Originally posted by lawsonstone So this week I made the decision that unless the new Pentax FF is an obvious dog, or unless it does something that I find unacceptable, assuming it's a solid evolution of the K3 feature set with the FF sensor and some advances, I am getting it.
So I'm looking at my lenses to see what I've got to start out with, and found myself rather surprised:
Primes:
FA 35mm f/2
FA 50mm f/1.4
FA 31mm Ltd
Zooms
FA 28-90mm f.3.5-5.6
FA 28-105mm f/4-5.6
FA 80-320mm f/4.5-5.6
A number of manual focus primes and zooms, including my old Vivitar Series 1 70-210mm
Just need the camera now and…oh yeah… a pile of money…
Okay so when this Pentax 35mm turns up, what will be the lens options? and what will be the resolution? and will it have an AA filter.
It'll probably be AA filterless. The resolution will be 36mp or maybe 24mp - but 24mp would be Pentax going sideways in comparison to the K-3.
Lets say that the Pentax 35mm will be 24mp .........How many legacy or existing lenses can properly resolve 24mp?
Or.....
Lets say that the Pentax 35mm will be 36mp .........How many legacy or existing lenses can properly resolve 36mp?
Or......
Lets say that the Pentax 35mm will be 24mp, and the mark ii in 2017 will be 36mp - that could happen too.
I haven't begun to research this point regarding Pentax lenses, perhaps someone on the forum knows which lenses can do a decent job of resolving these high mega pixels ?
The reason I say this is because Canon went up to 22 mp and most of the L lenses cannot resolve this. Apparently only Canon lenses designed after 2010 can do the job, of which there is only 3 (perhaps thats increased). Which begs the question over the upcoming 50mp Canon 5Ds/r, there's only a few lenses that may or may not resolve 50mp.
Last year I tested out a couple of my lenses on my K-5. An FA 50mm 1.4 and compared it to my DA* 16-50mm 2.8, and at 50mms, the DA* was sharper (both at their sharpest apertures). So this means to me that modern lenses are the go. The old stuff - though very cool and nice - are antiques in the digital era. There's nothing wrong with using them, and I most certainly will - sharpness isn't everything.
Ed on Photouniverse switched to a Nikon D810 and is using his old 1980's/1990's lenses, and now complains that they're not up to the task on a 36mp sensor.
SO !
Pentax will be looking at a future in 35mm DSLR, and if 36mp is the starting point, then later there'll be a 50mp or 60mp or 70mp sensor, then this new generation of D-FA lenses will have to meet the mega pixels. Then later again there'll have to be mark ii versions of the lenses as mega pixels increase and increase.
So it looks like lenses aren't for a lifetime, and there will be a life cycle because of mega pixels.
Pentax only a year or two ago revamped the apsc limiteds with HD coatings. I was expecting the FA limiteds to receive the same HD coatings not long after that. But perhaps they'll have to make mark ii versions to cope with the mega pixels - and this might be the reason they haven't done the HD coatings yet.
So there are a few things on the horizon, a Pentax 35mm, and a new generation of lenses to suit full frame, and potentially next generation FA Limited's.
So I'd just wait and see ! A high mega pixel DSLR is like having a Corvette with 700 horse power, and the only available roads have speed limits of 35mph or 55mph speed limits. You'll need the a lens road map to get to the autobahn ! (sorry, its a poor analogy)