Pentax FA50mm: Discontinued Lens

miltllama · 05-31-2010, 08:37 AM

I hope this isn't discontinued, cuz I was just gearing up to acquire one for myself! As it is its hard to find one locally for under $350 CDN

Supernaut · 05-31-2010, 12:19 PM

Wasn't this lens discontinued like a year ago?

Blue · 05-31-2010, 12:29 PM

Originally posted by Supernaut

Wasn't this lens discontinued like a year ago?

Yes. That's what I was referring to in my previous post. However, Pentax Imaging (Pentax USA), BH and Adorama all started stocking it recently. Which makes the previous rumor and current rumor suspect.

jpoint · 05-31-2010, 01:37 PM

After the FA 50 and FA 35 discontinue, Pentax should have some cheap replacements with big aperture even they may harm the sale of DA limited pancake lens. They should leave it to customers to chose if they want a lovely pancake with small aperture or a plastic large aperture lens.

Originally posted by Ratmagiclady

I wonder if they were to issue a 1.7, if they mayn't as well go ahead and make it the 1.4.

The real reason they never made a cheap 1.8ish 50mm is cause the FA 50 1.4 only cost a couple of hundred for so long: why bother, after all, when you've had such an excellent little fast 50 all along. Frankly, the FA 55 has trouble distiguishing itself, apparently, apart from the weather sealing and the more modern case (And biggerness) Frankly, I bought this system around an FA 50,

What Pentax needs most is an affordable, fastish, compact *normal,* like a DA-WR 35/2 or (better yet) 28/2, or somethign new and 30ish.

I think there'll pretty inevitably be something on the order of the DA *55 in a fast 30ish, (maybe they could take the FA 31 design and put it in a non-metal casing or some such. ) but in the meantime there's that FA31 and a few Sigma offerings.

And, yeah, omitting MF would be totally counter to Pentax's market, not to mention that AF is not their most competitive area of performance.

tokyoso · 05-31-2010, 01:56 PM

Pentax may have something cheaper and better in the works. Prices on new FA 50 1.4's have dropped quite a bit recently.

it may also be the fact that people realize Pentax Full Frame is not going to happen.

axl · 05-31-2010, 02:42 PM

Originally posted by jpoint

After the FA 50 and FA 35 discontinue, Pentax should have some cheap replacements with big aperture even they may harm the sale of DA limited pancake lens. They should leave it to customers to chose if they want a lovely pancake with small aperture or a plastic large aperture lens.

Well looking at their last lens releases (DA*s, ltds, DFA WR) it looks like they are leaving the plastic or plastic WR zooms as cheap option. The primes seem to be the "prime" offer and are priced as such...
I see the reason for calls for cheap(ish) fast(ish) primes and I probably would be one of the first in queue for them as I'm on the tight budget (please don't judge by my line up, I got lucky...several times

) and something like 35/1.7 and 18/2.8 would really be a hit with me... I don't see the 50/1.7 coming back though, definitely not until there's FF (IMO).
Reason for that is, if you look at Pentax's line ups from the past, they never offered "cheap" portrait lens. K85 definitely wasn't cheap in it's day, I don't think M85 was much cheaper either, FA*85 and FA77 well, we know it.... as such I just don't see them offering cheap version of portrait lens all of a sudden....

my 2p

tokyoso · 05-31-2010, 02:51 PM

Originally posted by axl

Well looking at their last lens releases (DA*s, ltds, DFA WR) it looks like they are leaving the plastic or plastic WR zooms as cheap option. The primes seem to be the "prime" offer and are priced as such...
I see the reason for calls for cheap(ish) fast(ish) primes and I probably would be one of the first in queue for them as I'm on the tight budget (please don't judge by my line up, I got lucky...several times

) and something like 35/1.7 and 18/2.8 would really be a hit with me... I don't see the 50/1.7 coming back though, definitely not until there's FF (IMO).
Reason for that is, if you look at Pentax's line ups from the past, they never offered "cheap" portrait lens. K85 definitely wasn't cheap in it's day, I don't think M85 was much cheaper either, FA*85 and FA77 well, we know it.... as such I just don't see them offering cheap version of portrait lens all of a sudden....

my 2p

Good point. FA 50 1.7 can be an instant mass production hit if it ever comes back. Price it at $100, I'm sure there will be a lot of Pentax converts. But by then everyone will be talking about how much of a crap lens it is and that they want something else cheap.

axl · 05-31-2010, 03:10 PM

Originally posted by tokyoso

Good point. FA 50 1.7 can be an instant mass production hit if it ever comes back. Price it at $100, I'm sure there will be a lot of Pentax converts. But by then everyone will be talking about how much of a crap lens it is and that they want something else cheap.

