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PENTAX FF - Spring 2016

JohnBrew

Active member
Hulyss, you might be interested in my Pentax experience. I bought an istDS from Mike Johnston, the very one he used for testing. I used it with the zoom Mike had on it (not the kit zoom). Then I bought a 77 Limited. It was a dynamite portrait lens and good for general shooting even if on the crop-frame sensor. The lens handled and was of a similar size to a Leica 50 Cron. I believe (not sure on this) I ditched it for the Nikon D200.
Incidentally the LCD got broken in my luggage on a trip. The camera continued to perform well and I got my vacation shots, I just couldn't review them. Pentax service (I think they were in Colorado at the time) fixed it quickly and I remember the charge was $167 - not too bad considering.
I think the new FF Pentax has loads of possibilities if the 645z is anything to go by.
 

Hulyss Bowman

Active member
Hey John,

I have some experience with pentax as well. The k7 and then the k5. I shot with the 300mm, 55mm, 77mm and 21mm zeiss... I broke the IS in the K5 because of vibration in a concert and then I got multiple electrical problems (I think the MB soldering inside the K5 was a bit weak). I do not say that the K5 is fragile but I say it is more fragile than a D700, for example. So, this Pentax FF need to be a solid piece of gear. I just wait the specifications. Meanwhile, Nikon is probably baking something too so I think we are good to wait till at least summer 2017 to be properly fixed.
 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
There's an "Is the SL the sexiest Leica" or something thread over at the Leica forum. I don't know what to say about this one, but I'm already looking for a place to hide my credit card to be on the safe side. I'll probably have to drop it in a bucket of concrete and sink it at the Mariana Trench.



 
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Hulyss Bowman

Active member
There's an "Is the SL the sexiest Leica" or something thread over at the Leica forum. I don't know what to say about this one, but I'm already looking for a place to hide my credit card to be on the safe side. I'll probably have to drop it in a bucket of concrete and sink it at the Mariana Trench.




Yea, it will be a highly functional dslr, for sure. The prism does look huge.
 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
If this camera has a great sensor and Zeiss starts making the Milvus lenses in K-mount, I might have a problem :facesmack:
 

ptomsu

Workshop Member
If this camera has a great sensor and Zeiss starts making the Milvus lenses in K-mount, I might have a problem :facesmack:
Jorgen,

why a problem, you have the D810 and great glass for it, why in all the world switch?

Since I have my D810 I am soon HAPPY - have not been for long time. Hardly can imagine that the upcoming Pentax FF would top it. But you actually should know better :D

Just my 5c

Peter
 

Hulyss Bowman

Active member
Jorgen,

why a problem, you have the D810 and great glass for it, why in all the world switch?

Since I have my D810 I am soon HAPPY - have not been for long time. Hardly can imagine that the upcoming Pentax FF would top it. But you actually should know better :D

Just my 5c

Peter
I completely agree with you. Whatever Pentax will do, the Nikon will always be more solid. All this GPS/Wifi/swivelscreen things are just utter gadgets for me, a waste of time and money producing bad radiations. I do not want to be tracked by a GPS. The only things I might like are "few" Pentax lenses on a 24x36 sensor. If this 24x36 sensor is a conventional boring Sony sensor... I'll pass.

So yea, it wont top the D810 or very hardly.

Some might think I change my mind but I don't. The more I get infos the less I'm excited.
 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
Jorgen,

why a problem, you have the D810 and great glass for it, why in all the world switch?

Since I have my D810 I am soon HAPPY - have not been for long time. Hardly can imagine that the upcoming Pentax FF would top it. But you actually should know better :D

Just my 5c

Peter
Yeah, yeah... I'm joking. I like the shape of this though, and Pentax ergonomics are in my view a bit better than Nikon's, just a tiny bit. Add to that IBIS and the articulated LCD, and this will probably be a fantastic camera. I'm in the process of buying more lenses for my Nikons anyway, so I'm not a candidate.
 

rayyan

Well-known member
My first purchased camera was a Asahi Pentax Spotmatic with the Super Takumar
50mm.

