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Hoya didn't listen...

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You are right Ron, I'm waiting for something in the 400/500 mm range, water sealed and hand holdable for hiking; I wonder what would arrive if my trusty FA*600 would be broken or lost. I'll be yet another Pentaxian to swicth to Nikon cause in Pentax land no possibility to get long lenses.

By the way I expect a modernised version of the Sigma 500 with image stabilisation and HSM for Pentax; may be it will be the answer ?
Regards
--
jpgoube
 
like righting the sinking ship that was Pentax to pay any attention to "what I want" messages. If Ricoh is in for the long haul you can bet that they have evaluated the weak points in the Pentax line and will have prioritized efforts to fix the weakest links first. Whether or not that includes new lenses in the short term we will have to wait and see.
 
I have a K-mount Hoya-branded 400/5.6 and it's the worst waste of glass I have sunk any money into. Need to stop down to f/16 to get some sort of contrast.

FYI: ;-)
--
Ilkka V
 
baldeagle21b said:
like righting the sinking ship that was Pentax to pay any attention to "what I want" messages.
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Pentax was profitable before the Hoya take-over.

ALex S
 
snostorm said:
Hi Ron,

I'll agree, but only with a condition. . .

Assuming the new long tele lens will be a DA* with in lens focusing motor using the DSM system, it must be a dual drive like the previous DA*s and it must allow switching between SDM and screw-drive for AF on the lens, or be preceded by a firmware update for all SDM capable bodies that allows this choice by the user via the menu.

Scott
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I disagree.

The solution is to use a proper in lens focusing motor, e.g. a ring-type "SDM".
By the way, I hope everyone realize those lenses would be expensive

Alex S
 
All Ricoh has to do is release more than one (1) really new lens and they're doing better than Hoya.

--
keepers: K10D, Sig 17-70, DA 55-300, FA 50/1.4 "Billy Bass"

discards: DA 50-200 "zipper", F 100-300, Sigma 135-400 "piglet", M 400/5.6 "the Great Truncheon"
 
lol101 said:
... of having a new 400 or 500mm than to see a FF from Pentax I would say.

And for the same reasons:

1/ You already have a "400mm" (ie the DA*300 is the new "400" for APS-C)
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Then what's the new 600mm?

I'd like to see a 450mm... get a little more distance from 300mm, and fill a slot that's different from the offerings of the other makers. 200 to 300 to 450 is a logical progression.

Even better, maybe, would be an all-new 180-450, as the "new" 250-600.
lol101 said:
2/ Low volume, expensive to make, expensive too buy item
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So is the 645D. Doesn't mean it isn't worth making. You have to show buyers that you don't just provide them the cheap easy stuff, or else anyone demanding goes elsewhere.
 
I'd say you are more likely to see the DA* series moved to DC motors - or an updated SDM system of some kind. The real problem would be getting folks to accept the loss of the screw driven AF in the Limited series; it's reliable, mechanical (no contact/electro-magenetic issues), takes up very little room in the body and the lens, and is very fast in the shorter focal lengths that most of the Limiteds cover. The exception, for me, would be lenses like the FA77 and D-FA 100 WR (which is essentially a Limited step-child) - neither is particularly impressive using the conventional screw-drive, so there would be very little loss of speed to SDM or DC. Bulk is another question - both with SDM and DC (compared to screw drive).

I prefer the old fashioned mechanical (screw drive) myself.

-Prime
runlsd said:
Or is it even remotely realistic to expect Limited series lenses with DC motor built into it?
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--
My Website
http://www.andrewallenphoto.com

My Pentax Street Gallery - Arranged By Lens Used
http://photobucket.com/andy_allen
 
wlachan said:
Even today, DA*300/4 & DA*60-250/4 aren't hot sellers.
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To some of us, they aren't hot sellers because they're too short . They both offer only incremental advantages over consumer lenses. But with a 500-ish mm lens, you have a real qualitative difference. Such a lens would be attractive to more people than its lesser brethren, not fewer. And those who can't afford it might be more likely to compromise and get one of the two above. They both might well sell better if they were positioned as the medium alternative to the expensive one you really want, rather than by trying to pass them off as the peak of the line, in which role they're pathetic compared to what you see from the Big Two.

Sony has a 300/2.8 and a 70-400/slow -- those are their only offerings past what we've got, and putting just one lens farther out there than Sony's would be a very positive step for brand image imho.
 
Alex Sarbu said:
snostorm said:
Hi Ron,

I'll agree, but only with a condition. . .

Assuming the new long tele lens will be a DA* with in lens focusing motor using the DSM system, it must be a dual drive like the previous DA*s and it must allow switching between SDM and screw-drive for AF on the lens, or be preceded by a firmware update for all SDM capable bodies that allows this choice by the user via the menu.

Scott
Click to expand...
I disagree.

