[D1N0]

Samyang releases updated 'MK2' versions of its popular 14mm F2.8, 85mm F1.4 lenses: Digital Photography Review Updated 85/1.8 and 14/2.8 manual lenses but not available in Pentax K.

[Mistral75]

Nil novi sub sole. (There is) nothing new under the sun.

Including the original 14mm f/2.8 ED AS IF UMC and 85mm f/1.4 AS IF UMC replaced by these Mk2 versions, there are currently 13 Samyang lenses available in Pentax K mount. All of them are manual focus lenses.

Samyang Optics

The latest one is the 100mm f/2.8 ED UMC Macro announced in August 2016, almost four years ago.

Since then, not counting mount variants, Samyang have announced 13 new lenses, of which five manual focus lenses. None of them is available in K mount.

[D1N0]

The new thing about is that they are now updating their older designs which were still available in K-mount. So those 13 will only get less.

[zapp]

Pentax cameras deserve Pentax glass - more Pentax options would be welcome.
Market and competition are tough, but it looks like Pentax is surfacing again.

[Zygonyx]

I have no Samyang and prefered Laowa, escaping partially the mirrorless gabegie, so i don't care.

[MJKoski]

Focus lock ring further suggests that Irix = Samyang.

It is a bit like the computer. There are still people that use "Internet Explorer". Even Microsoft urges you to switch to another browser. If that does not help then websites of banks i.e. warrant you that in the near future they no longer support Internet Explorer. So eventually Internet Explorer will no longer be used. So third party lens manufacturers adopt this kind of influencing the photographer that still uses a Ricoh/Pentax, and knowing that Ricoh's budgets are tight, to look elsewhere for a greater variety of optics. They do not do this all at once, but one after the other. In this case Ricoh/Pentax makes good lenses and why would I buy a manual focus Samyang one? There are enough Pentax legacy lenses that offer at least the same if not better performance than Samyang. But as I wrote many times before: A Pentax branded camera deserves a Pentax branded lens! Look at it this way, if third party lens manufacturers stop making K-mount lenses, then it might increase the sales of Ricoh/Pentax lenses. Would be fun!

---------- Post added 05-26-20 at 05:51 AM ----------

Samyang releases updated 'MK2' versions of its popular 14mm F2.8, 85mm F1.4 lenses: Digital Photography Review Updated 85/1.8 and 14/2.8 manual lenses but not available in Pentax K.

They do not support K-mount, they just want a piece of the action (that is turnover) at the expense of Ricoh/Pentax. If they really supported the K-mount why then keep on producing manual lenses instead of acquiring the right to make lenses that fully engage the possibilities of a modern Ricoh/Pentax camera? Perhaps they do not like paying royalties. But I know I do love the old and some of the new(er) Pentax lenses. I bought the Pentax 35mm F2.4 a little while ago and to be honest, it is a little wonder for the money.

---

Last edited by Unregistered User; 05-26-2020 at 07:52 AM. Reason: just a mistake

[zzeitg]

I've bought 3 Samyang lenses so far.

14mm f/2.8
24mm f/1.4
135mm f/2

Pretty nice lenses all of them.

Do they stop production of lenses in K-mount? Translation: do they not want my money anymore? I'll be OK, as long as there are other options.

[Sidney Porter]

I have the 8mm f3.5 fisheye. It seems like a well built lens.

[normhead]

I've bought 3 Samyang lenses so far.

14mm f/2.8
24mm f/1.4
135mm f/2

Pretty nice lenses all of them.

Do they stop production of lenses in K-mount? Translation: do they not want my money anymore? I'll be OK, as long as there are other options.

It's not about them not wanting your money. everyone wants your money, it's about what they have to do to get it.

[Papa_Joe]

There are enough Pentax legacy lenses that offer at least the same if not better performance than Samyang. But as I wrote many times before: A Pentax branded camera deserves a Pentax branded lens! Look at it this way, if third party lens manufacturers stop making K-mount lenses, then it might increase the sales of Ricoh/Pentax lenses. Would be fun!

I've bought 3 Samyang lenses so far.
14mm f/2.8
24mm f/1.4
135mm f/2
Pretty nice lenses all of them.

Find the contradiction.

[DWS1]

I own only 1 Samyang lens. The Rokinon 14mm f2.8. I consider it a single purpose lens used strictly for astrophotography. Any upgrades made to it will really not matter much to me. My DA 16-85mm is so much better for all other possible uses.

[zzeitg]

Find the contradiction.

I know why I bought exactly these lenses. I guess you know that, too..?

But there's no contradiction. "A Pentax branded camera deserves a Pentax branded lens!" I'd buy it - if available...

[Wasp]

The Pentax ecosystem seems to be shrinking all the time. Sigma pulled out of the K mount game last year but there seems to be plenty of new old stock around - for now. There are a handful of Tamron models, but this might be a marriage of convenience that could end in divorce. That is it as far as third party autofocus lenses go. It would be interesting to know how/if Ricoh licenses the KAF mount. Sigma just reverse engineered it.


The Pentax primes cupboard is pretty bare, especially the shelf marked full frame. You can have any flavor you want, as long as it is 31, 35, 43, 50, 50 macro, 77 or 100 macro. If you want anything else that is new, there is still a reasonable choice choice in the aftermarket. Nothing in autofocus, though. With Samyang exiting the stage, others might rethink their position.


There are some odd observations to be seen here. Some thinks all of the above is a good thing. I am not so sure. More than a few camera buyers look at the availability and variety of lenses before splashing out.

[Sidney Porter]

I don't buy into a Pentax camera deserves a Pentax lens. I don't think an inanimate object typical "deserves" anything. In my opinion it is more about the user's needs and resources. In some instances Pentax is the best option while other times it might not be.

I could probably be swayed that an object deserves something if one of the options is inferior to the point of damaging the product. Hypothetically if a 3rd party battery had less quality control which could damage the camera. I would say that it deserves to be treated better.

I think it is a seperate conversation that eliminating 3rd party lenses would increase sales of Pentax lenses. I think there is some merit to that thought. But I think we need to factor in used markets and the impact to the brand if it is perceived that it isn't supported.