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06-18-2010, 07:21 AM   #1
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Pentax Micro-Four-Thirds 17mm F2.8 17mm F2.0 14mm F2.8

Pentax Micro-Four-Thirds 17mm F2.8 17mm F2.0 14mm F2.8?

M4/3 lens patents application?

Pentax's next step?


Last edited by ianchen; 06-18-2010 at 07:30 AM.
06-18-2010, 07:43 AM   #2
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Wow, this'd be good news. I think Pentax needs a MILC and it'd be awesome to see them join in something successful rather than striking out on their own and producing a well-made but pointless also-ran (Samsung, I'm lookin' at you).

The filing date of November 2008 is particularly interesting -- m4/3 was announced August of that year, so clearly Pentax was involved rather early on.
06-18-2010, 07:44 AM   #3
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God, I hope not. If Pentax goes M4/3 I'm going back to Nikon.
06-18-2010, 07:52 AM   #4
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It could also signify a rather different approach. Pentax, having been a primarily optical company rather than body producing one, could be interested in selling lenses for different systems even without producing a body for such system. Let us remember the FA 43 Limited produced for Leica. By producing M4/3 lenses, Pentax can generate a new revenue stream without endangering their own SLR and SLR lenses sales. IMO a good strategy.

06-18-2010, 08:01 AM   #5
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Hoya talked about Pentax selling lenses in other mounts shortly after the acquisition.

However I can't see the point of actually producing three incredibly similar lenses (esp. the two 17s). These are just patents on optical designs and so it's conceivable that Pentax could licence this designs to other manufactuers but not actually make them or brand them themselves.
06-18-2010, 08:40 AM   #6
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QuoteOriginally posted by Caat Quote
Hoya talked about Pentax selling lenses in other mounts shortly after the acquisition.

However I can't see the point of actually producing three incredibly similar lenses (esp. the two 17s). These are just patents on optical designs and so it's conceivable that Pentax could licence this designs to other manufactuers but not actually make them or brand them themselves.
The point of producing 2 similar lenses is exaclty like producing 50/1.4 and 50/1.8.

Here it would be 2 35mm equivalent with one stop difference, so most likely 17/2 would cost twice the price of 17/2.8

Having a few friend owning other brands (Canon, Nikon mostly) I can tell that Pentax's primes are very very attactive to them a bit "Zeiss" attractive. Pentax bodies have their qualities so I believe Pentax wouldn't be reduced to a third party provider.

Anyway weither or not we will see Pentax lenses on other mounts depends on Hoya and they have been very good on keeping projects secret.
06-18-2010, 08:48 AM   #7
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QuoteOriginally posted by Angevinn Quote
God, I hope not. If Pentax goes M4/3 I'm going back to Nikon.
Curious why you'd care if Pentax sold M4/3? I'm sure the addition would augment rather than supplant their current offerings. Is it a purist issue; i.e., EVIL is evil? I, for one, could care less if Pentax sold disposable cameras as long as their semipro-pro DSLR segment remains fertile.

06-18-2010, 08:56 AM   #8
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QuoteOriginally posted by ghelary Quote
The point of producing 2 similar lenses is exaclty like producing 50/1.4 and 50/1.8.

Here it would be 2 35mm equivalent with one stop difference, so most likely 17/2 would cost twice the price of 17/2.8
True. But if Pentax are going to produce lenses for m4/3s I would think they'd produce a limited number of better differentiated lenses - similar to the focal lengths of the original FA limiteds but adjusted for the 2.0x crop. At least initially.

QuoteQuote:
Having a few friend owning other brands (Canon, Nikon mostly) I can tell that Pentax's primes are very very attactive to them a bit "Zeiss" attractive. Pentax bodies have their qualities so I believe Pentax wouldn't be reduced to a third party provider.

Anyway weither or not we will see Pentax lenses on other mounts depends on Hoya and they have been very good on keeping projects secret.
To be honest this would be my primary concern. Lenses represent a more profitable option than bodies and I can see Hoya potentially changing Pentax into a third party lens maker. The K-mount's market share is such that the numbers might add up.

I don't think it's likely but I think it is possible.
06-18-2010, 09:04 AM   #9
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Pentax needs to be on board the mirrorless thing somehow, and adopting a universal mount is a really good idea, as long as they release bodies too. I would love a Pentax m4/3 body with all the things I've come to like about Pentax DSLR bodies, and to be able to buy Pentax glass, but also to be able to buy Olympus or Panasonic lenses (or use one of the million lens adapters, although the 2 x crop factor really would put a damper on my enjoyment of those) when Pentax doesn't deliver what I want at a price I can afford. Good idea.
06-18-2010, 09:04 AM   #10
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QuoteOriginally posted by Angevinn Quote
God, I hope not. If Pentax goes M4/3 I'm going back to Nikon.
I'll take the opposite approach. As soon as I could pre-order it I would. I already have an E-P2 and love it. The only drawback is the prime lens selection. I have the Novoflex adapter though.

I would much rather see Pentax do a Micro Four Thirds than a 24x36 sensor camera.

That said I seriously doubt Pentax will do either 24X36 or Micro Four Thirds.
06-18-2010, 09:08 AM   #11
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Of course Pentax would need to licence the mount wouldn't they as m4/3s isn't open like 4/3s is it?

