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06-21-2011, 03:16 PM - 5 Likes   #1
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Results for the survey on spending R&D budget on lens development:

This the place to present and discuss results coming out of the survey that still runs: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-slr-lens-discussion/146454-wich-le...r-d-money.html and for wich these conclusions will be updated when I will hand the report out to Ricoh.

You can read my report:
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/20195454/lenssurvey.pdf

A short version: https://dl.dropbox.com/u/20195454/lenssurveyfront.pdf

Most important is offcourse what would be the advice to Pentax:
What advice to give?
Wich lenses are coming out off this survey that Pentax should look into for future R&D spendings. Of course are there no questions about the top 3 in this survey.
  • There is a demand for a DA* 1.4x TC with high grade image quality and compatible with SDM support (with the option off telling the camera by firmware that SR should count in for this TC) and it should be in shops this year. It can be used for current tele lenses from the DA* series (200mm, 300mm and 60-250mm) and with new wildlife long telelens. Thinking of a fully working extension tube with contacts and SDM support would be great (for macro, micro and close-up photography).
  • There is a demand for new and improved SDM-II. It has a high priority among current user base so developing and bringing it to production and renewing current DA* lenses with SDM (16-50, 50-135, 55, 60-250, 200 and 300) should when possible be completed before PhotoKina 2012.
  • Two of the most popular lenses in this survey (DA 24mm/f2 WR and DA 135mm/f2 WR) are both new lenses to the Pentax lens line-up making the total Pentax APS-C collection more attractive to current and new users. The DA *135mm/f2.0 is just by a margin in the first group for this survey. There are different versions of these lenses possible to each different price settings (DA, DA-WR, DA* or D-FA*). I think they should be announcement at or before the next Photokina and in shops before X-mas 2012.
  • There is a demand for a long and fast portrait lens and the DA*85mm/f1.4 is favorite to this group, but some of the other options are to be considdered. Next Photokina is a good date for announcement.
  • For the DA-L lensline there is no advice coming out of this survey, but when production and sales of these lenses contribute to the brand then new lenses are to be considdered.
  • For wildlife there is a very strong reason to bring out a good and new lens (for current userbase, attraction off new users and preventing from loosing customers) but the
    DFA*500mm/f5.6 is short in votes to stand out in this survey. So no advice is coming out
    of this survey! Demand isn't very high in this survey, but missing in lens line-up wich gives it a high priority.
  • A long macro lens is good for the Pentax brand since Pentax has a good name in this area. The DFA*200mm/f4 macro has a market for it's own, but is short on votes in the survey. It is a lens for wich users even will buy a combo camera body with macrolens, attracting new users to the Pentax brand. In the macro section a cheap DA-L 70mm/f4 1:2 macro is a good option to considder.
  • For both Limited lens series (DA Ltd and FA Ltd) are new lenses to be considered when there is room in Pentax lens line-up (look into wide-angle or long portrait) and sales of the current lenses in this series are profitable enough. Priority is low unless one off these series is becoming the new long portrait lens and having answers to this survey is good enough for Photokina in 2014.
  • There is some demand for a budget friendly longer reaching telezoom and DA 135-400mm/f4-5.6 WR is the choice in this section.
  • In the section of Fast Lenses in the tele reach there could be a new investigation wheter there is in future a demand and a market for a high grade and thus expensive lens.
  • In the fast section for around 50mm there is some (due it is a lens not for everyone) demand for a very fast lens. This combined with yet unknown demand for a DM (Digital optimiced Manual focus only) lensl ine could made up for either looking into 50mm/f1.0 or bringing out a new batch of 50mm/f1.2 in either original or a newly designed DM package.


Ron Hendriks, The Netherlands: info@iamphotographer.nl


Offcourse thanks to everyone being involved for this survey, entering the poll, giving advice and helping to translate.

Some tips on this matter are still welcome for if I missed something or did leave a big typo in it.


Last edited by RonHendriks1966; 09-30-2011 at 10:18 AM.
06-21-2011, 03:44 PM   #2
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Wow! Thanks for putting this together, Ron! What a job!
06-21-2011, 05:09 PM   #3
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QuoteOriginally posted by RonHendriks1966 Quote
This the place to present and discuss results coming out of the survey that still ru.......
Ron, can you have this on my desk by Thursday morning, I would like to present it to the board by lunch time?

Thanks



....
06-21-2011, 05:13 PM   #4
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Appreciate your hard work on this poll.

06-21-2011, 10:23 PM   #5
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Good Results and Findings Ron. Excellent to see the use of a Poll on a forum having its data collated and the findings presented in a concise and easy to understand manner. I think these results ar every clear and do represent the wishes of a good cross-section of the Pentax User community. And as you say, there are No surprises in the top Three.

Also like to say Thanks for a great job hosting and moderating the Threads associated with these findings.

Chris
06-21-2011, 10:42 PM   #6
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Great work Ron.
Really appreciate your initialtive in putting meaning into the numbers.
06-22-2011, 06:17 AM   #7
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Great work

Wow, you did great work

Pentax should send you a check or other kind of gift

06-22-2011, 06:41 AM   #8
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QuoteOriginally posted by luck1 Quote
Pentax should send you a check or other kind of gift
Thanks, that is always a good idea. Lets look in my camerabag: K-5 (black and Silver), DA 14mm, 21mm, 40mm and DA* 50-135mm, 55mm, 60-250mm and FA*85mm with ringflash. What am I missing?