It got stolen.

If the stars align for me, I might get this one. I am not into sensor design or makes. That is immaterial for me.

Does it allow me to take the kind of pics I want to take? Is it ergo suitable for me?
Can I afford it?

The other discussions on technical aspects, I read to help me sleep.
 

iiiNelson

Well-known member
Yes a lot of ppl forget about that. I'm probably ignorant but I think only Leica is DNG too. Of course Pentax have his PEF format.

Here are the 9 actual FF Pentax lenses who will work with this camera :

FA 31mm f1.8 Limited
FA 35mm f2.0
FA 43mm f1.9 Limited
DFA 50mm f2.8 macro
FA 50mm f1.4
DA 50mm f1.8
FA 77mm f1.8 Limited
DFA 100mm f/2.8 macro
DA* 300mm f4

The bold ones are the one I value the most. I worked a lot with the 77 and it is a true gem. The 300f4 is a true gem too, especially in concert. I know the 43f1.9 is a very special lens and I really want it. Hopefully, Pentax prices are good prices. You can expect them to launch at least a wide angle lens to start.
I almost bought into the Pentax K system about 3 years ago when I was looking at a backup to my Leica M for telephoto uses. It was specifically the 31 and 77 that caught my attention as "world class" lenses no matter the brand. I went another direction due to some strong QC concerns with some of the lenses (16-50 and 50-135) not working correctly out the box through multiple samples (chronicled here and other places) but it wasn't due to IQ potential.

Some of the things I liked about Pentax was the rugged weather sealed bodies, the ergonomics, the native glass to include Zeiss lenses, and many "pro photographer" type features in a consumer prices camera. I hope this camera does well in a crowded field. I'm solidly in the Sony ecosystem at this point (especially if the rumored A9 bodies are released) but I think competition is good for all to push the industry further.
 
Thanks for this list! Makes life easier :D

I never shot the 77 or the 43 but have heard a lot of positive feedback from people who used it. Great that you confirm that too!

But obviously also the new 2.8/70-200 and the 4.5-5.6/150-450 are covering 35mm FF. Both would be fix starters for me, especially the 150-450 as I would need this for wildlife!
I'm quite ready for FF:
AF Sigma 10-20 3.5 (covering FF from 12 to 14mm) by my tests on film
AF- FA*31mm 1.8
AF- F 50mm 1.4
AF- FA* 77mm 1.8
Manual M 135 2.5
Manual M 200 F4
Tokina 500mm f8 mirror
But I recently buy Ricoh GR and I'm looking to see something similar with FF.
 

Hulyss Bowman

Active member
Yep. I'm sorry when I say the word "boring" about the sensor. It is because I'm used to CCD, old Cmos and foveon. I'm just a bit tired by this sony thing; I always like more and support outsiders. I like working with a sensor instead of letting the sensor working for me :)

Many Pentaxians seems also to lose patience. I really hope this camera will be a success.
 

tsjanik

Well-known member
The 645 adapter could attract 645 owners wanting some sort of backup being able to use their 645 lenses.
There has been a 645/K adapter for some time (MF only), and MF 645 adapters exist for many camera systems; I wonder if this one allows AF?
 

ptomsu

Workshop Member
Yep. I'm sorry when I say the word "boring" about the sensor. It is because I'm used to CCD, old Cmos and foveon. I'm just a bit tired by this sony thing; I always like more and support outsiders. I like working with a sensor instead of letting the sensor working for me :)

Many Pentaxians seems also to lose patience. I really hope this camera will be a success.
I could not agree more! After it took so long for this FF Pentax to arrive (hopefully next spring), the sensor should be really rather earth shaking and not just another already well known Sony sensor.

IMHO it also is already too late for just another FF DSLR. Pentax should have gone a similar way like Leica and bring a FF mirrorless, mainly because they do not even have a substantial FF lens system for DSLRs. Starting from scratch like Leica did with their SL and a new FF mirrorless lens system would have been a much better idea and for sure made more people interested in investing (back) into a FF Pentax system.

Just my 5c ....
 
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