[Nimrad]

Read the topic. I mean the announced telephoto lens from the roadmap:
http://www.pentax.jp/english/imaging/digital/lens/roadmap.pdf

[Pål Jensen]

It certainly will be a DA* lens.....

[huqedato]

No. All Pentax starred zooms have constant aperture.

A DA* super-tele with a constant f4 would be extremelly expensive and evade the actual DA (relatively cheap) lens line. How many of you would afford a 3k or 4k USD zoom ?

I think at a DA 2xx-4yy mm/f4-6.3 formula instead. With an reasonable price between 1000 and 1500 USD. Perhaps something in the same category as this one.

[Pål Jensen]

No. All Pentax starred zooms have constant aperture.

Where does it say that this lens do not have constant aperture?
The roadmap does not say it is a zoom lens either.....

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Last edited by Pål Jensen; 04-10-2009 at 05:53 PM.

[Pål Jensen]

A DA* super-tele with a constant f4 would be extremelly expensive and evade the actual DA (relatively cheap) lens line. How many of you would afford a 3k or 4k USD zoom ?

There are no such thing as a cheap super telephoto lens. Even for smaller format. Theres no gain with smalle image circle for such lenses. If I'm not mistaken you can buy two Canon 300/2.8 lenses for price of one 300/2.8 for the Olympus 4/3 format.......

No one are designing super telephoto lenses with speed slower than F:4 anylonger. This is because F:4 is the slowest aperture you can have and still AF with a converter ( this is why Pentax did not just relaunch the excellent F*/FA* 300/4.5 but made a 300/4 instead). This add seriously to the value of such an expensive lens. The only exception are 100-400/5.6 lenses, but they hardly qualifies as super telephotos. Another is something like the FA* 250-600/5.6 that reaches so far that a converter is not THAT necessary (particularly not for APS). Neither are likely in my opinion.
Yhis is either a zoom lens or a prime as long or longer than 400mm

[rvannatta]

Yhis is either a zoom lens or a prime as long or longer than 400mm

I agree with this conclusion. A long zoom such as a 135-600 not intended for use with a converter, would seem likely or a rebirth of the 600 f4 but the latter
is very expensive.

by way of illustration of the issue, I own a 300mm f2.8 and a 600mm f5.6.

the 600 really doesn't do much for me. IT is vastly heavier and more difficult to use than the 300mm, and since I have also a 2x-L converter for my300 F 2.8 and produce similar results.

While you can argue that the 600 f/5.6 may produce better results than the
300 augmented with a 2x-l converter you have to balance that with
the practical fact that the shorter lens can quickly be changed by to a 300 mm
if the subject gets too close/too big, and unless you owna packhorse that follows you on a shoot---you won't take both lenses with you.

[eurostar]

DA Supertelephoto could mean many things.

Could be a Pentax version of the Tokina 80-400/4,5-5,6 with SDM focus.
Could be a DA* version of the old FA*400/5,6
Could be a totally new DA*400/4, to represent the old FA*600/4 taking into account the crop factor (like they did with the DA* zoom).
Could be a new version of the old FA*250-600/5,6, a zoom like no other maker has ever done, and that sits nicely after the 60-250/4.
It could be any thing longer than the 300mm that today are the upper limit of the Pentax line-up.

My guess is that even Pentax doesn't know yet, it is hearing at us on forums, to understand what would be most sought after by Pentaxians...

[Pål Jensen]

DA Supertelephoto could mean many things.

Could be a Pentax version of the Tokina 80-400/4,5-5,6 with SDM focus.
Could be a DA* version of the old FA*400/5,6
Could be a totally new DA*400/4, to represent the old FA*600/4 taking into account the crop factor (like they did with the DA* zoom).
Could be a new version of the old FA*250-600/5,6, a zoom like no other maker has ever done, and that sits nicely after the 60-250/4.
It could be any thing longer than the 300mm that today are the upper limit of the Pentax line-up.

My guess is that even Pentax doesn't know yet, it is hearing at us on forums, to understand what would be most sought after by Pentaxians...

All are possible, but highly doubt a 400/5.6 lens. Such lenses are not constructed anylonger as a 400mm at that speed is best covered by zooms these days....
I hope for a 400/4......

[eurostar]

I hope for a 400/4......

Me too, and a friend of mine also... do you listen, Pentax?

[nixcamic]

I'm personally hoping its a pentax version of the tokina 80-400mm, and that its reasonably priced. I'm also hoping that they hurry and make a pentax version of the 11-16mm.

[Matjazz]

I hope for a 400/4......

I hope not, because I'm sure it won't be cheap and I won't be able to resist it.

[borno]

I hope not, because I'm sure it won't be cheap and I won't be able to resist it.

HA! I'm with you on that, I blew all my lens budget for a while. If it takes as long as the 60-250mm we will have plenty of time to save. (I'm still looking for that TC)

[rvannatta]

Me too, and a friend of mine also... do you listen, Pentax?

I don't see a 400mm anything enough different form a 300 to buy, unless it
was a zoom.

[MikePerham]

I don't see a 400mm anything enough different form a 300 to buy, unless it
was a zoom.

The DA*200 f2.8 and a DA*400 f4 along with a 1.4 TC would suffice for my long lens arsenal. I think anything longer than 400 and an f4 lens would be getting too expensive for me.

Mike.

[hitechrr]

It is listed on the list as a DA* 60-250mm F4 ED (IF) SDM.
What happened to the 18-250mm? I don't see it listed.