[Munki]

Best line I've read since March 12th!!

Well, I'd much rather this announcement than more news stories about people having punch ups for toilet paper.

[Digitalis]

I go to my 4k TV and select the 2011 folder, where I see 600-1000 images that rotate every 7 seconds.

ohh that's easy, Try culling your 2011 collection down to 20 prints that are the best examples of your photographic capabilities...that is difficult especially when you produce 20,000 images a month like I was in 2011.

[Jean Poitiers]

Nice to see some traction "chez" Ricoh/Pentax ... they were worrying me a bit.

I have not read all here, but an f/4 is not something to write home about.

We'll see when it comes out, but I will bet dollars (or euros) to doughnuts that my Soligor 20mm 2.8 (which is wider and a full stop faster) will hold its own against this Limited ... plus the Soligor (mine is a re-badged Spiratone) makes some fun, funky bokeh at MFD.

I still do not understand why someone would really need autofocus on an ultra-wide angle lens, especially if you plan to shoot it at about f/8 ... hyper-focal, anyone ?!

[Serkevan]

Nice to see some traction "chez" Ricoh/Pentax ... they were worrying me a bit.

I have not read all here, but an f/4 is not something to write home about.

We'll see when it comes out, but I will bet dollars (or euros) to doughnuts that my Soligor 20mm 2.8 (which is wider and a full stop faster) will hold its own against this Limited ... plus the Soligor (mine is a re-badged Spiratone) makes some fun, funky bokeh at MFD.

I still do not understand why someone would really need autofocus on an ultra-wide angle lens, especially if you plan to shoot it at about f/8 ... hyper-focal, anyone ?!

We don't know if it's f/4, with that lens size the speculation is in the ballpark of ~f/2. The Ricoh people mentioned that subject separation and bokeh were important design goals for this lens so it will either be fast or have ridiculously close MFD.

All the other lenses Pentax has start the DOF scale at f/4, AFAIK. So don't take that as an indication.

Regarding AF on an ultrawide, I wouldn't be surprised if a non-rotating barrel (which I guess needs an in-lens focus motor) helps with WR - and I suppose that there's no marketing point in Pentax releasing a high-end screwdrive lens now.

[sculptormic]

Still have the Pentax-FA 20mm F2.8. It is small and 2.8 and quiet good. Must be possible to make it a bit better, a bit bigger and a bit faster. F 2 would be nice.

[Sandy Hancock]

I have not read all here, but an f/4 is not something to write home about.

Hi John. No way will this lens be f/4.0 - it's the right size to be f/2.8 or probably faster.

I still do not understand why someone would really need autofocus on an ultra-wide angle lens, especially if you plan to shoot it at about f/8 ... hyper-focal, anyone ?!

Because this is a fast lens designed to be used wide open and at close focus to take advantage of its Limited bokeh. Think environmental portraits.

[repaap]

Nice to see some traction "chez" Ricoh/Pentax ... they were worrying me a bit.

I have not read all here, but an f/4 is not something to write home about.

We'll see when it comes out, but I will bet dollars (or euros) to doughnuts that my Soligor 20mm 2.8 (which is wider and a full stop faster) will hold its own against this Limited ... plus the Soligor (mine is a re-badged Spiratone) makes some fun, funky bokeh at MFD.

I still do not understand why someone would really need autofocus on an ultra-wide angle lens, especially if you plan to shoot it at about f/8 ... hyper-focal, anyone ?!

Propably yes if you compare it only Based on bubbles and MDF based on that. But on almost every other way I suppose this new DFA limited is goingto spank that soligor, especially If it is little a bit raining. AF is nice to have, because not everything is happening at hyper-focal

[Jean Poitiers]

Propably yes if you compare it only Based on bubbles and MDF based on that. But on almost every other way I suppose this new DFA limited is goingto spank that soligor, especially If it is little a bit raining. AF is nice to have, because not everything is happening at hyper-focal

Yeah, good points. I just like to throw a rock into the pond every now and then ...

I am just really glad to see Pentax on the move, and just FYI, their Facebook presence in France has greatly increased over the past few weeks.

