For me, the lack of primes isn’t an issue, although I would like to have some and believe they are coming. For 25 years I shot only primes, but today’s Pentax zooms are very good and are the equal of most primes. I’ll put the image quality of my D FA 150-450 up against the FA 600/4 any day. And the 15-30 meets my wide angle needs handily. I have several good 50mm primes, but still turn to the D FA 24-70 most often. Paul
> On May 18, 2018, at 11:00 AM, Gonz <[email protected]> wrote: > > True that. Pentax definitely is lower cost at or close to equal > quality or performance (except for AF, where it still is behind). And > that is the major reason I started with Pentax back in 1979, they were > clearly more affordable and had a great reputation. I think where > Pentax is lacking is in a system. They last had a complete system > back in the LX days. Unless you plan on using only zooms, their prime > offerings are mostly still from the film era like the Limited series, > or the DA lenses that can sometimes be used in FF. But say I want a > very wide prime? The only options are used older film era lenses > (15mm 3.5). I would have to settle for a zoom to get a new wide > angle. I can't even get third party prime lenses for Pentax, like some > of the more lust worthy Sigma Art Series, its not worth the expense of > manufacturing to them. Its also true of the long lenses. If I want a > 600mm f4.0, or even a 400mm 2.8, I have to get a used film era lens > (good luck with that), or I could settle for the DA560mm f5.6 (I hear > its useable FF). A Nikon, or Canon user doesn't have this problem. > Yes you will pay more, but at least you have the option, with Pentax > you have to jump in eyes wide open. > > On Thu, May 17, 2018 at 1:37 PM, Paul Stenquist <[email protected]> wrote: >> I see some younger photographers who are making their initial purchase of >> pro-level gear going to Pentax. While I agree that Pentax will likely focus >> on pro and advanced amateur offerings, I think they can own the lower priced >> end of that niche. Pentax is a bargain. The K-1 isn’t quite the equal of >> Nikon’s best, but It is almost as capable and far less expenses. With >> in-camera shake reduction that price advantage extends to lenses as well. >> The Pentax D FA 70-200/2.8 sells for about $1000 less than Nikon’s >> 70-200/2.8, and I would be willing to bet the image quality is just as good. >> Paul >> >>> On May 17, 2018, at 2:26 PM, Gonz <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>> I see your point Bill, and you arguments make a certain amount of >>> sense as far as Ricoh's direction. But where I diverge in my opinion >>> is the survival part. Granted there will always be that cadre of >>> Pentax die hards, but as you can see from the average age of pdml >>> posters, its only going up, not down. I.e. there is very little new >>> Pentax "blood" coming in. So someone who is just coming into the high >>> end/pro side of photography will in all likelihood migrate to one of >>> the big three i.e. Canon, Nikon, Sony. Well at least as 35mm is >>> concerned. I think medium format is a completely different beast and >>> I wont even venture an opinion on that. Then there is Leica, but they >>> are also on a different league altogether when it comes to high end. >>> So where does that leave Pentax? With a reputation of a lower >>> cost/amateur manufacturer, they will have a real hard time competing >>> in the space with those big boys and all their resources. The market >>> is definitely shrinking, and it makes perfect sense to go after the >>> only remaining market not eviscerated by phone cameras (though I've >>> seen pros starting to move there too and even making full movies with >>> them), but whether they will survive or not is a crap shoot. >>> >>> >>> On Thu, May 17, 2018 at 10:05 AM, Bill <[email protected]> wrote: >>>> On 5/17/2018 8:33 AM, Gonz wrote: >>>>> >>>>> Hmmm, I've been lusting over Fuji's stuff for a while now, maybe this >>>>> is the push that I need. On the other hand, I read something like >>>>> this: >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> https://petapixel.com/2018/05/17/ricohs-new-camera-sdks-open-the-door-to-3rd-party-apps/ >>>>> >>>>> Which I've been advocating for years now. There are few things that >>>>> can create more buzz and excitement than an active third party >>>>> ecosystem that gives you applications and features Pentax/Ricoh could >>>>> not dream of. This is what made Apple the phone brand that it is, >>>>> maybe this will revive the Pentax brand and allow it to survive. >>>> >>>> >>>> I don't think there is much doubt that the Pentax brand will survive. What >>>> is in doubt is if it will survive in such a way as to make it desirable for >>>> entry level users. The road map is indicating all high end lenses, and as >>>> the camera market is shrinking at a rather alarming rate, the high end of >>>> the market is the safest place to be positioned. >>>> The low end of the market is being eviscerated by the cell phone market. >>>> Low >>>> end, low cost products have to sell in huge numbers to be profitable. Going >>>> forwards, those sales numbers simply won't exist. >>>> Witness Ford getting out of the sedan market, essentially abandoning the >>>> entry level automobile market to Korean manufacturers as an example. >>>> My guess is that the Pentax brand is going to pretty much abandon the >>>> beginner market (the Ricoh brand may pick up traction there), and >>>> concentrate on high end products that can be profitable at low volumes. >>>> >>>> As much as forum users who think they know everything disagree because >>>> Pentax isn't doing what they want (they must be stupid because of that), >>>> the >>>> management at Ricoh is made up of some pretty smart cookies who walked into >>>> the Pentax brand with their eyes open. We may not be seeing the development >>>> speed we would like to see, but we are seeing an ongoing commitment and a >>>> steady, albeit slow, pace of development. >>>> >>>> bill >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> -- >>>> PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List >>>> [email protected] >>>> http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net >>>> to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and >>>> follow the directions. >>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> -- Photography takes an instant out of time, altering life by holding >>> it still. Dorothea Lange >>> >>> -- >>> PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List >>> [email protected] >>> http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net >>> to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and >>> follow the directions. >> >> >> -- >> PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List >> [email protected] >> http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net >> to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and >> follow the directions. > > > > -- > -- Photography takes an instant out of time, altering life by holding > it still. Dorothea Lange > > -- > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > [email protected] > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow > the directions. -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
