[wwwmorrell]

If Pentax/Hoya dont know whats missing in their lineup by now they never will.

[DaveBlack]

If Pentax/Hoya dont know whats missing in their lineup by now they never will.

Maybe that is a reason their market share is so low compared to the big 2.

[kbrede]

1.4x/$200-$300/DA * 300mm, DA * 50-135

Having said that, I along with many others would prefer longer glass.

[Christopher M.W.T]

If Pentax/Hoya dont know whats missing in their lineup by now they never will.

It's sad but true and I think it's just a Japanese corporate cultural problem more than anything and more so the company comes across as been run by accountants and engineers.

[normhead]

As I noted in another thread... Hoya makes the glass for the Kenko mounts... go figure. You would think they could have put a condition that if they made the glass for Canikon, there should be a Pentax mount..as a manufacturer, they should have some leverage, or is there some problem with an SDM mount I just don't know about?

[glanglois]

It's sad but true and I think it's just a Japanese corporate cultural problem more than anything and more so the company comes across as been run by accountants and engineers.

Someone with a better understanding of Japanese corporate culture can correct me, but it seems that they have a very high opinion of their internal ability to gauge a market. They don't seem to value what they could learn by listening to customers, as individuals or in groups.

I don't think it's just a Hoya/Pentax issue.

[zackspeed]

So,Pentax Germany and US are fighting for the Converter.
It is ready for production but Pentax Japan told us they do not need it to bring the converter,cause in Japan nobody want it and the price will be to high for the consumers.
Pentax could bring the 1,4x in high quality for 450€.
But,it looks like it will never come.
Nobody will pay for high quality
That´s sad.
Best regards,Andy

[Loren E]

2.0/$200/DA*50-135

-MUST be fully weather sealed to integrate in with DA* glass and K-5 and not impair the resistance to outside elements

[goubejp]

So,Pentax Germany and US are fighting for the Converter.
It is ready for production but Pentax Japan told us they do not need it to bring the converter,cause in Japan nobody want it and the price will be to high for the consumers.
Pentax could bring the 1,4x in high quality for 450€.
But,it looks like it will never come.
Nobody will pay for high quality
That´s sad.
Best regards,Andy

I would pay...
Now I'm using a sigma 1.4 converter; and my old Pentax 1.4 L converter - without AF for this one

[Douglas_of_Sweden]

My question is,how much may it cost,would you prefer the 1,4x or the 2,0x version?
I ask because,Pentax Japan is asking if there is any interest for the converter.
It seems that Pentax have no idea that we wanna have one!
But they could/would bring one.
So,i told my Pentaxians that there are lots of user wich want order one,if it´s available.
In september i am at Photokina in colonia/germany.
Have a meeting with my Pentaxians for try the new Bodys and other stuff.
I will bring them all informations and ideas about the converter.
Not only my person will buy one and would pay for great quality.
So,if you are thinking it´s a good idea tell what you think about the converter.
In best hope,Andy

If they have comparable optical quality as the old manual focus 1.4x and 2x Pentax converters, then I am interrested. Problem is that people who diss converters usually have only tried low quality (and low price) converters. With my SMC Pentax-A 2x-S on the SMC Pentax-A* 135/1.8 I have real problems to see any degradation at all. So tell them to make it as good and don't vorry too much about the price. Probably there are practical limitations for SDM to about 1.4x. So a 1.4x with SDM and a 2x with screw drive would be good.
I'd buy the 1.4x together with either the DA*200 or DA*300, and the existance of the converter would actually trigger me to buy one of these lenses. Of the lenses I have already, I'd use it on the DA*50-135mm and the DFA100mm macro for the shy bugs. Tell them, they would sell more of the DA*200 and 300 lenses with a converter than without.

While you talk with them, please also tell them that it is a bit embarrasing that German company Dörr is the only one producing new extension tubes with KA contacts right now. Pentax should make their own tubes. I've made my own SDM tube from an old Tamron converter, and it works excellenty both with SDM on the DA*50-135 and in screw drive on the DFA100 macro. No reason why Pentax could not provide their users with this facility. Outsource it to keep down costs (since there is any way no optics), but get it done.

Finally, tell them that if there is any of their old lens designs that they should bring back it is the FA*200mm macro. A DA* version of this would give a lot of attention (free advertising) in old and new media all over, lots of cred, and would even start getting some nature photographers to switch to Pentax or get the lens and a K-5 as a second system. I would buy it.

