[robbiec]

Let the games begin

[Serkevan]

HD Pentax-D FA★ 85mm f/1.4 ED SDM AW: 1,255g, available on 26 June 2020.

Source: Nokishita Camera Twitter

I hate being right. Although it's short, so it shouldn't be nearly as problematic as, say, a 70-200 zoom.

By the way, they also mention a Japan price of 248k yen after VAT, which comes up to... 2100.06€ . Yeowch.

[Mistral75]

(...)

By the way, they also mention a Japan price of 248k yen after VAT, which comes up to... 2100.06€ . Yeowch.

Yep, ¥248,000.

Nokishita Camera just published the price requested by some large photographic stores in Japan for the HD Pentax-D FA★ 85mm f/1.4 ED SDM AW: ¥248,000 including tax.

Source: Twitter

After subtracting the 10% Japanese VAT that's equivalent to $2,091. The probability of a $/£2,099 RRP increases.

Nokishita Camera further state that ordering will commence this week (Amazon UK said on the 28th). Be ready for an announcement on Wednesday the 27th at 22:00 UTC.

[bertwert]

I hate being right.

I know the feeling, it's such a pain...

[Wheatfield]

HD Pentax-D FA★ 85mm f/1.4 ED SDM AW:

• weight: 1,255g
• available on 26 June 2020

Source: Nokishita Camera Twitter

Gaaaaaahhh..... A whole month to wait.

[vietnam74]

Just get the 77 and luxuriate in its splendor. Blows the K85/1.8 away.

I’m ok with the DFA* 70-200mm, just need to continue my daily exercise. Bigger is better! 🤣

[Paul the Sunman]

I’m ok with the DFA* 70-200mm, just need to continue my daily exercise. Bigger is better! 🤣

+1 for that.

[robbiec]

I'm disappointed, a day or two away from preorders opening up and all people want to talk about is 3rd party glass and older stuff! Samyang, yangsan...

A * lens is a big deal, you only get less than 6 or 7 per generation. Standing over the photographic world like an optical colossus. Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fuji, Olympus users all over the world look into their kit bags and feel that bit more insignificant. You see they know, oh they can point to charts and say my one is faster, my one is lighter, but deep deep down inside they know that when Pentax say they are going to release a Star, it's going to be good, better than good, sublime even. It will test well but it will also resolve emotion, a memory, a feeling in ways that they kinda can comprehend but they will chose to fall back on the usual excuses

- well everyone knows the 'Pros' (a Pro, I really hate that term, photography is an art form, if you get good enough, practise enough, you become a Master, not a Pro) use these;

or technology is going mirrorless; or some other little excuse that will allow them go back into their happy place

We on the other hand, get to use am optic that comes from a known optical powerhouse, we can discover what it is to mount it on our K-1s and the only thing to be wary of is if our technique is good enough, is our composition good enough, have we captured the light to the best of our ability. A * is you the photographer looking into the mirror and having no excuses, because it won't be the lens fault, it's the best that it can be at this moment in time for a given price.

[sbh]

Well said. Sure, star lenses aren't for everyone and don't suit every shooting style. However, they are exceptional in style, performance and feel. Stars as well as Limiteds are only possible with the right people, attitude and mindset. I think we're lucky that there is a bunch of them able to do what they do. Anyone who hasn't yet watched or read about how these lenses are created, I recommend to do so. It's a real pleasure.

[noelpolar]

My K 85/1.8 is weeping in the corner...... I told it uncle robbiec didn't mean it.

[ffking]

I'd struggle with that price at the best of times,and it's not really suitable for the sort of photogrphy I do- BUT, I also remember when you got a little manual-sized booklet of available lenses with your new camera, I looked at the A* 200mm f/4 macro and lusted after it - and now those;lenses, like the FA* are governed entirely by market forces not by RRPs and beyond most of our reaches. It might seem early to say this when a lens hasn't yet been released even, but it won't always be available new, and that is what keeps second hand prices down, so if anyone wants this, by all means wait until Black Friday or whatever , but non-buyer's remorse is just as painful as its twin - sometimes more so.

[BarneyL]

A * lens is a big deal, you only get less than 6 or 7 per generation. Standing over the photographic world like an optical colossus.

I'd love to feel that way too, but after the old Sudden Death Motor fiasco in DA* zooms (and also, their not great optical performance), the * glass reputation isn't as it once was. DPR's video on DA* 11-18 didn't help much in this regard, either.

I'm pretty sure this 85 will not disappoint those that can afford it, though.

[PePe]

I'd love to feel that way too, but after the old Sudden Death Motor fiasco in DA* zooms (and also, their not great optical performance), the * glass reputation isn't as it once was. DPR's video on DA* 11-18 didn't help much in this regard, either.
.

On the other hand their recent track record - the last couple of years - is pretty indisputable, isn’t it?

[nocturnal]

I'm disappointed, a day or two away from preorders opening up and all people want to talk about is 3rd party glass and older stuff! Samyang, yangsan...

A * lens is a big deal, you only get less than 6 or 7 per generation. Standing over the photographic world like an optical colossus. Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fuji, Olympus users all over the world look into their kit bags and feel that bit more insignificant. You see they know, oh they can point to charts and say my one is faster, my one is lighter, but deep deep down inside they know that when Pentax say they are going to release a Star, it's going to be good, better than good, sublime even. It will test well but it will also resolve emotion, a memory, a feeling in ways that they kinda can comprehend but they will chose to fall back on the usual excuses

- well everyone knows the 'Pros' (a Pro, I really hate that term, photography is an art form, if you get good enough, practise enough, you become a Master, not a Pro) use these;

or technology is going mirrorless; or some other little excuse that will allow them go back into their happy place

We on the other hand, get to use am optic that comes from a known optical powerhouse, we can discover what it is to mount it on our K-1s and the only thing to be wary of is if our technique is good enough, is our composition good enough, have we captured the light to the best of our ability. A * is you the photographer looking into the mirror and having no excuses, because it won't be the lens fault, it's the best that it can be at this moment in time for a given price.

Pentax needs to employ you as their marketing department. I can imagine this as an advert with a Barry White deep voice over

[Wheatfield]

I'm disappointed, a day or two away from preorders opening up and all people want to talk about is 3rd party glass and older stuff! Samyang, yangsan...

A * lens is a big deal, you only get less than 6 or 7 per generation. Standing over the photographic world like an optical colossus. Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fuji, Olympus users all over the world look into their kit bags and feel that bit more insignificant. You see they know, oh they can point to charts and say my one is faster, my one is lighter, but deep deep down inside they know that when Pentax say they are going to release a Star, it's going to be good, better than good, sublime even. It will test well but it will also resolve emotion, a memory, a feeling in ways that they kinda can comprehend but they will chose to fall back on the usual excuses

- well everyone knows the 'Pros' (a Pro, I really hate that term, photography is an art form, if you get good enough, practise enough, you become a Master, not a Pro) use these;

or technology is going mirrorless; or some other little excuse that will allow them go back into their happy place

We on the other hand, get to use am optic that comes from a known optical powerhouse, we can discover what it is to mount it on our K-1s and the only thing to be wary of is if our technique is good enough, is our composition good enough, have we captured the light to the best of our ability. A * is you the photographer looking into the mirror and having no excuses, because it won't be the lens fault, it's the best that it can be at this moment in time for a given price.

If I could give you 50 likes for that I would.