New HD DA Limited lenses

Mareket · 08-31-2013, 09:55 AM

You're right, It's all well and good that there are some of us who are willing to shell out for Pentax glass, but realistically the competitive advantage of the Limiteds is slipping away, if you want small you go for M4/3 or NEX, and as soon as NEX, Samsung or Fuji get a decent lens selection, there's not really any point going with Pentax other than for the OVF, because PDAF tracking sure isn't Pentax's forte.

For £500 you can get the 19/30/60 sigma set for NEX cameras, and they're supposed to be fantastic optically, as well as being very small.

But the limiteds are cute as buttons.

IchabodCrane · 08-31-2013, 10:55 AM

Considering where Fujifilm is pricing their lenses, there's no point in complaining about Pentax prices.

Mr Spocko · 08-31-2013, 11:06 AM

The Limited's are excellent in most respects I'm very fond of the 70mm f2.4, wonderful lens in many ways. But it's not enough, we've a decent few lenses built up over time (and mostly before the huge price increases) In today's market it's increasingly unlikely that the limited lenses meet the needs of many outside a niche circle.
That's not enough to sustain Pentax however much we might love the ideas they have had over the years.

Limited can in many cases mean limited appeal, and with these prices people will just run to Canon and Nikon or the many ILC systems out there for smaller sizes.

As for Fujifilm £420 buys a 35mm f1.4, I hardly call that a blatant rip off price wise myself. 14mm f2.8 that's expensive, but might actually be cheaper than the 15mm ltd if these prices are right!

cali92rs · 08-31-2013, 11:11 AM

Originally posted by IchabodCrane

Considering where Fujifilm is pricing their lenses, there's no point in complaining about Pentax prices.

How do you figure? X mount lenses are more competitively priced than the limteds.

Rupert · 08-31-2013, 11:18 AM

Why are we seeing all those fantastic Fuji shots that do indeed rival FF? The great Fuji lenses. They coupled the cameras with fine glass.
You want the same results with your K5, you can get it easily, just use the Ltd lenses and see the difference instantly. Is it that easy? Yes, it really is. Ltd lenses, though pricey, deliver the quality we all seek...but keep spending cash on lower grade lenses thinking we can "beat the system". Stop playing with your cash, bite the bullet and buy Ltd when you want the best. You may be poorer, but you will be a satisfied poorer!

Regards!

Mr Spocko · 08-31-2013, 11:37 AM

Lens quality can be very very subjective and I'm not just talking build quality (where the Limited's are very good) rendering and contrast are factors, it's not just sharpness/distortion/CA etc. Much more to it.

I've looked at Fuji images the 35mm f1.4 can be a bit edgy bokeh wise, on the other hand it can be ok. Have to be honest the 35mm f2.8 macro isn't the best lens for bokeh sharp it is but it's not great in that department either. Lots of areas to think about. I will say Fuji have the "Fuji colour look" that is hard to match from ANY maker it's probably the nicest tonality on the market right now from anyone.

IchabodCrane · 08-31-2013, 12:25 PM

Originally posted by cali92rs

How do you figure? X mount lenses are more competitively priced than the limteds.

Their 14 mm lens is $900. How is that a real bargain? Outside of what we would call a "kit zoom", their cheapest lens is around $500. You don't HAVE to spend that much on Pentax lenses.

**Aristophanes** · 08-31-2013, 05:51 PM

Originally posted by Mr Spocko

The Limited's are excellent in most respects I'm very fond of the 70mm f2.4, wonderful lens in many ways. But it's not enough, we've a decent few lenses built up over time (and mostly before the huge price increases) In today's market it's increasingly unlikely that the limited lenses meet the needs of many outside a niche circle.
That's not enough to sustain Pentax however much we might love the ideas they have had over the years.

Limited can in many cases mean limited appeal, and with these prices people will just run to Canon and Nikon or the many ILC systems out there for smaller sizes.

Not with a DSLR Form factor and OVF. The Fuji X-Pro is a large camera.
The Limiteds achieve a very small footprint with beautiful rendering. They are quite unique to Pentax.

Uluru · 08-31-2013, 07:59 PM

Originally posted by cali92rs

How do you figure? X mount lenses are more competitively priced than the limteds.

No they are not. Especially considering that street price will be always lower than the RRP.

What can be said is that very good lenses by Fuji, Olympus and Pentax are about the same. They fluctuate, of course, but price is similar. Few years ago Pentax lenses were undervalued — thanks to the incompetent Pentax USA who has helped denigrate the value of the Pentax brand in the West down into garbage brand.

Zeiss lenses are more expensive still, but are also much heavier — for those who love fast glass and extra weight. Leica lenses are absolutely brilliant, but are priced way above its competition. DA Limiteds are optically as good as Leica's Summarits, yet for the 30-40% of Summarit's prices. I think that is very good.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/520350-USA/Leica_11_644_50mm_f_2_5_Summarit_M_Manual.html

jrforman · 08-31-2013, 08:18 PM

Just to muddy the water (like it needs it), I am shooting Pentax limited on Fuji X-E1 with adapter. I'm actually getting better performance (IMHO) on the fuji with them than my K-5. Best of both worlds.

