Forgot Password
Pentax Camera Forums Home
 

Reply
Show Printable Version Search this Thread
02-10-2012, 09:34 AM   #226
Veteran Member
SteveM's Avatar

Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Vancouver Island, BC, Canada
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 3,294
QuoteOriginally posted by ElJamoquio Quote
At 100 feet you're talking a foot or so DOF. You're right, if you're further away and nail AF you could be OK.
And it's going to be even worse if you are closer to the subject or throw a TC on it. The pic I posted of the owl for World Pentax Day was shot at F8.....which was a mistake. There is an inch at most that is in focus. The shot still sort of works as the eyes are in focus, but a good chunk of the rest of the head isn't.

QuoteOriginally posted by Rude Quote
Today it seems I'm incapable of forming coherent sentences. Let me rephrase my question for Pentax pundits:

Am I nuts for thinking this could be a sub-$1,000 consumer grade lens?

Just seems like most people think this is going to be an expensive piece of equipment to compete with Sigma EX lenses, etc.

BTW, I agree with you SteveM, and if I was taking pictures of lions on the Serengeti, I'd be shooting with a Canon or Nikon. Maybe pro caliber long glass will someday come to Pentax ("beyond" the current roadmap) if Pentax/Ricoh makes a run for a third camera maker for Pros. But I guess my point is, this isn't going to be it.
I agree...it looks like it will be a very good budget telephoto, and Pentax still has the option of releasing a DA* version of the lens. I suspect it will be around $2K, which will match it's optical performance. We'll see.

02-10-2012, 09:54 AM   #227
Pentaxian




Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Nelson B.C.
Posts: 3,782
A 50-500 bigma is about $1600, the DA 300 F4 is about the same. Pentax is capable of making and selling a decent lens for around $2500, not the rarified $8k+ quality range. The Kowa that was released a couple months ago was $3500 or so manual focus. Pentax makes a nice scope in nearly that length selling a bit under $2k. A friend bought a emergency christmas present for his wife (funny story), a sigma 400 zoom for just under $1000 in a local shop. That would probably be stabilized with a focus motor.

If it is decent and a bit less than $3k and it has focus limiting I'd definitely be interested.
02-10-2012, 09:57 AM   #228
Veteran Member
eddie1960's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Toronto
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 13,666
QuoteOriginally posted by deadwolfbones Quote
When you have world-class AF, 500/4 isn't that ridiculous. Not sure how Sony's AF is, but I know Nikon sports pros can shoot wide open with the 500/4 without fear.
the big issue for the Sony is the price is out to lunch and their current FF doesn't have the FPS or AF to appeal to the pro sports guy (which is where the sales to support the existence of these lenses comes from - sure their is the birder community but sports drive the sales)
Canon and Nikon deliberately make the lower Res faster FF D4 and Dx for the high speed shooter world and put their best AF there as well. In toronto right now a Canon 500 f4.0 is $6900 a Nikon is $8200 - in both cases you save enough to get a top of the line body to go with it that will crush the Sony in speed - and I can walk in to the store and buy one today (I may have to wait 24 hours for it to come in from a warehouse - though i think our biggest pro shop actually keeps 1 of each on hand) I would have to wait if i wanted the new bodies but may be able to walk out with the current ones at an even better price
02-10-2012, 10:02 AM   #229
Site Supporter
Site Supporter
luftfluss's Avatar

Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: NJ
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 11,594
QuoteOriginally posted by eddie1960 Quote
and TA-DA dinner is taken care of
I'd prefer a TA-DA* dinner, please.

