Originally posted by Class A
By the same reasoning you could defend the absence of any metering support and/or focus confirmation for manual lenses.
With this reasoning, you could even easily have the forthcoming FF model not support screw drive lenses. Why "support technology of the past"?
This analogy does not work at all.
The more appropriate analogy would be Apple not supporting playing uncompressed audio files, i.e., only supporting the most modern lossy audio formats. The reason why this analogy is more appropriate is because it is easy and not intrusive to any users that have no interest in older technology to support older audio formats (just like adding an aperture coupler or better software support would be easy and non-intrusive), as opposed to do doing something entirely unreasonable (adding cassette playback to an iPhone).
Please read my posts more carefully. I explicitly said that I don't expect an aperture coupler to materialise. I'm not one of those people lobbying for one. I only said, the desire for an aperture coupler (or better software support) is 100% reasonable. I don't see why it should be ridiculed at all.
P.S.: While I'd be totally fine with the idea of an aperture coupler being dead and buried forever, I also think it would be very cool of Pentax to -- at some point in the future -- give people the option to spend some money to get one.
There could be a special edition of a flagship camera that would target those with a collection of manual lenses. I guess it would not be financially viable to do this, but if it were, it would be a great way for Ricoh to communicate that they value their existing customers and reward brand loyalty.
I'm sorry if you misread that as being directed at you. It was in general to the loud minority here. There is minimal incentive for them to add an aperture coupler or any additional features to support ancient lenses. They make no money from legacy lens purchases and I suspect very few purchases from the legacy lens users market (in the form of body sales should they make one with these features). I strongly doubt there is enough demand to warrant the feature vs profit from providing it.
Ricoh/Pentax currently sell screwdrive lenses so your own case is moot. They don't sell full manual lenses however, so my thought is valid.
Compressed and uncompressed audio formats are still around, alive, and sold in the market. So that also doesn't work. But you're not seeing the forest through the trees in this matter and I'm not sure how else to explain it. Round peg in square hole. Ancient technology trying to be shoehorned to work with new technology.
While I'd be happy to see any and all supportive features for as many lens types as possible.. I'm not seeing it happen. Even Ricoh reps when asked about that were quick to skirt around it.. they don't seem to want to touch it. It is a niche in a niche. (manual lenses in DSLR photography)
I think we have a better potential to see 4k video than get an aperture coupler and any other features to support 40 year old lenses. I'd be happy to eat crow if they provide it though. Again don't get your (in general) hopes up because the potential for seeing this is slim.
---------- Post added 11-09-15 at 11:39 PM ----------
Originally posted by One3rdEV
Unfortunately sometimes the tech that is still available or brought to the present market place does not perform as well as tech that once existing in the market place. What is available now or in the future does not always exceed what was available in the past- except for the fact that it is presently available. But then this may be a fleeting moment also.
Photography includes a bit of this as well.
Can be a bit frustrating to old timers such as myself who experienced past technologies that delivered well (e.g. perhaps greater efficiency, predictable, repeatable, concise control, or creative freedom) but have since been taken away.
Solid metal cars with full bumpers aren't coming back either.. now you get hit at 5 or 6 mph and you have 800 dollars in damage. There were definitely advantages to the old designs. On the other hand, cars now are generally lighter and get better fuel economy. So there are advantages to the new designs as well.
I have a couple M primes. The build quality is fantastic. Solid metal body, smooth focusing ring. But they are also heavier and flare like crazy (not to mention the lack of auto anything).