[pres589]

Given the lack of UWA glass for my K-1, the loss of 3rd party lenses is particularly painful. I'm just not paying the price for the 15-30. It might be a great lens but it's $2300 with Tax and shipping by the time it gets to my door, and it's big and heavy. Right now, anyone's 20mm lens would be awesome. A cute little redesign of the 21 ltd. for full frame would do nicely. Surely Pentax has to do something for those of us who can't lay out the big bucks for the 15-30? This is especially bad since they went to 28mm instead of 24 on the DFA 28-105. Although for me, I use my Sigma 8-16 pretty extensively. So 21 is the longest I would go.

It's hard to believe that I'm in a position where I'll be using my K-3 with the 8-16 on the camera for UVA as well as for telephoto images. But that's where I find myself. When I bought the K-1, not bringing the Sigma 8-16 was part of keeping my weight down. I planned poorly. Someone bail me out.

I think I would just shoot with my DA 15 and crop everything or run in the 1:1 crop mode if I were to have a K-1 (this is not a problem I expect to have until I can justify this sort of thing, and I am miles from there). Not the very best thing I can think of but the options are all weak. The SMC DA 15 specifically is the cherry on top of my Pentax experience; I hope the design ethos that went into creating that lens shows up again in whatever Ricoh brings us.

You could always throw the 8-16 on your K-1 and do the same. I know it's added workload in post but it's not that much after sorting out the keepers from the deletes and getting into whatever you do with photos.

[beholder3]

Given the lack of UWA glass for my K-1,

?

You can easily get manual 12,14,15,20, 21mm primes for the K-1. Within 4 weeks the 11mm will be available as well. No shortage there.
Beyond the 15-30mm people use AF DA glass in focal lengths where it covers FF: Both the 12-24 and the 8-16 are being mentioned.
Or buy one of the used FF Sigmas.

That sums up to about 11 options today, excluding old glass.

The 14mm recently was available here for 290 EUR new including 19% tax.

[normhead]

You could always throw the 8-16 on your K-1 and do the same. I know it's added workload in post but it's not that much after sorting out the keepers from the deletes and getting into whatever you do with photos.

Since I want the K-3 along for birds and most wildlife, that doesn't make much sense. It would cost me 25% of my K-3 resolution.
My preferred option at the moment would be the Pentax FA 20-35, which appears to be portable. The Sigma 12-24 would appear to be significantly bigger. I'm keeping my eyes open for either. I'm just not a big fan of MF.

[Rondec]

Zeiss abandoned us, tamron created last lens for pentax years ago and no new design is available unless called DFA, Sigma reduced portfolio of pentax lenses significantly and probably is going to abandon us and take care of others like rising Fuji.

The problem is REDUCED LENS OPTION


Who the hell is going to buy K-1 + 15-30 + 24-70 + 70-200 + 150-450 if he can get D810 + tamron 15-30VC + tamron 24-70VC + great tamron 70-200VC + great nikkor 200-500/5.6 for LESS MONEY... ? Not to mention selection of available fast lenses like 20/1.4, 24/1.4, 35/1.4, 50/1.4, 85/1.4 etc etc for Nikon.

There is no way Ricoh would introduce more than 2-3 lenses a year to cover photographic needs... On the other side there is FUJI going stronger every year. After 4 years there already are many X mount lenses.. And Pentax after 13 years of digital era is stil somewhere at the end of tail.


Loosing sigma would only result in even less K cameras being sold. K-1 was no huge success, at the beginning the hype was huge, but by now all those hard-core pentaxians with old lenses were saturated and we can see cashbacks, sales and other stuff aimed on selling more K-1 as that camera created no significant growth. Even in JAPAN Ricoh/Pentax only achieved 4.8% of market share... that is the reason why those 3rd party manufacturers are turning back to K mount. Years ago it used to be around 10% in Japan and 4-5% worldwide.

It is hard to attract new customers into buying product that only can be used with own overpriced lenses with almost zero 3Rd party support, while others enjoy all those new lenses every year on their canons or nikons.

Without significant boost into APS-C cameras portfolio and stronger marketing I see nothing optimistic. With current methods we can expect market share dropping to 2% this year.

Nice.

I bought a K-1 and the DFA 15-30, DFA 24-70 and DFA *70-200. I have never been a big fan of Sigma lenses and now that they have gone bigger and bigger, they just feel sort of the opposite of why most people buy Pentax.

The DFA zooms aren't exactly small, but I would purchase the K-1 for lenses like the FA limiteds and the DFA 70-200.

Beyond which, features like astro tracer and pixel shift notch the K-1 above the D810 for my style of shooting for a lower price.

I know you are trolling, but even without Sigma support, Pentax still brings quite a bit to the table.

[eddie1960]

Nice.

I bought a K-1 and the DFA 15-30, DFA 24-70 and DFA *70-200. I have never been a big fan of Sigma lenses and now that they have gone bigger and bigger, they just feel sort of the opposite of why most people buy Pentax.

