[RMabo]

Technically, this is the very same D FA lens as before but with changed exterior styling and different aperture design.

It uses the same optics, it has the same quick-shift focus, it has the same focusing mechanism, and it performs like the previous versions. But it has added WR and new aperture design, oh and new material for the exterior.

It is not called DA Limited because it is too big for being a DA Limited.
It is not called D FA Limited because such a thing does not exist.
It is not called DA Star because it is weather resistant, not weather sealed (WR is a simpler form weather protection) and it doesn't have SDM!
It is not called DA because in essential it is the same lens as the previous D FA and consumers would only be confused by a new name for what is essentially the same lens!
And it is not called D FAJ, because 'J' in Pentax terms means 'junior' and is an entry level beginner lens. The 100 Macro is not entry level beginner. The FA J's had plastic lens mounts and was overall very, well, plastic. This D FA is metal!
I don't understand why a D FA must have an aperture ring...

Now, with the FA Star 200 f/2.8 becoming DA Star 200 f/2.8, there are many more changes, not only the lack of aperture ring.

DA Star has new focus mechanism, and double AF systems. Also new exterior. Added weather sealing (not weather resistant). Only the optical formula is the same as the previous FA Star, but with a newer version of the SMC coating. So, there are many more differencies between FA Star 200 and DA Star 200 than between new and old D FA 100.

About the design being inspired by the DA 35 Limited, well why not? It is logical to me that the Macros from Pentax shares some design elements to keep a consistent design. It may very well be so that all future primes from Pentax will have a similar look, and be WR.

The DA Star 55 and 300 were both especially developed for APS-C, according to Pentax. The DA Star 55 is the APS-C version of the FA Star 85. Both has new optical formulas, not a re-use of older formula. That is why they are called DA and not D FA. Also note that D FA lenses doesn't have double AF systems as the DA Stars have and the D FA WR isn't weather sealed as the DA Stars, just weather resistant.

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Last edited by RMabo; 12-09-2009 at 11:48 AM.

[Angevinn]

I hope the DFA 100mm WR is just the beginning of many DFA lenses from Pentax. Pentax will hopefully be staggering the release of DFA lenses to gather as much attention to them as they can. If Pentax were to release four or five lenses at once it wouldn't gather as much attention.

Hopefully, we'll see more announcements or releases of DFA lenses (spaced a few months apart) leading up to an announcement of a Pentax FF DSLR!

If Pentax carries the new aperture design (eight rounded blades for a perfectly circular iris) and metallic lens bodies over to all of the future DFA lenses I'll buy them all!

[RMabo]

I believe Pentax will make most of their lenses WR and they will bel busy the coming months with new WR versions of existing Pentax lenses.

DA 55-300 WR, DA 12-24 WR, DA 14 WR and so on...

[Pål Jensen]

The whole idea with the Limiteds is that they are the smallest and most compact DSLR prime lenses that exist.

Theres no size limitation on the Limiteds. The 31/1.8 and the 77/1.8 are not small lenses by Pentax standards and surely not the "smallest prime lenses that exists".
Limiteds is about a exclusive series of lenses. The D FA missing the Limited designation means that Pentax plan to make many if not all of the D FA lenses in the Limiteds market position. Hence, the Limited name is superflous.

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Last edited by Pål Jensen; 12-09-2009 at 01:30 PM.

[Pål Jensen]

I don't see the D FA designation to the 100 Macro as a sign to a 24x36 digital from Pentax coming soon. The new 100 macro uses the same optical formula as the old D FA 100 macro, and this is for 24x36. Would be strange to call it DA when it is the same lens as the D FA in a new outer shell...

Why is that strange? They did that with the DA* 200/2.8 which indeed is an FA* 200/2.8 in new dress. The fact that Pentax makes an FF lens now, and more importantly, choose a different nomenclature than the cropped DA designation, strongly indicate that Pentax have an FF system coming....

[deejjjaaaa]

[deejjjaaaa]

that was a hi res from official Pentax distributor in Russia

??????????? ? ??????? PENTAX / ?????-????? PENTAX / ??????????? PENTAX -> http://pentax.ru/galleryimage/lenses/100_Macro_WR/DFA100MWR.jpg

[deadwolfbones]

Well now...

