[ThorSanchez]

My understanding was that the Stigma lens had much, much worse LoCA. What got me about the DPR review was the blatant dishonesty.
It really came across as "we don't want the Pentax lens to look good so we'll set it up to fail, and when it doesn't fail we'll just lie about the results and hope no one notices".

Or did they have two completely different people (or groups of people) using different methodologies and criteria running the two different reviews?

Much of what is considered devious conspiracy is actually ineptness or carelessness. I'm not convinced DPReview is out to get us so much as they have non-repeatable processes and inconsistent criteria for judging. They have an ad hoc test setup masquerading as rigorous engineering.

[Kunzite]

Is Pentax planning to license the formula to Tokina again?) cause every time I see people saying that Pentax licensed Tokina Opera 50 1.4 I die inside a little..

I believe the collaboration with Tokina failed, due to Tokina being unable to sell its products.
I suspect the Tokina Opera 50mm f/1.4 was a complete flop, I don't see any interest in that lens despite being sold for the much more popular Canon and Nikon mounts... and an 85mm, a more expensive lens, would sell even worse (if at all).
Instead Tokina chose to rebrand Chinese lenses - the Viltrox 85mm f/1.8. At least that's cheap.

So... I really doubt we'll see a Tokina Opera 85mm f/1.4.
But, the Pentax still is a Tamron 28-300 f/4-6.3 or something

[Wheatfield]

Or did they have two completely different people (or groups of people) using different methodologies and criteria running the two different reviews?

Much of what is considered devious conspiracy is actually ineptness or carelessness.

Yeah, I suppose I ask to much when I ask that if one is going to set oneself up as an expert, the least they could do is show a modicum of expertise and a similarity of testing criteria.
Otherwise what's the point?

[normhead]

The DFA 50 does have it's problems. Sharpness isn't one of them, but I don't think the bokeh looks very good. Still wouldn't put it less than a Sigma Art though.

Compared to what other 50?
I checked against quite a few other 50s including a Zeiss and didn't really see anything comparable. Close, but definitely inferior.

But one of the advantages of 85mm over 50 mm will be it will be easier to get nice smooth bokeh.

[repaap]

It's a double edged sword. By licencing the design to another company to produce it for competing mounts, they make money by licencing, but they don't coax new Pentax users who want the lens to switch brands for it.
By not licencing the lens out, they don't make licencing money, and while they might attract in some new users based on prestige value, in this case they probably won't make as much money as licencing it.
I have no problems with licencing, I do wish people who put themselves out there as experts would get it straight when it comes to whose design it is. If you can't get that right, there are going to be lots of other things you aren't getting right.

Online experts getting details right? What! Who has all that time to actually check it, when you have to do a review with pictures not worth even that...

[house]

Tokina recently released a roadmap but there were no 84mm f1.4 on it as far as I remember
edit:


So I guess it could come next year or later.

[normhead]

Much of what is considered devious conspiracy is actually ineptness or carelessness. I'm not convinced DPReview is out to get us so much as they have non-repeatable processes and inconsistent criteria for judging. They have an ad hoc test setup masquerading as rigorous engineering.

If they messed up once, I might buy that, but they do the same thing every time. They mess up their reviews with undocumented cheap shots and tests they don't apply to other brands.

[pres589]

I had hoped that Tokina would move a pile of the Opera 50's but I don't know how any of us would verify sales volume accurately. What's going on there? Seems like we might as well discuss that in this thread too, right?

[nzondlo]

I had hoped that Tokina would move a pile of the Opera 50's but I don't know how any of us would verify sales volume accurately. What's going on there? Seems like we might as well discuss that in this thread too, right?

It's tough when you don't have the reputation for the higher end stuff, or people forget you're still even making lenses. I'm not sure what Sigma's marketing approach was when they started the Art series but it worked out. I didn't mind seeing them as our Canon/Nikon branch and that allowing us to continue to make top end optics.

[Wheatfield]

It's tough when you don't have the reputation for the higher end stuff, or people forget you're still even making lenses. I'm not sure what Sigma's marketing approach was when they started the Art series but it worked out. I didn't mind seeing them as our Canon/Nikon branch and that allowing us to continue to make top end optics.

Pay reviewers to say nice things? Take it out of the advertising budget.

[awscreo]

I saw very favorable reviews for the Opera 50, I guess on other systems the fast fifty market is more saturated, and I have a hunch vast majority of people would go for Sigma due to brand recognition.

[Wheatfield]

I saw very favorable reviews for the Opera 50, I guess on other systems the fast fifty market is more saturated, and I have a hunch vast majority of people would go for Sigma due to brand recognition.

At one time, Sigma was shorthand for ''Significant malfunction'' and Tokina was viewed as close to OEM quality.

[awscreo]

At one time, Sigma was shorthand for ''Significant malfunction'' and Tokina was viewed as close to OEM quality.

Yup, Sigma picked up a lot of clout since they launched the art series

[clackers]

The DFA 50 does have it's problems. Sharpness isn't one of them, but I don't think the bokeh looks very good.

?

Remind me to never ask you to be a photographic judge, Nathan. I think a visit to Specsavers is needed!

The forum review (complete with pictures), which points out that the Zeisses and Leicas suffer from onion ring bokeh, declares:

"All-in-all, the bokeh of the HD Pentax-D FA* 50mm F1.4 SDM AW can be considered near perfect."

HD Pentax-D FA* 50mm F1.4 SDM AW Review - Bokeh | PentaxForums.com Reviews

[OoKU]

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