[Jonathan Mac]

I'm pretty excited about the DA* 50-135mm f/2.8.

hopefully Ricoh revamps all the DA* lenses with better AF motors.

Well they all need it. Ten years or so late but at least they're finally getting round to it. SDM is the reason I own zero [of the original DA] * lenses.

Edit to add the above parenthesis and: Price is the reason I own zero HD DA* lenses.

[UncleVanya]

Not really. Canon has a 24-105/3.5-5.6, but it's unsealed, bigger, feels meh and the images also look meh. They also have a 24-105/4-7.1 in RF mount, but... yeah, f/7.1 and unsealed.
Neither Sony nor Nikon, AFAIK, have a corresponding standard zoom.

Sony has the 24-105/4. An excellent lens that I own - but it is more expensive (~$500 vs ~$1400 new) larger and heavier (439g vs 663g) than the Pentax 28-105 D FA. The Sony is sealed and has optical stabilization.

---------- Post added 03-23-22 at 10:49 AM ----------

I don't follow other mounts, is there a Canikoson 28-105 with wr characteristic and approximate optical quality and what is the price? if it's better Pentax DFA70-300/4,5-5,6 he will charge a hefty fee for it

Sony. But very expensive comparatively.

[Serkevan]

Sony has the 24-105/4. An excellent lens that I own - but it is more expensive (~$500 vs ~$1400 new) larger and heavier (439g vs 663g) than the Pentax 28-105 D FA. The Sony is sealed and has optical stabilization.

---------- Post added 03-23-22 at 10:49 AM ----------



Sony. But very expensive comparatively.

Yeah, I explicitly avoided the comparison with f/4 zooms (of which there are options everywhere... except in Pentaxland) because they are always twice the price (and almost twice the weight).

[UncleVanya]

Yeah, I explicitly avoided the comparison with f/4 zooms (of which there are options everywhere... except in Pentaxland) because they are always twice the price (and almost twice the weight).

In this case it's only a 50% weight penalty. The price on the other hand... wow. My copy was a bargain purchase due to a divorce of a photographer in my Dad's area however it was still not cheap. I like it but I wish there was a cheaper also superb 28-105 option for Sony. Funny it's not often you see someone complaining that Sony FE mount is missing an equivalent lens that Pentax has (other than the limited primes) but I think every system has lens envy for another system at one time or another!

[zapp]

There is always space for a 70-300 next to 70-200 glass. We are just not used to having multiple options for Pentax these days. The first EOS IS lens was a 75-300 design, expect something with similar specs if rumors are close to the real thing. 50% more reach than 200s, size, weight, prize below the 150-450. For DA you get the very successful 55-300, now DFA sees a similar lens. Many of us may not be waiting for it, but I am sure Pentax did their homework and it will sell well.
With DA* zoom line complete from 11 to 135 mm the K3iii system looks very decent. DFA* 70-200 is the longest up to date * glass. Revamped 200/300 or 60-250 can be expected. Wishful thinking asks for a longer high spec tele lens. These updates may happen in 2-3 years and will overlap with K1x presentation. The new camera will require a Pentax 24-70 design as well as a 15-30 - both f/2.8*. Add a large aperture wide angle already listed on the road map. Pentax will spent several years on re-designs and slowly present additional lenses. Supply chan problems will extent this process.

[repaap]

There is always space for a 70-300 next to 70-200 glass. We are just not used to having multiple options for Pentax these days. The first EOS IS lens was a 75-300 design, expect something with similar specs if rumors are close to the real thing. 50% more reach than 200s, size, weight, prize below the 150-450. For DA you get the very successful 55-300, now DFA sees a similar lens. Many of us may not be waiting for it, but I am sure Pentax did their homework and it will sell well.
With DA* zoom line complete from 11 to 135 mm the K3iii system looks very decent. DFA* 70-200 is the longest up to date * glass. Revamped 200/300 or 60-250 can be expected. Wishful thinking asks for a longer high spec tele lens. These updates may happen in 2-3 years and will overlap with K1x presentation. The new camera will require a Pentax 24-70 design as well as a 15-30 - both f/2.8*. Add a large aperture wide angle already listed on the road map. Pentax will spent several years on re-designs and slowly present additional lenses. Supply chan problems will extent this process.

I do agree. They already did say that there are several lenses they are working with, which are not even on that roadmap(revamping 50-135 for example) . 70-300 PLM and SR will be very sought after lens as DA 55-300RE PLM is too. And perhaps even more if that SR will be at there. Who knows maybe longer lens with SR will follow later? Perhaps even something like 24-105 with SR?

