[teiki arii]

The difference won't be in subject sharpness. It will be in out of focus areas and transitions.

You are right, but I actually do not worry about the Leica. At minimum distance (70cm for focal length of 90mm), the bokeh is not so nice, but very good after 1 meter. And Leica AA90's minimum aperture is f:2.0 in stead of f:1.4 for the Pentax... A better point for the HD D-FA 85/1.4.

I'm always critical of people who comment on a lens and post images, without a comparison image. Your lens did great. A lot of lenses do great. I am a little dubious of the out of focus areas, I suspect they could be better. But trying to do a comparison when you don't know how far away the background is etc. is pointless. The possibility is still open that you might look at comparison images and go for the DFA 85. We won't know for sure until you do an actual comparison, even for you. You can't evaluate what you don't have in your hands.

Of course, you are perfectly right.

Even then, I own the DA* 55 1.4 and have no plans to by the DFA* 50 1.4. It's better, but that doesn't mean I'll buy it. There are a lot of considerations in going with an older lens that work against buying a new lens. You seem to be saying it's because of the properties of the lens. But it's also, you already own a good lens. It costs you nothing to keep shooting with it. It'll cost you $2500 CDN to get a DFA*85. That's a lot of incentive for you stick with what you have, regardless of lens quailites, so your decision is likely not relevant to anyone else.

Right again. It just means a new release doesn't disqualify the other ones..

We've had many of these kinds of discussions over the years. What they often come down to is the person claiming their lens was better than the 31 or whatever, really didn't know what to look for.

But I didn't say the Leica AA90 was better in terms of quality but in terms of compacity, versatility, manual focus ring feelings, light weight. That's why I posted a photo of my combi (K-1/AA90) for forumers to compare with a K-1/HD D-FA 85/1.4. I previously wrote that according to its formula (front bi-concave lens), this new Pentax lens should be compared to Zeiss Otus 85/1.4. And as I said, I am sure this lens is a must-have for the one who needs it...


So to resume, different points can be noticed:
- I already have the AA90 which is an excellent lens (about sharpness, macro and micro contrasts), so It doesn't worth to my eyes buying the last Pentax iteration despite stratospheric performances. As you say, it's my concern, but it tells also you can make photo with vintage lenses which are very good.
- Besides, the Pentax lens is too specific for me: too huge, too heavy, not to carry around the world unless it's your unique lens or you have porters and yaks.
- I love manual focus, and until now no new era lenses have a nice satisfying manual focus ring to work with, unless...
- at last, Pentax offers for my concern and my use, the best FF OVF DSLR camera as of today. With my Leica-R lenses (but for any good lens), I couldn't have been happier with the Pentax K-1 (II) since 2016. Four years is a fairly long time for a FF digital camera...

- Twenty years of using a lens is not so bad (some of my lenses are more than 30 years old). What about the new release in that lapse time? Will SDM autofocus still be operational/guaranteed in 20 years time? Waiting for real reviews..

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Last edited by teiki arii; 06-16-2020 at 11:46 AM.

[JPT]

FYI - There are firmware updates for the K-1, K-1 II and K-3 for this lens today.

HOME | RICOH IMAGING

Look at the Event/Service News.

[Mistral75]

Oddly, there is no firmware update to optimise the operation of the K-3 II with this lens.

Same with the HD Pentax-D FA★ 50mm f/1.4 SDM AW: firmware update for the K-3, no firmware update for the K-3 II.

[Zygonyx]

FYI - There are firmware updates for the K-1, K-1 II and K-3 for this lens today.

HOME | RICOH IMAGING

Look at the Event/Service News.

As i said before, FW adaptation was necessary.
Too bad for K-3II. IMHO this means lower than expected sales of this body...
It will be interesting to see if they update KP, which gained HD DFA*50/1.4 update.
http://www.ricoh-imaging.co.jp/english/support/download_digital.html
Lens delivery confirmed as of tomorrow

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Last edited by Zygonyx; 06-18-2020 at 02:26 AM.

