[monochrome]

This new converter appears to be a re-badged Tamron. The external casing has a different ribbed texture but everything else appears identical.

Asahiman already responded to this line upthread and completely debunked it. The converter is 100% Pentax design and manufacture, not a rebadge of anything.

[bossa]

Thanks for setting me straight...

[Kunzite]

I don't remember seeing Pentaxforum's video presentation in this thread; here it is:

You Tube

You Tube

If we ignore that Pentax worked on it for years, and that you can't just add weather sealing to a barrel not designed for it - you can see it's nowhere near identical to the Tamron. Of course, it looks similar - after all it's a 1.4x rear converter and there isn't much room to be creative, design-wise.
And if the specs I found are correct, it's 1mm longer (20 vs. 19mm), which means the optics are not identical.

But what do I know, I'm only a "cheerleader"

[cali92rs]

But what do I know, I'm only a "cheerleader"

Don't sell yourself short...you're not "only" a cheerleader.
You are a very dedicated, hardworking cheerleader

[froeschle]

[...] how much the focus screw has to be turned to cause a given phase shift in the AF system. So, even with a screw drive AF, somebody has to translate the K value. [...]

My Soligor 1.7x AF just broke apart - no electronics inside, reduction seems to be realized by the white gear wheels. The new Pentax converter is probably more complex.

[goubejp]

I have discovered that the converter allows a fine AF adjustment different for a lens + TC combo than for the lens alone. Nice feature

[StigVidar]

I have discovered that the converter allows a fine AF adjustment different for a lens + TC combo than for the lens alone. Nice feature

Yes, I agree on that, but wish it was possible to store more than 20 lenses now.

[crewl1]

My Soligor 1.7x AF just broke apart - no electronics inside, reduction seems to be realized by the white gear wheels. The new Pentax converter is probably more complex.

Wow - hope you had both camera and lens supported when that happened!

[froeschle]

Wow - hope you had both camera and lens supported when that happened!

I tried to pull out one of my cameras with the teleconverter and a heavy and expensive lens.
The sound revealed that this was not really a good idea.
One half of the converter stayed attached to the lens, the other one to the camera.
The corresponding bayonet only was fixed by three tiny screws in a plastic counterpart.
Fortunately, this seems to be the only damage caused - a blessing in disguise!

[StigVidar]

I tried to pull out one of my cameras with the teleconverter and a heavy and expensive lens.
The sound revealed that this was not really a good idea.
One half of the converter stayed attached to the lens, the other one to the camera.
The corresponding bayonet only was fixed by three tiny screws in a plastic counterpart.
Fortunately, this seems to be the only damage caused - a blessing in disguise!

Yes, you have to be careful with heavy lenses. In fact, the mount on the camera itself is only fixed with small screws into plastic (not sure on K-3, but I have repaired a few K-7 and K-5 where the mount is more or less ripped of the camera after a fall to the ground or floor)

[thibs]

Yes, you have to be careful with heavy lenses. In fact, the mount on the camera itself is only fixed with small screws into plastic (not sure on K-3, but I have repaired a few K-7 and K-5 where the mount is more or less ripped of the camera after a fall to the ground or floor)

Thought it was screwed to magnesium alloy frame ?

[StigVidar]

Thought it was screwed to magnesium alloy frame ?

No, not on K-7 or K-5. It is fixed to the mirror box which is made of plastic.

The plastic in your camera: Canon EOS 7D / 10D - 70D Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review

(there is a picture of K-5 there ....)

[thibs]

No, not on K-7 or K-5. It is fixed to mirror box which is made of plastic.

The plastic in your camera: Canon EOS 7D / 10D - 70D Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review

Ouch !

[StigVidar]

Ouch !

And K-3 is probably similar with 99.99% certainty. It is the cheapest and normal way of making cameras.

You can also see it here, https://www.pentaxforums.com/news/pentax-k30-k-5-cross-section.html , at the bottom. The small screw is cut in half and it is small and short and screwed into plastic.

[thibs]

And K-3 is probably similar with 99.99% certainty. It is the cheapest and normal way of making cameras.

Yeah, I don't deny that it is expected, but not IMO on this type of cams... well, I thought.