[luftfluss]

Could Richo take a old design and update it sure, but how big of a market do they have for big expensive glass? Look how people complain here about the size of the 15-30 2.8 or the new 50 and 85 1.4's size and cost. A new long lens will be much heavier and cost more than those. They have a smaller budget and need to invest in products that will have a broader appeal to their customers, I don't think wasting money on a long lens is in their best interest.

If Pentax can deliver cameras that are class-competitive with AF performance, there will be a demand for upscale lenses. Not $12k Canon 600/4 upscale, but perhaps $7000 500/4.5 or 300/2.8 will do. Pentax needs to build a base for this market, and that begins with the bodies.

[luftfluss]

Canon will basically screw over their DSLR owners (I know you're one of them). They'll orphan that EF mount. All their new lenses won't work on your camera. There'll just be a trickle from what's already in the pipeline, like Olympus over the next couple of years.

Canon stuck with the EF mount for over 30 years. Not bad.

Pentax has their own inconsistencies when it comes to the various K-mount permutations.

At least Canon has a massive legacy of first- and third- party lenses for EF users. Pentax should be so lucky.

[Billk]

I love my K1 and DA 300mm but I am up for the K3iii for wildlife. If there is a 400mm or 500mm lens with fast autofocus down the track, I will want that too.

Let's see, four thousand bucks for the Pentax DA 560, two thousand for the Tamron 150-600 zoom. Two failed copies of the 560 and three trips to Precision, perfect functioning and exquisite sharpness from the Tamron. T'ell wit' Pentax, s'my opinion. (Of course a Canon supertelephoto prime lens will set you back about $13,000.)

[Mistral75]

(...)

Yes, I agree. People give their opinions on what companies should do, but don't want to pay the price. And the only thing that makes sense in this declining camera market (for any company) is prosumer. Low end products are commercial suicide.

Some caveat might be in order here, in particular concerning long lenses. Canon said the sales of RF 600mm f/11 IS STM and RF 800mm f/11 IS STM are far above their expectations and they now plan a 400mm, may be f/8.

These are collapsible, fixed-aperture, relatively inexpensive lenses ($699 and $899 respectively).

Unfortunately, such lenses with a very small aperture can only work with electronic viewfinders and on-sensor autofocus.

[Pål Jensen]

If Pentax can deliver cameras that are class-competitive with AF performance, there will be a demand for upscale lenses. Not $12k Canon 600/4 upscale, but perhaps $7000 500/4.5 or 300/2.8 will do. Pentax needs to build a base for this market, and that begins with the bodies.

The problem is that such lenses are financially out of bounds for most potential users. The other problem is that if you rally want a super telephoto lens, Canon and Nikon are your best choices. This is because the second hand marked is flooded with them. A second hand Canon 300/2.8 can be had cheaply for about 1/3 of the price of a used, ultra-rare Pentax FA* 300/2.8.

[Mistral75]

Is Cactus no more? I was not aware of that.

Yes, Mark, there's a thread around here ... they made an official statement of some kind.

That's odd, there is nothing on their website except the announcement of a failed Kickstarter campaign.

News | CACTUS

[Mistral75]

The problem is that such lenses are financially out of bounds for most potential users. The other problem is that if you rally want a super telephoto lens, Canon and Nikon are your best choices. This is because the second hand marked is flooded with them. A second hand Canon 300/2.8 can be had cheaply for about 1/3 of the price of a used, ultra-rare Pentax FA* 300/2.8.

On top of that, the price of the camera is secondary when buying such lenses, therefore it makes sense to choose the lens first and then buy the camera which goes with it.

[pres589]

Isn't that always the answer? Find the glass you really want and then buy the body you want that is available in that system.

[gaweidert]

I have the D FA 150-450 and have to admit that bokeh can be all over the place. Sometimes good and sometimes pure (insert proper expletive here). For close in focus and shorter focal lengths bokeh is very good. When stretching it to it's limits of distance and focal length bokeh gets much worse. There is a reason that it is not a star lens. But it is the only long range lens out there other than the 560mm Ff.6. If Pentax does not want to make long lenses, then a set of good FF teleconverters would be nice but I gave up on them delivering any of these a long time ago.

[Pål Jensen]

Do we know that the DA 560 is at its lifes end? How much hold is it in this rumor?

[Lowell Goudge]

Points well made, and the pictures I've seen taken with it are fantastic, but the issue is that there aren't enough Lowell Goudges in the world.

Be careful, in my world i have been told enough times that you really don't want 2 of me

Let's be honest, you may be one of less than 400 individuals who've been wealthy enough to afford one.

it is not a question of wealth, exactly, a person smoking a pack a day is spending $15 a day for this habit, or almost the cost of the lens each and every year. I consider this a lifestyle choice

also consider inflation. when you consider for exmple my vivitar 70-210 f3.5 series 1 lens in 1980 cost $350 that lens, compared to my income, would be comparable to about a $4K lens today. and something lime the 135-600 zoom was about $6K then. I dont know what the SMC 500/4.5 cost in comparison it would be interesting to say the least

the DA560 by comparison is relatively cheap for what it is today

[zapp]

It does need to be replaced because it's not very good, but I don't see them replacing it with a fast full frame model, they don't have a full frame camera for that type of lens and they don't have the buyers for something in that price range.

They should make something like the Nikon 500PF that is very small and less expensive for APSC.

This would be the obvious solution. Include FF to attract all k-Mount DSLR users.
A 300 remake would sense to make a line of at least too lenses with dedicated tc. DA 300 is fine, but not modern
500/5.6 is too close to the 450 end of the 150-450 zoom. Make it very unique = small, perform great, or make it 600 mm to get a winner. Add lens stabilization in cooperation with sensor stabilization...

[MarkJerling]

Yes, Mark, there's a thread around here ... they made an official statement of some kind.

Dang. Such good products, I hope someone resurrects it.
I see their website is still active, so who knows.

[stevebrot]

I cannot believe that a lens that is bought by a very few users is causing so much excitement.

The excitement being that if conjecture is true, then Pentax is more doomed than if it were not. The notion creates a state of arousal in some quarters.


Steve