Web Analytics RiceHigh's Pentax Blog: New Rumour: The Three FA Limiteds Will be Ricohized Very Soon! :-o

Wednesday, December 25, 2013

New Rumour: The Three FA Limiteds Will be Ricohized Very Soon! :-o

http://forum.xitek.com/thread-1248533-1-1-1.html
(in Simplified Chinese, Google English Translation Here.)

A Pentax user who has attended a recent official product briefing session at China, it is said that a Ricoh official told publicly about the "revamping" of the three FA Limited lenses, with details as follows:

- The "update" will happen soon,
- The Japanese style green "pearl" of the lens-changing mark on the existing Pentax 31 and 77 Limited lenses will be removed,
- The new lens will still be screw-driven for the AF, i.e., no SDM nor DC nor whatsoever in-lens AF motor,
- New HD lens coating will replace the old SMC one for better performance,
- A Ricoh red ring will be added (and of course)!

There are some photos posted for the event. Just click the above thread to view more if interested.


Related:

Some "Lost Stories" About the Three FA Limited Lenses

Ricoh Continues to Dump SMC and Ricohizes the Outlook of Existing DA Lenses!
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Comments (17)

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6x7's avatar

6x7 · 585 weeks ago

I think tis is positive news, meaning the FF body wil be backwards compatible with the FA screwdriver lenses! :-)
The most logic mouth would be a KAF4 mouth without any mechanical connections, the KAF3 stil has a aperture closing mechanism.
7 replies · active 585 weeks ago
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RiceHigh's avatar - Go to profile

RiceHigh 110p · 585 weeks ago

For what I have been hearing around, the K-mount will be aborted finally and will be replaced by a new original Ricoh mount.
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Chris's avatar

Chris · 585 weeks ago

Sorry Rice, but this would make ab-so-lute-ly no sense commercially. Why would Ricoh buy Pentax and then destroy the main value of what was acquired?
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Bukaj's avatar

Bukaj · 585 weeks ago

I think this is unprobable, but if they manage to make a motorised adapter for screw AF and mechanical aperure, then yes please! Having both the new short mirrorles mount and fully functional K mount on one single camera would be the best solution ever!
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zosX's avatar

zosX · 585 weeks ago

It would mean a mirrorless camera and not a dslr. I don't think even pentax has decided which direction to go in yet. I think the A7 may pressure them to move towards mirrorless more.
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Sony camera do mundo's avatar - Go to profile

Sony camera do mundo · 585 weeks ago

Ricoh/Pentax should just license the Sony NEX mount and make a NEX->PK adapter for its lenses. There is no point in reinventing the wheel.
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Aspa's avatar

Aspa · 585 weeks ago

And from what I read on your blog, Rice, the Pentax had already definitively fall at least eight times ...
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Simon's avatar

Simon · 585 weeks ago

With the Ricoh-P-pin. ;)

Merry Christmas.
+4 Vote up Vote down
6x7's avatar

6x7 · 585 weeks ago

What would be the rational to abort the k mouth, other than a shorter register distance? I really would dislike it to throw away my FA glass :-(
2 replies · active 585 weeks ago
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zosX's avatar

zosX · 585 weeks ago

If you shorten the register distance you have a new mount anyways essentially. You might as well design one from scratch at that point.
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Heiko's avatar

Heiko · 585 weeks ago

Maybe when a new technology replaces the "tele-centric" and industry-standard Bayer-Matrix sensors of today's cameras, then a shorter register-distance truly begins to make sense. As of right now, I recon maximum IQ still favours the old-fashioned mount-distance that the slr-style mirror-boxes provide for.
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Chris's avatar

Chris · 585 weeks ago

Whatever their direction - I hope Pentax continues to offer DSLRs. Because with the current quality of EVFs, I and many others will prefer a DSLR over an EVIL any day. Viewfinder-less cameras (like the K-01) are toys in my eyes.

BTW, by saying toys I imply that sometimes they are fun.
1 reply · active 585 weeks ago
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Pentax-reinvented?'s avatar

Pentax-reinvented? · 585 weeks ago

yes I imagine they can be fun - as long as they remain usable (e.g. indoors without blinding light-sources, they very well can be).
However: a built-in EVF should not be omitted from any hand-holdable camera. K-01 was more of a "proof-of-concept" in live-view usabiltiy, making it NO complete camera IMHO. A K-001 with the addition of a capable viewfinder could make it "whole", again.

And yes - the way I understand it, the world of hand-holdable cameras is at a crossroads regarding EVF: They now are at the brink of becoming truly-useful tools - as in OM-D EM1, Sony A7(r)... ...I have read, Epson supplies them to the respective manufacturers? Come on Ricoh, What Olympus and Sony can do, YOU guys should be able, too.

In the future - I think we will see a general decline in SLR-sales when true "eViL"-cameras (mirrorless_WITH_viewfinder) make the sub-1000$ mainstream. Pentax(Ricoh) might have a chance to survive the wave - but only if they are willing to compete with THEM, not with Leica - talking about pricing, anyone?

I would truely welcome a true APSc-normal (in the spirit of the 43mm/1.9 on film), with 7 or 9 (or more) aperture blades, weather sealing and small-ish size in "plastic-fantastic" - as opposed to the 35mm/2.4 that even lacks a proper distance-scale, usable focus-ring-throw and quick-shift.

Those m43-systems - sadly - give their customers exactly that: several "nifty fiftys" to chose from (as opposed to "Sixties"). On the other hand: I'll take more reasonably-priced DA20-40, any day - as an impromptu-substitute!

PS.: my best 20€ I invested in Pentax just went into a 200/3.5 Hoya-K-mount. By pure chance.
Now, call me a dreamer!
+5 Vote up Vote down
twil's avatar

twil · 585 weeks ago

If Pentax forces a new mount on the FF, there would be zero loyalty of existing FF lenses owners to go Pentax. Any sort of adapter is very clunky. And frankly, for the additional cost, weight, size considerations of the adapter - which will not be cheap, small or ligthweight - because of the electronics and a motor involved, I would just choose the Nikon D610 instead.

This may only make sense if a FF DSLR is first offered and then a new mirrorless was offered on a new mount. But then Pentax will be supporting 4 different types of mounts and lenses. Hardly sustainable.
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Arn's avatar

Arn · 585 weeks ago

It"s not a Ricoh red ring, but a HD coating red ring...
1 reply · active 585 weeks ago
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RiceHigh's avatar - Go to profile

RiceHigh 110p · 585 weeks ago

Whatever! :-o
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Heiko's avatar

Heiko · 585 weeks ago

They should either let them "die" as "production lenses" altogether, or take a whole-hearted approach to update them for real:
quick-shift is sorely missing from them, as of now. THAT I regard as an essential feature for a modern, premium AF-lens. The fact that Pentax would not (could not finance?) implement this into their most-loved specialty lenses let me think twice before developing any lust after them.

That said: any official re-release I would interpret as a definite YES to their first "proper" 35mm-sensor dslr

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