[repaap]

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I think that icoh want to have this * -line ready first. No one is not saying that there will not be more of plastic fantastics in future..? After they have delivered updated permium line

[normhead]

I think that icoh want to have this * -line ready first. No one is not saying that there will not be more of plastic fantastics in future..? After they have delivered updated permium line

Personally, I haven't touched any of my 50-55mm lenses since I got my DA*55 1.4. I'm not sure the plastic fantastics are even a thing anymore. When you can get a DA* for $400 USD if you look for sales, saving $200 and getting a plastic fantastic would seem counter productive. You can do so much better for not much more.

From my 35mm "find that prime poll.

So the clear winner in terms of people preferences were the FA 35-80, which I paid $50 for, and the Sigma 18-250... certainly a surprise there.

Sorry the test images are no longer available. I wouldn't use Photobucket again if they paid me.
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/10-pentax-slr-lens-discussion/302815-35mm-find-prime-2.html

To me, Pentax has to do better than zooms in rendering to sell primes. There are lots of lenses around for those looking for less than stellar optics. For those, you have to compete with the second hand market, especially for companies like Pentax with millions of lenses sold over the years. You look at the A* , F*, FA* ,DA*, FA ltd lenses, to sell to the high end of the Pentax crowd you need to be better than those lenses. I'm not sure how aiming for the well populated middle is at all necessary. After all, if the 85s aren't better than the 77, why not just buy a 77?

The DA 35 2.4 and DA 70 already exist and are among the highest rated Pentax lenses for sharpness. Why would Pentax try and reinvent that? They already exist. You want one, buy one. What's the issue? But can Pentax survive selling $200 lenses? I doubt it.

[Serkevan]

I dunno, if you wanted to get into Pentax FF on the cheap, just grab the HD Pentax-D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6 ED DC WR zoom and let it be your walk about lens until you can afford some fast primes. I don't see an issue with Pentax having "entry level" products. Now, if you mean they should have a plastic fantastic, slightly slower prime alternative for every high end prime they release, then yeah, Pentax isn't for you right now. But why overlook their excellent zooms as alternatives? Even the F2.8 zooms are a bargain for focal length coverage with good IQ compared to buying the 50 & 85, with a weight penalty of course... but not all that bad compared to the bag of primes you'd have to carry.

Maybe I'm just not fussy enough but it seems to me that Pentax current roadmap is getting the bases covered pretty well for entry level on up.
Eric

No no - my point was exclusively for a dedicated/serious portrait photographer. I've taken some nice portraits at 105mm f/5.6 with the 28-105 (which is my go to lens for all things hiking and is an all-terrain beauty, although I've used it less lately because of playing around with the idea of a 20mm/77mm two lens combo). I assumed @pres589 talked about faster lenses as the only options for an ~85mm FOV on FF are the 77 Limited, the 70-200/2.8 or cropping the 24-70/2.8, with both zooms being more than a stop slower than the 77.

But as @normhead says, if you care enough about IQ and the shallow-DOF look then the only satisfying thing will be a high-quality prime...

[robbiec]

It was a stated company directive. Pursue high return on investment, not market share.

I'm also still quite curious about folks who have to have 1.4 lenses. IMHO they are curiosities which hold my interest for about a week after I buy them, but I rarely use mine wide open, and they become just another lens. (Albeit a really big one.)

They are definitely a niche product. However, because of the forces in marketing that emphasize the availability of the niche markets, Pentax was losing reputation by not having them.

Pentax seems to make their lenses in order of popularity in on-line polls. A lot of people apparently asked for an 85 1.4. I hope they were all saving their pennies.

Could be referring to me with a few of your points , it's not the headline f/1.4, it's the OOF transitions I'm looking for. And yeah, I could cover nearly all my primes with a 24-70 but I prefer blue blood lenses

[repaap]

Personally, I haven't touched any of my 50-55mm lenses since I got my DA*55 1.4. I'm not sure the plastic fantastics are even a thing anymore. When you can get a DA* for $400 USD if you look for sales, saving $200 and getting a plastic fantastic would seem counter productive. You can do so much better for not much more.

From my 35mm "find that prime poll.


Sorry the test images are no longer available. I wouldn't use Photobucket again if they paid me.
35mm find that prime. - Page 2 - PentaxForums.com

To me, Pentax has to do better than zooms in rendering to sell primes. There are lots of lenses around for those looking for less than stellar optics. For those, you have to compete with the second hand market, especially for companies like Pentax with millions of lenses sold over the years. You look at the A* , F*, FA* ,DA*, FA ltd lenses, to sell to the high end of the Pentax crowd you need to be better than those lenses. I'm not sure how aiming for the well populated middle is at all necessary. After all, if the 85s aren't better than the 77, why not just buy a 77?

The DA 35 2.4 and DA 70 already exist and are among the highest rated Pentax lenses for sharpness. Why would Pentax try and reinvent that? They already exist. You want one, buy one. What's the issue? But can Pentax survive selling $200 lenses? I doubt it.