The solution is to use a proper in lens focusing motor, e.g. a ring-type "SDM".
By the way, I hope everyone realize those lenses would be expensive

Alex S
Click to expand...
Of course they'll be expensive. That isn't the point. The point is that they'll be available, thus providing a clear upgrade path for those that want to upgrade. Personally, I'll have to save up to get one of these and I suspect that this is the case with many photographers. However, at least I know that I could purchase one of these (after saving up for a while) rather than having to wait for a used lens to come up on ebay or something. It's either that or switch to a brand that has these lenses available, or go dual system with all the compromises inherent in that.
 
HawaiianOnline said:
Alex Sarbu said:
snostorm said:
Hi Ron,

I'll agree, but only with a condition. . .

Assuming the new long tele lens will be a DA* with in lens focusing motor using the DSM system, it must be a dual drive like the previous DA*s and it must allow switching between SDM and screw-drive for AF on the lens, or be preceded by a firmware update for all SDM capable bodies that allows this choice by the user via the menu.

Scott
Click to expand...
I disagree.

The solution is to use a proper in lens focusing motor, e.g. a ring-type "SDM".
By the way, I hope everyone realize those lenses would be expensive

Alex S
Click to expand...
Of course they'll be expensive. That isn't the point. The point is that they'll be available, thus providing a clear upgrade path for those that want to upgrade. Personally, I'll have to save up to get one of these and I suspect that this is the case with many photographers. However, at least I know that I could purchase one of these (after saving up for a while) rather than having to wait for a used lens to come up on ebay or something. It's either that or switch to a brand that has these lenses available, or go dual system with all the compromises inherent in that.
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I agree, and for this reason I believe they should release such items. Even people who wouldn't spent so much money would be more confident just by having this option - but more important, people like you should be kept as customers.

I just wanted to point out that, because I'm sure some people will complain about the price being "way too expensive". I'd rather chose high-quality (e.g. high grade construction, ring-type SDM) instead of a slightly lower price, by the way.

P.S. I'm one of the 3 DA* 60-250 owners from Romania, so I'm not afraid of spending my money on good and quite pricey (but not excessively so) stuff.

Alex S
 
brandrx said:
Barry Fitzgerald said:
Just out of interest here but which lenses support this "dual" system ie screw drive or in lens motor?
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All of the DA* (star) lenses except the DA*55/1.4 has a dual drive system.
If used on a Pentax K10D before a certain firmware update, and all older models that do not support SDM then the lens will be screwdrive. If used on any SDM model then there is no way to get it to use screwdrive.

Ron

--
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Ok thanks for that Ron that explains things well.

Sounds like a dual drive system would be a good thing for users and maybe allay fears of SDM issues
 
You're right. And I was dreaming a bit.

Don't get me wrong. My DA35LTD and DA70LTD are my only lenses and I love them. But there were occasions when I wished the autofocus was a bit more discrete.
 
runlsd said:
Or is it even remotely realistic to expect Limited series lenses with DC motor built into it?
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What makes the LIMITED lenses sell is the metal build with nothing to break (QC issue aside). Putting any unreliable lens motor in them and their sales will drop like a rock. LIMITED lenses are the major reason Pentax DSLR system isn't dead yet, IMHO anyway.
--
http://www.pbase.com/wlachan

 
When the FA*400 was current then there would have been a number of other 400 lenses on the market, the only one now being the rather elderly Canon.

The market has moved on if fold move to Nikon they either have to spend thousands on the Nikkor 400 2.8, or go backwards and get the 80-400D which isn't highly revered.

Even the independents don't do a 400 f5.6 prime....

I hope that there is a DA* zoom that extends considerably over 250mm....

--
Morrell is the new Messiah!
 
baldeagle21b said:
Alex Sarbu said:
baldeagle21b said:
like righting the sinking ship that was Pentax to pay any attention to "what I want" messages.
Click to expand...
Pentax was profitable before the Hoya take-over.

ALex S
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My recollection is that the company as a whole was profitable, but photo products division was not.
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I'm not sure about that, since then the merger talks were publicly made known (also to the Pentax board) they already had the K10D.

Alex S
 
welshwizard said:
When the FA*400 was current then there would have been a number of other 400 lenses on the market, the only one now being the rather elderly Canon.

The market has moved on if fold move to Nikon they either have to spend thousands on the Nikkor 400 2.8, or go backwards and get the 80-400D which isn't highly revered.

Even the independents don't do a 400 f5.6 prime....
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No, but the Sigma 500 f/4.5 is interesting. It's a bit beyond my accountant's rationalizing ability with an MSRP of six grand, but...I could find a use for it if my one wealthy friend laid it on me for my next birthday.

What I'd really like is something along the lines of the old 80-400Tokina I once tried, but with better results possible from a better designed lens. IIRC, that is just about the only zoom in that particular slot and it hasn't been manufactured in some time now. The 80mm end lets you find your subject, after which you zoom in and grab it for posterity. That kind of lens is a lot easier to use, at least for me, during a race. Waving a 400mm or 500mm around until you get a target is sometimes a good way to lose a picture or many pictures. Hell, they can be hard to pre-focus without a tripod, and many race shooters use monopods if they use anything.

--
Charlie Self
http://www.charlieselfonline.com
 
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