More?
They are not done with the DA ltd's I hope. We need something longer than the DA70ltd. I really miss that. A DA90ltd based on the M85/2 optics for example would be a 135mm equivalent on APS-C.
And for the landscape photographers in rainy places, give the DA14 WR.

Sorry that I got a little bit carried away beyond converters.

[Class A]

It is ready for production but Pentax Japan told us they do not need it to bring the converter,cause in Japan nobody want it and the price will be to high for the consumers.

Didn't they also say that cropping is a substitute for TCs that works fine for most? Who really needs to get a 1.4x magnification and print at a size that needs all 16.3 MP? Even if you crop down to 8.3 MP (and thus get the effect of an ideal TC with no optical degradation whatsoever), you can still print at A4.

I think that with today's high resolution sensors, the need for TCs has diminished. Surely, some still find it useful, but maybe there are too few to make this economically viable.

Nobody will pay for high quality

That is sometimes true, but not always. I'd gladly pay more for a K-5 without low light focusing problems.

[gazonk]

With my SMC Pentax-A 2x-S on the SMC Pentax-A* 135/1.8 I have real problems to see any degradation at all.

I don't doubt that's a fine converter, but if used on a high-resolving camera (the K-5), will there really be a difference between a crop and a shot with the converter?

[nicolas1970i]

I'll second the last two posts, I've tried my A* 300/2.8 with several converter, from 1.4x to 2x (Kenko/Tamron, Promaster, Sigma), and this is what I noticed:
. on my older K10D, I could clearly see added details when using the converter, compared to a simple crop of the lens without converter.
. on my K-5, I cannot see any difference. A 100% crop of a pic taken with the lens and the converter just look like an blown up 100% crop of the pic taken without the converter, but with no added visible details.

I think that once the resolution of the sensor reaches a certain threshold, a converter will not add any advantage compared to a crop, by virtue of the limited resolution of the lens (and the A* 300/2.8 is no slouch!).
If Pentax were to issue new lenses significantly outresolving the current sensors, then issuing a converter at the same time would make sense, but otherwise I'm not sure about the usefulness (I think this has already been said earlier in the thread but no-one noticed).

Bear also in mind that the Kenko 1.5x SHQ + DA* 300/4 is painfully slow to focus (with the focusing hesitating back and forth around the correct point until it settles), making it OK for fixed subjects but, according to every one I know who've tried this combination, useless for birds in flight, for instance. I'm not sure if a Pentax made converter would be able to fare better, since the DA* 300 itself is fairly slow-focusing (imo).

[Douglas_of_Sweden]

I don't doubt that's a fine converter, but if used on a high-resolving camera (the K-5), will there really be a difference between a crop and a shot with the converter?

I tested it in detail on the K20D. Haven't made a side by side comparison on the K-5, I'll try to do that some day. But the A*135+2x-S still produce amazing shots on the K-5.
What you need to understand is that it is no point of having a good converter if the lens is not up to it from the start. It must have high enough resolution so that this isn't a limiting factor when you "crop" the center of the image circle with the converter. Among current Pentax glass that I'd bother to try put a 2x-S would be the DFA100 macro, DA*200 and 300.

crapy converter x crapy lens = shitty results
crapy converter x good lens = crapy results
good converter x crapy lens = crapy results
good converter x good lens = mediocre results
...
great converter x good lens = mediocre results
good converter x great lens = mediocre results
great converter x great lens = good results

Bear also in mind that the Kenko 1.5x SHQ + DA* 300/4 is painfully slow to focus (with the focusing hesitating back and forth around the correct point until it settles), making it OK for fixed subjects but, according to every one I know who've tried this combination, useless for birds in flight, for instance. I'm not sure if a Pentax made converter would be able to fare better, since the DA* 300 itself is fairly slow-focusing (imo).

So Pentax could implement a SDM/screw drive switch on the converter...

[Christopher M.W.T]

Someone with a better understanding of Japanese corporate culture can correct me, but it seems that they have a very high opinion of their internal ability to gauge a market. They don't seem to value what they could learn by listening to customers, as individuals or in groups.

I don't think it's just a Hoya/Pentax issue.

So,Pentax Germany and US are fighting for the Converter.
It is ready for production but Pentax Japan told us they do not need it to bring the converter,cause in Japan nobody want it and the price will be to high for the consumers.
Pentax could bring the 1,4x in high quality for 450€.
But,it looks like it will never come.
Nobody will pay for high quality
That´s sad.
Best regards,Andy

I guess that strategy is working great for them.