RiceHigh's Pentax Blog: DA18-135 Discontinued

Saturday, May 23, 2015

DA18-135 Discontinued

http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/16-pentax-news-rumors/296011-18-135mm-lens-being-discontinued.html

It is reported that Ricoh Imaging USA has confirmed this also.

It seems that the Pentax APS-C system is dying, but the new FF system has not yet been completed and arrived, bad! :-(

Comments (12)

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+9 Vote up Vote down

Bob · 513 weeks ago

Just because a lens is discontinued doesn't suggest that Pentax is dying. New lenses are coming and going all the time. No need yo over react

+1 Vote up Vote down

Ian · 513 weeks ago

It had poor IQ so perhaps it is to be replaced.

1 reply · active 513 weeks ago

+1 Vote up Vote down

RiceHigh 110p · 513 weeks ago

I must say the DA18-135 is a good lens in the field, see my previous practical review at this Blog.

+7 Vote up Vote down

Aspa · 513 weeks ago

Good, old pentaxophobic Rice is back. Pentax dying, Pentax is gone, Pentax shot itself in the foot etc. It is just one, not very good BTW lens discontinued, Rice! If you have not eaten dinner tonight that does not mean that you suffer a famine!
We had recently a number of new constructions launched, some of them are designed for FF, but you can use them on APS-C sensors - in case of long lenses and lets say nature photography this is great combo. Using D-FA 150 - 450 you got equivealent of 225 - 675 with all the edge-of-the-frame issues croped out already.
Few another lenses will be presented soon, three for FF and one for APS-C. Honestly for many of us, Pentaxians, this is the best time in recent history of Pentax system development. I am a keen nature photographer and upgrade of already very good APS-C body (K-3) to build-in GPS version (K-3II) together with long zoom and fast 70-200 lenses is the best news since contraceptive pill :-D

3 replies · active 513 weeks ago

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ToetSFX · 513 weeks ago

I agree however it is possible that Ricoh/Pentax in the (near) future will only focus on 645 and FF formats ...... because of costs-reduction and may be higher profitability on this "high end" products, people on the street are less interested in DSLR's such as K-S01 etc. t is much easier to use your smartphone ..... For example, in my opinion the new FA 150-450 and FA 70-200 lenses were too big for FF-format, may be they developed the lenses also for working on the 645 after some modification. I don't know if this is possible.

+3 Vote up Vote down

Aspa · 513 weeks ago

You cannot build the lens which will work on FF and digital '645' without adapter - simple laws of optics. FA 150-450 and FA 70-200 are in tipical sizes for this zoom range and max aperture. Smartphones? Good luck with Sasung, Lumia or iPhone and birds or other wildlife, decent macro, sport action, photojournalism, even weddings etc.
Ricoch will not give-up crop sensors - most of current lenses are designed for APS-C, even if some can work on FF in terms of the image circle, the edge optical correction might be not exactly optimal.

0 Vote up Vote down

Ian · 513 weeks ago

I very much doubt that Pentax will drop APS-C & in fact there is plenty of evidence that FF will succumb to the onslaught from below (APS-C & MFT). Just like MF film succumbed to 35mm.

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Davide · 512 weeks ago

It ias a half old news, is will be switched with 16-85 as standard kit lens.

+3 Vote up Vote down

Paul · 512 weeks ago

I think it was OK to drop the 18-135. Other obviously more capable lens designers, such as Nikon, recently shined with their seemingly excellent 18-140 (according to reviews). The Pentax 18-135 just stinks in comparison.

I remember, the Pentax only got 1.5 points out of 5 for its poor image quality outside the image centre, according to Photozone. The example images I've seen are pretty crappy, e.g. http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/samplesearch.p...

No regret that Ricoh gets rid of this one.

+2 Vote up Vote down

nick · 512 weeks ago

How do you correlate a number of new APC lenses such as the Limited zoom and the 16-85, and a new K3 camera to Pentax leaving APSc?

No matter what Pentax does, you find fault... either you enjoy your contrarian views or you are paid by Canon

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DanJohnson · 512 weeks ago

I stopped posting because Fan-Boys refused to admit Ricoh/Pentax could sell me a FF-DSLR while offering a C-size camera, now I find things are getting intersting. I'm lucky enough to have a choice of which DSLR I will buy without having a second set of lenses (via Pentax lens mount & one for a FF-DSLR of my choice), I read about a camera before I buy it, not just for comments or wild eyed speculation, and I'm not surprised that camera manufacturers can offer C-size as well as FF-DSLR. Responda Superior rests upon the shoulders of the C-size Fan-Boys who created this verble frey by refusing to let Pentax make a FF-DSLR!!!