[FantasticMrFox]

Well, at that size, and (expected) weight, it better compete with the Sigma 50 f/1.4 'Art'

Seriously though, I hope that this single-lens-announcement does not mean that this is the only new K-mount lens we will be seeing at CP+. There are five primes on the roadmap, and some of them (20/24, 85) are much more direly needed than a 50 mm, which already exist (DA* 55 f/1.4, FA 50 f/1.4, DA 50 f/1.8), albeit of course not in that quality.

[Kunzite]

FA50/1.4 will be discontinued and no any alternative...

People who wanted the FA 50mm f/1.4 already bought one

[D1N0]

I hope they keep the old one around. This one looks huge and so will be the price. Or better yet give the old one it's original Takumar design but with AF. No windows no plastics, just a great lens formula in a machined aluminum body. My S-M-C Takumar 50 1.4 still goes smooth like a baby.

[zzeitg]

This one looks huge and so will be the price.

None of the new DFA lenses is "low cost". So I expect this won't be any exception.

[kenspo]

Exactly...This is a * pro lense..and the price will reflect that

[robjmitchell]

None of the new DFA lenses is "low cost". So I expect this won't be any exception.

The 28-105 is low cost, and the wide angle prime may be too.
The large aperture primes on the roadmap are going to be DFA* pro lenses obviously.
Based on the 50 I suspect we will also see a DFA* 24 and 85 as these are the most common primes in the pro arsenals and will sell best. More important to make lenses that sell than fill in "exotic" holes in the line up that are covered by zooms. That would make the wide angle prime a 28 or 35mm, what do the Japanese prefer?

[Rondec]

Looks nice, big and expensive. I think the whole point of this type of lens is to be in the same ball park as the Sigma 50mm f1.4 Art or the Otus 55mm f1.4. These lenses are sharp from wide open (assuming a good copy), are highly corrected, and have less vignetting than older lenses like the FA 50. Assuming it has a pretty fast auto focus motor (the FA 50 f1.4 is screw drive and the DA *55 has pretty slow SDM) then this will fill a gap for photographers who want this sort of performance and are willing to pay for it. The Sigma 50mm Art is 1000 dollars in the US and certainly the Pentax will be north of that.

My experience with the DA *55 is that it is usable from f2. At f1.4 the corners are really dark. I do shoot landscapes with it, but in general I am shooting those at f8 to f13 and so probably most any lens in this focal range would work for those as long as it didn't flare too much.

I do expect Pentax to keep the FA 50, FA 43 limited, and DA *55 around for those who prefer a cheaper option with the quirks that each of those lenses offers.

[D1N0]

Size comparison:

None of the new DFA lenses is "low cost". So I expect this won't be any exception.

I am not asking for it to be cheap. I am asking for a simpler more compact cheaper design that suits a photographer who is not a pro. But that won't win any DXO prizes

[x4rd]

And of course..i still see people whining More to come anyway,

More to come during CP+?

---------- Post added 02-22-17 at 11:46 AM ----------

I am not asking for it to be cheap. I am asking for a simpler more compact cheaper design that suits a photographer who is not a pro. But that won't win any DXO prizes

You have FA 50/1.4 and FA Ltd 43 that both are COMPACT. If You want to have superior quality, You will have DFA 50/1.4.

I still don't know why some of You can't realize that Rico/Pentax is building their lens lineup without compromise on weight and size. This is Sigma strategy and it pulled their sales like a space rocket.

[D1N0]

.

More to come during CP+

Hopefully. More whining. Certainly!

[Uluru]

More to come during CP+? [COLOR="Silver"]

I still don't know why some of You can't realize that Rico/Pentax is building their lens lineup without compromise on weight and size. This is Sigma strategy and it pulled their sales like a space rocket.

Exactly.

[Saltwater Images]

This looks like excellent news for those of you shooting with the K-1. For those of us who have no intention of moving away from APS-C in the foreseeable future this isn't such a big deal. I have invested in 4 HD DA Limiteds 15/21/40/70 and the D FA 100 Macro WR. I parted with the FA 50 and FA 35 to complete my pancake collection at the time. Now only if there was a HD DA 50 f/1.4 Limited....I would definitely buy it for the aperture. The FA 50 is excellent glass but doesn't compare to the HD DA Limited's in handling. Perhaps Pentax should consider a fast 50 APS-C Limited?

[Uluru]

Good on you, Ken, and good on Pentax for giving us these choices.

The *55 is WR, is f1.4, has an in-lens motor (not quick, to be sure) and was designed by Jun Hirakawa, so has glorious rendering.

I prefer lenses NOT designed by Hirakawa. Bohkeh of DA55 is horrible. He did a sloppy job there.
31Ltd was not designed by him, and it is the best of the FA limiteds, even 17 years later, at the high point of digital era. Hirakawa's designs and glass formulas are both made for film; for digital, no.

[eurostar]

I still don't know why some of You can't realize that Rico/Pentax is building their lens lineup without compromise on weight and size. This is Sigma strategy and it pulled their sales like a space rocket.

It pulled their sales by Nikon and Canon cameras customers. Are you sure there are many Pentaxians that want to mount these huge beasts on the most compact DSRLs on the market?

[D1N0]

You have FA 50/1.4 and FA Ltd 43 that both are COMPACT. If You want to have superior quality, You will have DFA 50/1.4. I still don't know why some of You can't realize that Rico/Pentax is building their lens lineup without compromise on weight and size.

Yeah but for how long will they be produced? Just pro lenses isn't going to cut it. The FA 50 1.4 is ancient. The 43 is an acquired taste. We need choice, so Ricoh better keep on the alternatives to this one until they come up with a new nifty fifty to go beside Godzilla fifty.