Originally posted by mutedphotos In browsing through B&H listings I've noticed something that I never really realized before:
Pentax has only 1 fast lens under $500, the FA 50/1.4 at $250, and with that being the only non-Limited FA lens left, I wouldn't be surprised to see it disappear soon. If that does happen, the only fast lenses in the Pentax lineup will be the FA Limiteds and DA* 55, the cheapest of which would be the 43/1.9 at $530 (you could argue that the DA 70/2.4 Limited is a fast prime though)
For comparison, Nikon has 6 fast primes under $500:
- AF 50/1.8 - $135
- AF-S 35/1.8 - $200
- AF 50/1.4 - $340
- AF 35/2.0 - $360
- AF 85/1.8 - $450
- AF-S 50/1.4 - $485
As does Canon:
- EF 50/1.8 - $115
- EF 35/2.0 - $300
- EF 85/1.8 - $380
- EF 50/1.4 - $400
- EF 100/2.0 - $420
- EF 28/1.8 - $460
Note: I'm not trying to bash Pentax here, I don't expect Pentax to offer the same breadth of options as the Big Two, and I know most of those Canikon lenses are FF (but then, so are all but 1 fast Pentax lens, the DA*55).
I bring this up mainly in hopes of stressing to Pentax reps (who obviously read these fora) of the need for consumer-level fast primes. After all, Pentax is supposed to be known for its prime lenses, but if the average consumer can't afford them anyway, one of the biggest advantages to the brand is moot. Only 1 prime lens is of the regular DA level, the 14/2.8 ($680), everything else is DA* or DA Limited.
I remember a while back a Pentax rep saying that their intention was to recreate the focal lengths of 35mm, which is why we get lenses like the 35 (~50) macro Limited, the DA 14/2.8 and 15/4 Limited (~20-24) and the DA*55 (~85)
So what about a DA 55/1.8, DA 30-35/1.8, DA 23/2.0, DA 18/2.0??
At the very least it should take very little effort to optimize the FA 35/2.0 for digital bodies and re-release it as a D-FA lens...
Yes, this is exactly what I mean.
A couple of years ago I sold my K10D and picked up a new 5D for a steal ($1,300). For about the price of a 31/1.8, I was able to pick up a 35/2, 50/1.8 and 100/2! All of them are fast, affordable and
excellent quality. Yes, they're not "Ls", but they were more than sufficient for my needs especially with the 5D.
If I were to try to replicate that focal length line-up with roughly equivalent quality and a K7, I'd end up spending at least $600 more, and still ending up with much slower lenses at each focal length.
K7 - $1,300
21/3.2 (much slower than 35/2) - $430
35/2.8 (slower, but higher quality) - $530
70/2.4 - $475
If we try to match the speed of each of the Canon primes in those focal lengths, it gets worse:
24/2 - $450+ (if you can find one)
31/1.8 - $890
77/1.8 - $700
That's almost $1,500 more for the same speed at the various focal lengths. Of course the Pentax lenses above are of higher quality than their Canon equivalents, but that not exactly the point. The point is we don't really have a choice.
I'm not "bashing" Pentax, but I am pointing out what I see as a big hole in their lens lineup: fast but affordable primes in the 35 and 50 FOVs.