[FW Birds]

I want one of these to go along with my K-3 and DA*300 for birding. It's certainly not cheap, but if the reviews are good I'm definitely going to get one. The weather and dust sealing is an extra bonus. I wonder if the street price ends up being around $500.

[Barry Pearson]

$600 is a ridiculous price. I'd be prepared to pay $350 to $400 for the weather sealing and correct focal length reporting.

Otherwise my $200 Tamron AF-PZ 1.4x, which gives really good IQ and which works well with my 18-135, 60-250 and Sigma 50-500 and 17-70 lenses, not to mention screw drive lenses will definitely not be replaced.

Ricoh disappoints yet again with its price gouging, but good news for sellers of the Tamron 1.4x and Pentax-F 1.7x TCs!

I have the Tamron-F 1.4x Pz-AF MC4 teleconverter. I pre-ordered the new Pentax teleconverter without hesitation.

I'll compare the image quality, then make a judgment about which to keep, or whether to keep both for some reason. Perhaps I will become a seller of the Tamron 1.4x!

I seek the best product (at a price that I am prepared to pay). I don't care what other products cost, if they are not what I think best, or are for a system (Canon, Nikon) that I don't have.

Weather sealing is essential for me in many circumstances.

[thibs]

The Canon and Nikon teleconverters are ~$500, street price.
But a newly launched Pentax' MSRP must be half that, right?

Yeah moaning as soon as arrived

[Barry Pearson]

I want one of these to go along with my K-3 and DA*300 for birding.

You and thousands of others!

(A large proportion of people who want this teleconverter want to use it mainly with their DA* 300mm f/4. Often for birding - same for me. If it doesn't work well with that lens, Ricoh/Pentax are going to have a public-relations nightmare!)

[thibs]

That the effective aperture might be too dark for accurate focusing? (in certain conditions/with some cameras)
They're all f/5.6-f/5.8 lenses; one stop less and...

Which is better than Canon, if I remember well, Canon forbids AF after f/5.6

[thibs]

The second response already contains bitching and whining. This has got to be some sort of record.

Yep, although it often comes in the first one

[dansamy]

Wait a year... if it's not $399 I'll be surprised.

Not with strict MAP enforcement!

[thibs]

Perhaps it wouldn't be such an extremely niche product if it wasn't priced to be an extremely niche product?

Not even. It makes little sense to use a TC with a 18-135, a 17-70, a 40 or any of those lenses.
Of course, if you already have it, why not, but nobody would buy it for this purpose.
And it has even less relevance than before with ease of cropping the frame in a digital world.
TC has a point whith moderate to long lenses for getting a range you can't get otherwise (for lack of existing lens or lack of money).

[thibs]

Most likely no, seeing that even most bodies need a firmware update to be able to use it (as an AF TC). In manual mode, I'm not so sure.

In fact I think it should work without problem.
The firmware has to do with SDM it seems, otherwise the AF1.7x would not work correctly at all.
So yes, it should work on the PZ-1P IMO

EDIT: I'm talking about screwdriven AF of course.

[thibs]

Pentax Announces New 1.4x Teleconveter - Pentax News - PentaxForums.com
Ricoh announces HD Pentax DA AF 1.4X AW rear converter: Digital Photography Review

I think it is interesting that the 40 XS gets cited as incompatible while the other variations of 40 ltds

In fact, I'm surprised Kr and K-7 got some love and this is good news but I wrote so in the other thread, if there was a firmware upgrade, there'd be some leftovers..

[Mistral75]

Which is better than Canon, if I remember well, Canon forbids AF after f/5.6

It depends on the body. All Canon DSLRs focus up to f/6.3 and top tier ones up to f/8.

[Kunzite]

By the way, I read in the other forum that in Germany MSRP is 399 euro. I couldn't get an exact amount from our dealer, but I've been told it will be something on that line.
It's a good price, I'd say.

[Mistral75]

By the way, I read in the other forum that in Germany MSRP is 399 euro. I couldn't get an exact amount from our dealer, but I've been told it will be something on that line.
It's a good price, I'd say.

Indeed, for once European prices are much lower than US ones:

- €399 (VAT included) is equivalent to $450
- £379.99 (VAT included) is equivalent to $520

both significantly lower than the U.S. MSRP ($599.95).

[VisualDarkness]

Funny how all international sites and especially American, to a minor degree British, ones are bombarded with price complains while the Swedish ones doesn't have one post like that. I guess we are used to pay big time for our gear.

[gazonk]

Fovi in Norway has it available for pre-order:
Fovi AS - Pentax 1,4x converter

NOK 3995 ~ USD 643, but you need to subtract the included 25% VAT, and then you get a decent USD 514.