[pathdoc]

That's a very slow aperture for the sorts of places I like to use a longer zoom.

[Andrea K]

And I have just bought a DA*60-250. Sucks to be me.

The DA* is a good choice

[JPT]

1. Four days ago zackspeed wrote on DigitalFotoNetz.de that the Pentax D FA 50-300mm f/4.5-6.3 was on its way: a compact lens offering a high level of performance, based on the HD Pentax-D FA 150-450mm f/4.5-5.6 ED DC AW.
   
   Source: DigitalFotoNetz.de :: Thema anzeigen - Pentax 50-300 fullframe im Anmarsch
   xxx
2. Yesterday asahi man posted the following picture on the Digital Photography Review forum:
   
   
   
   His comment under the picture 'Nothing about the new cameras....' is an answer to a question previously asked in the same thread 'Hello Asahi Man do you have any insider info on Ricoh's plans for FullFrame? We do know about the upcoming APSC body but I'm more interested in FullFrame Camera.'
   
   He then clarified that the picture what that of a D FA lens (i.e. a 24x36 lens).
   
   Sources: K1 Mark III?: Pentax SLR Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review and K1 Mark III?: Pentax SLR Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review
   xxx
3. Today our distinguished fellow member OoKU relayed asahi man's DPReview post with the following clarification: 'DFA50-300 F4.5-5.6'
   
   Source: New zoom 70-200 F4 - Page 18 - PentaxForums.com

This is beginning to look like a solid rumour, which was relayed by Pentax Rumors a few hour ago:

New Pentax D-FA tele-zoom lens coming - Pentax Rumors

To add (fuel) to this, I saw this presentation on Youtube. I think this is the Sunday (last day) version of Tanaka-san/Iwasaki-san interview at CP+.

You Tube

You Tube

At around 32 minutes, they are talking about the red telezoom. In the context of this lens, Iwasaki-san says that after initially focusing on big, high performance lenses to maximize the potential of the K-1’s bigger sensor, they are now turning their focus to more compact, lighter lenses as well.

On the focal length Tanaka-san is trying to find out the wide end - “It looks like 70. Could be 55? Or 50?” Iwasaki-san doesn’t confirm this. One possible interpretation is that Tanaka-san knows it’s wider than 70 and is trying to get him to acknowledge.

When they talk about release timing, Iwasaki-san says that it should be out this year. He also says that after dealing with some kind of unspecified issue, the delayed 70-200/4, it should be out this year too.

It also seems clear that the top-to-bottom order of the roadmap is not a good indication of the order of release.

I would find it easier to believe that photo is real if it didn’t have the focal length taped on.

[Mistral75]

(...)

I would find it easier to believe that photo is real if it didn’t have the focal length taped on.

...and if it didn't look so much like an HD Pentax-D FA 150-450mm f/4.5-5.6 ED DC AW in disguise.



If it weren't for asahi man, I would scream hoax. May be he had no 50-300mm to take a picture of and chose instead to disguise a 150-450mm to convey his message.

[robbiec]

On the first lens there looks to be an ident under 50 and 100 whereas the 150 to 200 is flat. Looks different enough.

[RGlasel]

May be he had no 50-300mm to take a picture of and chose instead to disguise a 150-450mm to convey his message.

I will place my bet on this. My poor memory remembers a very dark picture of a camera Asahiman posted a while ago that looked to me like a modification of a promotional image from Ricoh Imaging's website. It could still be the case that the DFA 50-300 will share some of the construction of the DFA 150-450, after all we are talking about the manufacturer that wouldn't spend the money to build a DFA * 85 mockup with real glass in it. Start saving money for the 86mm filters to go with this FF superzoom.

[sculptor666]

so two consumerish(?) ff zooms covering similar focal lengths(70-200, 50?-300) not sure i buy that. i'd buy a wide* prime or a wr hd 50mm macro though

[bdery]

so two consumerish(?) ff zooms covering similar focal lengths(70-200, 50?-300) not sure i buy that. i'd buy a wide* prime or a wr hd 50mm macro though

I'm sure they'll both be good, but I doubt the 50-300-ish and the 70-200 F4 will be ni the same league.

You could say that we have a 55-300 and a 60-250 for APS-C, but while the 55-300 is fine, it cannot compare with the 60-250.

Nowhere in the rumor mill have we seen that the 50-300 will be a STAR lens.

[sculptor666]

Nowhere in the rumor mill have we seen that the 50-300 will be a STAR lens.

also true for the 70-200... on the roadmap it's color coded as dfa/fa

[Tashbir]

Based on picture (and my wild guess) it could be HD Pentax-D FA 50-500mm f4.5-5.6/6.3

[zmohie]

My guess also 50-500mm

[Mistral75]

Based on picture (and my wild guess) it could be HD Pentax-D FA 50-500mm f4.5-5.6/6.3

Based on the roadmap and on the lens being said to be compact, it couldn't be.

[Mistral75]

so two consumerish(?) ff zooms covering similar focal lengths(70-200, 50?-300) not sure i buy that. (...)

One wonders why Canon, Nikon and Sony's portfolios include both 70-200mm f/4 and 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 lenses.

[jatrax]

Based on picture (and my wild guess) it could be HD Pentax-D FA 50-500mm f4.5-5.6/6.3

I don't think so, they have already the 150-450 and I do not think there is room in the catalog for another lens that covers that range. I think it will be 50 - 250, or maybe 50-280. Possibly even 50-200 but I hope not. Anyway, it will be smaller and compact, so not big like the 150-450.

[thibs]

so two consumerish(?) ff zooms covering similar focal lengths(70-200, 50?-300) not sure i buy that. i'd buy a wide* prime or a wr hd 50mm macro though

Sorry 70-200/4 is no mere consummer zoom. A lot of pros use such lenses too.