[Aristophanes]

Well, Zeiss ZK 35/2 costs £760, FA 31 Ltd £1000 (and they call it SALE PRICE), both brand new from UK distributor... Ok, Pentax is AF, which will be worth the price difference for some photogs.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it's not worth the price, but it's not cheaper than Zeiss...

A big chunk of that difference is the rising Yen and the falling sterling/Euro (common distributor).

These days what comes out of Germany is a bargain and what comes out of Japan is not.
This makes it very difficult to gauge the relative worth of similar products.

[thibs]

A big chunk of that difference is the rising Yen and the falling sterling/Euro (common distributor).

These days what comes out of Germany is a bargain and what comes out of Japan is not.
This makes it very difficult to gauge the relative worth of similar products.

Yep, good point.

I'd add the following: Sigma (supposedly THE cheap third party provider) as risen its price a good chunk and the newer version of their lenses (usually HSM+OS) are about two times the older version. And even lenses as Bigma have rocketed through the roof.

It doesn't change the fact that Pentax lenses are quite more expensive, simply they are all (from japanese companies). It simply explains why. But we have to admit that lenses price between Pentax and Canikon isn't what it was and I can understand some considering a switch although I do not at all.

[lithos]

Trouble is, the ZK35 isn't German.

It's Japanese. But it's actually made in Japan, whereas the 31mm is AIV.

[Rondec]

Every glass making company has their high end lenses that they sell for a small fortune. Is the Canon 50mm f1.2 actually that much better than the Canon 50mm f1.4? I don't know, but there are people who pay 1100 dollars more for it (as compared to the f1.4 lens) in order to see.

The 31mm of pentax is considered one of the pinacles of lens design. I don't personally desire it, but I can understand them charging a lot for it.

[farfisa]

Now that would be great but I'd get angry as I'd feel kind of cheated....

Me too! If they put out a DA*30/1.4, 28/2 or something, I'm sure some people would still desire the FA 31 and the value would hold.
If they re-issued the lens as a WR with Quick shift, then I'd be a little pissed!

[Aristophanes]

Trouble is, the ZK35 isn't German.

It's Japanese. But it's actually made in Japan, whereas the 31mm is AIV.

Understood, but where the mothership resides is, surprisingly, more important than where the materials and assembly are sourced. The latter are mobile, and the former not so much. Ask where the balance sheet and annual reports are domiciled, that's as much as 50% of the FOREX issue, and the materials/assembly the rest. IN theory, with globalisation, these should average out, but since 2007, it's all higgledy-piggledy.

[Pentaxor]

Me too! If they put out a DA*30/1.4, 28/2 or something, I'm sure some people would still desire the FA 31 and the value would hold.
If they re-issued the lens as a WR with Quick shift, then I'd be a little pissed!

honestly, I would prefer the DA30/1.4 for the speed and 28/2 for the focal length. if I could have my own criteria, it would be an FA LTD 28/1.4. I dont mind if it's not WR. and I would gladly pay $900 for it. the FA31 is overpriced IMO and should be priced around $600-$700.

[Miserere]

I would be sorely tempted to spend more than I can afford on a WR FA 31.

If it also had quick-shift focusing, like the DFA 100 macro, then I would also be tempted

...

[Miserere]

if I could have my own criteria, it would be an FA LTD 28/1.4. I dont mind if it's not WR. and I would gladly pay $900 for it.

Same here; I'd sell off some other lenses and delay upgrading to a new body to buy an FA Ltd 28mm f/1.4 (with quick-shift focusing).

I seriously doubt Pentax will release such a lens, and if they do, it won't be at that price

...

[Blue]

Same here; I'd sell off some other lenses and delay upgrading to a new body to buy an FA Ltd 28mm f/1.4 (with quick-shift focusing).

I seriously doubt Pentax will release such a lens, and if they do, it won't be at that price

...

Maybe they have dusted of the M 35mm f1.4 prototype like they did the A 50mm f1.2 recently.

[Aristophanes]

Same here; I'd sell off some other lenses and delay upgrading to a new body to buy an FA Ltd 28mm f/1.4 (with quick-shift focusing).

I seriously doubt Pentax will release such a lens, and if they do, it won't be at that price

...

The outstanding Nikon 28/1.4 easily sells used for over $2,000, new it was US$1,600.

A Pentax version would be large (1/2 a kilo) and probably nearly as expensive. They were so expensive to make Nikon simply could not sell enough of them to justify the non-existent ROI.

[Miserere]

The outstanding Nikon 28/1.4 easily sells used for over $2,000, new it was US$1,600.

A Pentax version would be large (1/2 a kilo) and probably nearly as expensive. They were so expensive to make Nikon simply could not sell enough of them to justify the non-existent ROI.

My fingers were quicker than my brain, I meant DA Ltd, not FA ltd. I'm happy for it to be an APS-C only lens. Have you seen a Sigma 30mm f/1.4? It would be similar in size and weight, which means not huge and not heavy. Fine by me

...

[davidvcd]

well thats just great, I need a replacement for my 31mm (and 16-50mm) that was stolen last week in Osaka...

[gazonk]

well thats just great, I need a replacement for my 31mm (and 16-50mm) that was stolen last week in Osaka...

Ouch! First time I heard of anyone getting anything stolen in Japan!

[Digitalis]

"The outstanding Nikon 28/1.4" - have you seen the bokeh from that lens? it's absolutely abominable at f/1.4 it does much better stopped down. The resolution is superlative though, easily beats it's competitors, even RF lenses.