Quite many did seem to have problems with 28-105 at it’s widest focal in some shutter speed…I didn’t, but there are problems for some.

I hope that people will buy these new lenses as well as new cameras. So that there will be some more

---------- Post added 04-15-22 at 11:37 ----------

In this case it's only a 50% weight penalty. The price on the other hand... wow. My copy was a bargain purchase due to a divorce of a photographer in my Dad's area however it was still not cheap. I like it but I wish there was a cheaper also superb 28-105 option for Sony. Funny it's not often you see someone complaining that Sony FE mount is missing an equivalent lens that Pentax has (other than the limited primes) but I think every system has lens envy for another system at one time or another!

I did have a look at the Sony and canon 24-105/4 and both(also Panasonic) are similarly priced and Sigma is again cheaper and perhaps better… big price difference. I’m happy with DFA 28-105

[mbukal]

from the occurrence DFA 70-200 / 4 appeared I am writing here on the forum that Pentax should make DFA * XX-35 + DFA * 24-70 / 2.8 + DFA70-320 / 4.5-5.6 (all Pentax design) because it is a big gap and all other systems have in ff Pentax system very much missing, 4 years I use K1 and FA80-320 / 4,5-5,6 and I tried 70-200 / 4 but I kept FA, Pentax is too slow to update the lens and it is a big irreparable mistake and for us old users, and especially for new ones that have nothing to attract, unlike the competition in dslr, where you can now buy a top dslr system for a "trifle"

---

Last edited by mbukal; 04-15-2022 at 04:28 AM.

[zbrueningsen]

from the occurrence DFA 70-200 / 4 appeared I am writing here on the forum that Pentax should make DFA * XX-35 + DFA * 24-70 / 2.8 + DFA70-320 / 4.5-5.6 (all Pentax design) because it is a big gap and all other systems have in ff Pentax system very much missing, 4 years I use K1 and FA80-320 / 4,5-5,6 and I tried 70-200 / 4 but I kept FA, Pentax is too slow to update the lens and it is a big irreparable mistake and for us old users, and especially for new ones that have nothing to attract, unlike the competition in dslr, where you can now buy a top dslr system for a "trifle"

Maybe the plan isn’t to get products out to market as soon as possible. Maybe there is a deliberate process that considers a longer period of time of accomplishing newer products. As we saw they have slowed WAY down on DSLR production because of market analysis. I’m currently shooting with a K1 and have zero issues with it. I would rather have the company produce slowly and deliberately instead of rush and fail because of QC (like SDM issues on 16-50 and 50-135). They have a tiny market share and they have to hit on their products to stay in the game. I think the 70-300 needs to distinguish itself from other products available and meet the demands of the new sensors. But let’s be honest - their base zoom lenses have been top notch (newer), 55-300, 16-85, 28-105, 20-40. I expect them to do the same with this. Slowly and deliberately.

[simon_199]

from the occurrence DFA 70-200 / 4 appeared I am writing here on the forum that Pentax should make DFA * XX-35 + DFA * 24-70 / 2.8 + DFA70-320 / 4.5-5.6 (all Pentax design) because it is a big gap and all other systems have in ff Pentax system very much missing, 4 years I use K1 and FA80-320 / 4,5-5,6 and I tried 70-200 / 4 but I kept FA, Pentax is too slow to update the lens and it is a big irreparable mistake and for us old users, and especially for new ones that have nothing to attract, unlike the competition in dslr, where you can now buy a top dslr system for a "trifle"

Is the pair of "star" wide-angle and normal zooms really needed ? The current F2.8 lineup seems fine. They are not badged as star lenses but offer significant performance. What's really missing would be, on the contrary, a slower, lighter, less expensive xx-35 F4, that would be the go-to wide angle solution for many photographers....

[UncleVanya]

I did have a look at the Sony and canon 24-105/4 and both(also Panasonic) are similarly priced and Sigma is again cheaper and perhaps better… big price difference. I’m happy with DFA 28-105

I like my 24-105/4 but I would probably have gotten the 28-200 Tamron if I hadn’t been in possession of the 24-105 already. The Sigma 28-70, Tamron 28-75 also are good options with smaller size that appeal to me. (On Sony)

[TwoUptons]

Is the pair of "star" wide-angle and normal zooms really needed ? The current F2.8 lineup seems fine. They are not badged as star lenses but offer significant performance. What's really missing would be, on the contrary, a slower, lighter, less expensive xx-35 F4, that would be the go-to wide angle solution for many photographers....

