Before going any further I'd urge members to read this . . .
The Problem with Modern Optics ? YANNICK KHONG
This supports the notion that, rather than going to all the trouble and expense of designing new lenses for the K-1, Pentax
should revisit old designs since discontinued from the manufacturing line, not least because new glass for digital seems not all that it's cracked up to be. Certainly this has been my experience with the expensive Sony Zeiss primes, which also suffer dreadful QC (I mean really bad, like I want to cry bad).
So which lens designs should Pentax revisit? The FA's, the A*'s the FA*'s? Which ones?
How could Pentax improve these lenses for digital (i.e., ELD elements, lens coatings etc), getting rid of the purple stuff (CA/LoCA) without affecting their character?
What other qualities should the updated versions have (i.e., weather sealing, focus limiters, in-lens stabilisation for the long glass . . . )?
Could some of them be corrected to be genuine apochromatic lenses? Like those £5000 Leica 50/2's and the rather lovely Zeiss 135/2.
Love to hear members thoughts on this. I have no clue as to coatings and the effects of special elements, combinations of elements and really technical lens stuff. Interested to learn.