Wired · 08-31-2013, 08:47 PM

Originally posted by jrforman

Just to muddy the water (like it needs it), I am shooting Pentax limited on Fuji X-E1 with adapter. I'm actually getting better performance (IMHO) on the fuji with them than my K-5. Best of both worlds.

funny, I believe I'm seeing similar results with adapted Limited and M lenses on my OMD ME5....the math says im wrong tho

jrforman · 08-31-2013, 09:02 PM

Originally posted by Wired

funny, I believe I'm seeing similar results with adapted Limited and M lenses on my OMD ME5

I think part of it for me is since I'm doing manual focusing off the sensor (through the EVF) and that the Fuji doesn't have a Bayer filter, there is a sharpness that isn't there on my K-5. And of course the Fuji is wonderful for its color rendition.

Oh, and for what its worth, the "kit lens" in the Fuji is an 18 to 55 and f2.8 to 4.0. Its quality is outstanding. It isn't at all comparable to the basic kit lens for most dlsr's. Its not a fair comparison. They are coming out with a less expensive 16-50 f3.5-5.6 that might be comparable (but it still has OS in it).

Gray · 08-31-2013, 11:36 PM

The K-5's PDAF can be really flaky at times. When I compare sharpness across systems, I always use the K-5's liveview CDAF or liveview magnified manual focus.

Clavius · 09-01-2013, 01:46 AM

Originally posted by jrforman

Just to muddy the water (like it needs it), I am shooting Pentax limited on Fuji X-E1 with adapter. I'm actually getting better performance (IMHO) on the fuji with them than my K-5. Best of both worlds.

Same with ltds on almost any NEX. It's the K-5 thick AA filter. You'll proper results on the K-5IIs.

Sandy Hancock · 09-01-2013, 02:04 AM - **5 Likes**

Seriously, if you have limited glass and you're not happy with your output, don't worry about the lens; the problem is on the other side of the camera.

08-31-2013, 08:47 PM	#401
Wired Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Edmonton, AB Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,519	Originally posted by jrforman Just to muddy the water (like it needs it), I am shooting Pentax limited on Fuji X-E1 with adapter. I'm actually getting better performance (IMHO) on the fuji with them than my K-5. Best of both worlds. funny, I believe I'm seeing similar results with adapted Limited and M lenses on my OMD ME5....the math says im wrong tho Last edited by Wired; 09-01-2013 at 08:06 AM.

09-01-2013, 02:04 AM - 5 Likes	#405
Sandy Hancock Moderator Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Adelaide Hills, South Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 10,668	Seriously, if you have limited glass and you're not happy with your output, don't worry about the lens; the problem is on the other side of the camera. Last edited by Sandy Hancock; 09-01-2013 at 04:29 AM.

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08-31-2013, 09:55 AM	#391
Mareket Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Chester Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 719	You're right, It's all well and good that there are some of us who are willing to shell out for Pentax glass, but realistically the competitive advantage of the Limiteds is slipping away, if you want small you go for M4/3 or NEX, and as soon as NEX, Samsung or Fuji get a decent lens selection, there's not really any point going with Pentax other than for the OVF, because PDAF tracking sure isn't Pentax's forte. For £500 you can get the 19/30/60 sigma set for NEX cameras, and they're supposed to be fantastic optically, as well as being very small. But the limiteds are cute as buttons.

08-31-2013, 10:55 AM	#392
IchabodCrane Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,728	Considering where Fujifilm is pricing their lenses, there's no point in complaining about Pentax prices.

08-31-2013, 11:06 AM	#393
Mr Spocko Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Posts: 254	The Limited's are excellent in most respects I'm very fond of the 70mm f2.4, wonderful lens in many ways. But it's not enough, we've a decent few lenses built up over time (and mostly before the huge price increases) In today's market it's increasingly unlikely that the limited lenses meet the needs of many outside a niche circle. That's not enough to sustain Pentax however much we might love the ideas they have had over the years. Limited can in many cases mean limited appeal, and with these prices people will just run to Canon and Nikon or the many ILC systems out there for smaller sizes. As for Fujifilm £420 buys a 35mm f1.4, I hardly call that a blatant rip off price wise myself. 14mm f2.8 that's expensive, but might actually be cheaper than the 15mm ltd if these prices are right!

08-31-2013, 11:11 AM	#394
cali92rs Veteran Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Long Beach, CA Posts: 3,354	Originally posted by IchabodCrane Considering where Fujifilm is pricing their lenses, there's no point in complaining about Pentax prices. How do you figure? X mount lenses are more competitively priced than the limteds.

