Originally posted by Paul the Sunman The DFA* 70-200 was delayed for quite a while to get it perfect. I for one am very happy they did. The DFA* line is state-of-the-art, which will often involve sailing in uncharted waters. Exact timelines are neither certain nor desirable.
Exactly, Paul. (Even if no lens will ever be perfect.) I don't have the privilege of owning the DFA*70-200, but from what I've heard and seen, I bet it is as good as any of its pro-grade cousins from the bigger brands out there, and I've got a hunch that has something to do with the fact that they took the time - despite all the whining - to make it as good as they possibly could under the circumstances of a niche player. Who wants lenses that underperform, just because they were rushed in their production?
And here's another thing. Something that I do, whenever I'm having bouts of impatience about new gear releases, or in my case more likely, gear purchases that need to be postponed for whatever stupid reason life will throw at me. When I really find myself in that kind of rut, I will go and grab some of the outstanding Pentax gear I already own, in this case a much lesser nifty fifty, and will remind myself of what magic I can achieve when I put to meaningful use what I already have. Yep, the shot (full-res image here:
Food - Marc) certainly isn't the last photographic word on figs, but it was done with the simplest means, on a table extension under my bedroom window, the cloudy sun only softened with the scrim version of my 5-in-1 modifier, and minimal fill provided by its draped white cover. And, you know what? I returned with even more respect for my plastic-fantastic DA50, and renewed patience for that DFA100 Macro WR which I just had to postpone getting for at least another year.