits from the APS-C sweet spot...I think it may still be among the better of the zooms designed-for-film but I'd expect new designs intended for use on high-megapixel digital sensors to mop the floor with most of the bargain zooms.

[mcgregni]

Guess you're right . Many of us may be being a bit too hopeful .....

I just hope that Ricoh consider their amateur/enthusiast user base as well as the semi-pros, and offer a little bit of choice. A mid range zoom option covering, say, 24-85ish plus 70-300 perhaps, even at f3.5-5.6, would be valuable to many don't you think?

Or do Ricoh consider this is not the sort of thing their potential FF customers will want? Do they instead see them as needing the ultimate in quality, and with the money to burn will be grabbing at all the new D FA constant f2.8's and constant f4.0's ... ?

My only real complaint with the Tamron 28-75mm is that its soft wide open, especially on the longer end (where I use it the most), not too bad for general images (I use it for work, to shoot VIP Visits, Events etc) but I would not trust it for anything I would want to print/blow up for exhibitions. Other than that, the Tamron was excellent value. ... Am I missing anything?

My experience with the Tamron is very different than yours. Been using one since 2007 for portraits and occasional travel. I use it wide open at 75mm without hesitation for my customers and myself.

Here's a portrait example I have permission to show A Modern Ms Bennet . The below are from a walkabout at Foster Botanical Garden in Honolulu, all at 2.8 & 75mm.

[hoopsontoast]

This is the best I have had from my Tamron 28-75 (a home shot rather than work), and that was with Tripod, its sharp enough for web images but I would not want to go to print with anything.

[pathdoc]

Guess you're right . Many of us may be being a bit too hopeful .....

I just hope that Ricoh consider their amateur/enthusiast user base as well as the semi-pros, and offer a little bit of choice. A mid range zoom option covering, say, 24-85ish plus 70-300 perhaps, even at f3.5-5.6, would be valuable to many don't you think?

Or do Ricoh consider this is not the sort of thing their potential FF customers will want? Do they instead see them as needing the ultimate in quality, and with the money to burn will be grabbing at all the new D FA constant f2.8's and constant f4.0's ... ?

Given that this is the biggest groundbreaker for Pentax since they went digital, it's no surprise if the first few lenses released are uber-flagship level to match the body. The rest will follow in due course.

[nanhi]

I think many of us are discussing or mean the following:
a) A fast f 2.8 zoom lens.
b) Full Frame
c) 28 - 75 ish
d) Small, compact and light weight like the Tamron.
e) A stack of primes which the Tamron 28-75 f 2.8 lens is
f) Great value for money - under $ 450.
Bought the Tamron 28-75/2.8 from B&H brand new for $ 425. Made in Japan & not China or Vietnam or whatever.

Now lets think for a moment: can Pentax - or even the Canikons - ever beat all these criteria?? Be honest please.

[jatrax]

Now lets think for a moment: can Pentax - or even the Canikons - ever beat all these criteria?? Be honest please.

No. Not for that price. They really have no incentive to do so. They can all produce a good lens in the $1,000 range and sell all they need to. Producing a less expensive lens with the same features devalues the premium line.

I do expect a less expensive 'kit' lens perhaps something like the FA 28-70 f/4. Brought up to 18-135 standards that could be available at $400-500.

[mbukal]

rare animals Tokina ATX-pro sv 28-70 / 2.8, very pleased on Pentax K30, my recommendation

[pathdoc]

Dog looks like he's decided the baby would make a good lunch!

[mwilky55]

From what I've read the Tamron 28-75 f2.8 (yours !) is a hard act to beat, especially if staying near the price point. It's already FF compatible I think.

Lets face it .... The new FF body PLUS new D FA lenses is going to blow most of our budgets to smithereens ... (well, it's all going to be too much money!). So, some compromises somewhere are going to have to be accepted.

When I used a Canon film SLR before switching to Pentax, my standard zoom was a 24-85mm 1:3.5-4.5 ..a very versatile, effective and good value choice. I really hope Ricoh offer us something similar as a mid-range choice to soften the FF blow a little ...

I like my Tamron 28-75 and even though I would love to have the FA*28-70, I'm unconvinced it's twice as good (though it is twice as old and twice the price). And the Tamron is full frame.

I also have a 35-70 up for sale because I have the Tamron. As mcgregni suggests, the 35-70 a damn fine lens for the price. In fact I'm kind of hoping no one wants it

As far as enlargements, I have taken photos with these two lenses to 8x10 with no issues, but don't know how much larger they would scale.

I like my Tamron 28-75 and even though I would love to have the FA*28-70, I'm unconvinced it's twice as good (though it is twice as old and twice the price). And the Tamron is full frame.

I also have a 35-70 up for sale because I have the Tamron. As mcgregni suggests, the 35-70 a damn fine lens for the price. In fact I'm kind of hoping no one wants it

As far as enlargements, I have taken photos with these two lenses to 8x10 with no issues, but don't know how much larger they would scale.

There's a 16"x24" of this hanging above my desk, Tamron 28-75 & K10D on tripod in 2009. It's 2nd copy, the first print was sold at a silent auction at an Arts Organization Annual Ball.

[mwilky55]

Sweet