I think there's a real opportunity for something like "hobbyist trinity" of DFA 16-35,28-105,70-300 or similar, with high value and very good image quality (like the DFA 28-105).
They would be expected to have variable apertures and prioritize value over absolute optical performance, but that's fine.
And they pair up well with the FA primes (35, 50 f1.4)
I'm hoping the DFA 70-300 is in that class.

At the other end is the "professional trinity" at 15-30, 24-70, and 70-210 f2.8, with the DFA* 50 and 85 primes

In between are loads of opportunities for other things, like the Limiteds or macros, for example...

-Eric

[repaap]

I like my 24-105/4 but I would probably have gotten the 28-200 Tamron if I hadn’t been in possession of the 24-105 already. The Sigma 28-70, Tamron 28-75 also are good options with smaller size that appeal to me. (On Sony)

Yeah, here are great options. althou 24-105/4 in good price sounds good. No matter which is the brand. But most likely unless you have plenty cash you will end up with Tamron or Sigma(they are very nice now a days...)

---------- Post added 04-15-22 at 21:18 ----------

I think there's a real opportunity for something like "hobbyist trinity" of DFA 16-35,28-105,70-300 or similar, with high value and very good image quality (like the DFA 28-105).
They would be expected to have variable apertures and prioritize value over absolute optical performance, but that's fine.
And they pair up well with the FA primes (35, 50 f1.4)
I'm hoping the DFA 70-300 is in that class.

At the other end is the "professional trinity" at 15-30, 24-70, and 70-210 f2.8, with the DFA* 50 and 85 primes

In between are loads of opportunities for other things, like the Limiteds or macros, for example...

-Eric

it would be nice to have wide zoom in line with 28-105(very nice lens) and this upcoming 70-300(which I think will be in line of 28-105)

[mbukal]

Maybe the plan isn’t to get products out to market as soon as possible. Maybe there is a deliberate process that considers a longer period of time of accomplishing newer products. As we saw they have slowed WAY down on DSLR production because of market analysis. I’m currently shooting with a K1 and have zero issues with it. I would rather have the company produce slowly and deliberately instead of rush and fail because of QC (like SDM issues on 16-50 and 50-135). They have a tiny market share and they have to hit on their products to stay in the game. I think the 70-300 needs to distinguish itself from other products available and meet the demands of the new sensors. But let’s be honest - their base zoom lenses have been top notch (newer), 55-300, 16-85, 28-105, 20-40. I expect them to do the same with this. Slowly and deliberately.

so Pentax is right where it is due to competition kanicosofuj because it is unable to keep up with market needs, let's be realistic with the slowdown of new dslr bodies - left alone - no more competition, to stay in the game would have to show a noticeable struggle to release new lenses that can to attract new users and make old ones happy, and then with great desire to buy ff bodies that are "short-lived" versus lenses that last (my FA and after 20 years I work on K1 4 years), of the 4 lenses you mentioned is only one for ff format and I don't understand intentionally slow production when the competition is galloping

[sebberry]

Excited to hear about a possible PLM version of the 50-135, hopefully with some other optical improvements too. I've spent $600 on SDM repairs to my 50-135 and it needs another motor yet again. My 16-50 is also dead, but I'm not buying the PLM version of that.

[mbukal]

At the other end is the "professional trinity" at 15-30, 24-70, and 70-210 f2.8, with the DFA* 50 and 85 primes

In between are loads of opportunities for other things, like the Limiteds or macros, for example...

-Eric

- for this professional class there should be a choice: DFA * xx-35 / 2.8 + DFA * 24-70 / 2.8 + DFA * 70-200 / 2.8 + DFA * 50 / 1.4 + DFA + 85 / 1,4 + DFA * ... specifically DFA * lenses - Pentax's design
- for everything else as desired and possible DFA15-35 / 2,8 + DFA24-70 / 2,8 + DFA28-105 / 3,5-5,6 + DFA70-210 / 4 + DFA70-320 / 4,5- 5.6 + DFA...original Design Pentax or rebrands because Pentax has no alternative selection of autofocus lenses - the competition has

and then Pentax would be recognizable and desirable in such a possibility of selection of lens that would have an unlimited possibility of user combination, of course, all would be justified with the realistically accompanying money for a certain choice of lenses


p.s.
unintentional error/I guess: and 70-210 f2.8 - It does not exist in Pentax