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03-06-2014, 04:29 PM   #1
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10 Firmware Updates Released: Support for the Pentax Teleconveter

If you plan on adding the Pentax 1.4x teleconverter to your kit, grab the latest firmware here:

New Firmware Adds Support for Pentax Teleconverter - Pentax Firmware - PentaxForums.com

New updates have just been released for the K-3, K-50, K-500, K-5 II, K-5 IIs, K-30, K-5, K-7, K-r, and K-01.




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03-06-2014, 07:05 PM   #2
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No K-x. I know it was announced but I was still hoping. It's a great little camera.
03-06-2014, 07:19 PM - 1 Like   #3
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Would have been nice to see the K20D in this list... Not happy Pentax !!!!
03-06-2014, 07:24 PM   #4
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You can still use the TC on those older bodies, it just won't be recognized by the camera. It's bot surprising that Pentax has decided to end of life the older models, as that's just how it is


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03-06-2014, 07:38 PM   #5
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I downloaded software for my K-x, and updated it... go to the Ricoh page, it's there. Oops, you're right, there was an upgrade for me, but it doesn't address the TC.
03-06-2014, 08:28 PM   #6
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QuoteOriginally posted by Adam Quote
It's bot surprising that Pentax has decided to end of life the older models, as that's just how it is
Some of the older bodies may not support the TC. Think SDM and pre-2007 bodies.
03-06-2014, 09:45 PM   #7
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QuoteOriginally posted by Craig66 Quote
Would have been nice to see the K20D in this list... Not happy Pentax !!!!
Although I have a K20D, I won't miss its inability to use the new TC, as my K-5 and K-3 will have that capability. As I noted on the News page, the K-7 is often said to be the K20D in a different body, with video added. I'm surprised, if the difference is that little, that the K20D couldn't have been included in this. Whether or not that gives the lie to those who dismiss the K-7 as a variant of the K20D, I don't really know, but it would be interesting to know the detail.

03-06-2014, 09:47 PM   #8
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QuoteOriginally posted by MadMathMind Quote
Think SDM and pre-2007
The mighty little K-x certainly supports SDM. It's also a newer camera than the K-7, yet the K-7 gets support.

Over the last few years, the K-x has also been [I suspect] the best selling Pentax DSLR in the line-up and it remains popular (just look at the image count on flickr's Pentax page). So it would have made sense to update it, IMHO.
03-07-2014, 09:05 AM   #9
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The TC will work on older bodies, incl bodies with SR that are not in this list, since it has been confirmed that the TC recalculates the focal length/aperture without the firmware upgrade. It seems the TC will manipulate all data coming from the lens chip and make sure the body sees adapted values only. So as long as the body functions using these data don't need to know the specific lens, the bodies will work just fine with the data as such.

Question is why the firmware needs upgrading, and whether that reason makes any sense for older bodies to begin with. I think it's needed to match the TC's ID to new entries in the in-camera database for functions that use this database.

For argument's sake, imagine that the firmware upgrade is only needed to allow for lens corrections to take into account the 1.4x factor when applying the corrections for the mounted lens. These corrections are stored in the firmware, not in the lens. In that case there would be no need to upgrade the firmware for older bodies that did not yet have lens corrections to begin with... so why bother offering a firmware upgrade for these?

What other functions would need the ID specifically?

Wim

---------- Post added 03-07-2014 at 05:09 PM ----------

QuoteOriginally posted by MadMathMind Quote
Some of the older bodies may not support the TC. Think SDM and pre-2007 bodies.
The TC is both screw drive and SDM. On older non-SDM/DC supporting bodies DA* lenses that have SDM and screw drive will use screw drive, so the same will be the case for this TC. On SDM/DC supporting bodies, the TC will use the powerzoom contacts for SDM/DC lenses.

Regardless, I expect the TC to work on all bodies.

Wim

Last edited by Ishpuini; 03-07-2014 at 09:11 AM.
03-07-2014, 09:18 AM   #10
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Wim, I expect older DSLR with SDM support and without firmware tc support to be still, as now, worthless as SDM+tc use.

Normal AF and SR though should be fine.
03-07-2014, 11:25 AM   #11
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The older K-7 getting an upgrade instead of the K-x might be a shift towards more professional level support, as in higher end products continue to receive longer support lifespans.
03-07-2014, 11:32 AM   #12
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Biggest problem with aftermarket tele converters is the lack of SR focal length input. I'm assuming this is why the firmware needs the extra information.
03-07-2014, 12:30 PM   #13
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Well anyone here ready to launch / sign a PF petition to obtain K-x and K 20 D updates ?
03-07-2014, 12:48 PM   #14
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I just went out with my K-x and 60-250 ƒ4. The sun went in I didn't have great light, but decent light, and the AF on the K-x was extremely unreliable. I could coax it to work, but aiming at several targets, I had to manual focus to get it close before it would even lock focus. My guess is anything before a k-5 doesn't have the low light focusing capacity to take the one stop hit. I put the Tamron 90 ƒ2.8 and the issue was gone. My guess is there may be technical issues with the older bodies that have Pentax discouraging you from using the 1.4 with those bodies. Just too many lenses out there they might not work with.
03-07-2014, 01:21 PM   #15
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QuoteOriginally posted by thibs Quote
Wim, I expect older DSLR with SDM support and without firmware tc support to be still, as now, worthless as SDM+tc use.

Normal AF and SR though should be fine.
Awaldram's recent posts have given me some additional insights in this problem. The reason why SDM AF does not lock seems related to the wrong focal length causing the camera to issue wrong instructions to drive the lens' focus ring. This makes the AF miss the focus point repeatedly. Correct focal length being reported by the new TC would avoid the error.

Wim
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