And I suppose the question for Panasonic/Olympus would be whether they want the competition from a Tier 1 lens maker vs. the potential to sell more bodies as a result of Pentax lenses being available in native m4/3 mount.

And we have to remember if we want AF the lenses will need internal motors.
06-18-2010, 09:17 AM   #12
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QuoteOriginally posted by stanleyk Quote
I'll take the opposite approach. As soon as I could pre-order it I would. I already have an E-P2 and love it. The only drawback is the prime lens selection. I have the Novoflex adapter though.

I would much rather see Pentax do a Micro Four Thirds than a 24x36 sensor camera.

That said I seriously doubt Pentax will do either 24X36 or Micro Four Thirds.
OMG - you're not obsessing every waking second over the prospect of a FF Pentax!? Shame on you.

That said, I hope the FF crowd doesn't rush in and hijack this thread with the same tired, repetitive, angst-ridden, back and forth, ad infinitum arguments extolling the benefits of FF. My scrolling finger is getting tired.
06-18-2010, 09:23 AM   #13
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QuoteOriginally posted by MrPetkus Quote
OMG - you're not obsessing every waking second over the prospect of a FF Pentax!? Shame on you.

That said, I hope the FF crowd doesn't rush in and hijack this thread with the same tired, repetitive, angst-ridden, back and forth, ad infinitum arguments extolling the benefits of FF. My scrolling finger is getting tired.
HA!!!!!!!!!!!!

About the only thing I'm obsessing over right now is Germany's poor performance this AM and almost sure elimination from the World Cup.

That said, I fully expect this thread to go into full frame whining no later than 12 PM CST USA time.

And...that E-P2 is one great camera. I haven't used my KX or K7 in three weeks. The Novoflex adapter works wonders and it's very easy to manual focus with the little viewfinder.

I sure hope Pentax comes out with something similiar perhaps something like that Samsung NX10 with a Kmount.

Now I'm going to get away from this before the Full Frame thing gets a full head of steam.
06-18-2010, 09:26 AM   #14
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Pentax M4/3 Lenses

If Pentax decides to sell lenses in other mounts that would be OK. I just don't want to see Hoya/Pentax jump into M4/3 and leave behind the DSLR (APS-C & Possible FF) market.

I ran the article through Google Translate and here are some dates from the patent:

Patent publication number 2010-134416

* 公開日 Release date 06/17/2010
* 出願日 Filing Date 04/11/2008

It looks like Hoya/Pentax has been sitting on this lens design for awhile.

M4/3 has been popular in Japan. Perhaps Pentax will sell lenses in mounts they do not compete in. Pentax did sell the 43mm Limited in Leica M mount. Selling M4/3 lenses but not actively producing M4/3 bodies might be a smart move.

Selling Pentax lenses in Nikon or Canon mounts would sell lenses but might cannibalize Pentax camera sales. Pentax makes great camera bodies and I would hate to see that happen.

I'm not a fan of the M4/3 format. Olympus might make some slick commercials but the smaller sensor makes it too easy to blow out highlights. The fast scene transitions help to mask this. You can also search Flickr and see plenty of examples of blown or clipped highlights.

Another problem with M4/3 is that Panasonic lenses don't always jive with Olympus cameras and Olympus lenses don't always jive with Panasonic bodies. There was a good discussion about this on the DP review forum:

Flaw in the 4/3 Concept [Page 1]: Micro Four Thirds Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review

How possible Pentax lenses would be supported by Olympus and Panasonic remains to be seen. Panasonic was trying to get Leica to join M4/3 but Leica would have no part of it:

Olympus and Panasonic rumors Blog Archive Leica will not join MicroFourThirds (via Steve Huff)

from the article:

"...M4/3 is NOT in the future for Leica as the quality is just not there."

I don't see any good reasons to shoot with sensors smaller than APS-C except in Point & Shoot cameras. I'll stick with APS-C and hopefully upgrade to a future Pentax K-Mount FullFrame DSLR. Hurry up already Hoya/Pentax and give us new D-FA lenses!

QuoteOriginally posted by MrPetkus Quote
Curious why you'd care if Pentax sold M4/3? I'm sure the addition would augment rather than supplant their current offerings. Is it a purist issue; i.e., EVIL is evil? I, for one, could care less if Pentax sold disposable cameras as long as their semipro-pro DSLR segment remains fertile.

Last edited by Angevinn; 06-18-2010 at 09:33 AM.
06-18-2010, 09:34 AM   #15
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QuoteOriginally posted by Angevinn Quote
God, I hope not. If Pentax goes M4/3 I'm going back to Nikon.
Like it or not, the small cameras are the future. Don't think for one minute that Nikon and Canon don't also have similar projects going on in their R&D departments. It's not if, it's when. A new generation of kids are growing up who have never touched a film camera. They are quite comfortable with camera's without viewfinders and mirrors. Camera body's are becoming disposable electronic devices to be replaced on a regular basis.

All the gloom and doom worry warts who fear that Pentax is about to get chopped up and closed by Hoya should be thrilled that Pentax is looking to the future and prepared to have a product ready if and when smaller sized camera's take off. Maybe it won't happen but if it does, starting from scratch will be too late.
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