Pentax confirmed two DA* zoom lenses, more lenses on the roadmap :)


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fengwei

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Today Pentax has confirmed two DA Star (DA*) lenses with built-in Supersonic motors: the DA* 16 - 50 mm F2.8 ED AL [IF] SDM and the DA* 50 - 135 mm F2.8 [IF] SDM. Used in conjunction with a 1.5x crop sensor digital SLR such as the K10D these two lenses will provide an equivalent field of view of 24 - 75 mm and 75 - 202.5 mm respectively. As well as the SDM motors both lenses feature ED lens elements as well as weather and dust protection.

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1036&message=22150903
pentaxdastar-big.jpg


Pentax-DA* 16mm-50mm F2.8 ED AL[IF]SDM - $899.95
Pentax-DA* 50mm-135mm F2.8 ED [IF]SDM - $999.95
http://www.popphoto.com/photonews/3842/pentax-releases-details-on-new-lenses.html


More new SDM lenses on the roadmap:

smc Pentax-DA* 200mm f2.8 ED IF SDM
smc Pentax-DA* 300mm f4 ED IF SDM
smc Pentax-DA* 60-250mm f4 ED IF SDM
smc Pentax-DA 35mm f2.8 Macro Limited

Mock_SDM_group_photo_EMBARGO220207.jpg


objektiv.jpg


http://www.akam.no/nyhet/objektiver/nye_objektiver-_digitalt_mellomformat_og_blits_fra_pentax/36723


Cheers all Pentaxians!
 

Pity the 200 and 300mm lenses are DA* instead of DFA* :( I guess the F/FA*300/4.5 is still a better choice for now ... just incase Pentax releases full frame dSLR in a year or two :)
 

It is really good news that these DA* are coming soon. dpreview states on point 1; "Highest level of optical quality." :bigeyes: Hope to see picture samples from such DA* soon.

Looking at the Pentax style of doing thing. I think it will still be many years before Pentax will consider going FF. My guess is Pentax will wait for FF sensor to be cheap enough for the mass adoption before going for it. There should be another few more models of 10MP line up ahead in these 2years.

I also hope to see Pentax coming up with FF dSLR in the professional range.
 

Still no news on their 17-70mm model... :(
 

The smc PENTAX-DA* 16-50mm F2.8 ED AL[IF]SDM will ship in Spring 2007 priced at US $899.95. The smc PENTAX-DA* 50-135mm F2.8 ED [IF]SDM will ship at the same time for US $999.95.

Is that cheap or what! Time to save up for the DA* 50-135mm! :D
 

It is really good news that these DA* are coming soon. dpreview states on point 1; "Highest level of optical quality." :bigeyes: Hope to see picture samples from such DA* soon.

Looking at the Pentax style of doing thing. I think it will still be many years before Pentax will consider going FF. My guess is Pentax will wait for FF sensor to be cheap enough for the mass adoption before going for it. There should be another few more models of 10MP line up ahead in these 2years.

I also hope to see Pentax coming up with FF dSLR in the professional range.

I think Pentax has to follow what Canon/Nikon/Sony are doing. When Sony releases 35mm FF sensor, and Nikon/Sony start to make FF cam, Pentax has to do the same. This will happen in a year or two, for Nikon and Sony at least :)
 

I think Pentax has to follow what Canon/Nikon/Sony are doing. When Sony releases 35mm FF sensor, and Nikon/Sony start to make FF cam, Pentax has to do the same. This will happen in a year or two, for Nikon and Sony at least :)

No No! Not follow! They are already way ahead with the latest MF offering same 31mp sensor as Hasselblad made by Kodak. http://www.letsgodigital.org/en/12940/digital_slr_camera/ (see after the new lenses)

Exciting times ahead for Pentax!

Now I half regret selling all my Pentax gear to Fengwei!

:)
 

No No! Not follow! They are already way ahead with the latest MF offering same 31mp sensor as Hasselblad made by Kodak. http://www.letsgodigital.org/en/12940/digital_slr_camera/ (see after the new lenses)

Exciting times ahead for Pentax!

Now I half regret selling all my Pentax gear to Fengwei!