The DFA zooms aren't exactly small, but I would purchase the K-1 for lenses like the FA limiteds and the DFA 70-200.

Beyond which, features like astro tracer and pixel shift notch the K-1 above the D810 for my style of shooting for a lower price.

I know you are trolling, but even without Sigma support, Pentax still brings quite a bit to the table.

I have to agree with everything you said (I checked there is only one moon and its not blue ) I don't think Sigma support is critical, it's always nice to have options but cest la vie. If i was to move back to the K1 it would be for the LTD trio more than anything but your kit is near perfect aside from the lack of those three for when you don't want the weight. If i stick Fuji i could still be tempted for a K1 with those three you bought because there are times that is the right kit for the job (and given the XT2 price and adding the equivalent 3 zooms I could probably come in about the same either way

[mee]

Nice.

I bought a K-1 and the DFA 15-30, DFA 24-70 and DFA *70-200. I have never been a big fan of Sigma lenses and now that they have gone bigger and bigger, they just feel sort of the opposite of why most people buy Pentax.

The DFA zooms aren't exactly small, but I would purchase the K-1 for lenses like the FA limiteds and the DFA 70-200.

Beyond which, features like astro tracer and pixel shift notch the K-1 above the D810 for my style of shooting for a lower price.

I know you are trolling, but even without Sigma support, Pentax still brings quite a bit to the table.

I don't think he is trolling, and I see his point. It does seem like the 3rd party market is withdrawing from K mount en masse.

I more or less wanted more Sigma lenses, because I do not trust Pentax repair and support. Plus there are longer options and other common lens designs that, as you say, aren't common to Pentax's traditional mantra.

That said, the times in the past year or so I've contacted Sigma, their support has relayed the notion that they aren't opposed to K mount, it is just more lucrative to support other systems right now.

[Rondec]

I don't think he is trolling, and I see his point. It does seem like the 3rd party market is withdrawing from K mount en masse.

I more or less wanted more Sigma lenses, because I do not trust Pentax repair and support. Plus there are longer options and other common lens designs that, as you say, aren't common to Pentax's traditional mantra.

That said, the times in the past year or so I've contacted Sigma, their support has relayed the notion that they aren't opposed to K mount, it is just more lucrative to support other systems right now.

I know there are folks who purchase Pentax cameras and Sigma lenses. I have owned a couple of Sigma lenses in the past, but didn't really like them that much. But Pentax volumes are high enough that if a decent percentage of Pentaxians purchased Sigma lenses then it would make more sense for them to keep supporting the k mount. I have a feeling that the percent of Pentaxians who purchase a Sigma lens is in the single digits.

It's the same reason that Zeiss gave up on the k mount.

I'm not glad that Sigma is giving up on Pentax, but it doesn't bother me enough that I would go out and buy another Sigma lens and that's what it would really take to keep them supporting the k mount.

[mee]

I know there are folks who purchase Pentax cameras and Sigma lenses. I have owned a couple of Sigma lenses in the past, but didn't really like them that much. But Pentax volumes are high enough that if a decent percentage of Pentaxians purchased Sigma lenses then it would make more sense for them to keep supporting the k mount. I have a feeling that the percent of Pentaxians who purchase a Sigma lens is in the single digits.

It's the same reason that Zeiss gave up on the k mount.

I'm not glad that Sigma is giving up on Pentax, but it doesn't bother me enough that I would go out and buy another Sigma lens and that's what it would really take to keep them supporting the k mount.

My favorite lens is my Sigma 105mm Macro. It is astonishingly sharp.. all the way to f/2.8

I was hoping for a 17-50 f/2.8 Contemporary to replace my DA* 16-50mm --- I know the current version is due for a Contemporary overhaul. But it seems like, if it ever does get the contemporary treatment, it likely won't be for K mount.

On the FF side, They seemed to be the most possible 3rd party to offer a 24-105 f/4 and/or a 70-200 f/4 which I want to see before I switch to FF...

And I'd buy the 150-600mm Contemporary today if they offered it in K mount..

[FantasticMrFox]

But it seems like, if it ever does get the contemporary treatment, it likely won't be for K mount.

They do still sell some of their lenses which generate relatively high volumes. I'd suspect with the Pentax DA* 16-50 f/2.8 not being as popular as it could be, and the Tamron 17-50 f/2.8 apparently being discontinued (for all mounts, or only K-mount), a new Contemporary 17-50 may generate enough interest to warrant a K-mount version.

[clackers]

They do still sell some of their lenses which generate relatively high volumes. I'd suspect with the Pentax DA* 16-50 f/2.8 not being as popular as it could be, and the Tamron 17-50 f/2.8 apparently being discontinued (for all mounts, or only K-mount), a new Contemporary 17-50 may generate enough interest to warrant a K-mount version.

Like you, the Sigma 17-50 is my chosen standard lens on APS-C.

I also have the 10-20mm, 24mm, 35mm Art and 150-500mm, so I've done my bit for Sigma, but to be honest there were never enough of us.