I share the same sentiments. Leonard Tan
"Ability will never catch up with the demand for it." Confucius (551-479 a. C.); Chinese philosopher. -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, March 17, 2005 7:46 PM To: Pentax list Subject: How many Pentax lenses left? Hi all, I was surprised recently that not only the FA 50/1.7 is gone by now, but that the FA 50/1.4 ist not longer available as well. I did a quick search on www.pentax.de for listed lenses and compared this to Dimitrovs list of lenses. The short summary: Pentax introduced 4 new lenses in 2004 and 2 new lenses in 2005. They removed 15 lenses in 2004, while 24 other lenses are not listed any more (!?). The years before, they introduced about 2-4 per year, while the same number was removed. >From the traditional FAs mainly the limited models are left. Primes are hard to find by now. Maybe someone would like to correct and update the statistics here. I did not take the time to summarize a total number yet, due to the lack of most recent infos. I feel that's scaring signals for analog SLR. Maybe there's no more need for those K/M/A/F/FA goodies. But I feel that they do throw out lots of good stuff, too, without replacing it. I don't own a DSLR yet (waiting for the right model for the right price, e.g. offering sensor anti shake). But I wonder once again: should I wait for the right Pentax DSLR, since I still may use my old lenses on a new DSLR, while new lenses will be useless for my old cameras. It's the wrong signal to me, why I should remain on Pentax or take a completely new system without the former analog limitations. I'm not the real person to save Pentax - I do want to use a camera for years, while I don't shop for Pentax stuff several times a year. But what's going on here? Here's the overview of lenses: 2005: in: 2 / out: 24? / total: 14? DA 14 / 2.8 2005 ~ @ DA 16-45 / 4 2003 ~ @ FAJ 18-35 / 4-5.6 2003 ~ @ DA 18-55 / 3.5-5.6 2004 ~ @ FA 20-35 / 4 1998 ~ @ FAJ 28-80 / 3.5-5.6 2003 ~ @ FA 28-105 / 3.2-4.5 2001 ~ @ FA 31 / 1.8 2001 ~ @ DA 40 / 2.8 2004 ~ @ FA 43 / 1.9 1997 ~ @ DA 50-200 / 4-5.6 2005 ~ @ DFA 50 / 2.8-Macro 2004 ~ @ FA 77 / 1.8 1999 ~ @ DFA 100 / 2.8-Macro 2004 ~ @ not listed on www.pentax.de: FA 20 / 2.8 1995 ~ ? FA 24 / 2 1991 ~ ? FA 24-90 / 3.5-4.5 2001 ~ ? FA 28 / 2.8 1991 ~ ? FA 28 / 2.8-Soft 1997 ~ ? FA 28-80 / 3.5-5.6-ii 2002 ~ ? FA 28-90 / 3.5-5.6 2001 ~ ? A 35-80 / 4-5.6 1995 ~ ? FA 35-80 / 4-5.6 1999 ~ ? FA 50 / 1.4 1991 ~ ? FA 50 / 2.8-Macro 1990 ~ ? FAJ 75-300 / 4.5-5.8 2003 ~ ? A 80-200 / 4.7-5.6 1995 ~ ? FA 80-200 / 4.7-5.6 1999 ~ ? FA 85 / 1.4 1992 ~ ? FA 100 / 2.8-Macro 1991 ~ ? FA 100-300 / 4.7-5.8 2000 ~ ? FA 200 / 2.8 1993 ~ ? FA 200 / 4-Macro 2000 ~ ? FA 300 / 2.8 1994 ~ ? FA 300 / 4.5 1991 ~ ? A 400 / 2.8 1986 ~ ? FA 400 / 5.6 1997 ~ ? FA 600 / 4 1991 ~ ? 2004: in: 4 / out: 15 / total: ? A 15 / 3.5 1984 ~ 2004 A 16 / 2.8-Fish 1985 ~ 2004 F 17-28 / 3.5-4.5-Fish 1995 ~ 2004 FA 28-200 / 3.8-5.6 1996 ~ 2004 FA 28-70 / 2.8 1994 ~ 2004 K 28 / 3.5-Shift 1977 ~ 2004 FA 35 / 2 1999 ~ 2004 A 50 / 1.2 1984 ~ 2004 FA 50 / 1.7 1991 ~ 2004 FA 80-200 / 2.8 1994 ~ 2004 FA 85 / 2.8-Soft 1996 ~ 2004 FA 100 / 3.5-Macro 1998 ~ 2004 FA 250-600 / 5.6 1991 ~ 2004 A 400 / 5.6 1984 ~ 2004 K 1000 / 11 1977 ~ 2004 2003: in: 4 / out: 0 / total: ? 2002: in: 1 / out: 2 / total: ? FA 28-105 / 4-5.6-ii 1999 ~ 2002 FA 80-320 / 4.5-5.6 1997 ~ 2002 2001: in: 4 / out: 2 / total: ? A 20 / 2.8 1985 ~ 2001 FA 28-80 / 3.5-5.6-i 1998 ~ 2001 2000: in: 2 / out: 6 / total: ? FA 70-200 / 4-5.6 1991 ~ 2000 FA 28-70 / 4 1996 ~ 2000 FA 135 / 2.8 1991 ~ 2000 A 600 / 5.6 1984 ~ 2000 A 200 / 4-Macro 1984 ~ 2000 A 1200 / 8 1986 ~ 2000 -- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.308 / Virus Database: 266.7.2 - Release Date: 3/11/2005 -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.308 / Virus Database: 266.7.2 - Release Date: 3/11/2005