you are having a laugh right?
Used F/FA50/1.7 are selling for nearly/roughly twice as much...
Even if they were to reissue this lens in whatever DFA/WR incarnation I wouldn't expect it to go below $300 (OK max $250) and by today's prices that would be cheap for Pentax prime....

tokyoso · 05-31-2010, 03:16 PM

Originally posted by axl

you are having a laugh right?

why of course

ogl · 06-01-2010, 04:19 AM

Originally posted by jpoint

After the FA 50 and FA 35 discontinue, Pentax should have some cheap replacements with big aperture even they may harm the sale of DA limited pancake lens. They should leave it to customers to chose if they want a lovely pancake with small aperture or a plastic large aperture lens.

Maybe DAL50/1.7 and DAL35/2?

tokyoso · 06-01-2010, 04:48 AM

Originally posted by ogl

Maybe DAL50/1.7 and DAL35/2?

yes suppose something more in line with Canon's cheap EF 50mm f1.8 II in the $80 neighborhood.

bdery · 06-01-2010, 04:49 AM

Quote:

On the other hand, I wonder how many actually use their 50mm regularly these days.

I do, quite often. My F50 f1,7 is my most reliable low light workhorse.

For the OP, there is also no problem per se with plastic lens mounts. We tend to believe that metal is sturdier, but it depends on the plastic, there is no fundamental reason to think metal should always be stronger. It's all in our heads.

The rumor presented by the Pentax rep does not mean that Pentax will not have any cheap 50 ever again, people. It means the FA 50, an older design made for film cameras, might be discontinued. sheesh.

Why should we worry? Pentax now offers both DAL (cheap) and WR versions of its mainstream lenses. It would make sense for the company to keep moving in this direction. The price increase might also be a market test to see if an increase in price for a new 50 (with WR or SDM maybe) would be acceptable. Given that the 50 still sells now, I guess it does. So I'd be (almost) willing to bet that we will see one or both of a 50 WR and a 50 DAL.

Anyway, based on my experience with the Quebec city Pentax rep of a few years ago, they are not nearly always knowledgeable... sadly...

thibs · 06-01-2010, 04:50 AM

Originally posted by tokyoso

yes suppose something more in line with Canon's cheap EF 50mm f1.8 II in the $80 neighborhood.

80$ IMO no way.
But a cheap 35/2 at 200 Euros max is a good deal to me.

Wheatfield · 06-01-2010, 07:05 AM

Originally posted by jpoint

After the FA 50 and FA 35 discontinue, Pentax should have some cheap replacements with big aperture even they may harm the sale of DA limited pancake lens. They should leave it to customers to chose if they want a lovely pancake with small aperture or a plastic large aperture lens.

This doesn't seem to be the direction that Pentax is taking. Historically, when Pentax owned the amateur market, they made some pretty inexpensive lenses in the common focal lengths that would sell by the boatload and relatively expensive lenses in the specialty lengths.
Pentax no longer owns the market.
It wouldn't surprise me at all if the FA50 is discontinued, as it is more than likely eating into sales of the DA*55/1.4 lens, which I expect is what they would rather sell (it is also a better optic than the FA50/1.4).
Unfortunately, Pentax has a disproportionate number of users who seem to think that they can stay in business selling small amounts of high end equipment at fire sale prices.

Originally posted by tokyoso

yes suppose something more in line with Canon's cheap EF 50mm f1.8 II in the $80 neighborhood.

Canon has economy of scale on it's side. Given a user base the size of Pentax's, that lens would sell for 3 times what it sells for now.

RMabo · 06-01-2010, 10:27 AM

The FA 50 f/1.7 was discontinued due to poor sales when Pentax turned into digital. The 50 f/1.4 sold so much better. Today, the FA 50 f/1.4 cost same as the 50 f/1.4 from Canon and Nikon, and less expensive than the Sigma 50 f/1.4. If this is "outrageous", as someone put it, then Canon and Nikon prices must be "outrageous" too.

For APS-C, the 50 is an odd length. Good for portraits yes, but it is not a allround everyday lens. Pentax has been working on a fast 30 lens for a while. It was in one of the last roadmaps. Perhaps they will release it this fall, I don't know.

However, I have my doubts about a 30 f/1.4 being less expensive than the 50 f/1.4.

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05-31-2010, 08:37 AM	#61
miltllama Forum Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Calgary, Alberta Photos: Gallery Posts: 86	I hope this isn't discontinued, cuz I was just gearing up to acquire one for myself! As it is its hard to find one locally for under $350 CDN

05-31-2010, 12:19 PM	#62
Supernaut Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: West Coast , Sweden Posts: 467	Wasn't this lens discontinued like a year ago?

