Originally posted by angerdan Why KAF4?
There are others who still use pre-K-3 models. What would be the advantage of internal motors? It makes the lens more expensive and bigger. Wouldn't make new FA Limiteds as cheap as they are now.
When your gear is already complete, maybe others like to use AF on film cameras.
Don't get me wrong - I'd love for all lenses to be fully compatible with the cameras still in use. I wish the DA limiteds that I have that can cover a FF image circle (the 40mm and 70mm) had aperture rings so that I could use them on MF film cameras, but technology has to move forward and small incompatibilities will creep in because of that. The alternative is for Pentax to slowly but surely get stuck in the past with old tech and, though that won't bother many people who've used the brand for years, I suspect it would put off potential newcomers, and I know it wouldn't go down well with reviewers.
That's why I think upgraded FA limiteds would go down well, especially if the optics were tweaked to get rid of the fringing etc.