[odyn]

Well... at least we got *drums*
smc PENTAX DA15mm F4ED AL Limited

Pentax announces 15mm DA lens: Digital Photography Review

[vinzer]

Maybe. If Nikon made a $500-$600 "big brother" to that lens, I'd be seriously tempted to go the fire-sale route.

As it is, the only thing really tempting me is the Olympus E-620 plus the Panasonic/Leica 25mm f/1.4 — but I'm not too excited about the 4/3rds system viewfinder, and have a hard time believing that either Olympus or Panasonic is likely to stay with 4/3rds once micro-4/3rds takes off (and I'm sure it will).

There's also Canon, of course — they at least have a full lineup of prime lenses. But I really dislike the ergonomics of their camera bodies. And really, the lineup of normal-range lenses for their 1.6× crop format is a bit weak — except for the 35mm f/1.4 L, which looks lovely but longer than ideal and very, very pricy.

So anyway, the entire field looks discouraging to me at this point.

In all fairness, they did improve the E-620's viewfinder to E-1 levels (at least that's what people in Olympus forums are saying). Sure, it's not big, but it's not E-510/410 small, either.

Olympus will probably have more to say about their own m4/3 body, but if it goes down like how Samsungian's contact said (no EVF, rangefinder-like OVF made for different focal lengths), then I'm hesitant about Olympus' offering some.

The E-620 looks to be tempting, really. Relatively compact DSLR with in-body IS and tilt-swivel screen. That, and I can play with old lenses I could scrounge from friends and relatives.

Let's wait and see, though. PMA hasn't even started yet. There may be more surprises from manufacturers.

Perhaps the DA*60-250 fiasco has caused them to be more conservative with lens announcements. Still, Hoya gets an 'F' grade for customer communication and relations.

Agreed.

Ok, just to figure this out - I offered a theory that the APS-C Nikon 35/1.8 for $200ish may have been a factor in the removal of the DA*30 from the roadmap, based on current DA*pricing. What are you saying?

Regards,


Kelly

Yeah, first-time buyers might be having sticker shock should they look at those two lenses and their respective prices. We'll never know, I guess. Hoya, as Gary pointed in the post quoted earlier, doesn't seem to be all too communicative with customers.

[Clarkey]

In a more serious note though Hoya's behavior at this PMA could be a very strong indicator for the future. If they continue to shut down any communication then people will sooner or latter fear that they have nothing to show for. I HOPE that they will show something good at least under glass and engage the Pentaxian community with some real hints about their strategy. I emphasis this: it's illogical to ask them for products that are competing with the current range thus jeopardizing sales but it's IMO at least as illogical for them not to show the higher end stuff that anyway will be priced way over K20D. And something else seems obvious from the last 6 months actions: Hoya put all their efforts in the entry level zone in hope of attracting new people into K mount system. So the ones that hope "a full frame camera to go with my 30 years lens" I guess will have a rude awakening from Hoya. They kind of need you to buy some new stuff I am affraid!

Radu

So, who owns the patents for the 24mm, 28mm, 35mm, 50mm and 77mm lenses? These are good, quick lenses.
Can I buy them and the obselete tooling and start making/selling lenses at prices that will kill the opposition?
It seems really simple to me to generate income from all of the folks who have bought new cameras. No R&D costs. From where I sit it also seems as though there would be less stock value sitting on shelves in these lenses cf say c***n etc.

Or have we all bought the idea that newer and more expensive necessarily means better?

(that's two rants in one night - I feel better. Happy Monday).

[Ratmagiclady]

I'd like an explanation for the box in the lower right that says:

DA Super Telephoto

It's not dead... But must allow the world to think it is dead, until it can find a way to control the raging spirit that dwells within it...

[Ratmagiclady]

Well, coming from somebody who's actually owned one I'd beg to differ. It's an excellent lens (assuming you get a good copy, and that's a QC issue rather than a design one). It's wicked sharp wide open and while the corners aren't tack sharp neither will they be in focus due to the very very shallow depth of field. Stopped down for normal picture taking it's just fine everywhere. In other words, it's "deficiencies" are such that they'd really only show up in res tests. If shooting newspapers or doing copy work wide open is your thing, sure, it probably isn't for you. For everyday use it makes for a wonderful "normal" on crop sensor cameras however.



