[SBeck]

Staff note: This post may contain affiliate links, which means Pentax Forums may earn a small commission if a visitor clicks through and makes a purchase. If you would like to support the forum directly, you may also make a donation here.

---

Zeiss can't keep up with the production that they already have and K-mount is such a small market share that Zeiss really is uninterested. This is good for Ricoh. As long as Ricoh continues to produce high quality glass like the D-FA* 70-200mm there wont be any need for Zeiss.

I haven't yet had a single instance where my tamron 70-200 was lacking. As long as there is any third party lens support for pentax at this level of quality (and at a fraction of the cost), I don't see Ricoh as being successful with their expensive lens strategy.

[willeisner]

Samyang has an excellent 135mm f2 as good as the Zeiss and Pentax available for a lot less money, I think it is worth looking at it

[ColiNiloK]

I enquired with Leitax recently about Zeiss conversion . . .




The response . . .




So all is not lost. Hopefully we'll see conversion of any Zeiss ZF to K-mount in the near future.

---------- Post added 05-29-16 at 12:26 PM ----------

Just to add, this is worth a watch regarding Zeiss lenses . . .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yaBQUResbrA

You can still find Distagon 2/35 and Planar 1.4/85 in ZK fairly easily, also the 2/28. But it's very tricky to find the 50mm and 100mm Macro-Planar's and 2.8/21

Interesting, I was going to ask Leitax as well, thanks for asking.

I might ask them in regards to the new Milvus lens and Otus lines as well.

[UncleVanya]

I haven't yet had a single instance where my tamron 70-200 was lacking. As long as there is any third party lens support for pentax at this level of quality (and at a fraction of the cost), I don't see Ricoh as being successful with their expensive lens strategy.

I think the differences are subtle but real but I have no comparison basis just user reports to go on. I would also say that they aren't pursuing an "expensive lens" strategy exclusively, the 28-105 full frame lens being one example, the DA 35 f/2.4 and DA 50 f/1.8 being other examples.

[Zygonyx]

I guess it is too early for any "traditionnal" third part lens Maker, to know whether a (new) K-mount investment in their line-up is worth - ot not.
A few month sales trend period seems neccessary in order to foresee which marketshare to count on with Pentax entering full frame digital.

But yes, asking Zeiss if they intend to change the rumored opinion is good tactics.

[lytrytyr]

Many of the Zeiss 35mm lenses,
including the new Distagon 15/2.8 and Apo-Sonnar 135/2,
are available in M42 screw mount.
(The Apo-Distagon 55/1.4 isn't.)

Large Image Format Lenses | ZEISS International

[Winder]

I haven't yet had a single instance where my tamron 70-200 was lacking. As long as there is any third party lens support for pentax at this level of quality (and at a fraction of the cost), I don't see Ricoh as being successful with their expensive lens strategy.

The last time I used the Tamron 70-200mm was back when I still had my K-5. Its a great lens for the money. I have not had a chance to try one on my K-1 to compare it to my D-FA* 70-200mm. Being a pound lighter the Tamron is definitely easier to carry all day and 1/3 the cost. Ricoh can't make a lens at the same price point as Tamron. Most of Tamron's business is supplying OEM lenses to Sony, Nikon, & Ricoh (probably others). Ricoh can't make them as cheaply as Tamron, and as you say they can't make them more expensive, so I guess they need to get out of the lens business.

[lytrytyr]

Ricoh can't make them as cheaply as Tamron, and as you say they can't make them more expensive, so I guess they need to get out of the lens business.

Fortunately for Ricoh, there's more to a lens than what Tamron offers.
My Tamron 17-50, sharp and fast as it is, stays at home most of the time,
while the DA Limited zoom is the one that gets used.

[Kunzite]

I haven't yet had a single instance where my tamron 70-200 was lacking. As long as there is any third party lens support for pentax at this level of quality (and at a fraction of the cost), I don't see Ricoh as being successful with their expensive lens strategy.

If you don't see the need for better products, it doesn't mean there isn't.

[SMcGuire45]

Many of the Zeiss 35mm lenses,
including the new Distagon 15/2.8 and Apo-Sonnar 135/2,
are available in M42 screw mount.
(The Apo-Distagon 55/1.4 isn't.)

Large Image Format Lenses | ZEISS International

Interesting, so this is probably a really dumb question, but where are these available for purchase and will they work on a K-1?

[thibs]

Interesting, so this is probably a really dumb question, but where are these available for purchase and will they work on a K-1?

With an M42 to K mount adapter and stop down metering? Sure they will.

[SMcGuire45]

With an M42 to K mount adapter and stop down metering? Sure they will.

Right! I always forget about that adapter. Thanks!!

[jlstrawman]

You can still find Distagon 2/35 and Planar 1.4/85 in ZK fairly easily, also the 2/28. But it's very tricky to find the 50mm and 100mm Macro-Planar's and 2.8/21

I check regularly, on Ebay, and there are always several ZKs available from Japan. So far I haven't wanted one bad enough to pay, what I think, are high prices.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=Zeiss+ZK+-%28Zorki%29&_sop=10&_osacat=3...K+&_sacat=3323

[Cuthbert]

In another communication Zeiss said they are willing to make Kmount lenses if there is a large enough order. For example, if the forum would find 100 people to buy one type of lens.
Same thing with the Russian lens factory in Krasnogorsk.

These companies are wiling to make Kmount if we guarantee them they will sell the whole batch immediately.

But think about it, if PF and Russian and Japansese Pentax forums and communities cannot get that many people willing to put their money up, there is clearly not a big enough market. People whine about Zeiss lenses in K, but how many would you actually buy? Right now, brand new, at full price?


Well said

If it would be feasible this is the lens I would like to see coming out from KMZ:





For those who aren't familiar with esoteric Soviet glass, that's the Volna 50mm f1.2 developed in nine protoypes (it appears) by GOMZ for the Almaz 103 project in K mount and for the Kiev 18 in Nikon mount.

PHOTOHISTORY -

[veraikon]

but where are these available for purchase

These lenses are not consumer lenses, but for technical use [surveillance, robotics......] You can order them from Carl Zeiss direct. But note they would be a little bit more expensive than the consumer lenses and they a a little bit different from consumer lenses. E.g. you can fix the focus with a screw ....