[brecklundin]

I wanted NOTHING but tethering...a BASIC function for any $1600 DSLR and found on $500 cameras everywhere...it's part of my earning a bit of a living as well as fun for me when I want to shoot macro thanks the for shit Liveview on the K20D. Tethering is far important to me far more than high ISO crap, I shot for years as a kid with 100 ISO film pushed to 400 or even 800 and was FINE with those results so my needs are really not huge here.

But leaving out, as it now seems that the addition of it back into the new body is again contradicted, truly forces me to abandon Pentax as a brand because they are telling me they no longer want people like me as customers...and there are 1000's, hell, likely 10's of 1000's who use tethering on a daily basis but have never moved past their K10D/K20D (or older) body to a newer body that, perhaps, might let them have some extra fun for the hard to come by cash...

I am sad to see the potential for FA Limiteds being DC'd but it may or may not be true...however, there well could be a re-invention of the line in the plans. Problem is nobody will be told in order to create a run on existing inventory> And for HoyaTax they don't care because if it's true or not, those who have been waiting and can afford to do so, will buy whatever is missing from their lineup. I see NOS MIJ copies doubling in price inside a year if there the rumor is true, the K-5 turns out as nice as it seems so far for what actually works on the freaking thing and there is no announcement of WR versions with the new DC (or whatever) AF drive...actually I see this as possibility a move to eliminate the screw drive AF lenses completely because right now, they are too loud for many shooting situations...far too loud.

Problem is, if true combined with a few other well know compromises with shooting HoyaTax, I see them losing not just consumers but retail as well.

I just don't need the in ability to plan for my future needs...not that I have much of a future to worry about, I had hoped to enjoy some of it on the way out.

[ogl]

You mean, There is no reason for you to buy Pentax except for the FA Limited lenses.

I buy it for the DA Limiteds, and no other brand offers that.

DA LIMITEDs must be better checked by QC and better build.
It's not normal if one lens of the same model has poor performance (for example, DA15 at 4-5.6), but another (the same DA15 - has outstanding center resolution wide-opened) has much better...is it normal?


The buying of lenses becomes the lottery.

[Christopher M.W.T]

DA LIMITEDs must be better checked by QC and better build.
It's not normal if one lens of the same model has poor performance (for example, DA15 at 4-5.6), but another (the same DA15 - has outstanding center resolution wide-opened) has much better...is it normal?


The buying of lenses becomes the lottery.

Yay sample variations :P

[Christopher M.W.T]

I don't really see the drama if Pentax doesn't bother with FF, they seem to be focusing on APC-C how is that worse than companies like olympus and Panasonic focusing on 4/3 / M4/3 ?

Whats their FF strategy? none? :P



It really makes no sense for Pentax to go up against the Canon/Nikon powerhouse so let them have the FF market, it's clearly a smaller more niche market.

APS-C is the most popular, so if Pentax can or is planning on been the best in that segment then it perhaps a good thing and having the share of MF digital also is potentially good niche for Pentax to be in.

Oly/Pana has 4/3 let them have it, it works for them.



Look I really do question the wisdom and logic of Pentax marketing and management, but at the end of the day it seems pretty clear they aren't going for FF, they have MF though

[dycz]

I don't really see the drama if Pentax doesn't bother with FF, they seem to be focusing on APC-C how is that worse than companies like olympus and Panasonic focusing on 4/3 / M4/3 ?

Whats their FF strategy? none? :P



It really makes no sense for Pentax to go up against the Canon/Nikon powerhouse so let them have the FF market, it's clearly a smaller more niche market.

APS-C is the most popular, so if Pentax can or is planning on been the best in that segment then it perhaps a good thing and having the share of MF digital also is potentially good niche for Pentax to be in.

Oly/Pana has 4/3 let them have it, it works for them.



Look I really do question the wisdom and logic of Pentax marketing and management, but at the end of the day it seems pretty clear they aren't going for FF, they have MF though

Im with you chris.... its aps-c and MF for pentax.

[Christopher M.W.T]

Im with you chris.... its aps-c and MF for pentax.

The reality is Pentax was too late to the FF game, they had their chance back in 2000 but had to scrap it for whatever reason, most likely the sensor tech was too immature.

It's taken them a while to catch up in the APS-C game now the K-5 is looking like a good Canon/Nikon direct alternative in terms of image, noise and possible POSSIBLY AF.

Pentax are in a unique position with one of the few offering a digital MF camera and the only one offering a MF camera in the 645D price range plus already existing complete range of lenses.

What Pentax needs is better marketing and better accessories now. And I'm sounding like a broken record but for F*!K sake get together some better accessories, their top of the line 540FGZ flash is a joke for what it is and it's price, it does not deserve to sit on top of a 645D or K-7, it's like adorning your gorgeous brand new Audi R8 with tacky LED windscreen washer nozzels.

In my hand I have a Yongnuo 560 flash, for $80AUD it's manual only but in terms of physical build quality it shits all over the Pentax 540 flash, even the battery door feels like its from a more expensive flash, its just as powerful and charges a lot faster than the Pentax, if you coupled this thing with P-TTL, LCD screen and proper seals you'd have an excellent flash gun.