Around $1200. Not cheap, but the Pentax 31/1.8 is $800 and 2/3 stop slower.



Anything in particular wrong with the Nikon 35/2? Granted, the cheaper D40/D40x/D60 bodies do not autofocus it, but any serious hobbyist would most likely pick up a used D50/D70/D100 instead.

Well, I'm sure the Nikon is nice enough, but then again, we can have the Pentax 35/2, as well... The person I was responding to was talking specifically about faster stuff like 1.4s.

Having looked into the Sigma 30 1.4, it seemed a *lot* of people ended up with crappy ones: if yours is good, and I suppose it's nice to know it's *possible* to make one well, (though apparently none too easy, which is kind of the point, originally.) I'm neither a pixel-peeper, nor unaware of the narrow DOF and curvature, being a fast-lens fiend myself, but I was talking about really obvious and unacceptable softness *stopped down* ....which would be kind of unacceptable performance for an all around normal lens, anyway.

(For actual very low-light use, I could make use of that, though I'm kind of looking for a *screen* that can seem to tell the difference between lenses that fast, anyway: I try to *shoot* off the wide stop wherever possible, but I need as much speed as I can get to *see* at least.) but I'm considering a Sigma 28 1.8 for that spot, despite the size. (So happens I love that 28mm FOV on crop, and being still pretty analog, actually working as a wide on film is nice. My current idea of where I might go for primes to start is maybe that 28 and an FA 43, and of course my favored short tele. )

Anyway, I digress, but come to dropping what's-for-me-an-awful-lot on a lens, I'd quite possibly be saving for the DA* 55, and if I were to spend that kind of money on a 30, I'd want it to do better than the Sigma seems to offer (Consistently, at least.) Wouldn't sneeze at one of those Sigmas, especially right now, while I'm feeling my thinness of digital kit, but it's a lot to pay for quirky. Maybe they're hard to make. (affordably, at least) Dunno. Just a speculation.

[janneman]

I second that, but as my fav lady on this forum just pointed out, a FA35/2 in new skin would be good enough.

Also very necessary if they are going to continue the weather/dust-protection-outdoor-niching, they need an affordable weatherproofed normal range zoom to put on the K20D/K200D and their successors. Seriously. Everyone can't buy the DA*16-50/2.8. Weatherseal the DA18-55 and the DA50-200!

Actually it would NOT be good enough.
Last week I have been shooting very nice available light images at the Carnaval in Maastricht. None of the FA35/2 made it. f2 at 35mm is just too slow. I had to rely on my FA31/1.8 limited for that. it should be slightly wider and slightly faster than the FA35/2.

Sorry, I misunderstood the context of what you said! IMO a revised FA35/2 is desirable instead of putting money and time in another completely new design which will interfere also with DA35/2.8 Macro

Radu

It has not stopped Pentax for bringing out the DA35/2.8 which clearly competes with the FA31. And a cheapish DA35/2 will harm the sales of the DA35/2.8 macro more than an expensive DA30/1.4 would.

Oh and, the fast wide prime should be sealed!!!!

[gazonk]

it should be slightly wider and slightly faster than the FA35/2.

A 28mm 1.4 would be even more perfect than a 30mm 1.4 (28mm on APS-C corresponds almost exactly to 43mm on 35mm).

[ogl]

Sony renewed roadmap
(1)Super Telephoto Lens
　(2)DT 50mm F1.8
　(3)DT 30mm F2.8 Macro
　(4)DT 18-55mm F3.5-5.6
　(5)DT 55-200mm F4-5.6
　(6)28-75mm F2.8

DT = APS-C

5 - it's FF KM or Tamron - not bad.

[Reportage]

An f/2.8 range of zooms for the masses who dont need or rather can`t afford weather sealing + sdm lens would be nice.

kudos to anyone who can get a canon/nikon to pentax mount adapter.

[blende8]

A 28mm 1.4 would be even more perfect than a 30mm 1.4

Agree!
28/1.4 would be perfect.