[Jean Poitiers]

Hi John. No way will this lens be f/4.0 - it's the right size to be f/2.8 or probably faster.

Because this is a fast lens designed to be used wide open and at close focus to take advantage of its Limited bokeh. Think environmental portraits.

Salut Sandy, yes ... I would agree. Hopefully it will be very interesting for close focus and have an appealing bokeh, etc.

I need to sell some much unused film gear and save up maybe for this one. I really like UWA lenses in general.

[Jean Poitiers]

We don't know if it's f/4, with that lens size the speculation is in the ballpark of ~f/2. The Ricoh people mentioned that subject separation and bokeh were important design goals for this lens so it will either be fast or have ridiculously close MFD.

All the other lenses Pentax has start the DOF scale at f/4, AFAIK. So don't take that as an indication.

Regarding AF on an ultrawide, I wouldn't be surprised if a non-rotating barrel (which I guess needs an in-lens focus motor) helps with WR - and I suppose that there's no marketing point in Pentax releasing a high-end screwdrive lens now.

Thanks for your input ... it will be fun to see how this all works out technically.

Fingers crossed for me.

[ThorSanchez]

I still do not understand why someone would really need autofocus on an ultra-wide angle lens, especially if you plan to shoot it at about f/8 ... hyper-focal, anyone ?!

Because autofocus is a baseline expectation for almost every lens made by a first-party camera manufacturer in the last decade or more. Manual focus is left for third party specialty or budget lenses.

What is the last manual focus lens made by a major camera manufacturer? What is the last one by Pentax? Have they made one in the digital era?

[Quicksand]

What is the last manual focus lens made by a major camera manufacturer? What is the last one by Pentax? Have they made one in the digital era?

The NIKKOR 58mm f/0.95 Noct lens is modern and manual-focus only, but that's a bit of a special case.

[ThorSanchez]

The NIKKOR 58mm f/0.95 Noct lens is modern and manual-focus only, but that's a bit of a special case.

I don't know, at $8000 they might sell tens of them, or even dozens!

[Jean Poitiers]

Because autofocus is a baseline expectation for almost every lens made by a first-party camera manufacturer in the last decade or more. Manual focus is left for third party specialty or budget lenses.

What is the last manual focus lens made by a major camera manufacturer? What is the last one by Pentax? Have they made one in the digital era?

Of course, it's a baseline expectation today ... to me it doesn't make it the best and only expectation. Everyone is on the same band wagon.

Take my K-1 ... because it's a "pro" class FF DSLR, there's no on-board flash like all others in its class ... which is quite stupid to me since I often need a handy lil' flash to fill in, etc. The KP (ASP-C) ain't "pro" class, so it gets an on-board flash. Will the new APS-C flagship get a flash ? ... I am afraid that the marketing people drive that decision more than photographers.

To me, most manufacturers bend to this (these) "unwritten rule(s)" and please do state that there's no room for a flash. My PZ-1 has a very handy flash (1/250) with 1/8000 ... I wish that K-1 had this flash feature. But no ... it's not allowed in today's product marketing straight-jacket norms.

This is lock-set, herd-like thinking which predominates a lot of modern photography thinking and product offers IMHO. All major manufacturer lenses must have AF ... otherwise it's "third rate". I would be really happy if Pentax would go more "retro" with its glass and re-edit some of its killer MF lenses ... with WR and more modern elements plus coatings. Forget the new D-FA 85/1.4 which will cost an arm & leg ... just "modernize" my killer SMC K 85/1.8 MF and add a better focus point indicator system in the viewfinder for MF lens use.

And there's no secret to work digital with MF lenses ... since one can take many, many images at no extra cost (unlike film), just pan throw the focus a bit in front and a bit behind ... nearly impossible not to get the one you want ... and maybe see something other than what an AF system could lock you into seeing initially.

Just my deux centimes of a € ...

[Jean Poitiers]

The NIKKOR 58mm f/0.95 Noct lens is modern and manual-focus only, but that's a bit of a special case.

Not quite in the same ballpark of exotic, but Zeiss makes some nice MF glass for many manufacturers ... and unfortunately excepting Pentax nowadays.

And there's Irix also ... and Laowa, too ... but that's all third rate except for their price points.