:)

Sorry Bro ;) But you are welcome to come back to Pentax :) We have great cameras like K10D/K100D, and some of the best prime lenses, and now these DA* zoom/prime lenses. You can't go wrong w/ Pentax now :bsmilie:
 

Sorry Bro ;) But you are welcome to come back to Pentax :) We have great cameras like K10D/K100D, and some of the best prime lenses, and now these DA* zoom/prime lenses. You can't go wrong w/ Pentax now :bsmilie:

After I've invested so much on Canon (and also got the Panny L1), I'm too broke to start another system!

But I kept my Z1 for sentimental reasons. :)
 

No No! Not follow! They are already way ahead with the latest MF offering same 31mp sensor as Hasselblad made by Kodak. http://www.letsgodigital.org/en/12940/digital_slr_camera/ (see after the new lenses)

Exciting times ahead for Pentax!

:)

I think it is really just a matter of time Pentax will follow the others into making 35mm FF sensor camera. My guess is Pentax will not do it so soon because they will only jump in when time is right(at least to them). And they will always follow a lap behind, not lead...

Then, Pentax has never been a strong player in 35mm format, but they are indeed quite strong in the medium format camera area. So the latest 645D is targetted at medium format market, which is a different market pie from 35mm digital.

In anyway, Pentax will just keeps building better camera bodies and glasses for us! ;)

Definitely an exciting times ahead for Pentax! :)
 

That price isn't official, might be even more exp, but who knows. Maybe Pentax will give us another surprise like the price of K10D :cool:

But this price is already on pentaxusa imaging?:dunno:
 

I think it is really just a matter of time Pentax will follow the others into making 35mm FF sensor camera. My guess is Pentax will not do it so soon because they will only jump in when time is right(at least to them). And they will always follow a lap behind, not lead...

Then, Pentax has never been a strong player in 35mm format, but they are indeed quite strong in the medium format camera area. So the latest 645D is targetted at medium format market, which is a different market pie from 35mm digital.

In anyway, Pentax will just keeps building better camera bodies and glasses for us! ;)

Definitely an exciting times ahead for Pentax! :)

Actually, Pentax was one of the earliest to introduce 10mp with FF but never made it to production. It was one of the biggest attractions at Fotokina a few years ago. This was before the Contax N Digital and the Kodak DCS 14n. Unfortunately, Pentax does not make their own sensors so they were hampered in their progress. This is Canon's edge that even Nikon cannot compete with.

Pentax may not be a big player these days in 35mm but they were in the past and still regarded as a legendary glass maker (aka Asahi Pentax). And they are the one and only manufacturer offering 35mm, 645 and 6x7 formats. Now that's something no one can beat! :)
 

Okay, it's official now :) Quite good price I'd say, but still kinda expensive... consider the Sigma 18-50/2.8 DC macro is only about US$400 ...

Consider the Sigma 18-50mm is prone to flare and the optics are not that fantastic, I would still say it's a good deal. Look at what Canon and Nikon are charging for their equivalents...:bsmilie:
 

I think the price is not as high as I expected.
 

Actually, Pentax was one of the earliest to introduce 10mp with FF but never made it to production. It was one of the biggest attractions at Fotokina a few years ago. This was before the Contax N Digital and the Kodak DCS 14n. Unfortunately, Pentax does not make their own sensors so they were hampered in their progress. This is Canon's edge that even Nikon cannot compete with.

yeah, you are refering to the Pentax 'aka MZ-D' 35mm 6MP FF dSLR prototype back in 2001? http://www.dpreview.com/news/0102/01021106pentaxdigitalslr.asp I have complete faith in Pentax and didn't have doubt with their capability to design FF dSLR. I too, wanted a FF dSLR. But it seems like they have learnt from their past lesson that it was then too expensive to manufacture FF dSLR for the mass. The market for such is so small then and it is such a nich that many of us couldn't afford one. How many of us is able to pay over 5000pound for a FF dSLR body? If 'MZ-D' really goes into production, Pentax might have probably gone bankrupt by today.

So it seems like the best game play is for other players to take the lead in FF sensor camera production.(i mean production, not development) With this, the cost of FF sensor will drop significantly and thus a good time for Pentax to go into production with 35mm FF dSLR. Then we all can get better features FF dSLR at lower price. Isn't that what we want? :bsmilie:
 

drooling in anticipation :D
 

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