[Pentaxor]

for what it's worth, the marketplace had been pretty busy lately. there are two main reasons for it,
1.> looking to fund the K-5
2.> abandon ship


sub-reasons:
1.> financial concerns
2.> funding a new lens

[blende8]

No offence, Wieland, but I don't think your statement about AF not being quicker for SDM lenses is true in practice. The most relevant part of AF speed is determined by the camera, not the lens, which is why we can expect to see AF speed improvements even with SDM lenses where the "end to end" speed is fixed by the power of the lens motor.

Well, I did only a few tests.
This of course requires further testing.
I can only say that for me the result was, that the speed under the Photokina lighting conditions was the same. We put the cameras side by side on a table and let them focus on something nearby. The speed was the same.
There may be some subtle difference her and there, yes, possible, but it is nothing that I would say "Wow, this is it" about.

One must differenciate 2 things here:
1. The maximum speed of the motor and
2. The algorithm speed of the software.

I think that the SDM lenses are motor speed limited. They just cannot turn faster. It doesn't matter that perhaps the algorithms are faster. This is clear to me now.

To check if the algorithms are faster, one should use shaft AF, of which the motor is clearly fast and strong enough. I didn't check this because there was not enough time.

[ogl]

To stay in the niche of APS-C is not problem...If Pentax can offer new lenses - analogues of film lenses and new fast fixed lenses.

But...I don't see anything like

FA*24/2
FA 28/2.8 Soft
FA* 85/1.4 [IF]
FA 135/2.8 [IF]
FA* 400/5.6 ED [IF]
FA* 250-600/5.6 ED [IF]
FA 85/2.8 Soft
FA50/1.7
DA*200/4 macro
FA28/2.8

[patk]

To stay in the niche of APS-C is not problem...If Pentax can offer new lenses - analogues of film lenses and new fast fixed lenses.

But...I don't see anything like

FA*24/2
FA 28/2.8 Soft
FA* 85/1.4 [IF]
FA 135/2.8 [IF]
FA* 400/5.6 ED [IF]
FA* 250-600/5.6 ED [IF]
FA 85/2.8 Soft
FA50/1.7
DA*200/4 macro
FA28/2.8

sounds to me like there's a lot to look forward to - and it may even make it easier for people to decide to pay for more upscale da lenses when they come to represent the uncontested epitome of modern pentax lenses. i found it instructive while browsing lenses to stumble across the blog of a pentaxian who had purchased a ff lens previously owned by kerrick james, who had decided to go with the da* version. can't remember if it was the 200 or 300, but the message to me was that the da lens met some pretty high performance requirements. at that point, i decided that the da* 200 is in my future - and probably for less new than a used fa* 200 on ebay.

[RonHendriks1966]

for what it's worth, the marketplace had been pretty busy lately. there are two main reasons for it,
1.> looking to fund the K-5
2.> abandon ship


sub-reasons:
1.> financial concerns
2.> funding a new lens

Well I'm selling my ass off to fund my wishes, K-5 and DA*60-250mm and hoping for my grandmother to die to get a 645D.

[falconeye]

As for FA Ltds. being discontinued, I must say I wasn't around when that was said. I am seeking confirmation now.

Ok, I was able to obtain this much of verifyable information:

The new German dealer price list from Pentax lists the FA Ltds. as "EOL" (end of life).

Every German dealer should be able to confirm. Maybe, dealers from other countries can report what information they got.

I refrain from interpreting the exact meaning of this information.

[JoepLX3]

Pentax not going for FF and (given limitted resources) not betting on too many horses makes a lot of sence to me. If this is true then it actually is a clear sign (the requested roadmap information - at least an indication) for customers to not hesitate and buy "pro" APS-C optimized lenses.

• By making this choice their APS-C system (camera + lenses) will / did become even stronger!!!
• Oh, sometimes not all consequences sound nice / clear for outsiders, but making no or only half a decision is often worst of any of the possibilities to select from...

Be real, the market for people with more than two serious lenses (non-kit or sigma/tamron full range zoom replacement) is pretty small.

• The fancy lens brands make lenses for multiple camera brands
• Pentax only make lenses for Pentax camera's
• A good but also affordable lens selection is more important than the FA Limited

Oh, I live in Nagoya (3rd / 4th largest city in Japan) and also here a couple of shops with always some used limited lenses and unlimited selection of manual focus Pentax lenses on stock.

About the prices I also have a nice theory. Due to the high Yen exchange currency prices outside Japan seem to be high. Pentax could lower the prices like Canon and Nikon are doing to fight back on the successful K-x, but run the risk the Canon and Nikon even further reduce the prices... Outcome: lower margin and not larger volume.
- Pentax is smart to not lower their price, they obviously would not win that fight against Canon and Nikon

In marketing there is a saying that customer complaining about price is a good sign, because it confirms the product is attractive!!! And the company should try to get the best price for it. Which is also best for their customer, that is if the re-invest in even better products.


Is Pentax (in Japan) going to release the 35 mm F2.4 lens as a kit with the K-r? (combination discount)

• Or could I much better get a cheap K-x and seperate 35 mm F2.4 lens?

[Christopher M.W.T]

Ok, I was able to obtain this much of verifyable information:

The new German dealer price list from Pentax lists the FA Ltds. as "EOL" (end of life).

Every German dealer should be able to confirm. Maybe, dealers from other countries can report what information they got.

I refrain from interpreting the exact meaning of this information.

Is there any hints or murmurs or any new lenses?

[Boris]

But...I don't see anything like

...
FA* 85/1.4 [IF]
...

Correct me if I am wrong, but I thought that DA* 55/1.4 is actually the exact replacement of the above in APS-C terms.