08-31-2013, 11:18 AM	#395
Rupert Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Texas Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 25,123	Why are we seeing all those fantastic Fuji shots that do indeed rival FF? The great Fuji lenses. They coupled the cameras with fine glass. You want the same results with your K5, you can get it easily, just use the Ltd lenses and see the difference instantly. Is it that easy? Yes, it really is. Ltd lenses, though pricey, deliver the quality we all seek...but keep spending cash on lower grade lenses thinking we can "beat the system". Stop playing with your cash, bite the bullet and buy Ltd when you want the best. You may be poorer, but you will be a satisfied poorer! Regards!

08-31-2013, 11:37 AM	#396
Mr Spocko Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Posts: 254	Lens quality can be very very subjective and I'm not just talking build quality (where the Limited's are very good) rendering and contrast are factors, it's not just sharpness/distortion/CA etc. Much more to it. I've looked at Fuji images the 35mm f1.4 can be a bit edgy bokeh wise, on the other hand it can be ok. Have to be honest the 35mm f2.8 macro isn't the best lens for bokeh sharp it is but it's not great in that department either. Lots of areas to think about. I will say Fuji have the "Fuji colour look" that is hard to match from ANY maker it's probably the nicest tonality on the market right now from anyone.

08-31-2013, 12:25 PM	#397
IchabodCrane Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,728	Originally posted by cali92rs How do you figure? X mount lenses are more competitively priced than the limteds. Their 14 mm lens is $900. How is that a real bargain? Outside of what we would call a "kit zoom", their cheapest lens is around $500. You don't HAVE to spend that much on Pentax lenses.

08-31-2013, 05:51 PM	#398
Aristophanes Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Rankin Inlet, Nunavut Photos: Albums Posts: 3,948	Originally posted by Mr Spocko The Limited's are excellent in most respects I'm very fond of the 70mm f2.4, wonderful lens in many ways. But it's not enough, we've a decent few lenses built up over time (and mostly before the huge price increases) In today's market it's increasingly unlikely that the limited lenses meet the needs of many outside a niche circle. That's not enough to sustain Pentax however much we might love the ideas they have had over the years. Limited can in many cases mean limited appeal, and with these prices people will just run to Canon and Nikon or the many ILC systems out there for smaller sizes. Not with a DSLR Form factor and OVF. The Fuji X-Pro is a large camera. The Limiteds achieve a very small footprint with beautiful rendering. They are quite unique to Pentax.

08-31-2013, 07:59 PM	#399
Uluru Banned Join Date: May 2010 Location: Back to my Walkabout Creek Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,535	Originally posted by cali92rs How do you figure? X mount lenses are more competitively priced than the limteds. No they are not. Especially considering that street price will be always lower than the RRP. What can be said is that very good lenses by Fuji, Olympus and Pentax are about the same. They fluctuate, of course, but price is similar. Few years ago Pentax lenses were undervalued — thanks to the incompetent Pentax USA who has helped denigrate the value of the Pentax brand in the West down into garbage brand. Zeiss lenses are more expensive still, but are also much heavier — for those who love fast glass and extra weight. Leica lenses are absolutely brilliant, but are priced way above its competition. DA Limiteds are optically as good as Leica's Summarits, yet for the 30-40% of Summarit's prices. I think that is very good. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/520350-USA/Leica_11_644_50mm_f_2_5_Summarit_M_Manual.html

08-31-2013, 08:18 PM	#400
jrforman Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Minneapolis Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 202	Just to muddy the water (like it needs it), I am shooting Pentax limited on Fuji X-E1 with adapter. I'm actually getting better performance (IMHO) on the fuji with them than my K-5. Best of both worlds.

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08-31-2013, 09:02 PM	#402
jrforman Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Minneapolis Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 202	Originally posted by Wired funny, I believe I'm seeing similar results with adapted Limited and M lenses on my OMD ME5 I think part of it for me is since I'm doing manual focusing off the sensor (through the EVF) and that the Fuji doesn't have a Bayer filter, there is a sharpness that isn't there on my K-5. And of course the Fuji is wonderful for its color rendition. Oh, and for what its worth, the "kit lens" in the Fuji is an 18 to 55 and f2.8 to 4.0. Its quality is outstanding. It isn't at all comparable to the basic kit lens for most dlsr's. Its not a fair comparison. They are coming out with a less expensive 16-50 f3.5-5.6 that might be comparable (but it still has OS in it).

08-31-2013, 11:36 PM	#403
Gray Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Cape Town Photos: Gallery Posts: 536	The K-5's PDAF can be really flaky at times. When I compare sharpness across systems, I always use the K-5's liveview CDAF or liveview magnified manual focus.

09-01-2013, 01:46 AM	#404
Clavius Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: De Klundert Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,133	Originally posted by jrforman Just to muddy the water (like it needs it), I am shooting Pentax limited on Fuji X-E1 with adapter. I'm actually getting better performance (IMHO) on the fuji with them than my K-5. Best of both worlds. Same with ltds on almost any NEX. It's the K-5 thick AA filter. You'll proper results on the K-5IIs.