[Kunzite]

"Therefore, in order to finalize the quality control stage and shift to mass production, we have changed the launch date from the previously announced, spring of 2018 to the summer of 2018"
Nice try. But, your mistake is obvious - the lens is a D FA*, not a DA*

[davidmanze]

Well F*** me! 

[Kunzite]

And... it's almost here:
https://www.nokishita-camera.com/2018/06/hd-pentax-d-fa50mmf14-sdm-aw.html

[Rover]

Still does look nifty. Which reminds me... whatever happened to that Tokina 50/1.4 announced a little while ago?

[JJ_SO]

Interesting. Even heavier than the Sigma and I already wanted to joke that it compensates the weight difference by a huge price diff and making your pockets a lot lighter - but then I checked at B&H. The Sigma is cheaper in Siwtzerland but in the US the announced Pentax price is only 250 $ more than Sigma's street price, so at the end it will probably be very close. And the Pentax is weather sealed - given the seriousness Pentax has with their weathersealings it will be able to take some splash. Are you considering to get one yourself, Kunzite? 910 grams are hefty, but optically it will easily play in Sigma's league or above.

[Kunzite]

I was considering to get one when I thought it would be 1400-1500 euro; the price (1200 euro) is a pleasant surprise.

The weight is the one significant downside. A very interesting read which sort of explains it:
http://www.ricoh-imaging.co.jp/english/products/star_lens/special/sp_dfa50-14/interview/

[you2]

Well F*** me! 

No thanks.

---

Seems awful large for a 50 - treading 85 land. Oh well its not like 50s were that heavy compared to zoom most folks use but compare to what i used pre digital it seems outrageous.

[toni-a]

A 1 kg 50mm f1,4 for 1200 EUR ...
Thanks I pass

[Kunzite]

Right. With Sony, you have a 50mm f/1.4 which is a bargain at $1500... oh, wait.

[JJ_SO]

Well, if a company brings a lens in less than 17 months from announcement to market like Pentax did not, they have to be a bit more hasty and generate some savings like Nikon knows by now. "If something can go wrong, it will...".

Please don't distract toni-A, he is already preparing and planning his study of the wear and remaining performance of old bottle-bottom lenses, how they perform after a while of solid wear. Do you also include the ones you got sprayed on weddings, toni? Good. Scuba-divers will estimate that move.



To me, it's still strange: Pentax price is still close to Sigma's US price, but far away from Sigma's Switzerland price.