02-10-2012, 10:07 AM   #230
Veteran Member
traderdrew's Avatar

Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Florida
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 639
QuoteOriginally posted by SteveM Quote
And it's going to be even worse if you are closer to the subject or throw a TC on it. The pic I posted of the owl for World Pentax Day was shot at F8.....which was a mistake. There is an inch at most that is in focus. The shot still sort of works as the eyes are in focus, but a good chunk of the rest of the head isn't.
One reason why I like my Sigma 500mm F/4.5 is it has a depth of field a lot thicker than the DA*300mm especially at the minimum focus distance. I am comfortable with shooting single subjects at F/4.5 all day.
02-10-2012, 10:13 AM   #231
Senior Member




Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: The Cow Belt
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 173
QuoteOriginally posted by derekkite Quote
....Pentax is capable of making and selling a decent lens for around $2500, not the rarified $8k+ quality range. The Kowa that was released a couple months ago was $3500 or so manual focus.....
The Kowa lens/scope has an added handicap: it will not respond to the green button function of the K10D and later cameras; i.e. on pressing the green button, it will not stop down to the aperture set by the aperture ring of a Pentax-M lens, take a reading and set a corresponding shutter speed. It will behave like a preset lens, one assumes. This is the greatest pity as the optics are outstanding.
Chhayanat
02-10-2012, 10:13 AM   #232
Veteran Member
eddie1960's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Toronto
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 13,666
QuoteOriginally posted by luftfluss Quote
I'd prefer a TA-DA* dinner, please.
the TA-DA* is just too expensive for me to use a a club to kill my duck dinner but it's heavy enough for when i want venison

02-10-2012, 10:26 AM   #233
Site Supporter
Site Supporter
luftfluss's Avatar

Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: NJ
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 11,594
02-10-2012, 10:26 AM   #234
Veteran Member
audiobomber's Avatar

Join Date: May 2008
Location: Sudbury, Ontario
Photos: Albums
Posts: 6,806
QuoteOriginally posted by traderdrew Quote
One reason why I like my Sigma 500mm F/4.5 is it has a depth of field a lot thicker than the DA*300mm especially at the minimum focus distance.
According to this DOF calculator, 300mm @ f/4 has almost double the DOF compared to 400mm @f/4.5. Online Depth of Field Calculator
02-10-2012, 10:33 AM   #235
Loyal Site Supporter
Loyal Site Supporter
monochrome's Avatar

Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Working From Home
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 26,276
One thing is certain about this lens - all the discussion has shifted from what is wrong with Pentax to what might be right. One poster above even speculated on Pentax making a run at being a third pro alternative (a speculation which I believe has some merit).
02-10-2012, 10:35 AM   #236
Pentaxian
Asahiflex's Avatar

Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Netherlands
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 2,795
QuoteOriginally posted by monochrome Quote
One thing is certain about this lens - all the discussion has shifted from what is wrong with Pentax to what might be right. One poster above even speculated on Pentax making a run at being a third pro alternative (a speculation which I believe has some merit).
Then they should quickly get their act together, because Sony is aiming for that market now as well (see the super expensive Sony 500mm f/4 they just released - built to order).
02-10-2012, 10:47 AM   #237
Site Supporter
Site Supporter
jpzk's Avatar

Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Québec
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 8,251
QuoteOriginally posted by SteveM Quote
And it's going to be even worse if you are closer to the subject or throw a TC on it. The pic I posted of the owl for World Pentax Day was shot at F8.....which was a mistake. There is an inch at most that is in focus. The shot still sort of works as the eyes are in focus, but a good chunk of the rest of the head isn't.



I agree...it looks like it will be a very good budget telephoto, and Pentax still has the option of releasing a DA* version of the lens. I suspect it will be around $2K, which will match it's optical performance. We'll see.
It seems like a concensus is building around the 560/5.6 to be a "consumer grade"
(budget) lens.

Maybe it won't be as IQ'd as a Sigma 500/4.5 but I am still hoping that it will be nearly or just as good as my DA*300/4.

A 500mm lens has been in my "wants" and "needs" for a while and perhaps this new Pentax 560mm will fit the bill, who knows?
One thing is certain: let's wait and see reviews once it has been tested out in the field.

JP
02-10-2012, 10:51 AM   #238
Pentaxian




Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Nelson B.C.
Posts: 3,782
chhayanat: I didn't know that about the Kowa. I wondered. So it is equivalent to an M42 manual lens then. Too bad. I would consider it if it had A functionality.

Of interest, I was reading recently a review of scopes. They compared the Kowa, expensive and perfect, with a couple other very capable ones. The difference was about $1k and very very small, undetectable to most decrease in image quality.

