Speculations: New 55-300 Full Frame close at hand

geko5766 · 05-04-2019, 08:20 AM

Hello everybody and greetings from Germany,

according the German Pentax Forum DigitalFotoNetz.de, a very reliable User, who actually is selling Photogear, is reporting on a 55-300 Fullframe lens , f 4.5 -6.3 which may be presented rather soon.
It will bot be the exclusive *-line but definitively be a high--class product.

Would come in handy, wouldn´t it?

Source: DigitalFotoNetz.de :: Thema anzeigen - Pentax 50-300 fullframe im Anmarsch

A perfect walk-around lens.

Best from Trier
Georg

pschlute · 05-04-2019, 08:26 AM

Given that the slower 70-200 (f4) is already in the pipeline, I find this hard to believe as a new lens.

Could it possibly be a revamp of the existing 55-300 to give FF coverage ?

**jatrax** · 05-04-2019, 09:04 AM - **2 Likes**

Lens road map shows a FF 60ish - 300ish zoom. It is listed as 2019 or later and very little information has been available. Whether this poster has any new information or is just talking about the road map I cannot tell. My German is too rusty to make much of the posting.

I do hope it is not 4.5-6.3, I was hoping for something a little bit faster than that.

I very much doubt it is a revamp of the DA 55-300, that is a fine lens but it is a long way from FF coverage. They have had this lens on the road map for a long time now so plenty of time to have started from scratch as they have on their other new glass. I would expect it to be the longer companion of the DFA 28-105.

builttospill · 05-04-2019, 09:06 AM

This doesn't make sense with a 70-200 f/4 around the corner. Also, high-class and f/4.5-6.3 don't belong in the same sentence...

Maybe the 70-200 is really a 70-300 f/4.

**Rondec** · 05-04-2019, 09:13 AM - **2 Likes**

Originally posted by builttospill

This doesn't make sense with a 70-200 f/4 around the corner. Also, high-class and f/4.5-6.3 don't belong in the same sentence...

Maybe the 70-200 is really a 70-300 f/4.

They’ll be two different products. 60-300 variable aperture zoom will retail for 500. The 70-200 f4 probably will be over a thousand.

**monochrome** · 05-04-2019, 09:56 AM - **3 Likes**

I wonder if there will ever be a DFA 24-105/4 to go with the DFA 70-200/4.

**jatrax** · 05-04-2019, 10:11 AM

Originally posted by monochrome

I wonder if there will ever be a DFA 24-105/4 to go with the DFA 70-200/4.

I suspect that would be a very long time in coming. But since this is speculation we could speculate that Pentax will have three ranges of zoom lenses. DFA f/2.8, 'enthusiast' f/4 range, and a variable aperture 'consumer' range.
The f/2.8 range is largely in place.
The f/4 range is only hinted at with the DFA 70-200 f/4.
The variable aperture range is represented by the DFA 28-105 and the DFA 150-450. Plus the road mapped 60-300ish.

---------- Post added 05-04-19 at 10:16 AM ----------

So add in:
f/4: 18-35 f/4, 24-105 f/4, 100-300 f/4

variable: 60-300

Last edited by jatrax; 05-04-2019 at 10:17 AM.

reh321 · 05-04-2019, 10:46 AM

Originally posted by builttospill

high-class and f/4.5-6.3 don't belong in the same sentence...

Depends on what you mean by "high class". My DA 55-300mm PLM is a fine lens, with very quick and quiet AF. No, its not very wide aperture, but at 300mm I wouldn't use f/4 anyway because the DOF would be too thin - perhaps not deep enough to include the entire animal - and high ISO performance of my KP is great ... I don't really need that much light.

Kunzite · 05-04-2019, 11:00 AM - **2 Likes**

It's plausible, since something like that was already on the roadmap. OTOH... that lens doesn't even have a tentative name...
I'll wait for another source until taking this serious. It might be the moment some information starts leaking around.

Now, who will be the first to claim this is a Tamron?

Reed · 05-04-2019, 11:05 AM

There is a demand for such lens. It would be good company to D-FA 28-105. If I remember correctly there ware two lenses that never got reveled by Ricoh shown along on table with K-1 dedicated site interviews. One was speculated to be a variable aperture telephoto, other to be full frame fisheye zoom.

beholder3 · 05-04-2019, 11:16 AM - **3 Likes**

IMHO there are three main criteria:
- price < 900 EUR

- compactness
- image quality

Everything else can be left for the 2,000+ EUR class of lenses.

For the majority of users the DFA 28-105 plus this lens is all they'll ever need.

aaacb · 05-04-2019, 11:48 AM - **1 Like**

With the k1 being a great landscape camera, I think it'd make sense.