My personal vote went to 28mm, 135mm, 200mm-macro, 135-270mm and 1.4xTC but the last two only as a combo.

I think when we as a usergroup can give some direction to where Pentax is going in the future, we will all gain from that. Having a complete camera/lens system and a large enough userbase is a goal to set.

Last edited by RonHendriks1966; 06-22-2011 at 06:55 AM.
06-22-2011, 07:33 AM   #9
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As far as a wildlife lens goes, 500/5.6 would be good and perhaps cheaper than the FA* 600/4 was but would still be a very expensive lens compared to the DA* 300/4. Plus, at f5.6, using a tc would by diabolic in golden light times likely by many birders etc.

I think many people providing input into the wildlife arena lacked the experience with long glass in the field. I think weather sealing the FA* 600/4 and re-releasing it as the D FA* would be good but still an $8500 lens. The same thing could be done with the legendary FA 250-600mm/5.6 but it too was a pricey bought to order lens. That is way some of us suggested a WR 300/2.8 star lens matched to a 1.4x and 2x TC and the key there is 'matched tc."

As far as the macro goes, all they need to do is release the FA* 200/4 macro as a D FA 200/4 WR.
06-22-2011, 08:09 AM   #10
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It is great to have done such a survey although the multiple choice format limited this to what you find desirable.

I am highly disappointed there were no ultra-wide-angle choices in there, something that Pentax is severely lacking. Any or all of these would be excellent options:
- DA* 8-16mm F/4 - Would be 2K USD for that!
- DA* 11-16mm F/2.8 - This one can even be based on the Tokina since designs are often shared the other way around.

I was glad to see a 24mm F/2 WR which is probably the only proposed one I would buy, OK maybe the 50mm F/1 depending on price. I'd add a 16mm F/2 (either DA* or WR).

No Tilt-Shift! Why? Why? Why? These are completely missing from the Pentax line-up.

Well, anything more is better than nothing!

- Itai
06-22-2011, 08:34 AM   #11
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QuoteOriginally posted by Itai Quote
I am highly disappointed there were no ultra-wide-angle choices in there, something that Pentax is severely lacking. Any or all of these would be excellent options:
DA* 8-16mm F/4 - DA* 11-16mm F/2.8

I was glad to see a 24mm F/2 WR which is probably the only proposed one I would buy. I'd add a 16mm F/2 (either DA* or WR).

No Tilt-Shift! Why? Why? Why?
Well that was a missing from my site, since I almost never use my 14mm, but often use 21mm lens. As for Tilt-Shift, it jumped to my mind about an our after the poll opening. I think there should be a T/S-lens in future. The problem with 11-16mm is that it doesn't offer a lot more then current 12-24mm, but coult be a very good replacement.

Then again, no worry's since this is a survey for near future lensdesigns and with the current list we can have enough new lenses til Photokina 2014.
06-22-2011, 09:03 AM   #12
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Ron, well done, and once again sorry I didn't have time to help. On this survey though, the obvious caveat that needs to be pointed out is that we're possibly not Pentax' main market.

Many PentaxForums members are brand committed informed enthusiasts with a lens inventory that's already larger than your 'average' new consumer, who might have 1 kit zoom. As a marketing guy, this data is certainly interesting, but the question that Pentax probably asks itself (I would) is where are the largest profits going to be made on new product X or lens X, is it something catering for types like us or is it something catering for your average new consumer. Or something for both? And are their demands the same?

Personally I think "average new consumer" could definitely be tempted with a TC (top of list), but when it comes to some of the other more niche choices you'd have to wonder
06-22-2011, 10:04 AM   #13
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QuoteOriginally posted by Nass Quote
Ron, well done, and once again sorry I didn't have time to help. On this survey though, the obvious caveat that needs to be pointed out is that we're possibly not Pentax' main market.

Many PentaxForums members are brand committed informed enthusiasts with a lens inventory that's already larger than your 'average' new consumer, who might have 1 kit zoom. As a marketing guy, this data is certainly interesting, but the question that Pentax probably asks itself (I would) is where are the largest profits going to be made on new product X or lens X, is it something catering for types like us or is it something catering for your average new consumer. Or something for both? And are their demands the same?

Personally I think "average new consumer" could definitely be tempted with a TC (top of list), but when it comes to some of the other more niche choices you'd have to wonder
Well that is a big part of making choices and why I didn't just beleaved that there wouldn't be a market for DA-L primes. On the other hand, let that group grow into your system is to give them a good choice of glass.
06-22-2011, 01:36 PM   #14
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Great work. In terms of where Pentax invests $ relative to return one can also argue that in order to expand their presence they need to expand their line up PERIOD in order to compete with Canikon. If they combined an expanded lens line-up with real marketing who knows what would happen. Sure would like to see them take a chance on that but alas I fear the odds of that are slim.

I sure wish we knew somebody from Pentax was monitoring this forum for input like this at any rate.
06-22-2011, 07:58 PM   #15
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My big wish is that when I recommend Pentax to a friend that they were actually able to buy the camera in a shop without it being offered as a kit with a cheap 18-200 dodgy zoom lens.

Anyway, thanks for the effort on this poll. I'd certainly be happy some of the lens offerings you're suggesting.
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