[house]

As mentioned its not the first time the K-3 II skips a firmware update. Curious.

Its in the compatible list with the "latest firmware" caveat. For the K-3 II the latest firmware means old firmware. Again curious

[RobA_Oz]

As mentioned its not the first time the K-3 II skips a firmware update. Curious.

Its in the compatible list with the "latest firmware" caveat. For the K-3 II the latest firmware means old firmware. Again curious

They seem to occasionally miss a firmware update for some bodies. For instance, there was no K-3 update for the D FA70-210, but there was one for the D FA*50.

[Mistral75]

As i said before, FW adaptation was necessary.
Too bad for K-3II. IMHO this means lower than expected sales of this body...
(...)

I for one have another explanation but it's still a guess: the NVRAM in the K-3 II might be almost full, therefore not allowing the addition of the lines of code optimising the camera's operation with the D FA★ 50mm f/1.4 and D FA★ 85mm f/1.4.

[Mistral75]

They seem to occasionally miss a firmware update for some bodies. For instance, there was no K-3 update for the D FA70-210, but there was one for the D FA*50.

There is no update for the D FA 70-210mm f/4 for any APS-C camera, despite the lens being KAF4: neither K-3 nor K-3 II nor KP. Ricoh Imaging might consider that APS-C users will/should stick to the APS-C alternative, the DA★ 60-250mm f/4.

There is no update for the DA★ 11-18mm f/2.8 for these cameras either, probably because this lens is KAF3, therefore doesn't require a fine-tuning of aperture management. There is one for the K-1 and K-1 Mark II so that the camera properly considers the lens as APS-C and automatically shifts into APS-C mode.

[house]

I for one have another explanation but it's still a guess: the NVRAM in the K-3 II might be almost full, therefore not allowing the addition of the lines of code optimising the camera's operation with the D FA★ 50mm f/1.4 and D FA★ 85mm f/1.4.

That's a good theory. If it has the same NVRAM as the K-3 the added features such as pixelshift etc is sure to take up some space.

[Zygonyx]

Yes, i now remember this discussion
Then the KP case could have similarities...

[RobA_Oz]

There is no update for the D FA 70-210mm f/4 for any APS-C camera, despite the lens being KAF4: neither K-3 nor K-3 II nor KP. Ricoh Imaging might consider that APS-C users will/should stick to the APS-C alternative, the DA★ 60-250mm f/4.

There is no update for the DA★ 11-18mm f/2.8 for these cameras either, probably because this lens is KAF3, therefore doesn't require a fine-tuning of aperture management. There is one for the K-1 and K-1 Mark II so that the camera properly considers the lens as APS-C and automatically shifts into APS-C mode.

They could extend that sticking argument to the D FA*50, but they didn't. It also prevents in-camera distortion correction, etc, which doesn't bother me greatly, as I use PS correction, but that's missing unless you use the Tamron profile for the D FA70-210.

[Wheatfield]

They could extend that sticking argument to the D FA*50, but they didn't. It also prevents in-camera distortion correction, etc, which doesn't bother me greatly, as I use PS correction, but that's missing unless you use the Tamron profile for the D FA70-210.

They might have a different philosophy between the * lenses and the more mundane offerings.

[RobA_Oz]

They might have a different philosophy between the * lenses and the more mundane offerings.

It may also be a practical philosophy, driven by resource allocation.

[OoKU]

?????? HD PENTAX-D FA?85mmF1.4ED SDM AW ?????????Vol.1? ? ?? ??????? ? ??????? 2020 - ????

[nzondlo]

?????? HD PENTAX-D FA?85mmF1.4ED SDM AW ?????????Vol.1? ? ?? ??????? ? ??????? 2020 - ????

Finally. Someone who knows what the bell they're doing posting samples. Ricoh Pentax, put THIS guy's work on your website and in marketing material to sell this lens.