[drakkar]

IMO they have to do it that way. Pentax already has a bulky, high-quality large sensor system. They cannot make FX cameras competing with the 645 system in size.

[oeriies]

Not sure if this is the place to post my question, but I do bird photography where the rule of thumb is get as many pixels as you can on the subject. I'm using my K-5 and Sigma 500mm f/4.5 with good results, but I'm looking for something even better. I'm attracted to the Nikon and Canon 500mm primes but not the bodies. If, for example, I purchase a D800E and a Nikkor 500mm f/4 vrII and shoot birds from the same distance I would with my K-5/Sigma combo, my images would be very similar after I cropped the FX Nikon shot down to the FOV of the K-5. I may be willing to do that because the focusing system on the Nikon system will be much better and I can use the full frame to good effect for landscape and other purposes. But with the Nikon system costing a breathtaking amount and being heavier than my current setup and with my large investment in Pentax gear I'm reluctant to make the move and end up with images that are in the same resolution ballpark I'm in now. I would surely stick with Pentax if I thought the K-3 or whatever it will be called would be an APS-C system using the Sony 24.3 sensor. That with the Sigma or the new Pentax 560mm would be a compelling birding kit. What is the likelihood of the next Pentax DSLR using the SONY 24.3 sensor, and if it is expected, about when?

[Rite]

I would surely stick with Pentax if I thought the K-3 or whatever it will be called would be an APS-C system using the Sony 24.3 sensor. That with the Sigma or the new Pentax 560mm would be a compelling birding kit. What is the likelihood of the next Pentax DSLR using the SONY 24.3 sensor, and if it is expected, about when?

--------------------------------------

The odds are very good that the K-3? sensor will be 24.3.

The K5II and K30 both use the same Sony sensor family as found in the Nikon D7000, and the word in the Nikon forums is that the D7100? will have a 24.3 sensor, in which case Pentax will follow suit like they did with the K5II.

However, Pentax will probably be at least six to nine months behind Nikon's D7100 and other new 24.3 cameras it will likely be releasing this Spring. I don't know what Canon is doing in this area.

[jamielroye]

that's awesome.

[christiansen]

You know you're replying to a 4 month old thread, are u?

[Uluru]

In Pentax land, 3 years old news is still hot news because nothing happened since

[devouges]

I do a lot of birding and take pictures with my good-old K10 and 70-300mm fa lens. Like the good old pentaxian I am, I am eagerly awaiting the full-frame. However, I did a bit of studying and I find that most of the time, I am always cropping down my pictures to get more of the bird in the picture.

So, I did a bit of an analysis on pixel count versus sensor size and I have found that a 36meg full size sensor ( 24x36) will give the same amount of pixels per millimeter as a 16 megapixel APS sensor ( 16x24).

Sooooo....... is it really worthwhile for me to go full-frame for mostly cropped down bird pictures ????

I think not..... Opinions welcome......

[ElJamoquio]

I do a lot of birding and take pictures with my good-old K10 and 70-300mm fa lens. Like the good old pentaxian I am, I am eagerly awaiting the full-frame. However, I did a bit of studying and I find that most of the time, I am always cropping down my pictures to get more of the bird in the picture.

So, I did a bit of an analysis on pixel count versus sensor size and I have found that a 36meg full size sensor ( 24x36) will give the same amount of pixels per millimeter as a 16 megapixel APS sensor ( 16x24).

Sooooo....... is it really worthwhile for me to go full-frame for mostly cropped down bird pictures ????

I think not..... Opinions welcome......

A cropped-down picture will not help you any, other than the much, much easier ability to keep a bird in flight in the viewfinder. You'll give up a bit in FPS though, so it's a tradeoff.

[Mistral75]

I'm retrieving this thread from the forum's abyss to indicate the following: in Ricoh's so-called 'VIP lounge' at the French Salon de la Photo, I learned from the main retailer of Pentax gear in France that the DA 560's MSRP (€6,799 at launch, currently €5,499) would soon be lowered to €3,999.