For apsc, I use the DA 55-300 PLM primarily as a landscape lens, stopped down to f8-f11 most of the time, where it's very sharp. And I wouldn't take a constant aperture f4 lens for this use case, it is much easier to travel and especially hike with a compact and lightweight lens. So again it's all about making the right compromises that suit the application.

**boriscleto** · 05-04-2019, 12:03 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by aaacb

With the k1 being a great landscape camera, I think it'd make sense.

For apsc, I use the DA 55-300 PLM primarily as a landscape lens, stopped down to f8-f11 most of the time, where it's very sharp. And I wouldn't take a constant aperture f4 lens for this use case, it is much easier to travel and especially hike with a compact and lightweight lens. So again it's all about making the right compromises that suit the application.

I know a landscape shooter who raves about his Canon 24-105 f/4...he never shoots at anything wider than f/11...

normhead · 05-04-2019, 12:29 PM

Originally posted by builttospill

Also, high-class and f/4.5-6.3 don't belong in the same sentence...

Lordy.
It takes all types.

There's low class and then there's no class.

**TwoUptons** · 05-04-2019, 01:12 PM

Originally posted by Kunzite

It's plausible, since something like that was already on the roadmap. OTOH... that lens doesn't even have a tentative name...
I'll wait for another source until taking this serious. It might be the moment some information starts leaking around.

Now, who will be the first to claim this is a Tamron?

Don't be ridiculous... I thought we had already learned from some guy at a pub in an undisclosed location near Seattle that it is being made by the Lomography folks and is a combination of solid brass and plastic

More seriously, it's on the roadmap, and it is the kind of lens that has showed up as a bit of a surprise in the past, no loud announcement or preview presence at a show...

With no information other than a look at the existing and road-mapped lineup, I would expect this to be along the lines of the existing 55-300 APS-C lens in terms of aperture.
I'd expect it to cost a bit more, just for the implication that comes with full-frame coverage.
And I would like the focus to be as fast as the PLM, though I doubt that will happen, simply due to the mass. Happy to be wrong there, though...

-Eric

05-04-2019, 08:20 AM	#1
geko5766 Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Trier Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 80	Speculations: New 55-300 Full Frame close at hand Hello everybody and greetings from Germany, according the German Pentax Forum DigitalFotoNetz.de, a very reliable User, who actually is selling Photogear, is reporting on a 55-300 Fullframe lens , f 4.5 -6.3 which may be presented rather soon. It will bot be the exclusive *-line but definitively be a high--class product. Would come in handy, wouldn´t it? Source: DigitalFotoNetz.de :: Thema anzeigen - Pentax 50-300 fullframe im Anmarsch A perfect walk-around lens. Best from Trier Georg

05-04-2019, 10:46 AM	#8
reh321 Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: South Bend, IN, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 23,181	Originally posted by builttospill high-class and f/4.5-6.3 don't belong in the same sentence... Depends on what you mean by "high class". My DA 55-300mm PLM is a fine lens, with very quick and quiet AF. No, its not very wide aperture, but at 300mm I wouldn't use f/4 anyway because the DOF would be too thin - perhaps not deep enough to include the entire animal - and high ISO performance of my KP is great ... I don't really need that much light. Last edited by reh321; 05-04-2019 at 10:57 AM.

05-04-2019, 12:03 PM - 1 Like	#13
boriscleto Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: North Syracuse, NY Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,475	Originally posted by aaacb With the k1 being a great landscape camera, I think it'd make sense. For apsc, I use the DA 55-300 PLM primarily as a landscape lens, stopped down to f8-f11 most of the time, where it's very sharp. And I wouldn't take a constant aperture f4 lens for this use case, it is much easier to travel and especially hike with a compact and lightweight lens. So again it's all about making the right compromises that suit the application. I know a landscape shooter who raves about his Canon 24-105 f/4...he never shoots at anything wider than f/11... Last edited by boriscleto; 05-04-2019 at 08:28 PM.

05-04-2019, 12:29 PM	#14
normhead Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Near Algonquin Park Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 40,451	Originally posted by builttospill Also, high-class and f/4.5-6.3 don't belong in the same sentence... Lordy. It takes all types. There's low class and then there's no class. Last edited by normhead; 05-04-2019 at 01:02 PM.

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05-04-2019, 08:26 AM	#2
pschlute Moderator Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Surrey, UK Photos: Gallery Posts: 8,210	Given that the slower 70-200 (f4) is already in the pipeline, I find this hard to believe as a new lens. Could it possibly be a revamp of the existing 55-300 to give FF coverage ?

