[Tas]

I came across an article on Photorumors (First picture of the Oprema Jena Biotar 58mm f/2 lens | Photo Rumors) about this lens and it was identified in all the usual mounts except K mount but included M42. I thought well that's good as it's not so hard to mount on a Pentax camera but when checking out the Kickstarter page it indicates they will now be including K mount. This might make it more interesting to some around here and looking at the sample images I can understand why. Anyhoo, here are the details if you're interested: The Rising: all-star team returns legendary Biotar 75/f1.5 by Oprema ? Kickstarter

Tas

[aurele]

Or you can buy the Helios 44 that is the soviet version of this Oprema, for less than 99$, or 10% of the price of the Oprema ! Wouhouuu !

[Paul the Sunman]

The swirly bokeh makes my head hurt.

[pres589]

Yeah, I think a good CLA on a 13 blade 44 or a 44-2 makes a lot more sense.

[Tas]

Or you can buy the Helios 44 that is the soviet version of this Oprema, for less than 99$, or 10% of the price of the Oprema ! Wouhouuu !

Yeah, I think a good CLA on a 13 blade 44 or a 44-2 makes a lot more sense.

Fair enough, that's a logical thing to do if it gives you the same results for what would be a bit of a niche lens for around $1000. Still if companies are to invest in K mount then those using K mount have to be prepared to support those companies or the support will, as usual be withdrawn.

For example, I assumed the Kickstarter page was all about the 58mm when it's really focusing on the 75/1.8. That's the one being indicated will come in K mount, yet the 58 may not as it's indicated as M42 mount only. It was my mistake for not noticing that point when I created this post but it's probably another example of what Sigma, Tamron and others have chosen to do as it no longer makes sense to support our relatively small corner of the market if they can't recoup their investment. That's life eh?

[swanlefitte]

You realize the pentax 77 1.8 is the most appreciated pentax lens.

[Tas]

You realize the pentax 77 1.8 is the most appreciated pentax lens.

Yep, the original post was about the 58/2, but it changes nothing. Other manufacturers will support us or not based on what people buy.

[aurele]

t Sigma, Tamron and others have chosen to do as it no longer makes sense to support our relatively small corner of the market if they can't recoup their investment. That's life eh?

If i remember well Sigma said that the withdrawn was partly du to the way aperture is controled in Pentax camera (mechanicaly).

[funktionsfrei]

that the withdrawn was partly du to the way aperture is controled in Pentax camera (mechanicaly).

With the KAF4 mount, introduced with the new Pentax-DA 55-300 mm F4,5-6,3 ED PLM WR RE, this is no longer a viable argument.

Here aperture control is no longer controlled mechanically, but electronically, as in various other mounts. Thus a 3rd-party lens manufacturer would only have to replace the bayonet mount itself with it's contacts and swap out the microcontroller inside the lens, adapting the software protocol used by the various lens mounts.

Thus adaptation of a lens from, say, Nikon mount (E-type lens) to Pentax mount would no longer be an unsurmountable obstacle, given that the KAF4 lens protocol is known to the lens manufacturer.

Were Sigma to license the KAF4 protocol, they could convert their complete lens lineup to Pentax compatibility without huge development efforts. Beside some basic mechanical engineering (a piece of metal with electric contacts, which Sigma does very well know how to produce since much more than a decade) it's only software.

[pres589]

Yeah, I don't think Sigma has ever paid to properly license a lens mount, and I don't see that changing.

Maybe Tamron comes back. I don't see Sigma or Tokina doing so.

[funktionsfrei]

Well, presumably Tokina has licensed the KAF(whatever) mount, since they are OEM producers of several lenses sold under the "Pentax" label, and Tamron quite certainly has, since they also are OEM producers of various other lenses sold by Pentax (as for instance the 15-30 or the 18-270 and it's predecessor, the 18-250).

Tokina stopped decades ago selling own-branded K-mount lenses, Tamron still does, but interestingly only rather outdated and otherwise uninteresting lenses.

Which is a pity, since Tamron has several lenses that are not competitors for anything sold by Pentax, but which would nicely complete the lineup.

[aurele]

With the KAF4 mount, introduced with the new Pentax-DA 55-300 mm F4,5-6,3 ED PLM WR RE, this is no longer a viable argument.

Considering that most of the Pentax DSLR user have body not compatible with it, i still sthink it's quite an argument for Sigma !

[turbofoen]

Or you can buy the Helios 44 that is the soviet version of this Oprema, for less than 99$, or 10% of the price of the Oprema ! Wouhouuu !

word!

The Zenith Helios 44K4 is a nice Biotar 58/2 Clone with less Swirl than the older m42 Helios Lenses.

[Tas]

A quick update on the new Oprema Jena Biotar 58mm f/2 lens (currently on Kickstarter) - it will be the "world's only" lens with 17 aperture blades:

"The Biotar 58 is a true Biotar with the unique combination of edge-to-edge sharpness and dreamy bokeh that few, if any lenses, have achieved. But what really sets the Biotar 58mm apart is what you´ll find on the inside - just like the the very first versions of the original Biotar 58, which was produced by Carl Zeiss in Jena, Germany, the modern version will have 17 aperture blades that will help it produce an one-of-a-kind background blur. You won´t find another lens on the market with that many aperture blades."

The Oprema Jena Biotar 58mm f/2 lens will have 17 aperture blades | Photo Rumors

[pres589]

Is 17 blades that much of a big deal vs 13 for the early 44's, or some of today's lenses with rounded blades? Aperture blades and how they can affect out of focus highlights or how they create starbursts is kind of a crazy thing that I don't always grasp well so this is a question and not snark dressed up like a question. See lenses like the M 50 f4 Macro for OoF rendering, or the DA*55, or how the DA 15 SMC handles starbursts.