05-31-2010, 12:29 PM	#63
Blue Moderator Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Florida Hill Country Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,377	Originally posted by Supernaut Wasn't this lens discontinued like a year ago? Yes. That's what I was referring to in my previous post. However, Pentax Imaging (Pentax USA), BH and Adorama all started stocking it recently. Which makes the previous rumor and current rumor suspect.

05-31-2010, 01:37 PM	#64
jpoint Forum Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 66	After the FA 50 and FA 35 discontinue, Pentax should have some cheap replacements with big aperture even they may harm the sale of DA limited pancake lens. They should leave it to customers to chose if they want a lovely pancake with small aperture or a plastic large aperture lens. Originally posted by Ratmagiclady I wonder if they were to issue a 1.7, if they mayn't as well go ahead and make it the 1.4. The real reason they never made a cheap 1.8ish 50mm is cause the FA 50 1.4 only cost a couple of hundred for so long: why bother, after all, when you've had such an excellent little fast 50 all along. Frankly, the FA 55 has trouble distiguishing itself, apparently, apart from the weather sealing and the more modern case (And biggerness) Frankly, I bought this system around an FA 50, What Pentax needs most is an affordable, fastish, compact normal, like a DA-WR 35/2 or (better yet) 28/2, or somethign new and 30ish. I think there'll pretty inevitably be something on the order of the DA *55 in a fast 30ish, (maybe they could take the FA 31 design and put it in a non-metal casing or some such. ) but in the meantime there's that FA31 and a few Sigma offerings. And, yeah, omitting MF would be totally counter to Pentax's market, not to mention that AF is not their most competitive area of performance.

05-31-2010, 01:56 PM	#65
tokyoso Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Tokyo Photos: Albums Posts: 723	Pentax may have something cheaper and better in the works. Prices on new FA 50 1.4's have dropped quite a bit recently. it may also be the fact that people realize Pentax Full Frame is not going to happen.

05-31-2010, 02:42 PM	#66
axl Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Nove Zamky, Slovakia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,183	Originally posted by jpoint After the FA 50 and FA 35 discontinue, Pentax should have some cheap replacements with big aperture even they may harm the sale of DA limited pancake lens. They should leave it to customers to chose if they want a lovely pancake with small aperture or a plastic large aperture lens. Well looking at their last lens releases (DAs, ltds, DFA WR) it looks like they are leaving the plastic or plastic WR zooms as cheap option. The primes seem to be the "prime" offer and are priced as such... I see the reason for calls for cheap(ish) fast(ish) primes and I probably would be one of the first in queue for them as I'm on the tight budget (please don't judge by my line up, I got lucky...several times ) and something like 35/1.7 and 18/2.8 would really be a hit with me... I don't see the 50/1.7 coming back though, definitely not until there's FF (IMO). Reason for that is, if you look at Pentax's line ups from the past, they never offered "cheap" portrait lens. K85 definitely wasn't cheap in it's day, I don't think M85 was much cheaper either, FA85 and FA77 well, we know it.... as such I just don't see them offering cheap version of portrait lens all of a sudden.... my 2p

05-31-2010, 02:51 PM	#67
tokyoso Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Tokyo Photos: Albums Posts: 723	Originally posted by axl Well looking at their last lens releases (DAs, ltds, DFA WR) it looks like they are leaving the plastic or plastic WR zooms as cheap option. The primes seem to be the "prime" offer and are priced as such... I see the reason for calls for cheap(ish) fast(ish) primes and I probably would be one of the first in queue for them as I'm on the tight budget (please don't judge by my line up, I got lucky...several times ) and something like 35/1.7 and 18/2.8 would really be a hit with me... I don't see the 50/1.7 coming back though, definitely not until there's FF (IMO). Reason for that is, if you look at Pentax's line ups from the past, they never offered "cheap" portrait lens. K85 definitely wasn't cheap in it's day, I don't think M85 was much cheaper either, FA85 and FA77 well, we know it.... as such I just don't see them offering cheap version of portrait lens all of a sudden.... my 2p Good point. FA 50 1.7 can be an instant mass production hit if it ever comes back. Price it at $100, I'm sure there will be a lot of Pentax converts. But by then everyone will be talking about how much of a crap lens it is and that they want something else cheap.

