[jatrax]

And those posting in this thread and debating the merits of the Pentax lens line up as it is, are being played like cheap harpsichords.

Most likely. Still as most threads develop their own direction there is no need to really discuss the OP is there? We could take about cheese. Or wine. Or whines.

Or even about lenses. One point the OP mentioned that caught my eye was "wait another year for primes". Rumor was I think 6 primes in 2016. Now the lens map says 2017. I have to say I am surprised by that. Not really disappointed as I doubt I would be buying any of those anyway, I've more than enough FF primes. I will buy one of the new zooms, either 28-105 or 24-70, not sure which yet.

Another, implied, point was that if Ricoh is relying on Tamron to design their glass for them then they are unfortunately at the mercy of Tamron as far as delivery schedules go. If things get held up at Tamron then that pushes Pentax back as well.

And another point is "Pentax used to be known for primes". Were they? If you look at the FA lens catalog there are 20 zooms and 22 primes. And perhaps it is good to consider that back in the day everyone was known for primes, because zooms were not very good. Other companies moved on to good zooms, Pentax was late to the AF game and late to the zoom game. So saying they were known for primes might really mean that in the past their zooms were not so good.

* It's only a trolling post if you take it that way. Once the red flag is waved it is up to the bull to charge or discuss the color of the flag.

[monochrome]

Yes, that's what I was thinking. But why do the tamron rebadged lenses don't offer VC? Maybe a few dollar of cost reduction. Worth it? Not so sure.

It is my nature to trust that RICOH has a valid reason for this decision. I care not to speculate what it might be, beyond the possibility they have been consumed with work on K-1, Pixel-Shift and the 70-200 and simply didn't have time to overcome some engineering issue or other.

I'd bet it isn't so simple as just turn off SR in-camera and mount your OS lens.Perhaps they want the camera to determine when to use which system. There's only so much time in the day.

[jimr-pdx]

Any lens that looks good with the pixel density of the K-3 (24Mpx APSc) will look fine with the decreased density of the K-1, whatever its prefix (dFA, F, M, Tak). The density is about a draw to the K-50 &c since the k-1 crop is just under 16Mpxl. Heck I'm looking forward to trying my JC Penney 80-200, it does OK with my K-50 except for f/3.5 CA.

[clackers]

For me FA ltd are too old to try with them again

I'll dispose of them, Zapp, and will only charge you a very reasonable fee for my service. ☺

[jatrax]

I'll dispose of them, Zapp, and will only charge you a very reasonable fee for my service. ☺

No fees here. I hate fees. I'll even pay the shipping................

[jpzk]

yes, those dusty anachronistic FA limited lenses have to go!
And f/1.4 isn't enough these days,lenses with such apertures have existed since the 70s. I fully expect Pentax to have a line up of APO, WR, AF, ED, IF, f/1.0 primes to cater to professional demands.

And once those are available, soon now according to the latest rumours, professionals will demand a remake of a famous lens used here:

You Tube

You Tube

The future looks good!

[Rondec]

I think there is little value for the 24-70 and the 15-30 to adding a stabilization element to those zooms. At those focal lengths, SR is going to be at least as good as an in lens stabilization option. If it did cut down on the cost of the lenses a little (remember Pentax is just the middle man here) then that is fine.

The lens that could probably have used in lens shake reduction was the 70-200, but that one was created by Pentax and with the exception of lenses for the 645 series camera, they haven't put shake reduction in any of their lenses.

[RobA_Oz]

* It's only a trolling post if you take it that way. Once the red flag is waved it is up to the bull to charge or discuss the color of the flag.

[robjmitchell]

Lol, The FA limiteds have been likened to Zeiss With Autofocus (at a fraction of the price). Sure the Otus have stepped things up to another level, but just ask yourself why other brand users would find Zeiss primes desirable if their own primes lenses were that amazing! The combination of delicious rendering, superb central sharpness for subject isolation, and tiny size that attaches to a camera with five stops of SR is a flavour that is going to appeal to many people. No one else has anything close.

Of course to launch a new system that targets pros you are going to need the trilogy of 2.8 Zooms at launch plus a kit lens for existing users. The fact they are now working on four primes rather than f4 and consumer level zooms shows that pentax values its prime lens heritage. Using Modified tamron zooms mean there are more resources to get these lenses to market. From a personal perspective I would have preferred a Pentax made DA* 24-70 with pentax style rendering (which I don't really see in the current version)

[Digitalis]

Once the red flag is waved it is up to the bull to charge or discuss the color of the flag.

The problem with that, is that Bulls are colourblind.

[jatrax]

The problem with that, is that Bulls are colourblind.

How about: Once the bait is in the water is it up to the fish to bite or discuss the color of the bait?

[RobA_Oz]

The problem with that, is that Bulls are colourblind.

Surely, that's the very point of the conversation?

[nocturnal]

Pentax, for me, is all about practicality, quality, relative 'petiteness' and a bit leftfield

Their marketing in 2011-2012 sold me a K30 and the start of huge growing ever pulsating collection of equipment fuelled by horrid LBA.

Yes I am a hiker/backpacker mountain photographer and the newly acquired HD 15mm f4 Ltd. wide angle which on a K30 is a godsend, no other camera system can do this IQ for this size, weight and price.

It is crazy to omit these tiny ultra IQ primes from the Pentax K1 full frame user. A tiny 15mm lightweight prime is much more inviting than even thnking of lugging a 1kg+ zoom up mountains all day. Smallness has many advantages and you are more likely to take the camera every time.

As mainly a prime user I get into the focal length I am using and concentrate only on focal lengths within this frame all day long. Other photographers enjoy it this way too and you can see 'one lens one day' challenges etc. A single prime can tell more of the story of a sequence of photos than say a 18-300 zoom, in my opinion it is all over the place, doesn't quite gel as well and ultimately nearly everyone is doing this on social media (or just look here).

And don't forget the bokeh and art the Ltds are great for, the HD 15mm is like a painter in the hands of a good photographer, the three dimensionality is just so good.

Those new zooms are obviously good, but too Canikon for me and everyone has these zooms in these brands... similiar/same rendering, same sharpness etc.

I have seen the Canikon people with the massive lenses in suitcases not leaving the hotel car park at Mt.Teide Tenerife while I can walk all day and get photographs they won't get as they won't carry the gear to the location.

So Pentax have done well with the compactness of the full frame K1, so they cannot deprive their loyal and new custom of what they have done in the DA Ltd range!