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Pentax lens roadmap 2017
#11
Sad that Pentax's AF is so close to being there but just doesn't get to last base......

...I feel sure there is an executive within the company that's "blocking the project" as far as AF-C goes, refusing to invest. I've carefully tested the K3's system (AF-C) and it's precision is half that of AF-S and is not as responsive. There's no doubt in my mind that Pentax knows fully well what the problem is but just won't put in the necessary technology and instead concentrate on "frivolous features".


The current financial photography climate will probably prevent further decent AF investment.
#12
Quote:Zero Arts, AFAIK.


And it would be a bit contradictive, I think: Pentax is all about size and weight, and both at possible minimum. The Art lenses mostly are monstrous.
Monstrous eh? The 35/1.4 has the smallest filter size in class, the 24/1.4 is as large as the other lenses of its class or even smaller. The 50 and 85 are the only examples to the contrary (but both are in line with the Zeiss Otus competitors). The f/1.8 - f/2 zooms are pretty big bit they have no comparison point, being unique - all three of 'em. Big quality doesn't (mostly) come in small packages, at least in the DSLR world...
#13
Then just look at 20/1.4 (950 g), 12-24/4 (only f/4, but 150 g heavier as 14-24 f/2.8), 14/1.8 is as heavy as the 12-24/4, the 135/1.8 is in the same weight class. It appears Sigma is aiming at becoming the manufacturer of heavy glass - with all the advantages you listed, Rover, but one needs to carry that weight. And the Otii are (in my eyes) only a demonstration of what is possible if you go with a manufactured (not bto) lens to the max. And disobeying details like lens covers... Zeiss sucks in this parts, but of course, nobody can see it in the pictures.

 

Not all Sigma glass is heavy, the 100-400 is a nice alternative to Nikon's 200-500. Don't take my "heavy glass" comment as complaint, I'm juts stating the weight.  Big Grin
#14
Quote:Pentax is a sad story. The KP and K-1 are - in my opinion - the best looking DSLRs on the market and they are capable too.

I'm much less impressed by their lenses though.
 

Agreed. I used to own Pentax but have switched to Sony. The build quality of the Pentax bodies (fit and finish, robustness, button placement, durability, ergonomic comfort) is generally superior to Sony and the other DSLRs I have used from Nikon and Canon. Not to mention the right aesthetics balance in appearance. They get the mechanical build details better than anyone else. 

 

However the AF system, JPEG processing and AE performance compared to Sony is just poor. It was liberating to not have to constantly be frustrated by missed shots. Part of this is general inferiority of DLSRs compared to mirrorless in AF accuracy with fast lenses (which i use exclusively) but part is just inferior design. 

I don't have high hopes for Pentax surviving much longer. Their market share has dropped and they do not have many resources for R&D compared to the competition. Fuji has taken their niche in the mirrorless APS-C segment. Now they are after their 645 market also. They wont be able to compete with sony in FF mirrorless. So basically all they can do is eek out a living selling to a tiny niche of their DSLR customer base, however I can't see this going on for much longer as they are in a shrinking market + high R&D cost death spiral while having the smallest resources in the camera industry.
#15
Quote:Then just look at 20/1.4 (950 g), 12-24/4 (only f/4, but 150 g heavier as 14-24 f/2.8), 14/1.8 is as heavy as the 12-24/4, the 135/1.8 is in the same weight class. It appears Sigma is aiming at becoming the manufacturer of heavy glass - with all the advantages you listed, Rover, but one needs to carry that weight. And the Otii are (in my eyes) only a demonstration of what is possible if you go with a manufactured (not bto) lens to the max. And disobeying details like lens covers... Zeiss sucks in this parts, but of course, nobody can see it in the pictures.

 

Not all Sigma glass is heavy, the 100-400 is a nice alternative to Nikon's 200-500. Don't take my "heavy glass" comment as complaint, I'm juts stating the weight.  Big Grin
The 20/1.4 and 14/1.8 are unique(ly extreme) lenses. Half of the old MF 135/1.8 lenses used 82mm filters as well.

[Image: wLDUYlIb6Rk.jpg]

(so yes, there WAS once a Sigma made 135/1.8 lens... the new one is not unprecedented)

The Canon 11-24 is about the same size/weight as the Sigma (or vice versa). I'm not trying to devalue your opinion - I just point out that this is the new normal. And when 40-50MP sensors abound, you will want that last bit of resolution given by the better glass - or give up and go back to 20~24 MP where our lenses of yore are still worth anything. Smile I'm on 16 MP and ain't complaining (yet).

 

Meanwhile in the Pentax land... "every day's tomorrow, and it's all right", to quote a DIO song. Smile

#16
Question is, was the "Sigmatel" lens really made by Sigma: http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1089593 There's some Soligor involvement? Alright, who cares? Sigma has done a couple of weird designs in their pre-"Art/Sports/Contemporary"-period.

 

In any case, the lens in your chart has nothing to do with the current version of Sigma's 135/1.8. Features and design are too different. Noe of these lenses comes with 14 elements. So it's not just normal evolution

 

I also don't feel you're trying to devalue my opinion, because I agrre with you - some advanced optical performance generates more volume and therefore more weight, that's just normal. I really do admire Sigma glass and I know I will use it on the D850's 46 MP without problems - all I said was, the 35 and 24 at f/1.4 are rather exceptions.

 

In the beginning, when I bought one of the first 35/1.4 Art coming to Switzerland I thought "cute, smaller than Nikon and still better performing", with the 24/1.4 optical quality was not much better than with the Nikkor. From then the Art series grew - in numbers, size and weight. The 85/1.4 comes with a bigger filterØ than the 135, same of the Otus'

#17
The 24/1.4 Art was a comparatively late arrival - after they've shocked the world twice with the 35/1.4 and 50/1.4. Smile

By the way a 135/1.8 lens is bound to be large, as the simple math shows: 135 divided by 1.8 is 75, so a 77mm filter thread is the smallest possible, 82mm is more realistic. The 85 Art is abnormally large, that's true, but at the same time it performs well. We'll see if the new Canon 85/1.4 can hold a candle to it on the 5DSR which chews through lenses like I go through bags of sweets... and that's fast and hard (I can show you my stash of used plastic bags awaiting recycling if you're in doubt... Big Grin)

#18
With the 85/1.4 Art I'm not at peace. At the moment I would like to replace the Nikkor, but not with a midsize treetrunk. I'm looking towards the Tamron 85/1.8, next question popping in my mind "there's a Nikkor for that, also not too shabby and lightweight, no?" then the other voices say "yeah, but you already have that dock and it was too helpful to adjust a badly adjusted Sigma at several distances, and hey, the Tamron looks nice, no?"

 

Right, one step at a time. That bloody D850 still dares to not arrive here. Bags of sweets? Tell me *mjamm* all about it *crunch*  ^_^
#19
Yeah, I hope to see the review of the Tamron 85 one day... And Klaus had hinted that one was in the cards, no less!


The 45/1.8, however... *crickets* And I want that lens pretty bad - while there are at least three 85s I'm considering, I'm almost sure my new 50 is actually going to be a 45. Smile))
#20
Hmm... this thread is missing the last roadmap update:

- D FA* 50mm f/1.4: confirmed for a Spring launch, ring-type SDM motor, KAF4 mount

- the APS-C ultra-wide now becomes a DA* 11-18mm f/2.8, confirmed for a Summer launch. Has some mysterious and taped over switch.

 

No additional details about the D FA* 85mm f/1.4, for now (but I'll assume KAF4 and ring-type SDM).

 

http://www.ricoh-imaging.co.jp/japan/pro...t_Lens.pdf

  


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