05-31-2010, 03:10 PM	#68
axl Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Nove Zamky, Slovakia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,183	Originally posted by tokyoso Good point. FA 50 1.7 can be an instant mass production hit if it ever comes back. Price it at $100, I'm sure there will be a lot of Pentax converts. But by then everyone will be talking about how much of a crap lens it is and that they want something else cheap. you are having a laugh right? Used F/FA50/1.7 are selling for nearly/roughly twice as much... Even if they were to reissue this lens in whatever DFA/WR incarnation I wouldn't expect it to go below $300 (OK max $250) and by today's prices that would be cheap for Pentax prime....

05-31-2010, 03:16 PM	#69
tokyoso Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Tokyo Photos: Albums Posts: 723	Originally posted by axl you are having a laugh right? why of course

06-01-2010, 04:19 AM	#70
ogl Banned Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Sankt Peterburg Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 8,382	Originally posted by jpoint After the FA 50 and FA 35 discontinue, Pentax should have some cheap replacements with big aperture even they may harm the sale of DA limited pancake lens. They should leave it to customers to chose if they want a lovely pancake with small aperture or a plastic large aperture lens. Maybe DAL50/1.7 and DAL35/2?

06-01-2010, 04:48 AM	#71
tokyoso Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Tokyo Photos: Albums Posts: 723	Originally posted by ogl Maybe DAL50/1.7 and DAL35/2? yes suppose something more in line with Canon's cheap EF 50mm f1.8 II in the $80 neighborhood.

06-01-2010, 04:49 AM	#72
bdery Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Quebec city, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 9,357	Quote: On the other hand, I wonder how many actually use their 50mm regularly these days. I do, quite often. My F50 f1,7 is my most reliable low light workhorse. For the OP, there is also no problem per se with plastic lens mounts. We tend to believe that metal is sturdier, but it depends on the plastic, there is no fundamental reason to think metal should always be stronger. It's all in our heads. The rumor presented by the Pentax rep does not mean that Pentax will not have any cheap 50 ever again, people. It means the FA 50, an older design made for film cameras, might be discontinued. sheesh. Why should we worry? Pentax now offers both DAL (cheap) and WR versions of its mainstream lenses. It would make sense for the company to keep moving in this direction. The price increase might also be a market test to see if an increase in price for a new 50 (with WR or SDM maybe) would be acceptable. Given that the 50 still sells now, I guess it does. So I'd be (almost) willing to bet that we will see one or both of a 50 WR and a 50 DAL. Anyway, based on my experience with the Quebec city Pentax rep of a few years ago, they are not nearly always knowledgeable... sadly...

06-01-2010, 04:50 AM	#73
thibs Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Belgium Photos: Albums Posts: 7,001	Originally posted by tokyoso yes suppose something more in line with Canon's cheap EF 50mm f1.8 II in the $80 neighborhood. 80$ IMO no way. But a cheap 35/2 at 200 Euros max is a good deal to me.

06-01-2010, 07:05 AM	#74
Wheatfield Moderator Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: The wheatfields of Canada Posts: 15,981	Originally posted by jpoint After the FA 50 and FA 35 discontinue, Pentax should have some cheap replacements with big aperture even they may harm the sale of DA limited pancake lens. They should leave it to customers to chose if they want a lovely pancake with small aperture or a plastic large aperture lens. This doesn't seem to be the direction that Pentax is taking. Historically, when Pentax owned the amateur market, they made some pretty inexpensive lenses in the common focal lengths that would sell by the boatload and relatively expensive lenses in the specialty lengths. Pentax no longer owns the market. It wouldn't surprise me at all if the FA50 is discontinued, as it is more than likely eating into sales of the DA*55/1.4 lens, which I expect is what they would rather sell (it is also a better optic than the FA50/1.4). Unfortunately, Pentax has a disproportionate number of users who seem to think that they can stay in business selling small amounts of high end equipment at fire sale prices. Originally posted by tokyoso yes suppose something more in line with Canon's cheap EF 50mm f1.8 II in the $80 neighborhood. Canon has economy of scale on it's side. Given a user base the size of Pentax's, that lens would sell for 3 times what it sells for now.

06-01-2010, 10:27 AM	#75
RMabo Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Sweden Posts: 845	The FA 50 f/1.7 was discontinued due to poor sales when Pentax turned into digital. The 50 f/1.4 sold so much better. Today, the FA 50 f/1.4 cost same as the 50 f/1.4 from Canon and Nikon, and less expensive than the Sigma 50 f/1.4. If this is "outrageous", as someone put it, then Canon and Nikon prices must be "outrageous" too. For APS-C, the 50 is an odd length. Good for portraits yes, but it is not a allround everyday lens. Pentax has been working on a fast 30 lens for a while. It was in one of the last roadmaps. Perhaps they will release it this fall, I don't know. However, I have my doubts about a 30 f/1.4 being less expensive than the 50 f/1.4.