I agree with you completelly. I have FA limiteds, and DA*55. DA*55 is the reason why I ended up waiting for this DFA*85(had money for it oo, but had to get couple video cameras to get my services online(nothing to do with this thou)becuse of what is going on right now) and not buying that DFA*50 yet. Which I'll buy eventually too, perhaps from my next trip to Japan(which also seems to be delayed, becasue of -----).

Don't know it plastic fantasticks are the key element. And ofcourse cheaper 85 should be there, because these high end ones are -almost- there, because Ricoh wanted classic prime set to lure in photographers. So they should go all the way.


Given that there is this FA limited line, I don't really see it as alternative 'budget' line. It is more special than that and quite expensive if one buys them new(I only did so with my FA 77 which I got from my trip to Japan many yrs. a go). But it is also true that there are oldies, and they are even quite well compactible.


Everyone has been waiting for these primes. If not for anythign else, then just for curiosity, and some just thinkig that 'heh, we will go to moon before that happens' By 'WE' I mean common people, not just astronauts. About that prize. Lot of comments, nothing so surprising actually and after what ever that DFA*70-200 did as it came, Too expensive!, Too Big!, Too heavy!, Too slow!... well any big surprises? As a matter of fact, yes. They made it as previous ones, pulled handbreak and made it better, perhaps even bigger. You can put those plastic fantaasticks on the table, sideways and roll this big thing on top of those to the podium, where it belongs. There.


Now more pictures, please!

[Wheatfield]

I just heard from my local dealer. Apparently Ricoh had not made a North American announcement yet. Consequently she couldn't order it for me. The rep isn't expecting to be able to order it until early June.
I wonder if this means the first run is reserved for the domestic Japanese market.

[funkythiru]

I just heard from my local dealer. Apparently Ricoh had not made a North American announcement yet. Consequently she couldn't order it for me. The rep isn't expecting to be able to order it until early June.
I wonder if this means the first run is reserved for the domestic Japanese market.

I doubt that, I think we will see it in the next few weeks.

[Chris Mak]

Well, I wouldnt tolerate comparing slow f1.8 lenses to fast f1.4 lenses which play in a whole different league. Doing this would be dptabloid style lying.

Nikon is cheating with lens corrected manipulated raw data same as Sony, so generally there is little way to know if mirroless lenses are on par as such, even if they publish a lens with similar specs.

So potentially we have only one single lens (Canon RF) which might be able to compete with the DFA*, and that lens costs a whopping +1,000 EUR more. The DFA* seems pretty good value.

I would be interested how corrective manipulation of raw data can make Longitudinal Chromatic Abberation disappear. I think I am not the only one
My point is that modern lenses designed with the aid of computing power and ever evolving lens coatings are in general much better in the area of uncorrectable abberations.
As for Nikon, their S line for the Z-mount is quite affordable and when turning profile corrections of in a raw converter that allows for that, like Capture one, you will see that these prime lenses, like the 50mm f1.8 and the 85mm f1.8 do not rely heavily on software correction, or manipulation as you like to call it. But of course this being "the" Pentax forum, I would be better off bashing Canon and Nikon a bit...I know

[angerdan]

I just heard from my local dealer. Apparently Ricoh had not made a North American announcement yet.

I wonder if this means the first run is reserved for the domestic Japanese market.

Dealers in Canada will start shipping at 20th of June, in the European Union and United States of America six days later.
So enough time for the US representatives to work things out.

[beholder3]

I would be interested how corrective manipulation of raw data can make Longitudinal Chromatic Abberation disappear. I think I am not the only one

Sad for you. Learn and build some basic skills.

As for Nikon, their S line for the Z-mount is

... expensive, bulky, meh quality and slow? Yes. Beginner rip-off lenses for beginners.

These types of inferior products are what brought Nikon to the edge of extinction.

[Serkevan]

Sad for you. Learn and build some basic skills.


... expensive, bulky, meh quality and slow? Yes. Beginner rip-off lenses for beginners.

These types of inferior products are what brought Nikon to the edge of extinction.

Do we have proof of Nikon Z corrections affecting specifically LoCA? Because it's a pain to correct in post.
Also, I sincerely doubt that the lenses are the problem with Nikon's freefall. Rather, I'd think it's got more to do with the Z6 and Z7 bodies bein ridiculously expensive rehashes of the respective DSLRs... while having worse AF. Add to it an adapter that doesn't work with screwdrive legacy lenses and you have a recipe for disaster.

[ffking]

But of course this being "the" Pentax forum, I would be better off bashing Canon and Nikon a bit...I know

Speaking personally, I don't think anyone wants any brand bashed here - just especially not Pentax!


(Valid criticism, no problem btw)

[nzondlo]

I'm curious of the decision to not use their newly developed Aero Bright II coating this time around. Maybe a less clinical look because it's a portrait lens?

[Wheatfield]

Dealers in Canada will start shipping at 20th of June, in the European Union and United States of America six days later.
So enough time for the US representatives to work things out.

Yes. She told me early June for the North American announcement. I expect that will happen early next week. My experience with the new 50 and 70-210 has been about 3 weeks from announcement to delivery.

[pres589]

Hey Wheatfield, sounds like you're going to be an early buyer on the *85; do you have any projects in mind that you'll shoot with this lens first?