[Zygonyx]

Count me in please (K-5II & K-3) though
I read somewhere that the reason K-3 and earlier models couldn't support K-AF4 FW upgrade, was internal ROM insufficient capability.

[jpzk]

As usual, I am posting a dumb question(s):

For example, I have a K7, K5 and a K3: what would KAF4 do for me now/ in the future?

Cheers!

[BigMackCam]

I have a K7, K5 and a K3: what would KAF4 do for me now/ in the future?

It would allow you to use lenses like the new HD DA 55-300mm F4.5-6.3 with an electronically (rather than mechanically) operated aperture, which is advantageous for movie making. There's also a slim possibility - at the moment, nothing more than speculation here on the forums - that electronic aperture lenses could be easier for third party manufacturers to produce, and that might encourage them to provide greater support for Pentax cameras in future.

[jpzk]

It would allow you to use lenses like the new HD DA 55-300mm F4.5-6.3 with an electronically (rather than mechanically) operated aperture, which is advantageous for movie making. There's also a slim possibility - at the moment, nothing more than speculation here on the forums - that electronic aperture lenses could be easier for third party manufacturers to produce, and that might encourage them to provide greater support for Pentax cameras in future.

Well, that now makes more sense.
Thanks!

Count me in for that too !

[Outis]

Count me in for teh K-3.

[VoiceOfReason]

Now that the new firmware is out is there any way to get what we have so far out to Pentax?

[EArenz]

Add my name. K-5 II and K-01

[bxf]

Just saw this, so yeah, sure. Why not.

Count me in.

[ivorianebony]

yep... K-3 and K-30 please...

[KDD]

Add my name.

There maybe coming new Pentax K-3 iii or K-9 for aps-c lines.

[cezar_g]

add K-50 please

[Tekmongoose]

The interesting thing about that lens is that's it's an oddball without having a new mount designation. It uses a focus-by-wire system which means that focusing isn't possible at all on Pentax cameras that don't support KAF3 (i.e. those that came before the K10D). You also can't focus if the camera is off. The same applies to the new 55-300mm lens, though in its case, aperture control won't be possible, either.

AHHA! thanks for that, I had been struggling to understand why this lens is said to be completely incompatible with bodies which don't support SDM, when the limitation is normally "MF only".

You can count on my support for the pettition, although I will be pleasently surprised if anything comes of it. Where there's a physical hardware reason for failing to maintain compatibility then clearly that's just the advance of technology and nothing can be done about it. Where it's "just" firmware, it would be great to see the compatibility maintained.

Of course we don't know where the physical impossibility line actually is, but it does seem as if the K-3 ought to be able to support the new system if nothing else. I'd love it if my K-5II (which I still think of as my "new" camera after two years of ownership, and wont be replacing for at least 5 years barring the unforseen) were included.

[reh321]

I am going to make an entry here even though I most certainly do not support this petition, but I have a few comments to make:

(1) As one who has had a part of various software "ports", I can tell you with absolute certainty that the process often is not as simple as it seems it should be {this includes the actual developers and tech-savy managers}. I learned through painful experience not to say "that is easy, I'll have it to you by tomorrow", only to have to explain a week later why I was still struggling with some detail. We do not know how K-3 and K-3ii electronics may differ subtly, for example.

(2) I've seen a number entries here that say something like "sure, why not". Quite frankly, if I worked for Pentax, and non-trivial effort were involved, I would want to know that a meaningful market was waiting for this product. A petition is most likely to be effective if Pentax knows that many users would queue up for the new lens(es) if only KAF4 would work on certain nearly-recent cameras. Incidentaliy, I believe {i.e., I don't really know this}, that the K-3 remains on the market primarily because of the complaining when the K-3ii did not have an OnBoard Flash, so I'm not convinced that Pentax views it as a "current model".

(3) I am guessing that most of us already have some kind of 300mm lens, so those who sign this are implicitly saying "I do not believe in the 'glass is forever' theory", so I will remember this petition, may even reference it, in future discussions about "old glass". Personally, I already have the pre-existing 55-300 DA lens, but I will probably retire my K-30 early {even if it doesn't fall to the aperture-block issue} if the new KAF4 PLM lens turns out to be as good as many expect it to be.

[Tekmongoose]

of course glass isn't "forever". Glass lasts until you can afford/justify something better. Right now I have a DAL 55-300 which does just fine for the ammount I use long tele, I have no plans to replace it but I certainly don't regard it as being "forever". The day I can afford a 60-250 will be the last day the 55-300 is ever mounted on my primary DSLR.

[BigMackCam]

of course glass isn't "forever". Glass lasts until you can afford/justify something better.

My better glass is "forever" for me - I wouldn't have invested in it otherwise...