This should be announced during the international wildlife photo festival of Montier-en-Der (20th to 23rd November). And €3,999 is already the price of DA 560 in the Pentax Store that just opened in Paris.

The reason for this price drop is simple: non-existent sales at current price.

For those of you who aren't familiar with the €/$ exchange rate and/or the European rules: €3,999 includes 20 per cent. VAT and therefore corresponds to approx. US$4,175 (excluding sales tax).

[Mikesul]

I'm retrieving this thread from the forum's abyss to indicate the following: in Ricoh's so-called 'VIP lounge' at the French Salon de la Photo, I learned from the main retailer of Pentax gear in France that the DA 560's MSRP (€6,799 at launch, currently €5,499) would soon be lowered to €3,999.

This should be announced during the international wildlife photo festival of Montier-en-Der (20th to 23rd November). And €3,999 is already the price of DA 560 in the Pentax Store that just opened in Paris.

The reason for this price drop is simple: non-existent sales at current price.

For those of you who aren't familiar with the €/$ exchange rate and/or the European rules: €3,999 includes 20 per cent. VAT and therefore corresponds to approx. US$4,175 (excluding sales tax).

This is good news but, sadly, I suspect the price is still way beyond what most of us can justify. Perhaps if I sold my Martin D28.

[jatrax]

This is good news but, sadly, I suspect the price is still way beyond what most of us can justify. Perhaps if I sold my Martin D28.

Pentax F *600 = $7,000 (though last one I saw for sale was closer to $10k)
Pentax FA*600 = $6,000
Sigma 500mm = $5,000
Price of entry into this area of photography. Nikon and Canon are even more money (though faster).

$4,000 for this lens is a reasonable price and it would have sold if introduced @ $4,999 instead of the $6,799.

However, it is APS-C only and that IMHO opinion is a major drawback for a lens in this price range. Not arguing that it might not actually be an advantage to use APS-C for long tele but when you are dropping that kind of money I would want to have some assurance it will work on FF. Someday.

[rawr]

it is APS-C only

I think the patent and other material people have consulted indicate that it was designed to cover the FF image circle.

No-one makes APS-C specific super-telephotos, not even Sigma or Tamron, AFAIK.

[reh321]

I think the patent and other material people have consulted indicate that it was designed to cover the FF image circle.

No-one makes APS-C specific super-telephotos, not even Sigma or Tamron, AFAIK.

As long as you restrict your statement to "super-telephotos", it may be true.

I have a Tamron 18-270 which I have used on a Canon APS-C camera.
It has the standard Canon-EF mount, but it acts like something with their EF-S mount, because when I put it on an old Canon film camera, a non-trivial portion of the frame is not included in the image from the lens.

[jatrax]

I think the patent and other material people have consulted indicate that it was designed to cover the FF image circle. No-one makes APS-C specific super-telephotos, not even Sigma or Tamron, AFAIK.

According to the PF forum review the vignette is 1.3 stops @ f/5.6, not so bad @ f/8 and acceptable at f/11. The conclusion was that it could not be called a 'FF' lens but would likely give acceptable results.

I believe it was actually designed as APS-C only. Remember this lens was worked up during Hoya years probably designed even before then. Left to languish and then dusted off by Ricoh. At that time Pentax was focused 100% on APS-C, still saying that until maybe 2012 or so.

At any rate, you are correct that it will give at least some good result on FF.

I wonder (assuming there will actually be a Pentax FF) how they will straighten out the naming conventions so it makes sense to poor buyers?
Clerk: Well this is a DFA lens and it will work great on your new $2,500 FF camera.
Customer: What about this DA lens?
Clerk: Oh, yes that DA lens will work just fine!
Customer: And this one here will work then?
Clerk: Oh, no that DA lens will not work.
Customer: Huh?

[Mikesul]

Well there is always crop mode and vignetting can be reduced or cropped in post.