[arpaagent]

Weird, the last '0' in '100' has some diagonal hashing pattern on it. Wonder why that is. I'm still confused about this lens, something still doesn't seem right. Something kind of strange is that the focus indicators would move up as the focus barrel goes out. This would be pretty far for a macro lens (unless it's IF somehow), so the focus distance indicators would not be of use when they are an inch or more from your cutout.

Part of me still wants to call this just a product mock-up from a while back that is somehow just now getting leaked, but maybe it's for real. I'll wait for a real announcement in a language I can read before any further judgements.

[thibs]

Why call the new version of the D FA 100 Macro "DA", wouldn't that be confusing? The new D FA is essentially the same lens as the previous D FA, just with a new exterior, re-designed aperture, and the added bonus of weather resistant.

Agreed but DA55,200,300 are FF as well so...
They renamed the FA200/300 to DA !

[Urkeldaedalus]

Technically, this is the very same D FA lens as before but with changed exterior styling and different aperture design.

It uses the same optics, it has the same quick-shift focus, it has the same focusing mechanism, and it performs like the previous versions. But it has added WR and new aperture design, oh and new material for the exterior.

It is not called DA Limited because it is too big for being a DA Limited.
It is not called D FA Limited because such a thing does not exist.
It is not called DA Star because it is weather resistant, not weather sealed (WR is a simpler form weather protection) and it doesn't have SDM!
It is not called DA because in essential it is the same lens as the previous D FA and consumers would only be confused by a new name for what is essentially the same lens!
And it is not called D FAJ, because 'J' in Pentax terms means 'junior' and is an entry level beginner lens. The 100 Macro is not entry level beginner. The FA J's had plastic lens mounts and was overall very, well, plastic. This D FA is metal!
I don't understand why a D FA must have an aperture ring...

Now, with the FA Star 200 f/2.8 becoming DA Star 200 f/2.8, there are many more changes, not only the lack of aperture ring.

DA Star has new focus mechanism, and double AF systems. Also new exterior. Added weather sealing (not weather resistant). Only the optical formula is the same as the previous FA Star, but with a newer version of the SMC coating. So, there are many more differencies between FA Star 200 and DA Star 200 than between new and old D FA 100.

About the design being inspired by the DA 35 Limited, well why not? It is logical to me that the Macros from Pentax shares some design elements to keep a consistent design. It may very well be so that all future primes from Pentax will have a similar look, and be WR.

The DA Star 55 and 300 were both especially developed for APS-C, according to Pentax. The DA Star 55 is the APS-C version of the FA Star 85. Both has new optical formulas, not a re-use of older formula. That is why they are called DA and not D FA. Also note that D FA lenses doesn't have double AF systems as the DA Stars have and the D FA WR isn't weather sealed as the DA Stars, just weather resistant.

Your reasoning may very well be correct. But if you are, this strategy just seems strange to me.

I mean, why weather seal this lens? And if you (Note: 'you' refers to Pentax) weather seal it, why do you have to redesign the body and aperture blades to make it more expensive? And if you do that, and it's only D-FA so it can also be used on film cameras, why in this redesign/revamp would you then remove the aperture ring, and therefore render it almost useless on many Pentax film cameras? If you say, "Well, they didn't really design it to work on a film camera. Nobody uses film cameras anymore. That's just a secondary bonus," then I have to ask, 'If that is true, what is the point of a D-FA lens in the first place?"

If it was your plan all along to design a lens that could only really be used on an APS-C format, wouldn't it make more sense to design a new DA lens, or, like others have said, just call this a DA lens and phase out the D-FA line altogether? If your reasoning is true, this just strikes me as poor planning by Pentax.

Anyway, enough of that. Taken by itself, this lens seems to improve on all of the old D-FAs weaknesses. Add on the weather sealing on top of that and it seems like a winner.

[Pål Jensen]

Weird, the last '0' in '100' has some diagonal hashing pattern on it. Wonder why that is. I'm still confused about this lens, something still doesn't seem right. Something kind of strange is that the focus indicators would move up as the focus barrel goes out. .