If Pentax can find that spot, very good image quality at a price that doesn't remind you of a good used vehicle, they will be successful. We would always have the opportunity to spend another few thousands of dollars on some superb piece, but for most of the market those are dream toys.
02-10-2012, 10:51 AM   #239
Veteran Member
SteveM's Avatar

Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Vancouver Island, BC, Canada
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 3,294
QuoteOriginally posted by audiobomber Quote
According to this DOF calculator, 300mm @ f/4 has almost double the DOF compared to 400mm @f/4.5. Online Depth of Field Calculator
Thanks for passing along the link....that's a great tool...

While you can get closer than 30 feet, I've presumed that 30 feet is about as close as you would want to be to a subject such as a bird.......so at ~600mm, we have less than 2 inches in focus.




Throw a 2x converter on it, (factoring in the F stop going to f11 now)....and we now have a whopping three quarters of an inch of depth that is usable in our photo.

Ignoring that a faster lens is exponentially more expensive, and using the focal length as our measure, what would we like to see the dof reduced to until we are happy. Half an inch...or is that still too much?




.
02-10-2012, 10:51 AM   #240
Veteran Member
eddie1960's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Toronto
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 13,666
QuoteOriginally posted by Asahiflex Quote
Then they should quickly get their act together, because Sony is aiming for that market now as well (see the super expensive Sony 500mm f/4 they just released - built to order).
thing is sony's approach is doomed at the price and availability. If Pentax is at the opposite end of the spectrum and launches a K5 replacement with faster AF and 24mp a kid getting into the business has an affordable start point ( a lot of pro sports shooters started out shooting sports in school where there is just no chance of shooting with thee canikon glass unless you come from a 1% family - an affordable (package of a 560 a 60-250 and a 24mp apsc with fast AF for less than the price of a D800 and 70-200 2.8 would be a big sell feature (reality is you could probably get the 16-50,60-200,560and K3 for the price of a D800 with a top 70-200 2.8 and if there is a FF upgrade option on the roadmap you have them (even tough these are all DA lenses) Once they start with the brand they are far more likely too be here for the long term (which is how canikon get them even though most start with DX and APSC gear), when the FF launches then you have a 2 year FF roadmap that starts filling the upgrade holes for when they actually start making money
You aren't going to draw the current shooters from their systems but you are building the long term base with an eye to long term dominance. This of course doesn't immediately satifsy the people here who may be ready for the higher level, but the long term view is the important one. Canon certainly had to rebuild when they launched EF mount and the EOS line because they did lose a number of shooters over the abandoned mount (and gave Minolta a big bump that was mismanaged) Nikon gained as well by keeping some compatibility. By the time Digital hit Canon had recovered and they got aggressive in Digital very quickly, Nikon slow start lost them a lot of users to Canon (I know several personally who had very full Nikon kits who switched as soon as the 5D came out starting with just a 24-70 and 70-200 and slowly filling out the holes while using their Older nikons still for some shots since they had the prime selection there. once they bough a fast 85 for the Canon the nikon system pretty much gathered dust - and even the hassy setup a lot of them had .
Reply

Bookmarks
  • Submit Thread to Facebook Facebook
  • Submit Thread to Twitter Twitter
  • Submit Thread to Digg Digg
Tags - Make this thread easier to find by adding keywords to it!
500mm, lens, pentax 560mm, pentax news, pentax rumors
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
DA 50mm, DA 560mm, D-FA 645 90mm to be revealed at CP+ Adam Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 56 02-10-2012 08:56 AM
Leitz 560mm f/6.8 Telyt-R - first shots and impression Piotr Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 1 05-11-2009 02:42 AM



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 05:41 AM. | See also: NikonForums.com, CanonForums.com part of our network of photo forums!
  • Red (Default)
  • Green
  • Gray
  • Dark
  • Dark Yellow
  • Dark Blue
  • Old Red
  • Old Green
  • Old Gray
  • Dial-Up Style
Hello! It's great to see you back on the forum! Have you considered joining the community?
register
Creating a FREE ACCOUNT takes under a minute, removes ads, and lets you post! [Dismiss]
Top