Originally posted by Pål Jensen Very few people use such lenses. We are not even talking in percentages. More likely ppm
They also make less sense than ever. I bought my 600/4 lens when 200ISO was the limit for high quality imaging. Now we have cropped cameras and ISO values unimaginable in the film days.
A 600/4 lens is extremely difficult in use and handling. They demand perfect techniques. Most who owns these lenses for outdoor use experience that they use them less and less. I'll take the 150-450 and a K-3 any day before a 600/4 and a K-1; not for economic reasons. The former will probably be where I am while the latter will stay home in its trunk....
We only have limited time for photography. You can spend it shooting with a 600/4 and lots hassle, or use the same time shooting with your other lenses and having a good time.
The Pentax 600/4 weights 7kg. A tripod 5kg+ (you really need two point support) and a K-1 probably close to one 1kg. + you certainly want other lenses with you as well. Do the math.
That doesn't mean that Pentax shouldn't make such lenses, but they are not as important or attractive as some think.
How many FA 600/4 have Pentax made? My guess is less than 30.....
Very few people buy DSLR's, especially full frame ones. Very very few. So what percentage of people who spend on a higher end DSLR also spend money on high end lenses?
I'm not suggesting that this is a pot of gold. When Kenspo says that they are focussing on the pro market, what he means is that they are looking for people who spend money for quality camera gear to accomplish what they need to do. A phone isn't good enough. The next market to fall will be the low end dslr, or more realistically, the characteristics of the $2000 plus dslr bodies will be expected in sub $1000 bodies. This is already happening with the $1600 full frame Sony units.
Let me put it differently. I have seen far more 300-600mm lenses in people's hands, not talking about the inexpensive long zooms, than I have seen 645Z units. And the 645Z was a runaway success.
Someone who wants a medium format for whatever reason looks at the market. There are a few choices, the Pentax offering is very very compelling. Someone who wants to buy a long lens to get shots of grizzly bears or eagles or whatever they see looking at the market sees a few different offerings, and Pentax is not there. So they don't get the sale because they don't have a product, and that sale would be body and lens around $15k. Which is odd because they have tough weather resistant bodies, lenses and flashes that are perfect for that market.
There are vibrant and profitable sub markets in photography determined by people with specific requirements that have money to spend. This is one of them. There are others as well. I suspect Ricoh will one by one service these market segments with compelling offerings.
The 150-450 is a decent lens, but someone who wants to get good results needs more, and many will spend to get it. There have been a gradual exit of long lens shooters from Pentax because the offerings are not there. They end up spending lots of money somewhere else. Thousands of dollars. I reckon Ricoh would like to have that cash.