I don't think thats the focus indicator but an indicator for aligning the lens hood (indicating the top). It seems the hood is made of metal too. This looks like a serious piece of equipment. I just wait for the matching FF camera it is designed for...

[stevebrot]

...I mean, why weather seal this lens?...

A water sealed 100mm macro lens is a no-brainer to me. In my region, much of our outdoor shooting is done in rain and mist. I have personally been out with my macro lens in the drippy wet hoping that none of it gets into my lens.

Steve

[awo425]

I think you nailed it, and looks like you were right too

I think it's real, and this is why:

1. Pentax already has a DFA 100mm macro
2. Pentax already has a DFA 50mm macro
3. Pentax already has a DA 35mm macro
4. Nobody has asked for a new 100mm macro
5. The non-macro gap for primes between 55mm and 200mm is still there
6. There is still no fast, affordable, APS-C, normal prime

It makes absolutely NO SENSE for Pentax to release this lens...so...it must be true!

.

[inferno10]

Technically, this is the very same D FA lens as before but with changed exterior styling and different aperture design.

It uses the same optics, it has the same quick-shift focus, it has the same focusing mechanism, and it performs like the previous versions. But it has added WR and new aperture design, oh and new material for the exterior.

It is not called DA Limited because it is too big for being a DA Limited.
It is not called D FA Limited because such a thing does not exist.
It is not called DA Star because it is weather resistant, not weather sealed (WR is a simpler form weather protection) and it doesn't have SDM!
It is not called DA because in essential it is the same lens as the previous D FA and consumers would only be confused by a new name for what is essentially the same lens!
And it is not called D FAJ, because 'J' in Pentax terms means 'junior' and is an entry level beginner lens. The 100 Macro is not entry level beginner. The FA J's had plastic lens mounts and was overall very, well, plastic. This D FA is metal!
I don't understand why a D FA must have an aperture ring...

Now, with the FA Star 200 f/2.8 becoming DA Star 200 f/2.8, there are many more changes, not only the lack of aperture ring.

DA Star has new focus mechanism, and double AF systems. Also new exterior. Added weather sealing (not weather resistant). Only the optical formula is the same as the previous FA Star, but with a newer version of the SMC coating. So, there are many more differencies between FA Star 200 and DA Star 200 than between new and old D FA 100.

About the design being inspired by the DA 35 Limited, well why not? It is logical to me that the Macros from Pentax shares some design elements to keep a consistent design. It may very well be so that all future primes from Pentax will have a similar look, and be WR.

The DA Star 55 and 300 were both especially developed for APS-C, according to Pentax. The DA Star 55 is the APS-C version of the FA Star 85. Both has new optical formulas, not a re-use of older formula. That is why they are called DA and not D FA. Also note that D FA lenses doesn't have double AF systems as the DA Stars have and the D FA WR isn't weather sealed as the DA Stars, just weather resistant.

The DA* 55mm f/1.4 is SDM only; there is no screw-driven AF coupler in this DA* lens. So your argument that all DA* lenses have dual-AF systems is not valid.

From Pentax's website:

The PENTAX DA series of high grade lenses, designed exclusively for PENTAX digital SLR cameras, features the quiet SDM focus system and tightly sealed, weather-resistant and dust-resistant construction to enhance durability for use in rainy or dusty conditions.

The PENTAX D FA series, compatible with PENTAX 35mm film cameras, but built specifically for digital SLRs, utilizes lens coatings, curvature and positioning of optical elements to virtually eliminate flare and ghosting for clear, high-quality images with digital SLR cameras.

The unique DA Limited series of prime lenses offers incredible sharpness and image quality made specifically for PENTAX DSLR cameras. PENTAX DA Limited lenses are ideal for even the most discerning photographer who demands top performance in an ultra-compact package. The high-grade aluminum construction of the DA Limited series provides the utmost durability and elegant design.

The PENTAX DA series of lenses is designed specifically for PENTAX digital SLR cameras. DA lenses are matched with the digital sensor in a compact, efficient design, to offer the best combination of price and performance.

- Jason