05-04-2019, 09:04 AM - 2 Likes	#3
jatrax Site Supporter Join Date: May 2010 Location: Washington Cascades Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,991	Lens road map shows a FF 60ish - 300ish zoom. It is listed as 2019 or later and very little information has been available. Whether this poster has any new information or is just talking about the road map I cannot tell. My German is too rusty to make much of the posting. I do hope it is not 4.5-6.3, I was hoping for something a little bit faster than that. I very much doubt it is a revamp of the DA 55-300, that is a fine lens but it is a long way from FF coverage. They have had this lens on the road map for a long time now so plenty of time to have started from scratch as they have on their other new glass. I would expect it to be the longer companion of the DFA 28-105.

05-04-2019, 09:06 AM	#4
builttospill Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Utah, Idaho Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,398	This doesn't make sense with a 70-200 f/4 around the corner. Also, high-class and f/4.5-6.3 don't belong in the same sentence... Maybe the 70-200 is really a 70-300 f/4.

05-04-2019, 09:13 AM - 2 Likes	#5
Rondec Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Gladys, Virginia Photos: Gallery Posts: 27,662	Originally posted by builttospill This doesn't make sense with a 70-200 f/4 around the corner. Also, high-class and f/4.5-6.3 don't belong in the same sentence... Maybe the 70-200 is really a 70-300 f/4. They’ll be two different products. 60-300 variable aperture zoom will retail for 500. The 70-200 f4 probably will be over a thousand.

05-04-2019, 09:56 AM - 3 Likes	#6
monochrome Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Working From Home Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 26,276	I wonder if there will ever be a DFA 24-105/4 to go with the DFA 70-200/4.

05-04-2019, 10:11 AM	#7
jatrax Site Supporter Join Date: May 2010 Location: Washington Cascades Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,991	Originally posted by monochrome I wonder if there will ever be a DFA 24-105/4 to go with the DFA 70-200/4. I suspect that would be a very long time in coming. But since this is speculation we could speculate that Pentax will have three ranges of zoom lenses. DFA f/2.8, 'enthusiast' f/4 range, and a variable aperture 'consumer' range. The f/2.8 range is largely in place. The f/4 range is only hinted at with the DFA 70-200 f/4. The variable aperture range is represented by the DFA 28-105 and the DFA 150-450. Plus the road mapped 60-300ish. ---------- Post added 05-04-19 at 10:16 AM ---------- So add in: f/4: 18-35 f/4, 24-105 f/4, 100-300 f/4 variable: 60-300 Last edited by jatrax; 05-04-2019 at 10:17 AM.

05-04-2019, 11:00 AM - 2 Likes	#9
Kunzite Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Romania Posts: 15,132	It's plausible, since something like that was already on the roadmap. OTOH... that lens doesn't even have a tentative name... I'll wait for another source until taking this serious. It might be the moment some information starts leaking around. Now, who will be the first to claim this is a Tamron?

05-04-2019, 11:05 AM	#10
Reed Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Warsaw Photos: Gallery Posts: 638	There is a demand for such lens. It would be good company to D-FA 28-105. If I remember correctly there ware two lenses that never got reveled by Ricoh shown along on table with K-1 dedicated site interviews. One was speculated to be a variable aperture telephoto, other to be full frame fisheye zoom.

05-04-2019, 11:16 AM - 3 Likes	#11
beholder3 Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2011 Posts: 3,112	IMHO there are three main criteria: - price < 900 EUR - compactness - image quality Everything else can be left for the 2,000+ EUR class of lenses. For the majority of users the DFA 28-105 plus this lens is all they'll ever need.

05-04-2019, 11:48 AM - 1 Like	#12
aaacb Pentaxian Join Date: May 2016 Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,726	With the k1 being a great landscape camera, I think it'd make sense. For apsc, I use the DA 55-300 PLM primarily as a landscape lens, stopped down to f8-f11 most of the time, where it's very sharp. And I wouldn't take a constant aperture f4 lens for this use case, it is much easier to travel and especially hike with a compact and lightweight lens. So again it's all about making the right compromises that suit the application.

05-04-2019, 01:12 PM	#15
TwoUptons Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2015 Photos: Albums Posts: 4,223	Originally posted by Kunzite It's plausible, since something like that was already on the roadmap. OTOH... that lens doesn't even have a tentative name... I'll wait for another source until taking this serious. It might be the moment some information starts leaking around. Now, who will be the first to claim this is a Tamron? Don't be ridiculous... I thought we had already learned from some guy at a pub in an undisclosed location near Seattle that it is being made by the Lomography folks and is a combination of solid brass and plastic More seriously, it's on the roadmap, and it is the kind of lens that has showed up as a bit of a surprise in the past, no loud announcement or preview presence at a show... With no information other than a look at the existing and road-mapped lineup, I would expect this to be along the lines of the existing 55-300 APS-C lens in terms of aperture. I'd expect it to cost a bit more, just for the implication that comes with full-frame coverage. And I would like the focus to be as fast as the PLM, though I doubt that will happen, simply due to the mass. Happy to be wrong there, though... -Eric