[legacyb4]

And while we wait, the FA 28mm F2.8 will have to do in a pinch...

A 28mm 1.4 would be even more perfect than a 30mm 1.4 (28mm on APS-C corresponds almost exactly to 43mm on 35mm).

[kenyee]

Last week I have been shooting very nice available light images at the Carnaval in Maastricht. None of the FA35/2 made it. f2 at 35mm is just too slow. I had to rely on my FA31/1.8 limited for that.

Could you show some of the FA35 pics that worked and FA31 pics that didn't?
I've been thinking of getting the FA35 and want to know why it didn't work for you...
thx

[cousinsane]

That statement sounds very bizzare to me. The difference between F1.8 and F2 is 1/3 stop. I can't really imagine a situation where the F1.8 is sufficient but the F2 simply won't cut it.

Could you show some of the FA35 pics that worked and FA31 pics that didn't?

[Ratmagiclady]

A 28mm 1.4 would be even more perfect than a 30mm 1.4 (28mm on APS-C corresponds almost exactly to 43mm on 35mm).

That'd be a happy for me, certainly. I like that 40ish equivalent range, and a 28 works well for me on digital, that way. The way I see it is that if you can have a smallish fast short portrait FOV on crop out of a fairly inexpensive and nice 50, then maybe you've got to pay the price in your fast normal being a bit bulkier.

The thing about f2 vs f 1.8 on these digitals is that as the stock finders are, you can't really tell the difference by eye, anyway, and most of the time you want to avoid shooting the very-fast lenses wide open, in the first place, so the small (if sometimes notable) difference just isn't likely to matter to a lot of buyers... since there's already a 35/2 design that performs wonderfully on the digitals, it'd probably be worth doing up, maybe with the nice switchless manual focus, or even as it's been available in the FA version.

I suspect that the poster may have been experiencing something about the FA 31 being better *wide open* than the FA35. (one kind of wonders why they had both on them to begin with: that 31 is just one of the best lenses Pentax has ever made.

[Pål Jensen]

Why the sorrow, Cameron? Aren't you the one who insisted for a Pentax superzoom in the first place? Oh, yes now I remember you wanted a WHITE one didn't you?



In a more serious note though Hoya's behavior at this PMA could be a very strong indicator for the future. If they continue to shut down any communication then people will sooner or latter fear that they have nothing to show for. I HOPE that they will show something good at least under glass and engage the Pentaxian community with some real hints about their strategy. I emphasis this: it's illogical to ask them for products that are competing with the current range thus jeopardizing sales but it's IMO at least as illogical for them not to show the higher end stuff that anyway will be priced way over K20D. And something else seems obvious from the last 6 months actions: Hoya put all their efforts in the entry level zone in hope of attracting new people into K mount system. So the ones that hope "a full frame camera to go with my 30 years lens" I guess will have a rude awakening from Hoya. They kind of need you to buy some new stuff I am affraid!

Radu

Thers no reason whatsoever for Pentax (not Hoya; it is still Pentax. They just got a new owner) to show any upcoming products. No one else does. In fact, there are good reason not to do so: every new model above the K20D will steal sales from it even if it cost a lot more, and Pentax doesn't want that, naturally. That might also be the reson why the K200D is discontinued (at least in some markeds); it is too close to the K20D. In addition, theres no use showing the competition what potential new marketsegment you want to compete in long in advance.
Theres nothing obvious from the last 6 months; the fact that Pentax release a entry level body does not sign that they will not release a higher end body or a FF body. The ones who wants to use 30 year old lenses on an FF body are the same who want to use 30 year old lenses on a APS Pentax. In fact, without the huge Pentax base that sits on the 25 000 000 FF Pentax lenses, Pentax DSLR's wouldn't have been viable at all in the marketplace. And if they wnat people to buy new stuff, the best strategy is FF; then all those with APS lenses will have to upgrade
FF will come from all manufacturers including Pentax simply because there are several hundreds of millions of FF lenses in existence and the related fact that most DSLR system can facilitate FF. It is only a matter of cost of FF at present and prices are sure to drop.